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The Spin | The day Harrogate ‘burst at the seams’ as Pakistan and India swung into town

An unlikely match ‘like a World Cup final’ was for some first proof of Yorkshire immigrant community’s love of cricket

On 30 June 1986 the Yorkshire Post printed an invitation to a pre-match reception at the Majestic hotel. “Meet cricket club celebrities,” the invite read. “Auction, £10 (including buffet).” But these were not just any old cricket celebrities, this was India and Pakistan, led by Kapil Dev and Imran Khan, due to meet for only the second time on British soil at the genteel English town of Harrogate.

This unlikely match, a 40-over bish-bash fundraiser for Help the Aged, had been encouraged by the cricketing bigwigs of both nations. India were already in situ on an England tour, while the Pakistan ambassador, Ali Arshad, was in charge of pulling together a team, flying five players over specially.

This is an extract from the Guardian’s weekly cricket email, The Spin. To subscribe, just visit this page and follow the instructions.

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Canadiens Have Three Players On Wheeler’s Top 100 Drafted Prospect List

Every year, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler compiles a list of the players he deems the top 100 prospects who have been drafted but are not yet fully established in the NHL. To be considered, prospects must also be under 23 years old. Back in 2024, when Wheeler did this exercise, the Montreal Canadiens had five players on the list: Ivan Demidov in first place, David Reinbacher (24), Michael Hage (35), Logan Mailloux (58) and Joshua Roy (82). Last summer, the Habs had three players on the list: Ivan Demidov (3rd place), David Reinbacher (39th place) and Michael Hage (51st), and by the time Wheeler did the exercise again last April, Hage was number 11, Alexander Zharvosky had entered the ranking at 17, Reinbacher was 35th, and Bryce Pickford just made the cut at number 98.

Fast forward three months, and the Sainte-Flanelle now has three players in Wheeler’s ranking: Michael Hage is at number 21, a 30-place jump; Alexander Zharovsky is at number 33; and David Reinbacher has fallen to number 48. As for Pickford, he has fallen off the Top-100 but is mentioned as one of the final cuts.

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Wheeler sees Hage as a second-tier prospect and notes that the youngster, once believed to be better suited to a wing role in the NHL, may stick at center. He describes him as having top-six potential and being gifted with the ability to be both a passing and a scoring threat. He wraps up the description by adding:

His blend of skating, skill, scoring, playmaking and sense is hard to come by and noticeable in every game he has played this year. I’m a big fan.

That’s a very fair assessment and represents everything Hage showed at development camp. Paired up with Logan Sawyer, the center created a lot of opportunities for his side but was often let down by his teammates' lack of finish. Still, he scored two goals and added an assist on a Sawyer goal before scoring with a nifty move in the shootout session.

Hage’s presence and performance at development camp are why Canadiens fans shouldn’t panic about Kent Hughes not yet finding a top-six center on the trade market. The organization clearly thinks very highly of Hage, and when his season is over in the NCAA, hopefully with a national title in his back pocket, all eyes will be on him to make his NHL debut.

Zharovsky lands in the third tier of Wheeler’s list, and the journalist’s main qualm about him seems to be that he is quite lean, although he concedes he has started to put on some weight and muscle. He mentions that he set a scoring record for an under-19 player in the KHL last season, overtaking the likes of Evgeny Kuznetsov, Vladimir Tarasenko and Kirill Kaprizov, which is no small feat.

Wheeler labels him a slick puck carrier with the skills to take it wherever he wants; he also calls him a decent skater despite his lack of strength and wraps his description by conceding that it’s rare to get such a talented player outside the first round.

There’s no arguing there; his hands definitely caught eyes at the training camp, and he made it clear that he can beat his man one-on-one and even make him look silly in the process. Another year in the KHL, adding some more strength and muscle, certainly won’t hurt and given Montreal’s shortcomings when it comes to size, one has to hope that he will have a bigger frame when he makes the jump to North America.

Finally, Reinbacher lands in the third tier, and while Wheeler notes he’s not convinced he’ll live up to his selection, he believes the right-shot defenseman will become a good second-pairing blueliner with a long NHL career.

He calls him a two-way defenseman and praises him for knowing when to pick his spots and not getting out of position to gamble on big plays. He also reports that the blueliner has good vision and that his head is always on a swivel, keeping an eye on everything going on at both ends of the ice.

Given the fact that the Canadiens have Noah Dobson locked up for years, if Reinbacher does become a reliable top-four defenseman, the organization should be satisfied. It will be interesting to see whether the blueliner makes the jump to the NHL this season and can finally leave Wheeler’s lists behind.

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Penguins Should Target Hurricanes Rising Star Defenseman

One of the Pittsburgh Penguins' top needs right now is another left-shot defenseman. The left side of their blueline needs improvement, as they traded Parker Wotherspoon and lost Ryan Shea to the Edmonton Oilers in free agency this off-season.

When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin is a player who immediately stands out as a potential target for the Penguins.

At 24 years old, Nikishin would have the potential to be a perfect fit on the Penguins' blueline. The 2020 third-round pick has great upside and just had a strong rookie season with the Hurricanes. In 81 games with Carolina this past season, he recorded 11 goals, 22 assists, and 33 points. With numbers like these, he has already proven that he can provide solid offense from the point. 

