The Top 5 MLB All-Star Games of All Time
A Blog by Greg
While every major sports league in America has their own version of an “All-Star Game,” no league does it quite like Major League Baseball. From the game’s inception in the early 1930s, to the Negro League’s yearly East vs. West game, to the era of “winning league gets home field advantage,” the long and storied history of baseball all-star games is not without countless iconic games and moments. After watching the NL defeat the AL in the 2025 All-Star game via “home run swing-off,” I decided to construct a list of the five greatest MLB All-Star games of all time.
5. 1970 – National League 5, American League 4 (12 Innings)
This game is remembered almost solely because of one play: Pete Rose plowing into AL catcher Ray Fosse to score the winning run in the 12th inning. The famous image of Rose throwing his entire body into the Fosse, fracturing the catcher’s shoulder in the process, was more than enough to earn a spot on this list; however, the game itself was exhilarating even before that iconic moment. Future Hall of Famers Tom Seaver (3.0 IP, 4 Ks, 1 H) and Carl Yastrzemski (4-6, MVP) delivered iconic performances in this back-and-forth affair.
4. 2003 – American League 7, National League 6
The 2003 MLB All-Star Game at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago was not only fascinating on the field but also off the field. The MLB was coming off the worst All-Star game in recent memory. The game ended in a 7-7 tie, and no MVP was named, a first since 1961 for both. In order to add more intrigue to the midsummer classic, the MLB decided that the league that won the All-Star game would be granted home-field advantage in the World Series that year, a controversial practice that lasted until 2016. The game needed no gimmick, however, as the game became a classic due to the iconic 9th-inning collapse to Eric Gagne. Dodgers’ closer Eric Gagne was in the midst of a Cy Young award-winning season; however, when given the ball to save the game for the NL in the 8th inning, he absolutely choked, surrendering 3 runs and the lead. The NL was unable to score in the top of the 9th, and the American League held on to win 7-6.
3. 1994 – National League 8, American League 7 (10 Innings)
The 1994 MLB All-Star Game is the epitome of what a baseball all-star game should be: a high-scoring, highly competitive slugfest between the most iconic players in the league. Fred McGriff, Ken Griffey Jr., Tony Gwynn, and Moisés Alou all put on legendary offensive performances in this game. This contest was truly back-and-forth, as it featured four lead changes and was tied at three different scores. The 94’ All-Star game was early 90s baseball summed up in one beautiful game.
2. 2025 – National League 6*, American League 6 (Swing Off)
Is it recency bias that I put the All-Star game played only a few days ago as the 2nd best out of all 90 MLB All-Star games played over the past 92 years? Absolutely not! This game was a breath of fresh air. The MLB All-Star Game had become dominated by pitching over the past few years, with only 2 games over the past 20 years containing double-digit combined runs scored. However, this game isn’t one of the greatest MLB All-Star games ever played because it was a close, high-scoring event; it is ranked so highly because it was a close, high-scoring event that introduced the “swing off.” Implementing a new game mechanic that eliminates extra innings was certainly a risky move given how many iconic All-Star game moments have happened after the 9th inning; however, the gamble totally paid off. The swing-off was tense, competitive, and exhilarating. If you didn’t get chills watching Kyle Schwarber crush three home runs on three consecutive swings, then you should go see a doctor.
1. 2008 – American League 4, National League 3 (15 Innings)
Even the brand-new “swing off” couldn’t dethrone the greatest All-Star weekend in MLB history. (Now, I know this list is not taking into account the given year’s home run derby, but I would be remiss not to mention, at least briefly, Josh Hamilton’s legendary performance in the '08 'derby. Ok, now back to the game.) Held at the old Yankee Stadium in the last year that the “house that Babe built” would be in existence, the 2008 All-Star Game was a classic 15-inning, 4-hour, and 50-minute affair. Both managers were forced to empty their benches and bullpens throughout the game before Michael Young finally put an end to the madness with a 15th-inning sac fly that scored Justin Morneau and won the game for the AL. This game just felt different from other All-Star games in this era. It was so oddly competitive. Every at-bat felt so monumental. It was a great send-off to the iconic Yankee Stadium II.
Thank you for reading! Let me know if you disagree with my list in the comments, and make sure to stay tuned for more articles coming soon!