Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was set to start at first base and bat fifth for the American League in tonight’s Major League Baseball all-star game.
Guerrero is anchoring a powerful heart of the American League batting order, hitting second behind Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and ahead of Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh — the major league home run leader — at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves.
Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk is also on the AL roster.
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani leads off for the National League, while Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, who represents Canada internationally, bats fourth.
Detroit pitcher Tarik Skubal will start for the AL, while the NL counters with 2024 rookie of the year Paul Skenes.
2021 game moved
The game is being played in Atlanta, some might say, four years late.
The 2021 All-Star Game has previously been awarded to Atlanta. But just months before it was to be played, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced it would be moved — because Georgia had recently passed a law that many said restricted voting rights, particularly among non-white voters.
“Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box,” Manfred said at the time.
The law remains in place, though some parts have been blocked by federal courts. Asked later about the decision to have Atlanta host this year’s game, Manfred said he understood that some people “probably still have different views” on his decision to move the game in 2021.
He added that what’s “most important” is that Atlanta’s team is “a great organization.”
The American League has won 10 of the last 11 editions of the Midseason Classic.
