MLB moves All-Star Game to Denver’s Coors Field
The All-Star Game will be played at hitterfriendly Coors Field.
Major League Baseball officially announced the new venue Tuesday after pulling the Midsummer Classic from Atlanta over objections to extensive changes to Georgia's voting laws.
Coors Field last hosted the All-Star Game in 1998. The game will be held
July 13.
“Major League Baseball is grateful to the Rockies, the city of Denver and the state of Colorado for their support of this summer's All-Star Game,” MLB Commissioner
Rob Manfred said in a statement. “We appreciate their flexibility and enthusiasm to deliver a first-class event for our game and the region. We look forward to celebrating our sport's best players and entertaining fans around the world.”
MLB decided to move the game from Truist Park in Atlanta in response to Georgia voting rules signed into law by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp on March 25. Critics, including the CEOs of Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines and CocaCola, have condemned the changes as being too restrictive.
The Georgia laws includes new limits on voting by mail and greater legislative control over how elections are run, amid a push in Republican-led states to reduce voting options after former president Donald Trump made baseless claims of widespread fraud in last year's election.
Manfred made the decision to move the all-star events and the amateur draft from Atlanta after discussions with individual players and the Players Alliance, an organization of Black players formed after the death of George Floyd last year.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett made a pitch to MLB about bringing the game to American Family Field last week.
Yankees obtain Odor: Infielder Rougned Odor was traded from the Texas Rangers to the New York Yankees for minor league outfielders Antonio Cabello and Josh Stowers.
The 27-year-old Odor did not make the Rangers' opening day roster and was designated for assignment on April 1. He is a left-handed hitter, and the Yankees have a mostly right-handed lineup.
He has two guaranteed seasons at $12 million each remaining as part of a $49.5 million, six-year contract. The deal includes a $13.5 million team option for 2023 with a $3 million buyout. Texas will pay the Yankees cash to cover most of what Odor is owed.
Odor has a .237 career average with 146 homers and 458 RBI in seven major league seasons. He hit .167 with 10 homers and 30 RBI in the pandemicshortened 2020 season and batted .200 with two homers and five RBI in 35 spring training at-bats for the Rangers.