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PHOENIX — As the second half of the season commences Authentic Customized Raiders Jerseys , both Arizona and San Francisco have reasons to feel confident as they prepare for the third game of a three-game weekend series Sunday.

Both are nearing full health, and the NL West remains wide open as the Diamondbacks, Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers are within 3 1/2 games of each other entering July.

Arizona survived a 2-15 stretch in May and is playing as well as it did in the early going, when it did not lose any of its first 12 series. The Giants have won nine of 11 after going 18-10 in June, their first winning month since June, 2016.

“I know that we got off to a great start and hit a little downturn and fought back,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said when asked about his takeaways from the first half.

“The obvious thing is, we are playing very good baseball now. We’ve grown and learned and become stronger and tougher because of the situation we walked through in May. They have never pointed their finger at anything or any anyone in an particular situation or moment.

“When it didn’t go well, they were accountable. They played united baseball. We’re right in the middle of a story that we continue to want to tell the way we are telling it.”

Arizona right-hander Zack Godley will oppose Giants left-hander Derek Holland in the final game of the series at Chase Field on Sunday afternoon. The Giants begin a three-game series in Colorado on Monday while the Diamondbacks will host a three-game series against St. Louis.

“Considering everything that is happened, we are right in the thick of things, which is where you want to be,” San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said.

“If you would have told me what we have to deal with – three starters out, (Joe) Panik out Dolphins Cheap Jerseys , (Evan) Longoria out. Sure, no question you take it. I think it is going to be tight in September. Hopefully we’re right there. That’s our plan.”

Right-handers Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija could made their next starts in the majors after prolonged absences due to injury, and Cueto would be particularly welcome. He was 3-0 with an 0.84 ERA in five starts while holding opponents to a .150 batting average before going on the disabled list because of shoulder soreness in the first week of May.

In the interim, Dereck Rodriguez and Andrew Suarez have pitched well. The Giants also have received only five starts from Madison Bumgarner, who opened the season on the disabled list before returning in early June.

Arizona outfielders A.J. Pollock and Steven Souza Jr. also are nearing a return from the disabled list after missing considerable time. The Diamondbacks also lost starters Taijuan Walker and Robbie Ray for 58 days before returning.

Pollock and Souza Jr. are on rehab assignments for Triple-A Reno, and Pollock is likely to return before the All-Star break. Pollock was slashing .293/.349/.620 with 10 doubles, 11 homers and nine stolen bases in 43 games before suffering a fractured thumb trying to make a diving catch in center field in the ninth inning of a 7-2 loss to Milwaukee on May 14.

“You think about what the (injury) losses are,” Lovullo said “It’s been a very interesting season. I think the most resilient teams are the ones that understand and accept what’s happening day by day, whether it is good or bad, and move on to the next day as quickly as possible.

“We are a resilient group. We can turn the page quickly, no matter what the results are.”

Godley, 9-5 with a 4.58 ERA, is one victory short of NL leaders Max Scherzer Youth Chad Thomas Jersey , Jon Lester and Aaron Nola, in part because he has received 4.63 runs of support in his 16 starts. His 1.52 WHIP is 44th and last among qualified NL starters, and he has made seven quality starts.

Godley is 1-1 with a 6.10 ERA in two starts against the Giants this season and is 2-2 with a 6.97 ERA in six career appearances, four starts, against them. Godley has pitched his best at home this season, going 4-1 with a 2.89 ERA in six starts.

Holland (5-7, 4.24) is coming off arguably his best outing of the season, although he did not receive a decision in a 3-2 victory over Colorado. Holland gave up one run on six hits in a season-high 6 2/3 innings while striking out a season high eight. It was his longest appearance since he went eight innings against Seattle on May 21, 2017.

He is 0-1 in two starts against the Diamondbacks, both with Texas. Holland is 3-5 with a 3.94 ERA in nine road starts this season. He has never pitched in Chase Field.

Sixteen games have passed since Week 1, when the Saints needed a late, inconsequential touchdown just to reduce the Vikings’ victory margin to 10 points.

New Orleans has lost numerous players to injuries. Other players have grown into more significant roles. Chemistry developed, and coaches became more adept at playing to the strengths and covering up weaknesses of various players. The result has been a NFC South championship and a victory in the wild-card round of the NFC playoffs.

”There are some similarities in regards to scheme. But when you go through the course of an NFL season and you look at the attrition that takes place, there’s – shoot – eight or nine of our (regulars) that were playing in that game that aren’t playing in this game,” Payton said Monday. ”You begin to take shape as the season progresses as to who you become.”

Seven players listed as starters in Minnesota in Week 1 won’t be playing for New Orleans this weekend. Running back Adrian Peterson was traded after four games. Six others are injured: left guard Andrus Peat; right tackle Zach Strief; defensive end Alex Okafor; linebackers A.J. Klein and Alex Anzalone; and safety Kenny Vaccaro.

In addition, tight end Coby Fleener, a regular in the passing game to start the season, is on injured reserve.

As Payton discussed the most striking aspects of the Saints’ evolution this season, he began by highlighting ”the amount of guys we’ve had to replace and the new faces that are stepping up.”

