MLB All-Star Game 2015: Start Time, Roster Breakdown of 86th Midsummer Classic

Once the newly reconfigured Home Run Derby is concluded, all the attention in the baseball world will focus on the MLB All-Star Game in Cincinnati.

While this annual baseball classic has to compete with all the most enjoyable outdoor summer activities, it has almost no competition from the rest of the professional sports world. The NBA and NHL seasons have been completed, and NFL training camps won't open for a few more weeks.

The 86th All-Star Game has been ravaged by injuries. Giancarlo Stanton, perhaps the premier power hitter in the game today, will not play due to a hand injury, and fellow National League starters Matt Holliday and Dee Gordon will also sit this game out.

On the American League sides, Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, the game's most dangerous offensive player, and Kansas City Royals outfielder Alex Gordon are both injured.

However, National League manager Bruce Bochy and American League skipper Ned Yost have more than enough stars to put on an entertaining show for fans who want to see the best players in both leagues square off.

When: Tuesday, July 14

Where: Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati

TV: Fox

Ticket Info: Score Big

Broadcast Start Time: 7 p.m. ET

Game Time: 8 p.m. ET

Position	Starter	Team
Position	Reserve	Team
Position	Pitcher	Team
C	Salvador Perez	Kansas City Royals
1B	Miguel Cabrera*	Detroit Tigers
2B	Jose Altuve	Houston Astros
3B	Josh Donaldson	Toronto Blue Jays
SS	Alcides Escobar	Kansas City Royals
OF	Mike Trout	Los Angeles Angels
OF	Lorenzo Cain	Kansas City Royals
OF	Alex Gordon*	Kansas City Royals
DH	Nelson Cruz	Seattle Mariners
C	Russell Martin	Toronto Blue Jays
C	Stephen Vogt	Oakland Athletics
1B	Albert Pujols	Los Angeles Angels
1B	Mark Teixeira	New York Yankees
2B	Brock Holt	Boston Red Sox
2B	Jason Kipnis	Cleveland Indians
SS	Jose Iglesias	Detroit Tigers
3B	Manny Machado	Baltimore Orioles
3B	Mike Moustakas	Kansas City Royals
OF	Brett Gardner	New York Yankees
OF	Jose Bautista	Toronto Blue Jays
OF	Adam Jones	Baltimore Orioles
OF	J.D. Martinez	Detroit Tigers
DH	Prince Fielder	Texas Rangers
SP	Chris Archer	Tampa Bay Rays
RP	Dellin Betances	New York Yankees
RP	Brad Boxberger	Tampa Bay Rays
RP	Zach Britton	Baltimore Orioles
RP	Wade Davis	Kansas City Royals
SP	Sonny Gray	Oakland Athletics
SP	Felix Hernandez	Seattle Mariners
RP	Kelvin Herrera	Kansas City Royals
SP	Dallas Keuchel	Houston Astros
RP	Darren O'Day	Baltimore Orioles
RP	Glen Perkins	Minnesota Twins
SP	David Price	Detroit Tigers
SP	Chris Sale	Chicago White Sox

American League Power

Josh Donaldson not only won the popular vote in this year's All-Star selection process, he also set the record for the most votes ever.

The Toronto Blue Jays third baseman has been hitting the ball with authority all season and has done an outstanding job in the field as well. Donaldson has belted 21 homers and knocked in 60 runs with a .293/.351/.532 slash line. It seems like everything that comes off his bat is hit with bad intentions, and his line drives and long balls have helped give the Blue Jays life in the first half of the season.

"

One swing of the bat from Josh Donaldson and the game is tied http://t.co/gLIr116qiu #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/iOv2Db2lHk

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 9, 2015"

Donaldson will get some help in the power department from a pair of Los Angeles Angels. Outfielder Mike Trout will join him in the starting lineup, while Albert Pujols could be a huge difference-maker off the bench in the middle to late innings.

Trout appears to be the American League's star of the present and the future. He combines all the elements that make for a brilliant player—he hits for average and power, runs with explosive speed, can chase the ball down in the outfield and has a powerful arm. Trout already has 26 homers, and he is on track to blow past his previous career high of 36 homers.

"

Mike Trout and Albert Pujols join impressive company as they reach All-Star break tied for AL lead in home runs (26). pic.twitter.com/jP1dBfIrNg

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 13, 2015"

Pujols is having his best season since joining the Angels prior to the 2012 season. He had 30 home runs in total that season, but he already has 26 this year.

American League Depth

Yost should have plenty of options when he starts giving his starting players some relief. In addition to Pujols, he can turn to Oakland A's catcher Stephen Vogt for clutch hitting and power, and he can do the same with Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado, Cleveland Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis and Detroit Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez.

Vogt has 14 homers and 56 RBI for the A's along with a .287/.374/.498 slash line. Machado is having yet another brilliant season in the field, and he's also been hot at the dish, with a .525 slugging percentage along with 19 homers and 48 RBI

Martinez is one of the great stories of the first half of the season. Nearly all Tigers hitters get somewhat obscured behind the exploits of Cabrera, but Martinez has been a key difference-maker this year. After emerging last year with 23 homers, he has already belted 25 homers and knocked in 57 runs while slugging .565.

