Five American League teams have better won-lost records than the Cleveland Indians. With almost two-thirds of the 2018 season completed, the Indians rank 29th of 30 teams in bullpen ERA. Bradley Zimmer, who was supposed to be the Indians’ center fielder this season, just had major shoulder surgery and is out for the rest of this year. And with just eight days remaining before the trade deadline and clubs scrambling to plug holes, the Indians might rank among the most cash-poor teams in baseball, with little financial flexibility.

But with all of that said, the Indians might be better positioned for the stretch drive and October than any contender in baseball, with some enviable advantages that could make them very dangerous.

Because Cleveland inhabits the AL Central, baseball’s worst division, it is already in a commanding position to reach the postseason while avoiding the one-game wild-card playoff. The Yankees can’t say that, nor can the Red Sox or the Astros. The Indians’ lead over the Minnesota Twins is 9½ games, and rival executives believe the Twins will become sellers in the next eight days. According to FanGraphs, the Indians’ chances for reaching the postseason stand at 99.6 percent.

Every decision made by the front office and manager Terry Francona over the next nine weeks can be viewed through this prism of certainty. If the hard-grinding Jose Ramirez needs an extra day to rest a nagging injury — or two days, or six days, or two weeks — the Indians will have the space to make that happen. Corey Kluber‘s work ethic is renowned, but the Indians can save him from himself by limiting his workload, by skipping a start or two, by pulling him an inning or two earlier than they normally would.

Other contenders may have to push exhausted relievers through August and September, using them on back-to-back days repeatedly. Francona, now operating a bullpen fortified by last week’s trade for relievers Brad Hand and Adam Cimber, won’t really have to push any of his relievers on any given day, other than to prep them for situations that could arise in October.

The Yankees continue to search for a major rotation piece, the Red Sox seek a high-end reliever and maybe a second baseman, and the Astros need a closer. The Indians’ front office already has executed the heaviest lifting of its trade deadline work through last week’s trade, and now it can focus on fine-tuning the roster by adding pieces that are more easily acquired than what New York, Boston or Houston seeks.

The Indians could use a right-handed hitting outfielder, but as was demonstrated last winter, cheap outfield options are generally plentiful. Maybe the Giants will become sellers and look to cash in Andrew McCutchen before he becomes a free agent. Maybe the Marlins move Cameron Maybin. The Reds have a surplus of outfielders from which they could deal, and reportedly, the Indians expressed interest in Adam Duvall. Maybe Carlos Gomez will get hot and become a trade option. Whatever, however: The Indians can wait for a solution to emerge — and they’ll have choices in this spot, inevitably.

They could add a third baseman and shift Ramirez to second base, something they did late last season. Maybe that’s why they have talked to the Mets about Asdrubal Cabrera, a switch-hitter and former Indian who can hit for power and generate good at-bats. Maybe they’ll take a run at Mike Moustakas, while asking the Royals to pay Moustakas’ salary in return for Cleveland forking over a better prospect. Maybe the Indians will wait for more alternatives to develop in the August waiver period.

And one more thing, about the waiver process: Because of the Indians’ won-lost record, they will likely be the waivers gatekeepers in the AL. For now, it appears Boston, Houston, the Yankees, Seattle and Oakland will all rank behind Cleveland in the waivers pecking order — giving the Indians the first shot to consider each player who passes through. The Indians could use this position to try to add, or they could use it to try to block the other contenders: If the Indians place a claim on a player ahead of the Astros, Red Sox and Yankees, the Indians will prevent that player from ever reaching the AL’s superpower teams.

The Red Sox and Yankees might each win 20 more games than Cleveland this year in the regular season, and yet the Indians could possess these enormous competitive advantages late in the season.

Richie Incognito is rewriting his history of bullying.

In a pair of videos posted Monday on Twitter, the free-agent guard announced he has partnered with nonprofit Boo2Bullying as its first national ambassador.

Richard Dominick Incognito Jr here with some things to say! Please listen!! Pt. 1 below pic.twitter.com/YUQWqZvr44

— Richard Dominick Incognito Jr. (@68INCOGNITO) July 23, 2018

Time to judo flip the script with @boo2bullying! Excited to be part of the team and to use my story to positively impact lives!

Pt. 2 pic.twitter.com/RIutKL2iBm

— Richard Dominick Incognito Jr. (@68INCOGNITO) July 23, 2018

According to the group’s website, Boo2Bullying seeks “to eradicate bullying, intolerance and discrimination by educating schools and parents about accepting diversity and giving young people the tools to connect with and positively impact those around them.”

Incognito was suspended for bullying Dolphins teammate Jonathan Martin in 2013, but said he has since learned to grow from his mistakes.

“I’ve said some things in the past that I thought were edgy and funny, but really hurt people’s feelings,” Incognito said in one of the videos. “Even though these were people I cared about and considered friends, I said things to them that affected them. Likewise, I’ve had things said to me that have affected me, the big, tough football guy.

“I apologize for the things I’ve said. It’s a learning process. Life is a journey.”

Incognito, 35, has had a whirlwind of an offseason. After starting all 16 games for the Bills last season, he announced his retirement in April but resumed training in June with the hope that he can still play his 12th NFL season.

He also spent three days on an involuntary psychiatric hold for his role in an altercation at a Florida gym in May after previously receiving treatment for mental health issues in 2014.

LeBron James is in L.A., Kawhi Leonard is in Toronto and another wild NBA offseason is nearly complete.

