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The retirement of Jack Mewhort on Wednesday brings into focus once again what a bad run of drafts the Colts had under former General Manager Ryan Grigson.

With Mewhort now done Trey Burton Jerseyl , the Colts have zero players from the 2013 draft or the 2014 draft left on their roster.

Here are all the players Grigson picked in those two years:

2013 first-round pick Bjorn Werner is now out of the NFL.

The Colts traded their 2013 second-round pick for Vontae Davis, who is now on the Bills.

2013 third-round pick Hugh Thornton is now out of the NFL.

2013 fourth-round pick Khaled Holmes is now out of the NFL.

2013 fifth-round pick Montori Hughes is now out of the NFL.

2013 sixth-round pick Josh Boyett is now out of the NFL.

2013 seventh-round pick Kerwynn Williams is now with the Chiefs.

2013 seventh-round pick Justice Cunningham is now out of the NFL.

The Colts traded their 2014 first-round pick for Trent Richardson Torry Holt Jersey , who is now out of the NFL.

2014 second-round pick Jack Mewhort retired yesterday.

2014 third-round pick Donte Moncrief is now with the Jaguars.

The Colts traded away their 2014 fourth-round pick to move up in the 2013 draft.

2014 fifth-round pick Jonathan Newsome is now in the Canadian Football League.

2014 sixth-round pick Andrew Jackson is now out of the NFL.

2014 seventh-round pick Ulrick John is now with the Patriots.

That’s the kind of ugly run of draft picks that can get a general manager fired.

Baltimore placed the outfielder on the restricted list after he told the club Tuesday he was leaving. Rasmus informed manager Buck Showalter of his decision prior to a game against the Phillies.

”Colby talked to me this afternoon and said he made the decision to go home and discontinue playing,” Showalter said. ”We’re going to honor that. Give him the privacy he’s due Kevin Zeitler Jersey , and hope everything is for the best. Wish him well, and we’ll see what the future brings.”

Rasmus was hitting .133 with one homer in 18 games this season after signing a one-year Matt Paradis Jersey , $3 million deal in the offseason. A 2005 first-round pick of the Cardinals, Rasmus left Tampa Bay in midseason last year after dealing with similar hip problems.

He hit his only homer on June 21 on the same day he was activated from the 60-day DL with a left hip flexor strain Kevin Johnson Jersey , but he was hitless in his last 11 at-bats.

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Anfernee Simons Jersey

The 41-year-old Green on Thursday pleaded no contest to criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct. Prosecutors amended the child-abuse charge to a nonabuse charge of damage to property.

Court documents show Green was arrested at his home in June after a report he had struck his daughter in the head. Green says in a statement he entered the plea to spare his daughter the emotional trauma of trial.

Green is the Packers' career rushing leader with 8 Ozzie Newsome Jersey ,322 yards.

At least this time, the defense came after the formula led his team to a victory.

Wilmer Font held the high-scoring Yankees in check and the Rays stopped New York 3-1 Sunday to avoid a four-game sweep.

”We’re doing everything we can (and) what we think is right to win games,” Cash said. ”When we win, yeah, we like it. When we lose, it’s grueling.”

In his third start of the season, Font turned in his best performance of the year in any role, allowing just one run in 4 2-3 innings with five strikeouts. The right-hander, who also has eight relief appearances Myles Garrett Jersey , matched a career-high with 74 pitches.

Tampa Bay, which has been hurt by injuries to its rotation, employed a reliever to open for the 15th time in 29 games. Entering the game, relievers working as starters had allowed 13 earned runs in 18 innings.

”Today he gave us a huge boost,” Cash said of the 28-year old right-hander. ”He probably got a little deeper in the game than what we even anticipated.”

Matt Duffy drove in two runs with a second-inning single for his first multi-RBI game in over a month. The infielder, who missed 2017 while undergoing two Achilles surgeries, is hitting .352 (25 for 71) with seven RBI over his last 18 contests.

”I typically don’t see CC too well,” Duffy said. ”That wasn’t the greatest pitch to hit, but when you’re going well Julius Peppers Jersey , those seem to fall.”

Carlos Gomez had an RBI double as Tampa Bay scored all three runs in the second against CC Sabathia (4-2). The left-hander pitched into the eighth inning for the first time this season and struck out 10 for just the second time since the start of 2014.

”I just tried to be really aggressive because they were aggressive,” Sabathia said.

Tampa Bay defeated New York for the first time this season. The Yankees opened the season with five straight wins, outscoring the Rays 31-10 over the games, and was trying for a four-game sweep. The Rays are 5-18 in their last 23 games at Yankee Stadium.

Chaz Roe (1-1) pitched two scoreless innings for the victory. Sergio Romo, who has also drawn five starts this season, closed for his third save in six chances.

Rookie Willy Adames singled to lead off the Rays second. Adeiny Hechavarria, who missed nearly a month with a strained hamstring, singled for the first of his three hits. Gomez doubled and Duffy delivered a two-out single.

Hechavarria also robbed rookie sensation Gleyber Torres of a base hit with dive and throw from shortstop in the seventh inning.

New York matched its lowest run total at home this season.

Aaron Judge and Didi Gregorius worked two-out walks against Jose Alvarado in the fifth, but the hard-throwing lefty struck out Giancarlo Stanton on four pitches.

In the eighth Randy Bullock Jersey , Diego Castillo struck out Gary Sanchez on three pitches to strand another runner.

Aaron Hicks homered off Font in the fifth – it was actually the second homer of the day. Hours earlier, the Yankees held their 72nd Old-Timers’ Day and Nick Swisher, making his debut with the former players, hit a long drive to right field.

