Vlad Jr. powers AL past NL to 5-2 win in 2021 MLB All-Star Game

The 2021 MLB All-Star Game gets underway at 7:30 p.m. ET on FOX with the American League vs. the National League. It is the 91st installment of the Midsummer Classic, which is taking place at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado, for the second time in history. The American League has been dominant in the ASG the past three decades or so. The AL leads the historic series 45-43 with a 373-370 runs advantage. The American League enters Tuesday night having won 7 straight All-Star Games and 14 of the past 17 games.

Here we’ll be tracking all the action for the All-Star Game, including bets, stats and highlights throughout the night. For now, take a look at the starting lineups for both sides:

MLB All-Star Game live updates

Update — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is your 2021 All-Star Game MVP! The AL took the game 5-2 over the NL thanks to Vlad Jr., who accounted for 2 of the 5 runs, including a mammoth 468-foot HR in the third inning. Guerrero was +750 to win ASG MVP on DKSB entering the game, third-best odds among the player pool. Ohtani ended up getting the win but only pitched one inning. Here’s a clip of the HR if you missed it before.

Final: AL 5, NL 2 — Liam Hendriks got through the 9th and the AL has won their eighth straight All-Star Game. Hendriks will pick up the save and Ohtani gets the win in the 91st ASG and second at Coors Field. It was a pretty easy victory for the American League, which really only had a few jams to work out of during the night. We’ll see who wins ASG MVP but chances are it’s going to be Guerrero, who accounted for 2 of 5 runs and hit a huge HR earlier in the game. The only other contender would be Zunino, who also hit a HR and entered the game 60/1 to win ASG MVP.

The AL won on the spread and moneyline while the under of 11 runs hit. Most of the action on DKSB was on the over while the spread bets were coming in more heavily on the National League despite the ML getting 56 percent of the bets on the AL.

Top of the 9th — The NL got through the ninth clean and are on their last licks for the 2021 ASG. Unless the NL can rally, it looks like Vlad Jr. will go on to win ASG MVP with an AL 5-2 win. He was +750 on DKSB heading into the game to win ASG MVP. Liam Hendriks is entering the game to close things out for the AL, so there’s not as much hope for the NL.

End of the 8th — Kris Bryant had a golden opportunity to win ASG MVP and give the NL the lead, but Matt Barnes was able to work out of a bases loaded jam and we’re onto the 9th with the AL still ahead 5-2. Jared Walsh had to make a slider catch to rob Bryant of a few runs. Craig Kimbrel will pitch the 9th for the NL and we’ll see who goes out there for the AL. If it’s Aroldis Chapman, all bets are off. If it’s anyone else, chances are the AL will go on to win an eighth straight ASG. At least we’ll get a bit of drama late.

End of the 7th — We’re through the seventh inning and the score remains the same. Mark Melancon is entering the game for the NL and we’ll see if they can get anything going to rally in this one. Otherwise it looks like an eighth straight victory in the ASG for the American League.

Bottom of the 6th — Chris Bassitt was able to work his way out of a bases loaded jam and only allow one run on a passed ball to make it 5-2 AL. We’re slowly creeping up on that over while the AL remain in command to hit the run line and moneyline for bettors.

Top of the 6th — Zunino went yard to give the AL a 5-1 lead after the NL got on the board. Mets SP Taijuan Walker surrendered the long ball to the AL catcher.

Bottom of the 5th — We’re through five innings and Soto was able to get out of the inning without any further damage. With 5 runs through 5 innings, we aren’t on pace for the over of 11.0 runs but it’s getting a bit closer now. Chances are we’ll see some more bullpen arms get into the game to pitch as well and maybe even some matchups from the managers. Bo Bichette (SS), Mike Zunino (C), Joey Gallo (RF) and Jose Ramirez (3B) are all into the game for the AL.

9:45 p.m. — Gregory Soto came into pitch for the AL and gives up a long HR to JT Realmuto, making it 4-1 in favor of the American League. Realmuto took the ball oppo like taco to make it a bit of a ballgame.

Top of the 5th — Judge flies out but the damage was done and the AL leads 4-0 heading into the bottom of the inning. The AL went a bit deeper into the core of its lineup with Bogaerts, Vlad Jr. and Judge each getting 3 ABs.

9:37 p.m. — Vlad Jr. grounds out but a run scores to make it 3-0. Guerrero accounts for 2 of 3 runs for the AL so far. Following that, Bogaerts hits an RBI single to make it 4-0.

9:34 p.m. — There are a few changes for the NL with Juan Soto and Manny Machado into the game at RF and 3B, respectively. JD Martinez in to pinch hit for Ohtani with two men on and no out for LHP Trevor Rogers for the NL.

Bottom of the 4th — Eovaldi gave up a single to Freddie Freeman but worked a double play to get out of the inning easy. Still 2-0 AL and we’re entering snooze-fest territory. This is the MLB All-Star Game, though, we should have saw this coming.

