The Key for the week of July 14, 2025
Hey now, you’re an All-Star
The MLB All-Star Game has been tinkered with, tweaked and revised over the years to get fans to be interested in the midsummer classic. This year, though, may be the most significant change of all. The game’s use of automated technology, or “robo-umpires,” could be the first step in bringing that technology to the bigs. The ABS (Automated Ball-Strike) challenge system has been used in the minor leagues and spring training, but had never been put in place before at a major league park. And with teams given two challenges, just like spring training, players and managers are getting more comfortable using the technology. Can’t say the same for the umpires.
But wait, there’s more!
This week is a double dose of all-stars, with the WNBA holding its own exhibition in Indianapolis (thank you, Caitlin Clark) on Saturday. The WNBA made the selection process a bit interesting this year, with the team captains doing an old-fashioned playground pick’em to fill out the roster. No surprise, Clark picked her Fever teammates, Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston, for her team. The game is a sellout, the weekend a Fan Fest for WNBA fans.
Breakfast with the Brits
There are few things better than waking up at 6 a.m. to live sports—just look at the Wimbledon fortnight that just wrapped up. Well, we get to do it again this week with the British Open—or as the Brits call it, The Open. This year the final major of the year is at Royal Portrush, which last held the Open in 2019, the year Shane Lowry won. So far this year the majors have given us one feel-good story after another with Rory McIlroy finally finishing his career slam at the Masters, Scottie Scheffler adding another major with the PGA Championship, and unknown J.J. Spaun taking the U.S. Open. There’s a good chance the course with hold more surprises this week with highs in the mid-60s and rain expected off and on all week.
Ben’s Best Bet
Speaking of the British Open, Scheffler goes in as the favorite, but close behind is Rory McIlroy with Jon Rahm right behind. Scheffler is the easy bet, but don’t count McIlroy out. Bet MGM has Scheffler at +500, with McIlroy at +700. McIlroy is a son of Northern Ireland where the Open is being played, and he’ll have the home crowd cheering for him. Might be an interesting wager to put money on the native son to come through.