All-Star Week 2025: The Rochester Red Wings Take Center Stage

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All-Star Week 2025: The Rochester Red Wings Take Center Stage

July 17, 2025 - International League (IL)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


Baseball's biggest week belonged to the brightest stars, and Rochester's fingerprints were all over it.

From an unforgettable father-son matchup in the Futures Game to towering Derby home runs, late-game All-Star heroics, and history-making swing-offs, the 2025 MLB All-Star festivities in Atlanta were packed with power, emotion, and pride for the Flower City.

Here's your complete recap of how former and current Red Wings made their mark on the national stage.

Futures Game: Grissom vs. Grissom: A Family Affair

One of the most powerful moments of the week came Saturday at the All-Star Futures Game, where Marquis Grissom Jr., a Nationals prospect and current Red Wings pitcher, toed the rubber in the fourth inning for the National League with his father, Marquis Grissom Sr., managing the opposing American League squad.

Yes, father managed against son. And the moment delivered.

Grissom Jr. pitched one inning, allowing a triple and a sac fly, but he flashed the full arsenal:

Fastball: 92-94 mph

Changeup: Mid-80s, his signature out pitch

Breaking Stuff: Slider and cutter mixed in for feel

The elder Grissom, a 2x All-Star and 1995 World Series champ, looked on from the dugout as his son executed pitches on national TV. Their shared smile during the inning said it all.

This moment also marked a culmination of Grissom Jr.'s development through MLB's youth pipeline: DREAM Series, Breakthrough Series, Elite Development Invitational, and States Play programs designed to elevate diverse talent. Now, he's representing Rochester on one of baseball's grandest stages.

Home Run Derby: Power, Storylines, and Inches

Three former Red Wings stepped into the national spotlight at the T-Mobile Home Run Derby, and all three delivered unforgettable moments, including heartbreak, emotion, and towering moonshots.

Brent Rooker - Athletics

17 HRs (Eliminated)

Longest: 471 ft | Hardest Hit: 112 mph

Eliminated by 0.08 feet in the tiebreaker

Rooker launched longballs with eight of his first nine swings and looked primed to advance. But he tied Cal Raleigh with 17 homers... and was eliminated when Raleigh's longest homer edged his by less than one inch.

"I thought we were going to a swing-off," Rooker said. "It never crossed my mind that I'd be out by a measurement that small." Did you try hitting it further, Rook?

Still, it was a special night for Rooker, who was pitched to by his longtime coach Joe Caruso, bonded by a friendship that has spanned country and career.

James Wood - Nationals

16 HRs (Eliminated)

Longest: 486 ft (2nd-longest Derby HR since 2019, non-Coors Field)

Hardest Hit: 112 mph

Wood, who electrified Rochester with his bat in 2024, entered with custom bats inspired by cherry blossoms, Call of Duty, and even Mark McGwire. After a slow start, he turned it on, blasting six of the final eight pitches he saw into the Atlanta night.

His pitcher? Nationals third base coach Ricky Gutierrez, whose smooth delivery kept Wood in rhythm during his Derby debut.

Byron Buxton - Twins

20 HRs in Round 1 (Advanced)

7 HRs in Semifinals (Eliminated)

Longest: 466 ft | Hardest Hit: 112 mph

Buxton lit up the first round, finishing with authority and punching his ticket to the semifinals. He was pitched to by Tommy Watkins, his longtime mentor and fellow Red Wings legend. The two shared an emotional moment when Buxton told him he'd entered the Derby, a career milestone made even greater through their personal connection.

Though he fell short of the finals, Buxton's performance and story resonated with fans far beyond Atlanta.

All-Star Game: Swing-Off History and Red Wings Brilliance

MacKenzie Gore - Nationals (NL)

1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 9 pitches

Gore carved through the fifth inning with a perfect frame, tossing just nine pitches. His calm, efficient outing helped preserve the NL's early lead and showed why he's blossomed since his 2022 rehab stint in Rochester.

