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Sox, Cubs: Rubber Game at Wrigley

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CHICAGO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Chicago Cubs host the Boston Red Sox on Sunday in the rubber match of both teams’ first series since the All-Star break.

Following an 8-3 loss on Friday in which five different Boston batters homered, Chicago evened the series on Saturday with a 10-4 romp.

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Cody Bellinger hit a third-inning grand slam that gave the Cubs a 6-0 lead. The gap never dipped below five runs the rest of the way.

“He’s been more than expected since he’s been here,” Chicago manager David Ross said of Bellinger. “He’s the total package, right? The defense, the clubhouse presence, the at-bat. And the power is showing up.”

Bellinger homered twice in Friday’s loss and is hitting .476 (20-for-42) in the month of July.

Every Chicago batter connected for at least one hit in Saturday’s win. Five drove in runs, led by Bellinger, who had the four RBIs thanks to his eighth career grand slam. Patrick Wisdom drove in two with a fourth-inning home run, and Nico Hoerner, Christopher Morel and Miguel Amaya each had one RBI.

Cubs All-Star left-hander Justin Steele (9-2, 2.56 ERA) looks to pitch Chicago to the series win on Sunday. Steele has won in each of his last three starts in which he earned a decision, though his most recent outing — a six-inning appearance on July 5 at National League Central rival Milwaukee — was a no-decision.

Steele gave up three earned runs and nine hits in that contest, a 4-3 Cubs win. Both were the most Steele has allowed since giving up 10 hits and five earned runs on May 26 against Cincinnati.

The appearance against Cincinnati was Steele’s most recent loss. Sunday marks Steele’s first time facing the Red Sox.

Right-hander Kutter Crawford (3-4, 4.11) will take the mound for Boston for his first career appearance against the Cubs.

Crawford last pitched on July 6, giving up three runs and seven hits over four innings in a no-decision against Texas.

The right-hander has struck out 58 over 61 1/3 innings on the season and recorded two of his three wins in 2023 over his last four starts prior to the All-Star break.

Boston aims to bounce back from its first loss since July 4. The Red Sox had won six straight games prior to Saturday’s setback.

“People make a big deal out of one game,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We’ll show up (Sunday) and play good baseball. We just didn’t make one play (Saturday), and that was it. We walked two, we hit one guy, we don’t make a play, they score six (runs).”

By scoring six runs in the third inning on Saturday, the Cubs matched the most runs scored by an opponent in a single game during Boston’s recent winning streak. The 10 total runs Chicago scored were just two fewer than Boston surrendered in its four previous games combined.

Though the Red Sox are five games above .500, Saturday’s loss dropped Boston to last place in the American League East.

–Field Level Media

Celtics Sign Jay Scrubb

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Celtics signed reserve guard Jay Scrubb to a two-way contract. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Scrubb, 6-5/220, has appeared in 24 career NBA games (one start) with the Los Angeles Clippers (2020-22), and Orlando Magic (2022-23) and owns career averages of 4.0 points and 1.5 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per game.

The Louisville, Kentucky native appeared in two games for the Magic last season and averaged 6.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals in 15.0 minutes per game. He also appeared in 28 games (25 starts) with the Lakeland Magic of the NBA G League, where he finished sixth in the league in total points scored (625) and ranked eighth in scoring with 22.3 points per game and averaged 5.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 31.0 minutes.

Scrubb was selected with the 55th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and became the first Junior College player selected in the NBA Draft since 2004. Scrubb earned First-Team NJCAA All-American honors in each of his two years at John A. Logan College and was named the 2019-20 National Junior College Athletic Association Player of the Year. He started in 55 of his 59 games played, and averaged 21.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists from 2018-20.

Power to the Red Sox

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CHICAGO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – When the Boston Red Sox signed left fielder Masataka Yoshida to a five-year, $90 million deal this offseason, few expected him to put his name on a list with Ted Williams.

But he did just that.

