Fun Looks For MVP Of The All-Star Game

AL All-Stars vs. NL All-Stars, 8:00 ET

There are two parts to the MLB All-Star Game that warrant consideration: the actual game, and the MVP. Both are a challenge to get right, and there are people out there who are almost certainly better than I am at guessing who will win on either of them. I don't make big bets on this. When I tell you that, I mean I won't spend more than $100 on an exhibition game where there is very little real incentive for either team to win the game. I still think it is fun to have a bit of action on the game, so let's pick who we think could win the 2025 MLB All-Star Game MVP. 

Before we pick who we think will win, let's take a look at who has won in the past and see if we can get any insight. The past ten winners have been, Jarren Duran (hit a 2-run homer last year to give the AL the win), Elias Diaz, Giancarlo Stanton, Vlad Guerrero Jr., Shane Bieber, Alex Bregman, Robinson Cano, Eric Hosmer, and Mike Trout in back-to-back years. What can we take away from that? Very little, in my opinion. We had a pitcher, three outfielders, a catcher, and all positions, except for shortstop win the award. There was a mixture of starters and bench players taking home the hardware. So what should we be looking for? I'd say you want someone who can make a big impact early, or someone who might have a great opportunity late in the game. That's not easy to really identify but let's try and figure it out together. 

Jul 16, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; National League pitcher Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates (30) pitches against the American League in the first inning during the 2024 MLB All-Star game at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

I think the American League will win, and you can feel free to read my analysis in my other article, but I'll put a play on a variety of players from both leagues. I'm not going to bet on a pitcher. We've seen just one winner in 10 years, and just two since 2000. I'm going to put out four players here that I think have a chance. Two starters, and two bench players. The first starter I like is Aaron Judge. I'd expect him to get at least two at-bats, and all he needs is one to do the damage we need to make him the winner. I suppose you could say that about Shohei Ohtani as well, but I'm not backing both favorites here. I think Judge is the better choice. The other player I like is Pete Crow-Armstrong at +900. PCA can impact the game in more ways than just about anyone on the field. He can hit for power and average. If he gets on base, he can get to third base with his speed. He also has robbed more hits than any other outfielder in the game today. Could you see him 1-for-2 with the steals, an RBI, and a run-saving catch? Those are the two starters, as for reserves, I'll start with Kyle Schwarber. This is mostly the same reason as Judge, he can come in and hit a bomb that could change the game. Sure, the same can be said for the rest of the reserves, but Schwarber should have one role, and does a great job at it. Additionally, he has a knack for big games/moments. On the other side, in the American League, my choice is Byron Buxton. This is a similar reason to Crow-Armstrong. Buxton can make a difference with hits, fielding, and speed. I think he could come in, get on base, and find his way into scoring position. 

If we were to put a quarter unit on each of these, we'd be taking Judge at +600, Crow-Armstrong would be +900, and the reserves are listed at +3500 (Schwarber and Buxton). I'm not going crazy here, these are just for fun and can be very difficult to hit. You're essentially looking for whoever knocks in the winning run, or hits a homer. Either way, I'm still playing the MVP for the MLB All-Star Game because it is fun, and that's what sports betting should be about. 

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