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Ryan O’Hearn came close to facing future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw tonight in his first career All-Star Game at-bat.

Kershaw was a “Legend Pick” by commissioner Rob Manfred, marking his 11th All-Star selection. The three-time Cy Young Award winner retired Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, the Home Run Derby champion, on a liner to left and struck out Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

On the verge of a tough left-on-left matchup, O’Hearn instead got Padres right-hander Jason Adam and struck out looking at a 2-2 slider that nicked the outer half of the plate.

O’Hearn pulled a changeup foul on the previous pitch – an almost double.

The American League put runners on the corners against Mets left-hander David Peterson with two outs in the fourth, and O’Hearn grounded a first-pitch slider back to the mound. Peterson jogged to first base and flipped the ball for the out.

That should do it for O’Hearn, an 0-for-2 night that can’t ruin his All-Star experience. He got to walk the red carpet with wife Hannah, be introduced at Truist Park in Atlanta and take some swings. A nice reward for the grind. 

O’Hearn is the lone Orioles representative. They had five All-Stars last season, plus Gunnar Henderson in the Derby. 

The Orioles had one selection from 2017-22. The 2020 game was canceled due to the pandemic. Miguel Tejada was their last Most Valuable Player in 2005.

Two more off-days follow before the Orioles open a three-game series against the Rays on Friday in Tampa, followed by a trip to Cleveland to face the Guardians.

O’Hearn will try to get hot again. He’s 9-for-46 with no home runs and four RBIs in his last 16 games to lower his average to .286 with a .382 on-base percentage and .458 slugging percentage.

* The Athletics’ Brent Rooker pinch-hit for O’Hearn in the seventh and belted a three-run homer to reduce the National League’s lead to 6-3.