First pitch: Tuesday, 8:15 p.m. ET
Line: American League +100, National League -110, Total: 9.0

Major League Baseball’s top players meet in Miami for the All-Star Game on Tuesday.

This is one of the most exciting events of the year, as fans will get to see most of the world’s best competing against one another. And after an exciting Home Run Derby on Monday, one can only imagine what is in store here. The National League will definitely be the team that has something to prove in this one. While the game no longer decides which team will have home field advantage in the World Series, there is still a lot of pride on the line here. The American League won this game 4-2 a year ago, and that was the fourth straight victory for the AL over the NL. It was also the team’s 16th victory over the National League in the past 20 meetings, and one of those other games was a tie. The MVP of last year’s game ended up being Eric Hosmer, who is not on the All-Star team this year. Mike Trout, meanwhile, had won two straight MVPs before Hosmer won last year. Trout would have been playing this year, but he got injured early in the season and is not yet healthy enough to return for Los Angeles.

The American League will be sending LHP Chris Sale (11-4, 2.75 ERA, 178 K) to the mound as their starter, and Sale has been ridiculous this season. He has exceeded expectations in his time with the Sox, and some have been calling him the best pitcher that Boston has had since Pedro Martinez. Sale likely won’t throw too many innings here, but that shouldn’t matter. The American League has plenty of elite pitchers ready to come in when he gets tired. As for players to watch in this American League lineup, it’d be a mistake not to mention OF Aaron Judge (.329 BA, 30 HR, 66 RBI) first. After winning the Home Run Derby with relative ease on Monday, Judge is seemingly the face of the entire league right now. His power is unmatched and it’d almost be more surprising if he ends up struggling in this one. And then there are some other studs like 2B Jose Altuve (.347 BA, 13 HR, 50 RBI), SS Carlos Correa (.325 BA, 20 HR, 65 RBI), and OF Mookie Betts (.272 BA, 16 HR, 53 RBI). All three of them are capable of doing a ton of damage in this game, and Betts might be eager to come out and win the MVP here. After struggling in the first half of the season, that would certainly give him some momentum heading into the second half of the year.

Starting the game for the National League is going to be RHP Max Scherzer (10-5, 2.10 ERA, 173 K), who immediately gives the NL a minor edge in this one. Scherzer has a rightful claim to be the best pitcher in baseball right now, and he is going to want to put on a show to prove that on Tuesday. The NL also happens to have far better arms backing Scherzer up. Offensively, the NL also has a bit more firepower than the AL in this year’s game. The National League has guys like OF Charlie Blackmon (.319 BA, 20 HR, 61 RBI), DH Giancarlo Stanton (.277 BA, 26 HR, 58 RBI), OF Bryce Harper (.325 BA, 20 HR, 65 RBI), 2B Daniel Murphy (.342 BA, 14 HR, 64 RBI), and 3B Nolan Arenado (.301 BA, 17 HR, 70 RBI). All five of them are capable of having big games at the plate, and so are the other guys in this lineup that were not mentioned. But if you’re looking for somebody that might win MVP then look no further than Harper. Harper is one of the game’s best players, and he’ll want to put some of the attention back on himself after not competing in the Derby. Expect a big game from him here.