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The Herald Scotland
3 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Mets' Pete Alonso stranded on deck in 2025 All-Star Game tiebreaker
Who would blame him? Alonso has already been to four previous All-Star Games, and it's not like he would be warmly welcomed in Atlanta. The Mets are the enemy down South, as he was coldly reminded during pre-game introductions when he was vigorously booed, and jeered when he replaced Freddie Freeman, the former hometown hero. Sorry, Alonso isn't built that way. This time, he wanted to conserve his energy, keeping fresh for the Mets' pennant race, but never once considered backing out of the game. "It's an honor for me," Alonso said. "Certain guys, if they're banged up, it's situational. But I'm healthy and I'm appreciative. It's a great event. "For me, it's a no-brainer to come." If the fans want him, and his peers voted for him, he believed it was a privilege to come, opting instead to decline an invitation to the Home Run Derby, which he has competed in five times, winning twice. So, the way Alonso figured it, as long as he was in town, he might as well put on a show. He nearly brought home a souvenir too, and was the leading candidate to earn the All-Star MVP award after hitting a three-run, sixth-inning homer, only for game to be decided in a historic swing-off. The hero of the tiebreaker, Kyle Schwarber, was named MVP of what was officially a 7-6 National League win in front of a sellout crowd of 41,702 at Truist Park. Alonso agreed be part of the tiebreaking home run derby, and was the third batter scheduled for the NL in the swing-off. But he was left stranded on deck when Tampa Bay Rays infielder Jonathan Aranda failed to homer, clinching the NL a 4-3 victory. "Honestly, I felt like a closer going into a game," Alonso said, "and then it's like, 'Wait, the guy on the field got a double play. You're not going in. The team wins.'" So, what was better, winning the home-run derby or winning a swing-off in an All-Star Game? "For me, I think that beats any Derby win," Alonso says. "Like, that's really special for me. So, I'm stoked. ... I mean, to win the All-Star game's a big deal. It's obviously a big competitive and pride thing." Besides, hitting a homer in an All-Star Game can be forever cherished. Hitting a few in the Home Run Derby would be forgotten by the trade deadline. "The Derby and stuff like that environment is just practice at the end of the day," Alonso says. "For me to do it in a competitive environment, where they're trying to get me out and not groove meatballs in there, it's really special to do that." And it still is an honor for Alonso to represent the National League. "It's a great way to honor family and friends," Alonso said, "because it's not just, 'I'm an All-Star.' They do a great job showing appreciation for family, friends, because every guy out there has a great support system, a village behind them." And the Midsummer Classic dropouts certainly didn't diminish the game in Alonso's eyes. "Some guys choose to take breaks,'' Alonso said, "but you've got the best talent on both sides here, whether American League or National League. Full of talent. The best talent, the best players in the big leagues. It's a really special group on both sides." Alonso's sentiments were echoed by Dodgers 11-time All Star Clayton Kershaw in his pre-game speech to the NL team, letting them know being an All-Star should be an honor, and never, ever be taken for granted. "The All-Star Game, it can be hard at times for the players," Kershaw said. "It's a lot of travel. It's a lot of stress, chaos, family, all the stuff. But it's meaningful. It's impactful for the game. It's important for the game. "We have the best All-Star Game of any sport. We do have the best product. So, to be here, to realize your responsibility in the sport is important. We have Shohei [Ohtani] here. We have Aaron Judge here. We have all these guys that represent the game really, really well, so we get to showcase that and be part of that is important. "I was super honored to be a part of it." Alonso had a blast picking up where he left off in the first half with 21 homers, 77 RBIs and a .908 OPS, leading the Mets to a 55-42 record, one-half game behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. "I'm really pleased with my performance so far," Alonso said. "There's a really special feeling around the team. I want to finish out the season strong and help this team do incredible things. I want this to be a very historic year for the franchise." Certainly, it's about to be historic for Alonso, too. He has 247 career homers, just five home runs shy of Darryl Strawberry's franchise record for homers. Just in time to hit free agency again when he's expected to opt out of the final year of his two-year, $54 million contract. "I'm just worried about the team winning,'' Alonso says. "The rest, will take care of itself."
