Stock UPCornerback Kendall Fuller: fseason. We tried to talk ourselves into him being the next Marcus Peters — or even an upgrade over him. But now it seems he’s been underrated. Fuller has been quiet this year — outside of some fearless open-field tackles and a few pass breakups — but I’d argue he’s been quietly solid. This week — in the fourth quarter Dustin Colquitt Jersey , when the Chiefs needed it most — Fuller made this diving interception to help seal the victory. He also continued to make plays with his ability to diagnose, close and finish.Linebacker Dee Ford: Ford has always been a streaky pass rusher. He’s struggled to stay healthy and has been one-dimensional. We assumed he’d be better in a contract year, but we didn’t think he’d be Defensive Player of the Year good. Displaying a wider variety of pass-rush moves, he’s leading the NFL in QB pressures, and even showing flashes of brilliance against the run. Don’t just take my word for it — see Matt Lane’s film review. Ford seems to be making plays when it counts this season, and he’s a big part of the reason the Chiefs defense has been able to help close out games. We used to ask, “Should the Chiefs keep Ford around?” Now we’re asking, “Can Ford repeat this performance on the franchise tag in 2019?”Wide receiver Sammy Watkins: As Kent Swanson predicted, this was the week Watkins would shine. After he’d been dutifully carrying out his role as a blocker and a decoy in previous weeks, Sammy was featured against Denver, and he delivered — with eight catches for 107 yards and a pair of touchdowns.When the offense is this loaded, that’s to be expected. When Watkins is on the field, he’s one of the main reasons the offense can be so varied and so dangerous; when he isn’t there, defenses have a shot at slowing down Hill, Hunt and Kelce. With Watkins, matchups rarely favor the defense, and the Chiefs offense has been taking advantage. Sammy can be the featured playmaker on any given week, and it seems his connection with Mahomes has developed. Watch Watkins in the second half of the season.Offensive Tackles Mitchell Schwartz and Eric Fisher: Arguably, the only reason the Denver team is competitive is their ability to rush the passer from the edge. The Chiefs’ antidote has been the strong play of their offensive tackles. Some credit goes to Patrick Mahomes, who has a knack for escaping pressure and getting the ball out quickly. But these two tackles are starting to get recognition from opponents — and broadcasters — for good reason. Linebacker Tanoh Kpassagnon: AP alumnus and friend BJ Kissel pointed out that it was Kpassagnon’s tackle for loss that helped turn the momentum against Denver in the first half. It was an encouraging play from the second-year linebacker, showing that he’s able to apply what he’s seen on film, fight through blocks, and make big tackles. He’s still not getting the bulk of the snaps, but he’s making an impact when he’s on the field. Defensive lineman Chris Jones and the new Chiefs pass rush: The edge rushers often get the attention, but it’s the consistent threat from the inside that has helped the Chiefs quietly become one of the best pass rushing defenses in the league. Jones has been disruptive all season, and now has a QB sack in four straight games. His ability to beat blockers from inside or outside with quickness and power has become a weapon for which other teams must account. I wondered after the draft if this was the new model for the Chiefs pass rush: big, athletic guys with length that can move around the line. Kpassagnon and Breeland Speaks — along with Jones — appear to be emerging as key pieces in a defense that will wreck offenses that trying to come from behind. Others trending in a bullish direction: Dorian O’Daniel, Kareem Hunt, Derrick NnadiStock DOWNPhoto by Peter Aiken/Getty ImagesSafety Ron Parker: Unfortunately for Parker, he’s being singled out again this week. He plays a difficult position — one where he has to cover a lot of ground — and can’t afford to read a play incorrectly. At this point in his career Authentic Justin Houston Jersey , he doesn’t appear to have the speed to make up for mistakes — and sadly, he seems to be making too many of them. This week, miscommunications between him and Fuller resulted in huge passing plays that gave the Broncos a glimmer of hope. Given the emergence of Jordan Lucas and the (hopeful) return of Daniel Sorensen and Eric Berry, Parker shouldn’t continue to be out there for 100% of the defensive snaps. But right now, he’s being exposed — and exploited.The Chiefs offense: Only 30 points this week? Sure, it was a division game against a tough defense, and they were working with a patchwork interior offensive line, but we’ve come to expect more from Mahomes and company. Speaking of Mahomes, he barely broke 300 yards passing this week, but it was enough to extend his streak of 300-yard games to seven. Where were all the big plays? The longest pass of the day went for... what, 40 yards? That’s a sad state of affairs for a team with an offensive genius for a head coach. Do better. Eliminate bad football. And, yes, I’m being facetious with all of that.AFC West rivalries: 19 out of the last 20 division games have ended in a Chiefs victory — and it should have been 20 out of 20. The rest of the West struggled to compete with the Alex Smith-led Chiefs, and now that there’s an elite QB in town, it seems likely they’ll have even less success. Sure... these games will still be close and contentious, but it appears that the Chiefs’ division rivals are now reduced to whining instead of winning.Safety Jordan Lucas: Bob Sutton put the brakes on the Lucas Locomotive this week, electing to use Eric Murray and Ron Parker for the bulk of the snaps, and pushing the impressive young player to the third safety role. From what we can see, Lucas has earned more playing time, but the coaches are operating with more information, and — at least this week — preferred the other guys. If (and when) the Chiefs get healthier at the position, snaps will be hard to come by. Lucas has to continue to impress in order to secure his role and convince the coaches to agree with the fans.We’re much smarter.Others trending in a bearish direction: Spencer Ware, Chris Conley, Demarcus RobinsonStock FLATPhoto by Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesPatrick Mahomes: He’s elite. It’s that simple. The new reality in KC is that the Chiefs have a franchise QB that can re-write the record books and erase their history of playoff suffering. His stock can’t really get any higher until the postseason, so I’m keeping him on the flat list again this week. But that’s not a knock on Mahomes — it’s just that expectations have ratcheted up, and he is still who we thought he was. The Chiefs secondary: Expectations were low from the moment the Chiefs traded Marcus Peters. The first few games seemed to confirm that teams would be able to complete passes at-will against this downgraded group of corners and safeties. Then the injuries piled up, and panic set in among fans and analysts. But the trade deadline came and went on Tuesday, and the Chiefs kept the status quo. The corners have been better than expected in recent weeks, while the safeties have been worse. But the lack of moves here could mean that Berry and Sorensen are coming back for a stretch run to help save the day. Or it could just be that the Chiefs are convinced they can win without elite play in the defensive backfield. Others who are who we thought they were: Reggie Ragland, Harrison Butker Youth Steven Nelson Jersey , Tyreek Hill LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (10-3) at KANSAS CITY (11-2)Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET, Fox/NFLN/AmazonOPENING LINE 鈥?Chiefs by 3 1/2RECORD VS. SPREAD 鈥?Los Angeles 7-6, Kansas City 8-4SERIES RECORD 鈥?Chiefs lead 61-55-1LAST MEETING 鈥?Chiefs beat Chargers 38-28, Sept. 9LAST WEEK 鈥?Chargers beat Bengals 26-21; Chiefs beat Ravens 27-24, OTAP PRO32 RANKING 鈥?Chargers No. 4, Chiefs No. 1CHARGERS OFFENSE 鈥?OVERALL (6), RUSH (12), PASS (9)CHARGERS DEFENSE 鈥?OVERALL (8), RUSH (12), PASS (6)CHIEFS OFFENSE 鈥?OVERALL (1), RUSH (15), PASS (3)CHIEFS DEFENSE 鈥?OVERALL (30), RUSH (25), PASS (32)STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES 鈥?Chiefs can clinch AFC West with win over second-place Chargers. ... Kansas City has won nine straight against Chargers, longest streak in series history. Chargers' last win was Dec. 29, 2013. ... Chargers are only team in NFL to rank in top 10 in total offense, total defense, scoring offense and scoring defense. ... Chargers QB Philip Rivers has thrown 14 interceptions in losing streak to Chiefs. ... Chargers have won three straight and nine of 10. ... Chargers K Michael Badgley kicked club-record 59-yard FG last week vs. Bengals. ... Keenan Allen (1,074 yards) is first Chargers WR with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons since Vincent Jackson in 2008-09. Allen also has TD catches in career-best five straight games. ... RB Melvin Gordon hopes to play after spraining right knee against Arizona and missing past two games. His primary backup, Austin Ekeler, is likely out after hurting neck and sustaining concussion vs. Bengals. ... Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes has NFL-leading 43 TD passes and 45 throws of 20-plus yards. He has 10 300-yard passing games this season. ... Mahomes leads NFL with 4,300 yards passing. He needs 292 to pass Trent Green (2004) for franchise record. ... Chiefs' Travis Kelce leads NFL TEs with 1,159 yards receiving. He also has career-best 10 TD catches. ... Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill leads NFL with 19 catches of 25-plus yards. He is second with 11 TD receptions. ... Hill needs 133 yards receiving to pass Derrick Alexander (2000) for franchise record. ... Chiefs are second in NFL with 42 sacks. ... Chiefs DE Chris Jones has sacks in nine straight games, one off NFL record set by Simon Fletcher (1992-93) and DeMarcus Ware (2007-08). ... LBs Dee Ford and Justin Houston have combined to force 10 fumbles. ... Chiefs coach Andy Reid needs one win to pass Marty Schottenheimer (205) for seventh most in NFL history. Reid is 11-3 against Chargers. ... Fantasy tip: Hill hurt his heel last week against Baltimore but insisted he will be ready against a stingy Chargers pass defense, while Allen remains safe bet for Los Angeles against porous Chiefs' pass defense.

Tyler Anderson got in a groove from the first inning and kept on going.

Anderson tossed a career-high eight scoreless innings Kawann Short Jersey , Pat Valaika, Nolan Arenado and Chris Iannetta homered, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 on Friday night.

Anderson (5-3) struck out eight and walked one on 96 pitches. The left-hander retired his first 11 batters before giving up a two-out single to Justin Turner in the fourth. Matt Kemp singled leading off the fifth and Yasiel Puig narrowly beat out the throw on a two-out bunt in the same inning.

”It’s been a while since everything has really been on,” Anderson said. ”My last couple of starts were pretty close, I felt like my command was there I just made a couple mistakes. Tonight I didn’t make those mistakes. It was a total mix of all my pitches.”