Hall of Famers Whitey Ford and Reggie Jackson were joined by the likes of Don Larsen, Willie Randolph, Andy Pettitte and Jason Giambi. Current New York manager Aaron Boone also took part for the first time.

UP NEXT

Rays: Tampa Bay will start a reliever for the third consecutive day when RHP Ryne Stanek (1-1, 2.55 ERA) draws the start as the Rays open a three-game series at Houston. He’ll be opposed by RHP Gerrit Cole (8-1, 2.40 ERA).

Yankees: New York heads to Washington for a makeshift doubleheader Monday. The teams will resume a suspended game from May 15 before a traditional nine-inning game follows. With heavy rain falling, play was halted after 5 1-2 innings with the teams tied at 3. The teams were set to resume play Ramik Wilson Jersey , and their interleague series, one day later, but rain continued to fall and both events were postponed. Boone will turn to his bullpen to begin the day and RHP Sonny Gray (4-4, 4.96 ERA) takes the mound in game two.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: OF Brett Gardner (knee) was held out of the lineup with a little soreness.

The wide receiver position in fantasy football has been one of the more hotly debated topics in recent seasons. The depth at receiver and amount of consistent scoring led to the advent of the "zero running back" draft strategy.

Utilizing that approach Michael Gallup Jersey , you would refrain from selecting a running back in the early stages of your draft while loading up on the upper tier of receivers to bolster your roster. What we have seen recently in the NFL is more teams starting to employ balanced and traditional run-based attacks. This change in philosophy has thrown a wrench into fantasy drafts regarding wideouts. As we head into 2018, drafts are once again very running back heavy early on, pushing receivers that we are used to seeing in the first round back into the second round and beyond.

The top tier of WRs is made up of the very elite. Antonio Brown (Pittsburgh) could be considered in a class all his own, but inside this superstar group you also have players such as Houston's DeAndre Hopkins and Odell Beckham Jr. of the Giants. Brown has led receivers in scoring the last several seasons by a wide margin, but Hopkins and Beckham are two that could close the gap and have first round draft value.

The next grouping is made up of players that will likely be taken during the second round of drafts. Players like Michael Thomas (New Orleans) and Keenan Allen (Chargers) provide solid floors but have the intrigue of an insanely high ceiling as well. Atlanta's Julio Jones and Cincinnati's A.J. Green are stars from previous seasons, but is their time beginning to come to an end? Possibly, but they are still safe enough bets to bring you WR1 production. Davante Adams of Green Bay is the wild card among this group. Playing with Aaron Rodgers vaults his value and the touchdown production is there.

From Mike Evans (Tampa Bay) down to Golden Tate (Detroit), you'll find players in the next range during Rounds 3 and 4 that can give you a mix of points-per-reception (PPR) league value as well as touchdown scoring in standard leagues. T.Y. Hilton of Indianapolis and Denver's Demaryius Thomas find themselves back in this conversation as their quarterback situations have greatly improved from a year ago. Vikings receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs could have even better years in 2018 with the arrival of Kirk Cousins.

You have injury concerns with players like Allen Robinson (Chicago) and Alshon Jeffrey (Philadelphia). Players like Browns wideout Jarvis Landry, Rams receiver Brandin Cooks and Baltimore's Michael Crabtree find themselves in new homes in hopes of making a significant fantasy impact. The potential is there for each of them, but they could struggle at times. Players in this grouping are being drafted between Rounds 5 and 6 Pat McAfee Jersey , a point where you certainly need the value but you can also swing for a bit of upside as well.

In the next tier, you start to see players that will be flex options or even matchup plays in given weeks. You have the upside of players like Corey Davis (Tennessee), Chris Hogan (New England) and Sammy Watkins (Kansas City). But even those receivers come with questions and concerns. Can they avoid the inconsistencies that have plagued them in previous seasons? Other players in this group have been disappointments. Those names include Randall Cobb (Green Bay), Devin Funchess (Carolina) and DeVante Parker (Miami). With WRs in this range, just know there will be weeks of poor play. But they can also give you matchup-winning performances if started in the right scenario.

Sterling Shepard of the Giants, Miami's Kenny Stills and Buffalo's Kelvin Benjamin are players that can provide safe floors in production but rarely have huge games that get you excited to put them in your lineups. Will Fuller of Houston and Nelson Agholor of Philadelphia are complete wild cards. They can both have big games or disappear for weeks at a time. Jordy Nelson (Oakland), Allen Hurns (Dallas) and Marqise Lee (Jacksonville) are players that don't jump off the page. They could be worthy of flex consideration but most likely they will be bench guys for you with matchup plays in mind.

As you get into the double digit rounds, you can find the player that is getting undervalued that hits and becomes a weekly staple for you, leading to wins. You will start to see the rookies really come off the board later with a lot of talk surrounding WRs like Anthony Miller of Chicago, Denver's Courtland Sutton and Pittsburgh's James Washington in the preseason. The hype surrounding these rookies will greatly affect their average draft position Justin Simmons Jersey , so if you like the player be prepared to jump earlier than usual.

The names you will see as you finish your draft off won't give you that tingly feeling, but they will be quality receivers that can provide depth on your bench. Some may catch fire and find themselves firmly implanted in your lineup rotation, others could fall flat. The good thing is that you don't waste much value in these later rounds, making these receivers expendable if they aren't up to par.

Ultimately, you may keep hearing about how the wide receiver position is deep. Don't buy into that. This position is very top-heavy with upper echelon players and can quickly fall off as you go through your draft. The best fantasy owner is one that isn't fazed by curve balls being thrown their way during a draft. They are fully prepared for what comes, either good or bad.

