2024 MLB All-Star Recreation starters introduced; why Lakers are huge losers this offseason

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One fast programming observe: With the vacation, this would be the solely e-newsletter at the moment, and Chris can have the afternoon e-newsletter tomorrow to deliver us into the weekend.

⚾ Good morning to everybody, however particularly to …

THE MLB ALL-STAR GAME STARTERS

After studying Aaron Choose and Bryce Harper could be All-Star Recreation starters final week, we discovered who will be part of them within the beginning lineups for the Midsummer Basic.

Within the AL …

• Catcher: Adley Rutschman, Orioles 
• First baseman: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
• Second baseman: Jose Altuve, Astros
• Third baseman: José Ramírez, Guardians
• Shortstop: Gunnar Henderson, Orioles
• Outfielders: Aaron Choose, Yankees; Juan Soto, Yankees; Steven Kwan, Guardians
• Designated hitter: Yordan Alvarez, Astros

And within the NL …

• Catcher: William Contreras, Brewers
• First baseman: Bryce Harper, Phillies
• Second baseman: Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks
• Third baseman: Alec Bohm, Phillies
• Shortstop: Trea Turner, Phillies
• Outfielders: Christian Yelich, Brewers; Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres; Jurickson Profar, Padres
• Designated hitter: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers

The pitchers and reserves will likely be introduced Sunday.

👍 Honorable mentions

🏀 And never such a great morning for …

THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS

Primarily based on simply the surface-level headlines, you’d assume it was an incredible day for the Lakers.

However once you dig deeper, the primary and third bullet factors are extra causes that this summer time has been a failure for Los Angeles, Sam Quinn writes.

You might keep in mind that James was reportedly keen to take a pay minimize if it could assist the Lakers add a key participant. As an alternative, they whiffed on Klay Thompson, and Jonas Valanciunas and James Harden — different gamers for whom James would have taken a pay minimize — who all signed elsewhere.

Now, James has all the flexibleness on this planet — a no-trade clause and an choice to hit free company after this season following his long-awaited season together with his son — and the Lakers have virtually none. Until Dalton Knecht is the uncommon immediate-impact outside-the-lottery rookie, the Lakers have made no upgrades to a roster that wasn’t near contending final season.

Even the Brooks and McMillan information got here after a rejection from Dwane Casey. The Redick hiring, after all, got here after Dan Hurley rejected a low-ball supply.

The previous few weeks have been an indictment of the franchise, Sam writes.

• Quinn: “By this context, it is not exhausting to see why folks may be a bit hesitant to affix the Lakers. The crew is usually a circus. The entrance workplace continues to flee accountability for the crew’s on-court failures at the same time as coach after coach is jettisoned for them. It is not clear what precisely the on-court plan is. … Proper now, the Lakers are a Play-In crew that’s simply getting older and worse in a convention steadily getting youthful and higher.”

At the very least they are not alone, even in their very own metropolis. Invoice Reiter wrote about how each the Lakers and Clippers have fallen into mediocrity.

👎 Not so honorable mentions

🏀 Extra NBA offseason winners, losers

Los Angeles is not the one multi-team NBA metropolis. On the opposite facet of the nation, Brad Botkin ranked the Nets dealing Mikal Bridges to the Knicks because the finest transfer this offseason, because it accomplishes targets for each groups. The Knicks are deeper, extra versatile and easily higher. The Nets received a ton of draft picks and are bottoming out forward of what ought to be a loaded 2025 draft class.

As such, each groups land within the “winners” column of Brad’s offseason winners and losers. Not each crew was so fortunate, although. Whereas most title contenders — Knicks included — received higher, one specifically received worse:

• Botkin: “Loser: Denver Nuggets — Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was Denver’s finest point-of-attack defender and an ideal offensive element inside the Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray galaxy — by which he fired 3s and minimize for layups and curled off two-man actions for pull-up mid-range jumpers with consideration all the time shifted elsewhere. … Because it seems proper now, Denver will solely look to interchange Caldwell-Pope internally, most likely by selling Christian Braun into the beginning lineup. Braun is a pleasant spark-plug participant. He isn’t KCP. Denver was already low on shooters and it simply received worse.”

🌭 Why Joey Chestnut will not be at scorching canine consuming contest

There will likely be a giant title — the huge title — lacking from at the moment’s Nathan’s Well-known Sizzling Canine Consuming Contest. Sixteen-time champion Joey Chestnut will not compete, that means we’ll have a non-Chestnut winner for the primary time since 2015. Chestnut, who holds the all-time document with 76 scorching canine and buns eaten on the 2021 occasion, has received 16 of the final 17 contests. 

Slightly below a month in the past, Main League Consuming barred Chestnut from the competitors as a consequence of his endorsement take care of Inconceivable Meals, which makes vegan scorching canine and competes with Nathan’s.

Chestnut detailed in an interview that he could be open to a return sooner or later.

Nonetheless you regard consuming contests, not having the GOAT is a bummer. It is like a major Tiger Woods lacking a serious … but when there was just one main per 12 months. By way of competitiveness, this really may make this 12 months’s contest higher contemplating how dominant Chestnut has been, however stars make competitions go ‘spherical. This 12 months simply will not be the identical. 

📺 What we’re watching Thursday and this weekend

Thursday

🎾 Wimbledon, 6 a.m. on ESPN
🌭 Nathan’s Well-known Sizzling Canine Consuming Contest, midday on ESPN2
⚾ Cardinals at Pirates, 12:35 p.m. on ESPN+
⚽ Copa America — Quarterfinal: Argentina vs. Ecuador, 9 p.m. on Fox

Friday

🎾 Wimbledon, 6 a.m. on ESPN
⚽ Euro 2024 — Quarterfinal: Spain vs. Germany, midday on Fox
⚽ Euro 2024 — Quarterfinal: Portugal vs. France, 3 p.m. on Fox
⚾ Phillies at Braves, 7:20 p.m. on Apple TV+
⚽ Copa America — Quarterfinal: Venezuela vs. Canada, 9 p.m. on FS1

Saturday

🎾 Wimbledon, 7 a.m. on ESPN
⚽ Euro 2024 — Quarterfinal: England vs. Switzerland, midday on Fox
🏀 Liberty at Fever, 1 p.m. on CBS
⚾ Purple Sox at Yankees, 1:05 p.m. on FS1
⚽ Euro 2024 — Quarterfinal: Netherlands vs. Turkey, 3 p.m. on Fox
🏀 Summer season League: Lakers at Kings, 4:30 p.m. on ESPN
⚽ Copa America — Quarterfinal: Colombia vs. Panama, 6 p.m. on FS1
🏀 Summer season League: Warmth at Warriors, 6:30 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ Brewers at Dodgers or Phillies at Braves, 7:15 p.m. on Fox
⚽ Copa America — Quarterfinal: Uruguay vs. Brazil, 9 p.m. on FS1

Sunday

🎾 Wimbledon, 7 a.m. on ESPN
⚽ Racing Louisville FC at Braveness, 1:30 p.m. on CBS Sports activities Community
🏀 Wings at Aces, 3:30 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ MLB All-Star Recreation pitchers/reserves announcement, 5:30 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Summer season League: Lakers at Warriors, 6:30 p.m. on NBA TV
⚾ Purple Sox at Yankees, 7 p.m. on ESPN