Anderson retired five straight batters before allowing a single to Cody Bellinger in the seventh. Anderson improved to 4-0 on the road with a 3.48 ERA while holding hitters to a .216 average. The Rockies have won seven of his last nine starts away from home.

”He kept us off-balance,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. ”He has a three, four-pitch mix that we couldn’t get any swings off of.”

Iannetta homered leading off the ninth, extending Colorado’s lead to 3-0.

Arenado hit his team-high 20th homer in the eighth and Valaika homered over the center-field fence for Colorado’s first run in the fifth.

Valaika homered for the first time since last Sept. 24 at San Diego. It was just his second homer ever at Dodger Stadium. His first long ball in the majors came on Sept. 24, 2016, in the same stadium.

”It felt good to put the barrel on the ball in a real game, a big league game,” Valaika said. ”It felt good to get the lead, too.”

The Rockies turned double plays behind Anderson in the fifth and eighth innings.

”Andy pitched great. He was spotting up everything, it was pretty easy to play defense,” Valaika said. ”I was thinking it was the third inning and I hadn’t really fielded anything yet.”

Wade Davis worked the ninth to earn his 23rd save in 27 chances.

Rich Hill (1-3) pitched solidly in his third start since coming off the disabled list because of a finger blister. Only one of his six hits was for extra bases, a double by Trevor Story in the sixth.

”The ball came out of my hand the way I wanted it to Mario Addison Jersey ,” Hill said. ”Everything was really came together.”

Hill struck out a season-high 10 and didn’t walk anyone while allowing one run in 6 2/3 innings. His 110 pitches were a season high and the most he’s thrown since May 13, 2016, at Tampa Bay.

But the Dodgers’ bullpen struggled for the second straight game. Scott Alexander gave up Arenado’s homer and Yimi Garcia allowed Iannetta’s shot.

A day earlier, Walker Buehler was rocked for five runs and five hits in one-plus innings of an 11-5 loss to the Cubs.

Turner’s two-out shot in the ninth gave the Dodgers a franchise-record and major league-leading 54 homers in June with one day left.

”This team has set the record for the most home runs in the month for them, so clearly they’re trying to put the ball in the air,” Anderson said. ”Tonight when they did it they were just underneath a lot of things.”

The Rockies began the month getting swept by the Dodgers in a three-game series, with Los Angeles scoring 33 runs in those games. Colorado improved to 5-2 against Los Angeles this season.

PITCHER CAN HIT

Anderson collected a career high-tying two hits with singles in the third and seventh. Hill had an 0-2 count against him in the third and appeared annoyed when Anderson made contact. ”He’s a good hitting pitcher,” Hill said.

SLUMP BUSTED

Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp singled in the fifth, snapping an 0-for-15 skid. In his last 23 games against the Rockies since Sept. 20, 2015, Kemp has hit .389.

UP NEXT

RHP German Marquez (5-8, 5.53 ERA) starts for Colorado, which has won four of his seven road starts this season. He has a 3.07 ERA away from home compared to 7.93 in Denver. RHP Kenta Maeda (5-4, 3.44) goes for the Dodgers. In eight career games, including six starts, Maeda is 5-2 with a 2.11 ERA to go with 48 strikeouts and nine walks.

—

The only thing that’s gone well for Oklahoma’s massive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. this week is a vote of confidence from his Heisman Trophy-winning teammate.

”When are you ever going to watch Orlando Brown run 40 yards down the field?” quarterback Baker Mayfield asked Friday. ”You can watch last year’s tape and see he allowed zero sacks. I’d say that’s pretty important for a left tackle.”

It sure is.

But measures matter Frans Nielsen Jersey Kids , too, and Brown’s wretched week will undoubtedly stick in the minds of scouts, coaches and general managers leading up to the draft next month.

The nearly 6-foot-8, 345-pound left tackle managed just 14 reps on the 225-pound bench press Thursday, the lowest total of any lineman who has lifted at the combine this week.

That’s tied for third-worst among offensive tackles since 2000, according to Pro Football Reference.

Things only got worse Friday for the son of former Browns and Ravens right tackle Orlando Brown .

He lumbered through the 40-yard dash in 5.85 seconds. Even by big O-linemen standards, that’s sloth-like slow .

It’s the fifth-slowest time by any player at the combine in the last 16 years, and none of the four who were slower were drafted or started a single game in the pros.

”I’ve been fat my whole life,” Brown said earlier this week. ”I wish I was fast.”

Brown was projected to get drafted in the first couple of rounds, but his bad week in Indy could prove very costly.

His vertical jump was just 19 1/2 inches – nobody has ever gotten drafted with such a bad vertical jump – and his 6-foot-10 broad jump was off-the-charts bad, as well.

Historically, offensive tackles post a tad more than 25 reps in the bench press, run the 40-yard dash in 5.24 seconds and average 28.4 inches in the vertical jump and more than 8 1/2 feet in the broad jump.

He has another chance to impress at his pro day in a couple of weeks.

—

Tyler Saladino was activated from the disabled list and in the Milwaukee Brewers‘ starting lineup Thursday as they prepared to open a four-game series against the Atlanta Braves.

Saladino was acquired from the Chicago White Sox in late April and recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs on May 9. He appeared in 16 games for the Brewers and was batting .326 in 16 games when he went down with a sprained ankle and landed on the DL on May 30.

His performance allowed the Brewers to send Orlando Arcia to Triple A to work out of an offensive funk. Arcia was brought back up when Saladino was hurt and has since been sent back to Colorado Springs while Brad Miller and Nate Orf shared time at shortstop.

Those two will remain in the mix at short Baker Mayfield Jersey Elite , along with Saladino.

”Tyler had played so well, we were starting to give him regular `reps’ at shortstop before the injury,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. ”What we were most impressed by is the way he played defense. He played shortstop at a really high level and was making very difficult plays look easy.”

To clear space for Saladino on the active roster, Milwaukee designated infielder Eric Sogard for assignment.

Sogard, 32, signed a one-year, $2.4 million deal with the team over the winter after batting .273 with a .393 OBP in 94 games for Milwaukee last season. He was never able to get on track in 2018 and was batting just .134 (13-for-97) with a .241 OBP and .165 slugging percentage in 55 games.

”He had some bad luck early in the season and he could never get out of it,” Counsell said. ”As we got healthier, we ran out of (roster) space. Eric made a huge contribution to us last year. And really Browns Baker Mayfield Jersey , throughout all of this, he was a real pro in how he prepared and provided us with value.”

Sogard accepted an option to Colorado Springs earlier in the season, but by designating him for assignment he’s been removed from the 40-man roster. The Brewers have 10 days to trade him, release him or outright him to the minors.

—


Chicago right-handed pitcher Dylan Covey says he is healthy and ready to get back to work when the White Sox head to Texas to begin a three-game series on Friday against the Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington.

Covey (3-2, 3.45 ERA) will pitch the series opener while Texas will counter with right-hander Yovani Gallardo (1-0, 12.08).

Covey has been the White Sox’s steadiest starter this season and was protecting a 5-2 lead in the fourth against Oakland, his former team, June 23 when he felt some soreness in his hip and groin areas while he was coming off the mound and was removed from the game.

“I don’t know exactly what it was,” Covey said. “We didn’t get any tests done but all the manual tests they did said my strength is good. Just probably like a cramp or something like that that was lingering a little bit. I was feeling it on the mound Youth Tremaine Edmunds Jersey , so definitely thinking about it.”

Covey was sidelined from May 26-Aug. 15 last season with a strained left oblique. He’s been a pleasant surprise for the White Sox this year, having drastically cut down his home run rate.

“Everything felt great — unless something weird happens, I’ll be good to go,” Covey said of his bullpen session on Tuesday. “That’s the plan. It didn’t really hurt. It was kind of a precautionary thing, I think.”

Covey is 0-0 with a 20.25 ERA in two relief appearances against the Rangers.

Gallardo will make his fifth appearance and third start of the season on Friday. It will be his third start with the Rangers, with whom he’s allowed nine earned runs over 10 1/3 innings in his initial two starts.

Gallardo is slated to be working on extended five-days’ rest. He picked up the win in his last start, a 9-6 Rangers victory on Saturday in Minneapolis. Gallardo is 1-1 with a 4.79 ERA over four career starts versus the White Sox.

The White Sox had a delayed arrival into Texas after a 2-1 loss to Minnesota in 13 innings on Thursday.

Texas enjoyed an off day on Thursday after a 5-2 win over San Diego that gave the Rangers their fourth straight series win.

Texas got a sterling performance by left-hander Mike Minor, who retired the first 19 Padres’ batters before a single from Eric Hosmer with one out in the seventh. He retired 21 of the 22 batters he faced over seven innings.

The Rangers inked Minor to a three-year contract in the offseason. He was a starter with the Braves in 2010-14 before missing all of 2015-16 because of a torn labrum in his left shoulder and is starting to prove that the Rangers made the right move despite a slow start to the season.

I feel better, yeah Youth DJ Moore Jersey ,” Minor said after Wednesday’s game. “I feel a little bit more consistent with my delivery, repeating things. It’s more about what I think. I think I can do it.

“Early on, I still had the confidence. I just knew that I was a little bit off with my mechanics and everything, but I knew I had the stuff to get through a lineup three times, four times, whatever it is, and to go deep in ballgames.”

Texas is 9-3 over its past 12 games after losing six in a row.

Rangers outfielder Shin-Soo Choo was hit by a pitch in his first plate appearance during Wednesday win over the Padres, extending his on-base streak to 40 straight games.

That ties for the longest such streak in the Majors this season. Odubel Herrera of the Phillies reached base in 40 straight from March 30-May 19.

The Rangers dropped three of four games on May 17-20 on Chicago’s South Side in the first series between the two teams this season.

