Friday marked the start of Players’ Weekend in Major League Baseball, the annual celebration where players use an eclectic mix of custom bats, cleats and other equipment to highlight different parts of their lives.

Established in 2017, this year Players’ Weekend is introducing a specific theme for each of the three days. Friday is about highlighting players’ hobbies and interests. On Saturday, the focus shifts to charities and community efforts that particularly move players. Sunday is built around honoring those who helped players in their journey to the big leagues.

The weekend wraps with Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN, with the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers playing in the “Little League Classic” in Williamsport, Penn., at 7:10 p.m. E.T.

A lot of what’s to come is going to be revealed on the field or social media, but with an assist from Major League Baseball, here’s a sneak peek of what’s in store:

1. Tarik Skubal of the Tigers goes by the nickname “Skoob,” so really, he had no choice but to wear spikes with Scooby Doo on them, and we’re glad for it. The Tigers are also going to be selling a “Skubal Snack Burger” that he helped design, with bacon, pepper jack cheese, light mayo and a fried egg.

2. Willy Adames of the Milwaukee Brewers has a bat for each theme day. Check out the blue one, pictured in the middle, with the sea turtle and the recycle logo, representing his love for the ocean and the Players for the Planet charity.

Willy Adames has bats for each day of Players’ Weekend. (Courtesy of MLB)

Look closely, and you can see his Rawlings glove has water droplets painted on too.

Willy Adames also has a custom glove. (Courtesy of MLB)

3.
Most of the Cincinnati Reds this weekend are expected to wear cleats designed by patients at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. The shoes will then be auctioned on Reds.com at some point following the weekend, with the proceeds benefitting Cincinnati Children’s.

4.
Back in 2022, a group of young Philadelphia Phillies became known as the “Phillies Daycare,” and players like Alec Bohm, Brandon Marsh and Bryson Stott are leaning into the bit.

Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh show off their daycare bats. (courtesy of MLB)

5. Since The Athletic is built on the written word, how could we possibly ignore what the Toronto Blue Jays’ Ernie Clement is bringing to the plate: a bat that is a pencil, or is it a pencil that is a bat? Write on.

✏️ It might be Summer, but Ernie is ready for school this #PlayersWeekend! pic.twitter.com/2iDYRZJXRI

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 16, 2024

(Top photo of Skubal’s cleats: Allison Farrand / Ilitch Sports)

Former Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marco Reus said even though MLS isn’t highly regarded in Germany, playing in the United States for the Galaxy was his first choice.

The Galaxy introduced Reus, who has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with the club.

“It’s a little bit hard to say, to be honest, it’s not a popular league in Germany, but when players come here like [Lionel] Messi, for example, then they pay attention,” Reus said. “I think this league is great, where great players play — especially on this team. I’ve seen a lot of very good games.”

Reus was not under contract with Dortmund, but the Galaxy had to pay $400,000 to Charlotte FC in GAM, or general allocation money, for the player’s discovery rights.

“In MLS, it’s not as simple as saying, ‘OK, we want to sign you,’ because you have to deal with a lot of things, including the discovery rights,” Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz. “… When you sign a player of Marco’s caliber and it’s not a designated player contract, there’s a lot of hoops and disclosures that you have to go through with the league in this. There’s a sort of disbelief, right, sort of assuming we must be paying under the table.”

Coach Gregg Vanney said he expects to use the Reus, who was was part of Germany’s 2018 World Cup team, in a variety of ways, slotting him into multiple positions on the field.

“He’s a great player and he can be versatile, he can have different roles among our group,” Vanney said. “We’ve talked about certain areas on the pitch where we want to give him the ball, that he can help us generate our attack and that could be more in a midfield role.”

The Galaxy have star Riqui Puig in midfield leading an attack that would differ a bit from what Reus would offer, but the new signee doesn’t see that as a problem.

“This can be good, together, but it is also important not only [to think] about me or Riqui, there are very good players in this team,” Reus said. “You can only win a championship together and not alone. It’s important that we stick together in the good times and in the bad times.”