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Yoshida is Boston’s first left-handed hitter to string together eight straight multi-hit games since Williams accomplished the feat in 1940. He will try to keep the hits coming on Saturday when the Red Sox play the second game of a three-game set against the host Chicago Cubs.

During his impressive run, Yoshida has gone 17-for-34 (.500) with two homers, five RBIs and eight runs. He went 2-for-5 on Friday, helping the Red Sox pick up an 8-3 victory over Chicago in the series opener.

It wasn’t just Yoshida powering Boston to its sixth straight win, though, as the Red Sox clubbed a season-high six homers. Rafael Devers hit a pair of solo shots, while Adam Duvall, Triston Casas, Justin Turner and Yu Chang also went deep.

“We’re gonna hit, we know that. It’s just a matter of staying with an approach,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “We’re playing good baseball right now. It’s a good brand of baseball, it’s fun, and hopefully we can continue (Saturday).”

Left-hander James Paxton (5-1, 2.73 ERA) will hope the lineup can produce similar results on Saturday when he makes his 11th start of the season.

Paxton has been stellar over his past seven outings, going 4-0 with a 1.93 ERA.

In his most recent start, Paxton allowed two runs on six hits in six innings during a victory against the Oakland Athletics on July 8. He walked one and struck out three.

Paxton has never faced the Cubs.

Right-hander Marcus Stroman (9-6, 2.96 ERA) will get the nod for Chicago as he attempts to get back on track.

Through his first 16 starts this season, Stroman went 9-4 with a 2.28 ERA. In three outings since then, he is 0-2 with a 7.71 ERA, most recently surrendering four runs on four hits in five innings against the Milwaukee Brewers on July 6.

Due to his recent struggles, Stroman opted to sit out of Tuesday’s All-Star Game and focus on getting ready for the second half of the season.

“It’s been a huge process,” Stroman said. “I’m very thankful for everybody who’s helped me get to this point. I’m definitely looking forward to having a little bit of a break — kind of just reset my energy, clear my mind and have a good second half.”

Stroman will be presented with a good opportunity to find his early-season form on Saturday, as the right-hander is 6-4 with a 3.65 ERA in 15 career starts against the Red Sox.

Although the Cubs have alternated wins and losses over their past six games, center fielder Cody Bellinger has been a beacon of consistency. He has hit safely in 15 of his last 16 games, going 26-for-59 (.441) with four homers, nine RBIs and 15 runs during that span.

Bellinger accounted for most of Chicago’s offense during the loss on Friday, smacking two solo home runs.

–Field Level Media

Bello Starts-Off Sox Second Half

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CHICAGO – (Staff and Wire Service Report)Taking advantage of a starting pitching staff ravaged by injuries, Boston Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello is quickly starting to establish himself as an ace.

Bello has been rolling since late April and will look to continue dominating opposing lineups when the Red Sox open a three-game series against the host Chicago Cubs on Friday night to begin the second half of the season.

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After seeing left-hander Chris Sale hit the 60-day injured list due to a stress reaction in his shoulder blade, the Red Sox suddenly found themselves in more danger when right-handers Garrett Whitlock (elbow) and Tanner Houck (facial fracture) both landed on the 15-day IL.

But Bello (6-5, 3.04 ERA) has come to the rescue.

Over his last 12 starts, the 24-year-old has gone 6-4 with a 2.35 ERA. In addition to allowing no more than three earned runs in each of those 12 outings, Bello has worked at least five innings on 11 occasions during that stretch.

In his most recent start, Bello held the Texas Rangers’ high-octane offense at bay on July 5, surrendering two runs on eight hits in seven innings. He didn’t issue a walk while striking out three.

“The sinker is my best pitch and it always gets me out of trouble, and (July 5) was no exception,” Bello said through a translator. “(July 5) was a really good day for me, everything was working well, the changeup and sinker, and I was glad to be able to get quick outs after those first couple innings.”

Bello has never faced the Cubs.

Right-hander Kyle Hendricks (3-3, 3.04) will oppose Bello and try to bounce back from a rough outing against the New York Yankees on Sunday.

