MIAMI -- Michael Malone didn't just harp on the Denver Nuggets' lack of discipline in their Game 2 loss to the Miami Heat.

The Nuggets' coach showed his team 17 different clips during a film session Tuesday morning of moments when the Nuggets needed to show more direction and control.

"Every clip was a discipline clip," Malone said. "Where our discipline, whether it was game plan, whether it was personnel, whether it was defending without fouling, whatever it may be, 17 clips added up to over 40 points in Game 2. That, to me, is staggering.

"What we can do better is just be a lot more disciplined in terms of the game plan, who I'm guarding. Most of that stems from communication. ... We had way too many examples, for an NBA Finals game, where we had guys not on the same page because of a lack of communication."

Entering Game 3 with the NBA Finals tied at 1, the Nuggets know they have to bring more effort after getting outworked by the Heat in key moments of their 111-108 loss at Denver. They also have to be more connected and disciplined on defense, where they allowed Miami to shoot nearly 70% and score 36 points in the fourth quarter.

Through two fourth quarters in the Finals, the Heat are shooting a combined 63.8% from the field and averaging 33 points.

"I've seen a lack of communication and discipline," Malone said. "They played zone not just in the fourth quarter, and we've been fine against it. ... We want to play fast; they want to play slow. When you're not getting stops, advantage Miami Heat because now they have their 2-2-1 press back to the zone. We're playing way too slow to try to attack that, which is forcing a lot of late-clock situations for us.

"We've got a lot of guys that have been in big games, playoff-tested, so I don't think any of it is our guys getting tight. I think it's just not adhering to the discipline that the game needs."

The Nuggets can also use Michael Porter Jr. to snap out of a slump. The forward is shooting 3-for-17 from behind the arc in the Finals. Porter played only 26 minutes in Game 2, including just over five minutes in the fourth quarter as Bruce Brown saw nearly nine minutes off the bench in the last quarter to provide defense.

"I think intensity and energy wasn't where it needed to be from me personally or really the team as a whole," Porter said. "We can talk about the mistakes that we had defensively, but really, it's about intensity."

Porter says he doesn't think he will keep missing from deep.

"I just have to play with energy and effort and I'll fall into some easy buckets off of cuts, off of transition," he said. "My 3-pointer won't keep -- I'm not going to keep missing that many 3s. I have to stay confident in myself, and if that's not falling, find other ways to help the team."

The Nuggets went to Jeff Green's home in South Florida for a team dinner Monday night and it was a nice getaway.

"All the way out in Narnia," Murray joked of how long it took to get to Green's home. "But it was a good vibe just to have everybody there, forgetting about the last game, knowing that we're here as a team, as a family, trying to accomplish something. It means a lot."

Jokic said the Nuggets will have to wait and see how they respond to Malone's criticism about their lack of effort.

But Murray remained confident that Denver will bounce back.

"We've always been a resilient team," Murray said. "We've always had that chemistry. That's one of our biggest advantages is our chemistry and how long we've been playing together, the continuity that we have, the reads that we make on the fly, no matter what the defense is doing. I would say just as long as we stay together and have that bounce-back mentality, we'll be fine.

"We've been in positions like this before. This is the first loss in [previous] seven games, I think. So we're not doing a bad job. We've just got to refocus, sharpen our mentality and like I said, be more deliberate on both ends of the floor, and we'll be fine."

We're through two games of the NBA Finals and it's a dead heat (no pun intended).

With the series tied 1-1 heading into Wednesday's Game 3 (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC), the Miami Heat hold home-court advantage thanks to a 111-108 win in Denver and have a chance to take the lead on their own turf.

One of the biggest remaining questions for the Heat is the imminent return of Tyler Herro and how he could factor back into the lineup following a hand injury suffered during the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Nikola Jokic continues to put up big numbers for the Nuggets with 41 points and 11 rebounds in Game 2, but those gaudy stats aren't always enough. In the four postseason losses for the Nuggets, Jokic has averaged 41.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

Another fun fact: When the NBA Finals are tied 1-1, the team that wins Game 3 goes on to win the title 80% of the time (32-8 series record), according to ESPN Stats & Info. That trend hasn't held up recently, though, as Game 3 winners have a 4-4 series record since the 2010 Finals.

Which way will this series lean in Game 3? Our insiders discuss the biggest questions, trends and storylines as the NBA Finals turn to Miami.

The Heat winning the championship would be ___.

Ramona Shelburne: One of the great underdog stories in NBA history. Yes, they were the No. 1 seed last year and went to the Finals just three years ago, but this year they were basically done with three minutes left in the play-in game against the Chicago Bulls. If the Heat win, they'll have knocked off the top seeds in both conferences and three of the top four MVP candidates (Jokic, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum).

Ohm Youngmisuk: Erik Spoelstra's greatest coaching job in a career that already is one of the greatest of all time. If he wins this championship -- with this squad that got torched by the Atlanta Hawks in the first play-in game, with a roster that pretty much has one bona fide star in Jimmy Butler and a big man who can become a star in Bam Adebayo, with a supporting cast of scrappy role players -- Spo deserves to be mentioned among not just the best coaches of all time but the legendary ones.

Tim MacMahon: The most surprising title run in NBA history. I don't even think Butler, as confident as he is, can claim that he saw this coming. This is a team that lost the first play-in game at home by double digits and trailed in the win-or-go-home game with just three minutes remaining. With all due respect to the Heat, it's stunning that they've eliminated the two teams with the best records and are 1-1 with the West's No. 1 seed.