Colts News: chance to eat Frank Reich's offense gives everybody a chance to 'eat' - Indianapolis Colts Blog- ESPNThe Colts showed a fresh approach on offense Matthias Farley Jersey , spreading the ball around with quick throws in a scheme that has their pass-catchers excited.Takeaways from the Colts’ season opener: Kemoko Turay, the Andrew Luck hit and more – The AthleticThe Colts were unable to muster up a win in the season opener against the Bengals. What are some key takeaways from Sunday's action?Colts coach Frank Reich: Time to learn from Day 1 mistakesColts coach Frank Reich: Time to learn from Day 1 mistakesHits And Misses: Positives There For Colts Despite Week One Loss | 1070 the FanLet’s take a look at the good and the bad from the Colts dropping their season opener, 34-23, to the Cincinnati Bengals at Lucas Oil Stadium.Andrew Luck Emotional, Efficient In Return To Regular Season Football | 1070 the FanAndrew Luck’s return to NFL regular season football saw so much of the old No. 12, but there was one obvious difference.Frank Reich's offense is sweet for QB Andrew Luck, Indianapolis ColtsAndrew Luck is operating the most sophisticated offense of his career, and in first game with Colts coach Frank Reich set a significant personal best.Colts Daily Notebook: Frank Reich Wants Better Balance On OffenseIndianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich on Monday said he would hope to see better balance moving forward from the team’s offense, which threw the ball 53 times in Sunday’s season-opening loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. What else did we learn on the dayColts Notebook: Frank Reich Content With Playing Time For Eric Ebron | 1070 the FanOn Monday afternoon, Frank Reich met the media after reviewing the film of his team’s Week One loss to the Bengals. What did Reich have to say about the 34-23 loss?Colts’ Frank Reich: We’ll build on the positives | FOX59INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Before transitioning to the next seven-day life cycle, a head coach deals with the fallout from the previous one. It might involve keeping tight reins on his emotions following a signature victory, or resisting the urge to question a handful of decisions that might have contri...Colts-Bengals Drive Of The Game: Quick Tempo Leads To TouchdownThe Indianapolis Colts’ 2018 Week 1 Drive of the Game, presented by Hays + Sons, was a nine-play, 60-yard drive in the third quarter the ended with a T.Y. Hilton five-yard touchdown reception.2018 Colts Rookie Watch: Week 1Get a weekly look into the performance of the Indianapolis Colts’ rookies, starting today with their stats and highlights in the team’s Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.Kravitz Dopey Report Card: Bengals at Colts (September 9, 2018) - Bob Kravitz - 13 WTHR IndianapolisKravitz Dopey Report Card: Bengals at Colts (September 9, 2018)Colts Notebook: Offense looks for more explosion | Sports | heraldbulletin.comThere are two categories the Colts want to win each week: Turnovers and explosive plays.COLTS MEDIA The Colts aren’t out of the playoff picture, not even close. In the AFC South, all things are possible. To explain how the Colts have a very good chance of winning the division, we need to break things down into three different parts:The current state of the teamThe current state of the divisionThe remaining schedule and the important gamesCurrent State of the TeamThe Colts have been battered and beaten with injuries this season. The Colts currently have the following key players on injured reserve:Joe HaegMatthias FarleyMatt SlausonMarcus Johnson and Deon Cain are two young depth players also on injured reserve. So while a lot of players have been injured, there aren’t many important key players who are out for the season. That’s reason number one to be optimistic. We’ll use the point differential formula to calculate the “true” level of play of each team. This formula is used in all sports by bettors and analysts to determine how good a team really is. The point differential formula is:(Points Scored)^2 / ((Points Scored)^2 + (Points Allowed)^2)As it stands right now, the Colts are playing like a team that should have 2.5 wins (according to the point differential formula); this means that on paper, they are a 7-9 football team based on their play through the first 6 games. A 7-9 football team would come relatively close to a playoff spot in this division.The Colts are losing 4.7 points per game. If the Colts were to finish the season as a 9-7 team White Anthony Walker Jersey , which means finishing the season 8-2, they would need to continue scoring 25 points a game (which is what they do now), but allow 12 to 13 fewer points per game. The Colts are allowing 30 points per game right now and in order to get to 9-7, they’ll need to allow only 17 to 18 points per game (average) in the final 10 games. The 8 remaining teams they will face are only averaging 18 points per game, so on paper, the Colts allowing only 18 points per game is very doable. If we completely ignore the numbers, there are few things that are obvious:Andrew Luck has not been great through the first 6 games and I believe that’s due to rust and still adjusting to the NFL game after a very long layoff. As the season goes on, I believe he’ll only get stronger and his production will improve as he gets more and more comfortable.The Colts have had to play the last few games without their top two receivers, TY Hilton and Jack Doyle; having them back will only help the flow of the passing game and not put a reliance on average and below average receivers like Chester Rogers, Ryan Grant and Zach Pascal. The play of the offensive line has improved the last few games. Braden Smith has been serviceable and Anthony Castonzo’s return has added stability. With those two on the line, on top of a healthy Ryan Kelly and Quenton Nelson, the Colts should be just fine up front moving forward. Like Luck but in a different way, the two rookies, Smith and Nelson, are still adjusting to the NFL game, its speed and the very high quality of play. As the season goes on, they’ll get more comfortable and more accustomed to life in the NFL. The Colts have a very young defense, with most of their starters being 25 or younger. Considering it’s a completely new coaching staff and many new faces, things not being perfect at the beginning of the season isn’t a surprise to anyone. However, the talent level is obvious, with Darius Leonard looking like a potential rookie of the year candidate and Malik Hooker playing at a high level. Hooker is a good example of a player who has not shined on paper, but has shined on film. As the season goes along, this team should gel well.The Current State of the DivisionIt’s bad. The Titans, Texans and Jaguars are all 3-3 with a slew of different issues. All three teams have negative point differentials and two teams (Titans and Jaguars) are dealing with several injuries to key players. The Titans don’t have a healthy offensive line and Marcus Mariota has been banged up all season and clearly isn’t 100%. The Titans are also missing two key starters for the entire season with Delanie Walker and Jon Cyprien on injured reserve. They’re only averaging 14.5 points per game and they have only scored more than 20 points once this season. Their offense is having major issues. The Jaguars are also having injury issues. Leonard Fournette has barely played this season and his timetable to return is still unknown. They are also missing a few starters on offense with Cam Robinson, Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Marqise Lee all being on injured reserve. Their supposedly stout defense has also been picked apart in recent weeks http://www.authenticsindianapoliscolts.com/cheap-clayton-geathers-jersey , allowing 70 points in the last 2 games, which indicates that they might not be as strong on defense as people might think. The Texans, in my opinion, are the most dangerous team to the Colts. They’re on a three game win streak and while they have a slightly tougher remaining schedule than the Colts, it is still relatively easy. The biggest game of the season might be the Week 14 matchup in Houston. Their biggest issue has been inconsistency. Their three wins came in one score games and they could’ve easily lost all three games. Their first win came against the Colts in overtime. The second came against the Cowboys in overtime. Both of those wins essentially came because of coaching decisions from their opponents. Their last win came against the lowly Bills and they only won because of an ugly interception from the spectacularly terrible Nathan Peterman. To say that they are a strong team is a stretch. As it stands, according to the point differential formula:The Texans are playing like an 8-8 team.The Jaguars are playing like a 7-9 team.The Titans are playing like a 6-10 team.There is a very strong chance that none of the three AFC South opponents finish with a winning record.Remaining Schedule + Important GamesThe season isn’t half over, so the Colts can still make up plenty of ground in the remaining 10 games. Of the remaining 8 teams the Colts play, only one has a winning record: the Miami Dolphins. Seven of the eight teams have negative point differentials, with only the Dallas Cowboys having a positive point differential. There is a very good chance that the 8 teams the Colts play in the final 10 games will not have winning records come season’s end.To sum that all up, the Colts will have an easy schedule for the rest of the season. The important games are obvious, they have five remaining divisional games and in order to win the division they’ll need to win at least 4 of them. Three of those five games will be on the road, so winning those two home games are musts. As mentioned earlier, the Week 14 matchup against the Texans in Houston will be the biggest game of the season for the Colts. That will be a must-win game. If they can win both divisional home games, the Week 14 Texans matchup and one of the other two road divisional games, the Colts will seriously be in business. The Colts are 20-1 underdogs to win the division, according to Vegas, so while the chances of winning the division aren’t likely (according to them), they certainly aren’t impossible and the cards seem to be stacking up properly. The Colts are playing many below average teams and with not-so-strong offenses. I believe if the Colts get to 9-7, they will win the division outright, because I don’t believe the other AFC South teams, based on their schedule and the state of their teams are strong enough to post winning records to finish the season. The numbers suggest that the Colts are not far behind in the division and making it to the playoffs is still a very real possibility based on the state of their team, the AFC South and their remaining schedule. I believe strongly in the Colts pulling through, to the point that I even made a $15 bet on the Colts to win the division.

CHICAGO — At times this season Greg Olsen Jersey , the Chicago Cubs have struggled to produce offensively, especially when it comes to situational hitting that turned hits into runs.

But as the Cubs prepare to open a brief two-game series against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday at Wrigley Field, any concerns about run production seems to have subsided. At least for now.

The Cubs will carry a four-game winning streak into Tuesday after producing 46 runs during their winning streak, which they extended with an 11-10 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday.

Although the bullpen struggled to protect leads at times, the Cubs’ bats did more than their fair share. Now, the Cubs will attempt to remain hot against the Tigers, who have won two straight but have lost 11 of their last 13 games.

The Tigers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Monday.

After Sunday’s victory, the Cubs found themselves leading the majors in hitting (.266) and on-base percentage (.345). Despite the times this season when the hits weren’t coming, the Cubs haven’t experienced any change in confidence now that they’re averaging more than 10 per game in their last four games.

“We’ve been the same offense for quite some time now,” Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber said Sunday, according to the Chicago Tribune. “Things happen. We’re just going to keep this going.”

Cubs pitchers have enjoyed plenty of run support of late, which is something Tuesday’s starter, Kyle Hendricks, wouldn’t mind seeing continue against the Tigers. Hendricks (5-8, 4.21 ERA) has experienced inconsistency this season and has battled his mechanics all the way through.

Hendricks went 1-4 in June and is coming off an outing in which he allowed a season-worst six runs in just 2 2/3 innings on June 27 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He hopes to right the ship in a new month against a team that has struggled offensively during their recent skid. Hendricks will face the Tigers for the first time in his career.

“I’m just searching right now — it’s just bad,” Hendricks told reporters after his last start, according to the team’s official website. “Mechanics, I’m trying to focus mentally and going pitch to pitch and I’m doing that, but something’s just off. I’m searching now.”