If the Penguins acquired Nikishin, he would become their new top left-shot defenseman. With the Penguins being in a retool, Nikishin is exactly the kind of young defenseman that they should be making a push for. This is because he would have the potential to be a long-term part of their core. 

It will be interesting to see if the Penguins try to acquire Nikishin, but the fit looks great on paper. 

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Is LeBron James close choosing his next team? What we're hearing

NBA icon and all-time leading scorer LeBron James is deliberating where he will play basketball next season. Meanwhile, the rest of the NBA world waits.

James, who in late June informed the Los Angeles Lakers that he would be moving on from the franchise, is an unrestricted free agent and is free to sign wherever and whenever he pleases.

At this stage, James has all the information he needs from teams and is weighing his options, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told USA TODAY Sports.

The person spoke under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly comment on the specifics of James’ thinking. As a result, a decision could be imminent.

James, 41, is a player who has unparalleled stature in the NBA. As such, he’s calculated and deliberate about his decision making and is able to decide his future on his own terms. James has earned that right, and he’s being intentional about his decision.

James, a 22-time All-Star and four-time champion, has played a record 23 seasons in the NBA and wants to compete for another championship.

LeBron James landing spots

James has been linked to a handful of teams: the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves.

On one hand, given James’ tenure and stature in the league, the Cavaliers and Heat would appear to make the most sense; James has played for both before and has helped deliver championships to each franchise.

Cleveland selected James first overall in the 2003 NBA Draft, and he’s from Akron, Ohio. In fact, if James were to join the Cavs, he would be playing in his third different stint with the team. James willed Cleveland to its first championship in franchise history at the 2016 NBA Finals, when the Cavaliers came back from a 3-1 series deficit to win. James would be joining a Cavs team that got swept in the Eastern Conference finals but features star guards Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.

In Miami, James played arguably the best basketball of his career, winning Most Valuable Player in two of his four seasons there. The Heat also won two Finals, and the system, coaching staff and front office are mostly the same from when James played there, from 2010-14. The Heat just recently acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo, and he and James would making an intriguing pair of fastbreak threats, alongside Heat captain Bam Adebayo.

And while it may appear to be an odd fit for James to join a new team at this stage of his career, each of Philadelphia, Golden State and Minnesota present interesting options.

The Sixers are poised to compete in the East after they acquired Jaylen Brown. The Warriors feature Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, two of James’ long-time friends. And the Timberwolves have one of the most dynamic young players in the NBA in Anthony Edwards.

LeBron James stats

Although he turned 41 years old in December, James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds in 60 games this season. James owns a number of all-time records, including points (43,440), games (1,622), postseason points (8,521) and postseason games (302).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is LeBron James close choosing his next team? What we're hearing

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A midseason Yankees pulse check

Jul 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Cody Bellinger (35) reacts with family after being voted the 2026 MLB All-Star Game MVP (Arch Ward Trophy) at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Good morning all, and happy “Cody Bellinger is an All-Star Game MVP” Day!

Okay yes, it’s not really that big of a deal. Last night’s Midsummer Classic was kind of a grueling watch for even the most ardent of baseball fans, due in large part to bizarre production decisions by Fox Sports but also some downright anemic hitting. Belli was one of the few bright spots, driving in the first two runs of the game during the American League’s three-run first with a single (Ben Rice got the other ribbie). That was enough for MVP! Competition was not fierce, and this is of course an exhibition game award. But good for Cody.

We have two and a half days until we actually get Yankees baseball again, so we have to play The Waiting Game. In the meantime, we’ll still have plenty of material going live! So check that out as it comes across.

As for the daily question, rather than throwing another one out there, this morning I will simply tap the sign of our most recent SB Nation Reacts survey prompt. You can go there to log your answer if you haven’t already, or you can answer it at the bottom of this post and all the results will be combined (it’s the same code). We would love to get as many responses as possible, so let us know if you think the Yankees have a World Series in their future or what kind of playoff fate awaits them!

The comments may be repetitive from yesterday’s prompt, but so many of the regular comments here touch on the same general point—justifiably wondering about championship expectations in some form or another—that I don’t think it’s a big deal. Anyway, I’m feeling optimistic about the Yankees given the lighter American League field, but it does seem evident to me that work needs to be done on this roster over the next few weeks while the front office can still make trades, etc. And Aaron Judge and Max Fried making smooth returns from the IL is just so damn important. It’s just a matter of how close to their 2025 selves they can reasonably expect to get down the stretch as they shake off the rust and work through the aches and pains. I say at least a pennant if they can at least be 75-90 percent of those forms … but we’ll see.

Today on the site, Sam looks back at the biggest hits of the Yankees’ first half, Matt will celebrate the 134th birthday of a historic batting champion whose career briefly included the ol’ pinstripes, and Jeff will begin our individual player trade target series in advance of the deadline with a look at the biggest catch that could be on the market. Later, Jonathan will break down how the Yankees’ 2026 draft class should affect the system depth, and Scott will discuss Tyler Hardman’s award-winning recent series for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

Today’s Matchup

Offday (Yankees will resume on Friday at home against the Dodgers at 7:05pm ET)

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Nick Robertson’s new contract is a vote of confidence from Kyle Dubas

TORONTO, ON - May 13 - Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson during an optional practice at the Ford Performance Centre in Toronto, May 13, 2025. The Maple Leafs are tied 2-2 in their best-of-seven second-round matchup with the Florida Panthers Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star (Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Penguins and forward Nick Robertson have avoided the player’s upcoming arbitration hearing after agreeing to a two-year contract on Tuesday. The deal carries an average annual value of $3.25 million.

