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PHILADELPHIA — If the Dodgers picked up Tarik Skubal, would that be overkill?

Logan Webb, the longtime ace of the San Francisco Giants, laughed.

“I don’t think they need him,” Webb said, “but you never count those guys out on getting anybody in the league.”

The Dodgers could make a mockery of the National League West by trading for Skubal, who won the last two American League Cy Young awards for the Detroit Tigers.

Then again, you could argue the Dodgers already are making a mockery of the NL West. They lead the division by 11½ games, more than double the lead in any other division.

So, on the day before the All-Star Game, I posed the overkill question to the stars from the other teams in the NL West.

“Would I consider it overkill? It’s a crazy game,” said outfielder Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the team that swept the Dodgers over the weekend at Dodger Stadium.

“I don’t think, going into the weekend, that too many people would have expected that. The nature of this game is about you can never be good enough, and you always have to look to keep improving. I think I would just view it in that same light.”

The Dodgers are not about winning the NL West this season. From owner Mark Walter to president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, from manager Dave Roberts to franchise icon Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers last fall loudly and proudly declared their intent to three-peat, to become the first NL team ever to win three consecutive World Series championships.

Their postseason rotation could be so overloaded that All-Star Justin Wrobleski, whose 2.69 ERA compares favorably to NL All-Star starter Cristopher Sanchez (2.62), could find himself in the bullpen behind starters Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Ohtani, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow.

On the other hand, Ohtani missed his last start for treatment of a troublesome left knee, and neither Snell nor Glasnow has pitched since May. The Dodgers might not be entirely sure of projecting their October health and effectiveness by the Aug. 3 trade deadline, and the chance to three-peat might never come again.

The Dodgers have the prospects and the money to acquire Skubal, should the Tigers trade him. The Dodgers might or might not have the need, but they have the motivation.

“I wouldn’t blame them,” Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman said. “They’re trying to win another World Series.”

Said San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller: “He’d help any team he went to. They’ve got a strong rotation, a lot of guys that are going to get healthy and help them out, but I don’t necessarily consider it overkill. Anybody, on any given night.”

If the Dodgers acquired Skubal, the fans of those rival NL West teams would explode in frustration, perhaps even in rage, at the back-to-back champions. Ohtani for $700 million, Kyle Tucker for $60 million per year, and now the rich kids would get Skubal, too?

The owners are trying to channel that level of fan frustration and anger in their push for a salary cap. They say they’re trying to help teams like, say, the Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates compete more effectively against the Dodgers.

The Pirates have not posted a winning record in eight years and have not appeared in the playoffs 11 years. Surely, a salary cap would help them, right?

“I don’t think there’s any need for a salary cap,” Pirates ace Paul Skenes said. “I don’t know if there’s a perfect answer, but I do know the salary cap would not be a fix-all for parity.”

Parity is in the eye of the beholder, or more accurately in the definition of the beholder. The owners like to note that no small-market team has won the World Series since the Kansas City Royals in 2015.

However, in a league that owners insist demands immediate reform, 23 of the 30 teams are within four games of a playoff spot.

As one of eight players on the executive committee of the players’ union, Skenes is involved in the current collective bargaining negotiations. Salary cap or none, would it be overkill if the Dodgers picked up Skubal?

“They’re trying to win, aren’t they?” Skenes said. “You can’t ever blame a team for going out and doing everything possible to win.”

England left-back Nico O’Reilly is relishing the “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to face Lionel Messi in Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina.

Thomas Tuchel’s secured a place in the final four with a draining 2-1 win against Norway in the Miami heat on Saturday, and now face a match in Atlanta against the defending world champions, who saw off Switzerland 3-1.

It will be the first time Messi has faced England, and at 39, it could be the last. Manchester City defender O’Reilly has never faced him at club level either.

“I can’t wait,” O’Reilly, who will probably have to defend against Messi one-on-one if he starts at left-back, told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He’s coming towards the end of his career. For me personally, he’s the best player to ever touch a football pitch. And yeah, I can’t wait for the challenge.”

Messi began the tournament with a hat-trick in a 3-0 win against Algeria as he became the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history, equalling Miroslav Klose’s record of 16, which had stood since 2014.

The Argentina captain has since scored five more to take that record – his total of eight goals putting him joint-first with France’s Kylian Mbappe in the Golden Boot race, and taking his career World Cup tally to 21.

While the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is Argentina’s main threat, England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford warned against ignoring the other talents in Lionel Scaloni’s side.

“He has scored so many goals and contributed to so many over his career. It’s great to finally come up against him after so long, and watching him as a kid,” Pickford told media at England’s training base in Kansas on Monday.

“We all know how good Messi is but we also know how good Argentina are. We can’t solely rely on [stopping] Messi. We’ve got to focus on their other strengths and the weaknesses we can take advantage of.”

The winner of the semi-final will face either France or Spain – who play each other on Tuesday (20:00 BST) – in the World Cup final at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, 19 July (20:00 BST).

Everton captain Megan Finnigan has signed a one-year contract extension with the Women’s Super League club.

The new deal means Finnigan, 28, will have spent 20 years at the club, including her time in the Toffees’ academy.

The centre-back spent last season sidelined with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, but said she is feeling “positive” and spending two decades with the club is “special”.

“I am feeling very positive at the minute. I am glad to get this sorted, and recovery-wise I am in a good place,” Finnigan said.

“I have been in over the off-season, working hard to get back. This will be my 20th year at the club and that’s special for me. Hopefully it is even more special because it is the season that I make my return.”

Finnigan has appeared more than 200 times for the Blues since her senior debut in 2015.

Dutch football referee Rob Dieperink has died weeks after he was dropped from officiating at the World Cup following a police investigation in the UK.

Dieperink had been selected to be a video assistant referee (VAR) official at this summer’s tournament, but was removed from Fifa’s list of World Cup officials in May.

The 38-year-old was arrested by the Metropolitan Police in April following a report of a sexual assault against a teenage boy, but the case was dropped because of a lack of evidence.

The Netherlands’ football association, the KNVB, said they were “shocked and deeply saddened” by Dieperink’s death.

His cause of death has not been disclosed.

“With Rob, we lose a highly valued referee, but above all a kind and dedicated colleague,” the KNVB said in a statement.

“Our thoughts go out to his family, friends, and everyone who held him dear. We wish them much strength and support in processing this great loss.”

Fifa, football’s global governing body, said it learned of the news with “great sadness”.

“On behalf of the entire football community, we extend our sincerest condolences to his family and friends and the Dutch Football Association. May he rest in peace,” it said.

Dieperink had refereed in the Eredivisie since 2017 and was a VAR official at Euro 2024.

After he was dropped from the World Cup, Dieperink said he had been “wrongly accused” in an interview with Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, external.

