The 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game is nearly here, and the star-studded festivities shouldn’t disappoint when things get underway Tuesday night from Petco Park in San Diego.
But before the first pitch flies at 8 p.m. ET on Fox, it’s worth taking some time to acquaint yourself with this year’s rosters and starting lineups, which you can view below courtesy of ESPN Stats & Info on Twitter:
So as time ticks down in advance of the Midsummer Classic, here’s a rundown of who to keep an eye on when it comes to the National League and American League sides.
National League Roster
It’s hard to discuss this year’s NL roster and not marvel at the proliferation of Chicago Cubs players in the starting lineup.
Most notably, the Cubs are fielding the entire starting infield, with first baseman Anthony Rizzo, second baseman Ben Zobrist, third baseman Kris Bryant and shortstop Addison Russell hoping to bring some Wrigley Field magic to Petco Park.
Russell in particular will be looking to make good on his nod since it’s snapping a decades-long drought, per ESPN Stats & Info:
In terms of historical significance, All-Star feats don’t get much more rare than what the Cubs have accomplished. According to ESPN.com, Chicago is just the second team in history to send its four starting infielders to the Midsummer Classic as starters. The only other club to boast such status was the 1963 St. Louis Cardinals.
“It’s an honor, and to have a lot of my teammates there with me will make it even more fun,” Bryant said, per ESPN.com. “Just having your teammates and friends there will make it more special. The nerves probably won’t be there as much as last year. You just look around and it’s a normal game.”
Dexter Fowler would have given Chicago a hefty share of the starting positions on the NL side, but a hamstring injury has sidelined him for the midseason spectacular. And with Yoenis Cespedes (quad) of the New York Mets also out, the Miami Marlins’ Marcell Ozuna and the Colorado Rockies’ Carlos Gonzalez will occupy starting positions in the outfield Tuesday evening, according to an official press release from MLB.
The Washington Nationals’ Daniel Murphy and Wilson Ramos have been scorching-hot at the plate throughout the first half of the season, and their combined pop off the bench could help the NL solve a wicked AL pitching staff led by starter Chris Sale of the Chicago White Sox.
American League Roster
Like the Cubs in the NL, the Boston Red Sox reign supreme in the AL.
And while Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts may drive the hype machine as the AL seeks its fourth straight win with home-field advantage in the World Series up for grabs, David Ortiz should bask in the spotlight as he gets set to ride off into the sunset.
He spoke about playing in his last All-Star Game, per ESPN.com’s Scott Lauber:
Having a break is great, you know what I’m saying? But it’s not like I’m going to another All-Star Game as a player. Getting around 3 million votes, that’s a lot of people that would like to see you out there. That’s something I really appreciate, that people take their time to vote for myself and my teammates and want us to be there as a massive group.
Tuesday will mark Ortiz’s 10th All-Star appearance, and it will serve not only as validation of his personal success this year, but as recognition of everything he’s accomplished over the course of an illustrious and hardware-clad career.
Joining Boston’s talented group in Southern California will be a slew of Baltimore Orioles sluggers, several of whom have the power necessary to tilt the game in the AL’s favor at a moment’s notice.
Manny Machado and Mark Trumbo have both shone to this point in the season, and their vision at the plate figures to be an invaluable resource for an AL side that will be looking to keep some of MLB’s hottest arms at bay.
Prediction
Both squads are plenty stacked, so trying to nitpick with regard to which has the edge from a micro perspective is a somewhat futile practice.
But if there’s one macro factor that could decide things, it’s the NL’s outrageous pitching staff led by Jake Arrieta, Max Scherzer, Johnny Cueto and Jose Fernandez, among others.
Spreading those four pitchers out over nine innings would be scary enough, but the fact that manager Terry Collins will also have the likes of Jon Lester, Jeurys Familia, Kenley Jansen and Drew Pomeranz at his disposal means there’s some serious potential for the NL to keep the AL in check throughout the evening.
It may not be the most thrilling affair, but if Collins’ arms pitch up to par, the National League could be staring at its first All-Star Game win since 2012.
Prediction: National League 5, American League 3
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