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 NBC football reporter Michele Tafoya had some words for a fellow talking head.

Tafoya called out ESPN analyst Mina Kimes for her praising of Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz and his “masculinity.”

“I am sincerely embarrassed for @minakimes,” Tafoya wrote on X. “And how pathetic that her kind of ‘masculinity’ means more than the candidate’s record, which is abysmal. Sincerely, A Minnesotan.”

Kimes said it was “really important” to see a “different kind of masculinity,” although she never officially endorsed Walz.

“We’re kind of seeing it in the NFL with the Kelces, and Dan Campbell – this idea that ‘big, tough football guy’ isn’t separate from showing emotion and empathy,” Kimes said on Pablo Torre’s podcast. “Yes, they’re calling him ‘coach’ and what not, but in the same breath, they are emphasizing, ‘this man, the year he was a football coach, also ran the gay-straight alliance at the high school.’ That’s really powerful in a way that goes far beyond politics and electability, which is the discussion we’re having. There are very few models like that in American public life.”

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks during a campaign rally at Temple University on Aug. 6, 2024 in Philadelphia. (Getty Images)

Kimes responded to Tafoya’s post with what’s become a meme of LeBron James pretending to be scared.

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ESPN recently fired Sam Ponder, and it’s been widely speculated it was because of her political beliefs, as she had spoken out about transgender participation in women’s and girls’ sports. ESPN cited budget cuts and also fired Robert Griffin III.

Dan Orlovsky, an analyst for the network, also deleted a post that read “Protect our daughters” during the boxing controversy at the Olympics.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady eats a piece of turkey with NBC sports commentator Michele Tafoya after the second half against the New York Jets on Thanksgiving at Metlife Stadium. (Joe Camporeale-USA Today Sports)

Tafoya left NBC shortly after Super Bowl LVI – right after leaving, she became the co-chair for Republican Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Kendall Qualls, when he ran against Walz.

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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.