2017 MLB All-Star Game Roster: Starting Pitchers and Lineup for AL and NL Squads

The MLB All-Star Game has provided plenty of drama this century.

In 2002, Torii Hunter robbed Barry Bonds of a home run, and the game finished in a 7-7 tie as both teams ran out of pitchers.

In 2008, the American League beat the NL in 15 innings in the last year of the old Yankee Stadium on a Michael Young sacrifice fly that scored Justin Morneau.

Just two years ago, superstar outfielder Mike Trout won the second of his back-to-back All-Star Game MVP awards thanks to a leadoff homer that helped the American League win 6-3.

All-Star week got off to a raucous start with one of the best Home Run Derbies we have seen in years. Will the main event live up to the hype?

Here's a look at the starting lineups, reserves and pitching staffs for each league, alongside three storylines for the game.

American League Starting Lineup

1. 2B Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

2. 3B Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians

3. RF Aaron Judge, New York Yankees

4. LF George Springer, Houston Astros

5. SS Carlos Correa, Houston Astros

6. 1B Justin Smoak, Toronto Blue Jays

7. DH Corey Dickerson, Tampa Bay Rays

8. C Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals

9. CF Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox

SP: Chris Sale, Boston Red Sox

National League Starting Lineup

1. CF Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies

2. DH Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins

3. RF Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals

4. C Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants

5. 2B Daniel Murphy, Washington Nationals

6. 3B Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies

7. 1B Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals

8. LF Marcell Ozuna, Miami Marlins

9. SS Zack Cozart, Cincinnati Reds

SP: Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals

American League Reserves

C Gary Sanchez, New York Yankees

1B Yonder Alonso, Oakland Athletics

2B Jonathan Schoop, Baltimore Orioles

2B Robinson Cano, Seattle Mariners

3B Miguel Sano, Minnesota Twins

3B Mike Moustakas, Kansas City Royals

SS Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians

OF Michael Brantley, Cleveland Indians

OF Justin Upton, Detroit Tigers

OF Avisail Garcia, Chicago White Sox

DH Nelson Cruz, Seattle Mariners

National League Reserves

C Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals

1B Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks

1B Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds

1B/OF Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers

2B Josh Harrison, Pittsburgh Pirates

2B DJ LeMahieu, Colorado Rockies

3B Jake Lamb, Arizona Diamondbacks

3B Justin Turner, Los Angeles Dodgers

SS Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers

OF Michael Conforto, New York Mets

OF Ender Inciarte, Atlanta Braves

American League Pitching Staff

SP Chris Sale, Boston Red Sox

SP Jason Vargas, Kansas City Royals

SP Lance McCullers Jr., Houston Astros

SP Chris Archer, Tampa Bay Rays

SP Ervin Santana, Minnesota Twins

SP Luis Severino, New York Yankees

RP Chris Devenski, Houston Astros

RP Brandon Kintzler, Minnesota Twins

RP Roberto Osuna, Toronto Blue Jays

RP Craig Kimbrel, Boston Red Sox

RP Andrew Miller, Cleveland Indians

RP Dellin Betances, New York Yankees

National League Pitching Staff

SP Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals

SP Alex Wood, Los Angeles Dodgers

SP Carlos Martinez, St. Louis Cardinals

SP Zack Greinke, Arizona Diamondbacks

SP Robbie Ray, Arizona Diamondbacks

SP Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals

RP Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles Dodgers

RP Corey Knebel, Milwaukee Brewers

RP Wade Davis, Chicago Cubs

RP Greg Holland, Colorado Rockies

RP Brad Hand, San Diego Padres

RP Pat Neshek, Philadelphia Phillies

Storylines

Max Scherzer vs. Murderer's Row

Something has to give in the opening innings, as Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer will be facing five of the best hitters in baseball.

Assuming Scherzer pitches two innings, he will face the following batters for sure: Jose Altuve (AL leader in batting average), Jose Ramirez (second in the AL in batting average), Aaron Judge (league leader in home runs and an AL Triple Crown candidate), George Springer (second in the AL in home runs, fifth in RBI) and Carlos Correa (fourth in AL in batting average and third in RBI).

That's a tall order for any pitcher, but Scherzer might be up to the task. He's been phenomenal against right-handed batters this year, holding them to a .119 batting average and striking them out 109 times, or nearly half the time he faced them. Four of the five aforementioned batters are righties, with the switch-hitting Ramirez being the lone exception.

This should be a fascinating opening to the All-Star Game.

Young Players Making Big Impacts

The youth movement in Major League Baseball continues this year as two rookies who were in the Home Run Derby (Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger) will be appearing in this year's All-Star Game.

A few other players in the 25-and-under crowd will also be playing: Michael Conforto (24), Corey Knebel (25), Carlos Martinez (25), Carlos Correa (22), Mookie Betts (24), Bryce Harper (24), Jonathan Schoop (25), Miguel Sano (24), Francisco Lindor (23), Gary Sanchez (24) and Corey Seager (23).

This list doesn't even include superstar Mike Trout, who is missing the game as he rehabs a torn left thumb ligament, and three-time All-Star Manny Machado, who is having an off-year at the plate and should be back in the Midsummer Classic soon.

The future of the game looks bright with many young players dominating in the early portions of their careers.

World Series Previews

It's not often that the starting pitching matchup for the All-Star Game has potential to be the exact same as Game 1 of the World Series, but that's the case this year as Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale will face off against the Washington Nationals' Max Scherzer. Both the Red Sox and Nationals have the second-best records in their respective leagues.

Naturally, all of the top teams in baseball have flooded the All-Star lineups.

Three Washington Nationals will back up Scherzer in the early going. In fact, the entire right side of the field will contain Nats, as right fielder Bryce Harper, second baseman Daniel Murphy and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman are all starting the game.

Three Houston Astros are in the AL starting lineup, and two more made the pitching staff (Lance McCullers and Dallas Keuchel, who was replaced as he rehabs a pinched nerve in his neck). The 'Stros are 60-29 and currently have the best record in the American League.

And then the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have the best record in baseball (61-29), have Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner and Corey Seager coming off the NL bench, with Alex Wood (who replaced Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw on the roster) and closer Kenley Jansen helping anchor the pitching staff.

We'll be seeing a lot of these players again in just three short months as they duke it out in the playoffs.