Position	Starter	Team
Position	Reserve	Team
Position	Pitcher	Team
C	Buster Posey	San Francisco Giants
1B	Paul Goldschmidt	Arizona Diamondbacks
2B	Dee Gordon*	Miami Marlins
3B	Todd Frazier	Cincinnati Reds
SS	Jhonny Peralta	St. Louis Cardinals
OF	Bryce Harper	Washington Nationals
OF	Giancarlo Stanton*	Miami Marlins
OF	Matt Holliday*	St. Louis Cardinals
C	Yadier Molina	St. Louis Cardinals
C	Yasmani Grandal	Los Angeles Dodgers
1B	Anthony Rizzo	Chicago Cubs
1B	Adrian Gonzalez	Los Angeles Dodgers
2B	DJ LeMahieu	Colorado Rockies
2B	Joe Panik	San Francisco Giants
SS	Brandon Crawford	San Francisco Giants
3B	Nolan Arenado	Colorado Rockies
3B	Kris Bryant	Chicago Cubs
OF	Andrew McCutchen	Pittsburgh Pirates
OF	Joc Pederson	Los Angeles Dodgers
OF	A.J. Pollock	Arizona Diamondbacks
OF	Justin Upton	San Diego Padres
SP	Max Scherzer	Washington Nationals
SP	Gerrit Cole	Pittsburgh Pirates
SP	Zack Greinke	Los Angeles Dodgers
SP	Shelby Miller	Atlanta Braves
SP	Jacob deGrom	New York Mets
SP	Madison Bumgarner	San Francisco Giants
SP	Michael Wacha	St. Louis Cardinals
SP	Carlos Martinez	St. Louis Cardinals
SP	A.J. Burnett	Pittsburgh Pirates
RP	Trevor Rosenthal	St. Louis Cardinals
RP	Mark Melancon	Pittsburgh Pirates
RP	Aroldis Chapman	Cincinnati Reds
RP	Jonathan Papelbon	Philadelphia Phillies
RP	Francisco Rodriguez	Milwaukee Brewers

National League Power

While the American League may have dominated the All-Star Game over the last 32 years—22-9-1—the National League has the power in its lineup to recall the time when it dominated the game in the 1960s and '70s.

Catcher Buster Posey of the world champion San Francisco Giants, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks, third baseman Todd Frazier of the Cincinnati Reds and Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals are capable of busting the game wide open at any time.

Posey is having a notable offensive year with a .314/.381/.498 slash line with 14 home runs and 58 RBI. Goldschmidt is one of the most imposing hitters in the game, and when the 6'3", 225-pound Arizona first baseman has come to the plate, a lot of bad things have happened to pitchers. Goldschmidt has hammered 21 homers and already knocked in 70 runs.

"

At his current pace, Paul Goldschmidt would finish the season with: 205 hits, 133 walks, 115 runs, 39 HR, 133 RBI, 31 SB. Has a 1.092 OPS.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 8, 2015"

Frazier is capable of coming away with the All-Star Game MVP award in front of his home fans, something last accomplished in 1999 when Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez won the honor at Fenway Park. Frazier has a .284/.337/.585 slash line and he has 25 home runs.

"

Todd Frazier favored to win Home Run Derby by oddsmakers http://t.co/DpG66by853 pic.twitter.com/fyEB5jo92A

— CBS Sports MLB (@CBSSportsMLB) July 10, 2015"

Harper is the National League's headline performer. While he has not reached the superstar level that Trout has in the American League in previous years, he had flashed his talent in the past. However, Harper may have been the best player in baseball over the first half of the season. He has a robust .339/.464/.704 slash line with 26 home runs and 61 RBI. When Harper hits a ball squarely, it gets out of the park with remarkable speed.

"

Bryce Harper’s 6th-inning home run had a speed off bat of 115.4 mph, second fastest of his career (117.1 mph in 2013) pic.twitter.com/PyxyOlhudV

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 12, 2015"

Captain Clutch off the Bench

The National League does not appear to have the same kind of depth as the American League. Bochy will be depending on a couple of rookies in Joc Pedersen and Kris Bryant to give the Senior Circuit some crash off the bench.

While both of those players should be National League leaders in future years, they could be overmatched in their first All-Star Games. 

That's not the case with Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates. McCutchen has been surging after a bit of a slow start, and he has the kind of all-around talent to win the game as a hitter or a fielder. 

The 28-year-old former MVP has a .295/.392/.500 slash line, and he also has 12 homers and 56 RBI. 

Bochy will also be able to bring first baseman Adrian Gonzalez off the bench for the National Leaguers. Gonzalez has perhaps the smoothest stroke in the game, and his ability to hit to the opposite field with power makes him dangerous. Gonzalez has already smashed 18 homers and driven in 55 runs with his effortless swing, and he will be a difficult late-inning out for American League pitchers.