Sports News Roundup – July 17, 2025: MLB All-Star Break Standings, TJ Watt Contract Extension, MLS All-Star Game Details + Tons More

From All-Star heroics on the diamond to contract drama on the gridiron, July 17 delivered a full slate of major sports moments across the board. MLB’s midsummer classic ended with a thunderous swing, NFL teams made bold roster moves ahead of training camps, and PGA stars battled windy links at The Open. Meanwhile, the NHL offseason turned chaotic with trade buzz, and MLS eyes the global spotlight with marquee matches ahead. It's a day where every league left a mark — and MainEvent.News has your full breakdown.
Daily Sports News Roundup – July 17, 2025
⚾ MLB — Midseason Momentum & All-Star Tribute
- The MLB All-Star Game ended 6–6, with the National League taking victory in a first-ever swing-off. Kyle Schwarber smashed three homers in the tiebreaker and earned MVP honors .
- The Hank Aaron tribute at Truist Park moved fans to tears with a dramatic multimedia projection celebrating his iconic 715th home run .
- League leaders: Aaron Judge (.355 avg, 1.195 OPS) and Shohei Ohtani (32 HR, .987 OPS) continue to dominate.
- Key retirements this week include Kyle Gibson, among others.
Trades and Roster Moves:
- Texas Rangers trade RHP Dane Dunning to the Atlanta Braves, receiving RHP Jose Ruiz in return.
- Yankees add RHP Rico Garcia to the active roster and option RHP Clayton Beeter to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
- Trade rumors are circulating around the July 31st deadline, with names like Mitch Keller, Raisel Iglesias, Adolis Garcia, and Jhoan Duran being mentioned as potential targets.
Post All-Star Break Analysis:
- Many teams are facing a critical pre-trade deadline stretch, including the Rangers, who are under .500 despite strong performances from players like Nathan Eovaldi and Evan Carter.
- The Diamondbacks are struggling with pitching injuries despite a strong offensive performance led by Eugenio Suárez, who has a chance at hitting 50 home runs this season.
- The St. Louis Cardinals, despite low expectations, are facing a pivotal stretch ahead of the trade deadline.
Around the League:
- Mets sign top 2025 Draft pick Mitch Voit.
- Aryn Hamilton is named the 2025 Padres Coach of the Year.
- Shohei Ohtani announces a children's book: 'Decoy Saves Opening Day'.
- A Cape Cod Baseball League team achieved a season-high seventh straight win.
- Several Cape League alumni participated in the 2025 MLB All-Star Futures Game, including JJ Wetherholt.
The MLB All-Star break spanned four days, from Monday, July 14 to Thursday, July 17, with the All-Star Game itself taking place Tuesday night at Truist Park in Atlanta. Regular season action picks back up on Friday, July 18. As teams gear up for the second half of the 2025 season, division races are heating up across the league. Check out the current standings below — things are about to get intense.
MLB Standings
Division: West
Los Angeles Dodgers 58-39
San Diego Padres 52-44
San Francisco Giants 52-45
Arizona Diamondbacks 47-50
Colorado Rockies 22-74
Division: Central
Chicago Cubs 57-39
Milwaukee Brewers 56-40
St. Louis Cardinals 51-46
Cincinnati Reds 50-47
Pittsburgh Pirates 39-58
Division: East
Philadelphia Phillies 55-41
New York Mets 55-42
Miami Marlins 44-51
Atlanta Braves 42-53
Washington Nationals 38-58
American League
Division East
Toronto Blue Jays 55-41
New York Yankees 53-43
Boston Red Sox 53-45
Tampa Bay Rays 50-47
Baltimore Orioles 43-52
Division: Central
Detroit Tigers 59-38
Minnesota Twins 47-49
Kansas City Royals 47-50
Cleveland Guardians 46-49
Chicago White Sox 32-65
Division: West
Houston Astros 56-40
Seattle Mariners 51-45
Texas Rangers 48-49
Los Angeles Angels 47-49
Athletics 41-57
🏀 NBA — Summer League Spotlight
- In the NBA Summer League, the New York Knicks (1–2) take on the Indiana Pacers today. Watch for Tyler Kolek and MarJon Beauchamp to build momentum.
🏈 NFL — Rookies & Reinforcements
- Alfred Collins signs a fully guaranteed 4-year, $10.3M rookie deal with the 49ers
- Von Miller joins the Washington Commanders on a one-year pact to beef up their pass rush
- Seahawks’ Dareke Young shines early in camp, while key rookies await big opportunities
- Giants camp update: Rookie WR Malik Nabers enters top-10 WR conversations; QB duel continues
- T.J. Watt signs record-breaking extension with Steelers: The Steelers made T.J. Watt the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, agreeing to a three-year, $123 million extension with $108 million guaranteed. This comes after Watt held out of minicamp due to the contract dispute.
- Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice sentenced to jail time: Rice received a 30-day jail sentence and five years of probation for his role in a high-speed crash last year. He is also facing a potential NFL suspension.
- Chargers WR Mike Williams retires: Williams informed the Chargers of his decision to retire after eight seasons. Rookie wide receiver Tre Harris also agreed to terms with the Chargers after a short holdout.
- Jets moving on from Aaron Rodgers: Sources indicate that Aaron Rodgers is unlikely to return to the Jets in 2025 after two disappointing seasons. This comes after the team met with him and decided to move in a different direction at quarterback.
- Lions DE Levi Onwuzurike to miss start of season:
Detroit placed defensive end Levi Onwuzurike on the PUP list, meaning he will miss at least the first four games of the 2025 season. - Ravens S Ar'Darius Washington placed on Active/PUP list: The Ravens placed safety Ar'Darius Washington on the active/PUP list.
