The New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani have been the first players picked for the July 15 All-Star Game at Atlanta’s Truist Park, elected as starters by fans. Judge led the major leagues with 4,012,983 votes in the first round of fan balloting and the outfielder was picked for his seventh American League start in eight All-Star Games, though he missed the 2023 game because of a sprained right big toe. He also was the leading vote-getter during the first phase in 2022 and last year. Ohtani topped the NL and was second in the big leagues with 3,967,668 votes, becoming the first designated hitter to start in five straight All-Star Games.
Meanwhile, the New York Yankees were off last night. They’re set to take on the Oakland Athletics tonight at 7:05 in the Bronx.
N.Y. Mets 4 Atlanta 0
New York Mets right-hander Griffin Canning left Thursday night’s game against Atlanta in the third inning after suffering a left ankle injury on a non-contact play. After the Mets beat the Braves 4-0, New York manager Carlos Mendoza said Canning’s injury “looks like an Achilles.” Canning struck out three and allowed just one baserunner — Eli White’s single leading off the inning — before he was hurt while breaking toward the left side of the infield on Nick Allen’s one-out grounder to shortstop. The 29-year-old Canning immediately began hopping on his right leg and took only a couple steps before dropping onto the field with his left leg elevated. The Mets said after the inning that Canning will undergo imaging on the ankle.
Houston 2 Philadelphia 1
Cam Smith hit an RBI single in the eighth inning to give the Houston Astros a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. The rookie’s second hit of the game came off Orion Kerkering and gave the Astros their fourth straight win. Brandon Marsh tied the game on a sacrifice fly in the top of the inning to end the Phillies’ 26-inning scoreless streak. The Astros took a 1-0 lead on Yainer Diaz’s RBI single in the second inning. They only managed three more hits off Phillies starter Christopher Sanchez, who struck out 11 with zero walks over six innings.
Elsewhere, the Boston Red Sox were off Thursday. They host the Toronto Blue Jays tonight at 7:10 as they try to extend a five-game home winning streak.
Detroit 8 Athletics 0
Minnesota 10 Seattle 1
Toronto 6 Cleveland 0
Tampa Bay 4 Kansas City 0
Chicago Cubs 3 St. Louis 0
L.A. Dodgers 3 Colorado 1
Miami 12 San Francisco 5
WNBA
Los Angeles 85 Indiana 75
Washington 94 Las Vegas 83
Suspended Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been found guilty of sexually abusing a child. A Dominican Republic court handed him a two-year suspended sentence Thursday. Franco was accused of having a relationship with a 14-year-old girl and transferring money to her mother for consent. He was found not guilty of sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor and human trafficking. Prosecutors sought a five-year prison term for Franco and a 10-year sentence for the girl’s mother, who was also found guilty and will serve her full term. Major League Baseball said it would conclude its own investigation later. Franco’s baseball career remains on hold amid ongoing legal issues.
Barry Bonds will be getting a statue outside the San Francisco Giants’ home stadium where he set baseball’s career home run record. Giants President and Chief Executive Officer Larry Baer said Thursday during a radio interview in San Francisco that Bonds is certainly deserving of a statue and that one is on the radar. Baer didn’t have any details of when that would happen. Bonds played for San Francisco the last 15 of his 22 big league seasons, hitting 586 of his 762 career homers while with the Giants from 1993-2007. He set the single-season MLB record with 73 homers in 2001, and hit his record-breaking 756th homer to pass Hank Aaron in a home game on Aug. 7, 2007.
NBA
The NBA draft resumed with a trade and the deals appeared likely to continue throughout the second round. The Phoenix Suns opened it by taking Rasheer Fleming after agreeing to acquire the pick earlier Thursday from the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Wolves still made the No. 31 pick, but Phoenix and Minnesota had worked out the swap a few hours earlier, a person with knowledge of the details told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was not officially announced. Among the familiar names going early in the second round were Auburn All-American Johni Broome j-UH-nEYE br-OOM to Philadelphia at No. 35, one pick after Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner.
