The 2025 MLB All-Star Game had everything baseball fans could hope for: an iconic venue, dramatic storylines, historic firsts, and a finish unlike any other in Midsummer Classic history. Kyle Schwarber’s three-swing heroics deliver first-ever tiebreak swing-off victory.
On a muggy Tuesday night at Truist Park—just miles from where the legendary Hank Aaron passed Babe Ruth on the all-time home run list—the National League outlasted the American League 4–3 in an unprecedented Home Run Derby–style swing-off. The score had been deadlocked at 6–6 after nine innings before the game reached the newly instituted tiebreaker, first introduced in 2022 but never used until now.
The swing-off became instant folklore, and at its center stood Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber. After going 0-for-2 with a walk during regulation, Schwarber stepped up and crushed three home runs on three swings, powering the Senior Circuit to just its second All-Star Game win in the last 12 matchups. In doing so, he became the first position player ever to win All-Star Game MVP honors without recording a hit in the game itself.
This 95th edition of the All-Star Game opened with the best pitchers on the planet facing off and two of the game’s brightest position players in the starting lineups. It marked the first All-Star Game to feature automatic ball-strike system (ABS) challenges, adding a futuristic touch to the classic exhibition.
The night also included a heartfelt tribute to Hank Aaron, whose presence loomed large over Truist Park. The crowd rose to salute a future first-ballot Hall of Famer making his final All-Star appearance. And in the seventh inning, the American League erased a 6–0 NL lead fueled by Pete Alonso’s three-run homer, scoring four runs and later tying the game in the ninth when down to its final out.
Officially, no winning or losing pitcher was credited. Unofficially, fans witnessed one of the most thrilling finishes in All-Star Game history.
The tiebreaker, baseball’s answer to the hockey shootout, had been in place for three years but never used. On Monday, NL manager Dave Roberts and AL manager Aaron Boone submitted their lists of three participants and alternates should the game remain tied after nine innings.
Roberts chose Schwarber, Alonso, and Arizona’s Eugenio Suárez, a late scratch after being hit on the hand in the eighth. He was replaced by Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers. Boone countered with Brent Rooker of the Athletics, Seattle’s Randy Arozarena, and Tampa Bay’s Jonathan Aranda.
Each player was allowed three swings with unlimited pitches to take them. Los Angeles Dodgers third-base coach Dino Ebel pitched to the NL hitters, while New York Yankees first-base coach Travis Chapman threw for the AL.
Rooker, fresh off Monday’s Home Run Derby, opened the swing-off with two home runs. Stowers answered with one, and Arozarena added another, giving the AL a 3–1 lead.
Then came Schwarber—known more for moonshots than for winning derbies. His previous attempts at the Derby saw him come up short in the finals in 2018 and fail to get out of the first round in 2022. But on this night, with the All-Star Game hanging in the balance, he delivered.
Emerging from the dugout to a chorus of cheers, Schwarber’s first swing produced a 428-foot rocket to center. His second swing traveled even farther—a majestic 461-foot shot to right. On his final swing, Schwarber dropped to one knee and sent a 382-foot homer into the right-field seats, sealing the win for the NL and igniting wild celebrations among his teammates.
The National League now trails the American League 48–44–2 in All-Star Game history, but this night will be remembered less for the standings and more for the unforgettable finish. A game that featured a six-run comeback, the first ABS challenges, and a tribute to Hank Aaron ended in the first tiebreak swing-off ever—and it was Kyle Schwarber, a man built to hit home runs, who became the hero.
Four hours after first pitch, the 2025 All-Star Game delivered something entirely new, reminding baseball fans why even an exhibition can become an instant classic.
