Lakers guard Bronny James (Howard Lao / Associated Press)
The NBA world immediately began to speculate about LeBron James’ future with the Lakers after his representative made comments about his client monitoring how the team would handle the offseason in an attempt to improve the team, but Bronny James was not among the crowd.
Bronny has been preparing to play for the Lakers in the California Classic that starts Saturday in San Francisco. He talked after practice Wednesday about how he was unaware of the rumors and innuendo surrounding his famous teammate and father.
LeBron James opted into his $56.2-million contract on Sunday, leading his agent, Rich Paul, the chief executive of Klutch Sports, to tell ESPN that James was watching closely to see how the Lakers would improve the team.
“We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future,” Paul told ESPN. “We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him.”
In NBA circles, that was seen as a way to force Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka to make moves during the offseason to make the team better or that James might be willing to seek a trade.
Bronny, in his second season in the NBA after being selected in the second of the draft at No. 55 in June 2024, said he’s not on social media as much anymore, but that he was told about the news.
“Actually, one of my friends called me talking about where, what I was gonna do. 'cause they seen my dad, whatever. I didn't see it,” Bronny said after practice Wednesday. “He called me. I was like, 'Yeah, I have no idea what you're talking about.' .... Yeah, I don't … I, yeah, I don't really pay attention to that stuff so. Yeah, there's a lot of stuff going around that I don't pay attention to, yeah.”
The Lakers did make a move Wednesday, agreeing to a deal with Deandre Ayton, giving them a center they had to have.
Bronny was asked if his conversations with LeBron include the direction the franchise is headed and where his dad wants to play.
“No, we don't really talk about it much,” Bronny said. “But I think when stuff like that does come up, he just tells me to not worry about it, not even pay attention to it. Just lock into what you have going on right now. And that's what's gonna get me better and to keep me focused. I think it's good that he tells me to not pay attention to that stuff.”
The Buffalo Sabres' first day of the NHL's free-agent frenzy saw Sabres GM Kevyn Adams take some low-risk, decent-return gambles in signing mid-tier veterans like winger Justin Danforth and defenseman Zac Jones. But another Sabres signing could prove to be extremely important as the season goes on -- and that's the signing of experienced goalie Alex Lyon.
For the 32-year-old Lyon, his new contract was about stability, and the Sabres provided him with that, signing him to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.5 million. Lyon has spent the past two seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, and in that time, he's posted a save percentage of sligly less than .900 -- a satisfactory-enough number at a time when NHL offenses can be overwhelming, and one that came playing behind the Wings' sub-par defense corps.
Now, before we go much further, let's be clear -- Lyon is obviously the third goaltender on the Sabres' depth chart. He's not going into camp being the ideal starter for this Buffalo team.
That said, ostensible starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen didn't have a particularly great year in 2024-25, posting a bloated 3.20 goals-against average and an .887 SP in 55 games. By the end of the season, Luukkonen had lost his starter's job in favor of greybeard journeyman James Reimer. Now, Luukkonen's contract status -- the 26-year-old is entering Year 2 of a five-year contract that pays him $4.75-million per season -- necessitates he be given a chance to win the No. 1 job back. But there's no assurance Luukkonen is going to return to the form he showed in 2023-24, when he posted a .910 SP in 54 games.
So, if Luukkonen can't get the job done, Lyon is still not Plan B. That would be up-and-comer Devon Levi. The 23-year-old Levi did not have great success in limited NHL action last year, posting an .872 SP in nine games. However, Levi had much more positivity in the American League, putting up a .919 SP in 42 games. If Levi -- currently an RFA -- is intending on bumping up his pay grade, making the jump to the NHL on a permanent basis provides him all the motivation in the world.
All of which is to say that, if Lyon is called into action on a regular basis, things for Buffalo probably haven't gone very well. Either or both of Luukkonen and Levi could be hurt or under-performing. But by the same token, if Lyon can come through in the clutch when called upon, he's going to look like a terrific financial bargain, and one of Adams' best signings in his history running the team.
