PHILADELPHIA — It was an MLB All-Star Game that will be remembered for the sheer pitching dominance, the offensive ineptitude, players holding sparklers in front of the dugout, fireworks shooting up in the air, kids riding bicycles on the field, a star player who nearly broke his hand, but missing that one magical moment.
Instead, it was seemingly harmless two-run, first-inning single by a former MVP participating in his first All-Star Game in seven years whose hit proved to be worthy of the All-Star MVP award.
New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger, who stood in front of his locker before the game reminiscing when he was the National League's MVP for the Los Angeles Dodgers at the age of 24, and six hours later Tuesday night was sitting behind a podium holding the MVP award after the American League's 4-0 victory.
Bellinger is the fourth Yankee to win the All-Star MVP award, joining Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Giancarlo Stanton, and also the first in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year, LCS MVP, All-Star MVP and a World Series ******* le.
"Pretty special,'' Bellinger, 31, said. "My first few years in the big leagues, I was here two of my first three years. I was, like, 'Oh, I'll be here every year. It took a long time to get back.'