The new contract with his new team sees Robertson get quite the raise from the $1.82 million cap hit he had with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season.

General manager Kyle Dubas, who drafted Robertson in the second round of the 2019 NHL draft, clearly sees untapped potential with the 24-year-old, who recorded career highs last season with 16 goals and 16 assists for 32 points in 78 games.

In 234 career NHL games, Robertson has tallied 48 goals, 40 assists, and 88 points along with a career 12.5 shooting percentage. Yet he’s only averaged 11:52 of ice time over that span, in line with bottom-six deployment.

With this new contract in place, we have a better idea of what kind of player Dubas envisions Robertson to be: a top-nine forward and perhaps the latest successful reclamation project in Pittsburgh.

That kind of money won’t sit in the press box as the 13th forward, even with a skyrocketing salary cap.

Had the Penguins viewed Robertson as merely a depth winger, they could have sought a shorter or cheaper bridge contract. Instead, agreeing to terms before the hearing at that cap hit suggests Pittsburgh expects Robertson to play meaningful minutes.

Could this be another classic “change of scenery” trade that propels Robertson to new heights? He has been viewed as someone whose production hasn’t matched his opportunity.

His goals/60 at 5v5 was 0.96 last season, per Natural Stat Trick, an impressive rate given his average ice time, indicating his efficiency as a finisher.

However, he’s historically logged limited minutes, never getting consistent top-six ice time or looks on the power play. Robertson spent much of his career buried behind established wingers like Matthew Knies, William Nylander and Mitch Marner. Even after Marner’s departure, Gavin McKenna is expected to occupy a prominent role on the wing.

Robertson’s numbers may not jump off the page, but they become more compelling when viewed alongside his limited usage.

Dubas has repeatedly targeted players who possess NHL tools but haven’t found stable roles elsewhere.

Rather than paying premium prices in free agency, the Penguins have increasingly targeted younger players who have flashed NHL ability but lacked opportunity. Justin Brazeau arrived from Boston looking for a larger role, while Egor Chinakhov represented another gamble on a talented winger whose development had stalled in Ohio’s capital city.

As of this way-too-early off-season projection, Robertson figures to slot into the third line flanking Ben Kindel with Andrei Kuzmenko.

Whether Robertson ultimately becomes a 20-goal scorer or simply another depth forward remains to be seen. But Tuesday’s contract makes one thing clear: Dubas sees far more in Robertson than the role he was given in Toronto.

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Cody Bellinger stands out in pitching-dominated MLB All-Star Game

PHILADELPHIA — It was an MLB All-Star Game that will be remembered for the sheer pitching dominance, the offensive ineptitude, players holding sparklers in front of the dugout, fireworks shooting up in the air, kids riding bicycles on the field, a star player who nearly broke his hand, but missing that one magical moment.

Instead, it was seemingly harmless two-run, first-inning single by a former MVP participating in his first All-Star Game in seven years whose hit proved to be worthy of the All-Star MVP award.

New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger, who stood in front of his locker before the game reminiscing when he was the National League’s MVP for the Los Angeles Dodgers at the age of 24, and six hours later Tuesday night was sitting behind a podium holding the MVP award after the American League’s 4-0 victory.

Bellinger is the fourth Yankee to win the All-Star MVP award, joining Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Giancarlo Stanton, and also the first in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year, LCS MVP, All-Star MVP and a World Series title.

“Pretty special,’’ Bellinger, 31, said. “My first few years in the big leagues, I was here two of my first three years. I was, like, 'Oh, I'll be here every year. It took a long time to get back.'

“It's hard to be an All-Star. You know, health, performance, it all has to come together. Honestly, this one I just really enjoyed it.’’

Really, Bellinger was one of the few hitters in the 96th All-Star Game to actually have a satisfying evening. There were a record 27 strikeouts, the most in a nine-inning All-Star Game, including 15 by the American League pitchers. There was only one extra-base hit the entire game, an eighth-inning homer by Chicago White Sox infielder Miguel Vargas, one of 26 first-time All-Stars.

“It’s not really fair, I don’t know how those guys can even hit the way guys are throwing,’’ Cleveland Guardians closer Cade Smith said. “Everybody’s motion is completely unique. Then, there’s the different release points, arm angles. I wouldn’t say I feel sorry for them, but I don’t understand how they do what they do. It’s very impressive. It’s a hard line of work for sure.’’

While the game was rather dull, it was the city of Philadelphia that stole the show. They broke out an old-fashioned piece of Americana after the fourth inning with kids coming from the center-field gate on bicycles, camping out by the All-Stars on the field, some trading baseball cards, and others playing catch, like 14-year-old Noah with Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman.

“That was pretty cool, pretty fun,’’ said Freeman, who spoke to the team before the game along with Bryce Harper and Chris Sale, who had a combined 29 All-Star appearances. “I was telling them to appreciate the game, take a step back, and make sure you realize how special this is. So, make sure you take a step back and realize it’s not just you making it. It’s your parents, your friends, everyone who helped you along the way.’’

Bellinger, the son of former Yankees infielder Clay Bellinger, indeed heeded the advice, and watching the kids come out onto the field riding their bicycles, resurrecting memories for Bellinger growing up in Chandler, Arizona, and playing ball every day with all of the neighborhood kids.