Goaltending insurance is something every NHL team is investing in. At a time when it feels like the health of every player in the league is just one bad collision or bounce away from being compromised, you need as much talent as you can get. So while Lyon may not be occupying much of the spotlight when next season begins, there's a road ahead in which the Sabres turn to him as a last line of resort, with their season possibly hanging in the balance.
We still believe Adams should be on the hot seat for the roster decisions he's made. If all he does is what he's done thus far, we don't envision the Sabres as a playoff team. But if Adams makes more changes by the time next season begins, Buffalo could challenge for a wild card berth in the Eastern Conference.
And if things go a particular way -- and if Lyon comes through in a pinch -- we might look back on the signing of a third goaltender as the move that saved the Sabres' year.
NEW YORK (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers will have three fan-elected starters in the All-Star Game, with first baseman Freddie Freeman and catcher Will Smith joining designated hitter Shohei Ohtani as winners in final ballot totals announced Wednesday.
Detroit will have three fan-picked starters for the first time since 2007 after second baseman Gleyber Torres along with outfielders Riley Greene and Javier Báez were voted in at their positions for the July 15 game at Atlanta’s Truist Park.
Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker of the Chicago Cubs were picked for the NL outfield along with Ronald Acuña Jr. of the host Braves.
Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte, New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and San Diego third baseman Manny Machado also were voted NL starters.
Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh, Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson. Cleveland third baseman José Ramírez and Baltimore designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn were picked as AL starters.
Wilson edged Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. 52% to 48% and will become just the second rookie shortstop to start an All-Star Game after Baltimore’s Ron Hansen, who started both games in 1960. Wilson’s father, Jack, was an All-Star for Pittsburgh in 2004.
There will be nine first-time starters for the second time in three years. Wilson will be joined by Greene, O’Hearn, Raleigh and Torres in the AL lineup and Crow-Armstrong, Lindor, Smith and Tucker in the NL lineup.
Báez edged the Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout 26% to 24% in the closest vote, winning the third AL outfield slot.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge earned a starting spot last week as the top vote-getter in the first round, when Ohtani was picked as NL DH with the top total in his league. Under rules that began in 2022, voting is split into two stages, and the second phase ran from Monday to Thursday.
Detroit’s three elected starters for the 2007 game at San Francisco were catcher Iván Rodríguez, left fielder Magglio Ordóñez and second baseman Plácido Polanco.
Freeman is the senior All-Star, picked for the ninth time and his fifth as a starter. He will return to Atlanta, where he starred from 2010-21.
Machado and Judge were both selected for the seventh time — Judge all as a starter.
Guerrero, Judge, Marte, Ohtani and Ramírez were holdovers from last year’s elected starters.
"We've got some great prospects on the way, but I felt two things: we wanted to get bigger and we want to get younger," Trotz said.
The Predators' current defensive corps averages 6 feet 2 inches and 200 pounds. The 2025 draft class averages 6 feet and 181 pounds. In addition, the Predators' defense had an average age of 28 years.
Looking for size and youth, the Predators may have at least one pick lined up for the 2026 draft in 7-foot, 273-pound Moldovan defenseman Alexander Karmanov.
The 17-year-old was selected by the Brantford Bulldogs, 172nd overall in the third round of the CHL's Import Draft, an entry draft held for CHL prospects that are not from Canada or the United States.
Karmanov is also committed to Penn State for the 2027-28 season. He spent the past year with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights 16U AAA team in Pennsylvania, competing between the Atlantic Youth Hockey League and 16U AAA tournaments.
Between both, he played 35 games and scored 33 points and had 60 penalty minutes. According to Brantford's X/Twitter account, he is "the largest hockey player on the planet."
If he were to break into the NHL, he'd be the tallest player to ever play, surpassing Zdeno Chara's record height by three inches.
Depending on Karmanov's arrival at Penn State, he could be teammates with 2023 Nashville Predators draft pick Aiden Fink, who would be a senior by the start of the 2027-28 season.
Defenseman Mac Gadowsky, who is attending the Predators' development camp by invitation and stands 6 feet 3 inches tall, would also be his teammate, as Gadowsky recently transferred to Penn State.
