The unofficial halfway point of the MLB season is already here, and fans all over the country will be tuned into one of baseball’s spectacles on Monday night.
This year’s Home Run Derby, however, might be the most-viewed ever, as it will be streamed on Netflix.
“It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be really exciting. What they’re doing to our sport, getting basically worldwide recognition. Fans that maybe aren’t interested in baseball see that it’s on Netflix and think, ‘Hey, I’m gonna watch this.’ So, we have a really good opportunity to bring baseball to viewers that don’t necessarily see it on a daily basis,” former All-Star and Derby participant Anthony Rizzo, who is a Netflix analyst for the event, said recently to Fox News Digital.
Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo bats during the Gillette Home Run Derby presented by Head & Shoulders at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio.(Elsa/Getty Images)
“They bring stardom everywhere. Everything they do, Netflix is first class. So, I’m excited for the guests we’re going to have on, the baseball players, the celebrities, the whole shebang.”
In an era where All-Star Games have turned into simply careful scrimmages, baseball’s remains different, as 100 mph fastballs with devastating breaking balls are still constant.
“I think when you get between the lines, it’s all fun and games until the game starts. It’s still relaxed and fun, but when you’re in the box or on defense, it’s very competitive. You want to take the guy deep, you want to get a hit, you want to showcase your All-Star talent on the national stage. If you get out, it doesn’t matter as much. If you get a hit, it doesn’t matter as much. But it feels good to perform at the All-Star Game,” Rizzo said.
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One All-Star phenomenon in the NBA’s Dunk Contest unarguably has been watered down due to the fact that simply the game’s stars don’t participate. But that is not the case with the Home Run Derby, even with the exhaustion it brings.
Anthony Rizzo of the Chicago Cubs bats during the Gillette Home Run Derby at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio.(Rob Carr/Getty Images)
“I’ve done the Derby myself, and I was sore for a week afterward just because of how hard I was swinging. So, you’ve really got to assess where you’re at physically and mentally. It’s mentally grueling, too. The magnitude and the emotion that go into the Derby and the All-Star Game are intense, and then two days later you’re back playing. So, you’ve just got to know yourself,” said Rizzo.
But Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Junior Caminero, and Ben Rice are just some of the top names that will be in Philadelphia attempting to hit as many home runs in 20 swings each round.
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“The Derby brings adrenaline that you’re just not used to having in July,” Rizzo said.
“You want the big stars in it all the time. It’s also really good for young players to showcase themselves. I don’t think the game will ever shy away from it, and the incentive to win now is higher than it’s ever been. To hit a few home runs over a couple of hours and win seven figures is a pretty nice outcome, for sure.”
The break, Rizzo inclined, has the potential to be one of the best ever.
“I think it’s just so hard to be an All-Star every year. What goes into being an All-Star in Major League Baseball, especially as a position player, is you’re not just going to roll out there and hit 20 to 30 home runs by the All-Star break and have a .280 to .300 average. There’s so much work that goes into it,” he said.
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Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo looks on during batting practice before the 86th MLB All-Star Game at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio.(Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
“Then you get to enjoy and celebrate that moment with all your peers who have also had a great first half. The Home Run Derby is awesome. It’s in Philly, and I feel like Philly right now is just on fire. The Phillies have completely turned their season around and are looking like World Series contenders again. It’s America’s 250th birthday, the World Cup is coming, and everything’s going right right now. Philly, the Home Run Derby there, the All-Star Game, I would imagine the city’s going to be rocking.”
Shakur Stevenson has been linked to a showdown with Gervonta Davis throughout his career but now the Newark southpaw has predicted how his rival would fare against one of the greats of the sport in Oscar De La Hoya.
Stevenson and Davis each held world titles in the lightweight division as recently as February, but Stevenson was then stripped of his WBC crown due to unpaid sanctioning fees and ‘Tank’ was recently demoted to the WBA’s ‘champion-in-recess’ because of prolonged inactivity.
Any hope of seeing the fight is now beginning to dwindle, with Stevenson having signed with Zuffa Boxing, whilst Davis is expected to remain sidelined until early 2027, meaning if the pair are to ever fight, it is unlikely to be anytime soon.