Hendricks was tagged for four runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings, but he escaped with a no-decision after Chicago scored six unanswered runs en route to a 7-4 win.

“That’s a really nice team win, something I think we needed going into the break,” Cubs manager David Ross said. “These guys have fought really hard. The way we’ve come back here lately has been really impressive.”

Chicago has won four of its last six games after going 1-7 over its previous eight. The Cubs have received a boost from right fielder Seiya Suzuki, who is 9-for-22 (.409) with a home run, two RBIs and three runs in his last six games.

Suzuki would be the hottest hitter heading into Friday’s matchup had it not been for Japanese countryman and Boston left fielder Masataka Yoshida, who is on a historic run.

Yoshida has logged seven consecutive multi-hit games, becoming the first rookie in Red Sox franchise history to accomplish the feat since Johnny Pesky did so in 1942. He is batting .517 (15-for-29) with two homers, five RBIs and seven runs during his streak.

If Hendricks wants to contain Yoshida and the rest of Boston’s lineup, he will need to replicate his only previous performance against the Red Sox. On April 30, 2017, Hendricks limited Boston to two runs on three hits across six innings while walking three and striking out six.

The Red Sox and Cubs last met in July 2022, when Chicago took two games of a three-game set at home. Prior to that, the clubs hadn’t faced each other since 2017.

–Field Level Media

SlamBall Addresses Health and Safety

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IN CASE THEY GET SLAMMED: SlamBall is coming! SlamBall is coming! The teams have been stocked with big-time athletes and bruisers and they are going to be risking life and limb. No joke. To that end, the league has worked diligently on its health and safety protocol program for the coming 2023 SlamBall League: Series Six season, which begins July 21 at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas. … The protocols are designed to make sure all athletes are receiving the best proactive health and wellness care and prevention without sacrificing any of their elite skills.

“We are a legitimate sport first and foremost, and the health and safety of our exemplary athletes is priority one,” said Mason Gordon, SlamBall co-founder. “Having been in and around SlamBall since its inception, our leadership team knows the risks and the challenges these athletes are dealing with every minute they are on the court.e are proud to have been able to address the concerns and challenges of such a high flying, action packed sport by making sure we have the right protocols and best practices in place. This makes sure that our sport is beyond reproach for anyone participating or watching as we head toward the launch on July 21.”

  • All players protective equipment include: Elbow pads, knee pads, padded combat shirt, ankleroll guards/ankle braces, and custom padded and fitted head gear.
  • In the event of a blow to the head SlamBall’s on-site certified athletic training team will put players through an extensive concussion evaluation protocol. Without exception, players must be medically cleared before returning to play or practice.
  • Players must undergo daily health and safety screenings with trained medical personnel. Injury status is updated daily and shared with coaches and executives.
  • Timeouts for any injury during play will be at the discretion of the medical staff once the officials have stopped play. Players can return only when cleared by the SlamBall medical team.
  • In addition to the 7-man roster, there are four players on a taxi squad who are available to any team needing to add a player due to injury. A coach may also elect to keep a player from the taxi squad in this situation and assign a different player to IR as he rehabs and returns to health. The safety of active players remains the priority, with the rosters adjusting for athletes that are cleared and able to play.
  • No athletes will be able to participate in practice or games unless cleared by the medical team.
  • Updates on injuries will be provided to fans/media during the regular season as needed and as approved by medical personnel and in accordance with HIPAA rules.

SLAM TV: Opening Night for the return of SlamBall is Friday, July 21, at 7pm ET and it will be broadcast exclusively on ESPN. The broadcast will include three games, beginning with Rumble vs. Mob and continuing with Slashers vs. Lava, and concluding with a showdown between the winners of each match. ESPN+ will air the entire season of games beyond those on ESPN and ESPN2. The season culminates with the SlamBall Championship Game on Thursday, August 17, at 11pm ET on ESPN2.