Payton complimented the way linebackers Craig Robertson and Manti Te’o have handled increased roles. Robertson has two sacks, two interceptions, five tackles for losses, a forced fumble and fumble recovery. Te’o has made or assisted on 62 tacklers, including seven for losses, and has a fumble recovery.

Payton also named tight end Josh Hill, guard Senio Kelemete, cornerback P.J. Williams and fullback Zach Line in a similar vein. Hill had a touchdown and key first-down catches in New Orleans’ playoff triumph over Carolina. Kelemete, pressed into service often this season because of injuries, filled in at guard after Peat fractured his fibula against the Panthers.

Williams, a third-year pro who missed nearly all of his first two seasons with separate injuries, has two interceptions this season and saw increasing playing time in five-defensive-back formations because of Vaccaro’s injuries.

Line, who scored a short TD against Carolina, wasn’t on the regular-season roster until Oct. 4.

The contributions from such players have been ”the most encouraging thing Jimmy Vesey Jersey ,” Payton said, adding that ”the resiliency and the fight” of his team ”is something that’s great to be around.”

New Orleans’ defense, in particular, has played much better since the Minnesota loss, when the Saints gave up 470 yards and allowed the Vikings to convert nine of 14 third downs.

”We’ve been playing together for a while now, so we kind of know the strengths and the weaknesses of the guys. We know how to play together, we know where people are going to be and so we’re a lot more confident,” Te’o said. ”Week 1, we were a relatively young team as far as experience goes and as far as time together.”

Now, Te’o said, ”We kind of know who we are and what we can do and what our strengths are … and also what things we need to work on.”

Offensively, the Saints have evolved as well, particularly with the emergence of versatile running back Alvin Kamara, who put up regular-season numbers (728 yards and eight TDs rushing, 826 yards and five TDs receiving and a kickoff return TD) worthy of rookie-of-the-year consideration. His immediate comfort with Payton’s scheme precipitated Peterson’s trade to Arizona.

Meanwhile, receiver Ted Ginn, known primarily as a deep threat before the Saints acquired him in the offseason, demonstrated enough chemistry with quarterback Drew Brees as the season progressed to convert key first downs on intermediate routes as well.

”I believe that we are different. We didn’t know what we had in store,” Ginn said when comparing the Saints to Week 1. ”We messed around with a lot of options, a lot of different players, different things like that. But as the season went on, we kind of found our mojo.”

—

The Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots played inside. But as fans were heading to U.S. Bank Stadium at noon Sunday, the temperature in Minneapolis was minus-2 degrees, with a wind chill of negative 23 – by far the coldest Super Bowl on record – raising questions about whether the NFL’s marquee event would ever return to Minnesota.

While warmer climates tend to be more popular host cities, a flashy new stadium and amenities often play a bigger role than the weather in determining who will host the big game.

”The owners will do as they like. So that’s one of those decisions that’s just not up to the fan base,” said Mark Cobb, who has been to several Super Bowls in his work for the NFL Players Association. ”Wherever has the newest, prettiest stadium, that’s who gets the game.”

Cobb, of Washington, said everyone in Minnesota was nice, and he’d return to Minneapolis for a Super Bowl. But he said the weather felt ”like I was being punished. Minnesota is where they send you when you’re bad. But if you embrace it like the people who live here, instead of fighting it, it’s not so bad.”

The NFL has used the Super Bowl as a reward for municipalities that pump public money into new venues. Minnesota was awarded the game in 2014, two years after state lawmakers approved a financing package that had taxpayers paying nearly half the cost of the $1.1 billion stadium.

Other northern cities have reaped similar benefits. New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium got a Super Bowl in its fourth season, the only outdoor Super Bowl at a northern site to date (2014). Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis hosted in 2012 and Ford Field in Detroit hosted in 2006, both at the end of their fourth seasons. The only other Super Bowls held in the north were in suburban Detroit at the Pontiac Silverdome in 1982 and in Minneapolis at the Metrodome in 1992.

While warmer climates have held more Super Bowls, there is no rotation of pre-selected cities that get picked, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said. He said it’s up to club owners to take the initial step of expressing an interest in hosting. The sites of the next four Super Bowls are already chosen: Atlanta in 2019, followed by South Florida, Tampa Bay and Los Angeles.

Atlanta has a stadium that opened in 2017. Hard Rock Stadium in South Florida and Raymond James Stadium in Tampa have been renovated in the past three years, and Los Angeles will have a new stadium by the time it hosts the game.

McCarthy said the weather in Minneapolis wasn’t a negative. Instead, he said it provided new experiences for fans, some of whom took advantage of the Minneapolis skyway system, a collection of enclosed – and heated – pedestrian bridges.

”We knew weather was going to be a factor and we embraced it,” he said.

Andrea Mokros Authentic Evan Bouchard Jersey , a spokeswoman for the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee, said the event was a ”huge success.” Visitor numbers were still being calculated, but Mokros said outdoor concerts and other events were well attended, even on the coldest nights during 10 days of festivities.

”The cold didn’t slow anyone down and in fact made it a more memorable experience,” she said. Mokros said the winter climate allowed the host committee to offer a different sort of fun for guests, such as snowmobiling or skijoring (cross-country skiing while being pulled by a dog). And she said she felt some pride when she saw celebrities donning winter hats and embracing the cold weather.

