‘I Thought They Were Kidding’: The Thrill and Confusion of MLB’s First All-Star Swing-Off

Major League Baseball: ‘I Thought They Were Kidding’ — The Thrill and Confusion of MLB’s First All-Star Swing-Off

Updated Jul. 16, 2025, 3:31 a.m. ET

ATLANTA — Late in the ninth inning of a tied game on Tuesday night, Robbie Ray spotted National League All-Star manager Dave Roberts walking down the dugout steps.

“You won’t believe this,” Ray recalled Roberts telling the group. ph dream.com Moments later, Ray saw someone sprinting from center field at Truist Park with an L-screen. Meanwhile, fellow Giants pitcher Logan Webb noticed that there were no pitchers left in the NL bullpen.

Ray, Webb, and many players on both teams were about to discover that the inaugural All-Star Game swing-off would decide the outcome of the 95th Midsummer Classic.

“We were like, ‘What is going on right now?'” Ray remembered. yesjili.xom “I honestly had no clue that this was a thing,” Webb added.

In 2018, the last time the All-Star Game ended with a tie after nine innings, it went into extra innings. However, following the 2022 collective bargaining agreement, that procedure has changed.

Before Tuesday’s All-Star Game, Roberts and American League manager Aaron Boone had to announce three players who would take part in a swing-off if the game ended in a tie after nine innings.

Both managers selected hitters who were likely to play toward the later part of the game, meaning they chose reserves. Most starters only play for a few innings and typically leave once they’re substituted. This meant no Cal Raleigh, who had won the Home Run Derby the night before, and neither Shohei Ohtani nor Aaron Judge for the swing-off.

Roberts had asked Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber on Monday if he was willing to participate. “I said, ‘Absolutely,’ not thinking we would actually end up tied when I said yes,” Schwarber recalled. While Schwarber had participated in the Home Run Derby twice before, this format was completely different. The three players chosen from each team would get three swings each to decide the outcome; the team with the most home runs would be declared the winner.

“It was kind of like the baseball version of a shootout,” Schwarber explained.

Initially, the NL squad was set to feature Eugenio Suárez, Schwarber, and Pete Alonso against Brent Rooker, Randy Arozarena, and Jonathan Aranda from the AL. However, Suárez had been hit by a fastball earlier in the night and needed to be replaced in the swing-off.

In the bottom of the ninth, one of the NL coaches approached first-time All-Star Kyle Stowers, the Marlins’ only representative, to inform him he would be filling in. Stowers, like the Giants pitchers, had no idea what was occurring. “I thought they were kidding,” Stowers said. “I literally thought they were messing with me.”

Once Roberts delivered the news, Stowers realized it was no joke 777pub app. Hesitant at first, he probably would have declined if asked rather than told, but he eventually felt thankful for the push to compete. “When I really think about it, I don’t know why I was saying I didn’t want to do it,” Stowers noted. “Those are the moments we all live for as players, to feel that level of intensity in those types of moments.”

The NL team fell behind 2-0 in the swing-off after Brent Rooker, who participated in the actual Home Run Derby the previous night, hit two home runs out of three swings. Stowers then closed the gap with a home run of his own.

“I can’t stress this enough; as athletes, we sometimes get so caught up in the fear of failure. I reminded myself, ‘Hey, this is an opportunity to do something cool, something fun.’ Those truly are moments I want to be a part of,” Stowers explained. Randy Arozarena added another home run to the AL’s score, leaving Schwarber needing to catch up.

“He said he was nervous, but I don’t believe him at all,” Webb remarked. “That’s the guy you want in that situation.”

Pitching to Schwarber was Dodgers third-base coach Dino Ebel. Earlier that week, Ebel had celebrated as his son, Brady, was selected by the Brewers in the MLB Draft. Two days later, Ebel found himself pitching for the National League’s victory jilievo.cc.

Having previously taken batting practice with Ebel while with Team USA at the World Baseball Classic, Schwarber requested the pitch to be right down the middle. “He’s like, ‘I got you,'” Ebel responded.

The All-Stars who stayed around watched intently from the dirt outside their dugouts, cheering every pitch, except for Alonso, who was in the cage, preparing just in case he needed to step in https www betso88 com log in. “I’m watching in the cage, taking my swings, and everyone’s going, ‘Hell, yeah, Schwarbs!'” Alonso recalled.

Ultimately, the NL didn’t require a third hitter. Schwarber went a flawless 3-for-3, launching home runs of 428, 461, and 382 feet that put the NL in the lead. Aranda needed to hit one home run to prolong the competition but couldn’t manage to clear the fence.

Chaos erupted in front of the NL dugout as the All-Stars celebrated Schwarber, who was named MVP in an All-Star contest unlike any other. “We had a blast watching it, all the guys who were still here,” Webb shared. “I got a group text from a bunch of other baseball players around the league, and they seemed to really enjoy it too. I think it was an awesome way to finish.”

What did you think of this unforgettable moment in baseball history?