ROTOEXPERTS TOP 15 WR

Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers

DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans

Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints

Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants

Keenan Allen Cedric Ogbuehi Jersey , Los Angeles Chargers

Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers

Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals

Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons

Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks

T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts

Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings

A.J. Gre

A hall of fame mixed martial arts fighter visited the Browns during their offseason work.

Chuck Liddell, the former UFC light heavyweight champion, talked to the Browns at their facility about the competitive mindset of a champion fighter.

“If they take one lesson out of this A. J. Cann Jersey , they need to break the guy in front of them. If they keep that in mind the whole game, it’s gonna change,” Liddell said.

Browns coach Hue Jackson said he thinks it’s helpful to have insights from athletes in other sports.

“I wanted to do something different for our players. I wanted them to experience something different,” Jackson said. “It’s a different type of sport but there are some common traits in both sports and I think it’s always important to be looking for something different to improve your football team.”

The Browns have been getting knocked out a lot in recent years, but perhaps a fighter’s mentality will help to change that.

11. MIAMI DOLPHINS (6-10)

LAST SEASON: Dolphins missed playoffs for eighth time in nine seasons DeMarcus Ware Jersey , and backslid in Year 2 under coach Adam Gase, leaving regime at crossroads in 2018. Miami was wildly inconsistent, undisciplined team last year, and Gase addressed issue in reshaping roster this offseason. Questions arose regarding leadership of defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and receiver Jarvis Landry, and both are gone. Defensive end Robert Quinn and receiver Danny Amendola among veteran newcomers. Gase may have improved locker room culture, but few see net gain in talent, which magnifies importance of draft. Owner Stephen Ross opted for stability at top after last season, and Gase George Iloka Jersey , executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum and general manager Chris Grier are backs.

THEY NEED: LB, TE, G, DT, QB, CB, RB.

THEY DON'T NEED: DE, WR Derek Newton Jersey , S.

POSSIBLE FIRST PICK: QB Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma; QB Lamar Jackson, Louisville; LB Roquan Smith, Georgia; LB Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech; DT Vita Vea, Washington.

OUTLOOK: Dolphins have numerous glaring needs, including vacant starting spots at outside linebacker and tight end. However, Gase wants to draft quarterback to groom as Ryan Tannehill's eventual successor Darren Fells Jersey , and question is whether they'll devote their first-round pick to position, which would likely require trading up. With Tannehill entrenched for 2018, adding rookie QB would be done with long term in mind. But 77-year-old Ross is eager to win now, and worries about job security may tempt draft decision makers Gase, Tannenbaum and Grier to make picks that pay quicker dividends.

The 6-foot, 246-pound Moats has played eight seasons with Buffalo and Pittsburgh. He played in 14 games with the Steelers last season.

The 31-year-old lineman has played in 121 games, 45 as a starter Jeremy Vujnovich Jersey , with 191 tackles, 16 1-2 sacks, four fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles and 37 special teams tackles.

The 6-foot-2, 260-pound Smith played three seasons for Tampa Bay from 2013-17 and part of last season with Detroit. The 28-year old Smith has played in 31 games with 40 tackles, 13 1-2 sacks, four forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.

The Cardinals also waived/injured defensive end Praise Martin-Oguike.

Yonder Alonso homered twice LeGarrette Blount Jersey , Carrasco pitched into the seventh inning, and the Cleveland Indians scored in each of the last five innings in a 16-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night.

Alonso’s two-run home run in the fifth inning highlighted a six-run outburst that broke a scoreless tie. His second, a solo homer and 15th of the season, came in the seventh.

Colon (5-8) failed in his third bid to record his 246th career win and break a tie with Dennis Martinez for the most career wins for a major league pitcher born in Latin America. He allowed five runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.

”Cruise through four, and then it seemed like he lost feel for the fastball,” Texas manager Jeff Banister said of Colon, whose first 75 big-league wins came with Cleveland 1997-2002. ”Everything was up middle, and they didn’t miss.”

Carrasco (12-5) gave up two runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings to tie teammate Corey Kluber and four others for second place in the majors in wins, two behind Luis Severino of the New York Yankees. One win came in relief Antonio Morrison Jersey , last Sunday against the Yankees on the day before the All-Star break.

Carrasco took a shutout into a seventh before giving up a two-run homer to Adrian Beltre. He struck out eight and walked one.

”If you don’t see any runs, just keep throwing zeroes,” Carrasco said. ”That’s pretty much what we did in the game.”

EXTREME HEAT? NO SWEAT

The first-pitch temperature of 107 degrees fell one degree short for the second consecutive night of this season’s major league high. When the Los Angeles Angels hosted the Dodgers on July 7, it was 108 degrees at first pitch.

Right-hander Mike Clevenger, Cleveland’s scheduled starter for Sunday afternoon’s series finale, said he made a rehab start in Arizona with the temperature at 128 degrees.

Clevenger adjusted his diet late last week with more carbohydrates and fruit in anticipation of Sunday’s heat, and will take an IV early in the day.

”I think that puts me in a good spot,” he said.

TAKING FOUR (INNINGS) FOR THE TEAM

Alonzo’s homers and one by Tyler Naquin came off Austin Bibens-Dirkx, who was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock earlier in the day. Bibens-Dirkx pitched four innings and allowed 11 runs in relief Demaryius Thomas Jersey , a club record, and 13 hits. He threw 87 pitches, 14 more than Colon.

