Baribo wins MLS All-Star Game MVP, makes unique Philadelphia sports history

It is not often that Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer players are talked about in the same sentence. It is even rarer for them to share a spot in the history books. However, that changed after the conclusion of Wednesday night’s MLS All-Star Game.

Philadelphia Union striker Tai Baribo and Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber are the first-ever pair of Philadelphia athletes to win their league’s respective All-Star Game MVP in the same year. They accomplished this feat eight days apart.

Schwarber was awarded the MLB All-Star Game MVP on Tuesday, July 15. Baribo was awarded the MLS All-Star Game MVP on Wednesday, July 23. Schwarber became the second Phillie to win the award in franchise history, and the first since Johnny Callison in 1964. Baribo became the first Union player to win the award since the franchise began play in MLS in 2010.

On Wednesday, Baribo would be the second Philadelphia athlete in a week to come home with silverware from his league’s All-Star Game. Baribo, playing in his second full season with the Union, became the first Union player to score in an MLS All-Star Game and the first Union player to win All-Star Game MVP.

“It’s great,” said Union head coach Bradley Carnell. “It’s a good display of players who do well get rewarded, and I’m so happy for him.”

Baribo, a first-time All-Star, joined three-time All-Star defenders Jakob Glesnes and Kai Wagner as the club’s representatives. 

Wagner, who was surprisingly not originally selected for the All-Star team but later added as a replacement, started the match at left back for the MLS All-Stars. Wagner was the sixth Union player to start the MLS All-Star Game in the club’s 15-plus-year history. He joined Glesnes (2023), Jose Martinez (2023), Andre Blake (2016 and 2022), Keegan Rosenberry (2016) and Faryd Mondragon (2011) on that list. 

“And Kai, from not even in the All-Star [team] to starting which just means how much he is valued, and he knows that as well now,” Carnell said. “That’s great for him to have his third All-Star appearance.”

Baribo came on in the 35th minute as the MLS All-Stars made a handful of changes. In the 51st minute, Columbus Crew forward Diego Rossi slotted a beautiful through ball with the outside of his foot to Baribo, who made no mistake, finishing his shot from around the penalty spot into the bottom far corner. Baribo would be subbed off 10 minutes later after making it a 2-0 game.

The MLS All-Stars defeated the Liga MX All-Stars 3-1. Baribo’s game-winning goal proved to be enough for him to win the MVP award.

“It was an amazing experience,” said Baribo in a postgame interview. “It was my first time in the All-Star [team]. I scored and we won, MVP, the best feeling.”

Baribo has been one of the league’s best players this season. The 27-year-old has 14 goals in 22 games and is the fourth-highest scorer in the league, four off Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi for the MLS Golden Boot. Baribo has scored one hat trick and has three braces this season, and has been named MLS’s Player of the Matchday twice (Matchdays 2 and 13). Baribo is just two goals away from matching his league total of 16 from 2024 and is the club’s eighth all-time leading goal scorer (30).

For Schwarber, how he won the MVP award wasn’t as conventional as how Baribo did it.

After the 95th MLB All-Star Game finished tied after nine innings, a rule implemented in 2022 would be used for the first time. Now, when the All-Star Game finishes in a tie, the winner will be decided by a home run derby-style swing-off. Three hitters from the American League and three from the National League would get three swings each, alternating between hitters. Whichever team finished with the most home runs would be crowned the game’s winner.

In typical Schwarber fashion, he would deliver in the biggest moment. He hit three “Schwarbombs,” the first to dead center field (428 feet), the second to right center field (461 feet), and the third to right field (382 feet). Schwarber’s three home runs would give the NL a 4-3 lead with just one AL batter left. Tampa Bay Rays infielder Jonathan Aranda failed to hit a home run on his three swing attempts, securing the victory for the NL and making Schwarber the hero.

Despite being hitless with a walk in three plate appearances during the actual game, Schwarber was awarded MVP for his historical performance in the first-ever MLB All-Star Game swing-off. Schwarber became the first position player in MLB history to win the All-Star Game MVP without having a hit in the game.

Before Schwarber and Baribo returned to the City of Brotherly Love with their All-Star Game MVP trophies, the last Philadelphia athlete to win an All-Star Game MVP was Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux in the 2021-22 NHL All-Star Game, his final season for the organization. The last Philadelphia Eagle to win Pro Bowl MVP was 2017 Super Bowl MVP quarterback Nick Foles in 2013. The Philadelphia 76ers haven’t had an NBA All-Star Game MVP since Hall of Fame guard Allen Iverson in 2005.