Yahoo Sports AM: Paul Skenes makes his case to start for the NL

Yahoo Sports AM is our daily newsletter that keeps you up to date on all things sports. Sign up here to get it every weekday morning.

️ Klopp says no: Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has reportedly declined an offer to coach the USMNT.

NFL draft impact: Detroit says the 2024 NFL Draft, which drew 775,000 attendees, generated $213 million in economic impact and brought in $161.3 million in visitor spending.

️ What are the odds? The odds of hitting a hole-in-one are astronomical, but the odds of hitting an even smaller target on the green another golf ball are monumental. Ludvig Åberg did just that at the Scottish Open.

Another gig for Belichick: Bill Belichick is joining “Inside the NFL” for the 2024 season. He’ll also be part of “The Pat McAfee Show” and “ManningCast.”

Pirates rookie Paul Skenes dazzled again on Thursday, striking out 11 Brewers in seven hitless innings before exiting with his pitch count at 99.

By the numbers: Skenes is now 6-0 with 89 strikeouts, 13 walks and a microscopic 1.90 ERA in 11 starts, and this is the second time he’s been pulled with a no-hitter intact (which is annoying but that’s modern baseball).

The burning question: Could Skenes become the fifth rookie pitcher in MLB history to start the All-Star Game, and the first since 1995?

The only four who have:

Hideo Nomo, Dodgers (1995)

Fernando Valenzuela, Dodgers (1981)

Mark Fidrych, Tigers (1976)

Dave Stenhouse, Senators (1962)

What they’re saying: “Things have begun to fall in Skenes’ favor and it is becoming increasingly likely that he will get the start,” Yahoo Sports’ Russell Dorsey writes:

Braves ace Chris Sale is starting for Atlanta on Sunday and will not be available to pitch in the All-Star Game, and the Phillies’ Zack Wheeler was scratched from his start Sunday as he’s dealing with lower back issues. Skenes would be pitching on normal rest.

There was a lot of pressure on Skenes when he was taken first in the draft and even more when he made his MLB debut just a year later. Despite all of that, he’s continuing to exceed expectations.

What the 22-year-old right-hander has accomplished this season is remarkable, and his seven innings of no-hit ball on Thursday was the perfect bookend to an All-Star worthy first half.

The bottom line: Whether or not he gets the start, Skenes will play a starring role during All-Star Weekend as the buzz around him builds and his star rapidly ascends. He has “future face of the league” potential and MLB knows it.

More All-Star Game: One thing to know about every All-Star

Los Angeles Serena Williams hosted Thursday night’s ESPY Awards, where Patrick Mahomes won best male athlete and A’ja Wilson won best female athlete.

London No. 31 Barbora Krejčíková upset 2022 champion and world No. 4 Elena Rybakina to reach her first Wimbledon final, where she’ll meet No. 7 Jasmine Paolini, the first Italian woman to make the Wimbledon final in the Open Era (1968).

North Berwick, Scotland Justin Thomas (-8) fired an opening round 62 to take a one-shot lead over Sungjae Im at the Scottish Open.

Calabria, Italy Slacklining world champion Jaan Roose came just shy of a world record* on Wednesday, falling about 250 feet short of successfully crossing the 11,800-foot Messina Strait that connects Sicily to mainland Italy.

*A formality: Roose shattered the world record for longest slackline walk, but because he fell before completing it, his walk doesn’t count as an official record.

12 years ago, Kenny Trevino was a college freshman working as a ball boy for the Spurs. He must have done a pretty good job: At 31, he’s now the head coach of their Summer League team.

From ball boy to head coach: The South Texas lifer was born 150 miles away from San Antonio in Laredo, graduated from UTSA in 2016 and has worked for the Spurs for over a decade.

He started as a ball boy in 2012 and worked his way up to assistant equipment manager, while also working in the video room for three years. In 2019, he became a coaching assistant with the Austin Spurs (G League) and was later promoted to full-time assistant coach.

He returned to the Spurs’ video room in 2022, this time as assistant video coordinator, and was promoted to head video coordinator last spring a critical role that provides the “film” players and coaches use to scout opponents.

Summer League now, NBA later? Trevino, who also remains head video coordinator, dreams of one day becoming an NBA head coach a goal he may be particularly well-suited to accomplish.

As video coordinator, he could follow the blueprint set by Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who famously started in Miami’s video room 30 years ago. That job provides invaluable experience not only by watching reams of film, but also sitting in on coaches’ meetings.

As Summer League coach, he can look to Jazz coach Will Hardy, who’s actually a former colleague of his: Hardy, 36, was the Spurs’ Summer League coach when Trevino was the equipment manager.

What he’s saying: “Yeah, sure, one day, I do want to be a head coach,” Trevino told media last week. “But I’m focused right now on being the best head video coordinator I can be.”

45 years ago today, Chicago’s Comiskey Park descended into madness during Disco Demolition Night.

Not the best idea: The White Sox invited fans to trade in disco records for 98-cent tickets to their doubleheader, and between games they’d blow up the lot of them. 50,000 rowdy rock fans showed up, double what they expected, and mayhem ensued after the explosion. Fans rushed the field, riot police were called, and the damage was so extensive that the second game was ruled a forfeit.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply