Good Morning! Here’s what happened in the world of sports on Monday, July 15.

HOME RUN DERBY

Teoscar Hernandez is the first Los Angeles Dodger to win the Home run derby. Lots of baseballs were hit very hard and very far last night– here’s what happened:

• Two-time champion Pete Alonso crashed out of the competition early. Gunnar Henderson, Marcell Ozuna, and Adolis Garciawere the other three sluggers who were eliminated in round one.

• No one expected Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm to hit as many dingers as he did. Bohm had a great showing with 21 homers to lead off the derby, before falling to Hernandez in the semifinals.

• Bobby Witt Jr. and Jose Ramirez were the other semifinalists. Witt was just a few feet away from tying Teoscar in the final round, but came up short.

The moment everyone will be talking about is the national anthem, performed by country singer Ingrid Andress. Let’s just say it was a very memorable rendition.

MLB MIDSEASON CHECK-IN (Day 1 of 3)

There are 30 teams in Major League Baseball, and each team plays 162 games over the course of six months. That’s a lot of balls and strikes to keep track of, even for the most devoted fan.

Luckily, this is a very special week in July… the MLB all-star break is here. There’s no football or hockey. The NBA off-season has slowed down. Tennis just wrapped up Wimbledon, and golf tournaments don’t start until Thursday. Even the WNBA has a light schedule. If you’ve been waiting for a moment to catch your breath after a frantic few months in the world of sports, now is the perfect time.

In the absence of any games to recap this week, The Remix will be focused on setting up for the second half of the baseball season. With blurbs on 10 teams each day, you’ll be an expert on the 2024 Major League Baseball season by the end of the week! Not only will this be a chance to look back at the summer so far, it will increase our knowledge and enjoyment of what happens in the season to come.

We begin our midseason check-in with the bottom third of the standings…

30. CHICAGO WHITE SOX (27-71)

    This team is #notgood. Apologies to the south side of Chicago, because I can’t imagine you’re finding any enjoyment watching the White Sox play. Two questions for this team going into the second half: will they set the all-time record for losses in a season (120), and to what team will they trade Luis Robert, Garrett Crochet, and Eric Fedde?

29. MIAMI MARLINS (33-63)

    The Marlins are focused on getting healthy for next year. The organization has a bevy of young, talented starting pitchers that are battling injuries. 2024 has become sort of a lost year for the Marlins– although it may be remembered for a long time, as it appears likely that Miami will trade away star outfielder Jazz Chisholm.

28. COLORADO ROCKIES (34-63)

    To be quite honest with you, I’m not sure what’s going on with the Rockies this year– nothing about this roster is particularly exciting. This is another team to watch as sellers at the trade deadline, although they don’t have too many interesting pieces to sell. Rookie shortstop Ezequiel Tovar has been the lone bright spot.

27. OAKLAND ATHLETICS (37-61)

    Are the A’s somehow better than we expected? Technically, the answer would be yes. No payroll and all your fans boycotting an upcoming move to Las Vegas is not what I would call a winning formula. If you do find yourself watching the Athletics, however, closer Mason Miller is one of the most electric pitchers in this game. And those kelly green jerseys look pretty sweet.

26. LOS ANGELES ANGELS (41-55)

    The Angels seem to be stuck in perpetual mediocrity. For what feels like the tenth year in a row, Mike Trout is hurt and the Angels are 12.5 games out of a wild card. Starting pitcher Tyler Anderson will be a key piece traded to a contender.

25. WASHINGTON NATIONALS (44-53)

    There’s something brewing in the capitol… CJ Abrams, James Wood, and Mackenzie Gore are leading a talented group of young players as the Nationals emerge from a rebuild. It’s probably not the Nats year in terms of making a playoff run, but there is a lot of hope surrounding this team.

24. TORONTO BLUE JAYS (44-52)

    What’s gone wrong up North? With playoff expectations for this season, trade rumors are now swirling around young stars Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Toronto’s front office have a lot of big decisions to make, as they decide to go all-in on 2024 or tear things down and look to the future.

23. TEXAS RANGERS (46-50)

    This team is the definition of a World Series hangover, as the defending champs just haven’t had that magic formula in 2024. The rookies aren’t reaching their potential, the veterans are struggling or injured, and Texas is falling behind in the standings. Like Toronto, the Rangers could be key players at the trade deadline if they decide to punt on the 2024 playoff push.

22. CHICAGO CUBS (47-51)

    Coming into the season, expectations were high for the Cubs. While Shota Imanaga and the pitching staff have been fantastic, the offense has failed to support them. Chicago is one of many National League teams caught in no man’s land– four games under .500, but only 3.5 out of a wild card spot. The next two weeks are crucial for the Cubbies.

21. DETROIT TIGERS (47-50)

    Technically the Tigers are tied with two other teams at 47-50, but they seem the least likely of the trio to make the postseason. That being said, Tiger fans have a lot to be excited about. Tarik Skubal is the favorite to win AL Cy Young, Riley Greene is an all-star center fielder at 23 years old, and Jack Flaherty might be the most valuable starting pitcher traded at the deadline. A smart few moves to surround Greene, Skubal, and the other young talent in Detroit could set them up for a great future. And who knows? They aren’t that far out of it this year, either.

Teams 20-11 coming tomorrow!

NOTEWORTHY NEWS

Reports came in yesterday that Skip Bayless will be leaving his post as the host of Undisputed on Fox. Skip has hosted Undisputed for eight years, and has been a staple of morning sports talk shows for almost 20. Whether you love him or hate him, he knows better than anyone how to make “noteworthy news.”

PLAY OF THE DAY

Technically this section isn’t “play of TOday” it’s just “play of the day.” With that in mind, here’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic:

For this week only, send in your nominees for play of the day– the greatest and most creative choices will be featured!

TODAY’S BIG GAMES (all times Eastern)

WNBA: Sun @ Liberty, 7 PM on Prime Video

• A matchup between the top-two teams in the WNBA. Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and the Liberty beat the second-place Sun 71-68 in their last meeting.

MLB ALL-STAR GAME: National League vs American League, 8 PM on Fox

• The Midsummer Classic takes place in Arlington, Texas. The game has lost some meaning over the years, but there’s still plenty of star power. Make sure you’re tuned in for the beginning, as Paul Skenes starts the game for the National League.

And that’s a Remix! Happy Tuesday