Inter Miami took home two prestigious honors at the 17th Annual Sports Business Awards on Wednesday night in New York City, with the Club having the standout performance of the evening among sports teams. Riding high after its July 2023 signing of Lionel Messi, the Club was recognized with Team of the Year and Deal of the Year.

The signing of eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi, transformed North American sports and catapulted Inter Miami into a global phenomenon overnight. His arrival at Inter Miami didn’t just elevate the team’s on-field performance immediately, but also ignited a commercial surge, helping transform Inter Miami into a reference point for fútbol globally.

Upon accepting the first award of the night for the Club, Inter Miami CF Chief Business Officer Xavier Asensi said, “We did it because we didn’t know it was impossible. I can tell you, though, that our motto is Freedom to Dream. And we dreamt. We dreamt really big, and I can tell you that it was worth every bit of it.”

Just moments after receiving the Deal of the Year Award, Asensi returned to the stage alongside a group of staff members to accept the Team of the Year Award.

The second recognition underscores not just the monumental task of signing Messi, but also the Club’s adeptness in swiftly leveraging the extraordinary moment in the spotlight.

“We’re extremely proud that we’ve been able to pull that one off and to have the greatest of all time and the greatest that ever played the game play on the United States of America’s soil and Canada’s soil,” Asensi said. “We hope that this can elevate the game and the popularity of the game in this country.”

The Miami Dolphins have had two pretty good seasons under Mike McDaniel, despite being knocked out of the Wildcard round in both seasons. The team has started out hot but as the season comes to an end, whether it’s voodoo black magic or bad luck, the Dolphins just haven’t been the same team. Looking ahead to this season, the Dolphins schedule is not that easy down the final stretch. For a team with deep postseason aspirations, they have to find a way to remain a strong team in the final month and hopefully avoid the injury bug again.

You can check out that story here, and the rest of the day’s round-up below.

Miami Dolphins Still Need to Change the Narrative
Skepticism remains about the Dolphins despite their recent success

Dolphins Quarterbacks

Why has Tua Tagovailoa lost weight this offseason? We explain Dolphins’ reasoning | FOX Sports
Tua Tagovailoa lost weight this offseason after putting it on a year ago. What’s the thought process behind the changes?

Dolphins Wide Receivers

Erik Ezukanma of Miami Dolphins returns following scary neck injury: ‘It was awesome.’ – Yahoo Sports
Erik Ezukanma played only two games last season. But he brings an interesting, unique dimension to the Dolphins’ wide receiver room – now that he’s back.

Dolphins Secondary

What Does Jevon Holland Need From Miami Dolphins? ‘Obviously I’m Trying To Get Paid’
Tua Tagovailoa isn’t the only Miami Dolphins player entering a contract year. Jevon Holland is in line to get paid this offseason too.

Jordan Poyer on helping Dolphins end playoff drought: Did it with Bills, can do it again
New Dolphins safety Jordan Poyer says ending Miami’s playoff drought would be a lot like what he helped the Bills accomplish.

Phinsider News You May Have Missed

Dolphins to hold joint practices with preseason opponents – Miami Dolphins News 5/22/24 – The Phinsider
Welcome to the Splash Zone, the quickest way to get your day started off right. We bring you a rundown of Miami Dolphins news from the last 24 hours.

Around SB Nation: What Other NFL Blogs Are Discussing – The Phinsider
Weekly, we take a look around the SB Nation family of NFL blogs. Here are the news stories and analysis they are discussing.

Your 2024 Vs. 2023 Miami Dolphins roster predictions! – The Phinsider
Miami Dolphins fans predict which 2023 players will not make it to the 2024 roster.

Box Score

There won’t be many games in which Freddy Peralta allows one run over seven innings that result in a loss. That was the unfortunate reality for the Brewers on Wednesday night in a 1-0 loss to the Miami Marlins.

Peralta’s final line of one run allowed over seven innings was impressive enough, but he managed a lack of fastball command to limit the Marlins to just four hits and walk. He caught the Marlins for 13 whiffs on 49 swings (27%) en route to seven strikeouts.

The very first plate appearance of the game told a meaningful story. Peralta couldn’t place his fastball with precision, resulting in a leadoff home run to Jazz Chisholm Jr. After throwing three straight fastballs for balls, Peralta went with the heater again in back-to-back pitches. With a pitch shading towards the outside edge, Chisholm Jr. knocked a home run for the game’s only score.

While Peralta was unable to find a consistent rhythm with his fastball, he made the necessary adjustments to succeed through the rest of the outing. His changeup and slider, especially, were vital components to his durable outing. He limited hard contact, forced groundballs, and had a healthy number of whiffs. It was just the third start this season in which he used his fastball less than 50% of the time.

The offense left Peralta in the dust despite his determined effort. The Marlins Jesus Luzardo proved equally capable of shutting down an offense. Luzardo went eight shutout innings, allowing just three hits, no walks, and four strikeouts. Although four strikeouts won’t set any records, Luzardo induced 18 whiffs, setting the stage for his offspeed pitches.

The Brewers were unable to consistently square up the ball, leading to routine plays for the Marlins defense nearly the entirety of the night. The Brewers only created a few threatening situations.

The first came in the second inning when Willy Adames and Gary Sanchez hit a pair of singles to get a runner in scoring position. With two outs, Willy Adames nearly made a spectacular baserunning play when he caught third baseman Jake Burger lingering a long way from the base. Adames risked the opportunity for a stolen base but was just barely caught out on the basepaths. Although it was an out, it was a daring idea that nearly paid off.

The Brewers failed to get another baserunner until the eighth inning. Gary Sanchez collected his second hit of the game to left field to put the tying run on base. A force out left Jackson Chourio on first, who ultimately stole second base. The Brewers only had one out to work with as Owen Miller flew out to right field.

Milwaukee combined for just four hits, a disappointing finish to a potential series winner. If there was a silver lining, it was Peralta’s ability to adapt even without his fastball as a trusty weapon. He shut down the Marlins offense with his dominant slider and changeup. It was an unconvincing offensive performance without much offensive support for the team’s ace.

The Brewers will have an off day before traveling to play the Boston Red Sox. First pitch will be Friday at 3:10 p.m. Bryse Wilson is set to start against Kutter Crawford.