MLB All-Star Game 2017: Start Time, Ticket Info, Rosters for Midsummer Classic

This year's MLB All-Star Game, on paper, has the potential to be a classic matchup.

Two ace pitchers (Chris Sale and Max Scherzer) who have been striking out at least 35 percent of the batters they face, per FanGraphs, are starting the game. They will have to deal with some of the best hitters in baseball, including Aaron Judge, who hit 30 home runs before the All-Star break.

Both teams have an incredible amount of depth. Some of the best players in baseball (e.g. Paul Goldschmidt and Joey Votto) will be coming off the bench, and the AL and NL sides have fantastic relief staffs this year.

This should be a close contest that plays out like a chess match in the later innings as National League manager Joe Maddon and American League manager Brad Mills mix and match with their hitters and pitchers.

Here's a look at the details for the Midsummer Classic as well as three predictions for the game.

All-Star Game Details

Where: Marlins Park, Miami

When: Tuesday, July 11 at 8 p.m. ET. Pregame coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET.

TV: Fox

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go

Tickets: ScoreBig.com

Rosters

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 Brave

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

3 Predictions

No Scoring With Sale and Scherzer on the Hill

This isn't exactly a hot take, especially because Sale and Scherzer are inarguably two of the best three starting pitchers in baseball this year (Clayton Kershaw is obviously the third).

However, both pitchers are going to be facing some dominant hitters. Scherzer is going to duel with the AL batting leader (Jose Altuve) and the MLB home run leader (Judge), while Sale will face off against five-time All-Star Bryce Harper and hometown slugger Giancarlo Stanton.

That being said, Scherzer and Sale have the slight edge.

Four of the AL's top five hitters are right-handers, and dominating righties is Scherzer's game. From 2014-2016, Scherzer has allowed just a .187 batting average and .541 OPS against right-handers, and this year, those numbers have fallen to .119 and .369, respectively.

According to FanGraphs, Sale leads all starters in the league in strikeout rate (35.9 percent), SIERA (2.53) and swinging strike rate (16.2 percent). The top of the NL lineup is fantastic, but Sale would be a difficult matchup for any hitter.

Expect the game to stay scoreless through the early portion of the game as Scherzer and Sale each throw two shutout innings.

Both Teams Break It Open in the Middle Innings

According to OddsShark, the current over-under for this game is nine runs, with the National League a very slight favorite to win.

The total sounds about right. With two fantastic pitchers starting off, runs will be hard to earn at first. The best chance for scoring should come in the middle innings, as both reserve sides have great power and contact hitters.

The American League has three players (Mike Moustakas, Gary Sanchez and Miguel Sano) who just participated in the Home Run Derby. The National League has some of the best pure hitters in baseball, including Votto, Goldschmidt and Justin Turner.

Each bullpen is formidable, with the AL sporting shutdown relievers Andrew Miller and Craig Kimbrel and the National League rostering MLB saves leader Greg Holland and Dodgers superstar Kenley Jansen, who has a 0.96 ERA.

Therefore, expect any scoring to arrive in the middle innings, as the batters seem to have a slight edge over the pitchers at that point.

AL Wins 5-4, and Gary Sanchez Takes MVP

It's hard to see either starting lineup getting much going early against Sale and Scherzer, as mentioned before, so the guess here is that a reserve who knocks one out steps up and earns the honor.

Sanchez had no problem hitting homers out of Marlins Park on Monday night, although this time he isn't going to face the equivalent of batting practice pitches.

Still, Sanchez has an advantage over most others playing in the All-Star Game, as only he and starter Salvador Perez will be holding down the catcher position for the AL. Therefore, we could see Sanchez get two at-bats over the course of half the game, giving him a better chance to get a big hit.

Sanchez is one of the best power hitters in baseball. Per ESPN's Home Run Tracker, his average true home run distance of 420.9 feet is second-best in MLB. He has hit 13 homers in just 55 games (Sanchez missed a chunk of the year due to a biceps injury) and is capable of cranking one out against any pitcher in the league.

The guess here is that a Sanchez homer in the middle innings proves to be the difference in a close, nail-biting game. Miller and Kimbrel will then shut down the senior circuit in the eighth and ninth innings, giving the AL the win.