Brent Rooker - Athletics (AL DH)

3-run HR in 7th

2 HRs in Swing-Off (435 ft, 459 ft)

Tied franchise record for RBI in an All-Star Game

Rooker came back strong in Tuesday night's 95th Midsummer Classic, blasting a 3-run shot in the 7th to spark the AL comeback, then added two homers in the first-ever All-Star Game swing-off...a Derby-style finish.

He became just the fourth Athletics player to homer in an All-Star Game, and tied Jimmie Foxx's 1935 mark for most RBI in a single All-Star appearance by an A's player.

Byron Buxton - Twins (AL OF)

1-for-2, Double, Run Scored

Buxton doubled in the 9th and scored the game-tying run during what became the largest comeback in All-Star Game history (down 6-0). His clutch hit gave fans another glimpse of his five-tool brilliance.

James Wood - Nationals (NL OF)

0-for-1 (Groundout)

While quiet at the plate, Wood's appearance capped a milestone year from Rochester breakout to All-Star nod within 12 months.

Red Wings Alumni on Staff

Danny Lehmann and Aaron Bates, both former Red Wings, served on Dave Roberts' NL coaching staff, once again underscoring Rochester's impact on all levels of the game.

Final Score & Swing-Off Recap

For the first time in MLB All-Star Game history, the Midsummer Classic was decided by a Home Run Derby-style swing-off, a thrilling new format introduced in the 2022 CBA.

After a dramatic 6-6 tie through nine innings, each league selected three sluggers and a batting practice pitcher for the showdown. Each player got three swings, with the sides alternating at-bats.

National League: 7

American League: 6

Swing-Off Score: NL 4 - AL 3

Here's how it unfolded:

Brent Rooker opened with two bombs (435 ft and 459 ft) to give the AL a 2-0 lead.

Kyle Stowers answered with one for the NL.

Randy Arozarena extended the AL's lead to 3-1.

Kyle Schwarber took over, blasting three straight home runs (428 ft, 461 ft, and 382 ft) to complete the comeback and clinch the win for the National League.

Ted Williams MVP: Kyle Schwarber (Phillies), who became the first DH to win the award after a perfect 3-for-3 swing-off performance.

Attendance: A sellout crowd of 41,702 packed Truist Park for the spectacle, a perfect blend of tradition and innovation, etched into All-Star lore forever.

Tech Meets Tradition: ABS Hits the All-Star Stage

This year's All-Star Game didn't just showcase the future of baseball talent, it also gave fans a glimpse into the future of how the game is called...something Red Wings fans know all about.

For the first time ever, MLB used the Automated Balls and Strikes (ABS) Challenge System in the Midsummer Classic. Instead of the full ABS system, which Red Wings fans saw half the time in 2024, the challenge system keeps the home plate umpire in control but allows pitchers, catchers, and batters to challenge a ball or strike call by tapping their helmet. In Atlanta, five calls were challenged and four were overturned.

The goal? Better accuracy without losing the rhythm, feel, or drama of the game. And it works - each review took just seconds.

Here in Rochester, fans have been ahead of the curve. The Red Wings and the International League were among the first teams/leagues to test ABS, and Innovative Field has become a proving ground for this new technology over the past few seasons. What debuted under the national spotlight this week is already a regular part of the game experience in Rochester, and it's helped shape how ABS is being refined at the highest level.

Baseball may be steeped in tradition, but with tools like ABS, it's clear that innovation and authenticity can still go hand in hand.

From Frontier Field to the All-Star Stage

This week wasn't just a celebration of baseball's best; it was a reminder that the road to the Midsummer Classic runs through Rochester.

Whether it was:

A father managing against his son,

A player eliminated by inches,

Or a Derby standout hitting game-tying doubles, every Red Wings connection made baseball history this week.

You don't just watch tomorrow's stars at Innovative Field, you meet them before the world does.

Be there for the next breakout - RedWingsBaseball.com

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