The American League topped the National League 5-2 in Tuesday’s 2021 MLB All-Star Game, which hosted some of the best and most talented baseball players in the world.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., with a home run and two RBI, was the Most Valuable Player, and other stars such as Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Freddy Peralta, and J.T. Realmuto performed well.
It’s hard to describe one-game performances in baseball as “duds”, because a single contest obviously doesn’t represent a significant sample size.
However, there is no denying that while some players impressed with good performances, others disappointed and didn’t play well in the game.
These were the three biggest dud performances in the 2021 MLB All-Star Game.
3. J.D. Martinez, Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox star designated hitter J.D. Martinez came to the All-Star Game batting .299 with a .371 OBP and a .556 slugging percentage.
His .927 is actually one of the best in the AL, as are his 18 home runs and 62 RBI.
That success didn’t translate to the All-Star Game, however.
He substituted designated hitter Ohtani and stayed in the game for two at-bats.
They both ended with the same result: a strikeout.
Trevor Rogers just struck out JD Martinez. 1st ASG strikeout for Rogers
— David Lang (@Dukielang) July 14, 2021
In the end, it wasn’t a big deal, as the AL, his team, ended up winning the game.
But he certainly wasn’t a big reason why.
2. Matt Olson, Oakland Athletics
Oakland A’s slugger Matt Olson is a fantastic player, offering top-tier power production while boasting a top glove at first base.
This year, he is hitting .282, with a rock-solid .371 OBP and a .567 slugging percentage.
That is good for a .938 OPS.
His power has been on display, with 23 home runs and 20 doubles.
Yet Tuesday wasn’t his day, as he struck out in the two at-bats he received.
He wasn’t the only one who had contact issues, as AL hitters were fanned 12 times.
Martinez and starting catcher Salvador Perez also struck out twice.
But Olson didn’t carry his team on Tuesday like he does night in and night out with the Athletics.
1. Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee Brewers
A total of 19 pitchers took the hill and finished with scoreless appearances.
Only three of them conceded earned runs on the night.
Milwaukee Brewers star Corbin Burnes was the only one with more than one earned run allowed in the All-Star Game.
In total, Burnes allowed two earned runs in a couple of innings of work, one of which came in a long home run by Guerrero.
😂 Corbin Burnes was happier about the HR than Vladdy Jr. pic.twitter.com/uxZ8y7z8Ij
— Miggy (@_miggyxp) July 14, 2021
It’s clear Burnes wasn’t at his finest, even though he managed to fan two hitters.
However, he also allowed four hits and one walk in those two frames, and ended up taking the loss for the NL.
Burnes has been a big reason why the Brewers are comfortably leading the NL Central division, with a 2.36 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP in 15 starts and 87.2 innings.
He also has 128 strikeouts and projects more than 200 at the end of the season.
It just wasn’t his night.
These are all excellent MLB players, but these three stars were more duds than studs for a night.
NEXT: Did Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Deserve All-Star Game MVP Honors?