“It saddens me greatly that I have been wrongly accused,” he said.

“From the beginning, I have fully cooperated in the police investigation and also immediately gave full openness to Fifa, Uefa and the KNVB.

“I am grateful for the support I have received from the KNVB and the way in which they have dealt with this case. It is a pity that Fifa has decided not to appoint me for the World Cup any more, of course I am disappointed about that.”

Dieperink was the VAR for Crystal Palace’s 3-0 Europa Conference League quarter-final first-leg win over Fiorentina on 9 April.

A Metropolitan Police statement said: “On Thursday, 9 April, officers responded to a report of a sexual assault against a teenage boy, which occurred at an address on Wellesley Road, Croydon.

“A man in his 30s was subsequently arrested on suspicion of sexual assault.

“Officers completed a thorough investigation and reviewed all available evidence, including gathering CCTV and examining digital devices.

“Following these enquiries, they concluded that the evidential threshold had not been met. No further action will be taken.”

This is a painful case of deja vu for Newcastle.

It was just a few weeks ago that the club lost out on another top target, Victor Munoz, who opted to join Liverpool.

Talent identification is clearly not the issue.

Newcastle have targeted Manzambi, Munoz, Hugo Ekitike, Joao Pedro, Benjamin Sesko and James Trafford in the last 12 months.

But losing out to Aston Villa for a top target would be another real setback in the transfer market for Newcastle.

If Newcastle miss out, the big question is can the club discreetly pivot to another promising target, as they did with Bazoumana Toure after Munoz went elsewhere?

On one hand, there is plenty of time left in the window to do just that and strengthen other areas of the side.

On the other, there is a lot of work to do and little margin for any further knockbacks.

The sight of those players not involved at the World Cup returning for pre-season training on Monday was a timely reminder of that.

Despite already playing twice on home soil in the inaugural Nations Championship, New Zealand will relish a return to Eden Park, where they have not lost a Test since France were the victors in 1994.

However, the New Zealand coach said they cannot rest on their laurels when they welcome an Ireland side who are unbeaten in six games.

“It’s always nice going to Eden Park. It’ll be nice having a lot of supporters cheering for us,” he continued.

“It’s been a fortress, but what’s happened in the past counts for little. It’s about us making sure we get our prep right and mindset right.

“To play against an Irish side who, last time they toured this country, they won a series.”

Rennie also added the importance of closing down New Zealand-born scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park.

The Leinster half-back crossed during Ireland’s tight 33-31 victory over Australia but did not feature in the much-changed team that faced Japan.

“Leinster have had a massive influence on Irish rugby for a lot of years. I like their combinations. They’re really strong. Jamison’s a big part of their success.

“We need to make life difficult for him so he can’t play on the front foot and apply pressure that way.”

Elias is likely to make his Test start since the opening round of the 2024 Six Nations against Scotland.

Cardiff’s Evan Lloyd is the other hooker in the squad and could make his first international appearance for more than a year, with Dee’s anticipated arrival in South Africa providing extra cover and experience.

Morgan is the obvious choice as captain against the world champions unless Tandy opts to rest the open-side flanker.

Wales slipped to 12th in the world rankings with their loss to Argentina and suffered a record 73-0 loss to the Springboks in their last meeting in November.

The latter stages of McCullum’s tenure have been blighted by off-field issues. During the winter, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Josh Tongue and Ben Duckett were all involved in late-night incidents.

After England won the first Test of the summer against New Zealand, the series was derailed by Stokes and Gus Atkinson breaking the team’s midnight curfew and being present when a member of security staff was struck by a Saracens rugby player.

And McCullum accepted responsibility for what happened on and off the field.

“I was the leader of that group. I was in charge of the team culturally, in charge of the team tactically, in charge of the team results wise as well,” said McCullum.

“If you don’t get the results, being a results business, fundamentally you get replaced. I’m not unaccustomed to that, I’ve been around this game for 20-odd years and I know if you aren’t getting the results, someone else needs an opportunity.

“I put my hand up for that and accept it wasn’t good enough.”

McCullum and Stokes have both previously denied they grew apart during the Ashes series, and McCullum said he has heard from the all-rounder since news of his departure from the Test role emerged.

“I got some nice messages from Stokesy,” said McCullum. “I guess, in a romantic kind of way there’s something about Stokesy and I going out together. We started it together and we go out together, and I have no problem with that.”

England’s search for a new Test coach is already under way, and Gould explained on Sunday a coach will be appointed before a new captain is finalised.

Gould also suggested that the captaincy would be split, perhaps hinting that white-ball captain Brook, also the Test vice-captain, would not be able to lead across all formats.

Brook and McCullum have formed a strong bond while working together with the white-ball teams, and England’s T20 side have just moved to the top of the world rankings.

It raises the question as to whether that partnership will be broken up if 27-year-old Brook takes control of the Test side.

“You know my thoughts on Harry, my affection for him as a player, person and leader,” said McCullum.

“He’s got one of the best tactical brains I’ve seen in someone so relatively young. He’s developing at an incredible speed as a leader. I love working with Harry and I’d love to continue to do so.

“There will be lots of robust conversations throughout. Myself with the white-ball and whoever takes over the red-ball, ultimately there’s going to be harmony across all three teams because we’re going to want what’s best for English cricket.”

McCullum previously had experience working in an environment where the coaching responsibilities were split. For two years, he was Test coach, with Matthew Mott in charge of the white-ball teams. When Mott was sacked in 2024, McCullum assumed overall control.

A heavily congested schedule lends itself to splitting the coaching jobs, but can also lead to one team being sidelined in terms of access to multi-format players.

McCullum will now have to build a working relationship with the new Test coach.

Former England coach Andy Flower could be a candidate, while McCullum’s former New Zealand team-mate Stephen Fleming is highly respected and has just left Indian Premier League side Chennai Super Kings.

Ex-England batter Jonathan Trott has international experience with Afghanistan and Glamorgan coach Richard Dawson is seen as an emerging homegrown contender.

“Once the Test coach is put in the post, we’ll work collaboratively to try to work out what is right for all three formats, and what is right for English cricket,” said McCullum.

“I expect that to be robust, but hopefully a profitable conversation for everyone. Fundamentally, we just need to get what’s right for English cricket. That will be the number one motivation.”

England, under McCullum, begin a three-match one-day series against India at Edgbaston on Tuesday.

Jos Buttler will play his 200th ODI for England, while the tourists can call on the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah.

“I’ve admired Lewis for a long time and tried to sign him at previous clubs, but I wasn’t in a position to afford him.

“He’s consistently impressed us whenever we’ve watched him, but what really stood out was that the numbers backed up exactly what our eyes were telling us.”

Overall, Smith played 81 times for Livingston, scoring 12 goals, seven of them last season, and contributed 12 assists.