”You’ve got to tip your hat to him,” Banister said of Bibens-Dirkx, who was lifted with two outs in the ninth and two on. ”It’s not pretty, but he understands what the situation was.”

CHOO FINALLY KEPT OFF BASE

Shin-Soo Choo went 0 for 4 to end his 52-game on-base streak. That stretch tied Kevin Millar’s streak in 2007 as the longest since Orlando Cabrera’s 63-game streak in 2006.

”I’m very excited about what I did,” Choo said.

SHORT HOPS

Cleveland 3B Jose Ramirez singled and tripled for his 39th multi-hit game, tying him with Boston’s J.D. Martinez and Atlanta’s Nick Markakis for the major league lead. … Indians RF Melky Cabrera had two doubles and a single in his first major league game since June 13. … Cleveland LHP Ryan Merritt, who had a memorable start in the 2016 ALCS Jonathan Bullard Jersey , cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Columbus. … Texas optioned RHP Ricardo Rodriguez to Round Rock.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: OF Bradley Zimmer (right shoulder), sidelined since mid-June, will miss another 8-12 months following arthroscopic surgery Friday in Dallas.

Rangers: LHP Alex Claudio (left-ankle sprain) was activated off the 10-day disabled list.

UP NEXT

Indians: Clevenger (7-5, 3.47) has the American League’s fifth-best road ERA (2.61), going 4-2.

Rangers: RHP Yovani Gallardo (3-1, 8.60) equaled a season high by allowing six earned runs in his previous start, an 8-4 loss at Boston on July 10.

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Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said on Sunday that he thinks it is unlikely that center Pat Elflein will remain on the physically unable to perform list into the regular season, but he won’t practice this week and it is unclear if he’ll be ready to go when the regular season starts after dealing with ankle and shoulder injuries this offseason.

On Sunday, the team made a move to increase their interior offensive line depth in the event Elflein isn’t ready to play. They traded an undisclosed 2019 draft pick to the Giants for Brett Jones.

Jones started 12 games at center for the Giants after Weston Richburg was injured last season Graham Glasgow Jersey , but fell behind Jon Halapio this year as the team rebuilt their offensive line under new head coach Pat Shurmur. Jones, who is set to make $2.9 million this season and has also played guard, came to the NFL in 2015 after two years in the CFL.

Cornelius Edison had been playing in place of Elflein this summer, but Sunday’s trade will presumably make Jones the favorite to fill in until Elflein’s ready to go.

Visits to team headquarters are part of the norm before the regular NFL Draft. When they happen before the supplemental draft Ndamukong Suh Jersey , it’s more unique. Also, it’s June.

According to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander will meet with seven teams after his pro day tomorrow, and will then visit at least one team. A reported 26 teams will attend his pro day.

There’s no mention of the team in question, which makes this perhaps the first ever appearance of free agency favorite #MysteryTeam in conjunction with the supplemental draft.

Alexander played three seasons at Virginia Tech before he was dismissed for academic reasons.

No players have been chosen in the supplemental draft since 2015.

Now, ”small ball” has a new meaning. This homer-happy era of baseball is proving that big sluggers can be found in in tiny packages.

Consider some of the guys in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game: Jose Ramirez, all 5-foot-9 and 165 pounds of him, whose 29 homers at the break are tied for the AL lead. Mookie Betts, also 5-foot-9 Marshall Faulk Jersey , has 23 long balls and hit 31 last season. Ozzie Albies, who at age 21 could maybe hope for a late growth spurt, is 5-foot-8 and has 20 homers.

And of course there’s the best inch-for-inch hitter in baseball, 5-foot-6 Jose Altuve, the three-time batting champion who’s gone deep nine times this year but hit 24 homers in each of the past two seasons.

”You look around this room, it’s not just big guys. It’s guys of all sizes,” said first-time All-Star Alex Bregman, who’s listed at 6 feet, 180 pounds and has 20 homers. ”What you see are ballplayers. You don’t have to be big to be a ballplayer. You have to have the skills.”

And their skills are holding up just fine against giants like Aaron Judge (6-foot-7, 282 pounds, 25 homers) Nate Orchard Jersey , J.D. Martinez (6-foot-3, 220 pounds, 29 homers), Jesus Aguilar (6-foot-3, 250 pounds, 24 homers) and the consensus best hitter in the game with the ideal body type to match, Mike Trout (6-foot-2, 235 pounds, 25 homers).

Altuve credits hitters who understand how to maximize their physical tools.

”In Mookie, I see quick hands and a really good lower body, hitting-wise DaeSean Hamilton Jersey , and I can see why he hits a lot of home runs,” Altuve said. ”I would say it’s more technique than strength now for hitting homers.”

Justin Verlander knows he can’t relax when he’s on the mound against a player like Altuve, his Astros teammate. Size doesn’t matter. Bat speed does.

”I think it’s part of the change of the game. I’ve talked to Jose about it. He’s changed himself a few years back and started swinging more aggressively,” Verlander said. ”You didn’t used to see guys like that that were small that … had that kind of pop. Oppo (opposite field) pop. That’s the big thing that’s changed, homers to opposite field. That’s something I didn’t used to see much except with guys like Miguel Cabrera. Now you’re seeing it with almost everybody.”

Baseball appears to be headed for a reckoning with the ugly side of hitters’ power-first approach. Defensive shifts, obsession with launch angles and indifference to strikeouts are being blamed for everything from increasing the length of games to making the sport more dull and one-dimensional. There is talk of banning shifts or forcing relief pitchers to face more than one batter in order to generate more excitement and incentivize putting balls in play.

But there might be an upside to a more egalitarian sport in which players aren’t expected to change their approach for no reason other than their stature.