The Tigers’ back-to-back victories come after their losing streak reached a season-high 11 games. With Miguel Cabrera out for the season and other veterans like Victor Martinez struggling at the plate, manager Ron Gardenhire has been forced to work with a lineup full of young hitters.

Before snapping the skid with a victory Sunday over the Blue Jays, the Tigers finished June hitting .222.

“We’ve had a lot of struggles offensively, for sure Youth Chase Edmonds Jersey ,” Gardenhire said Sunday, according to the Detroit Free Press. “I think our pitching has held up OK. (The) bullpen had its good and bad moments. Offensively, we’ve really scuffled, especially the past couple week here. We all know that. Offensively, we have to get a lot better. More consistently.”

On Monday, the Tigers placed closer Shane Greene on the 10-day disabled list with a right shoulder strain. Joe Jimenez, who is considered the Tigers’ closer of the future, will move into the role for the time being, Gardenhire said. Jiménez has a 2.77 ERA, 44 strikeouts and nine walks in 42 appearances covering 39 innings.

Michael Fulmer (3-7, 4.20) will start Tuesday for the Tigers. Like Hendricks, Fulmer struggled in June, losing three of his five starts with a no-decision. Fulmer will face the Cubs for the first time in his career.

Hal Steinbrenner says his New York Yankees may need a starting pitching upgrade if they’re going to reach their first World Series since 2009.

Steinbrenner, the Yankees managing general partner, said Wednesday the club will explore the trade market for an arm, especially considering the recent loss of left-hander Jordan Montgomery, who had season-ending Tommy John surgery on June 7.

The Yankees entered Wednesday with the best record in baseball, narrowly ahead of AL East rival Boston. The club has space to acquire an impact player and still remain under the $197 million luxury-tax threshold, a goal the team has stated several times.

”Clearly starting pitching was always a concern,” Steinbrenner said, speaking to a small group of reporters at an owners’ meeting. ”It’s definitely one of the areas we’re going to be looking at.

”Purposely left a decent amount of money for just this,” he added. ”If we decide to go get a pitcher and if a pitcher’s available Youth Calvin Ridley Jersey , I think we definitely have the flexibility that would allow me to do just that.”

Cole Hamels, Chris Archer and Madison Bumgarner are among the biggest names that could potentially be available at the deadline, but they would likely cost one or more of New York’s blue-chip prospects. Steinbrenner wants to be cautious about moving high-ceiling youngsters to beef up the rotation.

”It depends what the asks are. I mean, I love the young guys,” he said. ”Our fans love the young guys, and I think it’s obvious to all of us. They’ve made a heck of an impact, and to see Gleyber (Torres) and (Miguel) Andujar and others, you know, right off the heels of (Aaron) Judge and (Gary) Sanchez and (Luis) Severino, I mean it’s pretty amazing.”

The team does have internal options, and Steinbrenner said he’s willing to stick by some young, untested pitchers if needed. Jonathan Loaisiga will make his major league debut Friday, rookie Domingo German has held his own in six starts, and prospects Justus Sheffield, Chance Adams and Erik Swanson could get looks later this year, too.

”We’ve got some options for August, September, but again, we’re going to look at anything that comes across our desk,” Steinbrenner said.

OFF AND RUNNING

Steinbrenner praised first-year manager Aaron Boone, pleased with his performance thus far despite the rookie manager having no professional coaching experience prior to the season.

”Everything we could ask for. Calm, cool Youth Hayden Hurst Jersey , collected,” Steinbrenner said. ”Players have a lot of respect for him. He’s been great in the clubhouse and he’s been great with his coaching staff, and the coaches he’s brought in have been good so I mean it’s as advertised.”

NO WORRIES

Giancarlo Stanton has been good, but not great, in his first year with the Yankees. He entered Wednesday batting .240 with 14 homers, 34 RBIs and a .797 OPS – compared to a 1.007 OPS when he won the NL MVP Award last season. Steinbrenner believes New York’s marquee offseason acquisition will crank up his production soon, though.

”He’s had ups and downs, but when he gets hot, he’ll carry a team,” Steinbrenner said. ”We’ve all seen that and it will happen. Work ethic is great. Worked his way right into the clubhouse in a great way, teammates like him, so he’s going to be great.”

NOT-SO-FRIENDLY SKIES

New York has had eight games either postponed or suspended by poor weather already this season. If that wasn’t enough of an inconvenience, they’ve also encountered their share of travel snafus- which included having to spend a night at Dulles International Airport in mid-May due to weather and a problem with the plane.

As an experienced pilot himself, Steinbrenner understands that air travel can be an inexact science.

”We all fly commercial and even small jets, even my plane has problems from time to time and I fly a dinky little propeller plane,” he said. ”So you start to get into these airliners, I mean they’re complex from the avionics to the life support systems to the engines to the hydraulics. They’re just complicated machines. … It’s obviously air transportation, very reliable and very safe. But it’s very safe and very reliable because they don’t take a plane up if it’s not close to a hundred percent, right?”

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Buffalo Bills cuts tracker: the final preseason game Cheap Kelvin Benjamin Jersey , which means the Buffalo Bills will be cutting their roster from 90 to 53 players. Last year, the NFL changed the roster rules and removed the initial cutdown period, which put all the emphasis on a single weekend of cuts. Teams batched their releases over the course of the weekend, and will likely do the same leading up to Saturday’s 4pm deadline.Last year the Bills didn’t make any noteworthy moves besides releasing promising young running back Jonathan Williams (and keeping Mike Tolbert on the roster) and backup linebacker Gerald Hodges. This year Cheap Dion Dawkins Jersey , the roster bubble includes wide receivers like Corey Coleman and Ray-Ray McCloud, half of Buffalo’s tight ends, and possibly veteran quarterback AJ McCarron.As the NFL roster cuts trickle in, we’ll be listing them all here. When the Bills start signing players to fix some vacancies Cheap Shaq Lawson Jersey , or fill out their practice squad, we’ll have you covered for that too.Cuts:WR Brandon Reilly (per his Twitter feed)LB Tanner Vallejo (per Ian Rapoport)OL Gerhard de Beer (per his agent, Brett Tessler)WR Corey Coleman (per Ian Rapoport)DB Dean Marlowe (per NFL Draft Diamonds)WR Cam Phillips (per Joe Buscaglia)TE Keith Towbridge (per Joe Buscaglia)C Adam Redmond (per Joe Buscaglia)FB Sam Rogers (per Joe Buscaglia)DT Albert Havili (per Joe Buscaglia)CB Breon Borders (per Joe Buscaglia)DT Tyrunn Walker (per Tom Pelissero)T Mo Porter (per Joe Buscaglia)WR Malachi Dupre (per Matthew Fairburn)S Kelcie McCray (per Aaron Wilson)DE Mat Boesen (per the Bills)G Ike Boettger (per the Bills)RB Travaris Cadet (per the Bills)CB Ryan Carter (per the Bills)WR Kaelin Clay (per the Bills)DE Terrence Fede (per the Bills)RB Keith Ford (per the Bills)DT Rickey Hatley (per the Bills)T Josh James (per the Bills)DE Mike Love (per the Bills)TE Nick O’Leary (per the Bills)WR Austin Proehl (per the Bills)P Jon Ryan (per the Bills)WR Rod Streater (per the Bills)LB Corey Thompson (per the Bills)CB Levi Wallace (per the Bills)T De’Ondre Wesley (per the Bills)LB Xavier Woodson-Luster (per the Bills)Players who made the roster:WR Ray-Ray McCloud III (per NFL Draft Diamonds)S Siran Neal (per NFL Draft Diamonds)DE Eddie Yarbrough (per Nick Wojton)WR Robert Foster (per Matthew Fairburn)WR Jeremy Kerley (per Ryan Talbot)CB Lafayette Pitts (per Joe Buscaglia)Injury updates: LeSean McCoy has cracked rib cartilage The Buffalo Bills exited their game against the Los Angeles Chargers not only with a loss, but with several scary injuries. During his usual Monday chat with the press Bills Vladimir Ducasse Jersey , head coach Sean McDermott gave updates on the status of the team. LeSean McCoy is considered day to day with cracked rib cartilage. It’s possible McCoy will suit up in week three when the Bills face the Minnesota Vikings.Special teams captain Taiwan Jones did not suffer a concussion after a brutal shot to the head from Uchenna Nwosu. Jones’ helmet came off before the hit. He was “bruised and cut up” per McDermott.Cornerback Phillip Gaines left Sunday’s game with a dislocated elbow after only a handful of snaps. Gaines has not been ruled out for this week. Defensive end Shaq Lawson is day to day as he recovers from a hamstring injury. Lawson did not play against the Chargers. Slot corner Taron Johnson is also day to day with a shoulder injury sustained against the Ravens. Johnson was not active in Week 2. With the sudden retirement of Vontae Davis, expect the Bills to add a cornerback on Tuesday (and maybe two). Ryan Lewis is on the practice squad and would make sense to fill a spot.

Strikeouts exceeded hits in the major leagues for the second time in three months Tyler Seguin Jersey , a deviation that had never occurred before this year.

There were 6,776 strikeouts and 6,640 hits in June, the Elias Sports Bureau said Sunday. That leaves the season totals at 21,090 strikeouts and 20,671 hits about halfway through the season.

Strikeouts had topped hits in a full month for the first time in April, when then there were 6,656 strikeouts and 6,360 hits. The previous low differential was in April 2017, when there were 138 more hits than strikeouts.

There were 7,033 hits and 6,971 strikeouts in May.

Strikeouts per game averaged 16.9 in June, up from 16.75 in May but down from 17.5 in April, which was a record for a full calendar month. Strikeouts have set a record for 10 consecutive seasons, and this year’s rate projects to 41,464. That would shatter last year’s mark of 40 Anthony Mantha Jersey ,104; the total was 32,884 in 2008.

There have been 2,822 home runs in 1,236 games, an average of 2.26. That represents a drop from 2.52 last year through June, when there were 3,024 in 1,199 games.

The average climbed from 1.90 before the 2015 All-Star break to 2.17 in the second half that year, then rose to 2.31 in 2016 and a record 2.51 last season.

Thus far this season, 32 percent of 94,241 plate appearances ended without a batted ball in play: 21,090 strikeouts, 8,081 walks, 952 hit batters and 23 catcher’s interference calls.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs waited and waited and waited Monday night. When the lights malfunctioned again and the forecast called for more rain, they finally said enough.

The rematch of the last two NL Championship Series was postponed by a mixture of poor weather and a limited power outage at Wrigley Field. It will be made up Tuesday afternoon as part of a day-night doubleheader.

It was sunny and hot in Chicago for most of Monday Darren Helm Jersey , but clouds began to roll into the area about two hours before the scheduled first pitch. An initial downpour stopped at one point and the grounds crew pulled the tarp off the field, only to put it back on after a short stretch.

There was also trouble with three banks of lights on the first-base side of the iconic 104-year-old ballpark that went on and off a couple times, in addition to some lights in the stands on the third-base side that were out when the game was called after a nearly 3-hour delay.

”It appears to be a limited power outage in the ballpark which is impacting the right-field light operation,” Cubs spokesman Julian Green said. ”Obviously can’t play baseball without a full bank of lights in the ballpark. Notwithstanding the lights, we’re also dealing with a pretty heavy storm system in the area, which we’re projected to get more rain here.”

Green said they don’t know the root cause of the power outage, but it appears to be in the ballpark itself and not in the surrounding neighborhood. He said the plan is to have ballpark fully operational by the start of the first game on Tuesday.

”But a lot of work needs to happen tonight to make sure we can do that,” Green said.

This is Los Angeles’ only scheduled trip to Chicago this season.

”It’s out of our control,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. ”It’s one of those times when we spent a lot of time here, but there’s nothing else we could have done.”

Kenta Maeda, Monday night’s scheduled starter for Los Angeles, will get the ball for the opener of the doubleheader. Rich Hill will come off the disabled list to start Game 2.

Hill was placed on the DL on May 20 with a blister on his left middle finger, a recurring problem for the veteran left-hander.

The Cubs employed the same plan, with Tyler Chatwood going in the opener and Mike Montgomery staying in place for the previously scheduled game. Montgomery is 2-1 with a 1.14 ERA in four starts since he was inserted into the rotation after Yu Darvish was sidelined by right triceps tendinitis.

The Dodgers are making their first appearance at Wrigley since they advanced to the World Series with an 11-1 victory over the Cubs in Game 5 of the NLCS on Oct. 19. The same teams also met in the 2016 NLCS, with Chicago advancing on its way to its first championship since 1908.

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Jay Cohen can be reached at

The Texas Rangers took full advantage after a changed call. A misplayed flyball only made things worse for the San Diego Padres.

Robinson Chirinos drove in the first of five runs Texas scored in a decisive sixth inning on the next pitch after it appeared he had struck out Corey Perry Jersey , and right fielder Hunter Renfroe was charged with an error on the next play as the Rangers rallied for a 7-4 win Monday night.

There were two runners and Chirinos had two strikes when he had a foul tip. Home plate umpire Tony Randazzo initially indicated he was out, and it looked like catcher Austin Hedges had secured the ball in the mitt that kicked up dirt when he reached down.

But was changed to a foul ball after the umpires got together to discuss the play.

”From my vantage point, our dugout, we saw dirt fly, which seem to indicate that the ball hit the ground,” said Rangers manager Jeff Banister, who said the umps got together on their own.

Padres manager Andy Green obviously had a much different view.

”Yeah, it’s frustrating. They missed it. I think it’s obvious when you see the film that they missed it,” Green said. ”It’s a frustrating overturn on an obvious call. We had chances, though. We had some plays we could have made that we didn’t make. It’s one of those innings that flat out got away from us.”

After Chirinos’ got Texas within 4-2, Ronald Guzman then hit the deep flyball misplayed by Renfroe, who drifted to the ball on a windy night into the right-center cutout. Guzman wound up at second on the error and was credited with a sac fly. Delino DeShields and Choo followed with consecutive RBI singles, and Elvis Andrus added a sac fly.

”You’ve got to be mentally tough enough to bounce back from it and make a better pitch than what I made,” said Craig Stammen (4-1).

Choo extended his career-best on-base streak to 38 games with three hits, including that tiebreaking RBI single in the sixth. Chirinos had an RBI double in the seventh.

San Diego (35-46) reached the midpoint of its season by losing for the eighth time in nine games. The Rangers (35-45), who play their 81st game Tuesday night, have won eight of nine.

Tony Barnette (2-0) retired all three batters he faced after Manuel Margo and Jose Pirela homered off Rangers starter Cole Hamels. Keone Kela worked the nine for his 19th save, the most in the majors without a blown chance and matching the longest season-opening span in team history.

”Being able to see what the team was able to do when you put them a little behind, they were able to battle,” Hamels said. ”When you’re winning Youth Derek Grant Jersey , everybody’s happy, and you can move on to the next day.”

GOING DEEP

Margo’s three-run homer in the fifth was his second homer in as many days, and his third overall. His only other homer this season came April 5. … Pirela went deep to start the sixth for a 4-1 lead and chase Hamels.

BEING CAUTIOUS

San Diego starter Joey Lucchesi allowed only one hit over four scoreless innings. But the lefty was limited to 70 pitches in only his second start after being out more than a month because of a right hip strain.

”You’re managing a guy’s career as much as you are a baseball game,” Green said. ”To me, wasn’t quite stretched out enough to send him back out there for the fifth inning.”

SHORT HOPS

The Padres had allowed five runs or fewer in their 14 previous road games, a club record. … It was the 10th time in Hamels’ 16 starts this season that Texas scored no more than one run while the lefty was on the mound.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: Green said an MRI on the pitching elbow of RHP Jordan Lyles showed that he does just have inflammation. Lyles was scratched from his scheduled start Saturday after feeling discomfort while warming up. Lyles will rejoin the team in Texas, but won’t start throwing again before the weekend.

Rangers: Guzman left in the sixth and went into MLB concussion protocol. His head struck the knee of third baseman Christian Villanueva when diving back on an attempted pickoff by Hedges. ”It was very evident when we got out there, just his words, kind of the symptoms that he gave us,” Banister said. … RF Nomar Mazar left with tightness in his left hamstring after an infield single in the eighth. Banister described that as ”pretty precautionary.”

UP NEXT

Padres right-hander Tyson Ross (5-5), who received no run support in his last two starts, faces the team he pitched for last year. Ross was 3-3 with a 7.71 ERA in 12 games in his only season with the Rangers after previously being with San Diego from 2013-16.

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Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead has to put together a complicated puzzle this offseason.

And he still isn’t sure whether All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald’s contract extension will be the first or last piece to fall into place for the surprising NFC West champions.

Negotiating with Donald is the highest-profile task awaiting Snead, who will also have to address uncertainty in the secondary, if he will use the franchise tag on wide receiver Sammy Watkins, and whether to cut players such as linebacker Mark Barron and wide receiver Tavon Austin.

”That’s the biggest piece of the puzzle is, all right, how do we stay in this window where we expect to compete for a division, expect to win the division. And we do have a young team so it is sustainable, but it’s solving that riddle,” Snead said Wednesday.

The Rams spent much of their efforts last offseason trying to address their struggling offense Authentic Stephen Johns Jersey , hiring Sean McVay as head coach and bringing in established veterans including left tackle Andrew Whitworth, center John Sullivan and wide receivers Robert Woods and Watkins to assist quarterback Jared Goff.

Those efforts were more successful than Snead could have imagined, finishing as the top scoring offense in the league this season after ranking last the previous season.

Los Angeles went 11-5, with the franchise earning its first division title since 2003, before losing to the Atlanta Falcons 26-13 in the first round of the playoffs on Saturday.

Snead said the emphasis in the upcoming months will now be on defense, including trying to finalize a new contract with Donald. Donald held out of training camp in hopes of getting that deal and didn’t report to the team until one day before the regular season started.

Still, he finished with 15 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in 14 games, solidifying his status as the game’s dominant interior lineman.

Snead and Donald’s representatives both agreed to stop negotiating during the season. There is no timetable for an agreement, but even a basic framework of what will likely be the richest contract for a defender in NFL history would give Snead the ability to respond accordingly in other areas.

”Like I’ve always said with Aaron, hey, we want him to be a Ram a long time,” Snead said. ”So when we ink that deal, or not, I can’t put a timeline on it, but it is a major priority, as it always will be until we get it done. And for Aaron’s sake, and for doing business, with our other players as well because that contract obviously will affect basically your salary cap.”

While Donald will almost certainly remain the anchor up front for a long time, there are fewer guarantees at defensive back. Cornerback Trumaine Johnson has played the past two seasons under the franchise tag, and starting safety Lamarcus Joyner and slot corner Nickell Robey-Coleman are unrestricted free agents.

Cornerback Kayvon Webster Youth Tyler Pitlick Jersey , one of the few significant signings on defense last offseason, is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon.

Snead held off on committing to Johnson on a long-term basis before seeing how he would fit in defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ system.

Snead said making sure a player can thrive in a specific scheme is a must before committing big money. Johnson played well with 57 solo tackles, 14 passes defended and two interceptions.

”They definitely have to be ideal scheme fits, or I always call it you’re putting a rectangle in a square and I think that’s how things get a little off-kilter when you’re building a team,” Snead said.

There could also be turnover at linebacker, where Barron and edge rusher Robert Quinn could be cut to avoid significant salary-cap hits.

The same might be true for Austin, who had 13 receptions for 47 yards and ran for 270 yards and one touchdown. Austin fell behind Woods, Watkins and rookie Cooper Kupp in the rotation after being limited by a hamstring injury in training camp.

If the 2013 first-round pick were to go, it could increase the likelihood Watkins remains with Los Angeles.

Watkins led the Rams with eight touchdown receptions in the final season of his rookie contract after being acquired in a trade from Buffalo in August.

Watkins could be one of the top options in a relatively weak group of free-agent receivers, making him a potential option for the franchise tag.

”The goal is to make sure we can fit everybody into the budget,” Snead said. ”Because sometimes saving money, that kind of means we’re attacking an individual player just to save money.

”But it’s really looking at the budget, the cap situation for this year, and the cap situation for next year, and the next. Then we go `18, how do we improve and then keep the core together? So, it’s not necessarily looking at just salaries.”

NOTES: Defensive tackle Michael Brockers is not expected to require surgery for the knee injury he sustained against the Falcons, Snead said.