Basketball Hall Names Presenters

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SPRINGFIELD – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the list of Hall of Famers scheduled to present the Class of 2023 at the Enshrinement Ceremony to be held Saturday, August 12, at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts, the “Birthplace of Basketball.”

Organizers expect 45 Hall of Famers are to be in attendance for the ceremony, including all presenters.

Members of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2023 were asked to select previous inductees to accompany and present them to their peers. The choice is solely the decision of the incoming Hall of Famers or their family members if recognized posthumously.

The 2023 Hall of Fame Inductees and Presenters:

  • 1976 Women’s Olympic Basketball Team, presented by Ann Meyers (Class of 1993), Nancy Lieberman (‘96)
  • Becky Hammon, presented by Sheryl Swoopes (‘16), Teresa Weatherspoon (‘19)
  • David Hixon, presented by Jim Calhoun (‘05), John Calipari (‘15)
  • Dirk Nowitzki, presented by Jason Kidd (‘18), Steve Nash (‘18)
  • Dwyane Wade, presented by Allen Iverson (‘16)
  • Gary Blair, presented by Teresa Weatherspoon (‘19), Van Chancellor (‘07)
  • Gene Bess, presented by Chris Bosh (‘21), John Calipari (‘15), Roy Williams (‘07)
  • Gene Keady, presented by Jerry Colangelo (‘04), Tom Izzo (‘16)
  • Gregg Popovich, presented by David Robinson (‘09), Manu Ginobili (‘22), Tim Duncan (‘20), Tony Parker (‘23)
  • Jim Valvano, presented by John Calipari (‘15)
  • Pau Gasol, presented by Toni Kukoč (‘21)
  • Tony Parker, presented by Manu Ginobili (‘22), Tim Duncan (‘20)

Elias Diaz the Hero for NL All-Stars

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SEATTLE — The streak is mercifully over for the National League.

After nine consecutive All-Star Game defeats to the American League, the NL finally snapped the streak with a come-from-behind 3-2 win at T-Mobile Park on Tuesday night.

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The AL was six outs away from extending its run of dominance to a full decade when Philadelphia’s Nick Castellanos led off the top of the eighth inning with a walk off Felix Bautista. Pinch hitter Elias Diaz then drilled the fifth pitch he saw from Baltimore’s closer 360 feet to left field — a homer that earned him MVP honors.

“When I was running the bases, I was overcome by emotion,” Diaz said through an interpreter after the game.

It was the first lead of the game for the NL, whose bullpen threw three scoreless innings to finish the game. That included San Diego’s Josh Hader holding the lead in the eighth inning and Philadelphia’s Craig Kimbrel surviving a 30-pitch ninth to pick up the save.

After Tampa Bay’s Wander Franco flied out to the warning track in right field, Kimbrel struck out Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who had won the Home Run Derby the night before. However, Kimbrel then issued consecutive two-out walks to Houston’s Kyle Tucker and Seattle’s Julio Rodriguez before striking out Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez.

NL manager Rob Thomson said it was Kimbrel’s final batter of the game no matter the outcome so that he will be available when the Phillies return to action Friday.

“The drama in the ninth, it was great,” Thomson said.

He also said he wasn’t sure that Diaz, the 32-year-old All-Star rookie, would make an appearance Tuesday night. But Diaz said NL teammate Orlando Arcia told him earlier in the game that he would get an at-bat, hit a home run and win MVP honors.

“It feels incredible,” Diaz said when asked about helping to end the NL’s All-Star Game losing streak. “We all talked about it when we got here. I just didn’t realize it would be me, but it feels amazing to contribute.”

AL manager Dusty Baker said Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman told him it was the first home run that Bautista has given up off his split-fingered fastball all season.

San Francisco’s Camilo Doval pitched a scoreless seventh inning, picking up the win courtesy of the winning homer by Colorado’s catcher.

The AL had pulled ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning when Toronto shortstop Bo Bichette hit a sacrifice fly to score Kansas City’s Salvador Perez, who had singled after entering the game in place of designated hitter Shohei Ohtani. Perez was moved to third on a double by Oakland’s Brent Rooker off Cincinnati closer Alexis Diaz.

