The 2025 Home Run Derby saw a 5 percent increase in viewership, though ratings for the event were still below most years since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Monday night’s event, won by Seattle’s Cal Raleigh over Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, averaged a 2.7 rating and drew 5.73 million viewers. That is up from the 5.45 million who tuned in for Teoscar Hernandez’s victory last year.

However, both of those were down from the previous three years. The 2021 event won by the New York Mets’ Pete Alonso drew 7.13 million viewers, followed by 6.88 million for Juan Soto winning the 2022 event while still with the Washington Nationals. Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. won the following year, drawing 6.11 million viewers.

This year was the second-least watched Derby since 5.524 million viewers watched Giancarlo Stanton win in 2016 while with the Marlins, according to the Sports Business Journal. The 2024 Derby was the least-watched during that span, but it also competed with the Republican National Convention.

Monday night’s Derby peaked at 6.31 million viewers at 9:30 p.m. ET and was the most-watched program of the day across all of broadcast and cable television. ESPN2’s “StatCast” version of the event was watched by 499,000 people.

For comparison, this year’s NBA All-Star Game and the NFL’s Pro Bowl Games each averaged 4.7 million viewers — and Tuesday night’s MLB All-Star Game is expected to easily outpace both.

–Field Level Media

It has been so long since Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game was played north of the border, the American League squad included Carlton Fisk — who’s now 77 years old.

Judging by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred’s comments prior to Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Atlanta, he has noticed the Toronto Blue Jays are overdue to host their first midsummer classic since 1991.

“I’ve said before that a really significant factor in terms of All-Star Games is, when did you have the last one?” Manfred told reporters. “Obviously, they’re kind of perking up to the top of the list based on time. I’d like to be back in Toronto.”

Starting with Tuesday’s game, National League teams are hosting three consecutive All-Star Games. The Philadelphia Phillies secured the 2026 contest — timed to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence — and reports declared the Chicago Cubs have earned the nod for 2027.

That could give American League cities the edge for 2028. A USA Today report suggested the Blue Jays, who recently completed a $400 million renovation of Rogers Centre, and the Baltimore Orioles are frontrunners to host that year. The Orioles welcomed the 1993 ASG to Camden Yards, so they, too, have been waiting more than 30 years for another chance.

–Field Level Media

With the imminent sale of the Tampa Bay Rays in baseball’s rearview mirror, another franchise transaction of the Minnesota Twins now assumes the spotlight.

In October 2024, the three Pohlad brothers announced they would pursue a sale of the team, which their father Carl bought in 1984. They had expected to make an announcement by Opening Day 2025, but there has been no news, leading some to speculate that no parties are willing to meet the Pohlad’s asking price.

Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred dispelled that rumor when speaking at the annual pre-All-Star Game Baseball Writers Association of America press conference.

“I know some things that you don’t know,” Manfred said. “I can tell you with a lot of confidence that there will be a transaction there, and it will be consistent with the kind of pricing that has taken place. There will be a transaction.”

The delay was triggered in June when likely buyer Justin Ishbia decided against the purchase and instead increased his minority share of his hometown Chicago White Sox from five percent to 35 percent. Ishbia is also a co-owner of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns.

“This is a small business, right? All those bankers out there — there ain’t that many of them, and they all talk to each other,” Manfred said. “When it becomes clear that you have a leader in the clubhouse, everybody else kind of backs away, right? Because they kind of get a feel for the price, and unless they’re prepared to top it, they’re going to move on and do something else.”

Tampa Bay owner Stuart Sternberg recently agreed to $1.7 billion sale for his franchise and over one year ago, the Baltimore Orioles were purchased from the Angelos family for $1.725 billion.

“We just need to be patient while they rework,” said Manfred.

–Field Level Media

The Tampa Bay Rays will continue to keep things intimate if they advance to the postseason, with commissioner Rob Manfred saying Tuesday the club would play at George Steinbrenner Field in October.

“Our rule has always been that people play in their home stadiums during the World Series,” Manfred told an assembled group of media members Tuesday in Atlanta. “And I’m not of a mind to change that rule. I understand it’s a unique situation. It’s different, but that’s where they’re playing. That’s where they’re going to play their games.”

The decision means the Rays would play playoff games in their current 10,046-seat venue, which is the New York Yankees’ spring training home, as well as the home to the Single-A Tampa Tarpons.

The Rays moved into the park this season after their home ballpark in St. Petersburg sustained heavy damage by Hurricane Milton last October.

At 50-47, the Rays are 5 1/2 games out of first place in the American League East at the break. They are just 1 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot with 65 regular-season games remaining on their schedule.

The Athletics are in a similar situation as the Rays, while playing in a minor league park at West Sacramento, Calif. Whereas the Rays could return to St. Petersburg as early as 2026, the A’s will remain in West Sacramento until they move to Las Vegas, Manfred said Tuesday.

The official ground-breaking ceremony for the Athletics’ new ballpark in Las Vegas took place last month. The new venue is not expected to be ready until 2028.

–Field Level Media

The Cleveland Guardians placed right-hander Paul Sewald on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain, MLB.com reported Tuesday.

The move will be retroactive to Saturday.

Sewald, 35, is 1-1 with a 4.70 ERA in his first season with the Guardians. The former Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks closer is 21-26 with 86 saves and a 4.11 ERA in nine career MLB seasons with four clubs after starting his career with the New York Mets in 2017.

No corresponding move was reported with the Guardians set to return from the All-Star break Friday at home against the Athletics.

–Field Level Media

Four days after a surprising decision to add Milwaukee Brewers rookie right-hander Jacob Misiorowski to the National League All-Star roster, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred defended the move, noting that there was no denying the excitement surrounding the fireballer.

Misiorowski, a 23-year-old who has stormed onto the MLB scene, was named to the NL All-Star team despite making just five appearances this season. It is a record low for an All-Star.

For his part, Manfred said he selected the rookie based on “the excitement that was going to be generated,” and, “the fan interest in seeing this guy.”

“He’s a very, very good pitcher on a very, very good run right now,” Manfred said at the annual Baseball Writers’ Association of America meeting before the All-Star Game. “Do I understand five starts is short? Yeah, I do. And do I want to make that the norm? No, I don’t. But I think it was the right decision given where we were.”

The 6-foot-7 Misiorowski has gone 4-1 this season with a 2.81 ERA and 33 strikeouts while allowing just 12 hits across 25 2/3 innings. He immediately grabbed national attention when, in his major-league debut, he fired consecutive pitches of 100.5 mph and 101.8 mph on his way to five no-hit innings.

Still, many in MLB have pushed back on Misiorowksi’s selection, pointing out that other players are more deserving of the All-Star spot. Some players have financial incentives in their contracts tied to All-Star roster selections.

Misiorowski has perspective on the matter, understanding that the criticism is about the process and not him in particular.

“I think it’s one of those things that it’s just that’s the way it happened,” Misiorowski told reporters on Monday. “It’s not really anything I’ve done, and I’m not going to say no to MLB about coming to the game. So it just is what it is.”

–Field Level Media