First, a look at the standings:
Despite 4 of the 6 AL teams at .500 or better being in the AL East, you can see why I haven't mentioned the standings much as the Rays hold another massive division lead. And over in the lower right, check out who's been of the NL's best pitchers this year, none other than Cole Patten, part of what we gave up to get super-prospect Jaiden Hardaway (having an nice year at AA Montgomery by the way).
Here are the all-star rosters:
A lot of Rays and former Rays on these rosters.
Home Run Derby: For once a Ray is participating: Nate Clark. He's matched up against Washington's Josh Ellis in the first round. Ellis beat him 20-19, which is too bad because Clark's 19 would have been good enough to win any of the other first round matchups. Well, an ex-Ray did win: Yordan Alvarez beat Cody Bellinger 26-23 in the final round.
The All-Star Game:
Rays dominated the roster, and Rays dominated the game, from MVP Nate Clark and his 2-run HR off former Ray Chris Paddack, to Joe Barker's RBI double for the AL's 3rd run, to Jasson Dominguez who played the whole game and doubled, to Daniel Espino who got out of his own jam in the 8th by whiffing former teammate Gavin Lux, and to Andy Aparicio, who got the save despite allowing a Gleyber Torres homer.