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Despite that, Stevenson still clearly holds his rival in high regard, as when discussing hypothetical encounters in an interview with Daily Mail Sport, he picked the Baltimore-born knockout artist to trump a prime De La Hoya, who is one of just two fighters in boxing history to have ruled in six divisions.
De La Hoya fought as a lightweight for just over a year-and-a-half and is better known for his reign as welterweight champion, where he overcame the likes of Pernell Whittaker, Héctor Camacho and Julio César Chávez.
Although, whilst Stevenson also picked Davis to overcome stars such as Vasyl Lomachenko and ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley, he felt as though a meeting with pound-for-pound sensation Terence Crawford would prove to be a step too far for the undefeated three-division conqueror.
Juan Gomez de Liaño (with ball) rises for a shot. —PBA IMAGES
Converge got off to a flying start in the PBA Governors’ Cup on Sunday when it pummeled an import-less Titan Ultra squad by 31 in faraway Rodriguez, Rizal.
Juan Gomez de Liaño and the rest of the FiberXers are hoping that the 105-74 rout at the Ynares Center Montalban would set the tone for a potential turnaround after a dismal run in the Commissioner’s Cup.
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“It’s definitely added motivation for us to try to perform and win games,” Gomez de Liaño said.
The FiberXers missed out on a playoff spot in the previous conference despite stockpiling new talent with the arrival of Mikey Williams and the acquisition of Calvin Abueva to mix with Gomez de Liaño, Justin Arana, Justine Baltazar and Alec Stockton.
Enough time
But Converge could only post a 5-7 record as it dealt with an adjustment period with a new roster while also enduring the inconsistencies of 7-foot import Kylor Kelley, who was replaced by Donovan Smith, albeit too late.
With that experience and enough time to build more chemistry this time, the FiberXers will attempt to get back to their winning ways in the Governors’ Cup.
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“I truly believe our team can make it far in the playoffs, especially with the guys that we have,” the Rookie of the Year frontrunner and Most Valuable Player candidate said. “I’m very optimistic still. And I know that we can make it happen with the pieces that we have.”
Beermen’s opener
Gomez de Liaño, coming off an impressive stint with Gilas Pilipinas in the third window of the Fiba World Cup Qualifiers, scored just two points but had nine rebounds and nine assists in the blowout win.
Import Jalen Hudson, back in the PBA after his debut in 2023 with TNT was cut when he was replaced by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, posted 20 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals while Williams hit seven of his 13 points in the second quarter.
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Meanwhile, San Miguel Beer starts its third conference campaign on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, favored to run roughshod over a guest team Macau squad that lost to NLEx by 39 points the last time.
The Beermen parade import George King, who joins the powerhouse squad after playing for Blackwater last season, while Jerrick Ahanmisi debuts in the hope of being a key contributor.
Of course, San Miguel is expected to be led by MVP favorite June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Jericho Cruz, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross and Rodney Brondial.
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Coach Jimmy Alapag and NLEx go for a 3-0 start in the 5:15 p.m. opener against Titan, which set a record for futility when it missed its first 17 tries from beyond the arc in the loss to Converge.
Titan’s James Milton missed that outing while waiting clearance to play.
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The Road Warriors opened their Group A campaign in contrasting fashion; they blew out the visiting Giant Pandas first before nearly wasting a 23-point lead in a 101-100 thriller against Terrafirma last Sunday. INQ
France top the world rankings and have often been described as the best team in the tournament so far but Spain won Euro 2024, beating France in the semi-finals, and again defeated Deschamps’ side in last year’s Nations League.
And Deschamps, who has spent the World Cup claiming that Spain are the likeliest winners, maintained his position, even though France have scored five more goals and won all of their games.
He explained: “If you see what Spain have done in the first match against Cape Verde [a 0-0 draw], forget about that, but in the rest Spain confirmed they are the favourite. I don’t want to add extra pressure to Luis [de la Fuente, the manager] and their team, he knows very well people are expecting greatly of their team.
“They can attack and defend very well, they only conceded one goal. Luis and myself, we know how to defend well but with the quality of the two teams offensively we could think it is going to be a spectacular game.”
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Kylian Mbappe had come off in the quarter-final win over Morocco and put ice on his ankle but said after the match that he was fine.
And Deschamps had no concerns about his captain, who has scored eight goals in this World Cup. “He trained today,” he said.
