In the US Major League (ML) All-Star Game, the National League (NL) defeated the American League (AL) for the first time in 11 years. After the 8-0 victory in 2012, it was Elias Diaz (33, Colorado), who was the back-up of the backup catcher, who won the National League, which won the All-Star Game 9 times in a row.

The NL All-Star team defeated the AL All-Star team 3-2 at the 93rd Major League All-Star Game held at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington on the 12th (Korean time).

The NL All-Star, who allowed Yandy Diaz (Tampa Bay) a solo shot in the second inning, balanced the game 1-1 with a right-handed hit by Luis Araez (Miami). In the bottom of the 6th inning, Bo Bisset (Toronto) gave up 1 RBI on a sacrifice fly and allowed a 1-2 comeback.

However, in the top of the 8th inning, Nick Castellanos (Philadelphia) went on base and became second base safely due to the opponent’s wild throw. At this time, NL All-Star replaced Jorge Solaire (Miami) with Diaz. Diaz has a career batting average of only 0.248 in 9 major league seasons, but is a player with enough punch to hit 18 homers in 2021. He kicked Felix Batista (Baltimore)’s 5th pitch splitter intact and overcame his left wall. He was a come-from-behind two-runner with a distance of 360 feet (about 109 m). Afterwards, Josh Hader (Milwaukee) and Craig Kimbrel (Philadelphia) blocked the 8th and 9th innings well, and the NL All-Stars confirmed their victory in 11 years.

In the All-Star Game Home Run Derby held a day earlier, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (24, Toronto) won the championship by defeating Randy Arozarena (28, Tampa Bay) 25-23 in the final. In the meantime, in 2007, along with Vladimir Guerrero Senior (48, LA Angels at the time), he set a record of winning the Home Run Derby in the Father and Son All-Star Game.

Diaz, who won the MVP award after the game, recalled: “The idea was to help the team with whatever they needed. I talked to the hitting coach before I went to the plate, and I went in for a specific pitch. I could show it at the plate.”

At the same time, he thanked his mother who came to watch the game from the stands. Diaz said, “I never dreamed that I would be here. I wouldn’t be where I am without my mother’s sacrifice. It was a very special thing for me to bring my mother here.”
In 2018, the painful memory of ‘released after mother’s kidnapping’, Pittsburgh catcher → release → brilliant comeback in Colorado

The reason Diaz was moved by the question about his mother that day was because of his painful family history. In 2018, while working for Pittsburgh, his mother, Ana Soto, was kidnapped by a gangster in her home country of Venezuela. In Venezuela, where security is not good, kidnapping of the family of a high-paid person like major league players often occurred, and Diaz’s family became the victim. Fortunately, with the active cooperation of the police, Ms. Soto was safely returned to her family within a week.
Afterwards, Diaz continued his charity work, saying, “Nevertheless, Venezuela is my country. Under any circumstances, I feel that Venezuela is the best, and I consider the Venezuelans to be my people,” and received many compliments for his philanthropic work.

According to MLB.com, his mother was the reason Diaz started playing baseball. Guided by his mother, Diaz entered the majors in 2009 by signing an international contract with Pittsburgh. In the minor leagues, he was a recognized catcher prospect, such as playing in the 2015 Futures Game, but in the major leagues, he was pushed out by Francisco Cervelli to see the light. He finally rose to the starting lineup in 2019, but shared a lot of playing time with Jacob Starlings and was eventually released after the season. In Pittsburgh, his batting average was 0.250, 13 homers, 82 RBIs, and OPS 0.656 in 250 games.

It was Colorado who reached out to him who was released. After experiencing a shortened season in 2020, he hit 18 homers in the 2021 season and was recognized as a possibility, and signed a three-year, $14.5 million extension with Colorado. He is running towards a career high season this year, recording a batting average of 0.277 and 9 homers and an OPS of 0.763 in 80 games in the first half.

In early July, Diaz dramatically joined the All-Star Game as a manager’s recommended player along with Will Smith (LA Dodgers) following Sean Murphy (Atlanta), who was selected by fan vote. Diaz was the first Colorado catcher to go to the All-Star Game, even on the manager’s recommendation, and was the only All-Star player Colorado produced this year.
Pinch player → Come-from-behind Finalist Colorado’s first All-Star MVP… The uniform he was wearing in the All-Star game was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Diaz’ ​​appearance on this day was difficult to predict easily. He was the catcher next to Murphy and Smith, and at best he was expected to play a pinch hitter at the end of the game. But Diaz didn’t miss that one opportunity.

Diaz went in with only one splitter against Batista, whose fastball and splitter are his weapons. The first splitter was a foul, but the second splitter went over the left fence of T-Mobile Park and became the final shot.

Diaz broke various records with this home run and MVP award in the All-Star Game. According to CBS Sports, it is the first time since Mike Schmidt in 1981 that a National League player hit a home run that put the team ahead after the 8th inning in an All-Star game, and Todd Helton (2003), Matt Holliday (2008), Trevor Story (2018), He became the fifth Colorado player to hit a home run in an All-Star game, following Charlie Blackmon (2019).온라인바카라

In addition, Diaz is the first catcher to participate in the All-Star Game in Colorado, which was founded in 1993, and Diaz is the first All-Star Game MVP among all positions. He left his name in MLB history. He became the seventh catcher All-Star MVP of all time and the second All-Star Game MVP since Dave Concepcion in 1982 for a Venezuelan-born player. The uniform he wore today is inducted into the Hall of Fame thanks to the Venezuelan native becoming his second All-Star MVP.

“It’s such an honor to be named alongside a player like Concepcion,” said Diaz.