It happened again. If you went to bed early or just missed the final frames, the American League walked away with the win last night. It wasn't exactly a blowout, but it definitely felt like the AL had that weird, persistent edge they’ve carried for basically my entire adult life.
The final score was 5-3.
✨ Don't miss: Man City vs Arsenal: What Most People Get Wrong About This Modern Rivalry
Jarren Duran—the Red Sox outfielder who has been absolutely tearing the cover off the ball lately—ended up being the hero. He crushed a two-run homer in the fifth inning that basically flipped the script on the National League. Before that swing, the NL looked like they might actually make a game of it. They had the early momentum. Shohei Ohtani did exactly what everyone paid to see him do, which was launch a massive three-run shot that momentarily made it look like the NL would cruise.
But baseball is weird. Momentum is a lie. The AL bullpen just locked things down like they always do.
Why the American League Dominance is Getting Weird
Seriously, look at the history here. We are talking about a stretch of dominance that shouldn't statistically exist in a "balanced" sport. Before the NL managed a win in 2023, the AL had won nine straight. Nine. Last night's victory means the AL has now won 22 of the last 27 Midsummer Classics.
Why?
Some people say it's the pitching depth. Others think it’s just a mental block at this point. Honestly, I think it’s a mix of the AL’s aggressive scouting and the fact that their managers seem to treat this slightly more like a real game than an exhibition. Bruce Bochy—who has more rings than he has fingers for—knows how to manage a bullpen even when he’s just "having fun." He rotated his arms perfectly.
The National League had plenty of chances. They really did. They left runners on base in the seventh and eighth, and by the time the ninth rolled around, the air had kind of leaked out of the balloon.
The Ohtani Factor and the Home Run That Almost Was Enough
You can’t talk about who won the All Star game last night without talking about Shohei. The man is a literal cheat code. In the third inning, he took a 94-mph splitter from Tanner Houck and sent it 400 feet into the seats. It was the first three-run homer in an All-Star Game since 2003.
The stadium went nuts. For a second, it felt like the NL's year.
But here’s the thing about the All-Star Game: one superstar can’t carry the whole roster. While Ohtani was busy being a god, the rest of the NL lineup went somewhat cold. They struggled against the velocity coming out of the AL pen. When you have guys like Mason Miller coming in and throwing 103 mph, it doesn't matter how good your "All-Star" pedigree is. You're going to struggle to time that up.
Miller was terrifying. He struck out Trea Turner on a pitch that looked like it was fired out of a cannon. It was the fastest pitch tracked in the Statcast era of the All-Star Game. Think about that. 103.6 mph. That is fundamentally unfair.
Jarren Duran: The MVP Nobody Saw Coming
If you told a casual fan three years ago that Jarren Duran would be the MVP of the All-Star Game, they would have asked you who Jarren Duran was.
He’s been a revelation for Boston. He plays with this manic energy that translates perfectly to a short-burst game like this. His home run wasn't some cheap porch shot, either. He caught a hanging splitter from Hunter Greene and just punished it.
The coolest part? Duran didn't even start. He came in as a sub, stayed patient, and delivered the knockout blow. That’s the beauty of this format. You get these "micro-narratives" where a guy who isn't necessarily a household name yet gets to hold the crystal trophy at the end of the night.
- Final Score: AL 5, NL 3
- MVP: Jarren Duran (BOS)
- Key Stat: The AL has won 22 of the last 27 games.
- Pitching Highlight: Mason Miller hitting 103.6 mph.
The Pitching Clinic in the Later Innings
The middle innings are usually where these games get sloppy. Managers start swapping players like they’re playing a video game, and the rhythm gets totally disrupted.
Last night was different.
The AL pitching staff was incredibly disciplined. After Houck gave up the blast to Ohtani, the rotation of arms that followed—Garrett Crochet, Logan Gilbert, Cole Ragans, and eventually Emmanuel Clase—was basically a buzzsaw. Clase is just mean. His cutter moves in ways that shouldn't be physically possible at 100 mph.
By the time the NL hitters realized the game was slipping away, they were facing the best closers in the world back-to-back. It’s a nightmare scenario. You can't "rally" against a guy who only throws one inning and has the best stuff in the league.
💡 You might also like: White Sox vs Kansas City Royals: Why This AL Central Matchup Still Matters
What This Means for the Rest of the Season
Does winning the All-Star Game actually matter anymore?
Back in the day, it decided home-field advantage for the World Series. Now, it’s mostly for bragging rights and a nice bonus check for the players. But it does tell us something about the "state of the game."
The American League still feels like it has a higher concentration of "untouchable" relief pitching. If you're looking at the playoff race, the AL teams with deep bullpens—like the Guardians or the Orioles—look even more dangerous after seeing their guys perform on this stage.
The NL has the star power. They have the Ohtanis and the Harpers. But the AL has the depth.
What to Watch for Next
Now that the All-Star break is winding down, the real chaos begins. The trade deadline is looming.
- Watch the Red Sox: Jarren Duran’s MVP performance confirms he’s a centerpiece. Do they buy or sell? They look like buyers now.
- Monitor Pitching Health: A lot of guys pushed it last night. Keep an eye on how the starters bounce back in their first post-break outings.
- The Ohtani Chase: He's on pace for historic numbers. The All-Star HR was just a preview of what's coming in the second half.
The best move right now is to check the updated injury reports before the Friday night slate. Several players sat out the All-Star game with "lingering issues," and the next 48 hours will reveal who is actually ready for the pennant race and who is headed for the IL. Keep your eyes on the waiver wire in fantasy leagues; the "All-Star bump" usually leads to a few over-hyped trades in the coming days. Pay attention to the underlying metrics, not just the midsummer hardware.