Soundbites And Swing-Offs: Takeaways From An Electric 2025 MLB All-Star Game

Fox Sports

2 days ago

ATLANTA — Good luck trying to top the 2025 All-Star Game, because this one is going down in the history books.
The National League led by six runs by the start of the seventh inning on Tuesday night, highlighted by a three-run home run from Pete Alonso and a solo shot from Corbin Carroll, which led everyone in Truist Park to believe that this year's Midsummer Classic might just be a straight, one-sided blowout.
Think again.
The American League was just preserving its energy for a late-game comeback. Brent Rooker finally got the A.L. on the board with a three-run moonshot to left field in the seventh inning, before Bobby Witt Jr. cut their deficit to one run with an RBI double in the ninth.
Finally, Steven Kwan singled off Edwin Diaz and tied the game at 6-6. The N.L. came up empty in the bottom of the ninth, and for the first time in All-Star Game history, the contest went to a swing-off.
When the stakes are high and the pressure is boiling over, who but Kyle Schwarber can perform in the clutch? The Phillies slugger went 3-for-3 with home runs in the first-ever swing-off, winning All-Star Game MVP and delivering a win for the N.L. to cap the most exciting All-Star Game in recent memory.
On a night that started with Ludacris rapping on the field while the All-Stars were being introduced, to it ending with fireworks in the form of home runs and Schwarber being moshed by his N.L. teammates, here are more takeaways from the 2025 All-Star Game.
Alonso skips Derby, hits dinger anyway
Is it even All-Star week without a Pete Alonso home run? Alonso, who didn't participate in Monday night's Home Run Derby, hit a three-run shot against Royals southpaw Kris Bubic in the bottom of the sixth inning, extending the National League lead to 5-0. He went opposite field and added a sweet bat flip to put the exclamation point on his dramatic dinger.
Alonso is the first Met to hit a home run in the All-Star Game since David Wright hit one out of the park in the 2006 Midsummer Classic.
"I think that beats any derby win," Alonso said of his three-run homer. "I'm stoked. The derby and stuff like that, and that environment, it's just batting practice at the end of the day. And for me to do it in a competitive environment where someone's trying to get me out, and not groove meatballs in there, I think for me, it's really special to do that against — I mean, all the league's best are here, so it's really special."
The Mets slugger decided to skip the Home Run Derby for the first time in his career this year, preferring to take the day of rest so that he's physically ready to help New York in a pennant race in the second half of the season.
"I always loved doing it, I enjoyed it," Alonso said of the Derby. "But I feel like we have a really special circumstance and I want to be able to capitalize on that. Do my best every single day, do my job, and contribute the best way I possibly can. And maybe getting that extra day of rest can actually help me. I've never had that extra day of rest. I mean, it can only help."
Kershaw mic'ed up
"Going cheese again."
"Going curveball here."
"I think I gotta go slider here."
"I don't throw a cutter, homie."
Kershaw was mic'ed up to start the top of the second inning, hilariously calling out every pitch before he threw it. He faced just two batters, Cal Raleigh and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., before Dave Roberts pulled him from his outing. Kershaw blew a kiss as he walked off the mound in what was likely, probably, his final All-Star Game appearance. Though Kershaw was not selected as an official All-Star, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred selected him as the legend pick to get him to Atlanta and into the game.
Prior to his outing, Kershaw said he was honored and grateful to be back at the All-Star Game, but he felt uncomfortable knowing it was only because Manfred picked him, and not because he was having a solid season. Kershaw, in his 18th season in the big leagues, has hinted at retiring from the game, but he hasn't made an official announcement.
"It's a little like, 'Hey, you're done,'" Kershaw said of his All-Star selection. "I don't think I've come to terms with that yet."
Freddie's emotional return to Atlanta
Though Freddie Freeman heard a smattering of boos during pregame player introductions, that animosity changed by the time he walked up to the plate for his first at-bat of the All-Star Game.
