The past decade of MLB All Star Game history tells a story of near total American League control. From 2016 through 2025, the AL racked up eight victories against the NL’s two, with the 2020 edition canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The American League’s 8-2 run across these 10 MLB All Star Game history matchups includes a streak of nine consecutive wins from 2016 through 2022 that the National League finally snapped in 2023. Understanding what drove these results requires looking beyond the final scores at the pivotal moments, pitching performances, and power displays that decided each Midsummer Classic.
The 2018 All-Star Game at Nationals Park stands as the most explosive offensive showcase in MLB All Star Game history. The two leagues combined for a record 10 home runs, obliterating the previous mark of six set in 1951 and matched twice since. Alex Bregman and George Springer went back-to-back in the 10th inning to lift the AL to an 8-6 victory. Every run except one scored via the long ball. That game proved that when both lineups feature elite power, the league with the deeper bullpen and extra-inning execution often prevails.
Pitching also shaped the MLB All Star Game history narrative. The 2019 game at Progressive Field saw Shane Bieber strike out the side in the fifth inning, earning MVP honors in his home ballpark. The AL staff combined for 16 strikeouts in a 4-3 win. Justin Verlander opened with 97 mph heat, and Aroldis Chapman closed with a scoreless ninth. The AL’s pitching depth neutralized a loaded NL lineup that included Christian Yelich, Cody Bellinger, and Ronald Acuña Jr..
MLB All Star Game History Turning Points
Extra-inning heroics defined multiple MLB All Star Game history classics. In 2017 at Marlins Park, Robinson Canó led off the 10th with a home run off Wade Davis for a 2-1 AL victory. The game featured 10 innings of dominant pitching from both sides. Andrew Miller earned the save by retiring Cody Bellinger with a two-out walk in the 10th.
The 2021 game at Coors Field showcased the sport’s brightest young stars. Shohei Ohtani pitched a perfect first inning, touching 100 mph, and earned the win. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. launched a 468-foot home run and earned MVP honors, becoming the youngest player to win the award. The AL cruised 5-2 for its eighth straight victory.
The 2022 game at Dodger Stadium turned on a single inning. Down 2-0 in the fourth, Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer off Tony Gonsolin, and Byron Buxton followed with a 425-foot shot. Stanton’s homer registered 111.2 mph exit velocity, the hardest-hit home run in All-Star Game history tracked by Statcast. The AL held on for a 3-2 win, its ninth straight.
What Finally Broke the Streak
The NL ended its nine-game losing streak in 2023 at T-Mobile Park. Elías Díaz, a pinch-hitter for Jorge Soler, launched a go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning off Félix Bautista. The NL won 3-2, cutting the AL’s all-time series lead to 47-43-2. That home run marked the first time since 2003 that a batter hit a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning or later with his team trailing.
The 2024 AL responded with a 5-3 win at Globe Life Field. Jarren Duran broke a 3-3 tie with a two-run homer in the fifth inning, earning MVP honors. The victory gave the AL its 10th win in the past 11 MLB All Star Game history contests.
The 2025 game introduced the first swing-off tiebreaker in MLB All Star Game history. The NL blew a 6-0 lead as the AL mounted the biggest comeback in All-Star history. After a 6-6 tie through nine innings, Kyle Schwarber launched three home runs on three swings in the swing-off, giving the NL a 4-3 tiebreaker victory. Schwarber earned MVP honors and the Phillies star delivered one of the most unforgettable moments in recent MLB All Star Game history.
Why the American League Dominated
Several factors explain the AL’s overwhelming success in this MLB All Star Game history stretch. The AL consistently produced more power at the plate, evidenced by the 2018 record and back-to-back home run sequences in 2022. The AL also featured deeper pitching staffs, as seen in the 2019 strikeout total and the 2021 two-way brilliance of Ohtani. The NL’s two victories required extraordinary circumstances: a historic pinch-hit homer in 2023 and a first-of-its-kind swing-off in 2025. When the games remained conventional, the AL found ways to win. In extra innings, the AL went 2-0 (2017, 2018). When the game stayed close, the AL’s bullpen depth and power bats consistently delivered the difference.
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