WATCH: Every swing of the epic All-Star Game home run tiebreaker
The format, adopted in 2022, replaced the traditional extra innings that would normally follow when a game is tied after nine. Under the new rules, each manager selects three players to compete in the tiebreaker, with each player allowed just three swings.
The team with the most total home runs is declared the winner.
The finish provided some unexpected drama and a thrilling conclusion to the Midsummer Classic.
Spoiler alert: The National League didn't even need to use two-time Home Run Derby champion Pete Alonso, as eventual All-Star MVP Kyle Schwarber blasted homers on all three of his allotted swings to propel his team to victory.
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Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Dwight Evans has another shot at the Baseball Hall of Fame. Here's what the data says about his candidacy.
The eight-man field will be assembled in the coming weeks. Any players selected would be enshrined in the Class of 2026. It could be the last chance for Evans, who has been in this position several times before, only to be disappointed. 'It's one of those things you try not to think too much about,' Evans said. 'But how can you not?' Former Red Sox right fielder Dwight Evans, now 73, is eligible for the Hall of Fame's Contemporary Baseball Era ballot that will be voted on in December by a 16-member committee. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff The former Red Sox right fielder spent three years on the ballot voted on by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Advertisement Evans received only 5.9 percent of the vote in 1997. He improved to 10.4 percent in 1998, then fell off the ballot in 1999 after receiving only 3.6 percent of the vote. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up There were 11 future Hall of Famers on the ballot in 1997, 10 in '98, and 12 in '99. In an era when most voters were loathe to vote for more than four or five players, Evans stood little chance. '[The writers] look at your overall numbers,' Evans said. 'What you did in your generation when you played against your peers, they don't look at that as much. I feel like that was why I fell off [the ballot] as quick as I did.' Advertisement Evans was considered by the Contemporary Baseball Era oversight committee in 1999, but fell four votes shy. Dave Parker, who was voted in by a different committee last winter, was a vote behind Evans. Evans was eligible again in 2022, but the Hall decided to deal with the controversial candidacies of Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Rafael Palmeiro, and Curt Schilling that year, and Evans was excluded. Only Fred McGriff was elected. Now Evans has another chance. Statistics, both traditional and advanced, give him a strong case. How Dwight Evans's stats compare with Hall of Fame players Compare Evans's stats with the average Hall of Fame position player below, and use the pulldown menu to select a specific player — including players who were on this year's ballot, future Hall of Fame ballots, and notable others. Key: G = games played | R = runs | H = hits | SB = stolen bases | HR = home runs | OPS = On-base percentage plus slugging | ASG = All-Star selection Hall of Famer Jim Rice, who played with Evans from 1974-89, feels strongly that his former teammate should be with him in Cooperstown. 'Give me a reason why he shouldn't be in,' Rice said. 'Dewey had the longevity, and when you look at his career, he was a complete player. 'He wasn't what I would call a flashy player. But for a long time he was one of the best players in the game.' By almost any statistical measure, Dwight Evans was one of the best all-around players in the game during the time he played. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff The fairest way to evaluate a player is within the context of his time. Evans made his debut with the Red Sox as a 20-year-old in 1972, playing 18 games at the end of the season. He went on to hit .272 with a .370 on-base percentage and .470 slugging percentage over 20 seasons and 10,569 plate appearances. Advertisement Only 18 other players in history have reached those marks over at least 10,500 plate appearances. Of that group, 12 are in the Hall of Fame. Two others — Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols — are likely choices once they reach the BBWAA ballot. The other four — Bonds, Palmeiro, Alex Rodriguez, and Gary Sheffield — have so far been denied admission because of their ties to performance-enhancing drugs. From 1973-91, Evans had 66.8 bWAR, the all-encompassing statistic as calculated by Only six players had more in that time — Mike Schmidt (106.8), George Brett (88.3), Rickey Henderson (84.6), Robin Yount (73.6), Gary Carter (70.1), and Cal Ripken Jr. (69.3). All are in the Hall of Fame. Evans was third in runs (1,468), fourth in doubles (480), fifth in extra-base hits (936), and seventh in home runs (384) during that period. All that while winning eight Gold Gloves. By almost any statistical measure, Evans was one of the best all-around players in the game during the time he played. 'Had Dwight played today, there would be much greater appreciation for the type of elite player he was,' said Theo Epstein, who built two World Series-winning teams for the Red Sox, and another for the Cubs. 'In his era, there wasn't as much awareness of the importance of getting on base. We weren't yet capable of quantifying the impact of superior defense. A guy who hit .270/.370/.470 and played a great right field could fly under the radar a bit. 'Dwight put up those numbers over the course of a 20-year career. These days, that guy is recognized as a star — and paid like one in the market, too. To me, Dwight is well over the line as a Hall of Famer.' Advertisement Where his Hall of Fame credentials lag are in categories out of his control. Evans was only a three-time All-Star and received MVP votes in five of his 19 full seasons. His best finish was third in 1981. The snubs were to some degree a product of Evans playing nearly his entire Red Sox career surrounded by All-Stars. Carl Yastrzemski was a nine-time All-Star during the time Evans was with the team. Rice made it eight times. Carlton Fisk and Fred Lynn were selected six times each. 'How many of our guys were they going to take?' said Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley, who played with Evans from 1978-84. 'Dewey was overshadowed. He had a breakout year in '81, and then we went on strike. He could have been MVP that year. 'I feel like he was totally overlooked until the analytics came in and people realized just how good he was. Personally, I loved him as a player.' Dwight Evans won eight Gold Gloves during his 20-year major league career. Dan Goshtigian, Globe Staff Then there's the 'fame' aspect of the Hall of Fame. Evans was 15 of 50 (.300) with a .977 OPS, seven extra-base hits, seven walks, and 14 RBIs over 14 career games in the World Series. In two of the greatest World Series in history — the Red Sox-Reds matchup in 1975, and the Red Sox-Mets clash in 1986 — Evans was one of the brightest stars. His catch in Game 6 of the 1975 Series off Joe Morgan is considered one of the greatest defensive plays in history. Evans is second in Red Sox history in games (2,505), fourth in hits (2,373), fourth in doubles (474), third in walks (1,337), and fourth in bWAR (66.5). Advertisement The names around him on those lists — Ted Williams, Yastrzemski, Wade Boggs, and David Ortiz — were all first-ballot Hall of Famers. 'He belongs in,' said Baseball Hall of Fame honoree Peter Gammons, who covered Evans on a daily basis when he worked for the Globe. 'In 1975, [Reds manager] Sparky Anderson said he was the best player on that team. He did so many things well.' Gammons also points out that Evans was knocked unconscious by a pitch from the Mariners' Mike Parrott late in the 1978 season. Evans struggled into the '79 season, before regaining his balance at the plate. 'He had to overcome a lot,' Gammons said. 'Then he was one of the best players in the 1980s.' Eckersley, Rice, and other former teammates believe Evans lacked a bigger profile because he shunned the spotlight. Unlike some players, Evans didn't banter with reporters after games or make many television appearances during his career. 'He was getting dressed and going home right after the game,' Rice said. 'People didn't understand it, but his teammates did.' Evans and his wife, Susan, had two sons, Timothy and Justin. Both were born with neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerve tissue throughout the body. Timothy was born in 1973, and Justin in 1976. Both required constant medical care that included frequent surgical procedures. To assist his wife in caring for their sons, Evans usually returned to his home in Lynnfield as quickly as he could after games. 'My home life was very precious to me,' Evans said. 'If I did something in the game and I had to speak to the press, I made sure it was short and quick. I had to get home or sometimes get to the hospital. Advertisement 'I played with a lot of players who were in the limelight. I was quiet. I didn't need that.' Dwight and Susan Evans pose with children (left left) Kirstin, Timothy, and Justin in 1978. Jack O'Connell/Globe Staff/The Boston Globe Justin died in 2019 at the age of 42. Timothy died 10 months later in 2020, when he was 47. Evans has been to Cooperstown several times. He did a book signing last summer, and was there when Fisk (2000) and Rice (2009) were inducted. At this stage in his life, Evans hopes his day is coming. 'It bothers me when I see players whose stats were the same as mine or a little bit better and they're in,' Evans said. 'I shake my head a little, but what can I say? 'I played golf with [Hall of Famer] Jim Kaat recently. He had 283 wins and he had to wait to get in. That's sad. I feel sad for Dave Parker, who had to wait as long as he did. 'It would be tremendous to get it. Is it going to make me a better person? I don't think so. If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. If it does, I would be excited.' Below are all Hall of Fame position players voted in by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Also included are players of note who are not in the Hall. Use the buttons to select a position and see how the players compare. You can also click on the colored squares at the top to hide and show categories. Peter Abraham can be reached at
3 hours ago
MLS commissioner discusses season shift, Messi absence before All-Star game
Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber says the league continues to look at shifting to a fall-to-spring season, saying he'd 'rather get it right and take our time than get it wrong and do it quick.' Garber spoke before Wednesday night's MLS All-Star game in Austin, Texas. He also spoke about the league's Apple TV streaming deal and the sale of the Vancouver Whitecaps in his state of the league address before the game. While he was peppered with questions about the calendar, looming large over the match between MLS and Liga MX All-Stars was the absence of Inter Miami star Lionel Messi. Currently MLS plays a spring-to-late fall season. A shift to align the league with its international counterparts would make MLS teams more competitive in the player transfer market, while also freeing up players for national team duty during the summer, when many major global tournaments take place. But there are obvious challenges, like weather. 'Making this change is seismic. It's not something we should do lightly. We obviously have teams across multiple climate zones, multiple time zones, unlike any other league in the world, and if we do make the change, we're not going to go back on that decision," Garber said. The MLS Board of Governors announced in April that it was giving further consideration to the shift, but gave no timeline. Garber suggested there would be an announcement by the end of the year. Garber declined to say whether Messi or Inter Miami teammate Jordi Alba would face suspension for missing the All-Star game, as league rules have dictated in the past. Miami's next match is Saturday against FC Cincinnati in Fort Lauderdale. The Whitecaps announced in December that the team was for sale. Greg Kerfoot has been owner of the club since 2002, when it was part of the North American Soccer League. Steve Luczo, Jeff Mallett and former NBA star Steve Nash joined Kerfoot in 2008, and the Whitecaps became part of MLS in 2011. Garber said there are no plans to move the club, although the Whitecaps need a new stadium. Currently, Vancouver plays at the multi-purpose BC Place, which is also the home of the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. As for the league's streaming deal with Apple, Garber said MLS is working with the company to provide fans greater access. Distribution through cable and satellite services this season has helped. Metrics for viewership have been hard to come by because there's no system to determine exactly how people are 'viewing and consuming' games via a subscription service, Garber said. But he revealed that there have been 120,000 unique viewers per match and vowed greater transparency going forward.
San Francisco Chronicle
4 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
McIntosh goes for 5 individual golds at world championships with Los Angeles Olympics in sight
Summer McIntosh won three individual gold medals a year ago at the Olympics, the star in the Paris pool alongside France's Léon Marchand. Apparently unsatisfied with three, she'll go for five gold medals starting Sunday at the world swimming championships in Singapore. Call it a trial run for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. The worlds is the highest profile swim meet since last year's Olympics, a showcase for newcomers as well as veterans who hope to stick around until Los Angeles. McIntosh will be very busy during the eight days in the pool, packing her schedule with five individual events. She'll contend with prelims in some events, and she'll also add relays. 'This means 14 or 15 races she could swim in eight days, demanding races,' Canada's head coach Iain McDonald told The Associated Press. 'It's a very challenging schedule she's set for herself.' The 18-year-old Canadian set three world records in five days in June at the national trials. She broke her own 400-meter individual medley mark, dropping it to 4 minutes, 23.65 seconds, and set the 200 IM record (2:05.70) and the 400 freestyle record (3:54.18). She was also a mere half-second behind the 200 butterfly record, which has stood since 2009, and just off the 800 freestyle record set last month by American Katie Ledecky. 'She's such a versatile athlete, it's kind of tough to nail what her best events are,' McDonald said. 'She's pretty good right across the spectrum." Opening day McIntosh will be the focus on Day 1 of the pool events in Singapore. She swims the 400 freestyle final, and comes back about 30 minutes later for a semifinal of the 200 IM. Despite holding the world record in the 400 free, she's never won gold in the event at the Olympics or worlds. This time she's ready, and credits coach Fred Vergnoux. 'I'm super pumped for the 400 freestyle and I'm really excited to see how I manage doing the double,' McIntosh told Canadian broadcaster the CBC. McIntosh said Vergnoux has boosted her endurance, pointing more to distance events. 'It's true that I haven't been able to do it on world stage yet,' she said of the 400. 'I think going into past big meets I haven't had the confidence in my training and my freestyle in general — technique-wise and endurance-wise — that I have now.' Ariarne Titmus was the gold medalist in Paris with silver for McIntosh, but the Australian swimmer is taking a year off. It's Titmus's record that McIntosh just broke. Ledecky, the bronze medalist in Paris, appears to be McIntosh's chief rival. McIntosh will also face Ledecky in the 800, which might be the only race where McIntosh is not favored. It's probably 50-50, and it might be the biggest race of the championships. Ledecky set the world record this year of 8:04.12, and McIntosh is right behind, having clocked 8:05.07. 'I think she loves it (the challenge),' Greg Meehan, the U.S. team director, said of Ledecky. 'There are always threats coming at you because you've set yourself to be the gold standard.' McIntosh dominates the two IM races, and should also be a favorite in the 200 butterfly. Ledecky's best race is the 1,500 where she holds the world record and also has the 23 top times in history in the event — and No. 25, too. McIntosh is not in the field here. McIntosh, who will swim this fall under Bob Bowman at the University of Texas at Austin, arrived on the scene aged 14 at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, finishing fourth in the 400 free. 'She's been such a strong performer through her entire career at such a young age,' McDonald said. "But she always manages to surprise you, upping her game a little bit.' Attention on Yu Some of the attention in Singapore will be on 12-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi. Yu has qualified in the 200 and 400 IMs and the 200 butterfly and could face McIntosh in all three finals. Unbelievably, she could win a medal — at 12. Yu's time of 2:10.63 in the Chinese championships in May was the fastest by any 12 year old — female or male — in history. She's also swum 2:06.83 in the 200 fly and 4:35.53 in the 400 IM. Both of those times would have been good for fourth place in last year's Olympics. Astoundingly, Yu is 12 to 15 seconds faster than McIntosh was at age 12, depending on the event. That's roughly a half-lap of a 50-meter pool. 'There is always somebody coming up next,' McDonald said. ___
