Major League Baseball

LEADING OFF: Sale starts vs Cueto in 87th All-Star Game

Published Jul. 12, 2016 3:27 a.m. ET

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A look at what's happening all around the majors today:

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STARRY NIGHT

Petco Park in San Diego hosts the 87th All-Star Game, with White Sox ace Chris Sale (14-3) starting for the American League against Giants righty Johnny Cueto (13-1). The AL has won three in a row, but the National League leads 43-41 overall with two ties. Anthony Rizzo and a lot of Cubs take on David Ortiz and a bunch of Red Sox, and the league that wins gets home-field advantage in the World Series.

MURPH'S OUR MAN

NL manager Terry Collins of the Mets is glad to have Daniel Murphy back on his side. The Washington second baseman leads the majors in hitting at .348 - he's pounded the Mets, who let him go last winter. He is batting .423 with seven home runs and 21 RBIs vs. them this year, getting a hit in all 13 games. Murphy made the NL All-Star squad as a backup after finishing just 88 votes behind Ben Zobrist of the Cubs in fan balloting for starting spots.

VISITING HOME

Padres All-Stars Wil Myers and Drew Pomeranz get to see the other side of Petco Park - specifically, the visitors' clubhouse. With the NL hosting four straight All-Star Games, the AL is serving as the home team in alternate seasons, including this year in San Diego. That means the All-Star teams will use designated hitters in the NL park, and Myers found out Monday he'll bat fourth as the DH. ''I'm just going to soak up every minute of it,'' Myers said. ''I'm not going to take any of it for granted. I'm going to enjoy every second of it and just enjoy it.''

RECOVERING

All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel of the Red Sox moves into rehab mode, a day after having surgery for a tear in his left knee. The team says Kimbrel is expected to make a full recovery and be out for between three and six weeks.

IT GETS WORSE

The Angels' bid to avoid the basement in the AL West will continue without emerging slugger C.J. Cron. The first baseman and designated hitter is expected to miss at least six weeks after surgery on his broken left hand.

Cron had five of his 11 homers this season in his past eight games before being hit by a pitch from Baltimore's Mike Wright on Friday. Cron was on pace for career highs in batting average, homers and RBIs for last-place Los Angeles.

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