All-Star Game lineups, reserves, FAQ

All-Star Game lineups, reserves, FAQ

July 13th, 2021

DENVER -- If we know Coors Field like we think we know Coors, expect the 91st All-Star Game to be a wild one.

We are already guaranteed to witness All-Star history, as Angels superstar will be both the starting pitcher and leadoff hitter for the American League. He's the first player in the history of an event dating back to 1933 to serve as both a position player (he was voted in by the fans as the AL’s starting designated hitter) and a pitcher (he was voted in by his peers as one of the seven starters on the AL roster). Additionally, the designated hitter rule has been changed for the first time ever specifically to allow the AL to keep the DH after Ohtani exits.

• MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard

“Everyone has very high expectations for me,” said Ohtani through interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, “and I just want to match those expectations.”

But with so much talent on the field -- and all that talent assembled within the bonkers run-scoring environment of Coors Field (which, for the record, is already home to the highest-scoring game in All-Star history after the AL’s 13-8 win in 1998) -- anything can happen here.

As the stars prepare to take their stage, here are answers to all of your questions about the 91st All-Star Game.

How can I watch the game?
FOX’s national broadcast begins at 7:30 p.m. ET.

The game will also be broadcast in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS and worldwide by partners in 15 languages across 223. FOX Deportes will provide Spanish-language coverage in the United States, while ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide exclusive national radio coverage.

Who are the starting pitchers?
While Ohtani will start for the AL as an All-Star Game novice, eight-time All-Star Max Scherzer will get the nod for the Senior Circuit. After getting All-Star Game starting nods in 2013 (as a Tiger), 2017 and '18 (as a National), he'll join Hall of Famers Robin Roberts, Lefty Gomez, Don Drysdale (five each), Jim Palmer and Randy Johnson (four each) as the only pitchers to make at least four starts.

“It’s an incredible honor,” Scherzer said. “When you step into a room with a room full of All-Stars, and you get the ball, it's a really special feeling. It's hard to put into words.”

What are the starting lineups?
All-Star Game managers Kevin Cash (AL/Rays) and Dave Roberts (NL/Dodgers) announced the lineups at All-Star Media Day on Monday.

AL:

  1. , DH (LAA)
  2. , 1B (TOR)
  3. , SS (BOS)
  4. , RF (NYY)
  5. , 3B (BOS)
  6. , 2B (TOR)
  7. , C (KC)
  8. , LF (TOR)
  9. , CF (BAL)

NL:

  1. , SS (SD)
  2. , DH (LAD)
  3. , 3B (STL)
  4. , 1B (ATL)
  5. , RF (CIN)
  6. , LF (CIN)
  7. , C (PHI)
  8. , CF (PIT)
  9. , 2B (PIT)

Angels superstar , Giants catcher and Braves outfielder were elected by fans to start the All-Star Game, but had to bow out due to injuries.

Who are the position player reserves?

*denotes a player who is inactive due to injury or has chosen not to play
+Named as a replacement

AL:

C: (TB)
2B: (HOU)*
2B: (KC)+
SS: (TOR)
SS: (HOU)*
SS: (CWS)+
SS: (TB)+
1B: (OAK)
3B: José Ramírez (CLE)
1B: (LAA)
OF: (HOU)*
OF: (TEX)
OF: (TEX)
DH: J.D. Martinez (BOS)
DH: (MIN)

• All-Star team-by-team breakdown

NL:

C: (STL)+*
C: (MIL)+
2B: (ATL)
3B: (CHC)
SS: (SF)
2B: (SD)
3B: (ARI)
3B: (LAD)+
3B: (SD)+
SS: (WSH)
OF: (LAD)*
OF: (WSH)*
OF: (WSH)
OF: (LAD)

• Your 2021 All-Stars by position

Which pitchers were selected?

