Show notes
MLB – Major League Baseball Last Night 2023 MLB All-Star Game – T-Mobile Park, Seattle National League 3, American League 2 National 3, American 2 – National League snaps All-Star Game losing streak, tops AL 3-2 behind Elias Díaz homer Elias Díaz hit a two-run homer off Félix Bautista in the eighth inning, and the National League snapped a nine-game losing streak in the All-Star Game with a 3-2 win over the American League. The NL won for the first time since an 8-0 victory in 2012 in Kansas City thanks to Díaz, a catcher who became the first Rockies player to win the All-Star MVP award. Díaz, who was non-tendered by the Pirates at the end of 2019, drove a 2-2 pitch from Baltimore’s hard-throwing closer deep to left to put the NL in front. Díaz was the lone representative for Colorado in his first All-Star Game appearance. Friday Chicago White Sox at Atlanta Braves, 7:20 p.m. Boston Red Sox at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 p.m. Detroit Tigers at Seattle Mariners, 10:10 p.m. MLB – Díaz becomes unlikely All-Star MVP, 3 ½ years after cut loose by Pirates Elias Díaz may be the most unlikely All-Star MVP. Just 3 1/2 years after Pittsburgh failed to offer a contract and allowed him to become a free agent, his go-ahead, two-run homer off Félix Bautista in the eighth inning lifted the National League over the American 3-2. A first-time All-Star at age 32, the Colorado catcher put his name on an award won by Willie Mays, Joe Morgan, Frank and Brooks Robinson, both Ken Griffeys and Mike Trout. Díaz says: “I honestly can’t believe that my name is going to be next to some of those names." MLB – White Sox slugger Luis Robert Jr. out of All-Star Game due to calf tightness Chicago White Sox slugger Luis Robert Jr. did not play in the All-Star Game after feeling tightness in his right calf during the Home Run Derby. The White Sox said that Robert underwent an MRI in Seattle and is listed as day-to-day. The team said Robert felt the tightness in the calf during the opening round and did not play in the All-Star Game as a precaution. Robert will be evaluated before the White Sox restart the season on Friday in Atlanta. Robert was the No. 1 seed in the Home Run Derby and beat Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman 28-27 in the opening round. Robert lost to Tampa Bay’s Randy Arozarena in the semifinals 35-22. MLB – Atlanta’s Truist Park and Chicago’s Wrigley Field under consideration for ASG The Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs are under consideration for upcoming All-Star Games. Next year’s game is scheduled for the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field in Arlington, and the 2026 game will be at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park. The 2021 All-Star Game was awarded to Atlanta’s Truist Park by Major League Baseball in 2019 but in April 2021 was moved to Denver’s Coors Field following objections to sweeping changes to Georgia’s voting laws. Commissioner Rob Manfred says “Atlanta is in the mix of clubs for the ‘25 All-Star Game.” MLB – Manfred has no intention of altering Pete Rose’s lifetime ban from baseball Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has no intention of altering Pete Rose’s lifetime ban from baseball and said the sport’s commercial deals with gambling companies have no impact on the status of the career hits leader. Rose agreed to a lifetime ban in 1989 after an investigation found Rose placed numerous bets on the Cincinnati Reds to win from 1985-87 while playing for and managing the team. Manfred rejected Rose’s application in 2015. Manfred says: “Pete Rose violated what is sort of rule one in baseball, and the consequences of that are clear in the rule.” MLB – MLB open to consider increasing time on pitch clock in postseason Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred will consider increasing time on the pitch clock for the postseason but is reluctant to adjust an innovation the sport considers a great success. In the first season of the clock, the average time of a nine-inning game is 2:38, on track to be the fastest since 1984. It is down from 3:04 last year and 3:09 in 2021, the last season before PitchCom was introduced. Manfred says "we’re going to continue to talk to the players and adds: “I think you ought to play the postseason the way you play the regular season. There’s exceptions.” NBASL – NBA Summer League Last Night Chicago Bulls 107, Sacramento Kings 99 Tonight Detroit Pistons vs. Toronto Raptors, 6:00 p.m. (at Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas) Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 7:30 p.m. (at Cox Pavilion, Las Vegas) NBA – Flopping, challenge rules changed by NBA’s Board of Governors The NBA’s Board of Governors approved two rule changes for the coming season Tuesday. One change gives coaches a second challenge if their first one is successful. The other will mean a technical foul will be called against players who flop. The challenge rule change is something that coaches have wanted for some time. Coaches who challenge a call and are successful will get the chance to make a second challenge. Teams must have a timeout in order to call for a challenge; that timeout would not be retained even if a coach won that first challenge. WNBA – Women’s National Basketball Association Today New York Liberty at Indiana Fever, 12:00 p.m. Connecticut Sun at Chicago Sky, 12:00 p.m. WNBA – WNBA All-Star skills competition now features teammates partnering up The WNBA is changing its All-Star skills challenge with the new format pitting four sets of teammates against each other in a head-to-head competition. The league announced the two-round competition on Tuesday that will include a timed obstacle course relay competition that showcases players’ agility, dribbling, passing and shooting skills. The four teams are Atlanta’s Allisha Gray and Cheyenne Parker, who are both making their All-Star debuts; Dallas’ Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally; New York’s Sabrina Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot; and Las Vegas’ Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum. NCAAFB – Northwestern retains assistants after firing coach Pat Fitzgerald Northwestern has decided to retain its assistant coaches and support staff for the 2023 season after it fired head coach Pat Fitzgerald amid a hazing scandal. Athletic director Derrick Gragg informed the coaches and staff of the decision during a meeting. There was no announcement by the school when it comes to the leadership of the program after Fitzgerald’s dismissal. The first game of the season is Sept. 3 at Rutgers. The 48-year-old Fitzgerald was fired on Monday by Northwestern President Michael Schill. Tennis – Elina Svitolina has the Ukraine war and her baby in mind as she beats Iga Swiatek Elina Svitolina is back in her first Grand Slam semifinal since 2019. She got there at Wimbledon by beating No. 1 Iga Swiatek in three sets Tuesday. Things are much different for Svitolina now than they were the last time she made it to the final four at a major tournament. She is a mother who gave birth to a daughter nine months ago and returned to the tour three months ago. And she is concerned about the war in her native Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia in February 2022. Svitolina will face Marketa Vondrousova for a berth in Saturday’s final. Novak Djokovic will play Jannik Sinner in the men’s semifinals. Golf – Saudi investment in PGA Tour will top $1 billion. And Norman will exit as CEO A PGA Tour executive has told Congress that Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund agreed to invest more than $1 billion in a new commercial entity controlled by the tour. Ron Price, the tour’s chief operating officer, also said at a hearing Tuesday that Greg Norman will be ousted as the CEO of LIV Golf if the business deal between the Saudis and the tour is finalized. The Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations is looking into the negotiations between the tour and the Saudis and the geopolitical implications of Saudi investment in American sports. However, there was no indication that Congress would block the tour from going into business with the Saudi Public Investment Fund. MWL – Midwest League Baseball Yesterday No games last night Tonight No games tonightSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.