It’s an age-old question for MLB fans when it comes to extra innings in regular season games: Should I stay or should I go? After Tuesday’s epic ending at the 2025 All-Star Game, that question could have a shorter shelf life.
In case you missed it, the Midsummer Classic in Atlanta ended with a home run swing-off after the game was tied 6-6 after nine innings – the first-ever time it was ever used in a game.
2025 MLB All-Star Game: Full Home Run Swing-Off | MLB on FOX
In what amounted to a mini version of the Home Run Derby, Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber’s MVP performance sealed the win for the National League All-Stars over the American League – officially a 7-6 win for the NL.
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The swing-off was the big talking point of the game, with players and managers alike both confused and amazed at the previously little-known format – which had been approved in the 2022 collective bargaining agreement.
First off, here’s how it worked:
- Three players from each team were picked;
- Three swings for each player, who could face however many pitches thrown by the pitching coach;
- The team with the most home runs wins!
It almost felt like a penalty shootout you’d see at the end of a soccer game. And it was a unique spin to the finale of an All-Star Game, which has gone to extra innings eight times in its history – most recently in 2018.
“It was awesome,” Schwarber said afterward. “The guys were really into it. They were yelling, screaming, cheering me on every swing. And then when that last one goes over, they were all pumped. It was a lot of fun.”
Kyle Schwarber wins 2025 All-Star MVP, How has MLB changed? | The Herd
After Tuesday’s game, it raised the inevitable question: Would you be in favor of seeing this in actual regular season games?
“It will be interesting to see where that goes. There’s probably a world where you could see that in the future, where maybe it’s in some regular season mix,” Yankees skipper Aaron Boone said, who managed the AL squad. “I mean, I wouldn’t be surprised if people start talking about it like that.”
But Boone stopped short of wanting it implemented in real games anytime soon.
“Obviously, I don’t think that should happen, necessarily, or would at any time in the near future. But I got to say, you know, it was pretty exciting.”
It was a sentiment shared by Boone’s NL counterpart. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he still likes the current extra-innings “ghost runner” rule of a player on second base from the 10th inning onward.
“I think that it was great for this exhibition, but in the regular season, I don’t mind how it plays out in the regular season with the man on second base,” Roberts said.
The ghost runner rule was used in the COVID-19 affected season in 2020 before being fully implemented in the approval of the 2022 CBA. As such, the earliest we’d see any swing-off rule get the green light would be for the 2026 CBA talks – which may have bigger issues to tackle.
Regardless, at least it’s here to stay for the All-Star Game – and might have fans actually rooting for a tie ballgame after nine frames.
“I got a group text with a bunch of other baseball players around the league, and they seemed to really like it, too,” Giants pitcher Logan Webb said. “I think it was an awesome way to end it.”
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