Everything to know about tonight’s Little League Classic (7 ET, ESPN)

Kerry Carpenter always wanted to go to the Little League World Series when he was growing up in Florida. The closest he came, he said, was getting out of the district tournament.

“I never played in the Little World Series. I always wanted to,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone knew the feeling.

“You dreamed -- dreamed -- of going to Williamsport,” Boone said.

Like a lot of Tigers and Yankees players and coaches, Sunday’s trip to Williamsport is going to be as big of an experience for them as it will be for the Little Leaguers. That’s what Sunday’s Little League Classic is all about, and what makes it a perfect cap to this year’s Players' Weekend.

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“It’ll be fun,” said Tarik Skubal, who’s scheduled to take the mound for the Tigers. “Those are games you want to play in. It means you’re a good team. It’ll be a good venue for everybody, our whole organization involved.”

The seventh annual Little League Classic will be played at Historic Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pa. The regular-season contest begins at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Said Boone: “I just know from my experience and know what we’re walking into, that they’ll love it. I’ve talked to [Aaron Judge] a little bit about it and I know he’s looking forward to it. These kids are going to be in awe, obviously, of some of our guys, especially Aaron and Juan [Soto] and Giancarlo [Stanton], and Gerrit [Cole], all these guys.”

While the Yankees and slugger Aaron Judge are the stars, the Tigers and their bevy of young players have a chance to stake their claim as the new kids in the spotlight.

“It’s fun to kind of get to your roots of when you fell in love with the sport, or when you first got a chance to dream of being in the exact position that we’re in,” Hinch said. “That’s these kids.”

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 MLB Little League Classic.

What is the MLB Little League Classic?

It is an annual MLB game played in Williamsport primarily in front of Little League Baseball World Series players and their families. The event helps reinforce MLB’s commitment to youth baseball and its young fans from all over the world.

Where will the game be played?

As in years past, the game will be played at Historic Bowman Field, which is the home of the Williamsport Crosscutters of the MLB Draft League. The ballpark, which opened in 1926, was renovated prior to the inaugural MLB Little League Classic in 2017 to meet MLB standards.

How can I watch the game?

First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. The game will also be available on ESPN Radio.

Who will be the starting pitchers for each team?

Yankees: RHP Marcus Stroman

Stroman saw encouraging signs in his last start after taking extra days to tinker with his mechanics, tossing five innings of one-run ball against the Rangers in New York. He’d permitted 12 runs (10 earned) across just six innings over his previous two starts. Stroman had a 2.60 ERA through his first 12 starts this season.

Tigers: LHP Tarik Skubal

Not only is Skubal in prime position to become the Tigers’ first Cy Young winner since Max Scherzer in 2013, he has a chance to join Justin Verlander and Hall of Famer Hal Newhouser as Tigers to win an American League pitching Triple Crown, leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts. He has won six of his last seven decisions, including back-to-back nine-strikeout quality starts against the Mariners.

What’s the history of MLB games in Williamsport?

The Phillies and Nationals met in the 2023 edition of the Little League Classic. Previous matchups have featured the Pirates vs. Cardinals (2017), Mets vs. Phillies (2018), Pirates vs. Cubs (2019), Guardians vs. Angels (2021) and Orioles vs. Red Sox (2022).

This will be the first time the Tigers or Yankees have participated in the event.

Is there anything else fans should know?

• This will count as a home game for the Tigers, who hosted the Yankees at Comerica Park on Aug. 16-17 before the teams traveled to Williamsport.
• The 2024 Little League Baseball World Series is taking place in Williamsport from Aug. 14-25.