Nick Friedell: The greatest turnaround -- in the shortest amount of time -- in recent NBA history. The Heat got dominated by the Hawks in the first play-in game. They almost lost to the Bulls in the second. They have played without the injured Herro and Victor Oladipo for the majority of the postseason -- but they just keep finding ways to win. At first, it was Butler carrying the group, but now player after player continues to step up and play at a higher level. I've never seen a team do what the Heat are doing in such a short window.

Marc Spears: Worthy of a Disney movie. Who would play Butler? Who would play Pat Riley? The story from the play-in to an NBA championship would be absolutely incredible. Nothing like this has ever happened in the 76 years of the NBA. And the unheralded yet experienced Heat have just the group of bandits to get it done over this young and heralded Nuggets squad.

True or false: Michael Malone should have called timeout before the last play in Game 2.

Youngmisuk: False. False. False. I usually err on the side of taking a timeout and setting up a play. But in this case, I have zero problem with Malone not calling timeout. As Malone explained, had he called timeout, that would have only given Spo a chance to draw up and set up his defense, likely making it that much tougher for Jamal Murray to get a 3-point shot off. Despite having Butler on him, Murray had a good look, the shot was on line and he has hit that shot before.

Spears: False. It kept Miami on its toes. It just didn't work. Murray unscripted is a great choice to me. It just didn't fall.

Friedell: False. He trusts his players. Murray got a good look -- why not let it fly there? The Nuggets had the momentum and they believe in Murray. There's no issue at all.

Shelburne: False. I think Murray got a good shot and he's the guy you want taking it, anyway. Not sure a timeout gets Murray or anyone else a better look. It just allows Miami to set its defense.

MacMahon: False. How can you complain about one of the NBA's elite clutch scorers getting a decent look that would have sent the game to overtime? Murray got a pretty good shot that just didn't go in.

Which team wins Game 3 and why?

MacMahon: I picked the Nuggets in six and am sticking with it, so I'll go with Denver to win on the road and reclaim home-court advantage. I don't think the Heat have the offensive firepower to outscore the Nuggets, but Miami keeps coming up with 3-point-shooting performances that drastically exceed the expected results considering shot quality.

Spears: The Heat made a great countermove in Game 2 and I expect Denver to do the same in Game 3. I also expect Denver to finally learn to put its foot on the gas throughout the game. Sure, Malone is preaching this hard to his team. Miami plays one way: all out. Denver seems to play inspired at times and goes through the motions at others. With the Nuggets on the road with two Finals games under their belt, they will finally wake up and bring the needed energy.

Friedell: The Nuggets have Jokic -- and you've got to believe they will bounce back and play with more effort after Malone called them out once more after Game 2. The Heat are so damn tough, but Jokic and Murray should be able to get things back on track. If Michael Porter Jr. plays better and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope stops committing bad fouls, the Nuggets are going to be in good shape.

Shelburne: I think the Nuggets respond and win this next game. They're not a great road team, but they just got hit in the mouth in Game 2 and called out for a lack of effort and discipline by their coach. I think they'll find a better response after a few days to regroup.

Youngmisuk: I like the Nuggets' chances in Game 3. I think Game 2 serves as a wake-up call for them. Besides Malone calling out their effort and focus in the fourth quarter, the Nuggets had been cruising. This was their first loss in nearly a month since dropping Game 4 at Phoenix in the second round. This one stung, and Malone made sure his team knew the fourth-quarter defensive lapses and lack of effort were unacceptable. The Nuggets have been very good this postseason at bouncing back from such tough losses. Miami has to slow the game and make it ugly in order to keep it close.

Herro playing in Game 3 would be ____.

Shelburne: An emotional lift. Obviously, the Heat have been winning without him on this playoff run, so the discussion will be about whether he disrupts anything -- ​​particularly for guys such as Duncan Robinson, who has really benefited from consistent minutes. But I really think the Heat could use another offensive threat against a team as potent as Denver. Butler has been good, not great, thus far.

Youngmisuk: A bonus for the Heat. I think Miami's Game 2 win gives the Heat more cushion to bring Herro back. If Miami wants to wait until Herro is fully ready, the Heat can wait another game now that the series is tied 1-1 going to Miami. Getting Herro back, though, would be a big boost to the offense. The risk, of course, is reinjury.

Friedell: A nice offensive player to have off the bench. Whatever Herro can give the group would be a plus, especially given his ability to stretch the floor, but don't expect him to play heavy minutes. Spoelstra knows the young guard hasn't played in seven weeks, and he understands he shouldn't have heavy expectations on Herro when he returns. If he's not hitting shots early, the Heat know they have guys who will do the job.

MacMahon: Interesting. I'm not sure if it would help or hurt the Heat. There is some risk involved in disrupting the rotation after such an awesome run, whether Herro starts or comes off the bench. He'd be a defender whom Denver could target, but Herro's ability to score and create could certainly be a boost for Miami.

Spears: Herro told ESPN's Ros Gold-Unwude that he is still experiencing soreness when he shoots. But this is the NBA Finals. Everyone is dealing with something. Even if Herro can only give the Heat 10 to 15 minutes, his shooting is a major lift. I would expect him to come off the bench. Spoelstra would have some tough decisions to make with his guards, but this is a good problem to have.

Which player aside from Jokic is having the biggest impact on this series?

