2018 – As has been rumored for some time, the Dodgers trade for All-Star SS Manny Machado, who will become a free agent at the end of the season. The price is steep for what amounts to a short-term rental: five prospects, including AA OF Yusniel Diaz, one of the stars of the most recent Futures Game. The Dodgers have a gaping hole to fill, however, having recently lost SS Corey Seager for the remainder of the season.

The American League defeats the National League, 8 – 6, in the 89th edition of the All-Star Game, played at Nationals Park in Washington, DC. A record ten home runs are hit, including a pair in the 10th inning, by teammates Alex Bregman and George Springer of the Astros off Ross Stripling, as the AL wins its 6th straight and 18 of the last 21 (with one tie) to edge ahead of the NL overall. Bregman is named the winner of the Ted Williams Award as the game’s MVP.

Hitting off his father in front of hometown fans, Bryce Harper wins the Home Run Derby by defeating Kyle Schwarber in the final round. He puts on a tremendous show to connect on 9 straight pitches in a span of 47 seconds to tie Schwarber, then hits the winning 19th shot in the bonus round.

The 2018 Futures Game is played at Nationals Park ahead of the 2018 All-Star Game and it features a barrage of homers, with eight long balls being hit as the United States team prevails, 10 – 6, over the World team. Yusniel Diaz hits two homers for the World team, and he is almost matched by Taylor Trammell of the U.S., who hits one out and has a second ball bounce off the centerfield fence for a stand-up triple. Trammell is named the recipient of the Larry Doby Award as the game’s MVP.

The Cardinals fire manager Mike Matheny just before the All-Star break, following a loss to the Reds that put them just one game above .500. Hitting coach John Mabry and assistant hitting coach Bill Mueller are also let go, while bench coach Mike Shildt is named interim manager, with a permanent replacement expected to be named when play resumes after the Mid-Summer Classic in a few days.

For the second straight year, the Pacific League sweeps the 2018 NPB All-Star Games. They take this one, 5-1. Sosuke Genda breaks a scoreless tie in the 5th when he doubles off Yuta Iwasada to score Nobuhiro Matsuda; Takuya Kai then singles in Game MVP Genda. Andrew Albers gets the win, retiring six of seven batters he faces.

The Red Sox win their 10th game in a row as they defeat the Blue Jays, 6 – 4, thanks to 5 RBIs by Mookie Betts. He hits a grand slam off J.A. Happ to cap a five-run 4th inning, at the end of an epic 13-pitch at-bat, then adds an RBI single in the 7th as the crowd chants “MVP! MVP!” The Sox have now won 66 games, the most before the All-Star break in team history.

The Indians also light up the scoreboard in winning the battle of Ohio, 19 – 5, over the Reds. Jose Ramirez homers twice and drives in 5, as Tyler Mahle gives up 7 runs in 2 1/3 innings and his successor, Tanner Rainey, another 8 runs in just two-thirds of an inning. IF Alex Blandino is called on to pitch mop-up duty in the 8th and is the only Reds pitcher not to allow a run.

The Rockies go on a scoring binge in crushing the Diamondbacks, 19 – 2. The Rox hit five homers, including two by Carlos Gonzalez and one by pitcher German Marquez, while position players Daniel Descalso and Alex Avila combine for 4 2/3 innings of relief in order to spare Arizona’s bullpen. D-Backs starter Shelby Miller does not make it out of the 1st inning, allowing 5 runs before exiting due to tightness in his elbow, and relievers Jorge De La Rosa and Yoshihisa Hirano are shelled for 7 and 4 runs respectively.

The Astros get a walk-off win on a ball that barely travels two feet. With runners on first and second and one out in the 11th after the Astros have just tied the score at 5-all against the Athletics, Alex Bregman taps a ball that bounces off home plate, briefly rolls foul, before returning to fair territory. C Jonathan Lucroy picks it up and attempts to tag Bregman, who has not moved yet, but he somehow drops the ball. He then throws to 1B but his relay glances off Bregman’s helmet and past 1B Mark Canha, allowing Kyle Tucker to score the winning run from second base. “I think it was the softest ball anyone’s ever hit,” Bregman reflects after the bizarre play.