When drafting taller players, skating is usually the primary focus. That appears to be the most significant focus for Karmanov when watching his highlights. He's a big body, but doesn't move fast.
Skating at an NHL pace can be a challenge for larger players, but Nashville has found ways to develop them and maintain a reputation as one of the largest teams in the NHL.
Trotz wants size and Karmanov has the potential to be the biggest to ever play the game.
A few notes on the Mike Brown hire, how the Knicks got there and what happens next...
Brown has an extensive coaching resume. Two-time NBA Coach of the Year. A career winning percentage of .599 over 754 regular season games. He’s won four NBA titles as an assistant coach in San Antonio (under Gregg Popovich) and Golden State (under Steve Kerr).
He led the Kings to their first playoff berth in 16 seasons in 2023.
Hopefully for the Knicks, Brown’s vast experience has prepared him for the sky-high expectations that come with his next job.
As you know, the Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau after a season in which they reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years. Thibodeau had won at least one playoff series in three straight seasons. Before Thibodeau arrived, the Knicks had won just one playoff series in the past 20 years.
So, team president Leon Rose’s decision to fire Thibodeau was a big gamble. Firing Thibodeau and hiring Brown can’t be a lateral move. It has to elevate the Knicks to the next level, which is the NBA Finals.
Did Rose make the right call? We won’t know the answer to that question until next spring.
But Brown will be under significant pressure to perform from Day One in New York.
THE PROCESS
The Knicks started their search by asking teams for permission to speak to their current head coaches. Each request was denied. In the immediate aftermath of the firing, there was hope that Ime Udoka or Chris Finch could be available. Jason Kidd was also seen as a top candidate. But the pathway to either of those three coaches was non-existent.
Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown yells out to players during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. / Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
So the Knicks turned their attention to established head coaches and assistant coaches. They interviewed Brown, Taylor Jenkins, James Borrego, Micah Nori and Dawn Staley. The Knicks' interest in Staley, first reported by KnicksFanTv, was real. There was a formal interview. But this search was always most likely to end with an established head coach.
The Knicks have that in Brown.
He wasn’t their first choice. But one high-ranking executive who knows Brown well said he was the best option available to the Knicks. Brown was the only candidate to have a second interview and met owner James Dolan formally on Tuesday. A little over 24 hours later, the Knicks were closing in on a contract for their next head coach. The decision was ultimately Rose’s to make. He had the support to make his own choice from key stakeholders in the organization. Rose landed on Brown.
Was it the right call? Again, let’s circle back in late May/early June of 2026.
WHAT ABOUT HIS STAFF?
The Knicks will not force Brown to keep any of Thibodeau’s former assistant coaches. Brown and other coaches were told during the interview process that they’d have autonomy in hiring their own staff. So Brown will build his own staff. He is targeting Borrego for the top role on staff and views Borrego as a great offensive coordinator of sorts.
But Borrego is under contract in New Orleans, so it could be difficult to procure him. Brown is also considering some former Thibodeau assistants for his staff. He will evaluate his options as he gets going, but as he sorts things out, I’d strongly expect Rick Brunson, Darren Ermann, Mark Bryant and Maurice Cheeks to end up on Brown’s staff. How the staff looks will ultimately be his call. But I’d be surprised if the names mentioned above don’t end up on the final staff.
In a shocking twist only 30 minutes into the 2025 NHL Free Agency period, Brock Boeser signed a seven-year, $7.25M AAV contract with the Vancouver Canucks. His signing came after a tumultuous season of uncertainty regarding his fate. Many thought he would be traded at the Trade Deadline, while signs leading up to free agency implied that he would be moving on from the team. With his signing, Boeser will extend his streak as the Canucks’ longest-tenured active skater.
The Canucks came into the 2015 NHL Draft with the 23rd selection in the first round. While some players were obvious selections (Connor McDavid), realistically, the talent pool provided by this draft class meant that nearly any pick would be profitable. At the time, only three of twelve prospect draft rankings had Boeser going higher than 23rd overall. The general consensus seemed to be that he would not be picked higher than 25th. With that being said, it wasn’t shocking when former Canucks General Manager Jim Benning decided to select Boeser 23rd overall.