Spears: Adebayo. He has been sensational so far, averaging 23.5 points, 11 rebounds and 4.5 assists. I'm sure he's inspired by all this Joker talk. The Finals are a moment for Bam to remind the NBA what he is capable of.

Shelburne: Murray. One of the key adjustments Miami made Sunday was putting Butler on Murray because of how effective he had been in Game 1. That's saying something about the level of respect the Heat have for him.

MacMahon: Adebayo. Just ask Spoelstra: "We just can't say enough of how difficult his responsibilities are in this series. To take arguably the toughest cover in the league for all the myriad of reasons that I don't need to get into, and then he has to shoulder a big offensive role for us, as well."

Youngmisuk: Murray. Everything he does will impact whether the Nuggets win or lose. As shown in Game 2, Jokic can have 41 points, but the Nuggets still lose. Jokic can't do it alone. The Nuggets are 0-3 this postseason when Jokic scores 40 or more. Murray has to dominate the Heat for longer than spurts in order for Denver to win a title. And even in Miami's Game 2 win, the Heat needed Murray to miss a good look at a 3 that would have sent the game to overtime. If Murray controls the game with his scoring and playmaking like he did in Game 1, Miami will be in trouble again.

Friedell: Adebayo. He was an offensive force in Game 1 and continues to be the anchor for a Heat team that keeps finding ways to win. If you believe the Heat can win this series, then you have to believe Adebayo can maintain the level of play he has displayed over the first two games.

NEW YORK -- The Yankees are holding their breath with Aaron Judge's toe injury.

Swelling in Judge's toe has gone down since the star outfielder ran into a wall at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, but Yankees manager Aaron Boone is unsure if a trip to the injured list will be necessary. Team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad will examine Judge's toe later Tuesday to see if it is broken.

"The swelling's better today and he feels a little bit better today," Boone said. "We'll kind of see where we are tonight or ... tomorrow."

If Judge's toe is broken, he could be out for four-to-six weeks, a big blow for a lineup built around the star's bat. Judge previously spent time on the injured list earlier this season with a right hamstring strain, but is having a strong year at the plate, hitting .291/.404/.674 with 19 homers and 2.2 bWAR in 49 games.

The Yankees depth will continue to be tested in the rotation, with Nestor Cortes heading to the injured list with a left shoulder injury. Boone mentioned Cortes has struggled to bounce back between starts.

So far this season, Cortes has a 5.16 ERA in 11 starts this season, striking out 59 batters in 59 1/3 innings.

To replace Cortes, New York called up Randy Vasquez from Triple-A. The righty made his major league debut on May 26 against the San Diego Padres, allowing two runs in 4 2/3 innings pitched.

But there is some good news on the injury front for New York. Outfielder Harrison Bader, who went on the injured list with a low grade hamstring strain, is feeling better and going through athletic activities on the field. While Bader is eligible to come off the injured list on Friday, he needs more time before returning.

"I really am over the hump of that and now it's just a matter of adding load and speed which just takes a few days," Bader said. "I wish I could just roll out of bed tomorrow and be ready to play in the lineup by the next day, but that's just not how these things go."

Bader has been a fan favorite for Yankee fans, hitting .267/.295/.511 with six homers in 26 games while playing strong defense in centerfield after starting the season on the injured list with an oblique injury.

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah was optioned Tuesday to the rookie-level Florida Complex League, a demotion designed to help the former ace reset from a nightmare start to the season.

The Blue Jays made the move one day after Manoah lasted just one-third of an inning and allowed six runs in a loss to the Houston Astros. The 2022 American League Cy Young Award finalist is 1-7 with a 6.36 ERA in 13 starts this season.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider acknowledged after Monday's 11-4 loss that "everything is on the table" in terms of the organization's options for Manoah, whose demotion came amid a series of roster moves.

Formerly known as the Gulf Coast League, the Florida Complex League (FCL) is considered one of the lowest levels of affiliated minor league baseball. The Blue Jays' FCL team operates out of the organization's spring training complex in Dunedin, Florida, where Manoah will have access to resources that may have been limited at higher levels of the minors.

Manoah, 25, was an All-Star last season, when he finished third in the AL in wins (16) and ERA (2.24).

Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt was reinstated from the paternity list Tuesday while infielder Santiago Espinal was activated from the 10-day injured list. Toronto also selected the contract of right-hander Bowden Francis from Triple-A Syracuse.

To make room for Bassitt, Espinal and Francis on the roster, the Blue Jays designated right-hander Zach Thompson for assignment and optioned right-hander Jay Jackson and infielder Ernie Clement to Triple-A Buffalo.

Texas Rangers ace Jacob deGrom has a tear in his ulnar collateral ligament and will be out indefinitely after undergoing surgery, general manager Chris Young announced on Tuesday.

The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner hadn't pitched since April 28, when he exited early against the the New York Yankees because of injury concerns for the second time in a span of three starts. The announcement of surgery came a day after deGrom was transferred to the 60-day injured list with elbow inflammation.

Young said the latest MRI showed more inflammation and significant structural damage that wasn't there on the scan after deGrom exited the game against the Yankees.

Young didn't specify if deGrom would be undergoing Tommy John surgery or another procedure to repair the UCL.

"This stinks," said an emotional deGrom, according to the Dallas Morning News. "It's not ideal. But at least we know what it is now. I want to get it fixed and will set a goal to be back before the end of next year."

The Rangers signed deGrom in free agency to a 5-year, $185 million deal after he had played his first nine big league seasons with the New York Mets. He was limited by injuries to 156⅓ innings over 26 starts his last two years in New York.

