MLB All-Star notes: Munetaka Murakami flames out of Derby; ex-Cub Schwarber, ex-Sox Cease in starring roles

PHILADELPHIA — Just like his Home Run Derby experiences in Japan, White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami’s first stab at it in the United States was a big bust.

Murakami didn’t make it out of the first round Monday at Citizens Bank Park, hitting nine of the 20 pitches served to him out of the yard. In the new untimed format, Murakami never got into a rhythm.

In Japan, Murakami said he participated in derbies three times, but to no avail. Asked during his All-Star Game media availability earlier Monday about how he did in his native country, he said simply: ‘‘Not well.’’

The Red Sox’ Willson Contreras (13), the Cardinals’ Jordan Walker (13), the Rays’ Junior Caminero (12) and Philly favorite son Kyle Schwarber (10) advanced to the second round. Schwarber, who homered on four of his last six swings to eliminate Murakami, and Contreras are former Cubs.

Walker edged Caminero 6-5 and Schwarber slipped past Contreras 9-8 in the semifinals before Walker nipped Schwarber 12-11 in the final to win the title. Walker needed four homers in a row without a miss to surpass Schwarber and pulled it off, despite the jeers of the crowd.

Bryce Harper, the Phillies’ other entry, had eight homers in the first round and also was eliminated.

A Hall of a career for Schwarber?

With neither Shohei Ohtani (treatment on knee) nor Aaron Judge (injured list) playing in the All-Star Game this season, there might be a tad less oomph than fans are used to.

But that only makes Schwarber — Phillies bopper extraordinaire — that much bigger of a deal around his home ballpark this week.

Once upon a time, fellow Phillie Harper — an All-Star reserve this year — moved the needle in Philadelphia more than the Schwarbino, but he really doesn’t anymore. Outfielder Brandon Marsh, their teammate, is in the National League’s starting lineup along with DH Schwarber, but he’s certainly is in the shadow of a player who has swatted 251 homers since the Cubs non-tendered him in 2020 in what only can be viewed as an extra-large mistake.

Something about ‘‘biblical’’ pandemic losses, you’ll recall.

Only Judge’s 276 homers during the same period top Schwarber’s total, but Judge is a future Hall of Famer. Then again, perhaps Schwarber — only 33 and only 128 dingers shy of 500 — might be one, too?

‘‘I don’t think any ballplayer would say he doesn’t want to be in the Hall of Fame,’’ Schwarber told the Sun-Times. ‘‘But for me, the way my brain works, I just can’t really think about that. I think that gets [back] to when I was in Chicago, the way we focused on our group and winning and just trying to win that day with a great at-bat, an extra-base hit, running the bases right. That’s how my mind processes it.

‘‘But it’s going to be a really cool day when I can kick my feet up and have an ice-cold beer and remember my career because there’s been a lot of things I’ve gotten to be part of that I’m proud of. I’m just trying to keep adding to that.’’

Cease-ing the day

Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease, once a top Cubs prospect traded to the Sox in 2017, will start for the American League in his first All-Star appearance. The hard-throwing 30-year-old, now sporting shoulder-length hair to go with his rocking beard, is one of 36 first-timers.

He also might be viewed as the latest Sox ace to get away, only to show up in these games in other jerseys as reminders. Of late, there have been Chris Sale, Garrett Crochet, Carlos Rodon and Reynaldo Lopez, too. Not that the Sox are complaining.

‘‘It’s a massive honor,’’ Cease said.

Cease’s best season with the Sox was in 2022, when he felt he got the All-Star shaft.

‘‘I feel like, you know, getting to start my first one maybe made up for it,’’ he said.

Cease is the first Jays pitcher to start the game since Roy Halladay in 2009, when the AL was managed by then-Rays skipper Joe Maddon.

A pair of Sox

Sox surprises Miguel Vargas and Tristan Peters had a smile-off during All-Star media day.

Not officially, mind you, or even knowingly. But Vargas, an infielder, couldn’t stop beaming while answering questions, and Peters, an outfielder, couldn’t, either. Their interview tables were only 10 feet or so apart, making it rather like an adorable tennis match to one observing both players at the same time.

‘‘I think it’s more of a reward for me because I didn’t expect to be here [so] soon,’’ Vargas said. ‘‘It means a lot for me and my family, and I’m happy.’’

‘‘It’s surreal,’’ Peters said. ‘‘It’s hard to understand how to handle it so far, but it has been awesome.”

Two different leagues

It doesn’t merely seem the NL — 41 games above .500 in interleague play this season — is superior, Jays and AL manager John Schneider admitted.

‘‘Numbers don’t lie sometimes,’’ he said, ‘‘and I’d be lying if I said the American League was in a different spot.’’

The truth can be so refreshing.