NL Ends AL’s Nine-Game Winning Streak in 2023 All-Star Game
In a thrilling matchup at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Tuesday night, the National League (NL) secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over the American League (AL) in the 2023 All-Star Game. This win snapped the AL’s impressive streak of nine consecutive victories in the annual event, which dates back to 1933. The second-longest winning streak in All-Star Game history belongs to the NL, who won 11 games in a row from 1972-1982.
The AL had dominated the All-Star Game in recent years, boasting a 27-6-1 record since 1988. Meanwhile, the NL struggled to find success, starting out with a 41-16-1 record before their victory in 2023. However, the NL ended their drought with a dominant performance reminiscent of their last All-Star Game victory in 2012, where they won 8-0 against the AL in Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium.
Adding to the synchronicity of the victory, the winning pitcher in the 2012 All-Star Game was the San Francisco Giants’ Matt Cain. Fast forward to 2023, and the Giants’ pitcher Camilo Doval emerged as the winning pitcher, tossing a scoreless seventh inning. Interestingly, these are the only two Giants’ players to have been the winning pitcher in an All-Star Game since Vida Blue achieved the feat in 1981.
One of the standout moments of the game came from Rockies catcher Elias Díaz, who hit a two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning, turning a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead that ultimately became the final score. This marked the first time since 1995 that an NL player hit a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning or later, and the first time since 1981 that it happened with the player’s team trailing.
Díaz’s performance earned him the All-Star Game MVP award, making him the first Rockies player to receive this honor. He joined an elite group of catchers who have won the award, including Brian McCann (2010), Sandy Alomar Jr. (1997), Mike Piazza (1996), Terry Steinbach (1988), and Gary Carter (1981, 1984).
The All-Star Game also saw an impressive display from the Tampa Bay Rays’ Yandy Díaz, who opened the scoring with a solo homer in the second inning. This marked the third time a Rays player hit a homer in the All-Star Game, joining the likes of Mike Zunino (2021) and Carl Crawford (2007).
Throughout the game, several players showcased their skills and etched their names into All-Star Game history. Luis Arraez, the NL’s starting second baseman, achieved a remarkable feat by getting a hit on every pitch he saw in both of his plate appearances. Since 1988, Arraez is the only player to achieve this feat in a multihit All-Star Game.
Additionally, Doval’s exceptional pitching performance in the seventh inning caught attention. He threw eight pitches that clocked at 100-plus mph, making him just the third pitcher in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008) to achieve this in the All-Star Game.
The game also featured some unique moments, such as Philadelphia Phillies’ Nick Castellanos playing center field despite never appearing in that position in the regular season or postseason. Furthermore, both starting catchers, Sean Murphy of the NL and Jonah Heim of the AL, threw out runners attempting to steal bases, providing exciting defensive plays.
With this victory, 26 out of the 30 Major League franchises have had a player win the All-Star Game MVP since the award’s inception in 1962. The remaining four teams are the St. Louis Cardinals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, and Chicago White Sox.
In summary, the NL’s thrilling victory in the 2023 All-Star Game ended the AL’s nine-game winning streak, showcasing a shift in power in this historic matchup. With standout performances and memorable moments, the game provided fans with a glimpse of the incredible talent and excitement that the sport of baseball has to offer.