- NFLPA and RB injury grievance: An arbiter ruled in favor of the NFL in a grievance against the NFLPA, ruling that then-president JC Tretter improperly encouraged running backs to "exaggerate" injuries.
Other notable news
- Colts win ESPYS award for mental health initiative: The Colts were recognized for their mental health initiative, which was championed by late owner Jim Irsay.
- Former Eagles LB Bryan Braman dies at 38: Braman, a special teams player for the Eagles Super Bowl LII team, passed away from a rare form of cancer.
- Training camp dates announced: Rookies for the Raiders and Lions reported to training camp today, with other teams scheduled to follow over the next week.
🏒 NHL — Trade Buzz & Training Camp Tricks
- Toronto Maple Leafs acquire forward Dakota Joshua from the
Vancouver Canucks for a 2028 fourth-round draft pick. Joshua will likely be a part of the Maple Leafs' bottom six forwards. - Anaheim Ducks sign goalie Lukas Dostal to a five-year contract, avoiding arbitration. The deal averages a reported $6.5 million per year. This comes after the Ducks traded John Gibson to the Red Wings earlier in the offseason.
- Columbus Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov has requested a trade, citing "misunderstandings" with coach Dean Evason.
- The NHL has released the schedule for the 2025-26 season, highlighting key matchups and milestone games for players like Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. Ovechkin is three goals away from 900 career goals, and Crosby is 13 points away from 1,700 career points.
- Matthew Tkachuk of the Florida Panthers may be sidelined until Christmas after battling injuries all year, according to Bolavip.
- The Philadelphia Flyers are looking to start a "new era" with players like Sean Couturier, according to NHL.com.
- Gerard Gallant is reportedly heading to Russia to coach in the KHL.
Other NHL news and notes
- Evgeny Kuznetsov, a former Capitals All-Star, is reportedly willing to accept a "prove-it" contract to sign with a Stanley Cup contender.
- Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl participated in a beer league game in Newmarket, Ontario, garnering attention from fans.
- Maple Leafs fans are speculating about a potential move to acquire McDavid, with the team having cap space and potentially laying the groundwork for a big push in the coming seasons.
The NHL offseason continues with trades and free agent signings as teams prepare for the upcoming 2025-26 season.
⚽ MLS — All-Star Countdown & Transfers
- FC Cincinnati dominates
- Inter Miami CF with a 3-0 victory, with Evander being named MLS Player of the Matchday for Matchday 25 after scoring two goals. He now leads the league in goal contributions with 23 (15 goals, 8 assists), surpassing Lionel Messi who also has 23.
- Colorado Rapids mount an epic comeback against
Seattle Sounders, battling back from a 3-0 deficit to level the score at 3-3 with a goal from Darren Yapi and two penalty kicks, one converted by Cole Bassett. - Revolution II signs forward Sharod George to a one-year professional contract with a club option for 2026.
- Chicago Fire FC winger Philip Zinckernagel is named to the MLS Team of the Matchday bench for his performance in a 2-2 draw with
Atlanta United FC, recording his tenth goal and ninth assist of the season. - Real Monarchs defeat
Tacoma Defiance 5-4 in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw, earning two points and moving up the conference standings. - National Soccer Hall of Fame announces all eligible candidates for election in 2026, including 20 first-year candidates.
- Charlotte FC midfielder Pep Biel is named to the MLS Team of the Matchday after scoring a brace and reaching 19 goal contributions on the season.
- MLS announces the 2024-25 MLS NEXT regular season award winners, recognizing outstanding performances across all age groups.
- MLS All-Star Week in Austin kicks off with Soccer Celebration, a free fan event leading up to the All-Star Game against Liga MX all-stars on July 23.
Additional news and highlights
- Houston Dynamo 2 fall 4-2 to Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2.
- Penalty controversy in San Diego FC vs. Toronto FC match.
- MLS announces expansion clubs for the 2025-26 MLS NEXT season.
- Debate sparked on whether soccer should be called "football" in the US.
⛳ PGA — Scheffler on the Hunt at The Open
- Five-way tie for the lead at The Open: After the first round, American Harris English, Matt Fitzpatrick, Jacob Skov Olesen, Haotong Li, and Christiaan Bezuidenhout share the lead at 4-under par.
- Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy within striking distance: World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is just one shot back at 3-under, while home favorite Rory McIlroy is three shots back at 1-under.
- Slow play concerns: The pace of play was a major talking point in the first round, with some groups taking nearly six hours to complete their rounds.
- Bryson DeChambeau struggles: Bryson DeChambeau had a rough start to his tournament, posting a 7-over 78 with no birdies and a whiff from the rough.
- Notable performances: Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood, both veterans, are playing well and showing they can still compete at the highest level. Matt Fitzpatrick's 67 was his lowest opening-round score in a major championship.
- The Barracuda Championship is also underway in California, with Ben Martin leading after the first round.
Other headlines include:
- Jon Rahm confronting a fan for whistling during his backswing.
- Details about the use of a new Spidercam at The Open.
- The Casella Golf Championship on the Epson Tour featuring players to watch like Wilson.
The second round of The Open Championship promises to be exciting, with a tightly bunched leaderboard and challenging conditions expected.
🎤 MainEvent.News | Backstage Take
This week proves that mid-July is no off-season—it’s a pivot point. MLB delivers legendary moments and future Hall of Famers stepping off the mound. The NFL ramping into training camp, nailing rookie and veteran signings that could define power structures. NHL trades remind us: even summer can shift locker room chemistry. MLS gears up for a standout All-Star clash bridging US and Mexican football culture. And in golf, Scheffler’s performance assures The Open remains unpredictable. Across sports, narratives are heating up—rest days are for chumps.
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