The AL took the first lead of the game in the second inning, when Tampa Bay’s Yandy Diaz opened the scoring with a 383-foot home run to left field off Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller.

The NL evened the score when Miami’s Luis Arraez, the league’s batting leader, singled home the Dodgers’ J.D. Martinez, who had opened the top of the fourth inning with a double off Seattle right-hander George Kirby. Kirby, who was named to his first All-Star Game as an alternate, was bailed out of further potential trouble when Arraez was caught stealing on a call that was overturned following a challenge by Baker.

Starting pitchers Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees and Zac Gallen of the Arizona Diamondbacks both pitched scoreless innings, but they accomplished the feats in different manners.

Cole, starting for the AL in his sixth All-Star Game, was taken to the wall twice. The first was by Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna Jr., whose deep shot to right field on the second pitch of the game was snagged on a jump by Texas’ Adolis Garcia.

Not to be outdone one batter later, Tampa Bay’s Randy Arozarena made a leaping catch against the left field wall to rob the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman.

Gallen had a far less eventful time in the bottom of the inning. He retired his first two batters before giving up a single to Arozarena, who was promptly thrown out attempting to steal by Atlanta catcher Sean Murphy.

NOTES: Toronto closer Jordan Romano left with one out in the seventh inning with what Baker said was a stiff lower back. … The AL now owns a 47-44-2 advantage in 93 All-Star Games. … This was the second All-Star Game held at T-Mobile Park, with the venue also playing host to the event in 2001, when it was called Safeco Field.

–Field Level Media

MLB All-Star Game Preview

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SEATTLE – (Staff and Wire Service Report from Field Level Media) – Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson could rely heavily on a division rival’s players when he takes charge of the National League lineup in tonight’s All-Star Game in Seattle.

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Eight Atlanta Braves made the All-Star team, including three starters: catcher Sean Murphy, shortstop Orlando Arcia and outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr., who earned the most All-Star fan votes of any player.

But from his roster of reserves, Thomson can slot in three more Braves — Matt Olson at first base, Ozzie Albies at second and Austin Riley at third — and play with the entire Atlanta infield if he so chooses.

“I guess there could be a chance that we have an all-Braves infield,” Thomson said Monday.

Thomson is managing in the All-Star Game after he took over the Phillies in June 2022 and guided them to the World Series after a disappointing start to the season. The Phillies lost to the Houston Astros, whose skipper, Dusty Baker, will be in charge of the American League on Tuesday.

The Phillies are a respectable 48-41 and in third place in the NL East at the break. However, the division rival Braves are 60-29 with a plus-147 run differential and look primed to make a run at their second World Series title in three years.

“…They have got a great club,” Thomson said. “They put up some really good offensive numbers, and they have all have earned that right to be on this team. So I’m really looking forward to getting to meet them, everybody in the clubhouse really, but I’m really looking forward to get to meet them and be with them and it’s really an honor to be managing this group of talent.”

Baker has a similar option available to him on the AL side.

The Texas Rangers — who hit the break leading Baker’s Astros by two games in the AL West — got a whopping five starters in the All-Star Game. Catcher Jonah Heim, second baseman Marcus Semien, shortstop Corey Seager, third baseman Josh Jung and outfielder Adolis Garcia will all be in the starting lineup on Tuesday.

Baker can’t make it an all-Texas infield, but he could insert Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi so that all six members of the organization are in the game simultaneously.

“Well, I hope so. I haven’t spoken to him yet,” Baker said Monday. “I haven’t spoken to our pitching coach yet who is going to talk to him.

“So, yes, right now we’re planning on getting everybody in there probably on one inning that’s available. But we’ve had to mix and match a little bit on who is available, who pitched Sunday, who pitched Saturday. So, above all, we have to try to take care of other people’s players.”