Boeser’s addition to Vancouver’s prospect pool was a bright sign, as some of the only other names in the Canucks’ ranks were Jake Virtanen, Jared McCann, and Hunter Shinkaruk — with only one of these three still playing in the NHL. He was given the expectation of 30-goal scorer in the NHL early on and nearly broke this milestone in his first full season.
On March 25, 2017, Boeser signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Canucks, making his NHL debut the same day against his hometown Minnesota Wild. In the same game, he scored his first NHL goal. By the end of his first nine games in 2017, he scored four goals on 25 shots and added one assist. For an early campaign, Boeser’s four goals left fans very optimistic about the upcoming season.
Boeser’s first full season with the Canucks was one to remember. It seemed as though he was shot out of a cannon to start the season, as he scored two goals and three assists in his first four games. It only took him 10 games to get his first hat trick of the season, and the first of his NHL career, which he scored against Matt Murray and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Within the first 10 games of his rookie season, Boeser had five goals and eight assists.
“The most natural goal scorer I’ve ever played with,” former Canucks captain Henrik Sedin said of Boeser back in 2017.
An array of goal-scoring streaks, impressive play, and a Rookie of the Month title in November earned Boeser a nod to the 2018 NHL All-Star Game. There, he won the accuracy shooting event, beating out players such as Sidney Crosby, Brad Marchand, and Steven Stamkos, and took home the award for MVP of the game.
Despite playing at a near 40-goal pace in his rookie season, injuries sidelined Boeser for 20 of the team’s games. He finished the year with 29 goals and 26 assists in 62 games played, putting him fifth in points among all rookies that season. Boeser finished second in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy to Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders.
The start of Boeser’s career in Vancouver was certainly memorable, and with his re-signing, he’ll add even more goals on top of the 204 he has already scored as a member of the Canucks.
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The 37-year-old Kershaw entered the game just three strikeouts away from the milestone, and is now the 20th pitcher to reach the mark. He’s also the third active player in that category alongside two other all-time greats.
Here is the full list of MLB pitchers who have thrown 3,000 strikeouts or more:
Who has the most strikeouts in MLB history?
Nolan Ryan has the most strikeouts in MLB history with 5,714 tallied across 27 seasons. He played for the New York Mets, Houston Astros, the then-California Angels and Texas Rangers.
Which MLB pitchers are in the 3,000-strikeouts club?
Here’s the list of the pitchers above 3,000 strikeouts in chronological order (year achieved in parentheses):
The 37-year-old Kershaw entered the game just three strikeouts away from the milestone, and is now the 20th pitcher to reach the mark. He’s also the third active player in that category alongside two other all-time greats.
Here is the full list of MLB pitchers who have thrown 3,000 strikeouts or more:
Who has the most strikeouts in MLB history?
Nolan Ryan has the most strikeouts in MLB history with 5,714 tallied across 27 seasons. He played for the New York Mets, Houston Astros, the then-California Angels and Texas Rangers.
Which MLB pitchers are in the 3,000-strikeouts club?
Here’s the list of the pitchers above 3,000 strikeouts in chronological order (year achieved in parentheses):
Australian beats Benjamin Bonzi 7-5, 6-7 (2-7), 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
He next meets Luciano Darderi, ranked No 59, or Arthur Fery
Jordan Thompson came into Wimbledon with a large box of painkillers, a thick black brace for his back, and a dream that somehow he would defy his body long enough to make an impact at the tournament he loves so much. Two titanic five-set matches later, the Sydneysider is still standing on the green lawns of SW19, just.
With Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt, the last Australian man to win at Wimbledon, watching on, Thompson beat Benjamin Bonzi 7-5, 6-7 (2-7), 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 in nine minutes shy of four hours. After Bonzi hit a return into the net on the second match point, Thompson let out a primal scream into the evening sky, smiled and pointed to his heart.
From left, Dodgers Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith were voted to start in this year's MLB All-Star Game. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Poised to set a record for player popularity and elite production, the Dodgers had eight finalists for the National League starting lineup in the 2025 All-Star Game as voted by fans.
