LOS ANGELES — The Big Leagues are taking over Hollywood for MLB All-Star Week. With a fury of events scheduled July 15-19, fans won’t want to miss out on the opportunity to catch the best sluggers and stars in baseball. The 92nd edition of the midsummer classic is back at Dodger Stadium for the first time since 1980. It’s the fourth time the Dodgers have hosted the All-Star Game, including 1949 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn and 1959 at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
The week also plays host to ancillary events taking place in and around Los Angeles, like Play Ball Park at LA Live and the Los Angeles Convention Center from Saturday through Tuesday, and All-Star Oceanfront at Santa Monica Pier from Friday to Sunday. Here is a look at the big-ticket baseball events, which begin in earnest over the weekend.
Major events include:
MLB Futures Game
Saturday, July 16 at 4 p.m. PT
A gathering of top prospects from around baseball are split into National League and American League teams in a seven-inning game. Three premium Dodgers prospects will be on hand at Dodger Stadium — Miguel Vargas, Diego Cartaya, and pitcher Bobby Miller.
Mike Scioscia and Jimmy Rollins are managers for the Futures Game, and the coaching staffs are littered with several other former Dodgers, including Adrián Beltré, Shawn Green, Eric Davis, Ken Landreaux, Edwin Jackson, and Dan Haren.
MLB Draft
Rounds 1-2: Sunday, July 17, 4 p.m. (ESPN, MLB Network)
Rounds 3-10: Monday, July 18, 11 a.m. (MLB.com)
Rounds 11-20: Tuesday, July 19, 11 a.m. (MLB.com)
One of the most confounding things in MLB is how the powers that be decided to put the draft during All-Star week, making it extremely difficult for fans to follow multiple tentpole events that are now bunched together, and also managing to frustrate both MLB front offices and college baseball.
The first day of the draft, on Sunday, will be held at XBox Live in Los Angeles, encompassing every pick through the end of the second round. The Dodgers only pick once on Sunday, with their first-round pick dropping ten slots, to No. 40 overall for being in the highest tier of competitive balance tax last season and forfeiting their second-round pick by signing Freddie Freeman as a free agent.
The Dodgers’ draft bonus pool, which includes the recommended slot values of every pick through the first 10 rounds, is $4.2 million.
All-Star press conference
Monday, July 18 at 11 a.m.
Managers Brian Snitker and Dusty Baker will reveal the starting pitchers for each league, as well as the lineups for Tuesday’s game. I have not seen particular television time blocked off for this but would bet money it’s covered live by MLB Network, and at the very least will be streamed on MLB.com.
Home Run Derby
Monday, July 18 at 5 p.m., ESPN
The single-elimination bracket will feature eight players, with the bracket officially revealed this Thursday at 4 p.m. PT on ESPN. So far, the only confirmed participant is Pete Alonso, who won the last two Home Run Derbies.
Other possibilities include Giancarlo Stanton, who played high school baseball semi-locally at Notre Dame in Sherman Oaks, and possibly Dodgers catcher Will Smith, who per his own requirement would need to be added to the All-Star team first. Stanton is a veteran of three Home Run Derbies, winning in 2016.
Giancarlo Stanton on this year’s Home Run Derby: “Nothing’s official, but I definitely could be there.”
As for the 2022 AL and NL All-Star rosters, those were unveiled last Sunday night during the 2022 Chevrolet MLB All-Star Selection Show on ESPN.
MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard: July 19 4 p.m. on FOX
Starters were voted in by fans while the reserves are filled in via player ballot and the commissioner’s office
As usual, the game will pit the American League against the National League with the previous season’s pennant-winning managers serving in the same role for their league. That means Astros manager Dusty Baker helms the AL while Braves skipper Brian Snitker leads the NL.
Here are the full rosters. Each league’s starting pitcher will be selected the day before the game.
