Pitcher Joe Ryan and center fielder Byron Buxton had stellar games Tuesday night on the big stage in Atlanta. The AL rallied to force a swing-off but lost to the NL.

Buxton, who will participate in next week’s Home Run Derby in Atlanta, crushed a 427-foot solo homer off Pirates reliever Andrew Heaney with two outs in the seventh to complete the cycle.

Buxton is 31, owed around $45 million from 2026-28 for a team that counts pennies, and has dealt with wrist, thumb, groin, head, toe, shoulder, hip, hand, and knee injuries, just to name a few, which too often have hindered one of the most-hyped prospects ever in an 11-year career.

Buxton is the son of Felton and Carrie Buxton. His father, Felton, made his living as a truck driver, eventually owning a trucking company. Byron has paid homage to his father with a truck driver celebration after home runs.