July 3, 2021

1. Shohei Ohtani does it all, once again

Two more home runs last night. Leading the league, with 30 total.

And in a tie game in the bottom of the ninth, he draws a walk, steals second, and comes flying around third base after a Jared Walsh base hit, scoring the walk-off winning run by inches.

2. If not for Ohtani, Kiké Hernandez was the star of baseball last night

Tie game. Top of the tenth inning.

One-run lead. Bottom of the tenth inning.

And the Red Sox hang on to win, 3–2. Their eighth in a row. Tied with the Giants for the best record in baseball.

3. Brett Phillips had the most hilarious pitching appearance of the year

First of all, the aesthetics of this bug spray ad in the background are perfect, with the complete array of Brett Phillips antics popping off the screen. He needs to become an official sponsor, ASAP:

And then, the sprint to the mound.

And the performance itself, a virtuosic masterclass.

On a night when the Lightning took a 3–0 lead in the Stanley Cup Finals, and Rays fans got to see this, you wonder if it can ever get better, for Tampa Bay sports. Put aside that whole Super Bowl thing.

4. Quote of the night, Lance Lynn

5. Things got heated at the Braves vs. Marlins game in Atlanta

First pitch of the game, Ronald Acuña Jr. gets hit, the pitcher Pablo Lopez gets tossed, unbelievably — and then everything came unglued.

6. The sensation that is Fernando Tatis Jr. keeps growing

This time, in Philadelphia. The man is a national superstar.

7. The Rays visit Niagara Falls before a game in Buffalo

You see a video on Randy Arozarena’s page on Instagram (a full 18-minute selfie live stream from the boat), and you wonder — how come we’ve never seen MLB players visiting Niagara Falls before? Seems like such an obvious day trip, no?

And then you remember, MLB teams don’t play in Buffalo. This is a weird year. And so, here they are — two Cuban amigos at the cascada:

8. The non-Kiké-Hernandez throw of the night: Victor Robles

Mookie Betts is good at baseball. He’s fast. Good instincts. He’s absolutely no slouch on the basepaths. So when a guy guns him down from center field, you know it had to be perfect:

9. Hector Santiago, while appealing a 10-game suspension, gets checked by umpires twice in one inning

This is the guy who, last week, was ejected from a game and handed a 10-game suspension for a sticky substance on the inside of his glove (that he claimed was just rosin and sweat). And yesterday, the umps were coming after him:

10. Yankees fans did not want to leave after the game was postponed

The anger everyone’s feeling over the most underachieving team in baseball is starting to boil over — they paid for their ticket, and have decided they are just not going to leave:

11. Kyle Schwarber goes down with a hamstring injury

He was announced yesterday as the NL Player of the Month:

And then, very unfortunately, pulled up at first base with the injury:

12. The Cubs are officially in a tailspin

Low expectations for the year. A mediocre start. Then, out of nowhere, the hottest team in baseball for a two-week stretch. And now, at last, falling back down to earth. A seven-game losing streak, and everything trending downward.

13. Today we all learned: There’s a speed skater who doubles as a Team USA baseball player

Has anyone heard of this guy? What an unbelievable combo, and two sports that have nothing to do with each other, too. Wow.

14. Lastly, a brand new Catch of the Year candidate

That ball is going to be on the top shelf or mantle of wherever that kid lives for the rest of his entire life. Ballpark catch perfection:

Thanks for reading, everyone — and enjoy your holiday weekend. 🇺🇸