Major League Baseball certainly was not about to have a repeat of the 2002 All-Star Game.
Tuesday’s All-Star Game at Truist Park in Atlanta, Ga. needed a tiebreaker to determine the winner. The National League raced out to a 6-0 lead through the first six innings, but the American League came roaring back during the closing frames. They scored four runs in the seventh and two more in the ninth to tie the game at 6 apiece.
Instead of going into extra innings, MLB opted to have a “swing-off” instead. Each manager (Aaron Boone for the AL and Dave Roberts for the NL) got to choose three batters. All of the batters had three swings each to hit as many home runs as possible (with the AL and the NL alternating turns).
Boone chose Brent Rooker of the Athletics, Randy Arozarena of the Mariners, and Jonathan Aranda of the Rays. Meanwhile, Roberts decided to go with Kyle Stowers of the Marlins, Pete Alonso of the Mets, and Kyle Schwarber of the Phillies.
In the end, it was the Schwarber pick that made all the difference. Schwarber stepped up to the plate with the NL trailing 3 home runs to 1 (after Rooker produced two, Stowers produced one, and Arozarena produced one). The NL was probably just hoping for Schwarber to keep things competitive.
Instead though, Schwarber homered on every … single … swing that he took. The former NL home runs leader made it look effortless as he sprayed dingers to center, right-center, and right to give the NL a 4-3 lead.
#AllStarGame Swing-off
— MLB (@MLB) July 16, 2025
AL – 3
NL – 4
Kyle Schwarber GIVES THE NL THE LEAD! pic.twitter.com/NPZJciVTYn
After Aranda failed to homer on any of his three swings during his ensuing turn, the NL won the tiebreaker and thus the game (without Alonso even having to step up to the plate). Here were some of the best reactions to Schwarber’s immensely clutch display.
Kyle Schwarber going 3 for 3 to give the National League the lead in the All-Star Game Swing-Off pic.twitter.com/c5vTfe84KM
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 16, 2025
Schwarber https://t.co/1yjeKH7Gnp pic.twitter.com/e9EKRt7GPB
— Kofie (@Kofie) July 16, 2025
What Kyle Schwarber just did is so outrageously difficult and impressive. Dude is an absolute monster.
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) July 16, 2025
Pay Kyle Schwarber Now
— Barstool Philly (@BarstoolPhilly) July 16, 2025
For his heroics, Schwarber was named All-Star Game MVP (despite going 0-for-2 in the actual game). Meanwhile with the swing-off tiebreaker, Major League Baseball found a winning formula that fans almost unanimously approved of (similar to the other popular change that they implemented during this year’s All-Star Game).