Betts knows that a decade or two ago, he might have been coached differently.

”Probably get it on the ground, use my speed. Times have changed,” Betts said. ”We, as in small guys, may not be as big and strong Briean Boddy-Calhoun Jersey , but we can pack the power. I think that’s just one of those things we have to go out and show.”

And there are competing theories about what’s allowed smaller guys to flex their compact muscles.

Verlander gave the one-word answer a pitcher might be expected to give: ”Baseballs.”

Theories that the ball is juiced were given some statistical backing before the season when Major League Baseball released a study saying baseballs have been producing less drag, causing them to carry farther. But MLB said it didn’t understand why or how the change occurred.

Hitters, naturally, have a different explanation. They blame the pitchers.

”Honestly, I feel like everybody is throwing harder. You don’t have to hit the ball as hard anymore,” Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp said. ”Honestly, all you have to do is square it up and the ball is going to fly if they mess up. These guys are throwing really hard. Strikeouts are up. Home runs are up. Everything is up. It’s just a game of who throws harder and who can square it up.”

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Freelance writers Brian McNally and Ben Standig contributed to this report.

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Chandler Hutchison Jersey

MILWAUKEE — For most of the season Bradley Roby Jersey , the Milwaukee Brewers‘ bullpen has been the team’s anchor, slamming the door on victory after victory as the Brewers walked what manager Craig Counsell called a “high wire act.”

Now, though, the relievers are getting some breathing room thanks to a suddenly dominant starting rotation and when the Brewers open a three-game weekend series Friday night against the Philadelphia Phillies at Miller Park, they’ll sit atop the NL Central, 1 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Chicago Cubs.

Milwaukee’s starters have allowed no more than one run in four straight games and have combined for a 2.55 ERA over their last 12 despite the absence of right-hander Zach Davies, who’s out for a second time this season with shoulder soreness, and right-hander Jimmy Nelson, who’s yet to throw a pitch this season after suffering a shoulder injury last September.

“Our pitching has been outstanding all year,” outfielder Lorenzo Cain said. “The starting pitching, bullpen, have pretty much been carrying our team for the most part.

“We definitely need to step up as an offense and try to score some more runs. We’re putting too much pressure on our pitchers as a whole. They’ve been outstanding, have been holding the fort down for the team and doing a great job all year long.”

The offense fared well last weekend against the Phillies. Milwaukee scored 12 runs in each of the first two contests of the three-game set and tagged right-hander Jake Arrieta (5-4 Nick Martin Jersey , 2.97 ERA), who gets the start Friday night, for four runs over 5 1/3 innings Saturday.

The veteran right-hander was off to a good start in his first season with Philadelphia but has allowed nine earned runs in his last two starts, spanning 11 1/3 innings.

He stands a good chance to snap out of that funk at Miller Park, where he’s 3-0 with a 2.03 ERA in five career starts and is 8-5 with a 2.96 ERA in 16 career starts against the Brewers, including last weekend’s clunker.

That loss stretched Philadelphia’s losing streak to four games but the Phillies have won three of four since, including a 9-3 victory Thursday afternoon against the Rockies.

The victory marked a breakthrough for Philadelphia’s offense which had gone 257 innings without scoring more than three runs in a frame, hadn’t scored more than six in a game since May 19 and recorded at least 10 hits only once since May 17.

“The process has been there,” first baseman Rhys Hoskins said. “Sometimes it just feels like every break doesn’t go our way. We know that we’re capable of (high-scoring innings) every time we step on the field. But it’s nice to see it finally happen.”

The Phillies’ bats will try to stay hot against Brewers’ starter Brent Suter (6-4, 4.61 ERA), who held Philadelphia to three runs over five innings in his last outing.

The left-hander has earned a victory in four of his last five starts. He is 1-0 with a 3.27 ERA in two starts versus the Phillies.

James Shields of the Chicago White Sox and the Cincinnati Reds play in opposite leagues and rarely see each other, yet they currently have much in common.

Now that they’re starting to make something out of what appeared to be a totally lost season, they’d like to keep it going.

The Reds got off to the worst start in baseball at 8-27 John Timu Jersey , one so bad that getting to .500 looked to be as much of a challenge as winning a division title would be for most teams.

But when the Reds (36-48) take on the right-handed Shields and the White Sox on Monday night at Great American Ball Park, in the teams’ first matchup since 2015, they’ll be one of the majors’ hottest clubs. They’ve won 11 of 14 after taking the final two games of a four-game weekend series against the Milwaukee Brewers, and interim manager Jim Riggleman now has a 33-33 record for a last-place team.

Considering that Riggleman took over a Reds team that was 3-15 under former manager Bryan Price, that’s something of an accomplishment. And the Reds own a 6-1 record in interleague games.

“We know we can play with these teams that are in first place in their division,” Riggleman said.

They’re winning now in grand fashion, too. Jose Peraza hit the team’s major league-leading ninth grand slam Sunday in an 8-2 win over the Brewers, their second in two games (pitcher Michael Lorenzen hit a pinch-grand slam Saturday) and sixth in 17 games. They’ve already tied a club season record.

“We’ve been getting better at-bats … and we’ve happened to have men on base,” Riggleman said.

Cincinnati starter Matt Harvey pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings before being lifted after a rain delay, and the Reds dealt Brewers rookie Freddy Peralta (3-1), who gave up three runs in five innings, his first major league loss. Peralta allowed only one hit in seven shutout innings against the Kansas City Royals in his previous start.

“That’s probably the best I’ve felt since 2013,” said Harvey (4-5) Marcell Dareus Jersey , who won his third straight start.