Who are the best and worst teams heading into the 2018-19 season?

Our panel — a group of more than 40 reporters, insiders and editors — is looking ahead to next season with a new edition of NBA Power Rankings.

Note: These rankings take into account additional potential player movement. Voters were asked to pick the better team heading into next season in a series of head-to-head matchups featuring thousands of votes. Conference rankings are noted next to each team.

1. Golden State Warriors (1)
2017-18 record: 58-24
Result: W, NBA Finals
Previous rank: No. 1

After letting the Lakers have a day to soak in their LeBron James win, the champs set the NBA world on fire with their Thanos-like move by adding DeMarcus Cousins to their gauntlet of All-Stars, making their Death Lineup even more terrifying if the big man can return healthy from an Achilles injury. Golden State — which also added Jonas Jerebko and drafted tough two-way forward Jacob Evans — can afford to wait for Cousins, who should inject the Warriors with a jolt of motivation and excitement down the stretch of a fifth run to the Finals. — Ohm Youngmisuk

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2. Boston Celtics (1)
2017-18 record: 55-27
Result: L, East finals
Previous rank: No. 4

The Celtics had one of the more snooze-worthy summers in the NBA, electing to simply bring back the same core from last season by re-signing defensive tone-setters Aron Baynes and Marcus Smart. And yet the Celtics will still emerge as one of the offseason winners because, with LeBron James heading west, and with Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward set to return from injury, Boston is the early favorite in the East. As Hayward told ESPN last week: “I’m confident that we’ve got everything we need to make the run at the whole thing.” — Chris Forsberg

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3. Houston Rockets (2)
2017-18 record: 65-17
Result: L, West finals
Previous rank: No. 2

It has been a weird summer for the team that was maybe a hamstring away from an NBA title. Daryl Morey & Co. have earned the right for us all to assume they know what they’re doing, but letting Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute go feel like significant losses — especially if the recovery is based around signing Carmelo Anthony, who was very direct in telling the Thunder he wasn’t interested in coming off the bench. They still need to resolve Clint Capela‘s situation, but assuming that gets settled, the Rockets will begin the season looking for production in unexpected places. That’s something they do better than just about anyone. –– Royce Young

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4. Philadelphia 76ers (2)
2017-18 record: 52-30
Result: L, East semis
Previous rank: No. 3

Philadelphia didn’t make the big splash its fan base might have hoped for — either on the court (no LeBron, Paul George or Kawhi) or in the front office. And, yet, much like Boston, the 76ers are still well positioned to be a conference front-runner with only minor tweaks. The Sixers brought back JJ Redick, traded for Wilson Chandler and added a pair of first-rounders in Zhaire Smith and Landry Shamet. Joel Embiid will certainly believe his team is the East favorite — Forsberg

With the resumption of action after All-Star Week, there’s already some major movement in the Power Rankings. But not among the game’s elite, where the Astros and Red Sox are still splitting the first-place votes, with Houston still holding a one-vote advantage. The Yankees are locked in as the best team behind them, but the Cubs and Dodgers look like they’re getting stronger and ready to perhaps put a National League team or two into the front three in the weeks to come.

Real movement came lower down in the top 10, where the Braves and A’s climbed up to push out the Mariners and Diamondbacks. The Braves made the single biggest gain of the week, moving up five slots in the rankings. The A’s and Cardinals made the next-largest move, each gaining three places over their rankings at the break.

The biggest decline was suffered by the D-backs, who tumbled five spots as they stumble through their latest bad patch, but they weren’t the only team whose fortunes are on the wane. The Brewers, Angels, Rays and Padres all dropped by three spots, reflecting how narrow the margin is between teams at every point of the pack.

This week, our panel of voters is composed of David Schoenfield, Eric Karabell, Tim Kurkjian, Bradford Doolittle and Sarah Langs.

Week 15 Rankings | Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1 | Preseason

Record: 66-36
Week 15 ranking: 1

Last season the Astros won 101 games and their first World Series title, earning Best Team honors at the ESPYs on Wednesday. This season Houston entered the second half on pace to win over 100 games again; no team has had back-to-back 100-win seasons since the Cardinals in 2004-05, and no American League team has done it since the Yankees from 2002 to ’04. — Jacob Nitzberg, ESPN Stats & Information

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Record: 70-31
Week 15 ranking: 2

As we look toward the trade deadline, the Red Sox could stand to improve at second base, catcher and in the rotation. Boston second basemen have a .644 OPS this season, which ranks 25th in the majors. Catcher has been even worse: a .597 OPS, which ranks 27th, and a .226 batting average. Overall, Red Sox starting pitchers rank well, but if we break it down, Red Sox starters not named Chris Sale or Eduardo Rodriguez have a 4.35 ERA this season. That’s not necessarily a number a team would want to rely on for a third starter and beyond in the postseason. — Sarah Langs, ESPN Stats & Information

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Record: 63-34
Week 15 ranking: 3

Starting pitching should remain a focus for the Yankees at the trade deadline. Luis Severino is having a Cy Young-level season, with a 2.31 ERA. But beyond that, New York’s rotation hasn’t been quite on the same level. All other Yankees starters have combined for a 4.58 ERA. CC Sabathia is the only other starter to make 10 or more starts for them with an ERA under 4.00 this year. And for all of the team’s power, one position that hasn’t had much to show for it is first base. Yankees first basemen have a .690 OPS, which ranks 26th in the majors, ahead of only the Orioles, Angels, Mets and Royals. — Langs

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Record: 58-40
Week 15 ranking: 4

With the trade deadline approaching, the Cubs don’t have many needs. There’s a reason they have the NL’s best record and best run differential. Where Chicago will need help is in the bullpen, simply to help deal with the lack of innings the team has gotten from the rotation. At the break, Cubs starters ranked 20th in MLB in innings per start. While recent playoffs have downplayed the importance of rotation innings, they still matter in the regular season. — Kenneth Woolums, ESPN Stats & Information

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Record: 55-44
Week 15 ranking: 5

The Dodgers already boast one of the best offenses in the NL, second only to the Cubs in wOBA, but they owed a lot of that to surprises like Max Muncy and Matt Kemp. Maybe those two keep it up down the stretch, maybe they don’t, but penciling in Manny Machado every day should more than cover for any regression. With a stack of rehabbing pitchers due back soon, outside of jamming the phone lines to make life difficult for their rivals, the Dodgers might be able to sit out the rest of the trade deadline. — Christina Kahrl, ESPN.com

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Record: 54-44
Week 15 ranking: 6

Trading for a pair of Padres relievers might answer the Indians’ biggest need at the deadline, but the cost was steep, and they still have other areas of concern. Indians outfielders have put up a combined .698 OPS, easily the worst of any contender and 25th in MLB. With Bradley Zimmer out for the year and Lonnie Chisenhall out until at least September, the Tribe should be shopping for outfield help. — Kahrl

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Record: 53-43
Week 15 ranking: 12

Some teams have clear needs. Take the Braves, who entered the second half with a 4.24 bullpen ERA, 19th in MLB. The only team in playoff position with a worse bullpen ERA entering the second half was the Indians, who addressed that by trading for Brad Hand and Adam Cimber. A shutdown reliever could really help Atlanta, which ranked 23rd in bullpen ERA when the team had a lead entering the second half. — Woolums

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Record: 57-43
Week 15 ranking: 11

Getting Jeurys Familia from the Mets for loose change is a great start, but the A’s are the rare contender who might need to trade for not just one but multiple starting pitchers. A bid for October might work with Trevor Cahill or Edwin Jackson or Brett Anderson or Frankie Montas as the No. 5 starter, but that’s four of Oakland’s front five right now. Could Familia be part of a move to the A’s adoption of the Rays’ “opener” strategy? — Kahrl

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Record: 55-43
Week 15 ranking: 9

The Phillies were rumored to be one of the top two teams to finish as runners-up for Machado, along with the Brewers. Now they’ll look elsewhere to bolster their infield and relief pitching. Phillies shortstops are hitting just .236, which ranks 27th in the majors; their .630 OPS ranks 28th. That’s where Machado would’ve helped, given that his defense at SS hasn’t been Gold Glove caliber. As for that bullpen, their 4.02 ERA ranks 17th in the majors. — Langs

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Record: 56-45
Week 15 ranking: 7

The Brewers finished the first half on a six-game losing streak, their longest of the season, to push them 2½ games out of first place. The second half won’t make things any easier — 25 of Milwaukee’s first 28 games to open the second half, including its first 17, are against teams that finished the first half at or above .500. — Nitzberg

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Record: 60-40
Week 15 ranking: 10

For the Mariners, the question remains: How long can they continue to win close games and rely on what many people in baseball might call luck? They have the most saves of any team in the majors — which means they’ve won the most games that have come down to save situations. And they’ve won 26 one-run games, five more than any other team. They have a .684 winning percentage in one-run games, which is second in the majors behind the Phillies. Their starters’ ERA ranks 15th in the majors. Perhaps that’s worth bolstering in anticipation of the luck running out? — Langs

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Record: 53-46
Week 15 ranking: 13

The Dodgers might have Machado, but they don’t have the hottest-hitting shortstop since June 1 — the Rockies do. Trevor Story has posted a 1.035 OPS in that time to rank among MLB’s top 10. And with sabermetric whipping boy Ian Desmond cranking out a .957 OPS in that span as well, Colorado’s offense is getting help from more than just usual suspects Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon. With the Rockies on a 15-4 run, they’re right back in the hunt for a playoff slot. — Kahrl

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Record: 54-46
Week 15 ranking: 8

There might not be a J.D. Martinez trade to make this year to shore up the offense and help the Snakes escape their latest slide in the standings. They have to hope that A.J. Pollock keeps raking since his return from the disabled list, but they could also use a snap back for Jake Lamb‘s bat — he has put up just a .677 OPS since returning from the DL in May. — Kahrl

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Record: 50-49
Week 15 ranking: 17

What a streak it was for Matt Carpenter. He had a span of 12 consecutive hits all going for extra bases, the longest such streak by a Cardinals hitter since 1900. He broke a tie with Mark McGwire when he recorded extra-base hit No. 12. He has generated that large quantity of extra-base hits thanks to six straight games with a home run, two games shy of tying the MLB record held by Dale Long, Don Mattingly and Ken Griffey Jr. What’s more impressive is he extended the streak to six straight in a game he entered on a double switch. The Elias Sports Bureau tells us that’s the longest home run streak to be extended in a game in which the player did not start. — Langs

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Record: 49-49
Week 15 ranking: 14

Bryce Harper‘s .214 batting average was the worst in the first half for any position player to start an All-Star Game since Terry Steinbach in 1988, according to Elias research. Steinbach capped that poor first half by winning All-Star Game MVP, while Harper went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts in the All-Star Game. But Harper got his moment under the lights Monday, becoming the third player to win the Home Run Derby in his home ballpark, joining Todd Frazier in 2015 and Ryne Sandberg in 1990. Will that be enough to propel him to a strong second half in his contract year? — Langs

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Record: 51-50
Week 15 ranking: 18

Saturday night’s Giants-A’s matchup is likely to be remembered as “The Chair Game,” but it’s worth noting a streak that came to an end long before the ninth inning. Madison Bumgarner failed to complete five innings in a regular-season start for the first time since April 11, 2015 — a stretch of 89 straight starts. That streak was the longest active one in the majors entering Saturday, according to Elias. It was also the longest such streak by a Giants pitcher since the mound was moved to its current distance in 1893, also courtesy of Elias research. — Langs

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Record: 51-49
Week 15 ranking: 19

The Pirates don’t have any significant free agents coming up at the end of the season. They also don’t have much money committed to next year’s roster, so they might be quiet at the trade deadline. Ivan Nova might be the team’s most valuable bargaining chip, as he’s thrown 458⅔ innings since the start of 2016 with a 4.18 ERA and carries a $9.2 million salary for 2019. — Woolums

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Record: 50-50
Week 15 ranking: 15

The Angels have a .517 win percentage since Mike Trout‘s first full season in 2012, and while that is eighth-best in MLB in that time, Trout has been to the playoffs once and hasn’t won a playoff game. If the Angels want that to change in the next few seasons, they’re going to have to make serious adjustments to a roster that will see Ian Kinsler, Garrett Richards, Jim Johnson and others hit free agency this offseason. — Woolums

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Record: 50-49
Week 15 ranking: 16

Entering the weekend, the Rays were closer to the playoffs than the Angels despite their roster collectively costing around what the Angels pay Trout and Albert Pujols combined. The Rays may be better than just about any organization at building a competitive roster out of seemingly nothing, which will make how they handle Chris Archer and Wilson Ramos all the more interesting. Tampa Bay is committed to maximizing its return for Archer, who at this point is more a cost-effective No. 3 starter than a top-of-the rotation arm. — Woolums

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Record: 44-53
Week 15 ranking: 20

From the start of the 2016 to the 2018 All-Star Break, the only second basemen with a higher OPS than Brian Dozier‘s .841 are Daniel Murphy and Jose Altuve. Second basemen with a higher ISO than his .239? None. Better home-run percentage than his 5.1? None. This is an elite bat at the position who put up second-half OPS marks of .990 and .985 the past two seasons. Dozier could be a sneaky Machado-level acquisition. — Woolums

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Record: 46-52
Week 15 ranking: 22

Thirteen games out of the wild-card race? Woe Canada, time to start breaking down the roster for parts, but set your expectations low. J.A. Happ isn’t a front-three starter for many contenders, and Josh Donaldson is still hurt and also won’t command a huge return as a two-month rental. Seunghwan Oh might yield something — he’s affordable, controllable through 2021 and holding right-handed hitters to a .463 OPS. Deadline forecast: lots of Grade C prospects. — Kahrl

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Record: 43-56
Week 15 ranking: 21

While the Reds could deal key players and get a lot at the deadline, it might make sense for them to hold onto their core and actually try to win in the next couple years. After an abysmal 3-15 start under Bryan Price, the team enters the week 40-41 under Jim Riggleman. If they wanted to spend the money, the Reds might be a few pitchers away from being able to compete in the NL Central. — Woolums

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Record: 42-58
Week 15 ranking: 23

For the Rangers, the trade deadline is about selling. Three years after he was dealt after his no-hitter for the Phillies at Wrigley Field, Cole Hamels ‘ name is cropping up in trade rumors again. That year, he had a 3.64 ERA through 20 starts at the time he was traded. This season, he has a 4.36 ERA through 19 starts. Of course, he was 31 then; now he’s 34. Another name that could attract interest is reliever Keone Kela, who has a 3.18 ERA for the Rangers and is 23-of-23 in save opportunities this year. — Langs

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Record: 42-59
Week 15 ranking: 25

After an 11-game losing streak put an end to a surprise run for the Tigers, the team will look to make some moves in the next week to shore up its future. While top players like Michael Fulmer and Nicholas Castellanos are unlikely to go anywhere, the likes of Francisco Liriano, Mike Fiers and Leonys Martin might all be wearing new uniforms come August. — Nitzberg

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Record: 40-56
Week 15 ranking: 26

The Mets are sellers this year, and we’ve already seen them trade Familia — for not much return, in the form of two lower-level minor leaguers and international bonus-pool money. Does the willingness to trade Familia mean that other, potentially more valuable pieces will be on the move, too? It’s a very different move for the Mets organization to trade Familia compared to Noah Syndergaard or Jacob deGrom, whose names have been wrapped up in rumors for the past few months. Familia’s seven-year Mets career ends with a 2.66 career ERA with 123 saves, including a 51-save All-Star season in 2016. — Langs

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Record: 43-58
Week 15 ranking: 27

Will they or won’t they? The Fish don’t have to trade J.T. Realmuto, and it should take a huge deal to get the catcher away from the Marlins, but he would provide an answer for any contender behind the plate through 2020. However, not every contender might prioritize catching over its other needs at the deadline — will the Red Sox, Brewers or Diamondbacks be willing to pay the price in prospects? — Kahrl

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Record: 41-61
Week 15 ranking: 24

