Seattle's T-Mobile Park, home of the Mariners, has been chosen to be the host for the All-Star Game and related festivities in 2023, Major League Baseball announced Thursday afternoon.
This means that there will be All-Star-related activities for locals around the ballpark in the weeks leading up to the event. The All-Star Game itself will be on a Tuesday in July -- we'll guess July 11, 2023, based upon where it usually falls on the calendar -- which means the main draws will likely be:
- Sunday, July 9, 2023: Futures Game followed by Celebrity Softball Game (which generally airs on TV after the Derby on Monday)
- Monday, July 10, 2023: Home Run Derby
- Tuesday, July 11, 2023: All-Star Game
Seattle last hosted the All-Star Game and related festivities in 2001.
"Major League Baseball is delighted to bring the All-Star Game to the Mariners and their fans in 2023," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said. "The City of Seattle has been home to many of our game's most popular figures in recent history, and we look forward to showcasing the sport's current stars and everything that All-Star Week has to offer throughout the Emerald City. I congratulate the Mariners organization and the local leadership in the City of Seattle and state of Washington for their efforts to bring the Midsummer Classic back to the Pacific Northwest at T-Mobile Park for a second time."
"The Mariners are honored to represent Seattle and the Pacific Northwest as the hosts of the 93rd All-Star Game in 2023," Mariners chairman John Stanton said. "The Mariners are dedicated to creating unforgettable experiences for our fans, serving our communities and enriching lives by sharing our love of baseball. The All-Star Week is an unparalleled opportunity to fulfill these key tenants of our purpose and mission and an amazing opportunity to show off our region to the nation and world."
Currently, here are the future All-Star Games having been awarded by Major League Baseball, assuming this report is true:
- 2022: Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles
- 2023: T-Mobile Park in Seattle
- 2024: Still vacant
- 2025: Still vacant
- 2026: Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia
The 2026 game being awarded so far ahead of time is due to the semiquincentennial in USA, otherwise known as the 250th birthday. As such, Philly was the pick.
Excepting the three future venues above, the longest droughts between playing All-Star Game host are as follows:
- Rays - have never hosted
- A's - last hosted in 1987
- Cubs - last hosted in 1990
- Blue Jays - last hosted in 1991
- Orioles - last hosted in 1993
- Rangers - last hosted in 1995
- Red Sox - last hosted in 1999
The Braves last hosted in 2000 and were set to host the 2021 event, but MLB pulled out as a reaction to new election laws in Georgia and awarded the game instead to the Colorado Rockies, who had previously hosted the game in 1998. The best guess is the fight for the 2024-25 games comes down to the Braves, Cubs, Blue Jays, Orioles and Rangers.