Shields (3-9), likewise, is beginning to see a ray of sunshine in what previously was a gloomy season. He’s coming off his best start of the year, pitching seven shutout innings and giving up four hits Wednesday in a 6-1 win over the Minnesota Twins. It was his 12th quality start of the season, or five more than he had all of last season.

Shields still isn’t the pitcher that won 13 or more games seven times from 2008 to 2015, but it hasn’t helped that he’s pitching for a team that’s off to the second worst start in franchise history. He has allowed a respectable six earned runs in his last four starts, and twice yielded one or no runs while lasting at least seven innings.

At age 36, Shields is making adjustments to compensate for his decreased velocity, yet has pitched at least six innings in 12 of his last 13 starts for a last-place team.

“My body’s feeling really good this year, and this is kind of what I’ve done my whole career,” Shields told reporters after the game against the Twins. “I strive to go as deep as I possibly can in games and so far it’s been good.

“I’m not throwing as hard as I used to. If I were to throw over the top, I’d still throw a little harder than I am right now. (But) at the end of the day, I’m feeling really good with my delivery right now Marvin Harrison Jersey , my mechanics. It’s been a lot of fun making these adjustments.”

Shields goes against Reds right-hander Luis Castillo (5-8), who was 1-3 with a 6.75 ERA in five June starts. He retired the first 11 batters he faced Wednesday at Atlanta, only to give up four quick runs on a walk and five consecutive singles, although the Reds came back to win 6-5.

Castillo is 0-1 in two starts against American League clubs this season, giving up eight runs in six innings. He has never faced the White Sox.

Shields is 18-18 with a 4.57 ERA in interleague play and 0-2 in two career starts against the Reds, the last of which was in 2015.

The White Sox (29-54) ended a three-game losing streak Sunday by salvaging the final game of a three-game series against the Texas Rangers, winning 10-5 as Avisail Garcia went 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI.

The Reds have won five consecutive interleague games but are facing the White Sox at Great American Ball Park for the first time since 2009. The White Sox are 16-4 overall against the Reds and 10-2 in Cincinnati, though that success there predated any of the current players.

Wearing a "Change the culture" t-shirt and a "Keep Pounding" hat Case Keenum Jersey , an upbeat Newton was budding with enthusiasm on Saturday even after starting right tackle Daryl Williams went down with a knee injury earlier in practice.

In his first football-related interview in six months, Newton set a positive tone for training camp for a team that hopes to recapture the NFC South it won in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Carolina went 11-5 last season, but New Orleans won the head-to-head tiebreaker and took the division title.

Part of Newton's optimism surrounds the hiring of offensive coordinator Norv Turner and the addition of wide receivers D.J. Moore, Torrey Smith and Jarius Wright.

Newton said Turner has been "extremely easy" to work with and joked that his offense is "Boogie approved."

The 2015 league MVP said he likes that Turner is open to listening to suggestions about what plays may work best, even to the point to keeping the names of some of the predecessor Mike Shula's play calls.

"I think the onus is on (Turner) more so than us to take what we have done good and expand on it, rather than just ripping the sheets of paper up and having a this-is-my-way-or-the-highway mentality," Newton said.

Newton said it didn't take long to realize Turner has a high football IQ.

But he added that it's still a little too early to know exactly what to expect from the Panthers offense when the regular season arrives.

"I can't tell you that, (but) I know that the transition as far as philosophies has almost been as easy as anyone could expect Dawuane Smoot Jersey ," Newton said. "He is super relatable and is someone who has been around this league and been around a lot of egos and lot of different players and knows how to adjust. That alone makes my job easy knowing that he is a person who you can go to and say, 'This is how I feel about certain things.' And (he'll say), 'OK, let's find out how we can implement it.' He's not a guy who is so egotistical who says, 'No, this play is going to work versus this.'"

Turner has already talked about wanting to improve Newton's completion percentage.

Newton's has completed just 58.5 percent of his career passes, but Turner would like him to be above 65 percent.

"That's a goal of mine and it is certainly attainable," Newton said.

Newton said that means learning to accept what the defense gives him, even if it means short dump-offs over the middle and to outlet receivers.

"That has to be my mentality Daeshon Hall Jersey ," Newton said. "We have a lot of guys who can take two yards and turn it into 20 yards, or more. But it starts with me and I have to trust those guys and get the ball to them."

The 29-year-old Newton said he's feeling healthy heading into the season.

That's a big difference from last season when he underwent shoulder surgery and missed all of OTAs and minicamp and a large portion of training camp undergoing rehab.

"It was very big for me making the proper steps this offseason knowing that I am full go," Newton said. "My body feels great and I always have to mention to TD (linebacker Thomas Davis) that I even look great. I am in a position where I am all smiles."

Newton also addressed new owner David Tepper, teasing that "I'm up for an upgrade" after seeing he paid $2.2 million to purchase the team from founder Jerry Richardson.

"The excitement is something we all should get prepared for knowing we have a lively owner," Newton said.

Their first-round series wasn’t nearly as competitive.

The Sharks rode their superior depth, potent power play and stellar goaltending from Martin Jones to the second sweep in franchise history, knocking out the Ducks with a 2-1 victory on Wednesday night.

”We’re playing well going into the second round,” defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic said. ”Everybody is contributing if it’s offensively T.J. Green Jersey , blocking shots, taking a hit. Everybody is doing what they have to for us to win.”

After jumping on Anaheim early to win the first two games on the road, the Sharks earned a lopsided win in Game 3 thanks to undisciplined play by the Ducks and then withstood a strong push to end the series in Game 4.