The Padres have the hardest strength of schedule in the NL in the second half, with an opponents’ win percentage of .528, and they’ll have to navigate the rest of the season without two of their top relievers after trading Hand and Cimber to the Indians. However, they should be excited about the future after receiving catcher Francisco Mejia, No. 5 on Keith Law’s midseason prospect rankings, in return. With Mejia, the Padres have three of the top six prospects on Law’s list. — Nitzberg

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Record: 34-64
Week 15 ranking: 28

Even for a team in the midst of a rebuild, there isn’t much about the White Sox’s 33-62 record in the first half that can be considered a success. Their .348 win percentage in the first half was the third-worst before the break in franchise history, and worst since 1948. That said, there is optimism for the second half, as we could potentially get a glimpse of Eloy Jimenez (No. 3 on Keith Law’s midseason prospect rankings) and Michael Kopech (No. 9). — Nitzberg

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Record: 30-68
Week 15 ranking: 29

The Royals struggled in the first half, allowing the most runs in the league (530) while also scoring the fewest (337). They are the fifth team to do so at the break and first since the 1988 Orioles, who lost 107 games. The Royals’ negative-193 run differential at the All-Star break was the worst in franchise history and tied for the sixth-worst by any team since the first All-Star game in 1933. — Nitzberg

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Record: 28-72
Week 15 ranking: 30

How low can the Orioles go? Baltimore was already on pace for 46 wins entering the second half before trading Machado to Los Angeles for a package headlined by outfield prospect Yusniel Diaz (No. 49 on Keith Law’s midseason prospect rankings). Thanks to being in the stacked AL East, the Orioles entered the second half with the hardest remaining schedule in the majors, with a combined opponents’ winning percentage of .536. — Nitzberg

The transition from college to the pros has been a smooth one for Lamar Jackson.

Ravens offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg praised the rookie quarterback for his accelerated improvement and credited hard work as the reason for his positive outlook.

“He’s done an outstanding job up to date,” Mornhinweg said Sunday, via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. “He’s way ahead of the curve now.”

Jackson was selected by Baltimore with the No. 32 overall pick in April’s draft and is slated to serve as Joe Flacco’s backup in his inaugural season. 

In the 10 years Flacco has been the starter, this draft is the first time the Ravens have selected a quarterback in the first round. Naturally, speculation that Jackson would unseat Flacco quickly circulated, though it has been stated Flacco will maintain the starting role going into training camp.

The team opened training camp this weekend, and Mornhinweg noted Flacco was taking elite form already.

“It looks like he’s moving and grooving better than he has in several years,” Mornhinweg added.

The Ravens are set to open the regular season Sept. 9 against the Bills.

Denmark’s Magnus Cort Nielsen claimed a blackboard victory on the Tour de France when he prevailed in a three-man sprint at the end of a long breakaway in the 15th stage on Sunday.

The Astana rider was the overwhelming favourite as a sprint specialist in the finale and he duly delivered, comfortably beating Spain’s Ion Izagirre and Dutchman Bauke Mollema, who were second and third, respectively.

It is Cort Nielsen’s third grand tour win after he won two stages in the Vuelta a Espana in 2016, and Astana’s second in this year’s Tour after Omar Fraile won Saturday’s 14th stage.

Briton Geraint Thomas retained the overall lead after a 181.5-km hilly ride from Millau through the vineyards of Minervois, Corbieres and Cabardes in Southwestern France.

He leads Team Sky team-mate and defending champion Chris Froome by 1:39 and Dutchman Tom Dumoulin by 1:50 before Monday’s rest day as the race heads to the Pyrenees.

A 29-man breakaway took shape early on, and — after they had built an advantage of more than 10 minutes to make sure the win would be decided between them — the fireworks started.

Tour debutants Fabien Grellier and Julien Bernard, the son of Jean-Francois, third overall in the 1987 race, attacked with 70 kilometres left.

But Poland’s Rafal Majka, who has three Tour stage wins to his name, jumped away from the group and chased the duo down, whizzing past them to reach the top of the Pic de Nore, a 12.3-km climb at an average gradient of 6.3 per cent, in first position.

He had a 30-second lead, but with a flat, crosswind-exposed stretch leading to the line, his chances were slim and he was caught by a group of seven chasers.

France’s Lilian Calmejane, in his home region, had no team-mate in the group unlike Cort Nielsen, Mollema and Izagirre. He was isolated when things heated up and had to concede defeat, breaking down in tears after crossing the line in seventh place, 34 seconds off the pace.

The peloton crossed the line 13:11 behind with no incident being reported. France’s Romain Bardet, fifth overall, attacked in the descent from the Pic de Nore and went off the road, in a desperate attempt to unsettle his rivals.

“That was crazy,” said Thomas

General Classification

1. Geraint Thomas 62:49:47

2. Chris Froome +1:39

3. Tom Dumoulin +1:50

Alex Iwobi to sign new Arsenal deal

Alex Iwobi is set to sign an improved Arsenal contract that will keep him at the club until 2022, Mirror claims.

Unai Emery sees the Nigeria international as part of his plans at the Emirates Stadium despite interest from Lazio this summer.

Iwobi penned a five-year deal back in 2015 and he is reported to have agreed terms on an improved contract.

Barcelona eye Moussa Wague

Barcelona are plotting a summer swoop for Senegal international Moussa Wague following his exploits at the 2018 World Cup, Mundo Deportivo.

The Spanish La Liga champions are working to bring the 19-year-old defender from Belgian outfit Eupen to Camp Nou.

Peter Olayinka joins Slavia Prague

Nigerian forward Peter Olayinka has joined Czech top-flight club Slavia Prague on a four-year contract from Gent.

The 22-year-old spent last season on loan at Zulte-Waregem where he returned 11 goals and 15 assists.

More to follow on Goal…

Arsenal set £22.3m Alex Iwobi price

Arsenal are willing to sell Nigeria international Alex Iwobi for £22.3 million, according to Il Messaggero .

The 22-year-old who still two years on his contract, has attracted interest from Lazio, who are hunting a replacement for West Ham’s record signing Felipe Anderson.

Iwobi provided just three goals and five assists in 26 league appearances last term.

Matip to fight for Liverpool spot

Cameroon international Joel Matip has stated his readiness to fight for his place in Liverpool’s defensive set-up.

The 26-year-old is set to battle Dejan Lovren, Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Ragnar Klavan for the centre-back role in Jurgen Klopp’s squad next season.

Read the defender’s full comments on Goal! 

Taiwo Awoniyi nears Belgium return

Liverpool forward Taiwo Awoniyi is set to return to Belgium for his fourth loan spell, Goal understands. 

After penning a new five-year deal at Anfield this summer, the Nigeria youth international was excluded from the Reds’ 29-man squad for their US tour and could join either Anderlecht, Club Brugge or Standard Liege temporarily for the upcoming campaign.

Check here for more report on Goal! 

Zaha wants to leave Crystal Palace

Wilfried Zaha has told Crystal Palace that he wants to leave the club this summer, StandardSport  claims.

The 25-year-old has rejected the offer of a new £125,000-a-week contract and has been linked with a move to the likes of Tottenham, Borussia Dortmund and Everton.

Zaha has four years remaining on his contract and he is valued at around £70 million.

Leicester City set Slimani price

Leicester City are ready to accept offers of around £18 million for record signing Islam Slimani, Leicester Mercury reports.

The Foxes are set to offload the 30-year-old this summer with a £12 million loss from the £30 million spent in signing him two years ago.

Meanwhile, SkySports claims that Sporting CP have made inquiry to take the Algeria international on a season-long loan.

Leicester reject Al Nassr £12m bid for Musa

Leicester City have declined a £12 million offer from Saudi Arabia club Al Nassr for Ahmed Musa, according to SkySports News .

The Foxes reportedly want to regain the outlay spent in bringing the Nigeria international to the King Power Stadium for then club-record £16.6m in July 2016.

Musa has attracted interests from several European clubs this summer following his outstanding performances at the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia where he scored two goals in two matches.

Chuba Akpom set for Arsenal exit

Chuba is set to leave Arsenal this summer and join Belgian top-flight club Sint-Truiden permanently in a deal worth £2 million, Mirror reports.

Akpom is one of the five players dropped by Unai Emery for the Gunners’ pre-season trip to Singapore.

The 22-year-old is in the final year of his Arsenal contract and has struggled to establish himself in the Gunners’ first-team since his competitive debut against Sunderland back in September 2013.

Boga moves to Sassuolo

Sassuolo have completed the signing of Jeremie Boga in a £3.5 million deal from Chelsea.

The Cote d’Ivoire international managed just one first-team appearance for the Blues since joining the club’s academy from Marseille in 2009.

The 21-year-old previously had loan spells at Rennes, Granada and Birmingham City.

Read the full story on Goal !

Leicester City target Rachid Ghezzal

Leicester City are weighing up a £4 million move for Monaco winger Rachid Ghezzal, according to Le10Sport .

The Algeria international moved to the Stade Louis II last summer but has struggled for form having managed just two goals in 35 appearances last season.

However, Leicester City’s Claude Puel is set to reunite with the 26-year-old  he coached for three seasons when he was in Lyon Academy.

Keita snubbed Barcelona for Liverpool 

Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita has revealed that he rejected interest from Bayern Munich and Barcelona to move to the English Premier League.

The Guinea star completed a £48 million switch to Merseyside this summer and he is set to form a formidable midfield set-up with fellow new signing Fabinho and Jordan Henderson.

Read the full story on Goal !

Ankaragucu hold talks with Emenike

Newly-promoted Turkish Super Lig outfit Ankaragucu have held talks with Nigeria international Emmanuel Emenike over a potential transfer, according to Fanatik .

The Yellow-Navy are set to bolster their ranks for the challenge in the Turkish top-flight with the former Fenerbahce goal poacher who endured a difficult spell at Olympiacos and Las Palmas last season.

Brighton sign Percy Tau

Brighton and Hove Albion have signed Percy Tau on four-year deal from Mamelodi Sundowns.

The South Africa interntional will be loan out for the upcoming campaign in an effort to have experience of European football.

Check out the full story on Goal! 

Swansea demand £12m for Ayew brothers

Swansea City are looking to gain £12 million from the sale or loan of Jordan Ayew and Andre Ayew this summer, Football Ghana claims.

The Swans are ready to release the Ghanaian duo who are part of their top earners as they look to free up wages for life in the Championship.

Liverpool and Celtic have been linked with Jordan while Besiktas and Newcastle United chase Andre.

    Napoli close to €15m Sabaly deal

Napoli have reached an agreement with Bordeaux to sign their €15m-rated Senegalese defender Youssouf Sabaly, Gazzetta  dello Sports reports.

Sabaly was a key member of Aliou Cisse’s squad at the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia and he is expected to join his compatriot Kalidou Koulibaly at Stadio San Paolo this summer.

