​PHILADELPHIA — It’s a good thing MLB and Fox brought their own fireworks to Tuesday’s All-Star Game. The hitters on display seemingly left theirs at home.The American and National League’s best combined for one extra-base hit versus 27 strikeouts in a 4-0 AL win, the first midsummer classic shutout since 2013.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMore from Sportico.comJapan’s SoftBank Hawks’ Revenue Topped 12 MLB Clubs Last YearPaul Hastings LLP Launches Sports Practice Amid Global BoomSwingers got their time during Monday’s Home Run Derby; Tuesday was for the hurlers. In addition to peerless pitching, the night was carried by extracurricular activities, as Fox and MLB have embraced the exhibition’s entertainment potential.Ten player mics were available to Fox at various times throughout the game, with some stars being wired up during pitching stints and at-bats while others wore headsets to check in from the bench.Many players are eager for the primetime shine; it doesn’t hurt that participants receive a $15,000 thank you, per MLB’s collective bargaining agreement.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFox has also tapped into managers’ calls to the bullpen, while testing additional gear in the hopes of integrating elements into postseason coverage. This year, two different drones hovered over the action, with a helicopter adding overhead looks. A cinematic camera was carried out for musical performances—and to see how baseball action looked through a kit built for big-budget movies.The highlight tune was Ray Charles’ “America the Beautiful” rendition from the 2001 World Series, part of a five-minute celebration of the sport that saw players from both teams holding sparklers while fireworks popped in the sky and kids rode bikes through the outfield. Fox’s broadcast also included America 250-related sketches, beginning with both teams’ starters signing their names with a quill during player introductions.There were a total of 36 first-timers in Tuesday’s game and numerous notable absences, including 2025 MVPs Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, who are both dealing with injuries. Last year’s Cy Young winners—Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes—were also unavailable.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIn their stead, relative no-names shined. After Blue Jays’ Dylan Cease struck out the side in the first inning, 10 others pitched helped to three-hit the NL’s best (or best available). Seven of them came from teams in the bottom half of MLB in terms of payroll, with five of them making less than $1.3 million this year.Thanks to Fox’s mics, fans could hear Bryce Harper apologize in real time while complimenting Cade Smith after the former undrafted free agent struck out Philly’s hometown hero in the sixth frame.Third baseman Miguel Vargas, who’s also making less than $1 million this year for a Chicago White Sox team that sits atop the AL Central with the league’s 27th largest payroll, helped put the game away