
Can you hit a home run at Kauffman Stadium? Now’s your chance to find out.
⚾️ An indoor baseball simulator is opening in Lenexa
🥢 Anjin narrowly misses James Beard Award
💎 KC Diamonds’ inaugural home opener is tonight
🏟️ Next up at Kansas City Stadium

Opening
Sandlot Social, a state-of-the-art indoor baseball simulator, opens its doors tomorrow, June 18th, in Lenexa.
Topgolf, But Baseball: Sandlot Social offers 10 interactive baseball simulator suites, which use HitTrax technology. Guests can have a home run derby (in virtual MLB stadiums), batting practice, and other mini-games, while hitting into a screen from a real pitching machine. The space also boasts KC’s largest indoor LED screen at 750+ sq ft, making it a perfect game-day destination.
Dingers & Dogs: Beyond the baseball, Sandlot Social is a full-service sports bar and grill. The menu features salads, appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, a kids’ menu, and more. Pair your meal with a Dirty Soda, and your night is bound to be a (virtual) home run!
Sandlot Social is located at 12120 W. 95th St. in Lenexa. Suites start at $75/hour and can be booked HERE.

Food & Drink
Anjin Misses James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant
Anjin, the Crossroads eatery inspired by Japanese izakayas, just missed out on bringing home a coveted James Beard Award.
So Close: Anjin was Kansas City’s lone finalist in this year’s competition, being nominated for Best New Restaurant. Lei, a wine bar in New York City’s Chinatown, took home the award. Restaurants were honored at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on Monday.
Best in our Hearts: While Anjin may not have been No. 1 in the hearts of the James Beard Foundation, they are No. 1 in ours. It offers a fantastic menu of Japanese-inspired small plates, cocktails, sake, and soft-serve ice cream. The space is small, so plan ahead if you’re planning on visiting.
The full list of 2026 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Award Winners can be found HERE.

Sports
The KC Diamonds’ Inaugural Home Opener is Tonight at Legends Field
The Kansas City Diamonds will play the franchise’s first-ever home game TONIGHT at Legends Field in KCK.
Home Diamond: The Diamonds welcome PSL-foe Florida Vibe to the field for the historic home opener. Tonight’s game will offer post-game fireworks, but if you can’t make it, Thursday night is Diamonds Shine Bright Night, and the first 500 fans will receive a free commemorative T-shirt.
Just the Beginning: The Diamonds opened their inaugural professional softball season by taking two of three games against the Atlanta Smoke in San Juan, Puerto Rico, this past week. They now welcome the Vibe for a four-game series at home.
First pitch is at 6:35pm. Get your tickets HERE.

KC Daily Picks
In Other News…
🛍️ Local VIPs: If you think supporting local businesses and makers is cool, you need to check out the Made in KC VIP Program! VIPs receive a choice of a curated item, a $35 in-store credit, a t-shirt, or 3 pairs of socks each month. Plus, free drinks at MIKC cafes and bars. No brainer.*
🛠️ Building Takeover: The City of Kansas City could use a legal maneuver to order control of the former Federal Reserve Building at 925 Grand Blvd. The blighted building has sat vacant since 2008.
After the Storm: Two confirmed tornadoes and 80 mph wind gusts tore through the metro Saturday night, downing trees and knocking out power to 25,000+ households. Three free debris drop-off sites are open through June 20.
🥐 Biscuits at Biskuits: After a brief delay, District Biskuits will open its second metro location this Saturday (6/20) at 10am at 1664 E. 63rd St.
⚽️ Next Up: The next FIFA World Cup™ match at Kansas City Stadium is this Saturday, June 20th at 7pm, and features Ecuador vs. Curaçao.
🤖 No Robots Allowed: KC Daily is written in Kansas City, for Kansas City. (and by a human being) If you appreciate our work, please consider sharing our newsletter with a friend who might like it. And if you REALLY appreciate our work, consider joining our Fan Club!
*content is sponsored

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