DeGrom, 34, had Tommy John surgery in 2010 during his rookie year.

DeGrom had a career-low 1.08 ERA over 92 innings during the 2021 season before missing the final three months with right forearm tightness and a sprained elbow. He didn't make his first big league start last year until Aug. 2 after being shut down late in spring training because of a stress reaction in his right scapula.

Texas has won all six games started by deGrom (2-0), but the right-hander has pitched only 30⅓ innings. He has a 2.67 ERA with 45 strikeouts and four walks. He threw 3⅔ scoreless innings against the Yankees before leaving that game because of discomfort in his arm.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

London Irish have been suspended from the Premiership after missing a deadline to pay players and staff.

A US consortium had been trying to buy the club, which finished fifth in the Premiership during 2022-23.

An RFU statement said the takeover had not materialised and the move would provide certainty for other clubs.

Despite plans announced in 2021 to expand to 14 teams, English rugby now faces the prospect of a 10-team Premiership next season following the demise of Worcester Warriors and Wasps.

A 10-team top flight with a reduced salary cap was discussed by clubs midway through last season, according to Leicester Tigers chief executive Andrea Pinchen.

Chief executive Bill Sweeney said: "This is desperately sad news for everyone who is part of the London Irish community as well as all the players, fans, staff and volunteers for whom this club means so much.

"Working alongside Premiership Rugby, the RPA and London Irish over recent months, our collective first priority has been to do the utmost to secure the long-term viability of the club and the protection of its players and staff.

"To achieve this, it was imperative that transparent evidence of funding be presented to us. This would have been either by the proposed buyers undertaking to provide all required working capital to meet the club's obligations for at least the 2023-24 season; or the club providing evidence that it would continue to fund its operations throughout the 2023-24 season.

"Despite requesting this evidence over the last six months and receiving assurances on multiple occasions that we would receive proof of ownership and funds; it has not materialised."

How did Irish get here?

While Irish enjoyed a solid season on the pitch, finishing fifth in the Premiership and reaching the final of the Premiership Rugby Cup for the second successive season, there have been rumblings of issues off the field for some time, with owner Mick Crossan in protracted talks to sell the club to a US-based consortium.

Crossan had to step in to pay overdue wages in April, just minutes before players were preparing to submit breach-of-contract notices.

The club were then given a deadline of 30 May to complete the takeover or risk being suspended from the Premiership next season, before the Rugby Football Union pushed that cut-off point back to 16:00 BST on Tuesday.

Irish, who are understood to have debts of around £30m, were told that to avoid suspension from English rugby's top flight, they needed to either complete a takeover or demonstrate that they have the funding to operate for the entire 2023-24 season.

They were also told they had to ensure all staff and players were paid in full for May, after just 50% of the money had been forthcoming.

The club were then last week served a winding-up petition by HM Revenue & Customs over an unpaid tax bill.

Petitions were filed at the High Court on Friday against London Irish Holdings Limited and London Irish Rugby Football Ground Limited.

Premiership loses Wasps and Worcester in 2022

The winding-up petition came on the day the UK government appointed independent advisers to support the sport in the wake of the demise of Worcester and Wasps this season.

Both clubs went into administration within the space of 21 days in the autumn and ended up being expelled from the Premiership.

Wasps' demise as a leading domestic club was confirmed last month when the RFU withdrew a conditional offer of a place in the Championship for next season.

The two-time European and six-times English champions will instead play "at the bottom of the playing pyramid" after being demoted to the 10th tier of English rugby.

Wasps went into administration in October, the month after Worcester suffered the same fate.

They were taken over in December but lost their proposed place in the second tier after the new owners could not provide evidence they were able to pay creditors and other financial commitments.

Meanwhile, months after winning the Premiership Rugby Cup, their first major trophy, Worcester were suspended by the RFU after entering administration in September, while players and staff had their contracts terminated after part of the club was wound-up over an unpaid £6m tax bill.

Worcester were formally taken over by the Atlas Group in May after initially agreeing a deal with administrators Begbies Traynor in February.

However, when, and in which division, the club will return to playing is currently unknown.

After being named as preferred bidders following the collapse of the club, Atlas, led by ex-Warriors chief executive Jim O'Toole, withdrew from negotiations with the RFU over playing in next season's Championship and backtracked on deeply unpopular plans to re-brand as Sixways Rugby.

Although proposals remain to merge with the first team of local tier-five side Stourbridge, nothing official has been announced, with Atlas warned by the RFU any move to "buy their way" back higher up the league, rather than start at the bottom in tier 10, would not be allowed.

Karim Benzema has signed for Al Ittihad, the club announced Tuesday, becoming the latest star to join the Saudi Pro League.

Benzema, 35, left Real Madrid following the 2022-23 season after 14 years at the Bernabeu. He scored his final goal for the club in their season-ending 1-1 draw against Athletic Club on Sunday.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

The former France striker was expected to sign for a further year with Madrid, but he has instead joined former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League. Sources told ESPN last Tuesday that Benzema was offered a two-year, €400 million contract by the Saudi champions.

"I am excited to experience a new football league in a different country. Al-Ittihad Club has an amazing history, incredibly passionate fans and big ambitions in football to be a force in Asia after winning the league," Benzema said in the club's announcement.

"I have been fortunate to achieve amazing things in my career and achieve everything I can in Spain and Europe. It now feels the time is right for a new challenge and project. Every time I've visited Saudi Arabia I've always felt such warmth and love from the fans and people. I am looking forward to joining my new teammates and, together with them, help take this amazing club and the game in Saudi Arabia to new levels."

