Dodgers: Could LA make play for 2021 All-Star Game after Atlanta move?

Though 2020 ended up being a year in which Dodgers fans lived out their most prominent dream of hoisting a World Series trophy, the city was robbed of a number of key touchstones along the way.

Most obviously, Hollywood was stuck hosting 30 fan-less games in a far shorter campaign than anyone expected preceding that title.

In an underrated loss, though, we also missed out on a chance to make Dodger Stadium the host of one more gathering of the league’s stars by losing the 2020 All-Star Game.

Tommy Lasorda could’ve been there. Vin Scully could’ve emceed. All for naught.

Currently, the Dodgers are slated to host the 2022 contest as a makeup event for the lost midsummer bummer.

MLB’s schedule got thrown into further chaos on Friday, however, when the league made good on a chorus of calls for the 2021 game’s removal from Atlanta following the state’s draconian and restrictive voting rights bill.

With a few months’ notice, the Braves have now been stripped of host duties, leaving the league clamoring. Is there any chance the Dodgers could be of service?

Could the Dodgers host the 2021 All-Star Game after MLB’s Atlanta decision?

It…seems unlikely, but then again, they have the most ready-made infrastructure in place for such a large-scale event.

After all, what’s simpler for Rob Manfred: flip-flopping a host city that had already prepared to host the 2020 game, or starting from scratch with a few months to go?

California Governor Gavin Newsom publicly lobbied for the switch to his state minutes after MLB’s news became public, though Dodgers beat writer Bill Shaikin did throw cold water on the potential proposal.

At the very least, all eyes are now on the next few All-Star Game homes in a way they certainly weren’t a few weeks (or hours) ago, and there will now be increased pressure on Los Angeles to deliver an event whenever the time comes.

Personally, we’re not sure any of Manfred’s other quote-unquote “irons in the fire” have as much hosting capacity as Dodger Stadium, but we’ll see if he chooses not to rock the boat a second time.

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