Shohei Ohtani did not put a ball in play in the All-Star Game on Tuesday—he walked and struck out in his two plate appearances—but such is the outsized wonder and appeal of Ohtani that the 93rd Midsummer Classic became about him.
The 3–2 win by the National League and the emotional home run by Elias Díaz of the Rockies were thrilling in their own ways. Díaz was once DFA’d by the Pirates, he wears the name of his mother, Ana, on his chest protector (she was once kidnapped in Venezuela and rescued three days later) and made his first All-Star Game at 32—15 years after signing as a pro. To see him cry when thanking his family upon being named MVP was a beautiful tribute to perseverance.
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