The Partenopei are requesting for a discount as the 25-year-old is currently nursing a minor problem with the medial collateral ligament in his knee.

    Sporting CP want Slimani return

Sporting CP are looking to bring Islam Slimani back to Portugal after enduring a difficult spell at Leicester City, the Sun reports.

Slimani has managed just eight Premier League goals for the Foxes since his arrival on a club record fee in August 2016.

The Algeria international spent the second part of 2017-18 season on loan at Newcastle United, however, Sporting are interested in bringing the forward back to Lisbon following the departure of a significant number of their first-team players.

Kasimpasa target Junior Ajayi

Al Ahly forward Junior Ajayi has emerged as a potential signing for Kasimpasa should Mahmoud Trezeguet leave this summer, according to KingFut .

The Egyptian winger has been heavily linked with several European clubs including Galatasaray, Inter Milan and Parma.

However, a move away from the Turkish top-flight club would see the Apaches turn to the Nigeria international who scored seven goals and provided 10 assists in the Egyptian Premier League last season.

With the flick of a pen, Saquon Barkley became one of the NFL’s top-paid running backs before ever taking an NFL snap. That’s the result of being the No. 2 overall pick out of Penn State.

The New York Giants signed Barkley on Sunday to a four-year, $31.2 million rookie contract, according to a source. First-round rookie contracts are guaranteed. The deal also immediately pays out $15 million, a significant chunk negotiated by his Roc Nation agent Kim Miale. It’s believed that the immediate payout is the largest in at least five years, since the rookie wage scale was changed in 2013.

Barkley is the first of the top four picks in this year’s NFL draft to sign his rookie contract. No. 1 overall pick Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield remains unsigned.

Barkley signed his deal on the day when Giants rookies were scheduled to report for the start of training camp. Rookies and select veterans take the field for their first practice of the summer on Monday.

Barkley immediately becomes one of the NFL’s top-paid running backs at an average of almost $8 million per season. Only Le’Veon Bell (on the franchise tag), Devonta Freeman and LeSean McCoy average more.

With compensation of over $21 million this year, Barkley will be the league’s highest-paid running back for 2018.

Barkley, 21, already bought his parents a house in his hometown of Whitehall, Pennsylvania, since being drafted. This fulfilled a longtime promise. He used endorsement money negotiated for that purchase.

It goes along with Barkley’s desire to follow in the footsteps of Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch and New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who have famously decided to live on their endorsement money instead of their NFL earnings.

The $15 million pocketed upon Barkley’s signing with the Giants can instead be saved or invested.

“Once I realized when I declared for the NFL draft and kind of realized where I was going to be drafted, that was something I was like, ‘You know what? Kind of want to follow the Marshawn Lynch method. I don’t want to touch that,'” Barkley said on the red carpet for the CC Sabathia and Friends Celebrity Softball Game in June. “I want to invest it, put it in the right people’s hands and learn as I continue to make investments. And just live off the endorsement deals.”

Barkley already has deals with Nike, Pepsi and Panini America. He now has one with the Giants, too, and his concentration can turn exclusively to football.

Barkley is being counted on heavily to make an immediate impact. His presence at the first practice of camp Monday means that all the Giants rookies will be on the field for the workout.

The Giants also signed fifth-round defensive tackle RJ McIntosh on Sunday. McIntosh will begin training camp on the active/non-football illness list. The Miami product missed all of this spring because of an undisclosed illness that warranted a procedure last month.

Following Tiger Woods’ brief lead at the British Open Championship on Sunday, odds for the PGA Championship were released by the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook. 

Woods, who finished tied for sixth place at Carnoustie, opened the betting lines tied for the fourth best odds to win the PGA Championship at 16-1. He is joined by Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas, according to Westagate LV SuperBook Manager Jeff Sherman and golfodds.com.

Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson are the early betting favorites at 12-1. 

British Open winnner Francesco Molinari is tied for 10th-best odds as he opened at 25-1. 

The 100th PGA Championship will take place August 9-12 at Bellerive Country Club in Town and Country, Missouri.