Top of the 4th — Marquez goes 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth and we go to the bottom of the frame. Brandon Crawford entered the game for Tatis, so he’s done for the night. Nathan Eovaldi will come in for the AL at pitcher.

Bottom of the 3rd — Gibson works out of a bit of trouble after Frazier got on and its still 2-0 AL after three. We’ll see who gets in for the NL at pitcher because it definitely won’t be Burnes again. German Marquez, the hometown hero, will take to the mound for the NL.

9:13 p.m. — Tatis misses a pitch and goes 0-for-2 while mic’d up against Gibson. Tatis tells Joe Buck and John Smoltz he should have hit that out.

9:10 p.m. — Kyle Gibson is in to replace Lynn at pitcher for the AL. He almost surrenders a HR to Bryan Reynolds but Judge was able to snag it at the warning track.

Top of the 3rd — Burnes gets out of the inning but the damage has been done with the Vlad Jr. HR. The AL is up 2-0 and Burnes is responsible for both runs so far. Tatis will get another AB in the bottom of the third and that’ll likely do it for his night. Guerrero was +750 to win ASG MVP and is the frontrunner at this point with that bomb.

9:02 p.m. — VLAD JR. HAS LEFT THE BUILDING! Guerrero just launched the 200th HR in ASG history and it looked like something from last night’s HR derby. Good lord. The AL leads 2-0 in the third inning. Tatis was mic’d up during the HR too, check out his reaction and the dinger.

Bottom of the 2nd — Lynn works out of it in the second after walking Jesse Winker with two outs. The AL has the no-hitter still intact through two innings. Shut up about jinxing it, it’s an exhibition game, grow up! Anyway, we’ll see if starters begin to get yanked from the lineup heading into the third inning.

8:46 p.m. — It’s surprising the under wasn’t a more popular bet at 11 runs. Historically, the ASG is pretty low scoring considering how stacked the pitching staff is for each side. The AL had a chance to open things up a bit but weren’t able to do more damage. Most of the ML bets were on the AL on DKSB at around 56 percent. Oddly enough the NL got most of the run line bets at -1.5 regardless of the AL being so dominant in the ASG the past two decades.

Top of the 2nd — Burnes gets out of the inning with a double play on Teoscar Hernandez and it’s 1-0 AL over NL heading into the bottom of the inning. Freddie Freeman will lead off against White Sox SP Lance Lynn.

8:40 p.m. — Marcus Semien legged out an infield single and Judge scores to give the AL a 1-0 lead early on.

8:39 p.m. — Aaron Judge led off the second with a walk and Rafael Devers hit a double to make it second and third early in the inning. Corbin Burnes is on the hill for the NL and will have to work his way out of trouble or else the AL will get an early advantage.

Bottom of the 1st — Ohtani goes 1-2-3 through the top of the NL lineup and we’re on pace for a standard All-Star Game (one where we don’t see many runs scored).

8:29 p.m. — Ohtani gets the best of the matchup vs. Tatis and the AL have one out in the bottom of the first. Tatis got under a good pitch to hit and skied the ball to left field.

Top of the 1st — Scherzer got through the top of the AL lineup 1-2-3 after striking out Xander Bogaerts. Mad Max making an early play for ASG MVP?

8:21 p.m. — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. almost killed Scherzer in the 2nd AB of the game. Vladdy rocketed a liner up the middle that was played perfectly by Frazier again for the second out. This looks like a screaming line drive from Backyard Baseball.

8:20 p.m. — Ohtani led off for the AL and got two very good pitches to hit from Max Scherzer, who got away with a few there. Adam Frazier made a nice play at 2B to get Ohtani out.

7:38 p.m. — So we’ll likely get under way around 8 p.m. ET with first pitch while we await introductions for the AL and NL. DKSB has odds for ASG MVP and Ohtani is the favorite at +370 with Tatis (+550) and Vladdy Jr. (+750) right behind the Angels slugger.

National League

1. Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres, SS
2. Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers, DH
3. Nolan Arenado, St. Louis Cardinals, 3B
4. Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves, 1B
5. Nick Castellanos, Cincinnati Reds, RF
6. Jesse Winker, Cincinnati Reds, LF
7. J.T. Realmuto, Philadelphia Philles, C
8. Bryan Reynolds, Pittsburgh Pirates, CF
9. Adam Frazier, Pittsburgh Pirates, 2B

SP: Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals

American League

1. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels, DH
2. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays, 1B
3. Xander Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox, SS
4. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees, RF
5. Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox, 3B
6. Marcus Semien, Toronto Blue Jays, 2B
7. Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals, C
8. Teoscar Hernandez, Toronto Blue Jays, LF
9. Cedric Mullins, Baltimore Orioles, CF

SP: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels