Update on the latest sports
APMLB-SCHEDULE
Scherzer faces Phillies
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Max Scherzer makes his second start for the Los Angeles Dodgers when they visit the red-hot Philadelphia Phillies in a potential playoff preview.
Bryce Harper, his former teammate with Washington, has four home runs in his last six games and has reached base in 17 straight for the Phillies, who try for their first nine-game winning streak in 10 years. Philadelphia took over the NL East lead last weekend with a three-game sweep of the New York Mets.
Scherzer dazzled in his Dodgers debut after being acquired from the Nationals in a blockbuster deal before the July 30 trade deadline. The three-time Cy Young Award winner struck out 10 and allowed two earned runs over seven innings in a win against Houston.
Aaron Nola pitches for the Phillies in a marquee mound matchup.
Among the other games on the major league schedule:
— Pete Alonso and the New York Mets look to get back on track following a day off as they return home to face a torn-down Washington team. The reeling Mets have lost four straight and nine of 11, dropping them from first to third place in the NL East, and totaled only 20 runs in their last nine defeats. Alonso is hitless in his past 21 at-bats.
— After losing their AL East lead during a 2-and-8 road trip, the struggling Red Sox return home to Fenway Park, where they are 33-and-22 this season. Boston still still holds a wild-card spot, but is four games behind first-place Tampa Bay heading into the opener of a pivotal three-game series against the Rays. The last time the teams met, the Rays won all three matchups at home from July 30 to Aug. 1 to move atop the division. Eduardo Rodriguez starts for the Red Sox against Luis Patino.
— The Toronto Blue Jays, who have won 10 of 12, are the home team in California for the first game of an unusual doubleheader against the Los Angeles Angels. The opener is a makeup from an April 11 rainout at the Blue Jays’ temporary home field early this season in Dunedin, Florida. In the regularly scheduled nightcap, the Angels will be the home team at Angel Stadium. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has 35 home runs for Toronto, second in the majors to Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani, with 37.
MLB-MARLINS-MATTINGLY
Mattingly set to return Friday
MIAMI (AP) — Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly is expected to rejoin the team Friday. He has been sidelined since he tested positive for COVID-19 on July 31. The 60-year-old Mattingly, who was vaccinated in mid-April, experienced mild symptoms.
The Marlins began a series at San Diego on Monday, and Mattingly plans to return to the dugout when they start a homestand Friday against the Chicago Cubs. James Rowson has been the Marlins’ acting manager in Mattingly’s absence.
NFL-BROWNS-GARRETT
Garrett day-to-day with hamstring injury
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Browns All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett is dealing with a hamstring injury and could miss some time. Coach Kevin Stefanski didn’t provide any specifics on Garrett’s injury, but said he’ll be held out of practice and is day-to-day going forward.
The Browns play their exhibition opener on Saturday in Jacksonville. Stefanski would not say if Garrett will be able to go, saying he’ll announce plans later in the week.
The 25-year-old Garrett missed two games last season after contracting the COVID-19 virus. While Garrett is out, Browns starting linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. returned on a limited basis after missing a week with a knee injury.
In other news from the NFL training camps:
— MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers probably won’t appear in any of Green Bay’s three preseason games as the Packers look to get 2020 first-round draft pick Jordan Love as much work as possible. Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Love will play the majority of the Packers’ preseason opener Saturday against the Houston Texans and that Kurt Benkert also would get some snaps. LaFleur said Rodgers will “most likely not” play in any preseason games.
— Denver coach Vic Fangio has chosen Drew Lock to start the Broncos’ preseason opener this weekend at Minnesota. Fangio says Lock gets the nod because he’s the incumbent quarterback. He’s in a training camp competition with veteran Teddy Bridgewater. There’s been little separation between the two so far at training camp.
NBA-MAVERICKS-DONCIC
Doncic gets richest-ever Mavericks contract
UNDATED (AP) — Luka Doncic has signed the richest contract in the history of the Dallas Mavericks. The young superstar is getting a $207 million, five-year extension.
Doncic was eligible for the massive deal because he made the All-NBA first team twice. The 22-year-old is the youngest player in league history with multiple first-team nods.
Owner Mark Cuban and others in the Dallas front office went to Doncic’s native Slovenia for the signing. Doncic says he “never imagined this happening.”
Elsewhere in the NBA:
— The Brooklyn Nets have signed veteran Australian guard Patty Mills. The NBA team did not disclose terms of the deal for the free agent. Mills has appeared in 739 career games across 12 NBA seasons with the San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers. He has averaged 8.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists. This past season with the Spurs, the 32-year-old Mills appeared in 68 games and averaged 10.8 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists, hitting a career-high 161 3-pointers. Mills won a bronze medal in the just-concluded Tokyo Olympics.
NHL-NEWS
Ducks re-sign two
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Anaheim Ducks have re-signed defenseman Josh Mahura and left wings Max Comtois and Max Jones. Comtois got a two-year contract through the 2022-23 season, and Jones signed a three-year deal through 2024. Mahura’s contract is for two years, and it is a two-way deal in the upcoming season only.
Comtois was the leading scorer for the NHL’s lowest-scoring team last season, posting a team-best 16 goals and 33 points in 55 games for the Ducks. Jones scored 11 points in 46 games for the Ducks last season. Mahura scored four points in 13 games for Anaheim last year.
Elsewhere in the NHL:
— The Los Angeles Kings have signed top draft pick Brandt Clarke to a three-year, $2.775 million entry-level contract. The Kings chose the defenseman with the eighth overall pick. The 18-year-old Clarke is expected to play most of next season in the Ontario Hockey League, where he racked up 38 points in 57 games as a rookie with Barrie in the 2019-20 season.
— The Detroit Red Wings and winger Jakub Vrana have agreed to a three-year contract worth $5.25 million per season. He had 11 points in 11 games last season with the Red Wings after they acquired him just before the NHL trade deadline. The Washington Capitals sent Vrana, Richard Panik, 2021 first- and 2022 second-round pick to Detroit for Anthony Mantha.
SOCCER-MESSI-PARIS
Messi arrives in Paris, his new soccer home
PARIS (AP) — Soccer star Lionel Messi has finalized agreement on his Paris Saint-Germain contract and arrived in the French capital to complete the move that confirms the end of a career-long association with Barcelona.
Dozens of PSG fans gathered at Le Bourget Airport to welcome Messi, who was wearing a T-shirt that said — in French — “Here is Paris.”
A person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press the 34-year-old Argentina star has agreed a two-year contract with the option for a further season. Messi’s father and agent Jorge also confirmed his son was moving to PSG in a brief exchange with reporters at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport.
VALPRAISO-CRUSADERS
Former Crusaders now Beacons
VALPRAISO, Ind. (AP) — Valparaiso University in Indiana has adopted the Beacons as its new team name, replacing the Crusaders, a term school officials dropped this year after saying it had been embraced by hate groups.
School officials announced in February that they had retired the Crusaders. That decision came after a debate recently intensified because groups such as the Ku Klux Klan began using the words and symbols of the Crusades, the bloody religious wars between Christians and Muslims.
