AROUND THE HORN
MLB: The Mariners will host baseball’s 2023 All-Star Game at T-Mobile Park. The team announced a news conference for Thursday at Seattle’s Space Needle with baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred. The purpose of the news conference is to announce that Seattle will be the site of the 2023 All-Star Game, The AP reported. Seattle will host the All-Stars for the third time. The ballpark, then known as Safeco Field, opened in 1999 and was the site of the American League’s 4-1 victory in 2001, part of a streak of 12 AL wins around the 7-7 tie in 2002. The game marked the final All-Star appearances of Cal Ripken Jr., who homered, and of Tony Gwynn. The 1979 All-Star Game was at the old Kingdome and was won 7-6 by the NL. Hall of Famers Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez are scheduled to attend the news conference along with Mariners chairman John Stanton and president of business operations Catie Griggs. This year’s All-Star Game was moved to Denver’s Coors Field from Atlanta’s Truist Park over MLB’s objections to Georgia’s new voting laws. Next year’s All-Star Game will be at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on July 19. The Dodgers were to have hosted the 2020 All-Star Game, but it was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. MLB announced in 2019 that the 2026 All-Star Game will be at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia as part of the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Royals: The Royals promoted GM Dayton Moore to president of baseball operations and elevated longtime assistant GM J.J. Picollo to fill his previous role in a front-office shakeup that promises a seamless path forward for the rebuilding organization. Moore, who has been GM since 2006, will continue
to have final say on trades and other roster moves, but Picollo will have a greater voice in the room when it comes to putting together the team. The 54-year-old Moore and the 51-yearold Picollo have worked together for 15 years with the Royals. Before that, the pair spent time in the Braves organization during their heyday in the 1990s. Moore presided over one of the most remarkable turnarounds in baseball history, leading the long-suffering Royals from a team that regularly lost 100 games upon his 2006 arrival to one that reached consecutive World Series. And in 2015, they beat the Mets in five games for their first championship in 30 years. The Royals have been on another major rebuilding effort after the small-market club was unable to keep some of the big names that ushered in their winning era. Picollo, who has interviewed for several GM jobs, has long been considered Moore’s heir apparent.
White Sox: The AL-Central leading White Sox reinstated RHP Lucas Giolito and All-Star SS Tim Anderson from the 10-day IL and both were in the starting lineup for Tuesday night’s game against the Angels. Giolito took the mound for the first time since Aug. 31, when he suffered a strained left hamstring against the Pirates. An All-Star in 2019, he’s 9-9 with a 3.69 ERA this season. Anderson was batting leadoff after being out since Aug. 28, also with a left hamstring strain. The 2019 AL batting champion is hitting .302 with 14 HRs and 53 RBIs. White Sox manager Tony La Russa said Anderson may play every other day as he rounds back into shape.