AL:

RHP: (CLE)*
RHP: (NYY)
RHP: (BOS)
RHP: (TEX)
LHP: (SEA)
RHP: (CWS)
LHP: (CWS)
RHP: (OAK)+
RHP: (BOS)
LHP: (NYY)
RHP: (CWS)
RHP: (HOU)*
LHP: (DET)

NL:

RHP: (MIL)
RHP: (SD)*
RHP: (NYM)*
RHP: (SF)*
RHP: Germán Márquez (COL)
LHP: (MIA)
RHP: (PHI)
RHP: (MIL)*
RHP: (LAD)+
RHP: (MIL)+
RHP: (NYM)+
LHP: (MIL)
RHP: (CHC)
RHP: (SD)
RHP: (STL)

Were there any roster replacements?
As usual, there were quite a few. NL pitchers Gausman and Woodruff pitched Sunday and were therefore unavailable. Nine players were ruled out because of injury -- AL second baseman Altuve, shortstop Correa, outfielders Trout and Brantley, and NL catcher Posey, outfielders Betts and Acuña Jr., and pitchers deGrom and Darvish. AL reliever Pressly is out on paternity leave. Those absences opened the door for Anderson, Bassitt, Merrifield, Wendle, Machado, Buehler, Molina, Peralta, Scherzer, Turner and Walker. Molina then opted out, opening the door for Narváez.

Does the All-Star Game still decide home-field advantage in the World Series?
Nope. As part of the collective bargaining agreement negotiated before the 2017 season, that wrinkle was removed. The game is back to being a true exhibition, and home-field advantage in the Fall Classic is now given to the team with the better regular-season record.

Are there any changes for 2021?
The big change is that, for the first time in this event’s history, the All-Stars will not be wearing their own team’s uniforms but, rather, an All-Star Game-specific uniform. The jerseys feature the player’s team logo and city abbreviation on the left chest and the Nike swoosh on the right, with an American flag on the left sleeve and the All-Star logo on the right. The caps feature the player’s team logo against the backdrop of a purple star.

Why was the All-Star Game moved?
Commissioner Rob Manfred made the decision to move the game from Atlanta following the passage of S.B. 202, a Georgia law that was criticized for restricting voting access for residents of the state. After consultation with teams, former and current players, the MLB Players Association and The Players Alliance, among others, Manfred said the move was “the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport.”

How many times has Denver hosted the All-Star Game?
This will be the second time. Coors Field was in its fourth season of existence in 1998 the last time the Rockies hosted the festivities.

The last All-Star Game in Denver featured 15 future Hall of Famers: Ivan Rodriguez, Jim Thome, Roberto Alomar, Cal Ripken Jr, Ken Griffey Jr, Derek Jeter, Pedro Martinez, Mike Piazza, Craig Biggio, Chipper Jones, Tony Gwynn, Larry Walker, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Trevor Hoffman.

How can fans get involved in the game?
Fans will once again have the opportunity to participate in the official voting for the Ted Williams All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet. During the game, fans can vote exclusively at MLB.com and the 30 Club sites -- online or via their mobile devices -- with the 2021 All-Star Game MLB.com MVP Vote, and their collective voice will represent 20 percent of the official vote determining this year’s recipient of what was originally named the Arch Ward Memorial Award.

Which league has the all-time edge in the All-Star Game?
The AL has the slight edge all-time -- 45 wins and 43 losses, with two ties. The scores of those 90 games add up to 373 runs for the AL and 370 for the NL, so the Midsummer Classic has been very closely contested in the big picture.

In more recent history, though, this matchup has been heavily skewed toward the AL, which has lost just six times going back to 1988, three times going back to 1997 and is undefeated going back to 2013.

What are some other fun facts to know?

• With a record-breaking 40 first-timers selected, is the third consecutive All-Star Game with at least 30 players making their debut on an All-Star roster. That number has been reached in seven of the last eight and nine of the last 11 installments of the Midsummer Classic.

• The rosters feature six players aged 23 or younger: Guerrero, Tatis and Soto are 22, and Acuña, Bichette and Rogers are 23.

• Though he is out with a calf injury, Trout has the longest active All-Star Game streak, having been selected to eight straight. Molina’s 10 overall selections are the most of any player on these rosters, followed by Trout (nine), Kimbrel (eight), Scherzer (eight), Altuve (seven), Chapman (seven), Cruz (seven), Perez (seven) and Posey (seven).