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Week 2 2018 NFL Sunday Schedule: Pats-Jags hold rematch of AFC Championship Football fans across the upper Midwest will be tuned in to a big NFC North battle today Youth Lane Taylor Jersey , as the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings square off in an early divisional game to see who can take an early lead. However, there’s a lot more to the schedule on this NFL Sunday than just this pair of 1-0 teams.Leading the way in week two is a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game between the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars. The Pats won that game 24-20, coming back from deficits of 14-3 just before halftime and 20-10 early in the fourth quarter.There’s another battle of AFC teams that made the 2017 playoffs as well, as the Steelers host the Chiefs in the early slate of games. Kansas City lost to the Tennessee Titans in the Wild Card round a year ago after falling at home to the Steelers in the divisional round the year before.In the NFC, the two 2017 Wild Card teams square off in a divisional clash as the Atlanta Falcons host the Carolina Panthers. Carolina lost to the NFC South champion Saints in the Wild Card round last year, while Atlanta beat the Rams in the Wild Card round before suffering a 15-10 loss to the eventual Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles.Enjoy all the games on today’s slate and join us here to discuss.For your local broadcast maps, check out 506 Sports.Early Games (all kickoffs at 1:00 PM ET)Carolina Panthers at Atlanta FalconsMercedes-Benz StadiumAtlanta, GAFOXLos Angeles Chargers at Buffalo BillsNew Era FieldBuffalo, NYCBSMinnesota Vikings at Green Bay PackersLambeau FieldGreen Bay http://www.packersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-clay-matthews-jersey , WIFOXCleveland Browns at New Orleans SaintsMercedes-Benz SuperdomeNew Orleans, LAFOXMiami Dolphins at New York JetsMetLife StadiumEast Rutherford, NJCBSKansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh SteelersHeinz FieldPittsburgh, PACBSPhiladelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay BuccaneersRaymond James StadiumTampa, FLFOXHouston Texans at Tennessee TitansNissan StadiumNashville, TNCBSIndianapolis Colts at WashingtonFedEx FieldLandover, MDCBSAfternoon GamesArizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams1:05 PM PT (4:05 ET)Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles, CAFOXDetroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers1:05 PM PT (4:05 ET)Levi’s StadiumSanta Clara, CAFOXOakland Raiders at Denver Broncos2:25 PM MT (4:25 ET)Bronco Stadium at Mile HighDenver, COCBSNew England Patriots at Jacksonville Jaguars4:25 PM ETTIAA Bank FieldJacksonville Blake Martinez Jersey , FLCBSSunday Night FootballNew York Giants at Dallas Cowboys7:20 PM CT (8:20 ET)AT&T StadiumArlington, TXNBCAaron Rodgers, Packers agree to 4-year, $134 million extension, per report The negotiation over Aaron Rodgers’ next contract has finally reached its conclusion. According to NFL Network’s James Jones, the Green Bay Packers and Rodgers have agreed to a four-year extension worth $134 million in new money. As part of the deal, Rodgers will receive $80 million between signing and March 2019, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.The deal, which reportedly includes over $100 million in guarantees, shatters the previous record for highest average annual value ($30 million per year Youth Kenny Clark Jersey , held by the Atlanta Falcons’ Matt Ryan). It remains unclear whether Rodgers’ new contract replaces his old one or simply attaches additional years and money to the existing agreement. In the latter scenario, the Packers would have their franchise signal-caller on the books through the 2023 season at a total cost of nearly $175.7 million. Such a contract would keep Rodgers in Green Bay through his 40th birthday.It remains unclear whether Rodgers secured any provisions in the agreement that would make him a free agent before the end of the agreement or any escalators should another player or players succeed him as the league’s top earner. The quarterback never publicly discussed such clauses, but reports suggested that he sought some modicum of player control not unlike what top players enjoy in the NBA. Though possible, such a concession appear unlikely given the Packers had Rodgers signed through two more seasons and could use the franchise tag for up to three additional years.Regardless of what the fine print reads, the Packers now have the most important player secured to a new deal, concluding one of the dominant narratives of the offseason and extending their window of title contention for the foreseeable future.

While its cutesy charm and inherent increased exposure of styling your avatar may turn off some Western fans, users is going to be surprised to discover how authentically social MMO thinks when each avatar shows a visual representation from the player behind the PC keyboard.

A MapleStory Battle Royale? But Why?

With the trend surrounding the MapleStory 2 Mesos battle royale genre, it’s not very much of a surprise that popular games like MapleStory 2 are integrating it inside their game too.

The game is thriving in South Korea and China for Cheap MapleStory 2 Mesos three years now; and after two beta periods for Western audiences, an international MapleStory 2 version was released.

Go ahead and take the New England Patriots to win their sixth Super Bowl title with Tom Brady to earn his fifth MVP award.

Those are the predictions of EA Sports using their Madden NFL 18 simulation for Sunday’s Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles.

For those who doubt the accuracy http://www.officialblackhawksproshop.com/authentic-adidas-artem-anisimov-jersey , EA Sports has predicted 10 of the 14 Super Bowl winners since the company started simulating the game in 2004.

Madden NFL predicted the Patriots would rally late in the fourth quarter of last year’s Super Bowl , including overcoming a 10-point deficit in the third quarter. The game also predicted Matt Ryan would throw two touchdowns and the final score.

The simulation wasn’t perfect, missing Falcons receiver Julio Jones with his 87 yards receiving with a prediction of 89 yards. The simulation also missed Jones scoring a touchdown.

In predicting Sunday’s game, the Madden NFL 18 simulation predicts the Eagles take an early lead on a touchdown run by Jay Ajayi with Philadelphia’s defense holding New England to a field goal. The Eagles are forced to settle for a field goal late in the first quarter. Brady, on the cover of Madden NFL 18, throws TD passes to Rob Gronkowski and Brandin Cooks in the second quarter with the Eagles adding a field goal late in the first half.

In the simulation, the Eagles start blitzing Brady in the second half getting two sacks and forcing an interception. Nick Foles converts Brady’s interception into a TD pass to Alshon Jeffrey putting Philadelphia ahead going into the fourth quarter.

But Brady is predicted to throw his third TD pass, this to Danny Amendola, to give the Patriots the lead. Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins strips New England running back Dion Lewis of the ball, but Patriots defensive back Stephon Gilmore knocks away a Foles pass to Jeffrey as time expires to seal a 24-20 victory and a sixth title for New England.

The simulation predicts Brady to finish with 342 yards passing compared with 241 yards for Foles. Gronkowski has a game-high 107 yards receiving on four catches, while Jeffrey finishes with 98 yards on six catches.

Madden NFL also predicted the final score in February 2015 of the Patriots’ 28-24 win over the Seahawks . That included New England trailing 24-14 in the third quarter before rallying along with Julian Edelman scoring the game-winning TD.

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Strikeouts exceeded hits in the major leagues for the second time in three months, a deviation that had never occurred before this year.

There were 6,776 strikeouts and 6,640 hits in June, the Elias Sports Bureau said Sunday. That leaves the season totals at 21 Brandon Saad Jersey ,090 strikeouts and 20,671 hits about halfway through the season.

Strikeouts had topped hits in a full month for the first time in April, when then there were 6,656 strikeouts and 6,360 hits. The previous low differential was in April 2017, when there were 138 more hits than strikeouts.

There were 7,033 hits and 6,971 strikeouts in May.

Strikeouts per game averaged 16.9 in June, up from 16.75 in May but down from 17.5 in April, which was a record for a full calendar month. Strikeouts have set a record for 10 consecutive seasons, and this year’s rate projects to 41,464. That would shatter last year’s mark of 40,104; the total was 32,884 in 2008.

There have been 2,822 home runs in 1 Brent Seabrook Jersey Kids ,236 games, an average of 2.26. That represents a drop from 2.52 last year through June, when there were 3,024 in 1,199 games.

The average climbed from 1.90 before the 2015 All-Star break to 2.17 in the second half that year, then rose to 2.31 in 2016 and a record 2.51 last season.

Thus far this season, 32 percent of 94,241 plate appearances ended without a batted ball in play: 21,090 strikeouts, 8,081 walks, 952 hit batters and 23 catcher’s interference calls.

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CLEVELAND — Cleveland Indians starting pitchers lead the American League in wins with a 44-23 record Youth Josh Rosen Jersey , and they’re second with an ERA of 3.39.

Cleveland’s remarkable starting pitching depth will be on display Sunday afternoon at Progressive Field in the finale of a three-game series with the Oakland Athletics. The teams split the first two games, with Oakland winning 6-3 on Saturday to snap Cleveland’s five-game winning streak.

Rookie Shane Bieber will start Sunday for the Indians. In a combined 17 starts for Cleveland and Triple-A Columbus, Bieber is 10-1 with a 1.77 ERA — and he’s the No. 5 starter in the Indians’ rotation.

The rotation is led by two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer, who ranks third in the AL in strikeouts and innings pitched and is fifth in ERA.

The No. 3 starter is Carlos Carrasco, a 17-game winner last year when he finished fourth in the Cy Young Award voting. The No. 4 starter is Mike Clevinger, who in 38 starts since the beginning of the 2017 season is 18-7 with a 3.07 ERA.

“Good baseball starts with good starting pitching,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “Having good starting pitching always enhances your chances to win, and we’ve got five very good starting pitchers.”

Bieber is the newest addition to that rotation, having replaced Josh Tomlin in the No. 5 spot. Like Tomlin, Bieber’s calling card is impeccable control. In his 17 starts between Cleveland and Columbus, Bieber has pitched 107 innings and has 101 strikeouts and 11 walks.

In his five starts with the Indians Youth Christian Kirk Jersey , Bieber is 4-0 with a 2.97 ERA. His last start was the worst of the five, but he still won the game. On July 3, he was a 6-4 winner over Kansas City, pitching six innings and giving up four runs and nine hits with two strikeouts and one walk.

Sunday will be Bieber’s first career start against Oakland.

The A’s on Sunday will activate left-hander Brett Anderson (0-2, 7.63 ERA) off the disabled list and he will make his first start since May 18. Anderson was removed from that start after one inning because of a sore shoulder and placed on the disabled list the next day. In four starts before the injury, he was 0-2 with a 7.63 ERA.

