Red Sox star vents his frustrations after All-Star snub
Two Boston Red Sox pitchers made the American League roster for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game. Sonny Gray was not one of them.
Gray has arguably been the Red Sox’s best pitcher this season. He entered Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels with a stellar 2.69 ERA and 1.12 WHIP across 15 starts this season. But that wasn’t enough to earn him a seat next to Aroldis Chapman and Ranger Suarez on their flight to Philadelphia for the Midsummer Classic.
The 36-year-old took out his frustrations against the Angels, limiting them to just a single earned run on four hits in an 8-1 Red Sox victory. He spoke candidly about the snub after the game.
“I mean, sure, I was disappointed for sure,” Gray said of his All-Star snub via Mass Live’s Sean McAdam. “Just being honest. Y’all know me well enough by now; I’m just me. I was disappointed for sure. Happy for Ranger [Suarez and Aroldis Chapman]. Very well deserving for both of those guys.
“But a little selfishly, I was disappointed.”
Gray would have probably been a shoo-in to make the team in the past, when folks put more of a premium on a pitcher’s win-loss record. Saturday’s victory made Gray the first American League pitcher to secure 10 wins this season.
The Red Sox have gone 11-4 in Gray’s 15 starts this season, and 10-1 when the 3-time All-Star has factored into the decision. His 90.1 percent win percentage is the best in the AL.
Peyton Watson’s contract demands in free agency have been revealed
Peyton Watson appears to want a number that the Denver Nuggets cannot afford to pay.
The Nuggets restricted free agent forward Watson is seeking a significant contract this offseason. Watson wants over $25 million per year, veteran NBA writers Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported to Substack on Saturday.
Still just 23, the 6-foot-8 Watson is perhaps the most intriguing RFA on the market this summer. After going with the No. 30 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Watson just completed his fourth career season in Denver.
That 2025-26 campaign marked Watson’s best one yet. Seeing extended minutes for the first time in his professional career, Watson averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. He also continued his arc as an elite defender with his ability to block shots, play passing lanes, and switch anything on the perimeter.
That said, the Nuggets are knocking on the door of the second apron of the luxury tax as they are already paying five different players (Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson, and Christian Braun) over $20 million per year. Making it six with Watson would make Denver’s roster untenable from a long-term team-building standpoint.
Because Watson is an RFA, that means the Nuggets can match any offer for him. But Watson leaving Denver has been the expected outcome for some time now, and his sizable (but far from unreasonable) contract demands may be further accelerating things in that direction.
Brewers get rough injury news on All-Star starter
The Milwaukee Brewers are losing starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff to injury for the second time this season.
Woodruff exited Saturday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the middle of the 4th inning at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. Woodruff, whose fastball topped out at 93 mph in the first inning, saw his velocity decline significantly before being taken out.
The 2-time All-Star threw five changeups at around 75 mph before being removed from the contest. He left the game with 3 earned runs allowed off two hits and a walk in what ended up being a 4-3 Brewers loss.
After the game, Brewers manager Pat Murphy told reporters that Woodruff will be placed back on the injured list due to an inflamed labrum. It’s the same injury that kept Woodruff on the IL for six weeks earlier in the season.
Woodruff will return to the IL with an inflamed labrum, Brewers manager Pat Murphy says. He was on the IL with the same injury earlier this season and missed 6 weeks. https://t.co/C6NzfAPalg
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 5, 2026
Woodruff was making his third start since being activated from the IL and had been spectacular in his previous two times on the mound. He did not allow a run and yielded only two hits across 11.2 innings against the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs.
Woodruff even made a bid for a perfect game in his first start back against the Reds.
With a healthy Woodruff next to Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison, the Brewers have a rotation that could match up with any team in the majors. It’s the “healthy” part that’s keeping Milwaukee from taking full advantage of the formidable trio.
Lakers are being linked to a 3-time NBA champion in free agency
The Los Angeles Lakers may be trying to bring a former UCLA kid home.
Veteran NBA big man Kevon Looney is on the Lakers’ radar in free agency, veteran NBA writer Marc Stein reported on Saturday. Stein notes that former top-five pick Jonas Valanciunas is also an option whom the Lakers are considering as they look to sign another frontcourt piece.
Looney, 30, is perhaps the more interesting of those two names. For one, Looney already has quite the collection of hardware thanks to his memorable run with the Golden State Warriors from 2015-25.