“I think it was special,’’ Bellinger said. “We do play a kids' game. We're all little kids at heart playing this game, even though it's a challenging game. But ultimately, we all fell in love with the game at a young age. We're all still those little kids with big dreams. We're just out here playing a game, and it's always nice to have that perspective.

“It was a really good weekend.’’

One that almost turned into an utter nightmare for the Tampa Bay Rays. They watched their season flash before their eyes when All-Star third baseman Junior Caminero was hit by a pitch in the left hand on a 98-mph sinker by St. Louis Cardinals reliever Riley O’Brien in the third inning, writhing in pain, with his face planted in the dirt.

He got up, ran through the visiting dugout, into the clubhouse, and was escorted into the X-ray room at Citizens Bank Park with the Phillies’ team doctor. O’Brien, who was visibly shaken, later accompanied him.

While the Rays held their breath, said their prayers, and clutched their rosary beads, X-rays came back negative. Caminero walked out of the clubhouse in a cream-colored suit, a rubber protective sleeve on his pinkie finger, and a huge relief on his face.

“I feel good,’’ Caminero said. “Thank God that nothing’s broken and it was just more of a scare than anything. I was just scared. You’re thinking the worst, and I honestly thought something might have been broken.

“But look, thank you to God that everything’s fine. It’s just a little bit sore, but we’re all good.’’

And just like that, the Rays’ five-man All-Star contingent, along with a fan base that has watched their team take a surprising three-game lead over the Yankees at the All-Star break, could exhale.

“It was extreme panic,’’ said Rays closer Bryan Baker, who recorded the final out. “We were stressing. I can take a breath now.’’

Said Rays starter Nick Martinez, who was making his first All-Star appearance at the age of 36: “Super scary. That’s our guy. Obviously happy that he’s doing all right.’’

Really, the only one who might have been the most relieved was O’Brien, who also visited Caminero in the clubhouse and apologized for the errant pitch.

“I felt terrible about that,’’ O’Brien said. “Last thing I want to do in an All-Star Game is hit someone, and God forbid, hurt him. I went over there just wanted to check on him to make sure he was all right. He was very understanding and classy about it, and understood.’’

Said Caminero, who plans to play in both games of the Rays’ doubleheader Friday, July 17 against the Boston Red Sox: “I really appreciate the gesture. He came into the clubhouse and he took a few seconds to apologize. But I told him, “Look, it’s part of the game.’ He was really worried, but I told him that these things happen. We’re here to have fun. We’re here to enjoy the night.’’

Few enjoyed the festivities more than Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout, who was born and raised in nearby Millville, N.J., and was treated to a thunderous ovation when he was introduced. The folks in Philly are notorious for booing the opposition, with the loudest boos of the night reserved for all of the rival players in the National League East, even including Mr. and Mrs. Met, the Mets' mascots, but they showed their love for Trout.

“This was one of the best All-Star experiences I ever had,’’ said Trout, who played in his first All-Star Game since 2019. “Just to be able to spend it with family, and a lot of friends, made it special. This was really cool.’’

And for the Phillies’ hometown contingent, like Kyle Schwarber, who leads baseball with 31 homers, it was the ultimate experience. It was his fourth All-Star Game, but easily the best time he’s had at the event, with the sellout crowds greeting him with thunderous ovations every time he stepped to the plate at the Home Run Derby and All-Star game.

“It’s definitely No. 1 for me,’’ he said. “It’s one that I’m going to remember for the rest of my life, and happy that my kids and family were able to be here and witness it. They did an unbelievable job to have a spectacle like this.’’

And, well, perhaps no one enjoyed it more than Bellinger, who’s a living, breathing testament to how difficult it is to make the All-Star Game. He hit eight homers with 38 RBI his first two months of the season, hitting .304 in May, but wounder up batting just .226 with three homers and 13 RBI in June and July.

“It’s just hard man,’’ Bellinger told USA TODAY Sports before the game. “You don’t get off to a hot start, and then you get like a decent May and have a good June, it’s too late. It just depends on your starts, and it’s hard to hit in April, it’s just cold.’’

Look no further than Hall of Famer Robin Yount, who produced 3,142 hits for the Milwaukee Brewers, but only made three All-Star Games in his career.

“That’s just crazy,’’ Bellinger says. “That just shows you how hard it is. And, the pitching today, man, you see it. It’s just unbelievable.’’

Yes, a night like Tuesday, when the best hitters in the world can step to the plate 69 times, produce just nine singles and a homer, with 23 hitters striking out at least once, and Dodgers starter Justin Wrobleski becoming the first pitcher to strike out five batters in an All-Star Game since Pedro Martinez in 1999, you realize just how utterly dominant the pitching is in today’s game.

“Yeah, tell me about it,’’ Bellinger said. “Just unbelievable, isn’t it?’’

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cody Bellinger stands out in pitching-dominated MLB All-Star Game

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MLB All-Star Game winners and losers: Philly showed out. Phillies? Not so much.

PHILADELPHIA — Bombs burst in the air, and one even landed in the seats at Citizens Bank Park.

Yet for almost the entirety of this 96th All-Star Game, all was quiet on the banks of the Delaware during the American League’s 4-0 throttling of their National League counterparts in the first Midsummer Classic in Philadelphia since 1996.

Major League Baseball and the City of Brotherly Love went all in on America 250 – from quills to bike rides to Hologram Ray Charles and Patti LaBelle, all of which seemed to go over pretty well.

The baseball?

That was a much quieter affair, as you’ll discover when we break down the winners and losers of this annual midseason meeting:

Winners

The American League

And boy, did they need it.

After the AL set baseball back a few decades with an utterly mediocre first half – just five teams are over .500, and they went 132-160 against the National League – AL and Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said before the All-Star Game that "the season is called a season for a reason. You see where it shakes out after 162, but there's definitely some strong teams in both leagues."

Well, after a 4-0 victory in which 11 AL pitchers held the NL to just three hits, maybe there’s a Junior Circuit renaissance around the corner.

Oh, one win in a truly meaningless exhibition doesn’t galvanize an entire league in any sense. It won’t make the Angels relevant, or the mound in Yolo County any more pleasant for Athletics pitchers.

But for a night the AL played crisp and nearly flawless baseball. Or perhaps, since the three-run first-inning rally was fueled by RBI hits from Cody Bellinger and Ben Rice, maybe just the Yankees are any good.

At any rate, the AL has won 11 of the past 13 All-Star Games. Perhaps they can dig out their first World Series win since 2023 come October.

The City of Philadelphia

All-Star Games can become glorified corporate spectacles. As the only pre-fixed date on the baseball calendar, the brands can roll deep, and the crowd seemingly consists of a never-ending stream of Capital One assistant vice presidents.

But the irrepressible Philly fan forced their way into the proceedings, filling up far too many seats for the MLB draft, bringing more bodies and energy to the Futures Game than recent memory and providing a full-throated roar in rooting for their homeboys in the Home Run Derby.

As so often happens, the crowd was a little tamer for Tuesday’s game, but the sea of Utley and Howard and Harper and Schmidt and Victorino and Morandini jerseys from Pattison to Reading Market was a feast for the eyes all week.

The AL Central

The longtime punching bag for the AL was showing off all its wares Tuesday night – to the extent a team can in a 4-0 snoozefest of a game.

Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas put a capper on the game with a 433-foot blast to left field in the eighth inning. Pitchers Parker Messick and Cade Smith (Cleveland Guardians), Michael Wacha (Kansas City Royals) and Joe Ryan (Minnesota Twins) combined for four nearly perfect relief innings, with seven strikeouts and no walks.

And Area Young Man Kevin McGonigle of the Detroit Tigers got a very nice ovation in pregame introductions, marking his territory for what appears to be many, many All-Star nods.

Losers

The Actual Phillies

The great Cristopher Sanchez’s outing was just a few batters old when, his pitch count mounting, you stopped thinking about the three runs he was giving up to the AL and started to wonder when NL coach and Phillies manager Don Mattingly was going to overrule Dave Roberts and go out and yank Sanchez himself.

So it went most of the week for the hometown All-Stars, as Bryce Harper crashed out of the Home Run Derby after 20 swings and Kyle Schwarber fell one soul-crushing longball short – again – of taking home the trophy and related branded swag from a popular streaming company.

The game wasn’t much better, with Schwarber and Harper hitless in four at-bats, and Harper staging one of the worst ABS challenges we’ve seen this year (Hey, he’s a veteran future Hall of Famer in his home ballpark. He’s allowed). We’d be remiss to not mention Jesus Luzardo’s spotless relief inning along with Phillies closer Jhoan Duran living up to his elaborate light show by recording the final two outs, albeit in junk time.

Otherwise, Phillies fans might try to take solace in the notion that maybe the lads were saving their bullets for a three-way second-half fight in the NL East.

National League hitters

Bad enough they got shut out on just three hits, all singles. Yet in this All-Star Game, where you want everyone to play, everyone to eat, the lineup barely turned over.

Schwarber, batting leadoff, was limited to two at-bats, Harper one. Home Run Derby champ Jordan Walker, towering slugger James Wood, the dynamic Pete Crow-Armstrong?

All got one turn at bat, allowing virtually no chance to impact the game.

The Home Run Derby and All-Star Game

Speaking of which … what are we going to do about this?

Commissioner Rob Manfred began his annual midseason meeting with baseball media with the usual glowing remarks about the previous night’s Derby. Well, he was kind of lucky: Despite the hometown juice from Schwarber and Harper, the new format was inconsistent at best, with Walker saving the day with an almost mathematically impossible six homers in his final six swings.

That was cool. The rest was really mid, with hitters often mathematically eliminated halfway through their rounds.

As for the game? We’ve documented the many reasons why it was a dud on a night they boomed fireworks high in the Philly sky. So, what to do?

You can’t legislate velocity and nasty stuff out of the game – all of which gets nastier when the game’s greatest pitchers are limited to just one inning and can turn it loose. The result: one extra-base hit.

The innings moved so fast that the Fox broadcast could hardly get into its mic’d up set pieces before moving to several more minutes of commercials.

The game is cyclical. Perhaps this game will experience an uptick, too.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB All-Star Game winners and losers: Philly showed out. Phillies? Not so much.

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Yankees news: The top trade deadline targets

Jul 12, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Mason Miller (22) celebrates after the Padres beat the Toronto Blue Jays at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

New York Post | Jon Heyman ($): While rumors will still swirl around landing Tarik Skubal, the Yankees seem to be prioritizing high-end relief help and a new catcher at the trade deadline. Heyman tells us that the Padres’ Mason Miller and Minnesota backstop Ryan Jeffers will be the club’s two biggest targets as we get closer to the deadline, and while both would likely help the team, the price for Miller especially will be steep. San Diego seems willing to shed payroll, but the dominant reliever is only going into his first year of arbitration this winter, and the prospect cost the Padres gave up a year ago may still be weighing on the minds of the front office.

