MLB All-Star Game: Pitchers Expected to Dominate
Arizona's Gallen, Yankees' Cole Earn All-Star Starts
The MLB odds on this year’s MLB All-Star Game reflect another game that is expected to be dominated by the pitchers. The American League and the National League are both -105 in the game. The total is 7.5-under (-120). On the run line, the American League is -1.5 runs (+180). The National League +1.5 is -220.
Arizona’s Zac Gallen will be the starting pitcher for the National League. Gallen has an 11-3 record for the Diamondbacks and a 3.03 ERA. The Diamondbacks are 13-6 in the games Gallen has started this year. The 2023 MLB All-Star Game is the first time Gallen has been named to the All-Star team.
Gerrit Cole will get the start for the American League. He’s no stranger to the MLB All-Star roster, having been an All-Star five times in the past. Cole is 9-2 with a 2.85 ERA and the Yankees are 14-5 in the games he’s started.
Neither pitcher will go more than an inning or two, as the managers try to get in as many pitchers as possible. But they also need to save a few arms in case the game goes extra innings. So there are usually a few pitchers who don’t get into the game. It’s better to have pitchers left over than being forced to use a position player on the mound.
American League Domination
The American League has dominated the MLB All-Star Game in recent years. The Junior Circuit has won the last nine games in a row and 21 of the last 25 games. Prior to that, the National League dominated the game, going 33-8-1 between 1950 and 1987. The American League leads the all-time series 47-43-2. In this intense AL vs NL matchup, the American League aims to maintain their impressive streak and solidify their lead in the all-time series.
From a bettor’s perspective, it’s hard to overlook the recent success of the American League in the MLB All-Star Game. There’s no guarantee the AL will win the 2023 contest, but it does make it hard to go against the American League.
Pitchers Have Held Upper Hand
In a game that features the likes of Mike Trout, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani – and that’s just on the American League side, you’d expect plenty of offensive fireworks. That was the case in the past. But no longer. Five of the last six games have seen seven or fewer runs scored. That’s a key reason why the total is down to 7.5 for this year’s MLB All-Star Game.
Pitchers know they’re only going to pitch an inning or two, so they don’t have to hold anything back. Now they can just go out and throw. There’s no need to pace themselves to try and make it through six or seven innings.
In a few days it will be time for the players to get back to the baseball Major League schedule and the daily grind of meaningful games. But for one night, they can go out and have fun and try to put on a show for the fans. Recent history suggests it will be the pitchers who put on the best display in the 2023 All-Star Game.
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