“Some of the performance data our recruitment department track placed him among the best wide players in the Premiership last season,” Robinson said.

“We can all overlook what’s right on the doorstep at times. Lewis has proved over several years that he can perform consistently in this league and we believe there is still plenty more to come from him.

“Dons fans can expect an energetic, attack-minded winger who is deceptively quick, works tirelessly for the team, is comfortable with either foot and carries a genuine goal threat.

“He finished as Livingston’s leading league goalscorer last season despite playing predominantly in the wide area, which tells you a lot about the attacking qualities he’ll bring.”

An “excited” Smith pointed out that he had made his Hamilton debut at Pittodrie and believes “I’ve got a lot more to give” for his new club.

Smith, who came through Accies’ youth ranks, signed a two-year contract when moving to West Lothian in 2024, but that was extended until summer 2027 after a season.

Livingston sporting director David Martindale said the sale proved their player trading model was working.

“We signed Lewis on a pre-contract when he was with Hamilton in League 1 and that’s a strategy we’d obviously like to continue going forward,” he told his club website.

“We’re in a good place at the moment and, subject to a Governing Body Endorsement, we’ll be announcing Smithy’s replacement very soon. He was identified early on in anticipation that Lewis could move.”

Smith’s arrival at Pittodrie comes on the same day Aberdeen sold striker Marko Lazetic to Armenian Premier League runners-up Noah for an undisclosed fee.

How much would you pay for a pair of shoes? Someone else’s shoes, I mean.

Would you pay $7,000 for a chair on which Taylor Swift sat in a basketball arena — for an NBA playoff game, not for her wedding? Someone did.

There was one Swift chair up for bid. The Dodgers gave away 52,000 trading cards as part of a promotion for the Japanese animated series “One Piece” this month, and the current asking prices for one of those cards on eBay range from $784 to $15,656. Even at the low end … strike that, there is no apparent low end to the collectibles market these days.

Now add Shohei Ohtani to the mix. A pair of his cleats hit the auction block Monday, hyped by the promoter as “one of the most significant baseball artifacts ever” and “the greatest baseball footwear ever made available” and “the most culturally significant footwear ever worn on Japanese soil.”

In this case, the adjectives are more than breathless. Ohtani is the best player in baseball, the favorite to win his fifth most valuable player award in six years, an international tourist attraction, and a global pitchman making an estimated $125 million in sponsorships and endorsements this year.

So, the footwear: These are the cleats Ohtani wore when the Dodgers opened the 2025 season in Japan, decorated with art of his world-famous dog Decoy and signed by Ohtani with Asian kanji characters rather than English letters.

The cleats were purchased last year by Take to the Universe (TTU), a Japanese company that distributes beauty and wellness products in Japan and throughout Asia. State records show the company registered a subsidiary in Los Angeles two months ago.

The cleats Shohei Ohtani wore during the Dodgers’ 2025 season opener in Japan are on the auction block.

(The Realist)

“We thought, hey, we could actually use this to market our company and enter into the U.S. market,” said Ryoji Iguchi, chief executive of the subsidiary. Iguchi declined to say how much TTU paid for the cleats.

For a Japanese company to leverage Ohtani and the Dodgers to introduce itself to an American audience is nothing new — not just for tangible consumer goods, but also for animated characters.

You wouldn’t actually go into a store and ask for a TTU product, though. You eventually might go into a store and ask for a beauty product made by another company. TTU would just get it there.

So how does selling a pair of cleats create brand awareness for a brand consumers would not even know?

“This interview,” Iguchi said.

The Ohtani Economy strikes again: You don’t know us, but we’re coming to America, we want to help you sell your wares — and we’re selling Ohtani’s cleats!

The sale was arranged by Scott Keeney, founder of the Realest, a Los Angeles-based enterprise specializing in sports and entertainment memorabilia.

The cleats Shohei Ohtani wore during the Dodgers’ season opener in Japan in 2025 are on the auction block.

(The Realist)

Keeney talks about the “museum-grade” and “investment-grade” quality of the cleats. You might find a trading card marketed as one of one, but someone could make another. In this case, no one can make another pair of cleats worn by Ohtani on that particular day.

“It’s no different than art, where you’re seeing paintings selling for tens, hundreds of millions of dollars,” Keeney said. “The top grails are in a category of their own.

“It’s what the ultra, the top 0.0001% want, and they appreciate faster than anything else in the category.”

So how much might the Ohtani cleats command, given the combination of sport and celebrity?

Kobe Bryant’s sneakers from the game in which he tore his Achilles tendon — and hit two free throws before he left the court — fetched $660,000. Michael Jordan’s “Flu Game” shoes sold for $1.4 million. Kanye West wore “Air Yeezys” to the Grammys, and the pair sold for $1.8 million.

The ball Ohtani hit for his 50th home run in his 50-50 season: $4.4 million. And, speaking of holy grails: Judy Garland’s ruby slippers from “The Wizard of Oz” fetched $32.5 million.

I cannot afford that, in this lifetime or any other. Perhaps you can. If you cannot, the Realest is offering this free-to-enter contest: Guess the sale price of the Ohtani cleats and, if you come closest to the actual sale price, you win 1% of the price. In the event of a tie, the first submission wins.

The cash would be nice, because this is just a pair of someone else’s worn shoes. But, since everything else Ohtani does seems to be unprecedented, this auction just might be too.

Dodgers swept by Diamondbacks

From Maddie Lee: The Dodgers needed to turn things around Sunday to wrap up the first half on a high note. Manager Dave Roberts said as much the night before.

“When you give teams free bases, extra outs, it’s hard to win a game, regardless of the opponent,” he said. “Emmet [Sheehan] needs to go out there and throw the baseball well tomorrow. We’ve got to find a way to win a game tomorrow to feel somewhat better about going into the break.”

Instead, the Dodgers fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3, swept for the first time this season. It was Arizona’s first sweep at Dodger Stadium since September 2017.

Perhaps the break is coming at a good time.

“I guess,” Roberts said. “Gives guys a reset. … We’ve got some good teams coming up and we’ve got to play good baseball.”

Sheehan at least did his job, holding the Diamondbacks to three runs in 5⅓ innings. It was clear from the first at-bat that his pitch count could limit how deep he pitched into the game. Sheehan won a 14-pitch battle to strike out Ketel Marte.

The right-hander then struck out the side and was efficient enough to pitch into the sixth. He exited after his pitch count reached 101.

Continue reading here

Dodgers box score

MLB standings

World Cup: Seven reasons the U.S team always loses

From Kevin Baxter: Before this summer’s World Cup, FIFA asked the 48 participating teams to provide a list of songs to be played during warmups and goal celebrations and, if appropriate, after victories. On the U.S. list was John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” which quickly became the anthem of the team’s run through the tournament.

