Most Major League Baseball players are on their tiny mid-summer breaks. However, the select ones that have qualified for the 2017 All Star Game will be active tonight, mostly in limited roles. The All Star Game will come from Marlins Park in Miami, Florida and the start time is 8pm ET. FOX has the television coverage as the American League All Stars will face the National League All Stars.
American League dominant of late
Historically, the series between the two sides is pretty dead even. However, the trend within the overall trend is that the American League has been winning a ton lately.
They enter tonight with a four-game winning streak active in the All Star Game. Before that streak started, the National League had won a trio. But since and including the 1997 mid-summer classic it has pretty much been all about the American League enjoying success. The trio of losses the AL suffered earlier this decade remain the only ones that the American League All Stars have suffered in the last 20 years.
Starting pitchers, Sale and Scherzer
Chris Sale of the Boston Red Sox is the starting pitcher for the American League. He'll face Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals for however long the two starters stay in the game. Historically speaking, starters and all pitchers are used very sparingly.
A big reason for that is that managers like to get as many players involved as possible.
That the American League has dominated in recent decades hasn't made them the betting favorite. Bet365 sportsbook price the NL at -115 (20 to 23) to win straight up tonight. Those certainly aren't short odds on the favorite, as they suggest that the NL would beat the AL just better than 50% of the time.
Although generally considered an exhibition game, for most of this century the game has carried post-season implications. The winning league, since 2002, has had the host team in the World Series. However, there is a rule change in play this season regarding the All Star Game. The outcome of the game will not affect home-field advantage in the World Series this season.
Instead that advantage will simply go to the team with the higher winning percentage during the regular season, certainly a more conventional way of deciding that edge.
When it comes to sports in North America, this is one of the quietest times of the year. The All Star Game promises to receive a lot of media attention as a result. The regular-season games will pick back up on Friday as teams will look to position themselves in the various pennant races and Wild Card races.
