The All-Star break provides baseball fans with the rare opportunity to see the game’s best players gathered together in one venue. It is also an occasion to celebrate the legends who are nearing retirement and whose time in the spotlight is dwindling. In the 2010s, the All-Star break was defined by tearful farewells, electrifying Home Run Derby performances, and dominance from New York pitchers.
The most outstanding All-Star performer of the 2010s was Mike Trout, who was twice named MVP of the Midsummer Classic. However, Trout’s continued excellence was just one of the most notable All-Star storylines from the past decade:
Harvey Takes the Citi by Storm
(2013 at Citi Field)
Before Jacob deGrom emerged on the scene, Matt Harvey was the ace of the Mets and one of the most compelling pitchers in all of baseball. Harvey had already been dubbed “The Dark Knight of Gotham” in a 2013 article by SI scribe Tom Verducci, and he was the logical choice to start an All-Star Game that took place at the Mets’ home ballpark.
Harvey did not disappoint in his only All-Star appearance to date. The righty tossed two scoreless innings at Citi Field, striking out Miguel Cabrera, Jose Bautista, and Adam Jones.
Mariano Rivera’s Last Stand
(2013 at Citi Field)
An otherwise uneventful game did feature one iconic moment: Mariano Rivera taking the mound for the American League one last time. Mo received a lengthy ovation before retiring all three batters he faced in the eighth inning.
Jeter’s All-Star Farewell
(2014 at Target Field)
Even the most devoted Yankee fan might admit that Derek Jeter’s 2014 farewell season was a tedious affair. Jeter’s career was exemplary, but the praise heaped upon him is often hyperbolic. For many, it isn’t enough to call Jeter a Hall of Fame caliber player; he must be deified as the quintessential “winner.”
As irksome as I find much of the discourse surrounding Jeter, he did have a knack for coming through in big moments. That was certainly true at the 2014 All-Star Game in Minnesota, the fourteenth and final All-Star appearance of the Yankee captain’s storied career. In classic Jeter fashion, he went 2-2 at the plate, with both hits going to the opposite field.
deGrom’s Dominance
(2015 in Cincinnati)
Ten pitches, three strikeouts. Jacob deGrom was just short of immaculate in his All-Star debut, leading Joe Buck to proclaim “Hi, I’m Jacob deGrom. And I have the chance, with my stuff, to dominate baseball for years to come.”
Nelson Cruz Poses with Joe West
(2017 at Marlins Park)
When the 2002 All-Star Game controversially ended in a tie, Commissioner Bud Selig made a decision that would affect the Midsummer Classic for years to come. Rather than let the game remain an exhibition contest, Selig upped the stakes. Starting in 2003, the league that won the All-Star Game gained home field advantage in the World Series. The rule would remain in place until November of 2016, when MLB and the MLB Players Association settled on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
After fourteen years of “This Time it Counts,” the MLB All-Star Game reverted back to an exhibition in 2017. The more laid back atmosphere was especially apparent when Nelson Cruz asked home plate umpire Joe West to pose with him for a picture. It was a surprisingly sweet moment, especially because players rarely show such outward affection toward officials.
D.C. Dingers
(2018 at Nationals Park)
The AL and NL squads set an All-Star Game record by combining to hit ten home runs. The previous record for home runs in an All-Star Game was six, which had last been achieved in 1971 at Tiger Stadium. In that contest, Hall of Famers Johnny Bench, Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Reggie Jackson, Frank Robinson, and Harmon Killebrew all went deep.
Home Run Derby Dramatics
The Home Run Derby isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But while the event sometimes feels like glorified batting practice, it is also a chance for the game’s most explosive talents to gain national exposure. The 2010s featured several classic Home Run Derby matchups, as well as a bevy of notable derby feats. Todd Frazier and Bryce Harper wowed their hometown crowds en route to derby titles, Giancarlo Stanton hit 61 dingers in San Diego, and New York sluggers Aaron Judge and Pete Alonso both earned derby championships in their rookie seasons.
Searle’s Final Say
If anything, the 2010s proved that the All-Star Game does not need to determine home field advantage in the World Series to be meaningful or entertaining. There were few dramatic finishes in the Midsummer Classics of the last decade, but fans will forever remember moments like Mariano Rivera’s standing ovation at Citi Field. The decade was also defined by exhilarating Home Run Derby contests that showcased the prodigious power of baseball’s current phenoms. Statcast technology enhanced derby broadcasts by measuring just how far those titanic taters traveled. In the next decade, I expect the derby to become a more popular event than the game itself.
