National League wins Midsummer Classic for first time since 2012 in tight 3-2 victory over American League
By Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA – The 2023 MLB All-Star game, the third midsummer classic in history to take place in Seattle, the National League (the senior circuit) was able to get their first victory since 2012 as they snapped a nine-game losing streak to the American League. A tight battle throughout that truly displayed pitching and defense at T-Mobile Park, the hero of the game would be Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Diaz, who was in his first All-Star game at the age of 32. While the stars that represented the Mariners didn’t necessarily make the biggest marks, the entire experience for Seattle’s player and the city itself will certainly create memories to last a lifetime and continue to help grow the game of baseball here in the Pacific Northwest.
The pregame ceremonies for the 93rd MLB All-Star game included special player introductions and a first pitch by Edgar Martinez and Ken Griffey Jr (Photos by Mathew Bermudez)
Getting things started with electricity in the outfield
While the All-Star game itself had the normal excitement building into it, off the heels of last night’s Home Run Derby, things got off to an electric start in just the first two plate appearances by the National League. Runs weren’t scored, base hits weren’t recorded, no. Two flyouts were what got the fans on their feet, as Texas Rangers right fielder Adolis Garcia and Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Randy Arozarena used their athletic ability to take sure-fire extra base hits off the board. Two competitors in last night’s Home Run Derby, but friends for life, traded great catches and lit up the crowd inside of the All-Star game to get things started and set up a contest full of great defensive play.
Sights and scenes from the 93rd All-Star game, as small ball offense was the primary factor in the low scoring contest (Photos by Mathew Bermudez)
National League saves their best shot for late
Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz’s solo homer for the American League in the bottom of the second was really the only thing that separated this game before Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder J.D. Martinez and Miami Marlins infielder Luis Arraez combined on base hits to even things up. The small ball trend continued as the American League used a single by Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez and double by Oakland Athletics outfielder Brent Rooker before Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette brought Perez home with a pop fly. That’s all we really had when the seventh inning stretch came around, as it was a true showing of pitching and defensive play in the 93rd All-Star game. That changed when the top of the eighth came around.
Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Felix Bautista, who has had a strong season to this point, came into to pitch the top of the eighth as he relieved Michael Lorenzen of the Detroit Tigers. Immediately Bautista struggled as Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos drew a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Diaz came into the game as a pinch-hitter for Miami Marlins outfielder Jorge Soler, and he hammered a splitter in the bottom of the zone to left field. The two-run blast put the National League ahead and gave them the narrow advantage.
The representatives from the Seattle Mariners at the 2023 MLB All-Star game, including George Kirby, Julio Rodriguez, Luis Castillo, and Scott Servais (Photos by Mathew Bermudez)
A chance to win it falls through
In the bottom of the ninth and down by just the singular run, it was up to some of the brightest stars of the American League to try and pull out the victory against one of the best closers in all of baseball. Philadelphia’s Craig Kimbrel got the ball for the National League and was able to dispatch Tampa Bay’s Wander Franco and Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr with relative ease to create doubt quickly that there would be any sort of comeback attempt. Kimbrel attempted to get Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker to chase, but that wouldn’t happen, and a walk was drawn on six pitches. That walk brought up Seattle’s Julio Rodriguez with another opportunity for a storybook ending to be written at T-Mobile Park.
After Julio took the first pitch for a ball to begin the plate appearance, Rodriguez looked ready to swing for the fences and more as he fell into a 1-2 count. Julio was then able to settle back in and realize that he didn’t necessarily need to be the hero of this story, fouling off a fastball on the edge of the zone in the process of drawing a seven pitch walk to put two runners on and bring up one of the best hitters in baseball. Although Julio did his part to bring Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez to the plate, it wouldn’t pay off as Jram struck out on an elevated fastball to end the ballgame and give the National League their first victory in the Midsummer Classic since the year of 2012. Do you remember what you were doing back in 2012?
Quick notes, provided by the great Sarah Langs
Sean Murphy is the first catcher with a CS in the All-Star Game since Alex Avila threw out Lance Berkman in 2011 on a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out double play
this is the first All-Star Game with multiple CS since 2008:
Dioner Navarro threw out Cristian Guzman
Russell Martin threw out Ian Kinsler
Rays to homer in the All-Star Game:
Today Yandy Díaz
2021 Mike Zunino
2007 Carl Crawford
Dodgers with multiple hits in an ASG:
Today J.D. Martinez
1996 Mike Piazza
1978, 1975, 1974 Steve Garvey
1973 Willie Davis
1954 Duke Snider (3)
1953 Pee Wee Reese
1951 Gil Hodges
1951 Jackie Robinson
1944 Dixie Walker
1943, 1941 Billy Herman
Camilo Doval’s 101.2 mph strikeout is tied for the 4th-fastest strikeout in a Statcast-era ASG, behind only:
2015 ASG Aroldis Chapman: K’s at 103.4 mph, 103.2 mph, 101.5 mph
Rockies to homer in the All-Star Game:
Today Elias Díaz
2019 Charlie Blackmon
2018 Trevor Story
2008 Matt Holliday
2003 Todd Helton
Catchers with ASG SB:
Today Will Smith
1998 Iván Rodríguez
1982 Tony Peña
Go-ahead HR in ASG while trailing in 8th or later:
Today Elias Díaz
2003 Hank Blalock
1981 Mike Schmidt
1972 Cookie Rojas
1954 Gus Bell
1941 Ted Williams (walk-off)
Elias Díaz is the first Rockies player to win All-Star MVP
Catchers to win All-Star MVP:
Today Elias Díaz
2010 Brian McCann
1997 Sandy Alomar Jr.
1996 Mike Piazza
1988 Terry Steinbach
1984, 1981 Gary Carter
Giants to be ASG winning pitcher:
Today Camilo Doval
2012 Matt Cain
1981 Vida Blue
1966 Gaylord Perry
1964, 1962 Juan Marichal
1961 Stu Miller
1959 Johnny Antonelli
1951 Sal Maglie
Luis Arraez is the only player with multiple hits in All-Star Game on the only pitches he saw, since pitch counts have been tracked (1988)
What’s next?
With the conclusion of tonight’s All-Star game, the 93rd in league history, MLB won’t get back to regular season action until Friday, July 14th when teams get back into games. For our Seattle Mariners, they get back into action on Friday, July 14th when they begin a ten-game homestand with a series against the Detroit Tigers. It could be a critical stretch ahead of this year's trade deadline for Seattle, who is continuing to work their way back into the playoff picture and despite recent success, are looking to continue to improve.