Over that span, Looney was a three-time NBA champion who became a cult hero in Golden State over the years due to his hustle and his hard work on the boards, which proved invaluable to countless Warriors playoff runs. Despite standing a modest 6-foot-9, Looney was an unsung hero of those Golden State championship teams as the player who did all the dirty work and filled whatever role the Warriors asked of him.
Last summer though, Looney finally left Golden State in free agency to sign with the New Orleans Pelicans. He quickly fell out of the rotation for the lowly Pelicans though and averaged just 2.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in 14.7 minutes per game over only 21 total appearances last season.
As for the Lakers, they need a backup center to the newly-acquired seven-footer Walker Kessler after trading Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards and letting Jaxson Hayes leave in free agency to the Utah Jazz. With Looney having played his one season of college ball at UCLA in 2014-15, a homecoming of sorts to L.A. might be fitting (especially if he can bring his patented Rick James look as well).
Brandon Aiyuk sends deranged message to Jayden Daniels
Brandon Aiyuk may have just ended his own chances of ending up with Jayden Daniels on the Washington Commanders.
Aiyuk, who’s technically still under contract with the San Francisco 49ers, has been linked to a move to the Commanders for weeks.
Aiyuk posted a video on his Instagram story on Saturday with a rather pointed message directed at Daniels, whom he tagged in the caption.
“You on my team now. You follow my rules,” Aiyuk said before making a weird face.
“Boy, I’m a grown a– man, boy. You gonna have to stop running behind your mama, and I might believe what you’re talking about. But until then, nuh uh.”
#49ers Brandon Aiyuk is throwing shade at Jayden Daniels on his IG story 👀 pic.twitter.com/Z2J1AhJ2Ak
— OurSF49ers (@OurSf49ers) July 4, 2026
After posting a seemingly threatening message in one clip, the next post Aiyuk uploaded was of him wearing a Commanders hat with a much friendlier caption.
“Let’s run it 5! Let’s see! Need you available all szn and I’ll do the same!” the caption read.
Another post from Brandon Aiyuk, this time of him wearing a Commanders hat and with the caption:
— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) July 4, 2026
“Let’s Run it 5! Let’s see! Need you available all szn and I’ll do the same!” pic.twitter.com/EO6GOdGuMt
Daniels seemed to respond negatively to Aiyuk. The Commanders quarterback posted a photo of D.C. native Kevin Durant flashing two thumbs down.
Jayden Daniels has responded to Brandon Aiyuk pic.twitter.com/hg9qTfXr8H
— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) July 4, 2026
Aiyuk, who’s technically still under contract with the San Francisco 49ers, has been linked to a move to the Commanders for weeks.
Daniels and Aiyuk were teammates at Arizona State for one season, with the standout wide receiver serving as Daniels’ top target.
There’s a world where Washington reunites Daniels with Aiyuk for cheap, giving the third-year quarterback another proven wideout in the building. But Aiyuk’s shenanigans seem to make that possibility further and further from a reality.
Paraguay goalkeeper explains his disrespectful move against Kylian Mbappe
Sportsmanship was at a premium during Saturday’s World Cup match between France and Paraguay.
France advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals after outlasting Paraguay in a 1-0 contest at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa. Tensions were high throughout the contest, particularly between the Paraguayans and French star Kylian Mbappe.
When the final whistle blew, Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill was seen throwing the ball at Mbappe, seemingly in a show of disrespect.
— Jeff (@Jeffpriv9) July 5, 2026
After the game, Gill admitted he was frustrated because Mbappe had ignored his gesture for a handshake. But he still gave France their flowers after a testy match.
“I gave him my hand to congratulate him, but he ignored me,” Gill told reporters in Spanish. “Obviously, I got angry in that moment. But that’s all I did.
“After that, I calmed down and just congratulated them. The truth is, they’ve had an excellent campaign, as they’re the candidates to be world champions.”
Mbappe blatantly leaving the Paraguay keeper hanging here is sending me 🤣 pic.twitter.com/0xKMpPjgQm
— WizKay (@WizKayTV) July 4, 2026
Paraguay keeper Orlando Gill tried to shake Mbappé’s hand at full time but he completely ignored him and kept celebrating 😅 pic.twitter.com/RPO2oWpRUW
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) July 4, 2026
Mbappe scored the lone goal in the match on a penalty kick against Gill in the 70th minute. The Frenchman pulled a disrespectful move of his own after tucking the ball into the net.
