Say what you will, but this was one of the best All-Star Games in a long time. It had everything in it, from a hit by pitch to a comeback that nobody expected to an HR Derby to decide the winner. It had the fans at the edge of their seats with a thriller. This was the first time the winner was decided by a swing-off. And after NL emerged victorious, Pete Alonso lit a fuse.

When AL manager Aaron Boone’s decisions came to light, names like Cal Raleigh and Aaron Judge were missing from the swing-off. And, after Alonso’s revelation, it seems they were held back by design.

“The HR Derby participants are pre-determined by the managers before the game even starts, Pete Alonso just informed us all,” the MLB Insider Jesse Rogers wrote on X after the All-Star swing off. The big question after this reveal was why it was pre-decided that the biggest home run hitters wouldn’t be part of a slugfest if it ever came to it?

Well, the 2025 MLB All-Star Game gave fans fireworks early, drama late, and history at the finish. What started as a commanding 6-0 National League lead unraveled into a tense 6-6 tie by the ninth. With extra innings off the table, the game turned to its shiny new toy—a home run swing-off. Under the lights in Atlanta, baseball embraced spectacle with a twist straight from a slugger’s dream.

Managers Aaron Boone and Dave Roberts each picked three hitters for the sudden-death derby showdown. Boone turned to Brent Rooker, Randy Arozarena, and Jonathan Aranda for the American League’s last chance, while Roberts countered with Kyle Stowers, Kyle Schwarber, and Pete Alonso, though Alonso was never needed. Schwarber sealed the win with three blasts, making it 4-3 for the NL before Alonso even swung.

Fans expecting marquee names like Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani instead watched mid-tier bats take center stage. Both stars left early, leaving a buzzkill in their absence. The swing-off was historic, yes—but not the headline act most had envisioned. Still, the chaos, tension, and Schwarber’s heroics made sure it ended with a bang, not a whimper.

So, while the fans got a finish for the ages, they also got a mystery for the forums. The drama didn’t end with the scoreboard—it lingered in the lineup card. If MLB wants the All-Star Game to be must-see TV, maybe they need to have the biggest stars on show in the biggest moments.

MLB fans trash Aaron Boone after game game-changing decision

Well, Pete Alonso casually revealed what Aaron Boone carefully concealed, but fans connected the dots faster than a Schwarber swing. And suddenly, the swing-off wasn’t the only thing swinging—public opinion followed suit.

“This makes it even more asinine than that Boone picked Aranda as opposed to Judge/Cal,” wrote a fan. Jonathan Aranda, with just 11 HRs, looked wildly out of place. Aaron Judge, meanwhile, had 35 bombs and Raleigh had 38, but they weren’t on show. Swapping dynamite for damp matches didn’t feel strategic, that’s for sure!

“This doesn’t even hardly makes sense. What was Boone thinking?” wrote another fan. Aranda went 0-for-3 when it mattered most. Boone bypassed Judge’s 35 homers and Cal’s 38, but Aranda didn’t just miss—he never threatened, not even a warning-track tease.

“This doesn’t even hardly makes sense. What was Boone thinking?” read a comment, perfectly capturing fan fury at Boone’s swing-off choices. Boone’s misstep follows a season filled with baffling calls. His situational decisions have left the Yankees labeled “incomplete” heading into the break.

“Aaron Boone is gonna go into the hall of fame of bad managers after this one,” one more fan chimed in. Picking Aranda in the swing-off over powerhouses is egregious. Boone’s season has been peppered with baffling moves: he yanked Max Fried during a potential no‑hitter amid scoring confusion in April. He also shuffled closer Devin Williams, demoting him after uneven early-season performances. These missteps haven’t just cost games—they’ve eroded confidence in his leadership.

“Lmao Boone is being set up,” an X user commented. Now, this sounds less like sarcasm and more like a conspiracy theory in cleats. This fan suggests Boone isn’t clueless—he’s the fall guy in someone else’s chaotic script. Now, that’s harsh, isn’t it?

Anyway, while the National League celebrated, the American League was left sorting through Boone’s blunder. The swing-off delivered fireworks, but also unveiled a managerial strategy that felt more improv than insight.

Next time MLB plans a spectacle, it might want to check who’s writing the script.