The All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium is finally here, and Clayton Kershaw is the National League’s starting pitcher. It is well deserved — if you’re a baseball fan, you can’t help but think what a great moment this will be, especially since it is long overdue. Kershaw will oppose American League starter Shane McClanahan.

Kershaw will face Shohei Ohtani in the very first at-bat of the All-Star game. Other Dodgers should also get a chance to pitch, with Tony Gonsolin and Tyler Anderson possibly seeing action. Mookie Betts and Trea Turner are in the starting lineup for the National League, with Betts batting second and Turner batting fifth. It has been a long time coming in Los Angeles, since the midsummer classic was pushed to 2022 from 2020.

Looking back at the first half of the season, there are indeed times when fans were quite frustrated. But in the end, the Dodgers did post the best record in the National League at 60-30. While the team is still missing some key pieces on the injured list, they still have managed to build a comfortable lead between them and the second-place San Diego Padres. The Dodgers should be in a good spot as the team gets more players off the injured list down the stretch.

One thing I’ve done in the past is name a first-half team MVP, but with a team like the Dodgers, it is tough. The team has multiple faces of a franchise and multiple All-Stars. There were also several very deserving players.

Gonsolin had an amazing first half and had the lowest ERA in the league for a good amount of the first half. Anderson, a late signing by the Dodgers, has enjoyed great success, and then there’s Betts, Turner, and Freddie Freeman, who probably are the best front three in the majors. So giving those guys their due credit is a big part of why the Dodgers are here, especially with how many players have landed on the injured list. So personally, it is hard to name one MVP on just a star-studded team.

The second half of the season looks promising. Whether the Dodgers will make a trade or not, they will be in a good spot. The team has already had preliminary talks with the Cincinnati Reds about All-Star right-handed pitcher Luis Castillo and could possibly be a suitor for Juan Soto.

It has been a good season, and while October is a little over two months away, it will be here before we know it. The Dodgers will be back in action on Thursday against the Giants at Dodger Stadium, so for now, fans should enjoy the All-Star festivities and the awesome moment at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night.