New York Daily News | Peter Sblendorio: Cody Bellinger is an All-Star for the first time since his 2019 MVP campaign, and he is savoring every bit of the experience. You could build a case that Belli deserved the trip to the Midsummer Classic last year, but being an indispensable part of the Yankees this season and one of the game’s best defensive players made him an easy selection for Philadelphia. Now the only thing left is to mirror his first half performance as we turn into the dog days of summer.

As an added bonus, Bellinger became the fourth Yankee to win All-Star Game MVP, joining a quartet with Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Giancarlo Stanton (the most recent winner, in 2022). It was a mostly quietly affair in the Midsummer Classic, but Bellinger had the two-run single that put the American League on the board in the first inning against the normally pristine Cristopher Sánchez. Teammate Ben Rice followed with an RBI single of his own and the AL won, 4-0.

NJ.com | James Mertz: Carsten Sabathia III, the oldest son of the former Yankee great CC Sabathia, was drafted in the 20th round of this year’s MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, another of CC’s old teams. Carsten eschewed his father’s path to pitching, instead standing 6-foot-4 as a slugging first baseman for the University of Houston. He started out at Georgia Tech and also played a couple summers with the Yankees’ old Double-A affiliate, the Trenton Thunder, which is now a college wood-bat league team. It’ll be a long way to the majors from here, but congrats to the kid nevertheless.

FanGraphs | Jay Jaffe: This doesn’t directly cover the Yankees — thankfully — but it’s one of my favorite recurring series of the year. Keeping your players above replacement level sounds easy, but every year teams leave runs, and therefore wins, on the table by having guys that can’t out-produce a hypothetical Quad-A’er. The Yankees don’t feature the worst right side of the infield, even if we’re all kinda disappointed in Jazz Chisholm Jr., and indeed being above replacement level is a good reason why they’re in a real division hunt.

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Mitchell Robinson is a perfect fit for Mazzulla Ball and the Celtics

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 19: Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks goes up for the rebound during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 19, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The 2025-26 Boston Celtics were an elite regular season team last season because they dominated on the margins. Low turnovers and dominating the glass were the foundation. By signing Mitchell Robinson, the Celtics are deepening their belief in that idea.

No, Mitchell Robinson does not shoot threes and no, Mitchell Robinson will not become a three-point threat once he starts playing for the Celtics. Mazzulla Ball is not all about shooting threes. Are there still people who really still believe that?

Mazzulla Ball is about dominating the margins — winning the possession battle and taking more shots than your opponent plays a big part of that and winning the rebounding and turnover battle are the best ways to win the possession battle.

Well, who better to add than the best offensive rebounder in the NBA?

Robinson had the best offensive rebounding rate in the NBA last season, rebounding 21.2% of Knicks misses, according to Cleaning the Glass. The Celtics were 5th in the NBA in offensive rebounding rate last season at 31.8%. Robinson will make the Celtics even better at something they were already very good at.

Robinson also took a big leap as a defensive rebounder a season ago. Entering last season, Robinson’s career high in defensive rebounding rate was 18.2% in 2023. Last season, that number jumped to 23.1%.

After struggling at the beginning of last season due to rebounding, the Celtics shored up their defensive rebounding, they were 2nd in the NBA in defensive rebounding rate from December 1st on. The addition of Robinson and return of Jayson Tatum should boost them even higher in that regard.

Speaking of Tatum, the two man game between Robinson and Tatum should be elite. According to Basketball University, since 2016, Robinson is the most efficient roller in the NBA.

One thing the Celtics did not do a great job of last season was forcing turnovers. They ranked 23rd in opponent turnover percentage. Both big Celtics additions, Robinson and Paul George, will help with that.

Robinson was 10th in the NBA among big men last season in steal percentage, at 2%. Robinson, in fact, is one of the best defensive players in the NBA.

An elite rim protector, Robinson is also very good when he switches, as seen by his steal percentage. He can move his feet extremely well, which allows for teams to switch more than they typically would. This can allow Boston to use Derrick White as their roamer and have Robinson guard centers.

Robinson does have his weak points. First is health; Robinson has missed games throughout his career and didn’t play in back-to-backs last season, something that I would expect to carry over into this season. Secondly is the free throw shooting.

I feel like we all know Robinson is a really bad free throw shooter. It was hard to miss the “worst in NBA history” graphic during the Finals.

The good news for the Celtics is they don’t ever get to the line, so they don’t spend much time in the bonus, which means teams can’t play Hack-a-Mitch.

Mitchell Robinson is an awesome player who is going to fit in beautifully with the Celtics next season as they look to get back to the Finals. Also, if someone says “Mazzulla Ball is all about threes,” just ignore them because they don’t know what they are talking about.

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Why Steph Curry deserves slice of Warriors' pie after saving NBA franchise

Why Steph Curry deserves slice of Warriors' pie after saving NBA franchise originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jaylen Brown said the quiet part loud enough to be heard by those atop every NBA team, certainly Warriors CEO Joe Lacob. Loud enough to be on the minds of every franchise player, none more than Stephen Curry.