A more appropriate choice would have been the Buzzcocks’ “Sixteen Again,” because once again that’s where the Americans’ World Cup ended.

In the round of 16. Again.

This was supposed to be the year the U.S. broke through. With a roster full of players from major European teams and 13 who were World Cup veterans, a lack of quality and experience no longer were valid excuses.

And that should force U.S. Soccer into a major, systemic evaluation of what went wrong and how it can be fixed.

Continue reading here

How VAR, a system designed to correct errors, became this World Cup’s biggest villain

News Analysis: Mexico wins back fans but is still searching for ways to pass familiar World Cup wall

World Cup semifinals schedule

All times Pacific
All games on Fox and Telemundo

Tuesday
France vs. Spain, noon

Wednesday
England vs. Argentina, noon

Third-place match

Saturday, 2 p.m.

Championship match

Sunday, noon

Sparks fire their general manager

From Iliana Limón Romero and Marisa Ingemi: The Sparks’ ownership made a major shift in direction on Sunday, firing general manager Raegan Pebley amid a lackluster season that has the team just below the WNBA playoff cutoff line and far from the title-contending form Pebley promised.

Assistant general managers Zach Knowlton and Nate Nielsen will split interim GM duties, the team announced.

“We are grateful to Raegan for her leadership and commitment to the Los Angeles Sparks and women’s basketball,” Sparks managing partner and governor Eric Holoman said in a statement. “Her work on the Sparks roster and player experience will have a lasting positive impact on our organization. We sincerely thank her for all she has invested in the Sparks and wish her success in her next chapter.”

The Sparks (10-11) sit in ninth place in the WNBA standings, one removed from the last playoff spot. The team is coming off back-to-back wins over the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever, which followed a three-game losing streak.

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Dearica Hamby’s relentless effort and loyalty helped her retain key role with Sparks

Angels lose to Rangers

Trevor Larnach homered and drove in two runs, Ryan Jeffers added a two-run double, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Angels 4-2 on Sunday and head into the All-Star break with eight wins in their last nine games.

Larnach’s single in the third inning scored Luke Keaschall, tying the score at 1. Jeffers followed with a double that knocked in Ryan Kreidler and Larnach for a 3-1 lead.

Larnach added a 405-foot homer to right in the eighth inning, his seventh of the season, as the Twins (48-49) won their fifth straight series.

Josh Lowe and Denzer Guzman hit solo home runs for the Angels (38-59), who dropped their fourth straight series. Lowe’s eighth of the season came in the second inning, and Guzman added his fourth in the seventh inning.

Continue reading here

Shaikin: Angels could’ve picked any pitcher in America last year. Their pick Tyler Bremner endures

Angels box score

MLB standings

Jannik Sinner wins Wimbledon men’s title

Jannik Sinner is starting to make a habit of responding to adversity in Paris with titles at Wimbledon.

The top-ranked Sinner beat Alexander Zverev 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-4 Sunday for his second consecutive title at the All England Club after his German opponent appeared bothered by a knee injury following a slip to the grass on a key point in the third set.

Sinner’s fifth Grand Slam title came in his first tournament since a second-round meltdown at the French Open, when he wilted in a Paris heat wave.

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This day in sports history

1881 — William Renshaw sets the record for the shortest men’s championship match by time and games by beating John T. Hartley 6-0, 6-1, 6-1 in 37 minutes at Wimbledon.

1941 — The PGA tournament is won by Vic Ghezzi with a 1-up 38-hole victory over Byron Nelson at Cherry Hills CC Denver

1968 — Gary Player wins the British Open by two strokes over Bob Charles and Jack Nicklaus. It’s the second Open championship for Player and his fifth major title.

1972 — Robert Irsay buys the stock of the Rams for $19 million and swaps the franchise for the Baltimore Colts. The players and coaches are not affected.

1980 — Amy Alcott shoots a record score of 280 to win the U.S. Women’s Open by nine strokes over Hollis Stacy.

1994 — Tonya Harding’s ex-husband Jeff Gillooly is sentenced to two years in prison for attack on American Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan.

1996 — Cigar matches Citation’s modern North American record of 16 consecutive wins, pulling away to take the $1.05 million Arlington Citation Challenge by 3½ lengths.

1997 — Alison Nicholas holds off Nancy Lopez for a one-stroke victory in the U.S. Women’s Open. Nicholas shoots a 72-hole total of 10-under 274, the most under par in the 52-year history of the event.

2003 — Beth Daniel becomes the oldest winner in LPGA Tour history, birdying the final two holes to beat Juli Inkster by a stroke in the Canadian Women’s Open. At 46 years, 8 months and 29 days, Daniel breaks the age record set by JoAnne Carner in 1985.

2011 — Abby Wambach breaks a tense tie with a thunderous header in the 79th minute, and the United States earns its first trip to the Women’s World Cup final since winning it in 1999 with a 3-1 victory over France. Japan upsets Sweden 3-1 in the other semifinal.

2014 — Mo Martin hits the best shot of her life to become a major champion in the Women’s British Open. Martin hit a 3-wood that hit the pin on the par-5 closing hole at Royal Birkdale, settling 6 feet for an eagle. Martin closes with an even-par 72 and finishes at 1-under 287 for a one-shot win over Inbee Park and Shanshan Feng.

2014 — Mario Goetze volleys in the winning goal in extra time to give Germany its fourth World Cup title with a 1-0 victory over Argentina.

2017 — Venus Williams reaches her ninth Wimbledon final and first since 2009, turning in her latest display of gutsy serving to beat Johanna Konta 6-4, 6-2. At 37, Williams becomes the oldest finalist at the All England Club since Martina Navratilova was the 1994 runner-up at that age. She also stops Konta’s bid to become the first woman from Britain in 40 years to win Wimbledon. In the opening semifinal, Garbine Muguruza overwhelms Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia 6-1, 6-1 in just over an hour.

2019 — Wimbledon Women’s Tennis: Simona Halep beats Serena Williams 6-2, 6-2 in just 55 minutes; first Romanian to win a Wimbledon singles title.

Compiled by the Associated Press

This day in baseball history

1896 — Philadelphia’s Ed Delahanty hit four home runs in a losing effort, a 9-8 loss to Chicago.

1934 — Babe Ruth hit his 700th home run in a 4-2 victory over Tommy Bridges and the Detroit Tigers. Lou Gehrig left in the first with a severe case of lumbago, the most serious threat to his streak. He returned for one at bat the next day.

1943 — The first night game in All-Star history, at Philadelphia’s Shibe Park, went to the AL, 5-3, despite a single, triple and home run by NL center fielder Vince DiMaggio of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The big blow was a three-run homer by Bobby Doerr of the Boston Red Sox, which gave the AL the lead for good.

