MLS is past the midway point of the season, making Austin, Texas, the center of American soccer world as the all-star festivities come to down. The league's best, minus Lionel Messi, will play an exhibition match where they'll face off against the Liga MX all-stars.

Golden State is 10–12 on the season, with three consecutive losses on their ledger before the All-Star break began. The Valkyries currently have the league's ninth-best record and own a 40.3% chance to reach the playoffs, per ESPN's Basketball Power Index.

All-Star forward Kayla Thornton will miss the remainder the season for the expansion Golden State Valkyries after undergoing surgery on her right knee Friday, the team announced.

Soto, 30, originally signed with the Tigers out of the Dominican Republic and pitched in Detroit from 2019 to 2022. He served as the Tigers’ closer for much of his final two seasons and was selected to the All-Star team in both 2021 and 2022.

New York, which began play Friday 4 1/2 games behind first-place Toronto in the AL East, traded for the 30-year-old, who was an All-Star last season.

Bowden proposed a mock trade that would swap Garcia straight-up for Yankees outfielder Jasson Domínguez, the team's former number-one prospect who has massive offensive potential, but has had an uneven rookie season, particularly on defense.

Once a much-anticipated celebration of a sport's best talents, All-Star games have fallen into a constant state of reinvention amid a high-stakes effort by North American leagues to make their star-studded showcases a ratings hit.