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From Mike DiGiovanna: Step back for a wide-angle shot of the Dodgers’ second-half-opening trip to New York, Baltimore and Texas, and it’s hard to view it as anything but a success.
The Dodgers won six of nine games against the Mets, the American League East-leading Orioles and the AL West-leading Rangers, though the trip ended with a thud, Sunday’s 8-4 loss to the Rangers in Globe Life Field that began with Max Muncy’s first-inning grand slam and ended with eight zeros.
The offense produced 10 runs or more in three of the wins. Freddie Freeman went on a tear, batting .441 (15 for 34) with three homers, four doubles and nine RBIs on the trip, and Muncy, the all-or-nothing slugger who has 24 homers and 37 singles on the season, began to find a more relaxed approach and consistent stroke at the plate.
The Dodgers played stout defense throughout, they ran the bases aggressively and smartly, and a bullpen that was one of the worst in baseball for the first two months of the season combined to give up just three earned runs and 17 hits in 33 ⅓ innings, striking out 27 and walking 12 for an 0.81 ERA in the nine games.
But zoom in for a closer look, especially at Sunday’s loss, and you can’t shield your eyes from the glaring weakness on a team with a 57-41 record and a four-game lead in the National League West: an injury-ravaged and inexperienced rotation.
Inside the Dodgers’ juggernaut farm system, the lifeblood of the club
Savannah Bananas hit a home run in SoCal with their unique brand of baseball
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NL WEST STANDINGS
Dodgers, 57-41
San Francisco, 54-46, 4 GB
Arizona, 54-46, 4 GB
San Diego, 48-52, 10 GB
Colorado, 39-60, 18.5 GB
WILD-CARD STANDINGS
top three teams qualify
Cincinnati, 55-46
San Francisco, 54-46
Arizona, 54-46
Philadelphia, 53-46, 0.5 GB
Miami, 54-47, 0.5 GB
Chicago, 48-51, 5.5 GB
San Diego, 48-52, 6 GB
New York, 46-53, 7.5 GB
ANGELS
From Luca Evans: The reminders are everywhere, the underlying possibility that’s rippling through an entire franchise, business as usual around the massive shoe that might drop before Aug. 1.
On Sunday at Angel Stadium, an innocent idea formed about an hour and a half before an Angels win over the Pittsburgh Pirates that members of the Angels media and public relations team should take a commemorative picture together. Confusion initially spread. And then realization dawned.
If Shohei Ohtani was traded at some point in the next week, this would mark his last home game playing at Angel Stadium, and the large part of Japanese media covering Ohtani at Angel Stadium for six years would suddenly be gone.
“I think we just try to keep it tight in here and just focus on every day — I think everybody’s aware of it,” shortstop Andrew Velazquez said to a postgame question about cognizance of the trade deadline. “We’re all fans of baseball, and aware of the standings and what other teams are doing.”
Riding a pair of Luis Rengifo homers, the Angels beat the Pirates 7-5 and have won five of their last six. They sit at 51-49, a three-game series against the 45-54 Detroit Tigers approaching, and then a three-game tilt against the 55-45 Toronto Blue Jays, who hold the third wild-card spot in the American League.
AL WEST STANDINGS
Texas, 59-41
Houston, 56-44, 3 GB
Angels, 51-49, 8 GB
Seattle, 50-49, 8.5 GB
Oakland, 28-74, 32 GB
WILD-CARD STANDINGS
top three teams qualify
Tampa Bay, 61-42
Houston, 56-44
Toronto, 55-45
Boston, 53-47, 2 GB
New York, 53-47, 2 GB
Angels, 51-49, 4 GB
Seattle, 50-49, 4.5 GB
Cleveland, 49-50, 5.5 GB
From Ben Bolch: What’s left for Laiatu Latu to accomplish after being selected one of college football’s comeback players of the year?
Plenty.
That award wasn’t so much a destination as a launching point for what the UCLA edge rusher wants to do next.
Start with being a first-team All-American and leading the nation in sacks. Latu even has a number in mind for what it will take to do so.
“Fifteen,” the redshirt senior said Friday at Pac-12 media day at Resorts World Las Vegas. “I want to get every single quarterback multiple times.”
That means Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall might want to devise a counter for Latu’s favorite move — the Euro step — when the Chanticleers come to the Rose Bowl on Sept. 2. Just like in basketball, Latu’s Euro step relies on a head-fake and a step one way before cutting the other.
BOXING
From Tyler R. Tynes: Deep in the eastern shoe of the Rockies, at the foot of Pikes Peak about 70 miles from Denver, the champion descended the stairs of his heartland-inspired camp house — ambling past fitted hats from decades ago, tiptoeing through exoskeletons of go-karts he’d been tinkering with and old Everlast gear hugging pounds of dog food. His eyes were barely open, yawns still sticking to the scruff of his swollen beard, but he knew there was work to do. Even if it required his father, “Big T,” to bang on the champ’s door — in scarlet and cream ‘Huskers pajamas no less — to get him going.