Why, Brown wondered a few months ago, can’t NBA players generate franchise equity as owners do?

Curry knows why but yearns for change.

Given that Wednesday is the 16th anniversary of the marriage between the Warriors and the ownership group led by Lacob and Peter Guber, this seems particularly topical. When the group invested $450 million on July 15, 2010, many considered it an overpay.

Sixteen years and four NBA championships later, the folks at Forbes, who calculate franchise valuations, say the Warriors are worth more than $11 billion, making them the most valuable property in the NBA.

Thanks to Curry’s 17 years as the team’s centerpiece, Lacob, Guber and Co. underpaid.

The Warriors have grown from local cult following to global sensation. Lacob, Guber and Co. entered with a vision of building an elite sports franchise and succeeded – with Curry taking them on a ride to tremendous prosperity.

“Because of the way the CBA is structured right now, we can’t participate in equity,” Curry said in an interview last year with Speedy Morman, then with Complex.com. “And that’s a big deal, because it is a partnership with ownership, it’s a partnership with the league. And we’re on the short term of that revenue.”

The collective bargaining agreement, which determines stipulations for maximum contracts, is why the Warriors can’t legally pay Curry his true worth.

They can make it up to him after he retires. Curry is 38 years old. Body willing, he wants to play another two years. He will have made about $600 million in pretax paychecks from Golden State. He has remained committed, through times good and bad, to the Warriors.

Moreover, Curry consistently has stated his intention to spend his entire NBA career with the team that drafted him in 2009 under the previous ownership.

“For him to be able to stay in one city for that long, why would you want to leave?” Curry’s dad, Dell, told NBC Sports Bay Area last week. “You’ve given so much to that team, to the organization and the city.”

Lacob, Guber and Co. inherited a gold mine. Everyone on the Golden State payroll can point to Curry as the central figure in the meteoric rise of the franchise. Without him, there would be no championships. No five consecutive trips to the NBA Finals. No record 73-win season. No first and only unanimous MVP. No explosive production and profit off Golden State Warriors gear. Never any talk of a dynasty.

“None of this happens without you,” Andre Iguodala said of Curry 17 months ago, during his jersey retirement ceremony at Chase Center. 

When Curry leaves, the Warriors likely will tumble from their longtime perch atop the NBA’s revenue engine, from national TV to jersey sales. No player in the league mints more local or national TV revenue. Curry is an economy unto himself.

Which is not to suggest the Lacob-Guber ownership didn’t, from the start, do their part to elevate the franchise. They made shrewd decisions in recruiting business-side savant Rick Welts and basketball sage Jerry West – moves that declared the Warriors were aiming for the best of the best. Hiring Mark Jackson as head coach was more strategic than intuitive; it brought a level of national publicity rarely given to the once irrelevant team by the Bay.

But it was Curry who awakened and energized a slumbering fan base that grew exponentially because of his exploits. Dub Nation is his empire.

Chase Center, the cash cow crucial to the franchise worth, was visualized by Lacob and Guber but actualized by the broad influence and civic goodwill of Curry. Dealmakers bend toward winners. Champions gain leverage, and their ideas suddenly are more popular. No athlete in Bay Area sports history is more revered for his greatness on the court and civil generosity off it.

Gifting an active player equity in the franchise is tricky for obvious reasons, the most significant being the possibility of a trade. Curry and Brown long for a day that might never will happen. They make good money, but it’s a faction of what goes to successful ownership.

“The idea that we can’t participate in equity while we’re playing is a part of why I would say, yes, we are underpaid,” Curry told Morman. “Because you want to be able to participate in that rise. I know we’re blessed to be in a position where we’re playing basketball for a living, and these are the type of checks that people are earning. And I think it’s all deserved. It’s a special commodity, a special industry that probably won’t go anywhere. Because that entertainment value is there.

“I feel like, hopefully, sooner than later, those rules change a little bit so that players can participate more in the upside of team equity, the league valuations and all that type of stuff.”

Once an NBA player retires, he no longer is subject to any CBA restrictions. The post-career portfolio for Magic Johnson, for example, included his purchase of a 4.5-percent share of the Los Angeles Lakers for $10 million in 1992. The Lakers were worth about $200 million. When he sold his shares in 2010, they were worth three times as much.

Another instance of player-turned-owner involved Billy Beane, who evolved from fringe player for the Oakland Athletics to front-office executive with the team to Hollywood caricature to a 4-percent stake in ownership (now at 1 percent).

Beane paid nothing for his initial share. It was a gift from ownership.

The Warriors now are worth 24 times more than what Lacob, Guber and Co. paid. We know where they would be in the NBA hierarchy without Curry; we all saw it when he missed most of the second half of last season. There was not a glimmer of hope until he returned.

No player in the NBA is, upon retirement, more deserving of being gifted a piece of his team’s franchise than Curry. No player on any team has done more to send ownership stock skyrocketing, enriching those currently holding shares.

For Steph, 2028 should be the year of equity. Call it a reward, if you like, but he has earned it.

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N&N: Messick & Smith shut out NL All-Stars

Jul 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Parker Messick (77) shakes hands with Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (23) after the second inning for the All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

When you pitch a shutout, you’re gonna win.

Someone has to be on the opposite end of that, and playing the role of Tanner Bibee tonight was a group of 9 NL pitchers who gave up 4 runs. 4 runs too many.