Paul Vaaler, a professor of management and law at the University of Minnesota law school and the Carlson School of Management, said while warmer tourist destinations are more likely to get Super Bowls, there is some strategy to spreading the game to different franchises: The promise of a Super Bowl can lead cities to build new stadiums and keep teams from leaving certain markets.

Because of that, he said, other northern cities are likely to host the Super Bowl before Minnesota gets another chance.

”That incentive to build a stadium and attract the Super Bowl is gone (for Minnesota), but it’s not gone in a place like Cincinnati, or a place like Denver” or other northern NFL cities that have stadiums that are more than 20 years old. ”For other northern climates, there will be pressure.”

Some fans said the weather was tolerable and there were plenty of experiences in Minneapolis to keep them entertained. Others said that even though Minnesotans were hospitable, they’d prefer a warmer location.

”The cold was just brutal,” said Philadelphia Eagles fan Terry Laufer of Carrollton, Virginia. His wife, Rhonda, said: ”I would never be able to bring children here. It would be too risky.” The pair said they’d return with their grandkids in September, when it’s warmer.

”You could have had the Arctic Circle and it would have been a great experience,” said Jody Haggerty of Milford, Pennsylvania. ”Minneapolis made it work. … It’s not about the location. It’s about the experience, the atmosphere and the game.”

—

Associated Press writer Steve Karnowski contributed to this report.

—

MIAMI — Monday is a day that Shelby Miller has been waiting for since he underwent elbow surgery more than 14 months ago.

The Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander will make his first major-league appearance since April 23 Authentic Thomas Rawls Jersey , 2017, facing the Miami Marlins and right-hander Dan Straily (2-3, 4.89 ERA).

The Diamondbacks, who lead the National League West with a 44-33 record, have won four games in a row.

Now they get back Miller, a 27-year-old former first-round pick who was drafted 19th overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2009. He went 15-9 with a 3.06 ERA in 2013, finishing third in the Rookie of the Year voting.

Since then, however, Miller has been traded twice — by the Cardinals to the Atlanta Braves and then to Arizona before the start of the 2016 season.

So far, the Diamondbacks haven’t gotten much return on their investment. Miller went 3-12 with a 6.15 ERA in 2016 and 2-2 with a 4.09 ERA before getting hurt a year ago, lasting just four starts.

“I definitely have some things to prove over here,” Miller, an All-Star with Atlanta in 2015, told azcentral.com. “I feel I was throwing pretty well last year. Unfortunately, I got hurt.”

Monday represents a fresh start for Miller, who made four starts in extended spring training earlier this year followed by four minor-league rehab appearances.

“I’m super excited to be here,” Miller said. “For me, it’s a huge accomplishment.

“Command was the last thing to come back. But I feel it is there now. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t feel I was ready to pitch.”

Straily Youth Mason Cole Jersey , who will be Miller’s counterpart on Monday, faced Arizona earlier this year, allowing one run in 4 1/3 innings of a 6-1 loss to the Diamondbacks on June 3.

In Straily’s most recent start, he lasted just 1 1/3 innings before he was ejected for the first time in his career, exiting during a 6-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants.

Straily was tossed out after he hit Giants star catcher Buster Posey with a pitch.

“I don’t know,” Posey said when asked by the media if the hit-by-pitch was intentional. “It sure seemed that way.”

Of much bigger concern for the Marlins (31-47) is the fact that they have lost their past five games when Straily starts. Straily has zero quality starts during that span.

The Marlins, who are in last place in the NL East, beat the Colorado Rockies 8-5 on Sunday for their second straight win.

Miami finished 5-4 on its road trip to the Baltimore Orioles, San Francisco Giants and Colorado, taking two of the three series. It is Miami’s first winning road trip of the year.

The Marlins are 11-11 in June, which has already made this their best month of the season. And they have more road wins (17-26) than home victories (14-21).

Meanwhile, Arizona has a winning record at home (23-16) and on the road (21-17). They are 16-6 in June after a poor May (8-19). The Diamondbacks are also 3-0 against the Marlins.

Hot Miami hitters include left fielder Derek Dietrich, who was 4-for-5 on Sunday to raise his batting average to .302, and catcher J.T. Realmuto, who went 1-for-3 and is batting .308.

Dietrich batted .476 for the week with three homers and three multi-hit games. Realmuto hit .360 this week with five doubles, one homer, six RBIs and at least one hit in all six games.

Attorney John Tompkins told Marion County Judge Grant Hawkins during a Tuesday pre-trial hearing for Manuel Orrego-Savala that he had withdrawn a motion to suppress his client's statements to a state trooper after the Feb. 4 crash in Indianapolis.

Investigators said in a probable cause affidavit that Orrego-Savala admitted to the trooper that he was driving the pickup truck involved in the crash.

His attorneys had argued in a motion filed Feb. 20 that Orrego-Savala's admission shouldn't be allowed because he wasn't first read his rights.

Orrego-Savala Authentic Oren Burks Jersey , 37, faces four felony charges in the crash that killed Jackson, 26, and his Uber driver, Jeffrey Monroe, 54, as the two men stood outside Monroe's car along Interstate 70 in Indianapolis. Investigators said Monroe was transporting Jackson for the ride-sharing service, and had pulled over after the football player became ill.

Orrego-Savala had a blood-alcohol level of 0.19 percent, which is more than twice Indiana's legal limit of .08 percent http://www.saintsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-tre_quan-smith-jersey , according to court documents. He remains jailed and a not guilty plea has been entered on his behalf.

Orrego-Savala was deported from the U.S. in 2007 and 2009 and was back in the country illegally at the time of the crash, authorities said.

The case became a flash point in the nation's immigration debate, with President Donald Trump tweeting about it and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Braun featuring it in an Indiana campaign advertisement.

Although Orrego-Savala's attorneys have withdrawn their motion to suppress the confession they can again seek to have it thrown out if they wish, said Ryan Mears, chief trial deputy for the Marion County Prosecutor's Office.

Hawkins approved an order Tuesday requiring Orrego-Savala to provide a DNA sample prosecutors have sought after his attorneys did not oppose their request.

Mears said that sample will be compared to DNA found in a pickup truck to determine Orrego-Savala's presence in that vehicle. He said those tests will "certainly be helpful if his DNA is found at the scene, particularly inside the vehicle we think he was driving."

Prosecutors have also said the sample would confirm his identity, noting that he has used various aliases.

Orrego-Savala's next pre-trial hearing in the case is scheduled for May 18.

A look at what’s happening around the majors today:

HOT HOUSTON

The Astros aim for their 12th straight victory, which would tie for the longest winning streak in franchise history set in 1999 and duplicated in 2004. Fresh off a 10-0 road trip to Texas, Oakland and Kansas City in which they outscored opponents 74-35 Joshua Garnett Jersey , the World Series champions return to Minute Maid Park to take on Tampa Bay. Houston starter Gerrit Cole (8-1, 2.40 ERA) leads the AL with 130 strikeouts; the Rays will start a reliever for the third straight game, with Ryne Stanek opening up.

DOUBLING UP

The New York Yankees and Washington meet for a doubleheader – sort of – at Nationals Park. The teams were tied at 2 in the sixth inning on May 15 when their game was stopped because of rain, and they were postponed the next night. So the Yanks and Nats will pick up in the sixth, with both clubs expected to start out with relievers. Sonny Gray will start Game 2 for the New York against rookie Erick Fedde.

TRY AGAIN

Bartolo Colon goes for his 244th career win, which would break a tie with Hall of Famer Juan Marichal for most by a pitcher born in the Dominican Republic. The 45-year-old Colon gave up a season-high eight runs in his last outing for Texas, tagged by the Dodgers. Colon has won one of his past five starts going into this game at Kansas City. Ian Kennedy has won just one of his last 27 home starts for the Royals.

OH BABY

Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford will go on paternity leave for the birth of his fourth child and could miss as many as three games. San Francisco returns home from a 10-day road trip to face the Miami Marlins.

The Pittsburgh Pirates had to wait several weeks into the season to see just what they got with right-hander Joe Musgrove in an offseason trade with Houston.

It has been about a month since he came off the disabled list after a shoulder injury delayed his season debut Womens DeSean Jackson Jersey , and Musgrove has proved fiercely competitive and fiercely loyal.

Musgrove is 2-1 with a 2.16 ERA for Pittsburgh (35-35) going into his sixth start Sunday, against right-hander Anthony DeSclafani (1-1, 5.40) and the Cincinnati Reds (25-45) in a series finale at PNC Park.

With a 6-2 victory Saturday, the Pirates won their third straight, climbed back to .500 and ensured themselves of winning a series after dropping eight in a row.

The Reds have lost two straight after a three-game winning streak.

Not only is Musgrove averaging more than six innings per start, with 23 strikeouts in 25 innings and a 1.12 WHIP, but also has played with an edge.

“He’s a tough guy,” Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli said last month. “When he’s on the mound, he’s mean. He’s the kind of guy that you want to have on the mound all the time.”

In his most recent outing, a no-decision Monday in Arizona’s comeback 9-5 win, Musgrove was cruising with a 5-0 lead in the seventh inning when he hit Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Chris Owings in acknowledged retaliation.

An inning earlier, Diamondbacks right-hander Braden Shipley hit Pirates infielder Josh Harrison — who got plunked 23 times last year and spent time on the DL this season and last because of a broken hand after being hit by pitches — and Pittsburgh rookie Austin Meadows got knocked down by a pitch earlier.

“It’s nothing more than just protecting your teammates,” Musgrove said. “It’s baseball. That’s how the game is played. That’s how I was raised to play the game. You protect your teammates, especially when a guy gets hit high up and in.”

The Pirates appreciated Musgrove’s loyalty, despite the fact that his retaliatory move might have sparked Arizona’s winning rally.

“That wasn’t the turning point of the game in my eyes,” Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. “You can’t control what other people are going to think.

“The importance of teammates taking a stand for one another, I think that is part of the game. Everybody can construct their own narrative afterward. But I know (Harrison) has been hit a ton, been hit a lot. … Just plunking our guys, whether it’s accidental or not, is just not OK.”

