Baseball

The Congressional Baseball Game -- the annual event in D.C. set up to benefit charities -- was anything but chummy on Thursday night, at least for a few moments, 'cause a Democratic lawmaker flipped off a bench full of Republicans, and didn't seem to mean it in a joking way.

Rep. Linda Sanchez, a Democrat from California, unloaded the single-barrel salute in the sixth inning of the game at Nationals Park as she was pulled from the bases for a pinch runner.

No word on what apparently upset her ... but you can see in video of the incident, as she was leaving the diamond to head back to her dugout, she looked at Republican lawmakers and then fired off the offensive gesture.

She has yet to publicly comment on it all.

Outside of the stadium, there was drama too -- multiple protestors were arrested after they blocked an entrance to the park.

Several protestors, meanwhile, ended up making their way inside the venue, and ultimately unfurled a banner that read, "They play ball while the world burns.”

As for the action on the field, there were far less fireworks there ... as the Republicans dominated the game, winning a laugher, 10-0.

Horrifying moment in the Marlins vs. Reds game Thursday afternoon ... Miami pitcher Daniel Castano was drilled in the head by a 104 MPH line drive, but somehow, he appears to be OK.

The terrifying scene just happened in the bottom of the first inning at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati ... when Castano threw a slider to Donovan Solano.

The Reds third baseman smacked the ball violently ... and it made a beeline straight for Castano's face.

Thankfully, Castano was able to turn away enough to avoid getting hit near the eye area -- and the ball popped off his head and his teammate was able to record the out.

The 27-year-old lefty stayed down on the mound for several moments as trainers raced to his aid, but he was able to walk off under his own power.

In between innings, Marlins manager Don Mattingly appeared to tell an umpire that Castano had avoided serious injury, explaining the ball appeared to mostly hit the brim of the pitcher's cap.

Miami, though, has yet to officially release an update on his status.

Stephen Curry proved he's human after all at the Oakland A's game on Wednesday ... throwing out the first pitch with his wife, Ayesha -- and let's just say it was NOT a strike.

The 4-time NBA champ was a guest at RingCentral Coliseum for the home team's matchup against the Houston Astros ... and naturally, the Currys were treated like royalty.

Steph even got in the batter's box and took some swings before the game ... making contact with the ball several times.

But when it came time for the couple to take the mound and show off their arms, it wasn't quite the outcome Steph could have hoped for.

Ayesha's pitch was right down the middle (although it didn't exactly make it to the plate) ... while Steph's sailed to the left.

The couple laughed it all off and clearly enjoyed themselves ... but ya gotta imagine Curry wishes he had a redo.

A couple of Red Sox fans turned Fenway Park into their own Octagon during Monday night's game ... with two men getting into a violent altercation on the ground -- forcing security to get involved.

The incident went down as Boston hosted the Cleveland Guardians ... and it all seemingly got started over a beverage.

The person who posted the altercation claims the man in red spilled a drink on the fan in white ... which led to both guys duking it out on the stadium floor.

The fan in white throws several punches as the man in red holds him down on the concrete ... before two security guards intervene and diffuse the situation.

No word on whether the guys were arrested -- the video cuts off as the guards swoop in and hold them back.

One fan is heard yelling, "let's f***ing go, woo!!" as the altercation unfolds ... with others watching the action in the distance.

Blue Jays ace Alek Manoah just pitched in front of a sold-out stadium full of fans and celebs at the All-Star Game -- but there's one guy he really wishes would have come to watch him throw ... Drake!!!

Manoah made it clear to TMZ Sports just before he took the bump at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Tuesday that he really wants the "God's Plan" rapper to catch one of his games.

"Come watch me pitch!" Manoah said in a message to Drake.

The 24-year-old even offered some incentive to the entertainer if he does make the trek to one of his outings soon ... telling us, "We'll give him a uniform!"

Of course, Drake is a big Blue Jays fan -- he's worn the home team's jersey at his concerts in the past ... and even famously put a pic of Joe Carter on his "Back to Back" hit's cover art.

But, it's obvious he's far more into Toronto's basketball team than its baseball team ... and it seems Manoah is trying to work his magic to get that to change.

The Orioles ain't just on a hot streak -- they're real deal World Series contenders ... so says the team's star closer Jorge Lopez, who tells TMZ Sports they could "absolutely" win it all this year.

We got the flame-throwing righty out at LAX just a couple days after he dominated in the All-Star Game ... and he said straight-up, believe in the O's in the second half of the season.

"That's the mentality," said the 29-year-old, who's already notched 17 saves with a 1.62 ERA this year. "That's the mentality we want ... Just trust the process."

If Lopez is right, it could cost Las Vegas sportsbooks a fortune -- 'cause when the Orioles were stumbling at the beginning of the year, some bettors got them at 2,000-to-1 odds to win the World Series.

And, according to ESPN, that means if Lopez and the Orioles are champs by the end of the year -- it could mean a seven-figure loss for some books.