1945 — Chicago’s Pat Seerey hit three home runs, a triple and drove in eight runs to lead the White Sox in a 16-4 win over New York at Yankee Stadium.

1954 — Pitcher Dean Stone did not retire a batter but received credit for the AL’s 11-9 All-Star victory at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium. Red Schoendienst tried to steal a run for the NL after Stone was summoned in the eighth inning, but the pitcher’s throw to the plate nailed the runner for the third out.

1963 — Early Wynn, at 43, registered his 300th and last victory, pitching the first five innings of Cleveland’s 7-4 triumph over the Kansas City A’s.

1965 — The NL took the lead over the AL for the first time since the All-Star series began, winning 6-5 at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minn.

1971 — Reggie Jackson’s mammoth home run off the power generator on the right-field roof at Tiger Stadium highlighted a barrage of six homers — three by each team — as the AL beat the NL 6-4 in the All-Star game.

1982 — The NL registered its 11th consecutive All-Star victory over the AL with a 4-1 victory at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, the first All-Star game played outside the United States. Dave Concepcion’s two-run homer off Dennis Eckersley in the second inning was the deciding hit.

1993 — Minnesota’s Kirby Puckett homered and doubled to win the MVP award in the AL’s 9-3 victory in the All-Star game at Camden Yards in Baltimore.

1999 — Boston’s Pedro Martinez pitched himself into the All-Star game record book, becoming the first to strike out the first four hitters in an All-Star game, fanning Barry Larkin, Larry Walker and Sammy Sosa in the first inning, and Mark McGwire to start the second. Martinez struck out five in the first two innings — tying an American League record — to lead the AL to a 4-1 victory over the National League.

2010 — Brian McCann’s three-run double in the seventh inning provided the NL all the offense it needed to capture its first Midsummer Classic since 1996 with a 3-1 victory.

2013 — Tim Lincecum threw the second no-hitter in 11 days, a gem saved by a spectacular diving catch by right fielder Hunter Pence in the San Francisco Giants’ 9-0 win against the last-place San Diego Padres. Lincecum, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, was the loser when Cincinnati’s Homer Bailey no-hit the Giants on July 2.

2014 — Madison Bumgarner became the first pitcher in 48 years to hit two grand slams in a season, and Buster Posey also hit a slam that boosted San Francisco to an 8-4 win over Arizona.

2021 — The American League wins the 91st All-Star game with a 5-2 win over the National League for their eighth straight win.

2022 — The Blue Jays, who had entered the season with sky-high expectations, fire manager Charlie Montoyo after the team has lost eight of its last ten games and is now barely ahead of the fifth-place Orioles. Bench coach John Schneider takes over as manager on an interim basis, and Casey Candaele is promoted from triple-A Buffalo to step into the breach left by Schneider on the coaching staff.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinals are set to start, with France taking on Spain and defending champion Argentina facing England.

World Cup co-hosts U.S., Canada and Mexico will be watching from the sideline after being eliminated in the round of 16.

Here’s everything you need to know about the two World Cup matches being played Tuesday and Wednesday (all times Pacific).

Tuesday’s semifinal

France vs. Spain

France star Kylian Mbappe controls the ball during a World Cup quarterfinal win over Morocco on July 9.

(Lars Baron / Getty Images)

Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Time: Noon
TV: Fox, Telemundo | Streaming: Fox One, Peacock

The buzz: This game would be far better suited as a final than a semifinal. Both are unbeaten — in fact, Spain is unbeaten in its last 36 games, one shy of the all-time record. For France, a win would put it in the final for a third straight World Cup while Spain is hoping to get back for the first time since 2010, when it won its only title. The teams got here in different ways. Spain has walked a razor’s edge, giving up just a single goal in the tournament and winning its last two games on late goals from substitute Mikel Merino. France has bludgeoned the opposition, scoring 16 goals while conceding just two. Kylian Mbappé has scored eight times and has 20 goals in 20 World Cup games, leaving him one back of Lionel Messi’s all-time record. It seems unjust that one of these teams will finish its World Cup in the third-place game.

Wednesday’s semifinal

England vs. Argentina

England’s (from left to right) Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Morgan Rogers celebrate after defeating Norway in the World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday.

(Julio Cortez / Associated Press)

Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Time: Noon
TV: Fox, Telemundo | Streaming: Fox One, Peacock

The buzz: Both teams are unbeaten and each survived scares in the quarterfinals, with England outlasting Norway in extra time in brutal weather in Miami and Argentina beating Switzerland in extra time in Kansas City. Jude Bellingham had a brace in each of England’s last two games to match teammate Harry Kane’s six goals in the tournament. Bellingham is the first player to score at least two goals in consecutive World Cup knockout matches since Diego Maradona in 1986. Argentina, the reigning champion, is unbeaten in its last 12 World Cup games, but four of its last six knockout-stage games have gone to extra time or penalties. Argentina has gotten eight goals and two assists from Messi in this World Cup.

I’d definitely rather be playing Argentina than the Swiss and I reckon Thomas Tuchel and the England players will be absolutely delighted too – they will think they can get at Argentina.

In wide areas, Argentina looked vulnerable. Nahuel Molina, who started at right-back, was given a torrid time by Dan Ndoye, who ended up scoring.

Molina got hooked in the end but, whether it is him or Gonzalo Montiel who starts against England, they will have their hands full with Anthony Gordon.

Similarly, whether it is Noni Madueke or Bukayo Saka on the right, I think they will have the better of Argentina left-back Nicolas Tagliafico in one-on-one duels too.

And, in the centre of their defence, Lisandro Martinez has made mistake after mistake in this tournament. He has got another rick in him, I’m sure of that.

The way Argentina set-up, they overload the middle of the pitch and play really narrow, then try to get Messi on the ball and hope he can produce something.

I know it is easy to say ‘you stop Messi, you stop Argentina’ but watching them, that was literally the case. Apart from Messi they are hoping Julian Alvarez bends one in from 25 yards rather than playing through teams.

Alvarez is usually in midfield but he played slightly differently against Switzerland, and was the one trying to stretch their backline. If he wasn’t doing it, no-one else was.

Messi certainly isn’t going to be making those runs and he was really quiet for long periods against the Swiss, but once they were down to 10 men he was probing and looking more of a threat.

If Declan Rice is fit, then it will be his job to deal with him. The Swiss realised you could not give Messi an inch and Granit Xhaka was brilliant at that.

Messi will still be dangerous but he is 39 now and, as long as Tuchel has a plan to stop him drifting into space, I think England will have enough quality everywhere else to win.

Look, it will be a brilliant tie because of all the history between the two countries at World Cups, with the Diego Maradona handball and the David Beckham red card.

