The 96th MLB All-Star Game heads to one of baseball's most iconic venues on Tuesday night, as the American League and National League square off at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
With the National League serving as the designated home team, they'll enjoy the advantage of batting last.
However, the exhibition has become increasingly competitive in recent years, with a reported $25,000 bonus for players on the winning team, plus additional incentives for the All-Star Game MVP.
This year's Midsummer Classic will have a different feel without stars such as Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Paul Skenes and Jacob Misiorowski.
Philadelphia's hometown crowd will have plenty to cheer, though, with Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo, Brandon Marsh and Jhoan Duran all representing the Phillies, while South Jersey native Mike Trout returns for what will be a memorable 12th All-Star appearance.
The pitching matchup features two of baseball's most dominant first-half arms. Toronto's Dylan Cease gets the ball for the American League after tossing 15 consecutive scoreless innings, while striking out 20 over his final two starts before the break.
Opposing him is Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez, who earns the nod despite one rough outing in Kansas City, rewarding a brilliant first half in front of the home fans.
MLB All-Star Game: AL vs. NL betting picks and predictions
National League -1.5 (+150)
It's difficult to find significant betting edges in an exhibition featuring baseball's best players, but the National League is the side worth backing.
Beyond the advantage of batting last, the NL lineup simply looks deeper from top to bottom, even without Ohtani.
Juan Soto, Freddie Freeman, CJ Abrams, Kyle Schwarber, James Wood, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Bryce Harper provide an exceptional combination of power, patience and athleticism, while the bench may be even more dangerous.
Crow-Armstrong, in particular, could become a game-changer late on. Since May 31, the Cubs superstar has transformed his season, raising his batting average from .237 to .291 while compiling 21 home runs, 24 stolen bases and a .917 OPS entering the break.
Whether it's a game-saving catch in center field, elite baserunning or a clutch swing, he possesses the type of all-around skill set that often shines in exhibition settings.
The American League still features dangerous bats led by Yordan Alvarez, Junior Caminero, Bobby Witt Jr. and Mike Trout, but the loss of Judge removes one of the sport's biggest offensive forces from the showcase.
With Sanchez starting at home before handing the ball to an elite collection of National League relievers, the NL has enough pitching depth and lineup versatility to pull away late.
Over 7.5 Total Runs (-120)
While both starting pitchers are capable of dominant outings, neither is expected to pitch more than an inning or two.
That means nearly every available pitcher will enter the game, creating more opportunities for offense as managers work through unfamiliar bullpen matchups.
The biggest wildcard remains MLB's Home Run Derby-style swing-off, which returns if the game is tied after nine innings.
Rather than playing extra innings, each league selects three hitters for a three-round home run competition, with the winning side officially earning an additional run.
Last year's unforgettable 6-6 tie turned into a 7-6 National League victory after Kyle Schwarber's perfect swing-off performance.
Even if the game doesn't reach that scenario, the combination of elite hitters, shortened pitching appearances and aggressive offensive substitutions makes the Over an appealing play.
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MLB All-Star Game: AL vs. NL odds
AL Money Line | +120 |
NL Money Line | -140 |
Run Line | NL -1.5 |
Total | 7.5 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