American League Starters
C: Alejandro Kirk, Blue Jays
1B: Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., Blue Jays
2B: Andrés Giménez, Guardians (Jose Altuve will miss game due to injury)
3B: Rafael Devers, Red Sox
SS: Tim Anderson, White Sox
OF: Aaron Judge, Yankees; Mike Trout, Angels; Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees (Trout will not play because of back discomfort; Byron Buxton will replace him in starting lineup)
DH: Shohei Ohtani, Angels
National League Starters
C: Willson Contreras, Cubs
1B: Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals
2B: Jeff McNeil, Mets (Jazz Chisholm will miss game due to injury)
3B: Manny Machado, Padres
SS: Trea Turner, Dodgers
OF: Ronald Acuña, Jr., Braves; Mookie Betts, Dodgers; Joc Pederson, Giants
DH: Bryce Harper, Phillies (will miss game due to injury)
American League reserves
C: Jose Trevino, Yankees
INF: Luis Arraez, Twins; Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox; José Ramírez, Guardians; Corey Seager, Rangers (injury replacement for Springer); Santiago Espinal, Blue Jays (injury replacement for Altuve); Ty France, Mariners (injury replacement for Trout)
OF: George Springer, Blue Jays (will miss game due to injury); Byron Buxton, Twins; Andrew Benintendi, Royals; Kyle Tucker, Astros; Julio Rodríguez, Mariners
DH: Yordan Alvarez, Astros (will miss game due to injury), J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (injury replacement for Alvarez)
Legacy: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
National League reserves
C: Travis d’Arnaud, Braves
INF: Nolan Arenado, Cardinals (will miss game due to injury); Pete Alonso, Mets; C.J. Cron, Rockies; Dansby Swanson, Braves; Austin Riley, Braves (injury replacement for Arenado); Jake Cronenworth, Padres (injury replacement for Chisholm)
OF: Kyle Schwarber, Phillies; Juan Soto, Nationals; Starling Marte, Mets; Ian Happ, Cubs
DH: William Contreras, Braves, Garrett Cooper, Marlins (injury replacement for Harper)
Legacy: Albert Pujols, Cardinals
William Contreras will start over Harper in the DH slot. Willson and William Contreras will be the first set of brothers to start the All-Star Game together since Roberto and Sandy Alomar in 1992.
American League pitchers
Shane McClanahan, Rays
Nestor Cortes, Yankees
Alek Manoah, Blue Jays
Framber Valdez, Astros
Martín Pérez, Rangers
Paul Blackburn, Athletics
Justin Verlander, Astros (will be unavailable to pitch)
Gerrit Cole, Yankees (will be unavailable to pitch)
Shohei Ohtani, Angels
Clay Holmes, Yankees
Emmanuel Clase, Guardians
Gregory Soto, Tigers
Jorge López, Orioles
Liam Hendriks, White Sox (replacement for Verlander/Cole)
Jordan Romano, Blue Jays (replacement for Verlander/Cole)
This is the second straight season Ohtani was chosen both as a designated hitter and as a pitcher. No one else has ever had that happen even once.
National League pitchers
Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
Sandy Alcantara, Marlins
Corbin Burnes, Brewers
Luis Castillo, Reds
Max Fried, Braves (will be unavailable to pitch)
Tony Gonsolin, Dodgers
Joe Musgrove, Padres
Edwin Díaz, Mets
Josh Hader, Brewers (will miss game on the bereavement list)
Ryan Helsley, Cardinals
David Bednar, Pirates
Joe Mantiply, Diamondbacks
Carlos Rodón, Giants (replacement for Hader, but will miss game due to availability)
Tyler Anderson, Dodgers (replacement for Rodón)
Devin Williams, Brewers (replacement for Fried)
Miles Mikolas, Cardinals (replacement for Burnes)
Visit http://www.allstargame.com for tickets and more information, and for the complete schedule of events visit https://www.mlb.com/all-star/schedule.
