All-Star Game Preview
By Sportsbook.ag
AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STARS at NATIONAL LEAGUE ALL-STARS
Sportsbook.ag Line: American League +105, National League -115, Total: 7.5
The American League will be looking to win its fourth straight All-Star Game when it faces the National League at Petco Park on Tuesday.
The All-Star Game will be played in San Diego on Tuesday night and the winner of this game will secure home field advantage for the team that represents it in the World Series.
For the past three seasons, the American League has been the team that has earned the right to play the extra game at home. The AL won 3-0 in 2013, 5-3 in 2014 and 6-3 at Great American Ball Park last year. Mike Trout was the guy that ended up taking home the MVP honors and it was his second year in a row earning that award. It’s also worth noting that David Price was the winning pitcher for the American League last year, but he will not be playing in this year’s game.
While the AL has won this game three years in a row, it is worth noting that the NL won three years in a row before that. The series has been pretty even in its history, as the National League has won this game 43 times and the American League has won the game 41 times.
One last thing worth noting is that last year’s game was the first time the All-Star Game went OVER in the past 10 years. It will be interesting to see if that will happen two years in a row, but clearly it is unlikely with the way these games have gone in the past.
The American League will be hoping to make it four straight All-Star Game victories on Tuesday and should have an excellent chance at doing so. The starter to keep an eye on for the AL in this game is LHP Chris Sale (14-3, 3.38 ERA, 123 K). Sale is one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball, but he has struggled a bit coming into this thing. He has allowed four or more earned runs in five of his past nine starts and will need to be better for his team on Tuesday. He will be facing some of the best hitters in the world, but won’t need to pitch that many innings.
The All-Star Game usually sees a ton of different relievers coming in to get some outs and the AL has guys like LHP Andrew Miller (5-1, 1.37 ERA, 69 K, 7 SV) and RHP Dellin Betances (2-4, 2.66 ERA, 78 K) to do just that. Both guys will be ready to pitch an inning or two in this one and if their seasons show anything, it’s that they won’t be letting their opponents do much hitting on Tuesday.
Offensively, it’s hard not to start off with OF Mike Trout (.322, 18 HR, 58 RBI). Trout has won the past two All-Star Game MVP awards and has been his usual dominant self all season. He’ll be hoping to drive in some runs in this one.
The team also features 2B Jose Altuve (.341, 14 HR, 51 RBI), DH Edwin Encarnacion (.267, 23 HR, 80 RBI), DH David Ortiz (.332, 22 HR, 72 RBI), SS Xander Bogaerts (.329, 10 HR, 56 RBI), 3B Miguel Cabrera (.293, 18 HR, 53 RBI), OF Mark Trumbo (.288, 28 HR, 68 RBI) and 1B Eric Hosmer (.299, 13 HR, 49 RBI). Every guy you’ll find in the lineups for this game can hit, but these players have been exceptional this year.
The National League will be banking on its pitching to win this matchup, as the team has guys like RHP Jake Arrieta (12-4, 2.68 ERA, 121 K), RHP Johnny Cueto (13-1, 2.47 ERA, 115 K) and RHP Jose Fernandez (11-4, 2.52 ERA, 154 K) on the roster. All of these guys have been pitching extremely well this season and would be considered Cy Young candidates if Kershaw wasn’t around. They’ll only need to pitch an inning or two each in this one, so they should have their best stuff and be tough to hit.
Offensively, the National League will need a lot from guys like 3B Nolan Arenado (.287, 23 HR, 70 RBI), C Buster Posey (.293, 11 HR, 42 RBI), 3B Kris Bryant (.286, 25 HR, 65 RBI), 2B Daniel Murphy (.348, 17 HR, 66 RBI) and OF Bryce Harper (.256, 19 HR, 52 RBI). This lineup has a nice mix of guys that hit for power and guys that can get on base, but they likely won’t need to do as much as the AL lineup.
The NL team has far superior starting pitching and likely will not need too much run support in this one. But that could change if Arrieta does not pitch like he is capable of on Tuesday.
MLB All-Star Game Betting Preview
By Covers.com
National League at American League (+107, 7.5)
The American League has secured home-field advantage in the World Series in each of the past three seasons - and would love to extend that streak as it tangles with the best players from the National League in the 86th annual Major League All-Star Game at San Diego’s Petco Park. The Kansas City Royals failed to use home field to their advantage in 2014, but put it to good use last year en route to their first championship since 1985.
Kansas City manager Ned Yost will be relying on a powerhouse Boston Red Sox lineup that has produced four members of the American League starting lineup. That group is anchored by ageless designated hitter David Ortiz, who will be making his 10th career All-Star Game appearance. He’s joined by teammates and All-Star newcomers Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr., while the Royals’ Salvador Perez and Eric Hosmer, the Orioles’ Manny Machado and the Astros’ Jose Altuve round out the starting nine.
New York Mets manager Terry Collins may not have the bats to counter the AL lineup, but he certainly has the arms to subdue them. Even without all-world ace Clayton Kershaw, Mets fireballer Noah Syndergaard and Nationals star Stephen Strasburg, the NL will send an armada of nasty pitchers to the hill. That list includes All-Star starter Johnny Cueto, Cubs No. 1 Jake Arrieta, Marlins fireballer Jose Fernandez and 42-year-old fan favorite Bartolo Colon. The lineup is no slouch, either, anchored by four Chicago Cubs - including home-run leader Kris Bryant.
LINE HISTORY: The line has moved slightly in favor of the National League after opening at AL +104, while the game total has remained unchanged. View full line history here.
WEATHER REPORT: Sunny skies are expected at Petco Park for first pitch, with temperatures sitting in the high 60s. Wind is expected to blow from left to right field at 6 mph.
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Chris Sale (14-3, 3.38 ERA) vs. Giants RH Johnny Cueto (13-1, 2.47 ERA)
Sale sliced through the majority of his opponents in the first half, and comes into the break as the majors’ only 14-game winner. While his K/9 rate has dipped below nine - after sitting at a league-best 11.8 last season - he has made up for it by pitching deeper into games, evidenced by his AL-high three complete games. Opponents are hitting just .223 against him.
Cueto has endured some trouble spots of late but has otherwise been one of the most dominant pitchers in the NL; He has allowed two runs or fewer in 13 of 18 starts, and is coming off a complete-game five-hitter against Colorado. Cueto’s 13 victories lead the National League, and the 30-year-old is on a personal 10-game winning streak dating back to his lone loss April 21.