⚾️ Ohtani's UCL Tear Dampens MLB's Best Story

Shohei Ohtani's UCL tear is tragic for the impending free agent — and baseball fans. [View in browser]( In today’s FOX Sports Insider with Martin Rogers: Shohei Ohtani's injury ends one of the best stories of this season … Travis Kelce is the top tight end in the league, but who are the other top tight ends? … and more! You can't really get into all the other stuff without addressing the sadness. Yes, Shohei Ohtani's elbow injury has all kinds of ramifications, from financials to his destination and legacy, but I'll let those breathe a little. Because, for now, everyone's just kind of glum, and that's OK. Truth be told, it's basically unavoidable. The most transcendent baseball player of recent times got lifted from a start on Wednesday with what was initially described as arm fatigue. We'd had and heard that specific reason before, so it was a situation to monitor, but perhaps not a major one. It soon would be. By the end of the Los Angeles Angels' doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds, the Japanese pitching/hitting/mind-blowing sensation had been diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament, confirming the excruciating truth that baseball is less kind to the elbow than any other body part and that everything had suddenly changed, in an instant. It was thoroughly miserable news. The reality that the Angels can't string together a winning season — no matter what — prevails without faltering and that is its own tale. But Ohtani had become baseball's happy place, as those who love matters of the diamond got used to the fact that yes, we were seeing history unfurl before us. And no, this wasn't a dream that we'd soon be stirred from. Not only that, he'd become, and remains, the biggest story of the season, with thoughts on where he might go and what he might do in free agency overshadowing pennant races and World Series chances and teams that, you know, actually win quite a lot. Ohtani began Wednesday by striking out two in the first inning against the Reds and then stepped up to smack his baseball-leading 44th home run of the campaign. So far, so Shotime. And then that was it. For the rest of the story, [click here.]( [STORY IMAGE 1] [IN OTHER WORDS] - Travis Kelce is a future Hall of Famer and the uncontested No. 1 tight end. [Who else is in the top 10 for 2023]( and what makes them special? The FOX Sports NFL writers break down the list. - Gunnar Henderson grew up with a baseball field as his literal backyard. Now he's the AL's best rookie, on one of MLB's best teams. He opened up to Ben Verlander on [where he comes from]( and where he believes he and the Orioles are going. - Alexis Díaz [toiled in the minors for seven years]( and was mostly known as Edwin's brother. Now? "Every time he goes out there it feels like, ‘Oh, we won.'’ Jordan Shusterman has the story. - Benjamin Cremaschi, Inter Miami's 18-year-old sensation, will compete for a spot on USMNT's September roster. [Is it the Lionel Messi effect]( Doug McIntyre weighs in on the move. For the latest news and updates, [click here.]( [VIEWER'S GUIDE] Toronto Blue Jays at Baltimore Orioles (MLBN, 7:05 p.m. ET) The Blue Jays and Orioles collide in a matchup of AL East divisional rivals jockeying for playoff positioning. Indianapolis Colts at Philadelphia Eagles (PRIME VIDEO, 8 p.m. ET) Anthony Richardson and the Colts head on the road to face Jalen Hurts and the Eagles in a preseason battle. Cincinnati Reds at Arizona Diamondbacks (FS1, 9:40 p.m. ET) Elly De La Cruz and the Reds travel to Arizona to face Corbin Carroll and the upstart Diamondbacks. For all of today's games and scores, [click here](. [BET OF THE DAY] Stetson Bennett to win 2023-24 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (+10,000) From FOX Sports NFL Analyst: Geoff Schwartz While Bennett might be older than me and you, he is the best long-shot candidate to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately, this is a wager that is tied to the health status of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who appears healthy again after a 2022 campaign wrought with injury. The Rams offensive line situation has me concerned that Stafford will get hit all season, and that could lead to an opportunity for Bennett to play. If Bennett gets the chance to play for an extended period, he can succeed in this offense. The Kyle Shanahan-Sean McVay offense has elevated quarterbacks with skill sets similar to Bennett's into MVP consideration. Heavy play-action passes with easier throws for the quarterback can help pad stats. While it’s fun to joke about Stetson's age (he'll turn 26 this October), he has seen a ton of football, and that experience will help him play better earlier in his career — if given the opportunity. For the latest betting odds, [click here](. [FOLLOW FOX SPORTS] [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( Download FOX Sports App: [Fire TV]( [Roku]( [Google Play]( [App Store]( [Fire TV]( [Roku]( [App Store]( [Google Play]( Also available on these devices: [fireTV | AppleTV | ROKU | Google Chromecast | XBOX ONE | SAMSUNG Smart TV | Vizio | LG Smart TV] [fireTV | AppleTV | ROKU | Google Chromecast | XBOX ONE | SAMSUNG Smart TV | Vizio | LG Smart TV] Trademark & Copyright Notice: ™ and © 2023 Fox Media LLC and FOX Sports Interactive Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Please do not reply to this message. If you do not wish to receive emails like this in the future, please [unsubscribe](. FOX Sports respects your privacy. Click [here]( to view our Privacy Policy. 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