Benzema is here ?✍️
A new tiger will roar ?
Welcome to Ittihad!#Benzema2Ittihad#here2inspireKSA pic.twitter.com/I3GEm90fRB

— Ittihad Club (@ittihad_en) June 6, 2023

Added Al Ittihad president Anmar Bin Abdullah Alhailae: "To sign the current Ballon d'Or holder from Real Madrid is another historic milestone for this special club. Karim is global football icon, he's box office and very much at the top of his powers.

"He joins a club and hugely competitive league -- in a country with big ambitions both on and off the pitch. We know all eyes will be on him and can't wait to see him in the number 9 shirt of Al-Ittihad Club next season as we face an incredibly exciting challenge to defend our title, compete in Asia and play on the global state of the FIFA Club World Cup."

The 2022 Ballon d'Or winner scored 354 goals for Madrid across 648 matches while earning a record 25 trophies at Madrid, consisting of four LaLiga titles, five Champions Leagues, three Copas del Rey, four Spanish Supercopas, four UEFA Super Cups and five FIFA Club World Cups.

Despite an injury-hit campaign which saw him forcibly withdrawn from France's World Cup squad, Benzema notched 31 goals in 43 games while also providing six assists last season.

Benzema was integral in Madrid's 2021-22 campaign, scoring 27 times in LaLiga and 15 times in the Champions League as the club won both trophies.

The striker is Madrid's second-highest all-time goalscorer behind Ronaldo. The club held an event at its training ground on Tuesday to pay tribute to the Frenchman.

MIAMI -- Heat guard Tyler Herro still hasn't been cleared to return to game action and it remains unclear if he will be able to play in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night as he continues to recover from a broken right hand.

"I don't want to be Nostradamus right now," Spoelstra said after Tuesday's practice. "We're taking it one day at a time. And I know that sounds like a cliche. He did the practice with the group. He is going to do a full-contact workout after this. We'll evaluate that. We'll meet with the training staff later on today and probably [Wednesday], and we'll just continue this process. He has not been cleared yet, so that's where we are. But we're encouraged by the work that he's been doing."

Herro has been out since breaking his hand in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Milwaukee Bucks. While he was hopeful prior to the Finals that he would be able to return at some point, it remains unclear if and when that return will take place.

The good news for the Heat is as they come into Game tied 1-1 with the Nuggets, there remains a tangible belief within the locker room that they will find a way to win no matter who is on the floor. The group remains loose and focused as it prepares to play at home Wednesday night.

"We know our group," Spoelstra said, while describing both the intensity of the moment and the ability to enjoy it as well.. "They live on the razor's edge. There's an edginess to this group. The 'on' button is usually on.

"I think we've found better ways, more productive ways in the moments in between just to not exhale, not to relax, but just to recharge, get our minds off of that so that you can gear up the next day emotionally, physically, spiritually, all of those things. It's tough to always be on that 'on' button."

We're back with the latest edition of the still-too-early All-Star selections for the upcoming 2023 MLB All-Star Game.

This time we're selecting entire rosters following the All-Star roster rules: 32 players, including 20 position players (at least two at every position, including designated hitter) and 12 pitchers (four relievers). Players will be considered only at the positions they are listed at on the official All-Star ballot, and each team must have a representative. Yes, you can make your A's joke here.

Let's get right into it and break down who you might see July 11 in Seattle.

American League starters

C: Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles

I suspect this will be the first of many All-Star appearances for Rutschman and likely the first of many All-Star starts. He doesn't have elite exit velocity, so he might never be a big power guy, but he's going to produce on-base percentages around .400 for the next decade. Most career starts for All-Star catchers: Ivan Rodriguez (12), Yogi Berra (11), Johnny Bench (10), Mike Piazza (10).

1B: Yandy Diaz, Tampa Bay Rays

It will be interesting to see whom the fans vote in as Diaz and Anthony Rizzo are the best of a weak group, while Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who started the past two contests, continues to chase too many pitches to approach his monster numbers of 2021. Diaz, meanwhile, is hitting a lot like Guerrero did in 2021: high average, power, excellent walk-to-strikeout rate. Indeed, Diaz's OPS+ is 175, a bit higher than Guerrero's 167 that season.

2B: Marcus Semien, Texas Rangers

Semien should be headed for his second All-Star start; really, there's no other competition given Jose Altuve spent most of the first two months on the injured list and Andres Gimenez, last year's starter, hasn't hit much. Semien is once again a rock of durability, having played every game, and leads the AL in runs scored while hitting for the highest average of his career.

3B: Matt Chapman, Toronto Blue Jays

Chapman had a 1.182 OPS in April, and everybody wrote about his new approach. He followed that up with a .585 OPS in May, and now nobody's talking about his approach. He has still been the best overall at his position, as Jose Ramirez has played below his usual level and Rafael Devers is flirting with a sub-.300 on-base percentage.

SS: Wander Franco, Tampa Bay Rays

He leads the AL in Baseball-Reference WAR (bWAR), although this is hardly a slam dunk, as Bo Bichette is close behind him. Franco has hit around .308 and swiped 21 bases, while defensive metrics place him at the top of the charts among shortstops. Oh, yeah, he's still just 22 and has racked up 3.6 bWAR in less than half a season. Best seasons by 22-year-old shortstops since integration: Alex Rodriguez, 1998 (8.5 WAR); Cal Ripken, 1983 (8.2); Jim Fregosi, 1964 (7.9); Troy Tulowitzki, 2007 (6.8); Carlos Correa, 2017 (6.7).