Vanney said Reus has been in Los Angeles for a week and expects his visa to be processed as soon as possible so that he can be part of the team’s game against Atlanta FC on Aug. 24 at Dignity Health Sports Park (7 p.m. PT, AppleTV).

The Galaxy are currently in first place in the Western Conference with 49 points with eight games remaining.

This article first appeared in Spanish via L.A. Times en Español.

Landon Donovan to coach San Diego Wave

The San Diego Wave announced Friday that former Galaxy star Landon Donovan, 42, will serve as the new interim head coach through the remainder of the 2024 season.

Donovan, who lives in San Diego, previously was the executive vice president of soccer operations for the San Diego Loyal following three years as the inaugural head coach for the USL club.

Wave president Jill Ellis asked Donovan if he could recommend anyone to coach the NWSL club through the end of the season. Previous interim coach Paul Buckle had previous commitments and could only lead the team during the Olympic break.

“And I thought about it for a little bit. I didn’t respond for a few hours,” Donovan told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “I talked to my wife and I said, ‘Huh, that could be interesting.’ And so I sent Jill a message back and said, ‘There’s some people I could think of, but I would also be interested if you want to have that conversation.’ And she called and we started the process.”

Donovan said he spent a couple weeks “really digging deep” to make sure he was ready for the job, knowing that there are differences between the women’s and men’s games. He watched the team practice, and was sold.

“There’s a lot of good qualities with a lot of the players,” Donovan said. “There’s some pretty bad habits that we can break pretty quickly, which is exciting for me. And I think there’s a willingness and an excitement by all of these women to probably have a fresh start and get going and push towards a really good end of the season.”

Donovan was one of U.S. Soccer’s most decorated players before switching to coaching, winning six MLS Cup titles — four with the Galaxy — and becoming the only American player to surpass both 50 goals and assists during his career. His 157 appearances are second-most all-time in U.S. men’s soccer history.

Future Pro Football Hall of Famer Tom Brady made an appearance at Fanatics Fest in New York City on Friday. He spent some of his time at the star-studded event with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. 

At one point during a sit down with Smith, Brady began discussing a hypothetical interception — which is when he brought up New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones.

“Let’s say Daniel Jones throws an interception,” Brady said as some of the attendees laughed. The crowd’s reaction seemed to make the seven-time Super Bowl winner realize how his comment was being interpreted. 

“I didn’t mean to say it like that. I wasn’t even being critical of Daniel Jones,” Brady clarified. “Maybe I was a little.”

Smith and Brady also discussed the legendary NFL player’s gameplan for his broadcasting career. Brady cautioned that he hopes to avoid being overly critical of quarterbacks when he is in the broadcast booth.

“That was horrible,” was an example of a phrase Brady said he might have an inclination to say into the microphone, but he acknowledged, “I just can’t say that on TV.”

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Smith followed up by asking, “Why not?”

Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants looks to pass under pressure by Derek Barnett #95 of the Houston Texans in the first quarter during the preseason game at NRG Stadium on August 17, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Tim Warner/Getty Images)

Brady cited his concerns for players’ loved ones.

“Well, because there are parents and there are family members and I don’t want to always necessarily say it in that way,” Brady said. “But if I was doing it myself and let’s say I threw a really bad interception, I would walk to the sidelines and say, ‘You are the worst quarterback in the world. How could you possibly make that throw? Terrible!’

“But I don’t want to be so critical because in some ways I don’t necessarily know exactly what the problem was on that play. Let’s say Daniel Jones throws an interception …”

Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots shakes hands with Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants after their game at Gillette Stadium on October 10, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

The Giants are the only team to defeat Brady in the Super Bowl twice, which is something he has brought up on more than one occasion in recent years.

Jones will begin his sixth regular season with the Giants in September. He appeared in just six games in 2023 due to injuries. He finished last season with two touchdowns and six interceptions. 

The former Duke football standout struggled in New York’s preseason game against the Houston Texans on Saturday. He threw two interceptions, including a pick-six.

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