The Herald Scotland
3 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Caitlin Clark questionable vs. Liberty, status unclear for All-Star Game
After a bounce pass to Kelsey Mitchell for a layup with 39.1 seconds remaining, Clark held the inside of her right thigh before walking over and banging her head against the stanchion in apparent frustration. Clark walked to the Fever bench, where she put a towel over her head. Status Report for tonight's game against New York: Caitlin Clark - Questionable (right groin) — Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) July 16, 2025 Clark suffered a left quad injury during the Fever's 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty on May 24 missed five games. Clark returned to the Fever's lineup on June 14 in the Fever's 102-88 win over the Liberty and dropped 32 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in her first game back. Clark then sustained a left groin injury four games later in the Fever's 94-86 win over the Seattle Storm on June 24, which resulted in her missing the next five games, including the Fever's 2025 Commissioner's Cup win over the Minnesota Lynx on July 1. The Fever went 5-5 without Clark in the lineup. The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game is being held in Indianapolis, which Clark previously called "really special to do it here in this city." As a captain, Clark picked teammates Aliyah Boston (starter) and Kelsey Mitchell (reserve) to compete against captain Napheesa Collier's team, but Clark's availability is now in question. The All-Star Game is scheduled for Saturday. Clark is also supposed to participate in the WNBA's 3-point contest on Friday. "It's exciting. I've never participated in a 3-point competition or practiced before, so just go out there and have fun," Clark said on Tuesday in her pregame news conference. "The lineup of people competing is tremendous .... it's going to be great for our league and for women's basketball as a whole." If Clark is out, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert would name a replacement. Earlier Tuesday, Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride was named an All-Star replacement after a knee injury sidelined Atlanta Dream star Rhyne Howard (reserve).
Boston Globe
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
MLB All-Star Game has slight drop in viewers despite having its first swing-off
Major League Baseball and the players' association made the change in 2022 amid concerns about running out of pitchers because hardly anyone throws more than an inning in the game anymore. The game was decided by having three batters from each league take three swings each off coaches in what was baseball's equivalent of soccer's penalty-kicks shootout. Advertisement Baseball continues to have the best ratings for an event featuring All-Stars. The NHL did not have an All-Star Game this year, while the NBA's averaged 4.7 million on TNT. The NFL's Pro Bowl games, a series of skills competitions and flag football, also averaged 4.7 million on ABC. Monday night's
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Liberty Superstar Makes History Against Caitlin Clark-less Fever
Liberty Superstar Makes History Against Caitlin Clark-less Fever originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Indiana Fever faced the conference-leading New York Liberty on Wednesday, falling 98–77. They were without star guard Caitlin Clark, who missed her tenth game of the season due to her third injury this year. Before this season, Clark had never missed a game in her college or professional career. However, her second WNBA season has been plagued by injuries, limiting her to 12 appearances, in which Indiana has gone 7-5. Clark has averaged 16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 8.8 assists this season, which are slightly underwhelming numbers considering the impressive rookie year she had. With the All-Star Game approaching and Clark serving as a team captain, her availability remains up in the air. On the other hand, New York's superstar saw Wednesday's matchup as an opportunity to make history at Barclays Center. Liberty forward Breanna Stewart led the charge, scoring 24 points on 66% shooting, adding 11 rebounds and seven assists. With this performance, Stewart, who's been in the league since 2016, now has the third most 20-point games in WNBA history. Wednesday's victory marked New York's fifth 20-point victory of the season, extending their lead for the most such wins in the WNBA this year. The Liberty won three straight and four out of their last five heading into the All-Star break, in which Stewart and guard Sabrina Ionescu will be representing them. They will face the Fever once again after the break on Tuesday, seeking their fourth consecutive victory in a relatively tight Eastern Conference. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Fox Sports
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 MLB All-Star Game on FOX Posts 7.2 Million In Viewership
An epic finish featuring the first ever home-run swing-off. A memorable tribute to one of baseball's greatest legends. The 95th MLB All-Star Game in Atlanta proved to be an instant classic. Tuesday's telecast also drew in 7.2 million viewers, making it the most-watched All-Star event, FOX Sports announced on Wednesday. That figure was also the most viewers for a FOX telecast since Super Bowl Sunday. Viewership for the Midsummer Classic peaked at 8.1 million between 9:15-9:30 p.m. ET. The National League defeated the American League for only the second time since 2013. After finishing 6-6 after nine innings at Truist Park, the game went to a swing-off for the first time in All-Star Game history. Philadelphia Phillies DH Kyle Schwarber earned MVP honors after he smashed three homers in the swing-off that helped the NL grab the win. As hosts, the Atlanta Braves also honored one of the greatest players of all time, Henry Aaron, with a touching tribute during the sixth inning that recreated his record-breaking 715th home run from 1974. The game had plenty of top moments beforehand as well. The NL took a six-run lead into the sixth inning thanks to home runs by Mets first baseman Pete Alonso and Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll. But the AL responded with a three-run homer by Athletics DH Brent Rooker. Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. then got the AL back within one run heading into the bottom of the ninth with a two-run hit. Witt then scored after Guardians' Steven Kwan beat out a ground-ball for an infield hit to tie it up and send the game to the home run swing off. Schwarber then secured the victory for the NL in the swing-off with a 4-3 tally, capping off an incredible night in Atlanta. The 2026 All-Star Game will be hosted by the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
