Miami was hot. Not just the usual humidity that clings to your skin the second you step out of Miami International, but a specific kind of electricity that only happens when baseball tries to reinvent itself. It was July 11, 2017. Marlins Park—with its neon colors and that massive, somewhat polarizing home run sculpture in center field—was the stage. People sort of forget how weird the MLB 2017 All Star Game felt at the time. It was the first time in fifteen years that the game didn't "count" for home-field advantage in the World Series. Bud Selig’s old "This Time It Matters" experiment was finally dead, and everyone was wondering if the players would actually give a damn.
They did.
The game ended up being this tight, pitcher-heavy grind that felt more like a playoff game than an exhibition. You had Max Scherzer and Chris Sale starting, two guys who don't know how to "take it easy" even in a backyard wiffle ball game. It was a 2-1 thriller that went into the 10th inning. Honestly, it was a relief to see that even without the World Series stakes, these guys still wanted to rip each other’s heads off.
The Night the American League Took Control
The American League won. Again. It was their fifth straight victory, and it solidified a decade of dominance that people are still analyzing today. Robinson Canó, who was with the Mariners back then, ended up being the hero. He took Wade Davis deep in the top of the 10th. A solo shot. That was basically it.
The box score looks lean, but the pitching was insane. Think about this roster: the National League had Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer, and Zack Greinke. The AL had Sale, Corey Kluber, and Luis Severino. It was a nightmare for hitters. Bryce Harper, who was the leading vote-getter for the NL, went 1-for-1 with a walk. He looked like the superstar MLB wanted him to be, sporting those shiny gold cleats and flipping his hair every three seconds. But even he couldn't break the game open.
Why Robinson Canó’s MVP Win Was Significant
Canó winning the MVP wasn't just about the home run. It was about longevity. He became the first second baseman to win the All-Star MVP since Julio Franco in 1990. At that point in 2017, Canó was still viewed as a sure-fire Hall of Famer, a hitting machine who made everything look effortless. Of course, later PED suspensions would cloud that legacy, but on that night in Miami, he was the king of the sport. He took a 1-1 changeup from Davis—one of the most dominant closers in the game at the time—and parked it in the right-field bleachers.
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The Weird Change in Rules Everyone Missed
Before we get into the weeds of the rosters, we have to talk about the CBA. The 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement changed the stakes. For years, fans hated that an exhibition game decided where Game 7 of the World Series would be played. It felt gimmicky. In 2017, the league finally pivoted. They decided to give the home-field advantage to the team with the better regular-season record.
This changed the vibe in the dugout. Managers Joe Maddon and Brad Mills (stepping in for Terry Francona) could actually experiment. But they didn't. They played it straight. Maybe it's because baseball players are inherently competitive, or maybe they just wanted the $20,000 bonus that came with winning. Whatever it was, the intensity didn't drop.
A Star-Studded Rosters Snapshot
The talent on the field was staggering. You had the "old guard" and the "new wave" colliding.
- The New Guys: Aaron Judge was the talk of the town. He had just demolished the Home Run Derby the night before, hitting balls so hard people thought they were going to leave the stadium entirely. In the actual game, he went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. Baseball is funny like that. One night you're a god, the next night Craig Kimbrel is making you look human.
- The Pitching Dominance: Craig Kimbrel threw a scoreless ninth. Andrew Miller, who was reinventing what it meant to be a "fireman" reliever, did his thing. The NL pitchers actually struck out 14 AL batters. Usually, All-Star games are high-scoring slugfests because pitchers aren't fully loose, but 2017 was the year of the K.
The Home Run Derby Shadow
You can't talk about the MLB 2017 All Star Game without talking about the night before. Aaron Judge. That's the name. He didn't just win the Derby; he conquered it. He hit 47 home runs in total. Some of them traveled over 500 feet. It felt like a shift in the sport’s marketing. MLB finally had a giant, charismatic Yankee who could hit the ball into orbit.
Giancarlo Stanton was the hometown favorite, but he got knocked out early by Gary Sánchez. That was the first sign that the night was going to be weird. The crowd in Miami wanted Stanton to repeat, but Judge just took the air out of the building. By the time the actual All-Star Game started on Tuesday, the "Judge Fever" was at an all-time high.
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Under-the-Radar Performances
While Canó got the trophy, Yadier Molina had a massive night. He hit a solo home run in the 6th to tie the game at 1-1. At 34 years old, Yadi was already a legend, but that home run reminded everyone he wasn't done. He also wore this ridiculous, shimmering gold catcher's gear that looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. It was peak Miami.
Then there’s Nelson Cruz. He did something that would be a viral meme today. During his first at-bat, he pulled out his phone and asked catcher Yadier Molina to take a picture of him with umpire Joe West. It was hilarious. It was the kind of human moment that usually gets sucked out of professional sports. Joe West, who was notoriously grumpy, actually smiled. That photo represents the 2017 game better than any stat line. It was about the stars actually having fun.
The Bullpen Evolution
If you look at how the game was managed, you see the blueprint for modern baseball. Managers weren't letting starters go twice through the lineup. Scherzer went one inning. Sale went two. After that, it was a parade of high-velocity arms.
- Chris Devenski: The Astros' "Dragon" was mid-ascension.
- Brandon Kintzler: A steady hand for the Twins.
- Roberto Osuna: Before his career derailed, he was the AL's closing prodigy.
- Dellin Betances: Throwing 100 mph gas with a slurve that defied physics.
This game was a showcase of the "reliever revolution." The NL used nine pitchers. The AL used ten. It was a preview of how the World Series would eventually be won—not by workhorse starters, but by a stable of arms throwing maximum effort for 15 pitches.
What Most People Get Wrong About 2017
A lot of fans think the 2017 game was "boring" because of the 2-1 score. I disagree. It was a high-level chess match. When you have Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa, and Jose Altuve all in the same infield, you’re watching the peak of a specific era of talent.
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Also, people forget that Mike Trout wasn't there. He was out with a thumb injury. If Trout is in that lineup, maybe the AL doesn't struggle to score until the 10th. It’s one of those great "what ifs." But his absence allowed guys like Mookie Betts and George Springer to take center stage.
The Legacy of Marlins Park
The 2017 game was also a bit of a swan song for the "original" Marlins Park vibe. Shortly after, the team was sold to the Derek Jeter-led ownership group. They eventually got rid of the home run sculpture. They changed the colors. They tried to make it more "professional." The 2017 All-Star Game was the last time that stadium felt truly vibrant and neon-soaked in its original vision.
Actionable Insights for Baseball History Buffs
If you’re looking back at the MLB 2017 All Star Game to understand where the league is now, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the Pitching Sequences: Notice how the AL pitchers attacked the NL power hitters. They stopped throwing "All-Star fastballs" down the middle and started pitching with intent.
- The Judge Effect: 2017 was the year Aaron Judge became the face of baseball. His performance in the Derby and his presence in the game changed how MLB marketed its young stars.
- Rule Change Impact: Study the rosters from 2016 versus 2017. You'll see managers started picking players based on specialized roles rather than just "who's the biggest name."
- Relive the 10th: Go back and watch Wade Davis vs. Robinson Canó. It’s a masterclass in a hitter sitting on a specific pitch and not missing when he gets it.
Baseball changes fast. In 2017, the Houston Astros were the darlings of the league, the "smart" team that everyone loved. A few years later, that narrative would flip entirely. But for one night in Miami, it was just about the best vs. the best. No scandals, no home-field advantage stress—just 10 innings of the best players on the planet trying to prove a point. The AL proved theirs. The NL went home wondering when they'd finally find an answer for the American League's depth. They're probably still wondering.