–Field Level Media

PGA Tour Officials Testify Before Senate

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No Merger Deal is Done, According to PGA Tour Officials

WASH DC – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – PGA Tour officials painted a bleak outlook during a contentious Senate hearing Tuesday, sharing they felt no other choice was left but to merge with Saudi-backed LIV Golf in order for the tour to survive.

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“The PGA Tour is not that big in terms of players,” PGA Tour board member Jimmy Dunne said during sworn testimony Tuesday before the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations in Washington, D.C. “If (LIV) takes five players a year, in five years they can gut us. They’ve got a management team that wants to destroy the Tour. And even though (LIV) could take five or six players a year, they have an unlimited horizon and an unlimited amount of money.

“So it isn’t like the (LIV) product is better. It’s just that there’s a lot more money that will make people move.”

Several Senators cited accusations of Saudi Arabia’s human rights abuses as reason to question the May 30 framework agreement between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.

“Today’s hearing is about much more than the game of golf,” Senator Richard Blumenthal said. “It’s about how a brutal, repressive regime can buy influence, and indeed even take over a cherished American institution to cleanse its public image.”

Dunne and Ron Price, the chief operating officer of the PGA Tour, testified on behalf of the tour with CEO Jay Monahan on medical leave. They said the framework of the planned merger is the best opportunity to allow the PGA Tour to continue to have some degree of control over the sport despite the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia’s involvement.

When pressed on the details of the financial involvement of the Saudis, Price said, “There’s been discussions. It would be a significant amount. North of $1 billion.”

Along with other Senators, Blumenthal offered harsh criticism of the financial aspects of the decision to merge.

“There is something that stinks about this path that you’re on right now,” Blumenthal said, “because it is a surrender, and it is all about the money and that’s the reason for the backlash that you see.”

Blumenthal asked Price what his options are if the PGA Tour doesn’t execute the merger with LIV Golf.

“We would still be facing a real threat that LIV Golf would continue to recruit our top players,” Price said.

Blumenthal responded, “These players that stood by you are heroes.”

Dunne testified that he shares some of the concerns Blumenthal raised in the hearing.

“I really understand Sen. Blumenthal’s concern about having them take over,” Dunne said. “…I’m concerned with what the senator is worried about. But I’m concerned if we do nothing, we’re going to end up there, they’re going to end up owning golf. They can do it.”

The proposed merger could face blockage from the Justice Department, which has been investigating the PGA Tour for its attempt to keep its players from leaving for LIV, as well as a review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a Treasury-led committee that assesses mergers for national security purposes.

Price and Dunne stressed during Tuesday’s hearing that final details of the merger are undetermined.

NBA: Silver Opines on Wealth Funds

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LAS VEGAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – With sovereign wealth funds starting to shovel money into sports teams and leagues across the country, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Monday that he does not see any state-owned investment groups becoming the controlling owner of an NBA franchise anytime soon.

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Per the NBA’s investment rules, the controlling owner of an NBA franchise must own at least 15 percent of the franchise.

If a sovereign wealth fund wants to get involved, it must have a passive investment in the organization that is worth no more than five percent. A prime example of this is the Qatar sovereign wealth fund, which last month agreed to purchase a five-percent stake in Monumental Sports and Entertainment, the controlling owner of the Washington Wizards, the WNBA’s Washington Mystics and the NHL’s Washington Capitals.

Silver wants to make sure that individuals are the ones that are primarily governing teams, though.

“I don’t want to say what could ever happen, but there’s no contemplation right now,” Silver said in Las Vegas. “I mean, it’s very important to us, putting aside sovereign wealth funds that individuals are in a position to control our teams, be responsible to the fans, be responsible to their partners and to the players.

“It’s very important to us that there be a person (in charge), and this is independent of sovereign wealth funds. I think that in terms of the connection with the community, the connection with the players and their other partners in the league.”

One of the most notable sovereign wealth funds as it relates to the sports is Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which funds LIV Golf. The PGA Tour created shockwaves across the golf world last month when it announced it planned to enter a merger with LIV.

–Field Level Media