The previous meetings have been pretty feisty, and I am expecting more of the same here.

I would not be surprised to see some antics from the Argentina players because they love that side of it. They will be happy if it turns into that kind of game, where things get a bit wild and England players might lose their heads.

But, if they can keep their cool, I am expecting England to win comfortably – and my other prediction is for Argentina to finish the game with nine men.

Messi has never played against England, and maybe he will make his mark, but England have got their own superstar now in Jude Bellingham.

His first goal against Norway was sensational, with his power, poise and the finish. He is absolutely flying at the moment and if it comes down to one player deciding this game, it is likely to be him.

Sutton’s prediction: 3-1

AI’s prediction: 1-2

Dodgers utility player Kiké Hernández confirmed Friday what he posted as a comment on Instagram: he won’t be going to the White House on July 23, when President Trump will honor the team for its 2025 World Series championship.

Instead, Hernández (strained left oblique) is scheduled to be on a minor-league rehab assignment.

“It’s going to be hard to be in two cities at the same time,” Hernández said. “If I was active, I probably wouldn’t have gone anyways.”

Why?

“I’d rather take a day off than do team activities,” he said.

Last year, Hernández expressed his support for immigrants in Los Angeles on social media amid ICE raids authorized by the Trump administration.

The White House visit will be on a day off in the middle of a nine-game East Coast trip.

“I’m sure a lot of guys are going to participate and be there, and this is an individual choice,” Roberts said. “But I do expect a lot of our guys to be there.”

Scheduling conflicts when the Dodgers played the Nationals in Washington on April 3-5 pushed back the trip.

“This took a long time to get both sides together, and, honestly, like I’ve always said, my company line, my personal line is I hope that we get this invitation every year,” Dodgers manager Roberts said. “Because that’s the goal: to win a championship, to get this invitation to the White House. And I’m not a politician, and I’m doing something that teams have done for decades. And so that’s where I stand, really. I’m a baseball coach. That’s what I do.”

Back in 2019, Roberts suggested that he might not accept an invitation to the White House with Trump in office. But he did attend last year when the Dodgers celebrated their 2024 title.

Roberts said the Dodgers found out earlier this week that the White House visit had been scheduled.

“There was a lot of unknown,” Roberts said. “It’s an off day, and then how could we work this out logistically?”

That set off “a lot of phone calls, texts, and communication internally.”

Hernández’s injury rehab has moved along more quickly than Roberts initially expected. He landed on the injury list in late May after playing in just two games following offseason surgery on his left elbow.

“He looks normal,” Roberts said last weekend. “I’m not saying miraculous, but I’m really in disbelief how well he responded, given the injury.”

England are not alone in covering vast distances.

Spain have logged more than 12,000 miles, while Switzerland exceeded 10,000 thanks to what the Swiss Football Association described as “venue hopping” across North America.

Morocco repeatedly returned to their New Jersey base despite fixtures taking them to Boston, Atlanta, Monterrey and Houston before eventually bowing out to France in the quarter-finals.

Belgium’s decision to base themselves in Renton, Washington, kept travel to about 4,000 miles before their exit against Spain.

France’s tally is one of the lowest of any nation at the tournament – with a total below even several teams eliminated after only three group matches.

Long-distance travel is nothing new at the World Cup. Brazil in 2014, Russia in 2018 and even South Africa in 2010 all required teams to cover significant distances.

The first 48-team World Cup, however, has presented a different challenge. With matches staged across three host nations and 16 cities, some teams have spent weeks shuttling back and forth across North America, while others have remained largely within the same region.

England’s route illustrates that contrast better than most. Their journey has already exceeded the total distance of countries at other tournaments.

Welcome to our Who am I? game.

The rules are simple. Each day there’s a new footballer and the challenge is to guess who they are in as few attempts as possible.

After each wrong guess you unlock a new clue. Guess the answer after as few clues as possible to score more points.

Three is a good score, four or five points is exceptional.

So take part and return for more tomorrow.

Today’s player and clues set by BBC Sport’s Adam Millington.

After more quizzes? Go to our dedicated Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes pages and sign up for notifications to get the latest quizzes sent straight to your device.

Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski, caught in limbo for the last week, didn’t make any plans for the All-Star break.

Good thing because on Saturday morning, manager Dave Roberts called to tell him he was added to the National League All-Star Game roster as a replacement player.

“I was actually playing nine holes this morning, just a normal day,” Wrobleski said. “And Doc called me, and [I] actually missed the first call.”

But when Wrobleski called back later, he thanked Roberts for how much the manager lobbied for him to be an All-Star. Then the left-hander called his mom and picked up a call from his dad.

“Everybody’s excited,” Wrobleski said. “I’m excited too. So everybody had good reactions. The team was excited for me. Had a bunch of friends reach out, a bunch of family reach out. Just great.”

A week after being snubbed from the initial All-Star rosters, Wrobleski will replace Reds right-hander Chase Burns.

“I was not happy that I wasn’t going to be a part of it,” Wrobleski said. “And obviously, getting the news that I’m going to be able to go there and do it, it’s super exciting. Wide range of emotions.”

Wrobleski is the sixth Dodger to be named a 2026 All-Star, joining Shohei Ohtani (who won’t be attending), Yoshinobu Yamamoto (also not playing), Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy and Andy Pages.

This is Wrobleski’s first All-Star selection, in his first full season in the Dodgers rotation. His 2.69 ERA ranked No. 8 among qualified NL pitchers entering Saturday. And his 10 wins was tied for No. 2.

“I was elated,” Roberts said. “The game honors you and today the game honored Justin.”

Wrobleski began the season in the bullpen, waiting to join the rotation as its sixth pitcher after the first turn. He and Yamamoto have carried the brunt of the workload for the Dodgers’ rotation over the first half of the season, consistently pitching deep into games.

“I haven’t really had the chance to think about everything yet,” Wrobleski said about his season. “But I’m sure this offseason or whenever, it’s going to hit me.

“It’s super cool. I’m super excited. I’m super lucky and blessed to just have the chance that I’ve gotten this year. And thankfully I’ve thrown the ball well.”

Yamamoto not pitching in All-Star Game

With Yamamoto making his last start before the All-Star break on Saturday, it seemed unlikely he would pitch in the All-Star Game. Roberts made that official on Saturday.

“He’ll get a week off,” Roberts said, noting that he believes the two-time All-Star still plans to travel to Philadelphia for the event.

Díaz on rehab assignment

In a promising sign for Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz’s recovery timeline, he is scheduled to make a rehab assignment with single-A Ontario on Saturday. Díaz made just seven appearances for the Dodgers before undergoing an operation to remove loose bodies from his right elbow in late April.

Blake Snell, who also had loose bodies removed from his pitching elbow, progressed to throwing live batting practice on Saturday.