Jones kept Anaheim at bay for long stretches in the second and third period before finally allowing a tying goal to Andrew Cogliano. San Jose then took 1:16 to answer and scored the eventual series-clincher when Vlasic’s point shot deflected off Tomas Hertl and into the net.

”The response goal was huge,” coach Peter DeBoer said. ”We were on our heels. They were pressing. It’s tough to play an elimination game when you get an opportunity to sweep a really good team like that.”

The Sharks were in control for most of the series, outscoring the Ducks 16-4 in their most lopsided series in franchise history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

San Jose got as many goals from its fourth line in the series as Anaheim had from its entire team with Marcus Sorensen scoring his third of the series to give the Sharks a 1-0 lead in the first period of the clincher. Eric Fehr also had a goal from the fourth line in the series.

”Every night they hopped over the boards with energy and grabbed momentum for us, drew penalties,” DeBoer said. ”They were fantastic, but I’ve said from Day 1 we need to be a four-line team if we’re going to have success. And I think the teams that are moving through are. I watched Vegas a little bit last night. They’re a four-line team.”

The expansion Golden Knights are also the next team in the Sharks’ way. The two will meet in the second round starting sometime next week in just the second series in the past 22 years featuring teams coming off sweeps in the previous round.

Vegas finished off the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night Denzelle Good Jersey , part of a record-setting inaugural campaign that included a Pacific Division title in the regular season.

The Sharks will likely need another strong defensive effort next round led by Jones. He was brilliant in the clincher, making several tough saves against Corey Perry. He also had a shutout in Game 1 and set a San Jose playoff record with 45 regulation saves in Game 3.

He finished the series with a .970 save percentage, helping the Sharks earn their second sweep in franchise history after also doing it in the first round against Vancouver in 2013.

”Goaltending wins this time of the year,” forward Logan Couture said. ”He was fantastic. He made a lot of Grade A saves. He was our best penalty killer. They had some really good looks. Perry had a lot of chances that Joner made some big saves on.”

By extending their season another round, the Sharks may be able to get star center Joe Thornton back in the lineup. Thornton has been out since injuring his right knee on Jan. 23. He has resumed skating and took part in warmups throughout the series but has said he doesn’t want to return until he knows he’s healthy enough to help the team and make it through what he hopes will be a run to the Stanley Cup Final.

The Sharks have time now to figure that out.

”That’s all hypothetical,” DeBoer said. ”That doesn’t even cross our desk. Those decisions will be something if he is healthy we’ll make then. Sometimes those things sort themselves out. I’m just really proud of our group, the resiliency, the composure.”

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Collin Sexton Jersey

And now they’re gone.

The two-time defending AFC North champions released all three players Wednesday Darren Woodson Jersey , signaling a shift in direction in a defensive backfield that faltered in key moments last season.

The Steelers won 13 games but also allowed Tom Brady to light them up late in a mid-December loss that determined home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. They couldn’t stop Jacksonville’s Blake Bortles from orchestrating a playoff upset at Heinz Field that brought a season filled with Super Bowl expectations to an emphatic and sudden halt.

The moves freed up about $7 million in cap space, money Pittsburgh can now use in part to retool around veteran cornerback Joe Haden, promising if erratic cornerback Artie Burns, and safety Sean Davis.

Mitchell spent four uneven seasons with the Steelers Rashaan Gaulden Jersey , who made a rare splurge in free agency when they brought him in from Carolina in 2014, signing him to a five-year, $25 million deal. Mitchell picked off four passes and recovered four fumbles in Pittsburgh. He also reined in the questionable hits that cost him tens of thousands of dollars in fines earlier in his career.

He also served as a firebrand for a secondary in transition following the retirement of stars Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor. Yet he would occasionally go for the big hit when a routine tackle would have sufficed, an issue that popped up at inopportune times.

Gay’s departure leaves quarterback Ben Roethlisberger as the only player from Pittsburgh’s last Super Bowl victory nearly a decade ago. Gay carved out a niche as a reliable and versatile defensive back. He has played in 176 consecutive games while spending 10 of his 11 seasons with the Steelers. Gay’s playing time decreased last season as rookie Mike Hilton took over his spot as the nickel back.

Golden filled in at various spots in the secondary Chad Kelly Jersey , though his real impact was on special teams, a unit he served as the captain from 2014-16.

The moves came a month after Tom Bradley replaced Carnell Lake as defensive backs coach. Lake stepped down shortly after the playoff loss to Jacksonville to spend more time in California to watch his son play high school football.

Pittsburgh, as has long been its custom, stayed quiet on the first day of the league’s new year. The Steelers have focused most of their work over the last six weeks trying to get under the 2018 salary cap Kevin Johnson Jersey , something they’ve done largely through restructuring existing contracts.

While Pittsburgh has depth concerns at safety and inside linebacker, it’s likely the Steelers will rely heavily on the draft to address those needs. Davis and J.J. Wilcox are the only safeties on the current roster with serious NFL experience. Pro Bowl linebacker Ryan Shazier has already been ruled out for 2018 as he recovers from spinal surgery in December.

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The Carolina Panthers have signed free-agent running back Kenjon Barner from the Philadelphia Eagles to a one-year contract.

Financial terms were not available Friday.

Barner is expected to compete as a third-down back and returner. A day earlier, the Panthers placed third-down back Fozzy Whittaker on injured reserve with a knee injury.

The 29-year-old Barner was drafted by Carolina in the sixth round in 2013 draft. He spent one season with the Panthers before being traded to Philadelphia in 2014.

