2022 All-Star Game Highlights

The 2022 MLB All Star Game festivities will begin on Saturday the 16th with the Future All-Star Game and continue on Sunday the 17th with the Draft and Monday the 18th with the Home Run Derby and conclude on Tuesday the 19th with the clash of the American and National League All-Stars.

The last time the event was held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Jimmy Carter was President of the United States and Mexican left-hander Fernando Valenzuela had not yet made his first major league pitch.

LARGE LATIN AMERICAN PRESENCE: In total, 28 of the 66 players on the American League and National League starting rosters are Latin American. The list includes 13 Dominicans, eight Venezuelans, two Cubans, two Mexicans, two Puerto Ricans and one Cuban.
The fifth-ranked players are Albert Pujols, Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Rafael Devers, Manny Machado, José Ramírez, Julio Rodríguez, Starling Marte, Juan Soto, Sandy Alcántara, Luis Castillo, Framber Valdez, Gregory Soto and Emmanuel Clase.

The Venezuelan troop is composed of Miguel Cabrera, Ronald Acuña Jr, Willson and William Contreras, José Altuve, Martín Pérez, Luis Arráez and Andrés Giménez. In addition, Cubans Yordan Álvarez and Néstor Cortés, Mexican catchers Alejandro Kirk and José Treviño, Puerto Rican relievers Edwin Díaz and Jorge López and Aruban torpedo Xander Bogaerts.

In terms of place of origin, 28 players were born outside the United States, representing 42.4% of the total. The list includes two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani of Japan and 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the Bahamas.

OHTANI GOES FOR MORE HISTORY: In 2021, when the All-Star Game was held at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado, Ohtani was the starting pitcher and designated hitter for the American League. It was one of the Nipponese’s amazing feats en route to a dream season in which he won the young circuit’s Most Valuable Player award.

Now, Ohtani, who once again amazes with his ability to perform with excellence as a hitter and pitcher, was chosen by fans as his league’s starting Designated Hitter and was also included in the pitching staff. Even if he doesn’t open the game, Ohtani will have a chance to repeat something only he has done in the nearly century-long history of the All-Star Game.

STELLAR BROTHERS: Venezuelan brothers Willson and William Contreras will be in the National League starting lineup, something that has not happened since Puerto Ricans Sandy and Roberto Alomar did so in 1992, when the event was held at San Diego’s Jack Murphy Stadium.

Sandy and Roberto played together six times in the All-Star Game (1990, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997 and 1998), but only twice (1991 and 1992) as starters in the American League. When they played together, Sandy was the catcher for the Cleveland Indians and Roberto was the middle infielder for the Toronto Blue Jays.

The last two brothers to be simultaneously called up to the All-Star Game were Aaron and Brett Boone in 2003 at US Cellular Field in Chicago. But while Brett, of the Seattle Mariners, was on the American League squad, Aaron, of the Cincinnati Reds, was with the National League.

In Contreras’ case, Willson is the Cubs’ floor catcher, while William, also a catcher, has been used more this year as a designated hitter. William lost the vote for the designated hitter spot to the Philadelphia Phillies’ Bryce Harper, but will be part of the starting lineup due to the thumb injury that sidelined Harper indefinitely.

THE DODGERS’ QUARTERBACK: It has been 42 years since Major League Baseball’s All-Stars last competed in the midseason classic at Dodger Stadium. On July 8, 1980, the National League beat the American League 4-2 in two hours and 33 minutes before 56,088 fans at Chavez Ravine.

J.R. Richard, Bob Welch, Jerry Reuss, Jim Bibby and Bruce Sutter combined to strike out 11 batters and hold the powerful visiting lineup to seven hits. A home run by Fred Lynn and a double by Panama’s Rod Carew were the only extra-base hits for the American League. Ken Griffey Sr. hit a 3-2 home run to lead the National League and take the Most Valuable Player trophy.
The Dodgers had hosted the Major League All-Star Game on two previous occasions: in 1949 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, NY, and in 1959 at Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles.

The American League dominates the series 46-43 in the 91 All-Star Games that have been held, since 1933. Two editions ended in a tie (1-1 in 1961 at Boston’s Fenway Park and 7-7 in 2002 at Milwaukee’s Miller Park) and two others were canceled (in 1945 due to travel restrictions during the end of World War II and in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic).