And at the end of the night, he was named All-Star Game MVP, joining some historic Yankee company in the process.
“To be playing left field and hit one out there is incredible,” Stanton told Fox Sports’ Tom Rinaldi after the game.
Returning to his home ballpark for the All-Star Game, Stanton tied the score at two with a two-run home run off Dodgers’ right-hander Tony Gonsolin in the top of the fourth inning.
Byron Buxton followed him with a solo shot to give the American League the 3-2 lead, a score by which they would eventually win.
MORE: Stanton, Buxton go back-to-back to lead AL in win over NL
Stanton’s home run and All-Star Game MVP performance was not only significant for the outcome of the game, but is among all-time best ASG games from Yankee Hall-of-Famers of old. Who else has accomplished those feats? The Sporting News takes a look.
Yankees to hit a home run in the All-Star Game
In the long history of Yankees in the All-Star Game, only 10 — prior to Stanton — had hit a home run in the Midsummer Classic.
Lou Gehrig (1936 and 1937) and Mickey Mantle (1955 and 1956) are the only two Yankees that have done it multiple times.
Of the Yankees that have hit a home run in the All-Star Game, six are in the Hall of Fame (Babe Ruth, Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra and Derek Jeter) while Aaron Judge and Stanton are, of course, still active.
MORE: AL continues dominant win streak with 2022 victory
Yankees to win All-Star Game MVP
The list of Yankees to win All-Star Game MVP is even smaller.
The award, which has only been given out since 1962, has gone to members of the Yankees only twice. Jeter was the first Yankee to be named All-Star MVP, when he picked up three hits, scored a run and two in two more. Mariano River was the second Yankee to win the honor, when he won it in 2013.
Here’s a look at the company the Yankees now join with having at least three players win the All-Star Game MVP.