Mbappe hitting this cele after scoring against Paraguay keeper Orlando Gill who tried to put him off his penalty beforehand 😅 pic.twitter.com/0Z6IQABRHi
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) July 4, 2026
Despite a disappointing result for Paraguay, Gill earned Man of the Match honors for his showing against heavily favored France.
🚨🇵🇾 OFFICIAL: Orlando Gill, Man of the Match for Paraguay-France. pic.twitter.com/gwJcQwCZzF
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 4, 2026
France moves on to the quarterfinals to face Morocco in a rematch of the 2022 World Cup semifinals, which Les Bleus won 2-0.
Video: Mets botch routine pop fly in the most comical fashion
The New York Mets just invented a new way to frustrate their fans.
What was supposed to be a routine pop fly catch in the bottom of the third inning against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday at Truist Park in Atlanta, Ga., turned out to be a disaster for the Mets.
With the bases loaded and two outs, the Braves looked to capitalize on the situation with Eli White stepping up to the plate. On a 1-0 count, White made contact on Mets starter Sean Manaea’s 85 mph cutter. However, the Mets failed to catch the pop fly, allowing the Braves to score not one, not two, but three runs to extend their lead to 5-0.
New York star shortstop Francisco Lindor initially waved off center fielder Tyrone Taylor in an attempt to make the play himself before ducking out of the way to let Taylor field the ball. Taylor, however, failed to make the catch as the ball glanced off his glove and dropped to the ground.
Here is the video of that sequence.
Oh man…
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 5, 2026
The Mets can't get the pop fly with 2 outs and the Braves clear the bases!
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/OD2RQxYMEc
That goofy blunder was just another illustration of how things have gone for the Mets during the 2026 MLB season.
Entering Saturday, New York had lost eight of its last 10 games and trailed the first-place Braves in the National League East by 16 games.
NBA team’s LeBron James pursuit may include a surprising Bronny twist
All eyes remain on LeBron James in the ongoing NBA free agency period.
His next landing spot remains unknown after parting ways with the Los Angeles Lakers, but rumors continue to link the four-time NBA MVP to several teams, most notably the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors.
A return to “The Land” sounds nostalgic, and that narrative is being fueled, apparently, by the Cavaliers’ lack of moves in the early goings of free agency.
According to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, whispers around the league suggest that Cleveland has been relatively quiet in part because the Cavaliers are saving a roster spot for Bronny James in case his father decides to take his talents back to Northeast Ohio.
James is still under contract with the Lakers, who signed him to a 4-year, $7.90 million deal in 2024. That contract includes a club option for the 2027-28 campaign.
With LeBron no longer a Laker, Bronny could find himself playing without his father alongside him for the first time in his NBA career. That is, of course, unless the two end up on the same team again next season.
Such a setup would make it harder for Bronny to escape the shadow of his future Hall of Fame father, but it would also make for a great story, given the homecoming theme of what could be LeBron’s final NBA season.
H/T Bleacher Report
Patrick Ewing lands NBA coaching job
Patrick Ewing is continuing his coaching career where it all began.
The Washington Wizards have reportedly hired Ewing to serve as an assistant coach under head coach Brian Keefe. The Georgetown legend takes the job after holding an ambassador role for the Knicks.
Georgetown and New York Knicks legend Patrick Ewing has agreed to become an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards and head coach Brian Keefe, sources tell ESPN. Ewing has been in an Ambassador role with the Knicks and now returns on the coaching sidelines in D.C. pic.twitter.com/6Xdz6GrmY0
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 5, 2026
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, former Charlotte Hornets and Orlando Magic head coach Steve Clifford is also joining the Wizards’ staff. The two were assistants together in Orlando from 2007 to 2012. Ewing then served as an assistant under Clifford in Charlotte from 2013 to 2017.
After retiring in 2002, Ewing got his very first coaching gig with the Wizards. He was an assistant coach on a Washington squad that featured owner-turned-player Michael Jordan. Ewing then joined the Houston Rockets coaching staff in 2003 before his eventual stints with the Magic and Hornets.
Ewing was hired as the head coach of his alma mater, Georgetown, and held the role from 2017 to 2023.
The Wizards have a young, malleable big man in Alex Sarr that could learn a thing or two from Ewing. Having a local legend around could also benefit No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa as the team enters a new era of D.C. basketball.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s reason for backing out of the All-Star Game is revealed
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will not be seeing action in the 2026 MLB All-Star Game.