Barner played in 13 games with one start last season with the Super Bowl champions. He ran for 57 yards on 16 attempts with one touchdown.

Carolina also signed third-round draft choice safety Rashaan Gaulden and seventh-round draft choice linebacker Andre Smith.

The players, who spoke at a Harvard Law School summit on criminal justice reform, said they capitalized on the attention surrounding the protests to highlight issues they care about, like mass incarceration.

Now, they’re using their platform to talk to lawmakers, police chiefs and prosecutors across the country about injustices they see in the communities where they grew up.

”With all of the controversy and the fanfare around (the protests), it created a platform that was probably larger than any of us would have had individually, and we were able to leverage that,” said Malcolm Jenkins, a safety on the Philadelphia Eagles and co-founder of the Players Coalition, a group of NFL athletes advocating for policies to further social and racial equality.

Colin Kaepernick started the NFL anthem movement when he was with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016 to protest racial inequality and police brutality. Some players knelt during the anthem, an act that drew the ire of Republican President Donald Trump Chaz Green Jersey , who called for NFL owners to fire such players.

In response to the player demonstrations, the NFL agreed to commit $90 million over the next seven years to social justice causes in a plan that involves league players.

New England Patriot Devin McCourty said in an interview with The Associated Press that the NFL’s support of the players’ mission has been encouraging.

”I think the NFL has seen the bigger picture – that this is not just the players trying to do something to give back – but these are real issues that not just the players should care about but we should all care about,” said McCourty, who spent Thursday at the Massachusetts statehouse lobbying lawmakers on juvenile justice issues.

The athletes were joined at the Harvard summit by Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and other lawyers as well as professors, judges and activists. The players participated in small group discussions about policing, prosecutors and sentencing reform.

During a panel discussion led by The New York Times Magazine’s Emily Bazelon, the players discussed personal experiences – like watching videos of police shootings of black men or hearing the stories of their own family members – that drove them into activism.

They spoke of the need for police to have stronger relationships with people in their communities and the importance of having real conversations about race, even when it makes people uncomfortable.

”We have the unique ability to bring people to the table and now we have the responsibility when we have everyone at the table to speak truth and kind of force that conversation,” Jenkins said.

The players said some athletes worry that getting involved in social or political issues will hurt their careers. But they said they hope that lending their voices to these causes will inspire others to take action.

”A lot of people just think about athletes as just jocks, but there are some brilliant minds in those locker rooms,” said Anquan Boldin, a former Baltimore Raven.

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This story has been corrected to reflect that Jenkins’ first name is Malcolm not Malcom.

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Follow Alanna Durkin Richer at

KANSAS CITY Emmanuel Sanders Jersey , Mo. — The Cincinnati Reds have the worst record in the National League at 24-43, but they still have a better record than the Kansas City Royals.

The Reds beat the Royals 5-1 in 10 innings Tuesday. The Royals have dropped eight of their past nine and are 22-45 overall. Only the Baltimore Orioles (19-47) have a worst record.

The Royals are 23 games below .500 for the first time since Sept. 13, 2011, when they were 63-86.

The Reds will go for a sweep of the two-game mini-series in Kansas City on Wednesday night. The Reds’ victory Tuesday was their first over the Royals since June 12, 2010.

Right-hander Tyler Mahle of the Reds and Jason Hammel of the Royals are scheduled starting pitchers for the series finale.

Mahle (4-6, 4.33 ERA) is 1-0 in two June starts, allowing 11 hits and two earned runs in 10 innings, while striking out 11 and walking four.

This will be Mahle’s first time facing the Royals, but not his first time on the Kaufman Stadium mound. He threw a mound session before the 2013 draft when the Reds chose him in the seventh round.

“They had a high school workout,” Mahle said. “Pitchers just threw a bullpen off the game mound; that was it. All the scouts were here.”

He said never pitching against the Royals does not change his preparation.

“It’s the same between every start,” Mahle said. “I prepare to go out there and hit my spots and compete. It’s a new team, and I’ve never seen them play before Daryl Williams Jersey , so I’m going to do my homework and kind of make a game plan out of it.”

He said he pitches not to the Royals’ weaknesses, but his strengths.

“You always play to your own strength,” he said. “We’re going to find out what their weaknesses are and kind of find something there in the middle. I throw a lot of fastballs, but if there’s a guy who likes a lot of fastballs, it kind of collides there.

“But, at the same time, if you hit spots, good things are going to happen. Obviously if you throw it down the middle, he’s going to hit it, but if you hit a corner, or something like that, always if you make your pitch Cam Newton Jersey , good things are going to happen.”

Good things happened to the Reds in the Tuesday victory. They trailed 1-0 entering the ninth, but Tucker Barnhart led off the inning with a blast off Kelvin Herrera that landed in the Royals’ bullpen.

“That is against one of the best closers in the game, so that was huge,” Reds manager Jim Riggleman said. “Both pitchers are pitching so good it’s probably going to be a home-run type game. Nobody was putting a rally together. They got one and we got one, and our bullpen really did a great job.”

Hammel (2-6, 5.12 ERA) is 2-1 with a 2.59 ERA in his last four starts after a 13-start winless streak in which he went 0-8 with a 7.28 ERA. He has issued two or fewer walks in 10 of his 13 starts this season.

Hammel is 0-3 with a 4.70 ERA in five home starts this year and is winless in his last seven Kauffman Stadium starts dating to Aug. 20.

He is 4-1 with a 3.42 ERA in 12 career outings (11 starts) against the Reds. He has won his last four starts against Cincinnati with a 0.75 ERA, but has not faced the Reds since 2016.