PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jordan Walker silenced Philadelphia’s boo birds by homering on his last six swings, chasing down Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber in the final round and becoming the first St. Louis Cardinal to win the Home Run Derby. Schwarber hit 11 homers during his 15-swing turn in the final round. Philly fans, who loudly booed everyone but Schwarber and Bryce Harper throughout the night, quietly headed toward the exits when Walker’s winning shot soared over the left field wall. The 24-year-old Walker seemed nonplussed by the jeers and the massive stage during All-Star Game festivities.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kyle Schwarber of the host Philadelphia Phillies will lead off for the National League in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game as the replacement for designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, who is skipping the showcase to have a knee procedure ahead of the season’s second half. New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice and outfielder Cody Bellinger, and Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene gained American League starting spots because of injuries. Rice, third in the major leagues with 29 home runs, starts at first base because Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is skipping the game to rest a bad back. Guerrero’s initial replacement, the Athletics’ Nick Kurtz, sprained a thumb.
PHILADELHIA (AP) — Don Mattingly felt a tinge of awkwardness when he was offered the chance to serve as a coach under Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts at the All-Star Game. Mattingly passed on a guaranteed spot when he left his job as Toronto’s bench coach for manager John Schneider after the World Series when the Blue Jays lost the World Series in seven games to the Dodgers. He’s now the interim manager for the Philadelphia Phillies and has them back in the thick of the playoff race. He’ll also coach against Schneider and his Blue Jays staff at Tuesday’s All-Star Game played in Philadelphia’s home Citizens Bank Park.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Major League Baseball is facing a potential work stoppage over management's proposed salary cap. The current labor contract expiries Dec. 1 and a lockout is expect. The proposal aims to reduce payroll disparities, but All-Stars like Juan Soto, Bryce Harper and Paul Skenes oppose it. They argue it would limit earnings and opportunities for young players. Negotiations began in May and will continue after the All-Star break. Players are seeking expanded free agency and arbitration rights. Concerns are growing about a possible shortened or lost 2027 season.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Phillies All-Star Bryce Harper says FanDuel SportsBook had “no right” to use its logo on a Cameo video he made. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported last week that Harper's video was sent to a fan with a gambling addiction. The fan, Terry Thompson, had wagered $18.5 million with FanDuel. Harper says he was unaware of FanDuel’s intentions or Thompson's situation. The video was marked with FanDuel's logo, and Harper says he did not consent to this use. He addressed the issue on social media Monday, hours before the Home Run Derby.
UNDATED (AP) — Josh Allen was voted the NFL’s top quarterback by The Associated Press in a preseason survey. The 2024 AP NFL Most Valuable Player beat out Patrick Mahomes, who earned the top spot each of the three previous seasons. Allen received five first-place votes from a panel of eight AP pro football writers, who ranked the top five quarterbacks entering the 2026 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kylian Mbappé and France haven’t trailed at all in this year's World Cup. Neither has Spain with teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. Only one can reach the final. France and Spain play Tuesday in the first of two powerhouse semifinal matches. France has outscored its opponents 14-2, with Mbappé matching Lionel Messi's eight goals for the scoring lead at the tournament. Spain has outscored opponents 10-1, with Mikel Merino scoring decisive goals as a substitute in the past two games. This is the first World Cup since 1990 that each of the final four teams are former champions. Defending champion Argentina and England play in the other semifinal match.
UNDATED (AP) — Beginning with next year’s NCAA women’s basketball tournament, the top 16 teams will be placed in the bracket in their true ranking regardless of conference affiliation. In the past, the top four teams in a conference would be placed in different regions to protect them from playing each other until the Final Four. For example, the tournament this past season had four SEC teams in the top eight overall seeds. Texas was third, South Carolina fourth, LSU fifth and Vanderbilt seventh. The Gamecocks and Tigers would now be in the same region instead of moving them to different ones.
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State athletics director Jamie Pollard says he plans to retire next summer after a 22-year run leading the school’s sports programs. Pollard is the nation’s longest-tenured active Power 4 athletics director. He expects to step down on June 30, 2027. The school says it will begin a national search for Pollard’s successor in the fall. Iowa State has won 24 Big 12 team titles in eight different sports during Pollard’s tenure. The Cyclones have also had 24 NCAA individual champions during his tenure.
CINCINNATI (AP) — An Ohio judge has granted a preliminary injunction for 24 men’s and women’s college basketball players suing the NCAA to be eligible, claiming the new age-based model unfairly shuts them out of further competition. Judge Christopher Wagner said Thursday the NCAA eligibility rules have been applied in an arbitrary and capricious manner. Wagner’s ruling allows the athletes in the lawsuit an opportunity to enter the transfer portal. He scheduled a conference for Aug. 4 to prepare for a trial. Downton has filed similar lawsuits against the NCAA on behalf of nearly 30 men’s and women’s basketball players.
SOUTHPORT, England (AP) — Perhaps even more astonishing than the way Jordan Spieth won the British Open at Royal Birkdale is what followed. He won the claret jug nine years ago. He was still 23 and had three legs of the career Grand Slam. Spieth is still stuck on three majors in his return to Royal Birkdale this week. And he has won only two times on the PGA Tour. Spieth says that Open victory gave him a blueprint of how to be his best. And he still believes he can get back to that level. The frustration has been waiting on the results.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Utah Jazz guard Trey Alexander was taken from the
court on stretcher Monday night after appearing to injure his side on
a drive to the basket in an NBA Summer League game against the
Chicago Bulls. Alexander, who signed a two-way deal with Utah last
week, made contact with the Bulls’ Caleb Wilson while driving
toward the basket and, after tossing the ball toward the hoop, went
behind the basket clutching his side or abdomen. He then dropped to
the ground, seemingly in great pain. The 23-year-old Alexander was
taken from the Thomas & Mack Center court on a stretcher. There
was no immediate word from the Jazz on Alexander’s injury.