Roster moves

The Dodgers made a series of moves to add a fresh arm to the bullpen before Saturday’s game.

They reinstated pitcher Landon Knack from the injured list (strained oblique). In a pair of corresponding moves, the Dodgers optioned pitcher Kyle Hurt to triple-A Oklahoma City and designated pitcher Charlie Barnes for assignment.

MLB draft

With their first pick of the MLB draft, No. 40 overall, the Dodgers selected infielder Bo Lowrance out of Christ Church Episcopal School in Greenville, S.C.

“We are ecstatic about landing Bo Lowrance,” Dodgers’ amateur scouting director Zach Fitzpatrick said in a statement. “He was our main target. Bo has the size, the swing, the projection and the drive to be a high-level Major League shortstop.”

The Dodgers only had two picks Saturday. They selected right-handed pitcher Russell Sandefer out of the University of Florida with the 132nd pick.

The draft continues Sunday with rounds five through 20.

The Sparks’ ownership made a major shift in direction on Sunday, firing general manager Raegan Pebley amid a lackluster season that has the team just below the WNBA playoff cutoff line and far from the title-contending form Pebley promised.

Assistant general managers Zach Knowlton and Nate Nielsen will split interim GM duties, the team announced.

“We are grateful to Raegan for her leadership and commitment to the Los Angeles Sparks and women’s basketball,” Sparks managing partner and governor Eric Holoman said in a statement. “Her work on the Sparks roster and player experience will have a lasting positive impact on our organization. We sincerely thank her for all she has invested in the Sparks and wish her success in her next chapter.”

The Sparks (10-11) sit in ninth place in the WNBA standings, one removed from the last playoff spot. The team is coming off back-to-back wins over the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever, which followed a three-game losing streak.

“There is a united vision from ownership to leadership, and then I think it’s discipline,” Pebley told The Times in an interview before Friday’s game. “I think you can make a lot of mistakes if you use recency bias, and if you become really reactionary. We want to respond to the things that we’re seeing that we want to grow in, but we don’t want to just demonstrate a lack of discipline and quickly react that way.”

The Sparks have won three WNBA titles, the most recent in 2016, but the franchise has not made the playoffs since 2020.

Leading scorer Kelsey Plum has missed two long stretches because of injuries, but the biggest headache for the team for much of the season has been its poor defense.

Under Pebley’s direction, the Sparks hired coach Lynne Roberts and acquired Plum and Nneka Ogwumike, a former most valuable player with the team. Roberts, however, had been the coach at the University of Utah and had no WNBA experience. Despite the team’s struggles, Pebley gave Roberts a vote of confidence on Friday.

Sparks general manager Raegan Pebley, left, speaks during a news conference introducing new guard Kelsey Plum, center. They are joined by Sparks coach Lynne Roberts.

(Ringo Chiu/For The Los Angeles Times)

“She has been all we were looking for and more,” Pebley said. “We wanted someone who had that emotional regulation; she stays neutral. I think the days of a tyrant head coach are over.”

The Sparks’ offseason personnel moves included trading popular first-round draft pick Rickea Jackson to make the roster older, one that Pebley said could better position the team for a title run.

“Loved having her here … she’ll be successful wherever she goes,” Pebley said of Jackson shortly after the trade. “But we’re focused on winning a championship and finding that fit and balance and getting all those pieces locked in with each other.”

Pebley’s other moves included trading the No. 2 pick in the 2025 draft, which became Seattle center Dominique Malonga, for Plum, and trading the Sparks’ first-round pick this year, which became third overall selection Awa Fam, for Kia Nurse and the No. 4 pick in 2024, which the Sparks used to select Jackson.

Instead of demonstrating marked improvement, the Sparks have struggled with consistency, at times showing their potential, as in a win at Las Vegas, a dramatic come-from-behind win against New York on the league’s 30th anniversary and a defensive shutdown of Fever guard Caitlin Clark last week.

With the trade deadline less than a month away, Pebley had expressed excitement about the return of Plum and Cameron Brink.

“Knowing those two are going to be added into a group that’s continued to be able to get better in their absence,” she said, “I think we have a right to be optimistic.”

The franchise found itself in the middle of some controversy with reports that the Sparks were among more than half the players in the league who did not complete their All-Star starter ballots. The ballots were emailed to players, but they reportedly did not see them in time to vote. Plum was not named a starter despite leading the WNBA in scoring at the time votes were cast, although it’s unclear whether full player participation would have altered a decision calculated by combining player, fan and media votes.

“That’s something we take responsibility for as an organization, and we’ll have a more robust process going forward,” the Sparks said in a statement.

Soon afterward, the Sparks’ director of communications left the team.

The Sparks hired Pebley in January 2024 to help the former WNBA champions break out of their playoff drought.

A third-round pick by the Utah Starzz in the WNBA’s inaugural 1997 draft, Pebley was the coach at Utah State (2005 to 2012) and Fresno State (2012 to 2014) before a nine-year stint at Texas Christian, where she led the Horned Frogs to four WNIT appearances in her first five years before stepping down in 2023 as TCU finished 8-23. She was a TV analyst for the Dallas Wings from 2016 to 2023.

LONDON — Jannik Sinner is starting to make a habit of responding to adversity in Paris with titles at Wimbledon.

The top-ranked Sinner beat Alexander Zverev 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-4 Sunday for his second consecutive title at the All England Club after his German opponent appeared bothered by a knee injury following a slip to the grass on a key point in the third set.

Sinner’s fifth Grand Slam title came in his first tournament since a second-round meltdown at the French Open, when he wilted in a Paris heat wave.

When Sinner ripped a forehand winner up the line on his first match point, the Italian dropped to the grass on his back in celebration.

Jannik Sinner celebrates after winning a point against Alexander Zverev during the men’s singles Wimbledon final in London on Sunday.

(Kin Cheung / Associated Press)

A year ago, Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz in the final at the All England Club after wasting three match points against his rival in the Roland Garros final.

It was Sinner’s 10th straight victory over Zverev, who was coming off his first Grand Slam title at the French Open.

Linda Noskova beat Karolina Muchova in an all-Czech women’s final on Saturday for her first Grand Slam title.

Prince William joined his wife Kate and two of their children for the final in a star-studded Royal Box that also included actors Dustin Hoffman, Nicole Kidman and Ben Stiller.

Zverev slips

The top two seeds appeared perfectly matched until Zverev earned his first break point of the match at 3-3 in the third set — 2 hours and 42 minutes in. Sinner produced a drop shot and Zverev slipped and appeared to hyperextend his right knee as he attempted to change directions behind the baseline.

Zverev grasped his knee in apparent discomfort and Sinner went around the net and helped his opponent up off the grass. Zverev quickly resumed playing but he appeared slightly hampered and slung his racket across the baseline in frustration when he missed a forehand and handed Sinner the first break of the match and a 5-3 lead in the third. Sinner then served it out.