Seems Lopez doesn't care much, though -- telling us he really believes in Baltimore, which currently holds a record hovering around .500.

Billie Eilish had quite the day at the ballpark on Thursday ... she laughed, she snacked -- and then she turned the game into her own personal dance party!!!

The "Ocean Eyes" singer hit up the Dodgers vs. Giants game in L.A. with her family to celebrate the release of two new songs earlier in the afternoon ... and it ain't hard to see she had a blast at the stadium.

Wearing a Dodgers jersey (no name or number on the back), Eilish picked up a Cody Bellinger bobblehead, posed for pics with fans and enjoyed all the other sights, sounds and food at the venue.

But, at one point during the game, she got the stadium really jumpin' ... because when the PA system began blaring "Bad Guy" -- she danced her face off, and it was all captured on the jumbotron!!

Eilish -- alongside her brother, Finneas -- ended up staying for the whole game ... and caught quite the finish, as Mookie Betts hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to give the Dodgers a 9-6 win over their hated rival.

'RHOC' star Meghan King is being slammed by ex-hubby Jim Edmonds for posting about their child's challenges ... Jim says she didn't even get the kid's medical condition right.

The retired MLB player and current baseball broadcaster is upset over one of Meghan's recent Instagram posts, where she asks for help getting her and Jim's son, Hart, potty-trained ... with Meghan telling folks the kid has a hard time learning new skills because he has cerebral palsy.

Problem is ... Jim says 4-year-old Hart does NOT have cerebral palsy, and was actually diagnosed with a different medical condition known as periventricular leukomalacia, or PVL, which is a softening of the white brain tissue near the ventricles.

Jim's rep, Steve Honig, tells TMZ ... Jim wishes Meghan would respect their children's privacy and stop putting their son and his challenges in the spotlight ... he says to get attention for herself.

Edmonds' rep also points out the discrepancy over their son's medical condition and adds this parting shot ... "If Meghan wants to improve her ability to co-parent with Jim, it might be a good idea for her to stop constantly disparaging him."

Best Tuesday ever?!?!

New York Yankees ace Nestor Cortes had a hell of an experience on the mound at his first All-Star Game -- and then he got engaged to his girlfriend!!

The left-handed pitcher just shared the news on his social media page ... saying following his dominant outing in Tuesday night's midsummer classic, he proposed to his GF -- and she said yes.

"All Star week made 2 of my dreams come true," the 27-year-old said. "Pitch in a all star game. And propose to my bestfriend. With my parents along my side. I had to make us official."

Alondra G. Esteras Russy confirmed on her own social media that she didn't turn the Yanks star down ... writing on pics of her new ring, "Of course i said YES !"

Cortes appeared to pop the question at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art -- a fitting place, considering the paint he had thrown at the All-Star Game just hours earlier.

In his one inning of work, he struck out two, allowed no hits and gave up no runs -- as he helped propel the American League to a 3-2 win over the National League.

Only thing that could make this year better would be a World Series ring -- and, given the way the Yankees look, that might just happen.

A fan being escorted from the MLB All-Star Game went face first, smashing his face on the hard pavement ... during a physical exchange with Dodgers Stadium security, and the insane scene was captured on video!

It's unclear why the fan was removed from baseball's 92nd Midsummer Classic in Los Angeles, only a few innings into the game. What is clear ... the dude went down hard.

The fan -- wearing a No. 22 Clayton Kershaw jersey -- is flanked by 4 members of Dodgers security and 2 police officers, and they're attempting to walk the guy downstairs, presumably out of the stadium.

But, as they reached the bottom, the guy aggressively turned toward security. The other members of the team yanked him back, and the guy was either pulled over or didn't move his feet, and ... thud!

Thankfully, the fan was helped to his feet, and looked to be okay.

"Four of you! Four of you! Four of you! Four of you!" the guy exclaimed as he was being ushered away by stadium security. "How many?" the guy asked, seemingly referring to how many people it took to get him under control.

Bystanders and fans were stunned ... and obviously, concerned for the well-being of the guy who just ate concrete.

The sweet swings of Juan Soto and Julio Rodriguez were apparently not enough to cool down some hotheads in the stands at Monday night's Home Run Derby -- 'cause two fans got into a wild fight right in their seats!!

The scrap went down in the left field bleachers at Dodger Stadium, just after Soto had won the event -- and you can see in video shot by spectators, things got violent between two L.A. fans in a hurry.

Unclear what started the altercation -- but the footage shows the man in the Clayton Kershaw jersey unloaded some huge punches on the other guy's face.

Fortunately for everyone involved, the flurry of blows quickly turned into a wrestling match -- allowing others to intervene and break things up.

Once the action had stopped ... the man in the Kershaw jersey appeared to accuse the other guy of inciting it all, yelling at a different fan in the area, "He started it!"