Harrison said “it felt good” to have his new teammate stand up for him.

Musgrove has never faced the Reds.

DeSclafani has made six career starts against Pittsburgh Eagles Dallas Goedert Jersey , going 1-2 with a 3.41 ERA, but not since Sept. 17, 2016.

DeSclafani missed all of 2017 because of an elbow injury and, like Musgrove, opened this season on the DL because of an oblique strain.

Last Sunday, in his second start this season, DeSclafani picked up his first win since Sept. 28, 2016, 6-3 over St. Louis. He gave up two runs and 10 hits in five innings, with six strikeouts and two walks.

“I don’t think I was as good as I wanted to be,” DeSclafani said. “There’s definitely a lot of work from here on out. I was falling behind some guys and giving up too many hits.

“But it’s definitely something to build on.”

He has yet to get his setup pitch, his curveball, back to where it once was.

“Definitely still getting a feel for it. I only threw a few of them,” he said. “It’s definitely got to be incorporated. I need some kind of equalizer to (go along with) my fastball and slider. Once that comes around, it should make things a little bit easier.”

Sanchez pitched effectively into the seventh and Freddie Freeman added three hits, lifting the Atlanta Braves to a 5-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.

”I know the potential for this team to be in the playoffs is really high,” Sanchez said. ”I’ve been in October games. I can bring a lot of things to October.”

Sanchez (4-2) retired 19 in a row at one point to help snap Atlanta’s season high four-game skid. The veteran right-hander exited with two outs in the seventh after being hit by a liner on his right side near his hip. A red welt was visible on his back, but he said afterward he was fine.

”He never throws a pitch I don’t think that he doesn’t know where he wants to put it,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

Sanchez struck out six in a row at one point. But after two easy outs in the seventh, his day ended quickly following a walk to Hernan Perez.

Perez stole second Authentic Chase Edmonds Jersey , and Brad Miller’s line drive deflected off Sanchez and out of shortstop Dansby Swanson’s reach to cut Atlanta’s lead to 2-1.

Sanchez didn’t appear too shaken up – smiling and getting high fives from the Braves dugout after exiting. Reliever Dan Winkler came in and recorded the final out of the inning.

Sanchez allowed one run off two hits and a walk. He finished with eight strikeouts.

”It’s fun to be able to play behind that,” Swanson said. ”He’s been tremendous.”

WILKERSON’S WOES

Brewers spot starter Aaron Wilkerson’s tough day actually started on Friday.

His original flight was delayed after getting called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs, so he instead traveled from Colorado Springs to Houston then Chicago. He arrived in Milwaukee at 3:30 a.m. on Saturday.

”And, they lost my bags on the way,” he said. ”It was kind of a rough one. But, it’s not an excuse for anything.”

Wilkerson (0-1) had taken the rotation turn of Brent Suter, who went on the 10-day disabled list with left forearm tightness on Friday.

Johan Camargo’s two-run single off Wilkerson gave Atlanta the lead in the first. Wilkerson allowed two runs off four hits and three walks in five innings. He struck out five.

FLEET-FOOTED FREEMAN

Freeman and Nick Markakis added consecutive run-scoring triples in the eighth as Atlanta scored three times in the inning to put the game out of reach.

Freeman came into the game in a slump, batting .159 over his last 17 games before his three-hit performance.

”I’m starting to feel a little better,” Freeman said. ”I’m seeing pitches, not swinging at balls in the batter’s box. That helps.”

QUICK NICK

Sanchez benefited from a heads up defensive play from Markakis in right field in the first inning. With runners on first and second, Travis Shaw flared a ball that should’ve loaded the bases.

Instead, Jesus Aguilar, at first, didn’t read the play quickly enough and Markakis fired a strike to Swanson at second base for the first of Sanchez’s 19 straight outs.

”Travis hit a ball that Aggie just didn’t get a good read on,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. ”That was our opportunity against Sanchez, for sure.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves: Rookie LF Ronald Acuna Jr. was out of the lineup after leaving with left groin tightness on Friday night.

Brewers: CF Lorenzo Cain (left groin strain) is close to returning from the 10-day disabled list and could be activated as soon as Sunday. … LF Ryan Braun was a late scratch in the starting lineup with tightness in his right side, but pinch hit in the ninth. … RHP Jorge Lopez was recalled for the fifth time this year to provide pitching depth. Infielder Nate Orf was optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs.

UP NEXT

Braves: LHP Sean Newcomb (8-3, 3.10 ERA) looks to bounce back Sunday after allowing five runs without getting out of the third inning in an 8-5 loss to the Yankees on Tuesday. RHP Junior Guerra (5-5, 2.87) goes for Milwaukee and is holding opponents to a .217 average in 16 starts this year.

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SANTA CLARA Gabriel Landeskog Jersey Kids , Calif. (AP) — Eli Harold spent the past two seasons kneeling aside San Francisco 49ers teammates such as Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid as a form of protest of racial injustice during the national anthem.

Harold has changed his stance this year and has stood during the playing of the “The Star-Spangled Banner” during the first two exhibition games for the 49ers.

Harold said Tuesday he didn’t want to get into details on why he no longer is kneeling during the anthem.