Zverev had also lost 14 straight sets to Sinner and when he claimed the opening set of the final with a forehand winner up the line to conclude a tight tiebreaker, he let out a loud roar toward his box as he bent over in celebration.

Zverev continually cranked out serves at up to 139 mph, while Sinner produced a series of well-placed aces at a slightly lower speed.

But Sinner began to read Zverev’s serve better in the second-set tiebreaker and Zverev started to miss forehands.

Jannik Sinner kisses his trophy after defeating Alexander Zverev to win the men’s singles Wimbledon title in London on Sunday.

(Kirsty Wigglesworth / Ap Photo/kirsty Wigglesworth)

Paris meltdown

Amid stifling heat and humidity in Paris in late May, Sinner had his 30-match winning streak ended after coming within one game of a straight-set victory over Juan Manuel Cerundolo, who was ranked No. 56.

Conditions were cooler in southwest London for the final, with clear skies and a temperature of 82 degrees but it was also breezy — which led to a series of shanked shots from both players.

Sinner went in for medical exams in Milan after the Paris defeat and didn’t play an official match again until he arrived at Wimbledon, where he twice had to come back from a set down in a five-set marathon against Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round.

Sinner then didn’t drop a set the rest of the way until the final, having dominated against Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.

Despite the defeat in the final, Zverev will leapfrog Alcaraz into the No. 2 spot in the rankings on Monday.

Alcaraz missed both the French Open and Wimbledon this year because of a right wrist injury.

Women’s doubles

Kristina Mladenovic won a seventh career Grand Slam women’s doubles title by teaming up with Guo Hanyu to defeat Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani 6-3, 7-5 in the final Sunday.

Mladenovic has won the French Open doubles tournament four times and the Australian Open twice with different partners but lost her only previous Wimbledon final in 2014.

“It’s really a dream,” said the French player, who missed much of last year with an injury. “I definitely cannot believe what just happened now.”

Mattias Karén contributed to this report. Dampf and Karén write for the Associated Press.

MINNEAPOLIS — Trevor Larnach homered and drove in two runs, Ryan Jeffers added a two-run double, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Angels 4-2 on Sunday and head into the All-Star break with eight wins in their last nine games.

Larnach’s single in the third inning scored Luke Keaschall, tying the score at 1. Jeffers followed with a double that knocked in Ryan Kreidler and Larnach for a 3-1 lead.

Larnach added a 405-foot homer to right in the eighth inning, his seventh of the season, as the Twins (48-49) won their fifth straight series.

Minnesota starter Taj Bradley (9-3) worked seven innings, giving up six hits and two earned runs with six strikeouts and a pair of walks. Andrew Morris struck out two over the last two innings and earned his third save.

Josh Lowe and Denzer Guzman hit solo home runs for the Angels (38-59), who dropped their fourth straight series. Lowe’s eighth of the season came in the second inning, and Guzman added his fourth in the seventh inning.

José Soriano (8-6) gave up five hits, three earned runs and two walks in five innings.

Up next for Angels: Host the Detroit Tigers for a three-game series starting Friday.

Surrey were not in too bad a spot against Essex when they were 42-1 in the sixth over.

But the hosts slumped to 123 all out, with Matt Critchley the pick of the bowlers for Essex, taking 3-16 from four overs and only Josh Philippe (33) scoring more than 30.

Michael Pepper hit a fine unbeaten 71 for Essex, who made light work of the run chase, knocking it off inside 17 overs.

Defeat for Surrey means they finished second behind Hampshire and surrendered the opportunity of a home quarter-final.

Hilton Cartwright and Ben Mayes produced an excellent 112-run partnership in 10 overs to rescue already qualified Hampshire’s run chase and beat Sussex by four wickets.

Chasing 187, Cartwright hit 70 from just 31 balls and Mayes ended unbeaten on 55 as the Hawks recovered from 61-5 to seal victory off the penultimate ball of the match.

Dan Hughes had scored 55 and Charlie Tear finished 40 not out for Sussex but it was not enough as the Hove side finish bottom of the group with only three wins from their 12 games.

Victory for Hampshire guaranteed a home quarter-final.

Middlesex ended another disappointing campaign with a consolation 14-run victory in their dead rubber against Kent Spitfires at Canterbury.

Zafar Gohar grabbed 3-38, including the wicket of Zak Crawley (10), as the Spitfires fell short of their victory target after Ben Geddes had top-scored with 32 in the Middlesex effort of 172-6.

The Dodgers needed to turn things around Sunday to wrap up the first half on a high note. Manager Dave Roberts said as much the night before.

“When you give teams free bases, extra outs, it’s hard to win a game, regardless of the opponent,” he said. “Emmet [Sheehan] needs to go out there and throw the baseball well tomorrow. We’ve got to find a way to win a game tomorrow to feel somewhat better about going into the break.”

Instead, the Dodgers fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3, swept for the first time this season. It was Arizona’s first sweep at Dodger Stadium since September 2017.

Perhaps the break is coming at a good time.

“I guess,” Roberts said. “Gives guys a reset. … We’ve got some good teams coming up and we’ve got to play good baseball.”

Sheehan at least did his job, holding the Diamondbacks to three runs in 5⅓ innings. It was clear from the first at-bat that his pitch count could limit how deep he pitched into the game. Sheehan won a 14-pitch battle to strike out Ketel Marte.

The right-hander then struck out the side and was efficient enough to pitch into the sixth. He exited after his pitch count reached 101.

Max Muncy swings at a pitch in the seventh inning.

(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)

Shohei Ohtani sparked the offense with his ninth leadoff home run of the season — and 22nd overall — on a two-hit day. But he’ll get treatment this week instead of playing in the All-Star Game.

It wasn’t a clean defensive game for the Dodgers. In the midst of the Diamondbacks’ two-run fifth, All-Star center fielder Andy Pages tracked a long fly back to the wall but missed the catch as the ball bounced off his glove for an error.

In the sixth, the tying run scored when All-Star third baseman Max Muncy’s throw to the plate hit Geraldo Perdomo in the back as he ran home for another error.

“Just a slump,” Muncy said. “You go through slumps both offensively and defensively, mentally. It’s just one of those stretches for us right now, and I think everyone’s ready for the break.”

Regardless of some sloppiness, the Dodgers have had a successful season going into the break.

“Just flush it,” Roberts said. “We’re still in a really good spot. Don’t let it carry over to the second half.”

They have the best record in the majors (61-36) and an 11½-game lead in the National League West. They also had six players selected as All-Stars.

So, as Major League Baseball pauses play and honors some of the best performers in each league, now’s a good time to hand out our first-half awards.