Blue Jays’ Cease, Varland help AL combine on three-hitter for first All-Star shutout since 2013
American League pitchers, led by starter Dylan Cease, combined for a three-hit shutout to defeat the National League 4-0 in the All-Star Game. The game set a record for strikeouts, highlighting the current era of pitching dominance in professional baseball.
Why it matters
This performance underscores the evolving nature of modern baseball, where high-velocity pitching and specialized bullpen usage are increasingly defining the sport's competitive landscape.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Dylan Cease started a parade of pitchers that shut down a slew of baseball’s best batters in a display of the pitching dominance that rules the sport.
“I thought before the game about starting with a changeup and I thought it would be funny,” he said.
He didn’t. And the hitters were not laughing.
Cease struck out the side in the first inning, combining with 10 relievers on a three-hitter that led the American League over the National League 4-0 in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game.
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