The Major League Baseball All-Star Game is set to be played on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
This will be the 96th edition of the Midsummer Classic, which is a testament to its staying power. Compared to the NBA and NHL's All-Star festivities, and even compared to the NFL's Pro Bowl, MLB's annual All-Star celebrations have consistently remained the most prestigious.
Baseball legends like Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr., Pedro Martinez, Ichiro Suzuki, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani have all left their marks in the All-Star Game to give it legitimate mystique.
But in recent years, it's become more common for players to not actually participate in the game or even show up at all. Regardless of the reasons why some players may be unable to take the field in the All-Star Game, it's still generally disappointing when fans miss out on seeing their favorite player or one of the game's brightest stars.
This view is shared by Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who will be managing the National League All-Star team for the second consecutive year. Speaking to the media on Monday, Roberts expressed his desire for players selected to the All-Star Game to actively participate.
"I've always believed that it's an honor," Roberts said. "It's a huge honor to be named an All Star, to be able to participate in this game."
Roberts was never named an All-Star during his playing career, but the 54-year-old has played alongside and managed a number of All-Stars in his lengthy baseball life. Getting to manage the NL in back-to-back years only solidifies his stance that baseball's biggest stars should take the field in the Midsummer Classic.
This year, a few players have declined invites to the All-Star Game. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays was voted in as the American League's starting first baseman, but declined due to a nagging back issue. Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies, after being a late selection, declined as he believed he was "disrespected" by the selection process.
Of course, there's also injuries to consider like in the case of Guerrero. Shohei Ohtani, who was already not going to pitch in the game, will now not participate at all due to a knee injury despite being the leading vote-getter among all players. Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees was voted in as a starter despite being sidelined with a stress fracture in his rib; this also happened to Judge in 2023.
When it comes to starting pitchers (and relievers to a lesser extent), it is often very difficult for them to be available depending on their throwing and rest schedules. For example, both Max Meyer and Paul Skenes are unavailable to pitch on Tuesday since they both started on Sunday.
Cam Schlittler, a Cy Young frontrunner who pitched on Saturday, chose to rest for the second half of the season before American League manager John Schneider decisively named Dylan Cease as the AL starter.
But even if a player has a valid reason to not participate, Roberts' words still ring true and serve as an indicator that the All-Star Game is still a meaningful event. There's a reason it's been around since 1933, and that reason is the memorable moments delivered from the bat or arm of a premier player in MLB.