10 men pitched for the AL, but we’re focusing only on Parker Messick and Cade Smith because they deserve it. The broadcast paid some attention to Smith, because he was undrafted and Bryce Harper marveled at his pitches while mic’d up, but they completely ignored Messick, who pitched a 1-2-3 inning. It took him just 10 pitches, which ruined their interview plans for that inning. But worry not, they found infinite more amounts of time for things that were not All-Stars Playing Baseball.

The worst pitcher of the night was Something O’Brien, for the NL. Not because he gave up a bunch of runs, but because he came up and in on Let’s Go Former Farmhand Junior Caminero and drilled his hand. X-rays were negative, so hopefully JC is out of the woods safe.

Unrelated Chart Time

Good Joke Time (since last week’s embedded joke to end a Wednesday post didn’t embed for some reason)

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From the Pocket: Fremantle have the power and poise to ride the hype to an AFL premiership

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Do you book your flights, or cool your jets? Is it Wharfie Time, or squeaky bum time? Was it one of the best home and away wins of recent years, or just another four points in the winter grind? It’s hard to know what to do, or how to react, if you’re a Fremantle person right now. Do you go the full West Australian newspaper, or the full Justin Longmuir? Are you still anchored down by the last 30 years? Will you only believe, as some Geelong people only truly believed in 2007, when you’re 15 goals up halfway through the final term of a grand final?

Analysis of recent AFL history is skewed by the introduction of new clubs and new rounds. But the past quarter of a century provides a good snapshot of how clubs in a comparable position to Fremantle right now ultimately fared. Since 2000, only seven teams were in as strong a position as the Dockers at this point of the season. Of those, three ended up winning the premiership, and three lost the grand final. The runners-up included the 2009 Saints, who were undefeated at this point of the season, and the 2005 Eagles, who were three games clear of second.

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Utah Jazz Survey: Which rookie will have the best career?

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 9: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz and AJ Dybantsa #4 of the Washington Wizards walk on the court during the 2026 NBA Summer League game on July 9, 2026 at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Ryan Stetz/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

NBA Summer League is in full effect, and we’ve gotten an incredible showing from each of the first four draft picks: AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer, and Caleb Wilson.

Yes, it’s only summer league, but we’ve seen that all four of these prospects have the potential to have incredible careers. More than likely, these four will be connected for their entire careers because of this draft. How many titles they win, All-NBA selections they receive. And that’s what brings us to this latest NBA Reacts question. Who do you think will have the best career of the top-4 rookies?

When all is said and done, this draft could go down as one of the greats, like the LeBron James draft in 2003 or the Michael Jordan draft in 1984. Those drafts were loaded just like this with multiple Hall of Famers. No question, this draft has that possibility, you just hope that your team came away with the best potential player.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Jazz fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says Clippers probe should wrap up before next season

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addresses the media prior to an NBA Finals game in San Antonio on June 3.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says the investigation into Clippers star Kawhi Leonard's endorsements is nearing its conclusion and should wrap up before next season tips off. (Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)

NBA commissioner Adam Silver reiterated Tuesday night after the Board of Governors meeting that the investigation into whether the Clippers circumvented the salary cap by funneling money to Kawhi Leonard for an endorsement deal he allegedly never fulfilled still is not completed.

Silver said his “timeline remains this summer” to make his findings known after high-powered New York law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz wraps up its investigation and presents the findings to the NBA.

The investigation centers on a $28-million endorsement deal to Leonard from a company called Aspiration that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer invested $60 million into.

With the investigation being about 11 months old, Silver was asked about a timeline for the NBA to announce the results.

“As you know, I am not conducting the investigation, nor is the league office,” Silver said. “It’s being conducted by the Wachtell law firm, independent of the league. Of course, as I have said previously, we all have an interest in wrapping this up and as I most recently said in an interview, that I’m hopeful that it will wrap up this summer so that will continue to be the goal here.”

Read more:Kawhi Leonard trade to Toronto put on hold until the NBA probe into the Clippers concludes

The Clippers traded Leonard to the Raptors for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, a pick swap and two second-round picks. Leonard, who spent the last seven seasons with the Clippers, led the Raptors to the NBA championship in 2019. The Raptors then decided to put the trade on hold until the investigation is over.

“And I just want to clarify, so everyone understands, the league did not pause the trade,” Silver said. “The parties that did the trade made the decision not to go forward given that the investigation would remain open and the possible impact on Kawhi or his contract was yet to be known and so they chose not to live with that uncertainty. But, that was well-known before the trade was proposed and I didn’t think there was any reason for people to believe that the status of Kawhi Leonard would change merely because he was traded. The investigation needs to run its course.”

Read more:Plaschke: Clippers' Kawhi Leonard was the worst free-agent signing in L.A. history

The Clippers have consistently denied any wrongdoing regarding the investigation.

Because of the probable length of the report, Silver was asked about reading such a voluminous amount of information and if things would be resolved before the start of next season.

Silver also didn’t talk about whether Leonard is being investigated for any other side deals.

“I don’t know specifically what will be in the report,” Silver said. “To the best of my information, the report is not done. I do get regular updates from our general counsel, who is Rick Buchanan, and he deals with on a weekly basis on who they are talking to and what they are finding on a preliminary basis. But my understanding is that Wachtell is now in the process of going through the information they’ve gathered and drawing conclusions from that information. And I think, yes, it is realistic to think that this can be wrapped up, and I would say needs to be wrapped up before the beginning of next season.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.