Anderson will make his first appearance against the Indians since Aug. 27, 2012, when he pitched seven scoreless innings and gave up two hits in a 3-0 win. Only two players in Cleveland’s lineup that day are still with the Indians: Michael Brantley and Jason Kipnis.

In four career starts against Cleveland, Anderson is 2-0 with a 0.96 ERA.

The A’s on Saturday made a roster move, putting outfielder Matt Joyce on the 10-day disabled list with a lumbar strain, the second time this season that Joyce has spent time on the DL with the same back condition.

To replace Joyce on the roster Youth Mason Cole Jersey , the A’s recalled outfielder Nick Martini from Triple-A. In 73 games with Nashville, Martini was hitting .308 with six home runs and 40 RBIs. This is his third stint with the A’s this year. In the first two, he was 1-for-10 with one RBI in five games.

The Texas Rangers have been one of the best teams in the major leagues during the past week and head home to attempt to continue that trend against the San Diego Padres in a three-game interleague series beginning Monday at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.

San Diego will send left-hander Joey Lucchesi (3-3, 3.86 ERA) to the mound for the series opener and the Rangers will counter with left-hander Cole Hamels (4-6, 3.41).

Texas had its season-high seven-game winning streak snapped Sunday in Minnesota with a 2-0 loss, but still went 5-1 on the six-game, seven-day road trip to Kansas City (3-0) and Minnesota (2-1).

Twins pitcher Jose Berrios held the Rangers to three hits in seven innings, struck out a career-high 12 batters and spoiled ageless Bartolo Colon’s attempt to tie Dennis Martinez’s record of 245 wins, the most ever by a pitcher from Latin America.

Colon allowed two runs and seven hits with a walk and five strikeouts in seven innings in the loss.

“I will take those type of outings from Bartolo every time,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “You just have to tip your cap to a guy who had really good stuff. Bartolo was solid for us James Bradberry Jersey , great mix of fastball location, in the strike zone with all of his pitches. Just commanded the fastball all throughout, hit all quadrants and managed the game well for us.

“Bartolo threw the ball extremely well. Berrios was just really good.”

The Padres head to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex on the heels of a 3-2, 11-inning loss at San Francisco on Sunday. San Diego took the lead in the top of the inning on a two-out single by Cory Spangenberg but couldn’t hold it.

On Sunday, the Padres sent right-hander Jordan Lyles to the 10-day disabled list and announced that he will have his ailing right elbow evaluated by team doctors.

Lyles was scratched from his start on Saturday afternoon with right forearm tightness, prompting an unplanned bullpen day, according to mlb.com.

Immediately before the top of the first inning, pitching coach Darren Balsley noticed Lyles awkwardly stretching his forearm after his pregame bullpen session. Balsley and manager Andy Green inquired, and the Padres decided not to take any chances.

“A 10-day break will do him well,” Green said. “He’ll rest the elbow and then hopefully come back ready to start in 10 days. He’s never had any arm issues, whatsoever Jake Muzzin Jersey , in his entire career. He doesn’t know how to gauge it off past experience. We’re very, very hopeful it’s nothing very serious.”

Lucchesi returned from the disabled list on Wednesday and allowed four runs in just 1 1/3 innings in a loss to Oakland. He said he felt no ill effects from a right hip strain that placed him on the shelf.

It is Lucchesi’s first career start against Texas.

Hamels will make his 16th start of the season. He leads all Texas starters in ERA (3.41), starts (15), innings (92 1/3), and strikeouts (92) and has gone 3-3 with a 2.81 ERA (20 ER/64.0 IP) in his last 10 starts to lower ERA from 4.76 to 3.41

Hamels has gone six-plus innings in his past eight starts, his second-longest streak with the Rangers, and has allowed just one earned run in 13 innings in his last two starts. He will be working on extended five days’ rest after picking up a win in the Rangers’ 4-1 victory on Tuesday in Kansas City.

Hamels has gone 9-2 with a 2.25 in 17 career starts against the Padres.

A look at what’s happening around the majors Sunday:

CHICAGO’S ACE

Jon Lester has put together some ace-worthy seasons during his 13-year major league career Ryan Kalil Jersey , including four All-Star appearances and a runner-up finish in the Cy Young voting two years ago. The Chicago Cubs left-hander is in the middle of what might prove to be his finest season so far, and he’ll look to become the National League’s first 12-game winner when he takes the mound against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday. Lester is 11-2 with a 2.25 ERA this season, and he’s won his last seven starts – including going 5-0 with a 1.13 ERA during June.

GRADE-A OAKLAND

The Oakland A’s downed Cleveland 6-3 in 11 innings on Saturday, winning for the ninth time in their last 11 games and for the 15th time in their last 19. Oakland sits at a season-high nine games over .500 and will try and stay unbeaten for a seventh straight series when it closes out its series with the Indians. Brett Anderson (0-2, 7.63) starts for the A’s, and Shane Bieber (4-0, 2.97) goes for Cleveland.

GOING GREINKE

Arizona starter Zack Greinke has turned around his season since posting a 5.04 ERA in April and is 9-5 with a 3.35 ERA overall, including 112 strikeouts in 109 2/3 innings. The Diamondbacks right-hander will take the mound against the San Diego Padres, and he comes in having allowed only two runs in his last three starts combined – a span of 19 2/3 innings.

RICK’S REBOUND

Rick Porcello struggled mightily to follow up his 2016 Cy Young award-winning season a year ago, finishing a disappointing 11-17 with a 4.65 ERA. The Boston right-hander has returned to form this year with a 10-3 record and 3.57 ERA, and he’ll be on the mound when the Red Sox close out their season series with the Kansas City Royals.

OZUNA’S OUTAGE

Since winner the NL’s Player of the Week award last month, St. Louis outfielder Marcell Ozuna has been in a prolonged funk – going 15-for-71 (.211) and failing to hit a home run during that stretch. The Cardinals left fielder was the prized offseason acquisition in a trade from Miami, coming off a season in which he hit .312 with 37 home runs and 124 RBIs. This year, Ozuna is hitting .275 with 10 homers and 46 RBIs in 83 games.

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First, it was third-string catcher Kyle Higashioka getting the silent treatment in the dugout after a home run. Then, the same for Aaron Hicks when he hit homer No. 3.

On a 91-degree night with the pennant race heating up, the New York Yankees enjoyed some more yucks against their biggest rival.

Hicks launched three home runs and the Yankees pummeled David Price again, connecting five times in the first four innings Sunday on the way to an 11-1 rout of the Boston Red Sox.

”It feels awesome,” Hicks said. ”I blacked out after the third one. Kind of didn’t know what to do. But I mean, it’s exciting.”

Luis Severino became the first 13-game winner in the majors Graham Gano Jersey , cruising through 6 2/3 shutout innings of two-hit ball after the Bronx Bombers quickly built him a big cushion. With the teams trading blowouts all weekend, the Yankees (54-27) took two of three from Boston to regain baseball’s best record and first place in the AL East.

”It’s going to be a dogfight. We have a good team, they have a good team,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. ”A weird series, honestly. It was very weird. Weird games.”

Aaron Judge and Gleyber Torres also homered for New York, which leads the 19-game season series 5-4. The next time the teams meet is early August at Fenway Park.

”I’m sure it’s going to be a fun few months,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

The first Yankees leadoff batter to hit three home runs in a game, Hicks connected twice from the right side of the plate and once from the left. He smacked a two-run shot to right field in the second inning and a solo drive to center in the fourth that chased Price (9-6) and made it 8-0.

Hicks pulled his 14th of the season into the right-field stands in the eighth off Hector Velazquez. It was the first three-homer game by a Yankees player since Alex Rodriguez, part of the ESPN broadcast crew Sunday, accomplished the feat at Minnesota in July 2015.

The only other Yankees hitter to go deep three times at the current Yankee Stadium was Curtis Granderson in April 2012 against the Twins.

Judge had three hits and scored three times. Torres socked a three-run shot that gave New York a 4-0 lead in the first, and the Yankees finished with a season-high six homers to boost their major league-leading total to 137, setting a franchise record for before the All-Star break.

Exactly halfway through its season, New York is on pace to surpass the 1997 Seattle Mariners’ mark of 264 homers.

”That’s probably as good a night as we’ve had all year,” Boone said. ”Obviously, a big series to grab it on Sunday here. That’s a peak at what we can do.”

Higashioka homered into the second deck in left field off Price for his first major league hit after an 0-for-22 start to his career. Higashioka, wearing No. 66 in pinstripes, received the silent treatment when he returned to the bench before happy teammates finally engulfed him.

”The feeling is indescribable,” Higashioka said at his locker, the team’s championship belt for the night draped over his chair. ”I laughed. I didn’t expect that, but I mean J.J. Jansen Jersey , obviously it was amazing. It was just a great feeling.”

Price was rocked for eight earned runs – matching a career high – and nine hits in 3 1/3 innings, his latest flop against the Yankees. He had never given up more than three homers in a game.

Severino (13-2) lowered his AL-leading ERA to 1.98 and improved to 8-0 at home this season. He walked off to a standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 46,795 and tipped his cap , right on track to become the first Yankees pitcher to start the All-Star Game since Roger Clemens in 2001.

”It means a lot,” Severino said. ”Facing the Red Sox is one of the best things in baseball.”

Boston (56-29) was outhit 16-4 and didn’t score until the ninth.

THE PRICE IS WRONG

Making his 40th career appearance (39th start) vs. the Yankees, Price fell to 2-6 with an 8.43 ERA in nine starts against them since signing a $217 million contract with Boston before the 2016 season. He has faced New York twice this year, allowing 12 earned runs in 4 1/3 innings, and is 0-5 with a 10.44 ERA in his last five starts at Yankee Stadium.

”Honestly, I felt fine. They put some good swings on what I felt like were pretty good pitches,” said Price, who entered 7-1 with a 2.72 ERA in nine starts since being diagnosed with a mild case of carpal tunnel syndrome that caused him to miss a scheduled turn at New York in May. ”I’ve faced the Yankees many times. It’s time for me to kind of go back to that drawing board.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: Right-handed reliever Tyler Thornburg is expected back this week after rehabbing from surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome last June.