It’d been a few years since Bud and the boys got crackin’ from the base of the Cheyenne Mountain in this humble home. But it was something about the being in the elevation that soothed the champ whenever a fight drew near. Ever since his bronze in the nationals 16 years ago as an amateur: working in that crisp and colorful Colorado air, sweating in the gym and shadowboxing in the Garden of the Gods proved to be a key asset in making Terence “Bud” Crawford bulletproof.
Though, it wasn’t like Bud needed any convincing for this fight.
All he could do was smile — that playful, elegant gap-toothed grin of his — when he thought about what was at stake, what he fought for the last five years to attain; past broken promises from promoters and punches to his resume, no matter how many opponents he plowed through.
BRITISH OPEN
Brian Harman turned back every challenge in the British Open, including big names and bad weather, and took his place among major champions Sunday with a victory that was never seriously in doubt at Royal Liverpool.
Harman twice responded to a rare bogey with back-to-back birdies, leaving everyone else playing for second. He closed with a 1-under 70, making an 8-foot par putt on the last hole for a six-shot victory.
At age 36, he is the oldest first-time major winner since Sergio Garcia was 37 when he won the Masters in 2017.
TOUR DE FRANCE
Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard won the Tour de France for a second straight year as cycling’s most storied race finished Sunday on the Champs-Élysées.
With a huge lead built up over main rival Tadej Pogačar, the 2020 and 2021 winner, Vingegaard knew the victory was effectively his again before the largely ceremonial stage at the end of the 110th edition of the Tour.
The 26-year-old Vingegaard drank champagne with his Jumbo-Visma teammates as they lined up together and posed for photos on the way to Paris.
WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
From Kevin Baxter: Early in her career with the national team, Alex Morgan found herself sharing a hotel room with Abby Wambach, who was then the second-leading scorer in U.S. soccer history. As Morgan gushed over her roommate’s achievements, Wambach held up a hand to quiet her.
“You need to do better,” she said.
Fast forward 11 years. Wambach has long since retired and Morgan is the leading scorer on a U.S. team chasing a third consecutive World Cup title. And now she’s one of the experienced players issuing the challenges.
“If something’s hard, or a younger player is like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to stay out there,’ they remind us that that’s what it takes. This is what this environment is,” Sophia Smith said of the veterans.
Smith proved a fast learner, scoring two goals and assisting on a third in her World Cup debut Saturday, then crediting her teammates for that performance.
Standings
Top two in each group qualify for Round of 16
All times Pacific
Group A
Team, W-D-L, GD, Pts
Switzerland, 1-0-0, +2, 3
New Zealand, 1-0-0, +1, 3
Norway, 0-0-1, -1, 0
Philippines, 0-0-1, -3, 0
July 20
New Zealand 1, Norway 0
Switzerland 2, Philippines 0
Today
New Zealand vs. Philippines 10:30 p.m. FS1, Universo
Tuesday
Switzerland vs. Norway, 1 a.m. FS1, Telemundo
Sunday
Norway vs. Philippines, 12 a.m. FS1, Universo
Switzerland vs. New Zealand 12 a.m. Fox, Telemundo
Group B
Team, W-D-L, GD, Pts
Australia, 1-0-0, +1, 3
Canada, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Nigeria, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Ireland, 0-0-1, -1, 0
July 20
Australia 1 Ireland 0
Nigeria 0, Canada 0
Wednesday
Canada vs. Ireland 5 a.m. FS1, Universo
Thursday
Australia vs. Nigeria 3 a.m. FS1, Universo
Monday, July 31
Canada vs. Australia 3 a.m. FS1, Universo
Ireland vs. Nigeria 3 a.m. Fox, Telemundo
Group C
Team, W-D-L, GD, Pts
Japan, 1-0-0, +5, 3
Spain, 1-0-0, +3, 3
Costa Rica, 0-0-1, -3, 0
Zambia, 0-0-1, -5, 0
July 21
Spain 3, Costa Rica 0
July 22
Japan 5, Zambia 0
Tuesday
Japan vs. Costa Rica 10 p.m. FS1, Universo
Wednesday
Spain vs. Zambia 12:30 a.m. FS1, Telemundo
Monday, July 31
Japan vs. Spain 12 a.m. Fox, Telemundo