Voters had 48 hours to choose between the two players at each position who had accumulated the most votes over the last month in what MLB called Phase 1. Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani already was in the starting lineup because he led NL players in Phase 1 votes.
The record of five starting players held by the 1976 Cincinnati Reds, the 1956 and 1957 Cincinnati Redlegs, and the 1939 New York Yankees still stands. The Dodgers fell short, despite the bevy of finalists.
It is the ninth All-Star berth for Freeman, who is batting .308 with 21 doubles, and the third for Smith, who leads the NL with a .320 batting average and .419 on-base percentage. Both players have 10 home runs.
Eleven-time All-Star Mike Trout was the only Angels player among the American League finalists, and he did not finish among the top three outfielders in Phase 2. Thousand Oaks High product and Athletics rookie Jacob Wilson was voted the AL starter at shortstop, beating out Bobby Witt Jr.
Finalists not voted as starters have no guarantee of making the All-Star Game as a reserve. Pitchers and reserves for the 32-man rosters will be determined by a vote of MLB players and the commissioner’s office.
Complete rosters of 20 position players and 12 pitchers will be announced at 2 p.m. PDT Sunday on ESPN. The All-Star Game will take place July 15 at Truist Park in Atlanta. Managers Dave Roberts of the Dodgers and Aaron Boone of the Yankees have no say in the selections.
Before the Dodgers faced the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night, Roberts did say he hoped the number of All-Stars from his team would increase.
"I think they've all had great first halves, and it's great to know that three guys are starting," he said. "And so hopefully we get a couple, two or three more. Really, good, really good."
The teams that boasted a record five starters included Hall of Famers and also lesser-known players.
The '39 Yankees had All-Star starters Joe DiMaggio, George Selkirk, Bill Dickey, Red Rolfe and Joe Gordon. Red Ruffing was named the starting pitcher by manager Joe McCarthy, making the '39 Yankees the only team with six starting players.
The most recent team to land five All-Star starters was the '76 Cincinnati Reds, known as the Big Red Machine, led by future Hall of Famers Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan. Pete Rose, Dave Concepción and George Foster also started.
The Reds were called the Redlegs from 1953 to 1959 because of a period of intense anti-communism in the U.S. To distance themselves from the Red Scare, the Reds temporarily changed their name.
Cincinnati fans loved their team by any name, casting a deluge of last-minute votes two years in a row that eventually required intervention from MLB commissioner Ford Frick and caused MLB to eliminate fan voting for more than a decade.
Frick stood by the voting in '56 despite complaints that five Redlegs were voted in, saying, "Everybody had a chance to vote, so there should be no squawks.”
A year later he changed his tune when last-minute voting — remember, all votes were handwritten and manually tabulated — resulted in an all-Redlegs lineup. Frick swiftly stepped in and replaced three Redlegs with future Hall of Famers Stan Musial, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron.
Redlegs fans were incensed, some making an effigy of the commissioner and driving it through Cincinnati tied to a truck. The reaction from players was more muted, with Redlegs center fielder Gus Bell saying, "I’m not exactly burned up about being replaced by Willie."
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (8-6, 2.51 earned-run average) of the Dodgers is a strong candidate to make the NL pitching staff. At least one Angels player must be chosen as a reserve or pitcher, and the nod could go to Trout, who has 13 home runs but is batting .230.
Other possibilities for the resurgent Angels are catcher Logan O'Hoppe (17 home runs), shortstop Zach Neto (12 home runs, team-high 2.7 WAR), outfielder Jo Adell (18 homers, 44 runs batted in) and starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi (2.79 ERA in 96.2 innings).
MLB All-Star Starting Lineups
National League C: Will Smith, Dodgers 1B: Freddie Freeman, Dodgers 2B: Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks SS: Francisco Lindor, Mets 3B: Manny Machado, Padres OF: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs OF: Kyle Tucker, Cubs OF: Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves DH: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers
American League C: Cal Raleigh, Mariners 1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays 2B: Gleyber Torres, Tigers SS: Jacob Wilson, Athletics 3B: Jose Ramirez, Guardians OF: Aaron Judge, Yankees OF: Riley Greene, Tigers OF: Javier Baez, Tigers DH: Ryan O'Hearn, Orioles
Times staff writer Kevin Baxter contributed to this story.
