PHILADELPHIA — Former Phillies stars Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino will return to Citizens Bank Park for a fast-paced, three-on-three baseball competition debuting during MLB All-Star Week.
The trio will compete in "MLBx: All-Star 3-on-3," each captaining a three-player team in a bracket-style event.
The format will feature four teams facing off head-to-head in two semifinals and a final. Each game is expected to last about 30 minutes.
The fourth team will be captained by a former Phillies rival, with details on that captain and other participants to be announced in the coming weeks, according to Major League Baseball.
MLBx: All-Star 3-on-3 is described by MLB as a co-ed competition built around both offense and defense. In the three-inning format, each player gets one 2-minute at bat. While one team hits from a custom stage, the opposing team places its three players in the outfield.
Teams earn one point for each home run and one point for each catch. Bonus points are available for balls hit through a centerfield target placed above the outfield fence. Batters can call for a hot streak of five swings during an at bat, when offensive and defensive points count double.
This will be the first time MLBx is part of All-Star Sunday, MLB said it has hosted versions of the event before at Major and Minor League ballparks, college stadiums, and alongside domestic and international baseball competitions.
"To be part of MLB All-Star Week is always special, but getting the chance to lead a team in my old home with this new event is going to be a lot of fun," Howard said in a statement. "Phillies fans appreciate competition and entertainment, and that’s what MLBx is."
MLBx will take place after the All-Star Futures Game on Sunday, July 12.
Tickets for All-Star Sunday, which includes the All-Star Futures Game and MLBx, will be available beginning Wednesday, May 27, at AllStarGame.com.
Philadelphia is hosting its first MLB All-Star Game since 1996 at Veterans Stadium. The July 14 matchup will come days after the city hosts a slew of FIFA World Cup matches, ending with a Round of 16 game on the nation's 250th anniversary.
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