OF: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees

Judge had a 12-game homerless stretch from April 20 to May 12 sandwiched around a stint on the IL because of a hip injury, but he has been crushing it since his return and now has 19 home runs in 49 games ... a pace of 63 over 162 games. The missed time probably means 60 is out of the question, but 50-something appears possible. He's also back in the discussion for MVP, leading the AL in home runs, slugging and OPS -- and times crashing through the Dodger Stadium right-field gate.

OF: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels

His OPS and slugging percentage are at career lows, and he's still not walking as much as he once did, so you can't help but wonder if Trout's finally showing the first signs of decline at age 31. I wouldn't want to bet on it, though.

OF: Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros

Alvarez has started more games at DH but is listed on the ballot as an outfielder, so we're including him here -- and he's a no-brainer as our third selection. Based on the past two seasons, Judge is the best hitter in the game, but Alvarez would rank No. 2.

DH: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels

There are few sights in the game more magnificent than an Ohtani home run -- such as the recent 459-foot blast off Lance Lynn or the 456-foot blast in Baltimore that flew off the fence protecting Eutaw Street in right-center and had Orioles announcer Kevin Brown saying, "You just don't see anyone hit it out there."

P: Framber Valdez, Houston Astros

Who is the best pitcher in the AL? It's a wide-open argument. The past three Cy Young winners were Shane Bieber, who has seen his strikeout rate deteriorate this season; Robbie Ray, who is out for the season after Tommy John surgery; and Justin Verlander, who is now in the NL.

It's so wide open that I considered 12 different pitchers for this slot. To sort through them all, I ranked them in eight different categories (through Saturday's games), and the lowest average score actually belonged to Seattle's Luis Castillo, with Valdez and the Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi tied for second. It's close, but Valdez was the best of the three last season and also had a dominant postseason with a 1.44 ERA in four starts, so I'm giving him the nod.

(Eovaldi tossed six scoreless innings on Sunday to make his case stronger as he improved to 8-2 with a 2.24 ERA while now leading the AL in innings pitched.)

American League reserves

C: Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals

Jonah Heim of the Rangers draws the short straw here, as the Royals need a representative. At least the seven-time All-Star is a deserving rep. Perez's career arc is pretty fascinating: Prior to his season-long elbow injury in 2019, he had a career OPS+ of 98. Since 2020, it's hovering around 125. He still swings at everything but has simply learned to hit the ball harder more often (at the expense of more strikeouts).

1B: Anthony Rizzo, New York Yankees

Rizzo is a three-time All-Star, but the most recent of those appearances came back in 2016, when he started for the NL. If Rizzo does make it, I suspect seven years between All-Star appearances might be a record of sorts, at least for a position player. His average is way up, but it's hardly because of the new shift rules -- he has just 10 ground ball hits all season.

2B: Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

Nobody else has stepped up to earn this position, so let's go with a guy who is one of the game's biggest stars, even if he didn't make his season debut until May 19.

3B: Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Guardians

His power numbers are down from his career norms, but he has been fine overall. His flyball rate is actually up a bit, and his strikeouts are down, so the home runs should start coming. Also, Ramirez will be the only Cleveland rep on the team.

3B: Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox

As I filled out my roster, it turns out the two open slots among my 20 position players came down to two Red Sox players (Devers and Masataka Yoshida) and two Rangers (Josh Jung and Adolis Garcia). Two third basemen and two outfielders. One of the two had to be a Boston player because the Sox still needed a rep. By bWAR:

Jung: 1.9

Garcia: 1.9

Yoshida: 1.3

Devers: 0.9

I took Devers over Yoshida since he's the more established star and does rank third in the AL in RBIs and Garcia over Jung for similar reasons. Plus, we already have three third basemen if we select Devers.

SS: Bo Bichette, Toronto Blue Jays

An All-Star in 2021, Bichette scuffled in the first half of 2022 but tore it up in the second half, especially in September, when he hit .406. He found his stroke from the get-go this year and leads the AL in batting average and hits, putting him in line to lead in the latter for the third straight season.

OF: Randy Arozarena, Tampa Bay Rays

After his breakout 2020 postseason, Arozarena's first two full seasons were solid, but he has improved his walk and strikeout rates this year. That has led to more hard contact (his hard-hit rate percentile is up in the low 90s from 56) and some of the best numbers of his career as part of the explosive 2023 Tampa Bay offense.

OF: Luis Robert, Chicago White Sox

Robert earns this on merit, although he is also our only White Sox player. His defense has been Gold Glover-caliber and, most importantly, he has stayed off the IL.

OF: Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners

Look, this spot could go to, say, Josh Lowe, who is having an All-Star worthy campaign for the Rays even as a platoon player. Or Cedric Mullins of the Orioles if he hadn't landed on the IL. Or Yoshida or Alex Verdugo of the Red Sox, which would allow us to replace Devers with Jung. But are we having an All-Star Game in Seattle without Julio? No, we are not.

OF: Adolis Garcia, Texas Rangers

Sometimes you have to be a little bit lucky as an organization. The Rangers purchased Garcia from the Cardinals after the 2019 season. That was smart. In 2021, he was also designated for assignment. Any team could have had him. Nobody wanted him, so he stayed with the Rangers. That was lucky. Now, he could be headed for his second All-Star appearance.