“I understand everyone wants to ask the questions,” he said. “I just don’t want to get into it right now. I’m trying to focus on ball. Me and my wife had a discussion and we feel it’s best right now that I just don’t answer those questions and try to stick with ball.”

The league and the players’ union have yet to announce a policy for this season regarding demonstrations during the anthem after the league initially ordered everyone to stand on the sideline when “The Star-Spangled Banner” is played, or remain in the locker room.

Only a handful of NFL players have protested during the anthem this preseason with a few kneeling, staying in the locker room or raising a fist. Niners receiver Marquise Goodwin is the only player to protest on his team so far, raising a fist during the anthem.

While a new policy is being worked out, both Kaepernick and Reid remain unsigned. Kaepernick hasn’t played since the end of the 2016 season and has filed a grievance over the refusal of any team to sign him to a contract.

Reid has not been signed so far this offseason despite coming off a solid season in showing the versatility to play both safety and linebacker.

“He’s a heck of a ballplayer, obviously top five at his position,” Harold said. “It sucks but it’s the nature of the business. I’m praying for him. Hopefully everything works out, but it just sucks. He’s a heck of a player. It hurts me to see what he’s going through.”

The 49ers determined early in the offseason that they wanted Jaquiski Tartt and Adrian Colbert as their starters and only offered Reid a one-year minimum contract to come in and compete for a backup spot.

Reid declined the deal and has gotten no significant offers from other teams. Coach Kyle Shanahan said the Niners still would be willing to bring Reid back as a reserve.

“If any really good player wants to come in here on a minimum deal and have a good player to be a backup, that’d be unbelievable,” Shanahan said. “I don’t think that’s what Eric wants. I told you the reason we decided to go that direction is because we made a tough decision, but we had to do it. We went with Tartt. We thought that was the right way to go.

“You can’t give a lot of money to backups, and that’s what he would be if he came here. But Ryan Kesler Jersey , I like Eric. Eric is a good player, he’s a good person. That’d be great if we could add him to that role. I don’t think he would be that interested in it.”

NOTES: CB Richard Sherman returned to practice after being sidelined by a hamstring injury and is on track to play his first exhibition game Saturday against Indianapolis. … DL Solomon Thomas and OL Garry Gilliam have not yet been cleared for contact following concussions in the exhibition opener. … Backup QB C.J. Beathard did not practice and is day to day with a sprained foot.

The key for Seattle remaining a contender while churning the roster is rediscovering success in the draft after the Seahawks went 9-7 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

In recent years, general manager John Schneider and his staff have been tagged with more misses than hits. The days of finding stars such as Russell Wilson in the third round and Richard Sherman in the fifth round have been replaced by high-round busts such as Christine Michael and Malik McDowell.

In the past five years, Seattle has drafted just one player to be voted to the Pro Bowl: Wide receiver and kick returner Tyler Lockett.

So the pressure is on Schneider to again have a bountiful draft. It doesn't have to be as good as those ones earlier this decade that defined Seattle's contending squads.

But there are notable areas Seattle needs to address and baring a trade it'll have to do it with limited picks. Seattle's first pick is at No. 18, the Seahawks have just eight selections entering the draft and none in the second or third rounds.

In an effort to have fewer misses, the Seahawks have shrunk their draft board with a smaller pool of players to consider.

"It looks cleaner. It's easier to study. It's easier to figure out where the ledges are, the drop-offs, where the strengths are," Schneider said. "(In) 2010, 2011, 2012 we had less numbers in general. And then for one reason or another we continue to add more and more players and it's just too much."

Here's what else to watch about the Seahawks entering the draft:

WHAT ABOUT EARL?

The offseason has been filled with conjecture about the future of star safety Earl Thomas, who is going into the final year of his contract in 2018. Thomas wants a new deal and has not hid his desire for one.

Thomas is also one of the few commodities Seattle has on its roster that could yield a bounty of picks if a trade was made. Thomas is still an elite safety, but the chance to get multiple picks could lead Schneider to pull off a trade.

SILENT DAY 2

Seattle is without a pick on the second day of the draft Tyson Barrie Jersey , the result of trading its second-round pick to the New York Jets as part of the Sheldon Richardson deal, and sending its third-round selection to Houston as part of the Duane Brown deal.

Don't expect that to last. Schneider has been among the most active GMs during the draft making deals to acquire more picks.

"We take a lot of pride in our relationships with clubs where we can call someone up really quick and make a deal and move around. ... I wish we had a second-rounder and a third-rounder, but we went for it and now here we are," Schneider said. "It's a challenge, but it's a fun challenge."

BIGGEST NEEDS

While the offensive line is regularly the biggest complaint of fans, it's not Seattle's biggest need. The Seahawks must get some pass rush help in this draft. The trade of Bennett and uncertainty over the future of Cliff Avril because of a neck injury leaves a void at defensive end with Frank Clark as the only proven pass rusher.

The secondary should also be a priority. Sherman is gone. So too are DeShawn Shead and Jeremy Lane. And there's the same uncertainty around Kam Chancellor as Avril. Seattle re-signed Bradley McDougald and Justin Coleman, and has hopes for young safeties Delano Hill and Tedric Thompson, but depth is a major concern.

