2019 MLB All-Star Game & Derby Betting Guide

The brightest stars in baseball — past and present — descend onto Cleveland for 2019 MLB All-Star festivities. Here’s an in-depth look into the two-day event, with betting picks for the star-studded Home Run Derby and AL vs. NL showdown!

Hall of Famers must find comfort in Cleveland and the surrounding area. The city is home to the illustrious Rock 'N Rock HOF museum and the Pro Football HOF is just an hours drive away in Akron.

Thus, no one should be surprised a number of future Hall of Famers — Cooperstown ones — will rock the city on Monday and Tuesday for the 2019 MLB All-Star extravaganza.

MLB All Star Game betting odds for the inter-league matchup are out. According to online sportsbooks, here's how the lines shake out to win Tuesday's clash:

American League (-110)
National League (+100)

While the game is the big-ticket item of the week, All-Star festivities aren't just confined to that. The annual Home Run Derby should command your betting money, as well. Matter of fact, let's begin our betting preview there:

Pick To Win 2019 Home Run Derby

If you need a refresher on derby rules, eight sluggers are seeded one through eight. From there, the event functions as a single-elimination tournament with matchups based on seeding (e.g. one vs eight, two vs. seven, and so forth).

Whoever hits the most dingers in a four-minute round advances until a winner is crowned — and awarded a one-million-dollar prize at that. The 2019 competitors are below, listed in seeding order.

No. 1 — Christian Yelich (+350)
No. 2 — Pete Alonso (+450)
No. 3 — Josh Bell (+400)
No. 4 — Alex Bregman (+850)
No. 5 — Joc Pederson (+700)
No. 6 — Ronaldo Acuna (+800)
No. 7 — Carlos Santana (+1000)
No. 8 — Vlad Guerrero Jr. (+500)

Yelich is the regular-season home-run leader with a whopping 31 jacks. However, hitting out of the one seed during the derby has been more of a curse than a blessing recently.

Top seeds have been knocked out in the opening round two straight years courtesy of Giancarlo Stanton and Yelich's teammate, Jesus Aguilar. Plus, Yelich is facing off against the most-prized prospect in recent memory. Our advice is to skip out on the favorite Yelich.

While we're on the topic of recent history, since switching to a bracketed format, two-seeded batters have won three of four home run contests (and the lone player who didn't, still ended up in the finals).

If that isn't reason enough to lay down a big bet on Alonso, then just look at what the rookie has done this season. He's already up to 29 bombs on the year and is on pace for one of the most record-breaking first-years ever. You'd have to be a little crazy to not ride that momentum into this event.

Pick: Pete Alonso (+450)

Which League Will Reign Supreme?

No one should be surprised MLB All Star Game 2019 odds favor the AL. The league has won six straight matchups over the NL. Even more, since 1996, the AL has won every meeting but four. Talk about a lopsided affair.

Alex Cora — manager of the reigning World Series champion Red Sox — will be the AL's skipper. His biggest decision likely lies in how he uses his pitching rotation. Cora has plenty of options with Justin Verlander (now eight-time All-Star), Gerrit Cole (leads AL with 161 strikeouts), and Lucas Giolito (2.72 ERA this season).

Ultimately, it's been pitching that's paved the way for the AL's recent dominance. They've held the NL to four or fewer runs five of the last six contests.

However, that trend may not continue against this high-octane NL batting lineup. The top-four players in home runs in 2019 will all suit up for the NL — Yelich (31), Cody Bellinger (30), Alonso (29), and Josh Bell (27).

Plus, playing in Progressive Field, an AL park, the NL will benefit from getting a designated hitter spot. It marks the first time since 2014 that the All-Star game will be inside an AL stadium.

With that said, firepower certainly isn't lacking from the AL, or Astros lite we should say. Houston has a league-high six players on the roster.

That group is led by Bregman, who earned last year's All-Star game MVP honors. Outside the Astros' sluggers, the AL will be propped up by the best big leaguer in the game today, Mike Trout.

Sportsbooks pegged the over/under at a modest 8.5 runs, with the over getting -120 odds to +100 for the under. Our advice is to pick the over, not only because of the aforementioned big bats playing, but because of that coveted DH addition, too.

Having one more All-Star in the lineup will make a huge difference.

As for the game, it feels like the AL's reign of terror may finally end this year. NL manager Dave Roberts has an array of weapons to slow down the AL's offense. Options one, go with his two Dodger aces, Hyun-Jin Ryu (MLB-low 1.83 ERA) and Clayton Kershaw (perhaps this generation's best thrower).

Option two, bring out reigning Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom.

Roberts can do no wrong with those options. Pair that with a high-powered lineup that can go yard seemingly at will, and it's the NL's game to lose.

Pick: National League (+100)

Now that you're caught up on All-Star festivities, all that's left is to drop a wager. For Vegas odds on MLB All Star game and more, check out one of the online sportsbooks below!