Yankees: Higashioka started at catcher for Austin Romine, who exited Saturday’s game with tightness in his left hamstring. A precautionary MRI was negative, and Romine was available off the bench. He could return to the lineup Monday night against Atlanta. Romine has been filling in for All-Star backstop Gary Sanchez (groin), who might be able to come off the disabled list right after the All-Star break July 20-22 against the Mets. … GM Brian Cashman said if everything goes well, RHP Masahiro Tanaka (two strained hamstrings) will make a minor league rehab start this week and rejoin the Yankees early next week in Baltimore – perhaps in time to pitch in a July 9 doubleheader.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: Three interleague games at Washington, where RHP Rick Porcello (9-3, 3.60 ERA) faces former Detr

The Detroit Lions have extended general manager Bob Quinn’s contract to match the length of the deal they gave coach Matt Patricia .

Detroit announced the agreement with Quinn on Friday Cam Newton Jersey , four days after hiring Patricia. The Lions have not provided details on the length of Quinn or Patricia’s contracts.

Lions president Rod Wood says the extension ensures stability.

Quinn was hired two years ago after he had worked in the New England’s personnel department for 16 years. He retained coach Jim Caldwell in 2016 and fired him last month with a 36-28 record over four regular seasons – plus two postseason losses, -with the franchise.

The Lions also announced Bo Davis, who has 24 years of experience, will coach the defensive line.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It wasn’t Friday the 13th, but it was a nightmare nonetheless for Danny Duffy.

On May 13, the Kansas City Royals 29-year-old left-hander took the mound at Progressive Field in Cleveland. After 87 pitches in 3 1/3 innings, Duffy was finished.

“What do I remember from the last one?” Duffy said. “I try to forget it. It was probably the worst start I’ve had in a long timfe.”

To say it was bad would be an understatement. Duffy gave up nine runs, eight hits and five walks and hit a batter. He yielded a three-run homer to Jose Ramirez in the second inning.

Manager Ned Yost mercifully replaced him in the third when Yan Gomes belted Duffy’s final pitch over the center-field fence with two runners on base.

Duffy gets a chance for a reprieve on Tuesday when he faces the Indians in the second game of the three-game series.

“I’m looking forward to getting out there Luke Kuechly Jersey ,” he said. “It’s another challenge and I’m up for it. I’m going to do everything I can to execute every pitch and stay within my strengths.”

Duffy has not fared well against the Indians in his career. He is 2-8 with a 5.06 ERA, surrendering 39 earned runs in 69 1/3 inning in 17 career outings, 13 of them starts.

This season, he is 4-7 with a 4.94 ERA in 17 starts, allowing 95 hits, walking 46 and hitting two batters in 94 2/3 innings.

Opponents are batting .259 against Duffy. That breaks down to .264 by right-handed batters and .233 by left-handed batters. Lefties have hit .188 against Duffy since 2016.

Duffy has pitched better recently. He began the year 1-6 with a 6.88 ERA in his first 10 starts, giving up 39 earned runs in 51 innings. He is 3-1 with a 2.68 ERA in his past seven starts, allowing 13 earned runs across 43 2/3 innings.

In his last start, Duffy picked up a 5-4 decision over the Milwaukee Brewers on the road. He permitted one run Wes Horton Jersey , five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in six innings. He stranded two runners in the first and third inning. Jesus Aguilar’s home run in the sixth was the only run Duffy allowed.

Duffy will be looking for his first Kauffman Stadium victory this season. He is 0-3 with a 6.32 ERA in six home starts. His last home victory was Aug. 22, 2017.

The Indians, who won the series opener 9-3 with Francisco Lindor driving in a career-high seven runs, will counter with rookie right-hander Shane Bieber, who is 3-0 with a 2.22 ERA in his first four career starts.

“I just want to go out there and continue what I’ve been doing so far,” Bieber said. “That’s just throwing three or four pitches for strikes and getting ahead, and trying to put guys away when I can.

“Really, it’s just a matter of trusting (catchers) Yan (Gomes) or Berto (Roberto Perez). They always know exactly what they’re doing, in case I don’t. They make up for my lack of experience.”

Bieber has plus breaking pitches.

“Right now Stephen Curry Jersey , I’m relying on the slider and curveball,” he said. “I’ll use the fastball if they’re sitting on those two. I feel comfortable throwing those three especially. My change-up is a work in progress. All my pitches are a work in progress, obviously, but that one especially.

“Keeping them off balance with all three or four pitches is the best thing. If I can do that, things will be a little bit easier. That’s the goal for every starting pitcher.”

A look at what’s happening around the majors Thursday:

MIDSUMMER SKID

The Nationals open a series against Miami hoping to end a five-game skid and get back to .500. Washington fell to 42-43 with a loss to Boston on Wednesday Authentic Justin Reid Jersey , the first time the preseason NL East favorites have been under .500 this late in the year since being 60-61 on Aug. 21, 2015. The Nationals held a players’ only meeting after a 3-0 loss to the Red Sox highlighted by Adam Eaton’s throwing error and a wild pitch from Ryan Madson. Jeremy Hellickson (2-1, 2.63) makes his second start since returning from the DL, while Marlins righty Pablo Lopez (1-0, 3.00) makes his second MLB start.

NOT VERY VERLANDER

Justin Verlander (9-4, 2.12) tries to stop a personal slide when the Astros open a series against the White Sox. Verlander has allowed nine runs in 11 2/3 innings over his past two starts, taking losses to Toronto (four runs) and Tampa Bay (five runs). Verlander hasn’t allowed four or more earned runs in three straight starts since June 2014 while with Detroit. Carlos Rodon (1-3, 4.55) is up for Chicago.

CUETO’S BACK

Johnny Cueto is expected to be reinstated from the disabled list and pitch when the Giants open a four-game series against the Cardinals. Cueto was placed on the disabled list May 1 with inflammation in his right elbow. A few days later, he visited Dr. James Andrews, who diagnosed him with a strained elbow. Cueto is 3-0 with a 0.84 ERA in five starts this season. The Giants are 41-21 in his starts since he joined the team in 2016.

PITCHING IN

Angels rookie Jaime Barria will start against AL West-leading Seattle in place of Tyler Skaggs a day after the left-hander went on the DL with a thigh strain. Barria is making his 12th start of the season and has given up two earned runs or fewer in four of his last five starts. Lefty Marco Gonzales (8-5, 3.77) makes his first start since pitching the first complete game of his career in a 4-1 win over Kansas City.

DOUBLE TROUBLE

Joe Mauer needs one double to give him 415 in his career, which would break a tie with Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett for the Twins’ franchise record. Minnesota has lost six straight and returns home from a 1-8 trip to play Baltimore, which has the worst record in the majors at 24-61. More good news for the scuffling Twins: Two-time All-Star Ervin Santana (right middle finger surgery) is scheduled to make his next rehab appearance for Class A Fort Myers.

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TORONTO — The New York Yankees will open an 11-game road trip in Toronto on Friday, a journey that will take them to the All-Star break.

But the Yankees received some bad news on what was an otherwise a happy Fourth of July.

After the Yankees defeated the Atlanta Braves 6-2 in the rubber match of a three-game series at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday Authentic Martinas Rankin Jersey , it was revealed that their superb rookie second baseman Gleyber Torres had a hip strain that will sideline him until at least mid-July.

Torres will be on the disabled list when the Yankees (56-28) open a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays (40-46) at the Rogers Centre.

The Yankees will start right-hander Sonny Gray (5-6, 5.44 ERA) against Blue Jays right-hander Sam Gaviglio (2-2, 3.97).

Torres was removed from the game Wednesday during the fourth inning and an MRI showed a strain.

“Any time you’re talking about a groin, a hamstring, quads or a hip — once you have a strain in there, you can punch through it or make it a worse strain,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “So, I think the wise thing is to do this now. Gleyber wants to take a couple of days and work through it, but I think he also understands this is the best thing for him and for us.”

Infielder Tyler Wade will be recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for the game on Friday. After going 3-for-35 (.086) in 13 games with New York early in the season, Wade was demoted to the RailRiders and batted .271/.332/.376 with two homers and 18 RBIs.

Torres is batting .294/.350/.555 in 63 games with 15 homers and 42 RBIs for the Yankees since being called up from Triple-A April 22.

The Blue Jays lost their game Wednesday to the New York Mets 6-3 to split the two-game interleague set. They are 3-3 on the homestand and 23-23 overall at home.

Gray has pitched well at the Rogers Centre, going 2-3 with a 1.88 ERA in seven career starts while pitching for the Yankees and the Oakland Athletics, who traded him to New York during last season.

The 28-year-old is 4-3 with a 2.71 ERA in 11 career starts against Toronto. As a Yankee, he is 1-1 with a 2.96 ERA in five starts against the Blue Jays, and he is 0-0 with a 3.52 ERA in three starts this season.

Gray has lost his past two starts Jordan Poyer Jersey , including Saturday against the Boston Red Sox when he went 2 1/3 innings, his shortest of the season, and allowed six earned runs.

“That was embarrassing for me and I think for everybody in here,” Gray said. “I haven’t beat a lot of teams since I’ve been here. I’ve been bad against the Red Sox, I’ve been bad against a lot of teams. I don’t think one particular team you can say has my number or whatever. I’ve been bad against multiple teams.”

“The good thing about Sonny is, he’s got the equipment to get this right,” Boone said. “He’s got the stuff to be the same pitcher he’s been at times in his career. This guy’s still a dude. He’s got to dig his heels in and it’s on all of us to try and help unlock that.”

Gaviglio has faced the Yankees once in his career, pitching seven scoreless innings against them June 6 in a no decision as New York won 3-0 in 13 innings.

In his most recent start, the 28-year-old allowed three runs, four hits and three walks in seven innings Saturday against the Detroit Tigers but did not factor in the decision. Toronto won the game 4-3 on Justin Smoak’s leadoff homer in the bottom of the ninth inning.

This will be Gaviglio’s 11th appearance and ninth start with Toronto after going 0-0 with a 1.86 ERA in five starts with Triple-A Buffalo.

The Blue Jays made two moves before the game Wednesday, designating right-handed reliever Preston Guilmet for assignment and returning left-hander Tim Mayza on option to Buffalo. Right-handers Luis Santos and Rhiner Cruz were called up from Buffalo. Each had a scoreless relief outing against the Mets.

The Yankees lead the season series 7-3.