The MLB All-Star Game is all about making memories, and there sure have been some notable ones in recent history involving the Blue Jays.
The 2023 Midsummer Classic is set for Tuesday, as the best players in baseball are gathered in Seattle to partake in the All-Star Game.
Toronto has five members representing its club on the AL squad: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Kevin Gausman, Bo Bichette, Jordan Romano and Whit Merrifield. It's the third All-Star selection for Guerrero Jr. and Merrifield, and the second for Gausman, Romano and Bichette.
It's another chance for Blue Jays players to not only make long-lasting impressions on the game, but for themselves and their families as well.
The Sporting News takes a look at the best moments from Toronto players in All-Star Game history.
The top Blue Jays moments at the MLB All-Star Game
5. 1991 All-Star Game
Your first is always your most memorable.
In 1991, Toronto hosted its first-ever All-Star Game, as the game's biggest stars and fans flocked to the SkyDome to catch the Midsummer Classic. The Blue Jays had three players selected to the AL All-Star team — Roberto Alomar, Joe Carter and Jimmy Key.
While Alomar went 0-for-4 as the starting second baseman, Carter and Key played critical roles for the AL. Carter didn't start the game but was subbed into the game in the fourth inning for Rickey Henderson. The Toronto outfielder ended his day 1-1 with a walk and a run scored.
Key was the second pitcher to take the mound for the AL, entering in the third inning after Jack Morris tossed the first two. The Toronto lefty gave up a single hit and struck out a batter, throwing a scoreless inning. The AL went on to win the contest 4-2, and Key earned the victory for the squad.
Outside of the Blue Jays performers, the event featured a few notable moments from other stars. Cal Ripken Jr. and Andrew Dawson each smacked home runs, while Carlton Fisk became the oldest player to record a hit at the All-Star Game.
4. Joe Carter, 1992
A year after Carter played in the 1991 All-Star Game in Toronto, the Blue Jays outfielder was once again selected to the AL squad, this time earning a starting spot in right field.
Batting cleanup, Carter helped the AL's offense early. In the first inning, he singled to right field to load the bases with just one out. Two batters later, Carter came around to score on a Cal Ripken Jr. single and by the end of the top half of the inning, it was 4-0 in favor of the AL.
Carter extended the team's lead to 5-0 the next inning, driving in Blue Jays teammate Roberto with a two-out single. A pop out to second base in the fifth inning would end Carter's day, finishing the 1992 All-Star Game 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. The AL smacked the NL 13-6 by the time the full nine frames were completed.
3. Alek Manoah, 2022
One of the more memorable moments in Blue Jays history at the All-Star Game came just last season at the 2022 edition.
Alek Manoah was in the midst of a breakout year and earned his first All-Star nod as a result. After Shane McClanahan gave up two runs in the first, the hefty Toronto righty entered into the game for the second inning. Manoah delivered with a near-flawless inning, striking out three of the four batters he faced. The lone batter that got on base, Jeff McNeil, was hit in the foot by an 0-2 pitch from Manoah.
The best part? Manoah was mic'd up the entire time. He was talking with FOX broadcasters Joe Davis and John Smoltz while he was on the mound. In fact, there is an argument to be made that Smoltz is the reason Manoah didn't go three-up, three-down, as the former pitching ace was the one that requested the backdoor slider with two strikes to McNeil.
2. Dave Stieb, 1983
There have been quite a few dominant pitching performances in All-Star Game history. Dave Stieb owns one of them.
In 1983, the Blue Jays hurler got the starting nod for the AL squad. The first inning wasn't a smooth start for the AL, as the first two batters reached base due to errors, with one runner coming around to score. However, Stieb proceeded to strike out Andre Dawson, walk Al Oliver, then strike out Dale Murphy and Mike Schmidt.
July 6, 1983 (Pt. 2) - A wild beginning - blinding sunset, run in, runner on third, none out - sets the stage for bravura Stieb: striking out HOFers Andre Dawson and Mike Schmidt (on a slider "the likes of which I haven't seen forever" - Ted Simmons) and '82/'83 MVP Dale Murphy. https://t.co/BonyjIGrfd pic.twitter.com/uDBHdy6sw7
— Today In Dave Stieb History (@DaveStiebToday) July 6, 2023
The second and third innings were flawless for Stieb. The right-hander sat down the NL in order, picking up his fourth strikeout in the third inning when he caught Tim Raines looking. Stieb ended the day tossing three hitless innings and eventually was credited with the win, as the AL picked up its first All-Star win in 12 years with a 13-3 drubbing.
1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 2021
The most impressive Blue Jays performance at the All-Star Game came just two years ago when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. became the youngest player ever to earn All-Star MVP.
The Toronto slugger earned his first All-Star appearance in 2021, and was voted as the starting first baseman for the AL team. Batting second in the lineup, Guerrero Jr. did not disappoint the crowd at Coors Field.
Guerrero Jr. grounded out in his first at-bat in the opening inning, but it was his second plate appearance that got fans out of their seats. In the third inning, Guerrero Jr. clobbered a monstrous, 468-foot solo home run off Corbin Burnes to extend the AL's lead to 2-0.
In the fifth inning, Guerrero Jr. came through again for the AL squad. With runners on the corners, the first baseman chopped a ground ball to second. Guerrero Jr. was thrown out at first, but Teoscar Hernandez scored from third base on the play to add to the AL's lead, making it a 3-0 game.
Guerrero Jr. finished the 2021 All-Star Game going 1-for-3 with 2 RBIs and a home run. Not only did he become the youngest All-Star MVP at 22 years, 119 days old, but he also was the second-youngest player to hit a home run in an All-Star Game. Only Johnny Bench (21 years, 228 days old) accomplished the feat at an earlier age.