Kylian Mbappe will be fit to start for France in their World Cup 2026 semi-final (Getty)
But the France manager has a selection decision in midfield where Aurelien Tchouameni is fit again after a groin problem. The Real Madrid player was named as a substitute against Morocco but Deschamps decided it would be too great a gamble to play him then.
“He is now available,” said Deschamps. “Even though he was on the bench for the last game, the risk was high. He is better today, I am not going to say he has been 100 percent cured. The last game he played was two weeks ago but it does not mean anything.”
The Indian cricket team is going through an unprecedented slump in T20Is. The current T20 World Cup champions have lost two successive series against England and Ireland, both under new captain Shreyas Iyer. The series saw a musical chairs-like situation in the opening position. Sanju Samson was tried in the two T20Is against Ireland and the first T20I against England. After three poor scores, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was tried, but the wonderkid could not go beyond 15 in the three matches that he played. Then Samson was again given a chance for the fifth T20I, which India lost, just like the previous matches.
“Gautam Gambhir has certain favourite players and he wants to take them and play them. I don’t see any value in these players being added to the side,” Vihari said on his YouTube channel, as quoted by the Indian Express.
“I don’t understand what some players are doing in the team. Dube does not bowl, cannot field, and has not shown that form in batting either. Shedge was also not impressive in bowling or batting. I have no idea why Washington Sundar is still continuing in the team. If you look at his contributions over the years, they have not been that great.”
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Vihari also questioned the musical chairs approach to selection that was evident in the team.
“Spinners were the problem, whether Varun Chakaravarthy or Axar Patel. Why was Ravi Bishnoi taken on this tour? The problem is in the squad selection and the playing XI selection. You gave Samson opportunities in Ireland and then played Sooryavanshi. You dropped him as well after three games. There is no security anywhere in the team. If you do not perform, you will be kicked out. You should give players a long run. If you were fixed on playing Sooryavanshi, at least give him five or six games and then decide whether he is good enough or not. I don’t think this is the right attitude. Security is important for players,” Vihari added.
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FIFA World Cup 2026 | Argentina Fans Sing & Dance After Dramatic Comeback Against Egypt
Jun 21, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) reacts after hitting a three-run home run against the New York Mets in the second inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
The National League will frontload its batting order with left-handed hitters, while the American League will counter with mostly right-handers at the top for Tuesday’s All-Star Game at Philadelphia.
National League manager Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers, will open the game with potentially seven consecutive left-handed bats against right-hander Dylan Cease, the American League starter from the Toronto Blue Jays.
American League manager John Schneider of the Toronto Blue Jays will go with right-handed hitters in four of the first five spots of the lineup against left-hander Cristopher Sanchez, the National League starter from the host Philadelphia Phillies.
With the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani skipping the game to rest a sore knee, Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber will bat in the NL’s leadoff spot followed by right fielder Juan Soto of the New York Mets, first baseman Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers, shortstop CJ Abrams of the Washington Nationals, third baseman Max Muncy of the Dodgers, switch-hitting second baseman Ozzie Albies of the Atlanta Braves and left fielder Brandon Marsh of the Phillies.
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The rest of the NL starting lineup will consist of the Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages and Braves catcher Drake Baldwin.
The AL leadoff spot will be filled by Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout, who is from nearby Millville, N.J. The left-handed hitting Yordan Alvarez of the Houston Astros will bat next as the designated hitter, followed by a trio of right-handed bats: catcher Shea Langeliers (Athletics), third baseman Junior Caminero (Tampa Bay Rays) and shortstop Bobby Will Jr. (Kansas City Royals).
Right fielder Cody Bellinger (New York Yankees), first baseman Ben Rice (Yankees), left fielder Riley Greene (Detroit Tigers) and second baseman Ernie Clement (Toronto Blue Jays) round out the AL batting order.
Sanchez becomes the 14th different pitcher to start an All-Star Game in his home ballpark and the first since the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw in 2022.
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Cease, who was three outs away from throwing a no-hitter on Wednesday at San Francisco, is the fourth different Blue Jays pitcher to start an All-Star Game. The others are Dave Stieb (1983-84), David Wells (2000) and Hall of Famer Roy Halladay (2009).