Doesn't seem anyone was seriously injured ... which is great news -- considering there's still one more night left of All-Star festivities on Tuesday.

If Aaron Judge seems to be moving just a tiny bit slower at Tuesday night's All-Star Game ... now ya know why!!!

The New York Yankees superstar was spotted partying in L.A. the day before the mid-summer classic on Monday ... hitting the Fanatics ASG bash in downtown -- and rubbin' elbows with Travis Scott and some NBA superstars while there!!

TMZ Sports has some pics from the festivities -- and you can see Judge, rockin' a custom blazer with a white shirt underneath, seemed to be enjoying himself big time as he chatted with the celebs at the venue.

AJ was grinnin' ear to ear while talking with Scott and Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin -- and he later posed for a pic with the two plus Joel Embiid and James Harden.

No word on what time Judge left the venue ... but don't worry, Tuesday's game doesn't start 'til 5 PM PT -- so dude's got plenty of time to recover if it did happen to be a late night.

Ronald Acuna Jr. will be the brightest All-Star during this week's festivities in L.A. ... thanks to his new $140k diamond chain!!

TMZ Sports is told Acuna -- a starting outfielder for Tuesday's All-Star Game after receiving the most votes among National League players -- copped a blinged-out nod to his aggressive style of play ... and it's incredible!!

The piece features Acuna's nickname, "La Bestia" -- which means "the beast" -- decked out in 12 carats of emerald-shaped VVS diamonds and 6 carats of round brilliant rocks ... and a gorilla enameled on top.

Gabriel The Jeweler tells us the chain is also made of 80 carats of VVS baguettes ... with the whole thing being worth a whopping $140k!!

We're told Acuna has plans to show off the bling when he takes the field at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday ... so keep your eyes peeled.

Acuna and superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. also got iced-out versions of their personal logos ahead of ASW ... which was a collaboration with Nick Drbal's Xample brand.

We're told Drbal -- both players' business manager -- designed the logos that inspired the shopping spree.

To top things off, the Xample team also walked away with a number of logo chains as well.

Want to make a quick buck on Monday night's Home Run Derby? Bet on Pete Alonso ... 'cause Joe Musgrove -- one of the best pitchers in baseball -- tells TMZ Sports he thinks the Mets' star first baseman will win it easily!!

The San Diego Padres ace -- who's personally thrown against nearly every one of the participants in this year's derby -- said even though it's a stacked field, he believes the Polar Bear will come out on top for a third straight time.

"Dude," he said, "it's hard to pick anybody other than Polar Pete, man."

Musgrove told us he believes the 24-year-old's swing is just too good for the other seven participants -- Kyle Schwarber, Albert Pujols, Juan Soto, Jose Ramirez, Corey Seager, Julio Rodriguez and Ronald Acuna -- to beat out.

"His swing is so easy," Musgrove said. "Simple. Repeatable."

As for someone who he'd love to see compete with Alonso in the finals of Monday night's event -- Joe told us he's going to be pulling for Pujols there.

The 29-year-old, who's making his first All-Star appearance this week (and will no doubt be hopped up on his favorite Celsius drink at the events), added that he's hoping to meet Shohei Ohtani while out at the fun festivities.

Curt Schilling clearly has no problem seeing Brittney Griner's detention in Russia drag on ... the ex-MLB star said Sunday night he believes the WNBA player should "pay the penalty for breaking another country's laws."

Schilling wrote the controversial statement on his Twitter page -- in a response to LeBron James' plea to bring Griner home.

"I know this may seem like a stretch," the 55-year-old said. "But something like 300 million people understand 'OBEY THE F***ING LAW', why is that such a challenge?"

"And why on earth should she NOT pay the penalty for breaking another country's laws?"

Griner has been locked in a cell in Russia since mid-February, after authorities said they found hashish oil in her luggage at an airport in Moscow. At a hearing in the case earlier this month, Griner pled guilty to the charges ... telling a judge at the time, "I didn't want to break the law."

Schilling obviously believes her plea and subsequent statements are justification for her to remain behind bars as long as Russia sees fit.

"She, as far as I know from every quote of hers," Schilling said, "has NEVER denied committing the crime, not once."

The United States government, meanwhile, has classified Griner as "wrongfully detained" and is in the process of negotiating with Russia to bring her home.

The Marlins' win on Thursday didn't come without a price for Miguel Rojas -- who had to sacrifice his tooth in order to make an out near the end of the game.

The wild scene all went down in the 9th inning of the Marlins' afternoon tilt with the Pirates ... when Pittsburgh star Oneil Cruz attempted to steal second base.

As Rojas was going to lay the tag on the rookie -- who slid into the bag feet first -- the Pirates star rose up and accidentally cracked Rojas in the mouth with his helmet.

Broadcast replays showed Cruz's head hit Rojas' so hard -- it sent a tooth flying out of his mouth and onto the infield dirt.

Rojas was forced to leave the game following the collision.