The Toronto Blue Jays star slugger has been named a starter for the 96th edition of the mid-season classic, but he has turned down the invitation to focus on the second half of the campaign.
“It’s very difficult for me,” Guerrero said of his decision to skip the All-Star game, via Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi. “But I really have to take care of myself and I’ve got to put my team first for the second half.”
It has been a tough season so far for Guerrero, who is not having his best year at the plate. Through 84 games played, Guerrero has hit just .265/.346/.346 and posted a mediocre .692 OPS. He only has four home runs and 17 RBIs through Saturday.
Guerrero’s struggles with his bat have clearly affected the Blue Jays, who are 12 games off the top of the American League East standings with a 42-47 record after losing to the Seattle Mariners on Saturday, 11-0.
The reigning AL champions can still turn things around in the second half, and doing so will almost certainly require the six-time MLB All-Star Guerrero to perform like his old self.
Darryn Peterson makes a statement in NBA Summer League debut
The Utah Jazz have something special in rookie Darryn Peterson.
The former Kansas Jayhawks star guard showed out right away in his very first NBA Summer League game on Saturday, as he helped the Jazz defeat the Atlanta Hawks, 103-102, at Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Peterson played like he was on a different level than his competition on the floor, finishing with a game-high 28 points on an efficient 11/21 shooting from the floor. He showcased his ability to get buckets in an assortment of ways, scoring from the perimeter, in transition and off the dribble. Peterson went 4/7 from behind the arc and added 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks in 27 minutes of work.
Here are some of his highlights in the game.
The #2 overall pick Darryn Peterson SHOWED OUT in his Salt Lake City Summer League debut!
— NBA (@NBA) July 4, 2026
🎶 28 PTS (game-high)
🎶 5 REB
🎶 2 BLK
🎶 4 3PM@utahjazz win in overtime over the Hawks! pic.twitter.com/unIAEC5aDy
The Jazz selected Peterson with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft despite the guard opting not to work out for the team. Utah still has a long way to go before it can be considered a serious playoff contender, but drafting Peterson appears to be a step in the right direction for a franchise that last reached the postseason in 2022.
At the same time, a great preseason performance can’t be taken as an absolute indicator of future greatness.
Peterson will still have to prove himself when it truly matters, which will come in the 2026-27 NBA regular season.
In 24 games with the Jayhawks in the last college basketball season, the talented Peterson averaged 20.2 points and 4.2 rebounds, while shooting 38.2% from deep.
Travis Kelce’s former teammate jokes about missing Taylor Swift’s wedding invite
One of Travis Kelce’s former teammates was left ruing the fact that he did not get an invite to the mega-wedding of the Kansas City Chiefs superstar tight end and global music icon Taylor Swift.
Former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel, who had amis stop with the Chiefs during his pro career, took his sentiments to social media, joking about missing an invite to the wedding.
“Can’t believe my invite to Taylor & Travis’ wedding never came… Feels like throwing Travis Kelce his first NFL TD should’ve at least earned me a seat at the kids’ table,” Daniel wrote in a post on X, punctuating his message with a laughing emoji.
An important thing to note about that touchdown is that it came during a preseason game, so it does not appear on either Kelce’s or Daniel’s official stat record. Nevertheless, it is on tape.
Proof: pic.twitter.com/LWCWFkHTC9
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) July 3, 2026
Daniel surely isn’t the only one left off the guest list, as even a wedding of that magnitude can’t accommodate every celebrity, family friend or former teammate.
The wedding, which took place on Friday at Madison Square Garden in New York City, N.Y., featured a host of celebrities, and while Daniel was not among the attendees, he can still hold out hope for an invitation to whatever major celebration Kelce and Swift host next.
1 team is believed to be the favorite to sign LeBron James
LeBron James is keeping things close to the vest when it comes to his next team, but rival front offices around the NBA have a suspicion that he is leaning one way in particular.
There is a “growing belief” among the teams pursuing James that the Cleveland Cavaliers are the favorite to sign him, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line. They believe that the opportunity to finish his career with the team he started with holds a strong appeal to the superstar.
To be clear, there are no indications that James has actually made his decision yet. Several teams, including a few outsiders, are making a real push to sign him. James’ camp seems willing to hear out those pitches, at least for the time being.
The Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors are the two teams that have been most consistently linked with James. The ties to Cleveland are obvious, but the chance to play with Steph Curry was Golden State’s big selling point.
James’ agent Rich Paul suggested on Saturday that a decision is not close, and it may still be several days before James decides where to go. The rumors should continue at a fever pitch until then.
WNBA star calls out ‘trash’ referees during in-game interview
Atlanta Dream star Allisha Gray was not in the mood to censor herself during an in-game interview on Saturday.
Gray was displeased with the officiating during the Dream’s 88-83 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Saturday, in part because of a strange technical foul she received during the second quarter. After taking a shot to the face from Golden State’s Cecilia Zandalasini, Gray got up and confronted her, but the situation did not escalate further. Despite that, Gray still got the technical foul.
Gray was not over that at the start of the fourth quarter.
“Refs are trash, but we moving on from that,” she said.
"refs are trash" 😭 pic.twitter.com/UtPnE1bzdD
— Shabazz 💫 (@ShowCaseShabazz) July 4, 2026
As annoyed as she was, Gray did get to take 16 free throws in the loss, but that was little consolation for her.
Venting about officials during in-game interviews is hardly a new thing. One WNBA player has even confronted the referees while doing one of them.
Gray scored 22 points in the defeat, but the Dream blew a four-point lead to start the fourth quarter for their fifth consecutive loss.
Patrick Ewing is in talks for NBA coaching job
Patrick Ewing appears set to return to coaching in the NBA for the first time in nearly a decade.
Ewing is in talks with the Washington Wizards about joining their coaching staff, according to Ian Begley of SNY. Assuming Ewing lands the position, he would give up his current position as an ambassador for the New York Knicks.
SNY sources: Hall of Famer and Knick great Patrick Ewing is in talks with the Wizards to join the club’s coaching staff. Ewing has been an advisor and Basketball Ambassador with the Knicks for the past two seasons, was with the team throughout its 2026 title run.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) July 4, 2026
This would be Ewing’s first coaching job since his dismissal by Georgetown in 2023. He has plenty of assistant experience at the NBA level, and actually got his first coaching job as a Wizards assistant in 2002.
Ewing has also been an assistant coach with the Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, and Charlotte Hornets. His stint at Georgetown was less successful, as he went 75-109, but he remains a respected figure around basketball with plenty of knowledge and experience.
The Wizards are feeling ambitious after trading for Trae Young and Anthony Davis last season, though there are still trade rumors surrounding Davis. They have also added AJ Dybantsa as the No. 1 overall pick, an experience Ewing knows well.
Jazz will allow their 22-year-old standout to coach a Summer League game
The Utah Jazz are putting together a highly unusual arrangement for one of their blossoming young stars.
Jazz guard Keyonte George will serve as an assistant coach for the team during their July 9 matchup with the Washington Wizards. The NBA has cleared it and said George can coach as long as he is not paid to do so.
Jazz front office and Keyonte's agent finalized an agreement for him to be an assistant coach for a single summer league game (July 9 vs. Wizards). The agreement came together after Keyonte drew up a game-changing play in practice. https://t.co/3Kns0e5vDn
— Sarah Todd (@NBASarah) July 3, 2026
George has graduated from Summer League duties as a player, but the Jazz appear to be rewarding him for drawing up a successful play in practice. Evidently, the 22-year-old has some interest in seeing what it’s like, even though he’s still very much at the beginning of his playing career.
George had something of a breakout season for the Jazz last year, even as the team struggled. In his third NBA season, he averaged 23.6 points and 6.1 assists per game, and appears to be locked in as a vital part of the team’s future. If he evolves into something of a coach on the floor, that will be even better.
If this goes well, George might be entrusted to try and come up with a way to slow down Nikola Jokic next season.
Kings are moving on from 1 former All-Star
The Sacramento Kings are in the final stages of moving on from a former All-Star.
The Kings are in discussions with DeMar DeRozan to determine how to handle his exit from the organization, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Both sides are determining if there is a path to a potential trade or if he will simply be waived.
From yesterday’s story on @ClutchPoints:
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) July 4, 2026
The Kings are actively engaged in conversations with DeMar DeRozan and his representation to figure out whether there is a path to a trade or whether he will be waived.