DH: Brent Rooker, Oakland Athletics

Rooker hit .353 with nine home runs in April when he posted an OPS over 1.200. The strikeouts have returned in May, but he has been the second-best DH in a weak group and we need somebody to represent the A's.

American League pitchers

Notes on starting pitchers: I ranked the starters by the formula I mentioned above (stats are, once again, through Saturday's games), with Ohtani's dual role as DH allowing us to add an extra pitcher.

P: Luis Castillo, Seattle Mariners

Castillo deserves better than his 4-3 record. All four of his wins came when he allowed no runs -- and he had another no-decision with no runs.

P: Nathan Eovaldi, Texas Rangers

Yes, the Rangers signed a free agent who might end up starting the All-Star Game: Eovaldi, not Jacob deGrom.

P: Sonny Gray, Minnesota Twins

Gray is third in ERA and just allowed his first home run, but he hasn't dominated in some other categories (12th in WHIP and 10th in innings and batting average allowed).

P: Shane McClanahan, Tampa Bay Rays

McClanahan started last year's All-Star Game and will hope to avoid a similar second-half fade.

P: Kevin Gausman, Toronto Blue Jays

Gausman leads in FanGraphs WAR (fWAR).

P: Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins

Ryan has remade his repertoire with a new sweeper and is racking up K's while allowing fewer home runs.

P: Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees

Cole, a perennial Cy Young contender, started off great but is once again experiencing issues with home runs.

P: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels

My heart wanted to start Ohtani on the mound as well, and he does lead in strikeout percentage and lowest batting average, but he ranked 12th among my 12 candidates in ERA and home run rate and 11th in both bWAR and fWAR.

Cristian Javier, Jon Gray and George Kirby just missed the cut, while Detroit's Eduardo Rodriguez would have been a strong candidate, but he's out six-plus weeks because of a finger injury.

RP: Felix Bautista, Baltimore Orioles

RP: Yennier Cano, Baltimore Orioles

Bautista and Cano are pretty easy selections as the dominant duo at the back end of the Baltimore bullpen. They're a combined 4-1 with 19 saves and 87 strikeouts in 59 innings with just 32 hits allowed. Cleveland's Emmanuel Clase has arguably been the game's best reliever over the past two seasons and closed out the 3-2 AL victory in last year's All-Star Game with three strikeouts, but he has been more hittable in 2023 and has five blown saves and four losses.

RP: Alex Lange, Detroit Tigers

RP: Paul Sewald, Seattle Mariners

We'll give the final two spots to Lange, who had a 0.90 ERA until serving up a grand slam on Sunday and fills our need for a Tigers player, and Sewald, who has been a reliable late-inning option for the third straight season and would complete his journey from rags-to-All-Star after the Mets let him go back in 2020.

National League starters

C: Sean Murphy, Atlanta Braves

Best offseason move? Yeah, best offseason move. I suspect if the MVP vote were held today that teammate Ronald Acuña Jr. would win, but Murphy might finish second.

1B: Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers

In an era when hitting .300 is more difficult than ever, Freeman is headed for his eighth .300 season and leads the NL in doubles and ranks second in hits and OPS. At 33, his Hall of Fame case is now all but secure given how well he is aging and now we'll see how high he can climb on the list of best first basemen of all time.

2B: Luis Arraez, Miami Marlins

A 5-for-5 game on Saturday raised his average 16 points to .390; then he had two more hits on Sunday and three on Monday. He's now at an incredible .399, which means ... don't say it ... OK, say it ... we can start talking .400 again. Arraez versus Nolan Gorman is a fascinating contrast in style. Gorman has 13 more home runs, six more walks and has grounded into nine fewer double plays in a similar total of plate appearances. It takes a lot of singles to make up for that, but so far Arraez does have the higher wRC+.

3B: Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers

Third base in the NL appeared loaded as Manny Machado, Nolan Arenado and Austin Riley finished second, third and sixth in the MVP last year, but Machado has been awful, Arenado had a miserable April and Riley has been good but not great. Muncy gets the nod despite a low batting average as he leads all NL third basemen in home runs, runs, RBIs, walks and wRC+. After a strong May, I suspect Arenado might still end up winning the fan vote.

SS: Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs

All-Star starters are usually selected on the strength of their hitting, and Swanson has posted the best OBP among NL shortstops, but his defense puts him over the top.

OF: Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves

He has certainly been the most electrifying player so far with his speed-power combo. It's not difficult to figure out -- aside from his knee being healthy -- why he has taken his game to a new level. His career strikeout rate entering 2023 was 25%; this season, it's a shade under 14%, an incredible drop from his previous norms.

OF: Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers

The best utility player in the game.

OF: Juan Soto, San Diego Padres

Will we ever again see the player who hit .322/.471/.572 across the 2020-21 seasons at ages 21 and 22? He's still young enough that we can't dismiss that hitter is still somewhere inside him, but even if we don't, a .420-plus OBP is still enormously valuable.

DH: J.D. Martinez, Los Angeles Dodgers

I had a feeling Martinez to the Dodgers would end up being one of the best low-level moves of the offseason, but I certainly didn't expect him to be leading the NL in slugging percentage in early June. He hit 16 home runs last season and is already at 13.

P: Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks

Similar to the AL, the NL's best pitcher is wide open.