France are preparing for a highly anticipated semi-final against Span following their qualification thanks to a win against Morocco. The Spanish team is expected to be France’s toughest challenge yet, as La Roja have only let in one goal so far. FRANCE 24’s James Vasina tells us more.
Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Brian O’Neill (75) celebrates with running back Cam Akers (27) after a touchdown, reacting to the score during fourth-quarter action against Chicago on Dec. 16, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis as the Vikings built momentum late in a divisional matchup. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
Go ahead and listen to Kevin O’Connell discuss the blocker along the right side. Or, perhaps, check out how Keith Carter discusses the large lad. In a chat with the VEN’s Tatum Everett, Coach Carter ventured into a variety of topics across the roughly 10-minute conversation. Getting the chance to discuss Mr. O’Neill led to no shortage of praise.
RT1 Brian O’Neill is the Coach Translator
A major part of O’Neill’s value rests in his capacity to untangle what the coach is teaching.
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Carter insists that O’Neill is “another coach in the room,” a compliment that points toward the OT’s capacity to transcend the normal responsibilities of a lineman. He can do his job on the field while doing plenty of work off the field, as well, to coach up his teammates. “He has a way to take stuff that we say,” Carter explained, “and put it into a player’s words that they’re going to understand.”
Dec 1, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Brian O’Neill (75) reacts with the crowd after the game against the Arizona Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Another key part of the mix is Brian O’Neill’s ability to tell the coaches to slowdown when teaching new things. Anyone who has coached youth football understands what it’s like to explain an idea in seemingly clear terms only to later realize that the players didn’t understand. Apparently, that issue can extend all the way to being a pro.
Carter offered more thoughts: “He makes sure we get those coaching points in. And then there’s a level of trust with him. You’re not worried about teaching B.O. the details of the game plan.” No doubt, that’s some great praise from the OL coach.
O’Neill got chosen at No. 62 in the 2018 NFL Draft. The early word was that he was super athletic but needed time to marinate before getting tossed onto the grill. But while those plans appeared wise, the Vikings quickly had to throw the rookie into the fire due to injury. At no point did he appear to be in over his head.
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Indeed, Brian O’Neill has been a fantastic football player since jumping into the starting lineup. Last year, O’Neill earned an 81.6 PFF grade, good for 12th overall among the 84 offensive tackles under consideration. He allowed a pair of sacks alongside 1 QB hit and 21 pressures.
Recent seasons have involved that sort of assessment: being the 16th best in 2024, 24th best in 2023, 8th best in 2022, and so on.
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings guard Will Fries (76), offensive tackle Brian O’Neill (75) and fullback C.J. Ham (30) celebrate after a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
But then consider that the PFF assessment — or something such as ESPN’s pass-block and run-block win rates — only corrals the on-field component. What Keith Carter is speaking to is the value that gets added with O’Neill being a coach who wears shoulder pads.
Lately, a lot of the focus has been on the unsigned Brian O’Neill extension. Over the Cap clarifies that offensive tackle carries a $23,115,657 cap charge. Extending him could involve clearing $14.16 million.
Sounds good, right?
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Clearly, there’s some issue with arriving at a sort of unhappy medium. The best deals are the ones where both sides walk away feeling a touch uncomfortable but (mostly) satisfied. Think, for instance, a deal that possibly gives the team a way out after a couple seasons while the player squeezes the franchise for a headline-grabbing number.
New GM Nolan Teasley has been in the Twin Cities for a short time. Still, he shouldn’t struggle to understand how important O’Neill is to the Vikings. The possibility exists that he’ll look to Ryan Van Demark and/or Caleb Tiernan as the long-term solution, but that would be a bold move that appears to contradict what the coaching staff has been saying for a long time.
Feb 4, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Minnesota Vikings tackle Brian O’Neill (75) during NFC practice at the Las Vegas Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.
Brian O’Neill, 30, stands at 6’7″ and is listed as being 310 pounds. The team captain has always been a rugged, athletic guy. Further proving his value by adopting the responsibilities of a pseudo coach enhances his shot at finishing his career as a Viking via extension.
NFL Los Angeles Rams offensive line Alaric Jackson
Los Angeles Rams starting left tackle Alaric Jackson will not face felony charges after an arrest on suspicion of domestic battery in June, ESPN reported Monday.
Jackson’s case was assigned last week by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office for a pre-filing diversion that is an alternative to misdemeanor criminal prosecution, per the report.
