Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber was given a chance to make history in Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game, and he did exactly that as he led the National League to victory.
Schwarber, the Phillies’ lone All-Star this season, made the most of his third All-Star Game appearance, clobbering three home runs to help the National League to win the first-ever “swing-off” tiebreaker after the game.
Under terms of Major League Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement reached in 2022, ties after nine innings in the All-Star Game are broken by an abbreviated home run derby, featuring three players from each league getting three swings apiece.
The team with the most home runs at the end would win. According to ESPN, the lineups for the tiebreaker were set prior to the start of the game.
Tuesday’s event, the first of its kind, saw Brent Rooker of the Athletics club two home runs, while Kyle Stowers of the Marlins hit one, leaving the National League down 2-1 after one hitter apiece.
Randy Arozarena hit a home run to make it 3-1, but then Schwarber stepped to the plate and put on a dazzling performance, hammering three home runs in three pitches, including a 461-foot shot to right field.
Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda then was shutout in his at-bat, giving the National League the victory.
In addition to participating in the first-ever swing-off, Schwarber was awarded All-Star Game MVP honors, becoming the first position player to win the award without recording a hit in the game, according to ESPN.