Returning to Atlanta, to the fan base he played in front of for 12 years and the ballpark where he became a World Series champion for the first time, Freeman was serenaded by "Freddie" chants from the Truist Park crowd. Then, with two outs in the top of the third inning, N.L. manager Dave Roberts removed Freeman, who was the starter at first base, from the game. Freeman was surprised by that decision from his Dodgers manager. The crowd responded by giving him a standing ovation.
"I didn't know how it was going to go today. A lot of emotions," Freeman said. "And then, obviously, I had no idea Doc was going to pull me off the field. So I really do appreciate the moments. The 12 years I've spent here were obviously a wonderful time for me. So to be able to have that moment with the fans was awesome."
Rooker gets his extra home run
Brent Rooker came this close to advancing into the semifinals of Monday's Home Run Derby when he tied Cal Raleigh with 17 home runs in the first round. But MLB announced that Rooker was eliminated because Raleigh hit the ball farther, which was somewhat controversially decided by a matter of decimal points. Raleigh, of course, went on to win the Home Run Derby after defeating Junior Caminero in the final round.
No matter, because Rooker got his extra home run on Tuesday in more dramatic, and perhaps satisfying, fashion. His three-run home run off of Giants reliever Randy Rodriguez, who has a 0.86 ERA and has given up just one home run in 41 relief appearances this season, injected life into the A.L. dugout and sparked their eventual comeback.
"I was swinging no matter what on that 2-0 pitch, hoping it was a fastball," Rooker said. "And it ended up being a fastball."
Robot umps take over All-Star
The automated balls and strikes (ABS) system was used in the All-Star Game on Tuesday for the first time, giving us a glimpse of what robot umpires might look like when they're officially introduced in the major leagues, which could happen as soon as next season.
Rather than a fully operational automated strike zone or the current process of umpires making calls without technology, players in the All-Star Game received a set number of challenges with the ability to retain them if successful. Only a pitcher, hitter, or catcher could ask for a challenge by tapping his hat or helmet. Any help from the dugout or players on the field was not allowed.
The first challenge arrived in the bottom of the first inning, when a pitch from Tigers southpaw Tarik Skubal was called a ball against Padres third baseman Manny Machado. Raleigh, the catcher, challenged the call and the Hawk-Eye system used to track pitches revealed it was actually strike three. So Skubal struck out Machado via the challenge, and laughter ensued from players and managers in both dugouts.
The most dramatic use of the ABS system arrived in the top of the ninth inning, when the game was tied 6-6 and Mets closer Edwin Diaz challenged a pitch that was called a ball against Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena. Once again, Hawk-Eye revealed Diaz's 99 mph fastball clipped the zone, and the call was overturned. Arozarena was called out and the inning was over.
"As soon as I saw the strike I just started laughing and pointing at Arozarena," Diaz said.
The closer admitted that the stakes will be higher if and when robot umps will be used in big-league games, and he won't be laughing and pointing then.
A Perfect Tribute
Goosebumps. It'll be difficult, if not impossible, to top the captivating and thoughtful tribute the Braves crafted for Hank Aaron. The at-bat from his 715th home run — the day he passed Babe Ruth on the all-time home run list — was superimposed over the entire field from a projection system in between innings of the All-Star Game, complete with audio from the April 8, 1974 broadcast blaring from the Truist Park speakers.
When the pitch from Al Downing was delivered, the ball grew in size and traveled in slow motion toward home plate. When it reached the dish, the lights inside the stadium went out and a firework went off from home plate and traveled to the outfield, representing Aaron's home-run ball. Then, Aaron's footsteps were superimposed on the field, making it seem and feel like he was actually rounding the bases.
The crowd of 41,702 joined the A.L. and N.L. dugouts in silence and awe as the images of Aaron being mobbed at the plate by his teammates were projected onto the field. All-Star players were on the top step of the dugout, leaning against the railing, watching history being shown in a new, unique, and special way.
This was more than Aaron passing the Babe on the all-time home-run list. This was about honoring Aaron, who passed away on January 22, 2021, by recreating the magic that he gave to baseball.
Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.
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