His time with the Kings is coming to an end. https://t.co/KVMPDs9395
DeRozan was part of a Kings core that never quite delivered on its promise. He spent two seasons with Sacramento and averaged 20.3 points per game over those two years, but the team never made the playoffs. The losing clearly wore on DeRozan last year, and it is not a huge surprise that the two sides are parting ways.
DeRozan turns 37 next month, but he can still score. He is not a great three-point shooter, however, and his game is somewhat one-dimensional for the modern NBA. Still, plenty of teams should have interest.
The Kings, meanwhile, appear to be looking to make some big moves to try to improve on their 22 wins from last season.
Jalen Brunson had a telling response to comment about Mavericks
Jalen Brunson may not have much left to say to his critics, but he isn’t exactly feeling sorry for people who did not treat him with the proper respect during his NBA career.
Brunson sat down with SI for an interview and was shown a few photos from his career, including one of him with Luka Doncic on the Dallas Mavericks. Brunson said Doncic is still “my guy” and that he loves him “to death.”
That prompted a comment about how many fans believe the Mavericks “fumbled” Brunson and Doncic by failing to build around them and ultimately letting both go. Tellingly, Brunson smirked and offered a fairly understated response.
“They made decisions and I’ll leave it at that,” Brunson said.
“I love him to death.”@jalenbrunson1 speaks on his relationship with @lukadoncic 💙 pic.twitter.com/TWLZiVQ7Lt
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 2, 2026
The Mavericks actually got Brunson and Doncic as part of the same draft class in 2018. The Mavericks had the opportunity to sign him on an affordable deal in 2021-22, but dragged their feet and wound up losing him to the Knicks in free agency. Doncic, of course, was traded in 2025 in a deal that has been widely panned. The Mavericks should have had both of them as the core of their franchise, and now they have neither.
Brunson has held his tongue when it comes to those who made such decisions. Now that he is an NBA champion, he does not even really need to say anything.
Joey Chestnut blames 1 thing for his failure to break his own record
Joey Chestnut won his 18th Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on Saturday, but he did not quite achieve the mark he was looking for.
Chestnut consumed 66 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes, enough to win but short of his personal record of 76. He had consumed 40 dogs halfway through the contest, but he blamed the ongoing heat wave for how much his pace slowed in the back half.
“I don’t want to go into it saying it’s going to affect me, I want to go in trying to convince myself I can work through it,” Chestnut said of the heat, via Claire Fahy and Kaja Andric of the New York Times. “I didn’t want to let it bother me. I didn’t want to push it. Because if I push it, things get stuck in my throat.”
Temperatures rose above 90 degrees on Coney Island, and humidity contributed to the less-than-ideal conditions. Still, the total will come as a letdown, especially since it was lower than what Chestnut put up last year and outright apologized for.
Presumably, Chestnut will be back to try and break his record next year. He will be hoping the weather is a bit more cooperative than it was on Saturday.
White Sox pitcher accuses opposing grounds crew of sabotaging him
Home field advantage is not unusual in sports, but Chicago White Sox pitcher Anthony Kay thinks one team is taking it to an unacceptable level with the help of their grounds crew.
Kay suggested that the Cleveland Guardians and their grounds crew conspired to knock him out of the game with a lengthy rain delay in the fourth inning of Friday’s game at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Oh. Kay found it suspicious that the tarp went on as soon as the White Sox took the lead in the fourth on a Miguel Vargas come run, and that it was a calculated move to limit how deep into the game he could pitch.
“I was hoping to go six, seven, eight innings, give the bullpen some help, but I think they messed around with the tarp,” Kay said, via Jeff Agrest of the Chicago Sun-Times. “We probably had at least 20 to 30 minutes of light rain that we could’ve played through.
“But the second that Vargas hits that home run, they pull the tarp. So there definitely was some bull—- on their part to get me out of the game. It’s pretty messed up for them to do something like that and get me out of the game that way.”
The decision to call a delay and bring out the tarp is down to the umpires, not the home team. Grounds crews are, however, expected to keep umpires in the loop with regard to threatening weather and warn them about incoming storms.
Kay had gone four innings and allowed one run on one hit at the time of the delay. The game did not restart for nearly two hours, meaning there was no way Kay could go back out after such a lengthy layoff.
Ultimately, it is impossible to say whether the Guardians had anything to do with the timing of the delay. Sometimes, the umpires just make the wrong decision timing-wise. Still, the accusation adds a bit of spice to a matchup between two teams that look set to contend in the AL Central all season.
