Tonight’s All-Star Game has all the makings of an instant classic. That’s due in large part to the two starters on the mound, arguably the best in all of baseball. Can these talented arms keep the AL and NL in check on Tuesday?
The National League enters tonight as favorites (-119), with the over/under set at seven total runs on DraftKings Sportsbook.
American League All-Star starter
The Junior Circuit will hand the ball to reigning Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal. After a breakout 2024 campaign, the southpaw has shown that he’s here to stay. Over 121.0 innings of work, the 28-year-old owns a 2.23 ERA, 153 strikeouts, and a league-leading 0.83 WHIP. The fireballer has actually under-performed his own metrics this season, as evidenced by his 2.00 FIP. That’s partially a result of his minuscule 1.2 BB/9 ratio, the sport’s lowest total.
Skubal’s combination of elite stuff and exceptional command makes him a headache for even the best of hitters. That was the case last summer, when he held the National League scoreless over one inning during the 2024 All-Star Game. The left-hander will look to keep rolling on Tuesday, but it won’t be easy. The first two batters he’ll face? Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuna Jr.
National League All-Star starter
For the second year in a row, it’ll be Paul Skenes kicking things off for the NL. Last season, the then-rookie recorded a scoreless first inning, albeit without one of his signature strikeouts. The 23-year-old will hope to deliver an even more dominant outing tonight in Atlanta. Based off of his 2025 campaign, that’s a reasonable expectation. Through 121.0 innings pitched, the righty has notched a 2.01 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 131 strikeouts.
Much like Skubal, Skenes certainly has his work cut out for him tonight. The American League boasts baseball’s most prolific home run threats, Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh. Granted, that pair is doing much of the heavy lifting for the visitors, who enter tonight as underdogs. A clean top of the first would mean Skenes most likely avoids Raleigh, Monday’s Home Run Derby winner. Still, Pittsburgh’s ace is never one to back down from a challenge.