ROUND 2
31. Minnesota Timberwolves (from UTA) - Rasheer Fleming, forward, Saint Joseph’s; traded to Phoenix Suns
32. Boston Celtics (from WAS) - Noah Penda, forward, France; traded to Orlando Magic
33. Charlotte Hornets - Sion James, forward, Duke
34. Charlotte Hornets (from TOR) - Ryan Kalkbrenner, center, Creighton
35. Philadelphia 76ers - Johni Broome, center, Auburn
36. Brooklyn Nets - Adou Thiero ah-DO THEE-air-oh, forward, Arkansas ; traded to Los Angeles Lakers
37. Detroit Pistons (from TOR) - Chaz Lanier, guard, Tennessee
38. San Antonio Spurs - Kam Jones, guard, Marquette; traded to Indiana Pacers
39. Toronto Raptors (from POR) - Alijah Martin, guard, Florida
40. Washington Wizards (from PHX) - Micah Peavy, guard/forward, Georgetown; traded to New Orleans Pelicans
41. Golden State Warriors (from MIA) - Koby Brea, guard, Kentucky; traded to Phoenix Suns
42. Sacramento Kings (from CHI) - Maxime Raynaud, center, Stanford
43. Utah Jazz (from DAL) - Jamir Watkins, guard, Florida State; traded to Washington Wizards
44. Oklahoma City Thunder (from ATL) - Brooks Barnhizer, forward, Northwestern
45. Chicago Bulls (from SAC) - Rocco Zikarsky, center, Australia; traded to Minnesota Timberwolves
46. Orlando Magic - Amari Williams, center, Kentucky
47. Milwaukee Bucks (from DET) - Bogoljub Marković, forward, Serbia
48. Memphis Grizzlies (from GSW) - Javon Small, guard, West Virginia
49. Cleveland Cavaliers (from MIL) - Tyrese Proctor, guard, Duke
50. New York Knicks (from MEM) - Kobe Sanders, guard, Nevada; traded to Los Angeles Clippers
51. Los Angeles Clippers (from MIN) - Mohamed Diawara Mo-hom-id Dee-uh-war-uh , forward, France; traded to New York Knicks
52. Phoenix Suns (from DEN) – Alex Toohey, forward, Australia; traded to Golden State Warriors
53. Utah Jazz (from LAC) - John Tonje, guard/forward, Wisconsin
54. Indiana Pacers - Taleon Peter, forward, Wisconsin
55. Los Angeles Lakers - Lachlan Olbrich, forward, Australia; traded to Chicago Bulls
56. Memphis Grizzlies (from HOU) - Will Richard, guard, Florida; traded to Golden State Warriors
57. Orlando Magic (from BOS) - Max Shulga, guard, VCU; traded to Boston Celtics
58. Cleveland Cavaliers - Saliou Niang, guard, Senegal
59. Houston Rockets (from OKC) - Jahmai Mashack, guard, Tennessee; traded to Memphis Grizzlies
NFL
The NFL has suspended former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker for the first 10 weeks next season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. The league announced the punishment Thursday. It takes effect on Aug. 26, which is roster cutdown day, and Tucker is eligible for reinstatement on Nov. 11. He is a free agent after the Ravens released him last month in the aftermath of reports that he was accused of inappropriate sexual behavior by massage therapists. A five-time All-Pro, the 35-year-old Tucker has played his entire 13-year career with Baltimore. He’s considered one of the best kickers in NFL history, although 2024 was his worst season.
NHL
Two people familiar with negotiations tell The Associated Press the NHL and NHL Players' Association are close to an agreement on a four-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement. They confirmed that going to an 84-game season from 82 is among the changes coming. The league and union have been in talks since April and are on the verge of a deal more than a year before the current CBA expires. Other changes include shortening the maximum length of contracts and adding a playoff salary cap.
GOLF
Kevin Roy and Aldrich Potgieter each shot 10-under 62 on Thursday to break the Rocket Classic record and share the first-round lead. Detroit Golf Club has been one of the easiest courses since the PGA Tour made it an annual stop in 2019. A pair of Korn Ferry graduates took full advantage. Potgieter, the 20-year-old South African who grew up in Australia, started at No. 10 and set a tournament record with a 7-under 29 on the back nine. He added three birdies on his back nine and caught the left edge on a 12-foot putt on his final hole. Potgieter and Roy each had an eagle and eight birdies in bogey-free rounds. Min Woo Lee, Max Greyserman and Mark Hubbard were a stroke back.
Padraig Harrington made four birdies, though it was the bogey he saved after losing a tee shot deep in a thicket of trees on the 15th hole that helped him keep a share of the first-round lead with Mark Hensby at the U.S. Senior Open. The leaders shot 3-under 67 for a one-shot advantage over a group of seven, including Stewart Cink, who hit the first 17 greens before making bogey after coming up short on No. 18.
NCAA
The NCAA is considering a proposal to allow athletes and staff to bet on professional sports while maintaining strict bans on college sports betting. The Division I Council introduced the idea, which requires approval from Divisions II and III. The NCAA says this shift reflects the rise of legalized gambling and aims to focus enforcement on college sports integrity. Current rules already ban betting on NCAA sports, with severe penalties for violations. Officials argue this approach could better address gambling issues among athletes.
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