Swing-off Explained: MLB uses new rule for first time in All-Star Game

Major League Baseball (MLB) added a new twist in the 2025 All-Star Game by using a 'swing-off' to decide the winner instead of extra innings at Atlanta’s Truist Park on Tuesday night. Tied 6-6 after nine innings, the NL-AL game moved into a Home Run Derby-style showdown.

Each team picked three hitters, who get three swings each to hit as many home runs as possible. Teams with the most HR wins the game. The National League (NL), powered by Kyle Schwarber’s perfect 3-for-3 round, edged out the American League (AL) 4-3.



The format, designed for excitement and pace, replaces traditional tie-breakers in the All-Star setting. It marked the first time the swing-off rule was implemented in MLB history.

ALSO READ: Kyle Schwarber lifts NL to historic 'swing-off' win at All-Star Game



Schwarber's stunning performance was enough for him to win MVP honors in a game that started and ended with historic firsts. The game was also the first at the major league level to feature the automated ball-strike system (ABS), marking a technological milestone in baseball’s evolution.


Earlier in the night, MLB also paid a touching tribute to Hall of Famer Hank Aaron by recreating his iconic 715th home run with projection mapping and pyrotechnics. Following the sixth inning, lights dimmed and fans lit up the stadium with their phones as the legendary scene from April 8, 1974, was projected on the infield and video board.


Aaron’s widow, Billye, stood and waved to a roaring crowd of 41,702, as fans celebrated the enduring legacy of one of baseball’s greatest icons.