NEW YORK—Shohei Ohtani became a two-way All-Star for the third straight year when he was picked for the American League pitching staff on Sunday, and eight Atlanta Braves were chosen for the July 11 game in Seattle—the most of any team since 2012. Ohtani was elected to the pitching staff by players 10 days after…

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C.—Kyle Larson didn’t mince words after his third All-Star race victory in the last five years. “That was an old school (butt)-whipping, for sure,” Larson said. Larson turned in a dominating effort to run away with his third All-Star race and earn $1 million Sunday night in the Cup Series’ return to North…

SALT LAKE CITY—The fans in Salt Lake City used to serenade Donovan Mitchell with “MVP” chants when he played for the Utah Jazz, a sign of their appreciation and respect. He plays for Cleveland now. But he wouldn’t mind hearing those cries again Sunday. The 72nd NBA All-Star Game is Sunday night with almost all…

SALT LAKE CITY—If so inclined, and if fellow captain LeBron James was to cooperate with his own selections, Giannis Antetokounmpo could pick Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and Lauri Markkanen to play on his team Sunday night. Imagine that: an All-International All-Star starting lineup. It’s one of the many possibilities for this weekend’s events…

Tennis fans are used to seeing Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray fight tooth and nail to beat each other at the Grand Slams but the “Big Four” are set to play together in the same team for the first time at the Laver Cup in London. Wimbledon champion Djokovic on Friday…

It has become an annual joke, one that NBA players keep repeating. For the sixth consecutive year, players had the right to have a significant say in the process of deciding who will start the All-Star Game. The NBA uses a formula to do that now, with fan voting counting for 50 percent of the…

DENVER—Three men arrested with more than a dozen weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition at a Denver hotel near the site of Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game have been charged with federal firearms crimes, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Friday. The number of weapons found May 9 near the event and a request by…

DENVER—Pete Alonso’s words were as bold as his home runs. “I’m the best power hitter on the planet,” the New York Mets first baseman proclaimed after winning his second straight Home Run Derby. “Being able to showcase that and put on a fun display for the fans is truly a dream come true for me.”…

Four people have been arrested and more than a dozen weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition have been seized at a downtown Denver hotel that is close to several events planned in conjunction with the upcoming Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Officers responding to a tip searched two rooms at the Maven Hotel, a…

By Paul Sullivan From Chicago Tribune CHICAGO—If you fell asleep during baseball’s All-Star break in 2019 and woke up today, you’d be scratching your head at all the changes that have taken place. Seven-inning games in doubleheaders. Ghost runners in extra innings. Pitchers checked for illegal substances coming off the mound. Your favorite players on the…