The Buffalo Sabres made a pair of trades during and after the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles that opened up more cap space in advance of the beginning of free agency on July 1, but the club did not make any kind of splash as the market opened on Tuesday, re-signing three players on multi-year extensions and signing free agent winger Justin Danforth and goalie Alex Lyon to two-year deals.
Danforth had 21 points (9 goals, 12 assists) in 61 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season and signed for an AAV of $1.8 million, while Lyon, who went 14-9-1, with a 2.81 GAA and .896 save % in Detroit last season signed for $1.5 million per season.
“(Lyon is) a proven goaltender, ” Sabres GM Kevyn Adams said on Wednesday. “I think he's a really good veteran. A high character guy. He's proven in the league. He's played well in his time in the National Hockey League. He's going to challenge and push. We just think he helps us win hockey games.”
Danforth is expected to play a fourth line role, replacing Sam Lafferty, who was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday. Lyon, 32, will be in the mix to challenge for playing time behind Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and with youngster Devon Levi. Luukkonen, who did not have much of a threat to his starting role after Levi was demoted to Rochester early last season, had a subpar campaign (24-24-5, 3.20 GAA, .887 save %) in the first year of a five-year deal.
Levi, a restricted free agent this summer, still has an exemption to waivers that will allow him to be demoted to AHL Rochester next season. If Levi plays well in training camp and earns a roster spot, it is likely that the Sabres will carry three goalies on their NHL roster, as they did at the start of the 2023-24 season with Luukkonen, Levi, and Eric Comrie.
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NEW YORK — Francisco Lindor was dropped from the leadoff spot Wednesday night with the New York Mets in a major tailspin.
After making 191 consecutive starts at the top of the lineup, Lindor was listed in the No. 2 hole as the designated hitter for the second game of a day-night doubleheader against the Milwaukee Brewers and their rookie sensation, hard-throwing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski.
The slumping Lindor went 0 for 4 as New York mustered only two hits during a 7-2 loss in the opener, leaving him 2 for 29 with one walk in his past seven games. He is 8 for 60 (.133) in 15 games since June 15 and his batting average has plummeted from .289 with an .858 OPS on June 7 to .255 with a .766 OPS through Game 1 of the twinbill.
Brandon Nimmo was bumped up to leadoff, a role he was accustomed to before Mets manager Carlos Mendoza moved Lindor from third in the order to first in May 2024, citing the success the switch-hitter enjoyed atop the lineup earlier in his career with Cleveland.
The move led to Lindor breaking out of a prolonged slump and the Mets taking off following a miserable start. The star shortstop finished runner-up to Shohei Ohtani for NL MVP last year, and New York made a surprise playoff run before losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.
Lindor and the Mets both got out of the gate much better this season, but New York (48-38) had lost four straight and 14 of 17 heading into the second game of Wednesday’s doubleheader.
Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor is going to Atlanta. No, not to take on the Braves but to participate in the All-Star Game.
Lindor was named the starting shortstop for the National League All-Star team on Wednesday, an honor determined by fan voting. This is the fifth time Lindor has been named to the Midsummer Classic, but it's the first as a starter and as a member of the Mets.
The Mets shortstop has had a solid year. He entered the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader slashing .255/.324/.442 with an OPS of .766 with 16 home runs and 43 RBI as the team's leadoff man. Lindor beat out Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts for the honor.
Wednesday's announcement feels like a long time coming for Lindor. In 2023, he infamously missed out on being a reserve when his peers selected the Diamondbacks' Geraldo Perdomo for that spot. Last season, Trea Turner won the starting gig with CJ Abrams, Elly De La Cruz and Betts being named reserves. Lindor went on to be named runner-up for the NL MVP award that year.
Mets first baseman Pete Alonso was a finalist this year but was beat out by the Dodgers' Freddie Freeman.