Max Scherzer hasn't pitched enough to warrant consideration. Verlander was injured and hasn't been especially effective. Corbin Burnes has seen his strikeout rate drop from 12.6 per nine in 2021 to 8.5 (while his ERA has risen). Julio Urias gave up a ton of home runs and then got hurt. Jacob deGrom is in the AL (and injured anyway). Sandy Alcantara, last year's Cy Young winner, is 2-5 with a 4.93 ERA.

Gallen finished fifth in last year's vote and has been outstanding once again -- he had a stretch of four straight scoreless outings in April -- for a surprising Diamondbacks squad. Marcus Stroman would be under strong consideration here as well, with 11 quality starts out of 13 outings.

National League reserves

C: Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers

He's having his best season, and if he hadn't missed 13 games because of an injury, he might be right up there in the early MVP discussion. His strikeout rate has dropped from an already-low 16.6% last season to under 10% this season (one of just five players).

C: Elias Diaz, Colorado Rockies

Yes, we needed a Rockies rep, but Diaz has been outstanding and is by no means a token representative in recent Rockies tradition. Considering he hit .228 last year, we'll see whether he can keep hitting .300 all season.

1B: Pete Alonso, New York Mets

The batting average is low, although mostly due to a ridiculously low average on balls in play rather than anything else, but he does lead the NL in home runs and RBIs and has delivered some key late-game home runs for the Mets.

1B: Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals

In my initial run through the roster, I debated between Alonso and Goldschmidt as the backup first baseman before finally deciding I'd just take both. Goldschmidt isn't having the same MVP season he did in 2022, but he has still been one of the best hitters in the league as he flirts with a .300/.400/.500 line.

2B: Nolan Gorman, St. Louis Cardinals

He's having a breakout season and given his prospect pedigree, I'm buying it -- and I expect a 30-homer season. Statcast doesn't like his defense at second, but his raw range factor (4.52 plays per nine innings) is basically identical to teammates Brendan Donovan (4.50) and Tommy Edman (4.67), and Gorman was actually higher than both last season.

3B: Jeimer Candelario, Washington Nationals

We needed a Nationals player, and Candelario actually leads NL third basemen in fWAR, so this isn't a bad reach. I suspect he'll be playing for a new team soon after the All-Star Game. (In fact, given the Mariners' struggles at DH, maybe he can just remain in Seattle once the game's over.)

SS: Francisco Lindor, New York Mets

The batting average and OBP are way too low, but he does lead NL shortstops in runs and RBIs and his defense has been outstanding. Still, he gets this mostly by default, as Trea Turner hasn't been good and Xander Bogaerts hasn't exactly torn it up in San Diego.

OF: Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks

What an exciting young player. He has been good enough to make a strong case as the third outfield starter behind Acuna and Betts. Besides the game-changing speed and potential to hit 25 home runs, I love the rapid improvement in his approach. He had 24 K's and eight walks in April and improved to 18 strikeouts and 15 walks in May. He's going to be a regular at the Midsummer Classic.

OF: Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Arizona Diamondbacks

Alek Thomas and Jake McCarthy were supposed to join Carroll in the Arizona outfield with Gurriel as more of a DH option, but as the two sophomores struggled at the plate, Gurriel has been terrific, rediscovering the power that left him last year in Toronto.

OF: Nick Castellanos, Philadelphia Phillies

Here's how bad things are in Philadelphia: I actually forgot to put a Phillies player on my initial run through the roster and had to go back to add Castellanos. The Phillies' entire roster is built around its star power, and none of those stars are having All-Star seasons. Pretty incredible. Or maybe a good reason to expect a Phillies surge in the second half.

DH: Jorge Soler, Miami Marlins

I could have applied the same argument I used for Altuve to put Bryce Harper here, but unlike the situation at AL second base, Soler is having a good season and is a worthy selection.

National League pitchers

P: Marcus Stroman, Chicago Cubs

Stroman has held batters to a .186 average, no doubt benefiting from the excellent up-the-middle defense of Swanson and Nico Hoerner.

P: Spencer Strider, Atlanta Braves

Strider has been touched up in a couple outings of late, but his strikeout rate of 40.6% (14.6 K's per nine) would rank as the best ever over a full season.

P: Bryce Elder, Atlanta Braves

Elder began the season in the minors and while there's nothing in his numbers that suggest he can keep this going, a 1.97 ERA is a 1.97 ERA.

P: Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants

Webb is headed for a third straight outstanding season, although he has been plagued by poor run support as the Giants have scored zero or one run in five of his 12 starts.

P: Mitch Keller, Pittsburgh Pirates

Keller is maybe the most improved pitcher in the majors, going from a 2.30 strikeout-to-walk ratio last season to 5.47 as he has added a new cutter and improved his fastball command.

P: Merrill Kelly, Arizona Diamondbacks

The underrated Kelly is holding batters to a .194 average.

P: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

Yes, I'll take another All-Star appearance from a legend.

RP: Alexis Diaz, Cincinnati Reds

RP: Devin Williams, Milwaukee Brewers

Whew. We still needed reps from the Reds and Brewers, but luckily Diaz and Williams are absolutely worthy All-Stars, with Diaz racking up strikeouts like his brother did a year ago and Williams allowing just one run so far (Thairo Estrada hit a home run off him).

RP: David Bednar, Pittsburgh Pirates

RP: Josh Hader, San Diego Padres

The other two are also locks. Bednar would make his second straight All-Star appearance if he makes it (he has one walk all season, and that was intentional), while Hader would be making his fifth straight appearance (there was no All-Star Game in 2020). Don't look for much offense from the AL against this group in the late innings.