Costa Rica vs. Zambia 12 a.m. FS1, Universo
Group D
Team, W-D-L, GD, Pts
Denmark, 1-0-0, +1, 3
England, 1-0-0, +1, 3
China, 0-0-1, -1, 0
Haiti, 0-0-1, -1, 0
July 22
England 1, Haiti 0
Denmark 1, China 0
Friday
England vs. Denmark 1:30 a.m. FS1, Telemundo
China vs. Haiti 4 a.m. FS1, Universo
Tuesday, Aug. 1
China vs. England 4 a.m. Fox, Telemundo
Haiti vs. Denmark 4 a.m. FS1, Universo
Group E
Team, W-D-L, GD, Pts
USA, 1-0-0, +3, 3
Netherlands, 1-0-0, +1, 3
Portugal, 0-0-1, -1, 0
Vietnam, 0-0-1, -3, 0
July 21
U.S. 3, Vietnam 0
July 23
Netherlands 1, Portugal 0
Wednesday
U.S. vs. Netherlands 6 p.m. Fox, Telemundo
Thursday
Portugal vs. Vietnam 12:30 a.m. FS1, Universo
Tuesday, Aug. 1
Vietnam vs. Netherlands 12 a.m. FS1, Universo
Portugal vs. U.S. 12 a.m. Fox, Telemundo
Group F
Team, W-D-L, GD, Pts
France, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Jamaica, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Brazil, 0-0-0, 0, 0
Panama, 0-0-0, 0, 0
July 23
France 0, Jamaica 0
July 24
Brazil vs. Panama 4 a.m. Fox, Universo
Saturday
France vs. Brazil 3 a.m. Fox, Telemundo
Panama vs. Jamaica 5:30 a.m. Fox, Telemundo
Wed., Aug. 2
Panama vs. France 3 a.m. Fox, Universo
Jamaica vs. Brazil 3 a.m. FS1, Telemundo
Group G
Team, W-D-L, GD, Pts
Sweden, 1-0-0, +1, 3
Italy, 0-0-0, 0, 0
Argentina, 0-0-0, 0, 0
South Africa, 0-0-1, -1, 0
July 22
Sweden 2, South Africa 1
July 23 (11 p.m.)
Italy vs. Argentina
Thursday
Argentina vs. South Africa 5 p.m. FS1, Universo
Saturday
Sweden vs. Italy 12:30 a.m. FS1, Telemundo
Wed., Aug. 2
Argentina vs. Sweden 12 a.m. Fox, Telemundo
South Africa vs. Italy 12 a.m. FS1, Universo
Group H
Team, W-D-L, GD, Pts
Germany, 0-0-0, 0, 0
Morocco, 0-0-0, 0, 0
Colombia, 0-0-0, 0, 0
South Korea, 0-0-0, 0, 0
July 24
Germany vs. Morocco 1:30 a.m. FS1, Universo
Colombia vs. South Korea 7 p.m. Fox, Universo
Saturday
South Korea vs. Morocco 9:30 p.m. Fox, Universo
Sunday
Germany vs. Colombia 2:30 a.m. FS1, Telemundo
Thursday, Aug. 3
Morocco vs. Colombia 3 a.m. FS1, Telemundo
South Korea vs. Germany 3 a.m. Fox, Universo
SPORTS ON TV
Local teams on TV today:
All times Pacific
7 p.m., Toronto at Dodgers, SportsNet LA
The rest of today’s sports on TV listings can be found here.
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
1908 — John Hayes wins the Olympic marathon in a record of 2 hours, 55 minutes, 18.4 seconds. Italian Dorando Pietri is the first athlete to enter the stadium, but collapses several times before being disqualified when officials help him across the line.
1960 — Jay Hebert beats Jim Ferrier by one stroke to win the PGA golf tournament.
1967 — Don January wins a playoff by two strokes over Don Massengale to win the PGA championship.
1976 — John Naber of the United States becomes the first swimmer to break the 2-minute barrier in the 200-meter backstroke at the Olympics in Montreal.
1976 — Mac Wilkins of the United States sets an Olympic record in the discus with a toss of 224 feet in Montreal.
1977 — Hollis Stacy wins the U.S. Women’s Open golf championship by two strokes over Nancy Lopez.
2008 — Nancy Lieberman makes a one-game appearance for the Detroit Shock after the 50-year-old Hall-of-Famer signed a seven-day contract earlier in the day. Lieberman, finishes with two assists and two turnovers, surpassing her own record as the oldest player in WNBA history. Lieberman held the record playing at age 39 in 1997 while playing for the Phoenix Mercury.
2011 — Cadel Evans wins the Tour de France, becoming the first Australian champion in cycling’s greatest race.
2016 — Chris Froome celebrates his third Tour de France title in four years. The British rider finishes safely at the back of the main pack during the final stage, arm-in-arm with his teammates during the mostly ceremonial final stage ending on the Champs-Elysees. Froome, who also won the Tour in 2013 and 2015, becomes the first rider to defend the title since Miguel Indurain won the last of his five straight in 1995. Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven consecutive titles for doping.
—Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
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