The 27-year-old could still face discipline by the NFL according to its personal conduct policy.
Per the police report, Los Angeles police officers responded to Jackson’s home in the San Fernando Valley late on the night of June 8. NBC Los Angeles reported the 6-foot-7, 340-pound Jackson engaged in a verbal argument with a woman and allegedly attempted to take a phone out of her hand after he felt she was recording the exchange.
The woman had scratch marks on her arm following the alleged interaction, per the television report.
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Bail was set at $50,000, and Jackson was released from the jail in Van Nuys on bond.
Jackson is the blind-side protector of star quarterback Matthew Stafford. The former was signed to a three-year, $56.3 million contract prior to the 2025 season. He played 2024 on a one-year deal after signing his restricted free agent tender the previous offseason.
Jackson has appeared in 57 career games (51 starts) since catching on with the Rams after undergoing undrafted out of Iowa in 2021.
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He was suspended two games by the NFL in 2024 for violating its personal conduct policy.
He was also sued last November by a woman who alleged Jackson recorded her without her consent during sex, repeatedly refused to delete the recording and taunted her with it, which she reported to the NFL as well. The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed by a federal court in April.
Dutch football referee Rob Dieperink has died at the age of 38, just weeks after he was removed from the list of officials for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Dieperink had been selected to serve as a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) at the tournament before his appointment was withdrawn in May following a police investigation in the United Kingdom.
He was arrested in April over an allegation of sexual assault involving a teenage boy. After a full investigation, authorities concluded there was not enough evidence to support the case, and no charges were filed.
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The Royal Dutch Football Association described Dieperink as a respected referee and a dedicated colleague, while FIFA also paid tribute to the official and offered condolences to his family and friends.
The cause of his death has not been made public.
After being removed from the World Cup officials’ list, Dieperink maintained that he had been wrongly accused. He said he had fully cooperated with investigators and had kept football authorities informed throughout the process. Although disappointed to miss the World Cup, he thanked the Dutch Football Association for standing by him.
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Dieperink became an Eredivisie referee in 2017 and later established himself as one of Europe’s experienced VAR officials. He also served as a VAR at UEFA Euro 2024 and officiated in several major European club competitions.
His death has saddened the football community, bringing an end to the career of a referee who worked at the highest levels of the game.
Anderson signs, EFL deals, player returns: Everything you need to know about Man City transfers – Manchester Evening News
Need to know
The summer transfer window closes in 50 days and Manchester City have been hard at work to get deals done
Elliot Anderson has signed for Manchester City this summer(Image: MB Media/Getty Images)
Everything you need to know about Manchester City’s summer transfer business:
City are just 50 days out from the summer transfer window shutting and they have already completed a chunk of deals.
The standout move was announced at the beginning of July when Elliot Anderson joined from Nottingham Forest for £116m. Read the full story here.
Mathys Detourbet also arrived at City from affiliate club Troyes that week. He joined for £21m and has immediately joined AS Monaco on loan for the 2026/27 season.
Making his return to City is goalkeeper Pierce Charles. He arrives from Sheffield Wednesday for £3m, although the deal could rise to £10m. He originally left City at 16 and, having now returned, will spend next season on loan at Queens Park Rangers.
City’s second EFL signing of the summer was announced last week as Jeremy Monga arrived from Leicester. The Blues have splashed £10m on the 17-year-old and that could rise to £12.5m. Read the full story here.
There have also been notable exits from the Etihad Stadium. Long-term servants John Stones and Bernardo Silva left at the end of their contracts – the latter joining Real Madrid.
Manuel Akanji completed his £13m transfer to Inter after spending last season on loan at the San Siro.
Nathan Ake was sold to Fenerbahce for £7m, potentially rising to £8.5m. Meanwhile, young defender Jahmai Simpson-Pusey made his switch to FC Koln permanent for £4.7m rising to a potential £6.4m.
Youngster Isaac Smith has joined Barnsley for an undisclosed fee.
Highly rated goalkeeper Oliver Whatmuff has joined Stockport County on loan until the end of the season but will spend the summer with City to supplement the tour goalkeeping group, while youngsters Ezra Carrington and Ashton Muir have departed for free.
The summer transfer window closes on September 1. Read the full story here.
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