MLB All-Star Game Betting Preview 2017: American League Small Odds Underdog

With a victory in Tuesday's MLB All-Star Game in Miami, the American League would even the all-time series at 43-43. Sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark have the American League pegged as a small -105 underdog (bet $105 to win $100) in the Midsummer Classic, with the AL going for its fifth straight win.

Each of the last seven All-Star Games has been decided by two runs or more, with the National League winning three in a row before suffering through its current four-game skid. The NL is the slight -115 favorite on the MLB All-Star Game odds for Tuesday.

Three of the past four have been played in National League ballparks as well, with the victor in those games awarded home-field advantage in the World Series for its respective pennant winner—that is no longer the case starting again this season.

For this year's All-Star Game, Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon has tabbed the Washington Nationals' Max Scherzer (10-5, 2.10 ERA) as the NL's starting pitcher, per USA Today's Gabe Lacques. Clayton Kershaw (14-2, 2.18) of the Los Angeles Dodgers started on Sunday and will be skipping the All-Star Game.

The American League will give the starting nod to Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale (11-4, 2.75), as he has gotten off to another strong start in his first year with the team. The six-time All-Star has the most strikeouts in baseball with 178, which is five more than NL leader Scherzer.

Bench coach Brad Mills will manage the American League All-Stars in place of Cleveland Indians skipper Terry Francona, who underwent a heart procedure last Thursday and is still recovering.

Mills has three members of the Houston Astros in the top five spots of his lineup, with second baseman Jose Altuve leading off, outfielder George Springer in the clean-up spot and shortstop Carlos Correa right behind him batting fifth. The Astros are sitting second on the updated 2017 World Series odds.

In addition, the last nine All-Star Games have averaged 6.4 runs, with the under cashing eight times at the sportsbooks. The total for this year's game is listed at nine runs.