HITS, MISSES AND BARGAINS

The first three drafts Seattle had under Schneider laid the foundation for a Super Bowl team. The past five have been shaky at best.

The misses: None may be more costly than McDowell. The second-round pick has yet to play for Seattle because of an ATV accident before the 2017 season. His injury caused Seattle to trade for one season of Richardson, which cost the Seahawks a serviceable receiver in Jermaine Kearse and a second-round pick.

The hits: Last year the Seahawks nabbed cornerback Shaquill Griffin in the third round and he immediately became the starter. Playing opposite Sherman meant Griffin was targeted right away and his performance showed he can be capable of being Seattle's next great cornerback.

The bargains: His rookie season was cut short because of injury, but Seattle has high hopes for running back Chris Carson, a seventh-round pick last year. Carson won the starting job in training camp last year and will likely be the presumptive starter going into this season.

”I’ve been here for one year and I was pretty (ticked) off and upset,” Botterill said during a season-ending news conference Wednesday, ”I guess I could be articulate, but I’ll just say it (stinks) that we won’t be watching live playoff hockey right now.”

Being on the outside looking in is an unusual position for Botterill, who spent the previous two Junes celebrating Stanley Cup championships as the Penguins assistant GM. He was hired last spring after the Sabres cleaned house by firing GM Tim Murray and coach Dan Bylsma.

If there’s anything Botterill can draw upon from his experience with the Penguins, is seeing the notable difference between what makes up a winning organization and a losing one in Buffalo .

The Sabres finished last for the third time in five years, and extended their franchise-worst playoff drought to a seventh season.

”Right now we have a losing culture here,” Botterill said.

He put the onus on himself, coach Phil Housley and players to find ways of inspiring change, be it with their training habits or communication and leadership abilities.

”I don’t want to hear how disappointed they are. I want to hear what’s going to change,” Botterill said. ”It just can’t be about words. We have to have better results.”

Botterill backed the disheartening sentiments expressed by center Ryan O’Reilly during the team’s final media availability on Monday. O’Reilly said a losing mentality had crept into the locker room and led him to losing his love for playing hockey at times.

”I think he gave you an honest opinion. And in today’s sports world that’s a little bit unique,” Botterill said.

”When you don’t get the results you want, it can be really draining on a player,” he added. ”And what he said is probably indicative of a lot of our players within our organization. And that’s what we have to work through right now.”

Botterill began the news conference by saying Housley isn’t going anywhere after he struggled in his first year as coach. He credited Housley for developing some of Buffalo’s youngsters, and believes in the up-tempo style the coach began introducing this season.

As for the roster, Botterill didn’t rule out making drastic changes even if it meant shaking up the team’s core group of leaders.

”When you finish where we were, you have to look at everything,” he said.

Buffalo finished last in the NHL with 199 goals scored and 119 goals scored in five-on-five situations. The Sabres also matched a franchise low for home wins in any season by going 11-25-4 at Buffalo – not including an overtime loss to the Rangers in the Winter Classic at New York City in which the Sabres were the ”home” team.

If there was a bright side, Botterill looked forward to the draft in June, when Buffalo is guaranteed picking no worse than fourth overall Tony Jefferson Jersey , pending the results of the NHL’s draft lottery on April 28.

Botterill was impressed by Jack Eichel’s development on the ice, where the third-year center set career bests with 25 goals and 64 points, and off the ice in continuing to mature as a leader.

Botterill, however, said it was premature as to whether the Sabres were prepared to award the 21-year-old Eichel the captaincy, a role that was not filled this past season.

”As excited as we are of Jack moving forward as a leader, it’s imperative that we have more players in that locker room step up,” Botterill said.

”This game cannot have one player lead the entire team. It’s imperative that we have stronger leadership bases in there.”

NOTES: Botterill said G Robin Lehner will not require surgery after the starter visited a specialist this week to assess a lower body injury. … In announcing he expects rookie G Linus Ullmark to play for Buffalo full time next season, Botterill said he’s not determined his second goalie, including Lehner, who is eligible to become a restricted free agent. … Backup Chad Johnson completed his one-year contract and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent.

—

While the Bengals defense settles in to learn a new system during training camp, linebacker Vontaze Burfict is just passing through town.

He'll miss the start of the season for a third year in a row, this time on a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancers. It's a conundrum for the Bengals , who have remained loyal to Burfict despite his history of misconduct and suspensions.

His absence will be especially noteworthy this year as the Bengals adjust to a new defense under first-year coordinator Teryl Austin.

When camp opens with the first practice on Thursday, they'll be teaching him the system while also preparing everyone else to play without him for the first month.

"Unfortunately, we're probably too experienced at it," coach Marvin Lewis said.

The results so far haven't been all that encouraging.

Burfict was suspended for the first three games in 2016 because of his history of egregious hits during games, including his blow to Antonio Brown's head during the Steelers' first-round playoff victory the previous season. The Bengals lost two of three and finished with a losing record.

Last year, Burfict got another three-game suspension from the league for his egregious hit on Kansas City's Anthony Sherman during a preseason game. Undeterred, the Bengals gave Burfict a three-year contract extension and got off to an 0-3 start and another losing season.