Odds to win the 2018 PGA Championship

Golfer		Odds
Rory McIlroy		12/1
Jordan Spieth		12/1
Dustin Johnson		12/1
Tiger Woods		16/1
Rickie Fowler		16/1
Justin Thomas		16/1
Justin Rose		18/1
Brooks Koepka		20/1
Jon Rahm		20/1
Tommy Fleetwood		25/1
Francesco Molinari		25/1
Jason Day		25/1
Hideki Matsuyama		30/1
Patrick Reed		30/1
Henrik Stenson		40/1
Paul Casey		40/1
Alex Noren		40/1
Phil Mickelson		50/1
Sergio Garcia		50/1
Bubba Watson		50/1
Tony Finau		50/1
Xander Schauffele		50/1
Matt Kuchar		50/1
Marc Leishman		60/1
Branden Grace		60/1
Louis Oosthuizen		60/1
Patrick Cantlay		60/1
Bryson DeChambeau		60/1
Webb Simpson		60/1
Adam Scott		80/1
Zach Johnson		80/1
Kevin Kisner		80/1
Ian Poulter		100/1
Thomas Pieters		100/1
Tyrrell Hatton		100/1
Rafael Cabrera Bello		100/1
Daniel Berger		100/1
Kevin Chappell		100/1
Brian Harman		100/1
Brandt Snedeker		100/1
Charley Hoffman		100/1
Jason Dufner		125/1
Jimmy Walker		125/1
Emiliano Grillo		125/1
Matthew Fitzpatrick		125/1
Charl Schwartzel		125/1
Martin Kaymer		150/1
Ryan Moore		150/1
Kevin Na		150/1
Russell Knox		150/1
Peter Uihlein		150/1
Russell Henley		150/1
Kyle Stanley		150/1
Brendan Steele		150/1
Luke List		150/1
Haotong Li		150/1
Byeong Hun An		150/1
Gary Woodland		150/1
Kiradech Aphibarnrat		150/1
Lee Westwood		150/1
Keegan Bradley		150/1
Pat Perez		150/1
J.B. Holmes		150/1
Aaron Wise		150/1
Joaquin Niemann		150/1
Bill Haas		150/1
Billy Horschel		150/1
Shane Lowry		200/1
Beau Hossler		200/1
Chris Wood		200/1
Andy Sullivan		200/1
Danny Willett		200/1
Charles Howell III		200/1
Michael Kim		200/1
Adam Hadwin		200/1
Cameron Smith		200/1
Si Woo Kim		200/1
Chez Reavie		250/1
Scott Piercy		250/1
Austin Cook		250/1
Chesson Hadley		250/1
Shubhankar Sharma		250/1
Jim Furyk		250/1
Padraig Harrington		250/1
Ross Fisher		250/1

Updated July 22, 2018

On a record-setting day by Seattle guard Sue Bird, the Atlanta Dream had a statement game after the most fascinating week of what has been an amazing WNBA season.

And, no, that’s not hyperbole.

Bird played in her 500th career game Sunday to set the WNBA record for regular-season games played in an 87-74 loss to the Dream, who have won seven in a row and at 15-9 are in second place behind 18-7 Seattle. And while Bird has seen it all in her 16 WNBA seasons — she has also appeared in 39 postseason games — it’s safe to say that even she has not seen a week quite like this one.

On Tuesday, Dallas’ Liz Cambage had a 53-point, 10-rebound, 5-block performance that gave her the WNBA’s single-game scoring record. Two days later, she had 35 points and 17 rebounds, setting the mark for the highest two-game scoring output in league history.

Also on Tuesday, Atlanta’s Tiffany Hayes launched a shot from well beyond half court to give the Dream an 86-83 victory at Connecticut.

The 22 All-Stars were announced that day, and neither Hayes nor Chicago’s Courtney Vandersloot were among the nine guards selected. But they made their presence known. Hayes didn’t just hit that big shot; she averaged 18 points in the Dream’s victories over the Sun, Liberty and Storm. She’s the leading scorer (17.4 PPG) for the league’s hottest team, but — unfortunately — the most egregious All-Star snub.

Meanwhile, Vandersloot on Friday had the first triple-double (13 points, 10 rebounds, 15 assists) in Sky history, and just missed tying Ticha Penicheiro for the single-game assist record of 16. Also on Sunday, Shekinna Stricklen tied a WNBA single-game record with eight 3-pointers in the Sun’s win over the Wings.

Speaking of records, technical fouls have been flying left and right lately at what feels like a record pace.

Dallas coach Fred Williams was ejected twice this past week. Diana Taurasi — no stranger to technicals, admittedly — was ejected in the second quarter of Phoenix’s 80-75 loss to Minnesota on Saturday. The Mercury still pushed it right to the end, as the Lynx needed a monster game from Maya Moore, who had 38 points.

Even Bird got a recent technical in a July 14 victory over the Wings. We haven’t witnessed that often in what has been a Hall of Fame career for the Long Island native and former UConn star. But it shows her passion for the game is still there as much as ever. And as she becomes the all-time leader in games played, passing DeLisha Milton-Jones, it’s important to remember why Bird is still in a Storm uniform: loyalty, and her belief in herself and the organization.

In 2014, the Storm went 12-22, missed the playoffs for the first time in 11 years, and lost coach Brian Agler, who took over in Los Angeles. Bird was facing free agency after the 2015 season, and plenty of teams would have been interested in her. But even before the lottery that gave Seattle the No. 1 selection in the 2015 draft, Bird made up her mind to ride it out with the Storm.

Seattle got Notre Dame standout guard Jewell Loyd with the top pick in 2015 but still missed the playoffs that season. Yet Bird didn’t change her mind; she signed a contract extension in February 2016, saw another No. 1 pick — Breanna Stewart — come to the Storm in April of that year, and helped Seattle return to the playoffs.

Seattle has lost in the first-round game in the playoffs both in 2016 and ’17, but Bird’s belief in the Storm has been rewarded. Despite Sunday’s loss, Seattle is in the driver’s seat to get a bye into the semifinals. The Storm face a tough challenge in having six of their remaining nine regular-season games on the road. But in Bird, Seattle has a leader to help guide the team through that, too.

She is averaging 10.0 points and 7.1 assists, second in the league to Vandersloot’s 8.0. Bird is an All-Star for a record 11th time.

And when you take into account the high level of play in the WNBA — exemplified no better than in the past week — it says even more about the fact that Bird has remained such a vital player on the league-leading team.

She committed fully to fitness and diet standards a few years back. At 37, she’s a role model for anyone in the WNBA — or NBA, for that matter — about how to add more high-level seasons to your career.

Along with that, she has been a revered spokeswoman for the Storm and the league. She has mentored countless other players. She has won two titles, and has hopes for another.

Not bad for 500 games and counting.