With the All-Star Game ending in a tie, Major League Baseball debuted the Swing Off. Three batters on each team get three swings to hit as many homers as they can.

Admittedly, it was enthralling. It had all the juice of an NHL Shoot Out. It wasn’t better than actual baseball, but most fans aren’t interested in watching extra innings of an exhibition game containing players they mostly haven’t heard of before the game.

The event went to unexpected heights when Kyle Schwarber went a perfect 3-for-3. That would prove to be the game winner. It was everything right and wrong with the event.

Schwarber absolutely should have been in the event. His 30 homers are good for third in the NL. He’s a big name in the game, snd he plays for the first place Philadelphia Phillies.

The NL was attempting to put a good foot forward. In addition to Schwarber, Pete Alonso, a two time Home Run Derby Champion, was slated to go last in what might’ve been a winner-take-all round.

Eugenio Suarez was supposed to go first for the NL, but after getting hit on the hand in the game, he was unavailable. Ironically, Suarez who is second in the NL in homers, wanted to be in the derby, but he was not selected.

This is where things were really off the rails for the Swing Off.

Instead of Shohei Ohtani, we got Kyle Stowers, an All-Star because the Miami Marlins needed to be represented.

Things were far worse on the AL side. No Aaron Judge. Major League home run leader and Home Run Derby Champion Cal Raleigh was not selected.

Instead, the AL sent up Brent Rooker, Randy Arozarena, and Jonathan Aranda. If the AL wanted one of Rooker or Arozarena, there should be no complaining. Aranda being there was a joke.

Aranda has 21 total homers over his four year career. His 11 this year is a career high. There is simply no justification for him being there, and it ruined the event.

After Schwarber went 3-for-3 giving the NL a one HR lead, Aranda went 0-for-3 with none of his three hit balls coming particularly close to

Instead of the drama of Alonso coming up having to tie or take the lead, the event ended early. Instead of the two biggest starts in the game in Ohtani and Judge, we got Stowers and Aranda.

In essence, MLB cheated its fans.

You can’t complain about lack of interest in the All-Star Game while Ohtani and Judge are sidelined during the tie breaking Swing Off.

If Ohtani and Judge squared off at the end, we would be talking about it for months. Hell, we might’ve gotten calls for this to replace the Manfred Man (which is an argument against it).

To a lesser extent, it robbed Alonso of the All-Star MVP. He had a homer and three RBI in the game. That and a walk-off in the Swing Off would’ve cemented it for him.

Instead, Schwarber got the MVP not foe game success but for his participation in the skills event. There’s an absurdity to that which cleverly defines Manfred’s tenure as MLB Commissioner.

Overall, the Swing Off was more fun than anticipated. Still, it was not the event it should’ve been. It was a massive missed opportunity for the sport, and unfortunately, left the event lacking.