Veteran catcher Elias Díaz of the Colorado Rockies, an All-Star for the first time at age 32, has been named Most Valuable Player of the 2023 Midsummer Classic. Díaz took top individual honors on Tuesday night in Seattle after the National League's 3-2 victory over the American League at T-Mobile Park.
Diaz's clutch two-run home run in the eighth inning turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead for the NL, a tally that held up. It was Diaz's first at-bat of the night. Moments prior he had been summoned by NL manager Rob Thomson to pinch hit for Jorge Soler of the Marlins. Diaz's home run came off Orioles closer Félix Bautista, who came into the All-Star Game with a 1.07 ERA on the season and just three home runs allowed.
Here's a look at Diaz's blast:
And the alternative angle:
That was a splitter that stayed up a bit too much, and Diaz hit it 360 feet to left for a game-changer. That's the first time a batter has hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning or later of the All-Star Game with his team behind since Hank Blalock did so in 2003. No NL player has done it since Mike Schmidt in 1981. Diaz's blast also helped the NL break a nine-game losing streak to the AL in the All-Star Game.
The Venezuela native becomes the first Rockie ever to win All-Star Game MVP honors and the first NL player to win it since Melky Cabrera of the Giants in 2012.
Diaz through the first half of this year, his ninth major-league season, has batted .277/.328/.435 for the Rockies with nine home runs and 15 doubles in 80 games. He was their lone All-Star representative this year.