Burfict is one of the most vocal leaders on the defense. He'll practice with the team until the preseason ends and his suspension begins Russell Bodine Jersey , preventing him from being around the team for a month.

"We're going to miss the heck out of Vontaze," cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick said Wednesday.

Coaches liken it to missing an injured player, though it's not an exact comparison. When a player gets hurt, someone else steps into the job full time. In this case, the Bengals have to get the defense on the same page of the new playbook, while also getting it ready to function without one of its leaders for a significant part of the season.

They signed linebacker Preston Brown to a one-year deal in March, bringing in a player from Buffalo who can help them get through that first month without Burfict.

"We have to have the other guys assume the leadership, the communication, everything that way," Lewis said. "He's such a dominant personality that we almost have to stifle him in order to do that."

Lewis declined to say whether he would hold Burfict out of the preseason games, as he's done in the past when the linebacker faced a season-opening suspension. Austin plans to give Burfict a lot of practice time.

"I anticipate him practicing like nothing is going on and then when we get toward the end and he has to take a break, then he has to take a break," Austin said.

Burfict will miss the season opener at Indianapolis followed by a Thursday night home game against AFC North rival Baltimore and road games against Carolina and Atlanta. He can return for an Oct. 7 game against Miami at Paul Brown Stadium, which is followed by another home game against the Steelers.

He has a history of getting back to speed quickly after returning from a suspension.

"One thing to his credit: He's been able to come back to playing as though he's been playing football," Lewis said.

"If we say he's going to play 20 snaps, he plays 40. If we say 30 snaps, he plays 50. He won't come out once he's in there, and then all he'll do afterward is tell you guys how he's winded and we made him play too much. But he's the one who won't come off the field."

A look at what’s happening around the majors Wednesday:

NATIONAL DECLINE

The Nationals could use a spark before the July 4 fireworks go off in D.C. Washington is at risk of falling below .500 for the first time since May 2 as it continues a series against Boston at 11 a.m. EDT. The Red Sox thumped the Nationals 11-4 on Tuesday Authentic Cameron Jordan Jersey , giving Washington its fourth straight loss and 16th in 21 games to fall to 42-42. That slide has the preseason NL East favorites chasing the Braves and Phillies in the division. Erick Fedde (1-3, 6.00) tries to stop Washington’s skid against Boston left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (9-3, 4.11).

THE SHO GOES ON

Shohei Ohtani is back from the disabled list, albeit without full use of his electric right arm. The Japanese two-way sensation has been cleared to hit and was in the Angels’ lineup as a designated hitter Tuesday night, but he won’t be pitching anytime soon due to a Grade 2 sprain of his ulnar collateral ligament suffered more than three weeks ago. Ohtani has received stem cell therapy and a platelet-rich plasma injection on his right elbow, and it’s unclear if he’ll be able to return to the mound this year. For now, Los Angeles welcomes him as a hitter. He entered Tuesday batting .289 with a .907 OPS and six homers in 114 at-bats.

ROTATION RESET

Gerrit Cole (9-2) will pitch on regular rest for the Astros after a slight tweak to their rotation. Lance McCullers Jr. was initially scheduled to start at Texas, but Cole will pitch instead. Justin Verlander (9-4) will follow Thursday at home against the White Sox and McCullers goes Friday. Manager A.J. Hinch said the switch keeps Cole and Verlander pitching every fifth day, and provides extra rest for McCullers (9-3) and Charlie Morton (10-2). The reset rotation means likely All-Star selection Verlander is scheduled for the final game before the break. ”This is always going to be the priority,” said Hinch, the All-Star manager who then won’t have Verlander available to pitch for the AL team on July 17 in Washington D.C.

BAUER POWER

Trevor Bauer tries to carry over an outstanding June when the Indians play at Kansas City. Bauer (7-6 Youth Jason Sanders Jersey , 2.45) was 3-3 with a 2.18 ERA last month, striking out 62 batters in 41 1/3 innings. He gets probably his easiest test of the year against the Royals, who scored a major league-low 58 runs in June – the second-lowest output was Tampa Bay at 87.

—

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady obviously is far closer to the end of his career than the beginning. It’s still not clear how close he may be. But he knows it’s coming.

“I think about it more now than I used to,鈥?Brady tells Oprah Winfrey in an interview that debuts this weekend, via theBoston Herald. 鈥淚 think I鈥檓 seeing there鈥檚 definitely an end coming sooner, rather than later.鈥?/p>

He continues to avoid specifics about when he’ll walk away, keeping his commitment to play open ended.

鈥淎s long as I鈥檓 still loving it,鈥?Brady said. 鈥淎s long as I鈥檓 loving the training and the preparation and willing to make the commitment. But it鈥檚 also, I think what I alluded to a lot in the [Tom vs. Time] docu-series, there鈥檚 other things happening in my life, too. I do have kids that I love Authentic Louis Domingue Jersey , and I don鈥檛 want to be a dad that鈥檚 not there, driving my kids to their games .鈥?鈥? my kids have brought a great perspective in my life. Kids just want the attention. You better be there. And be available to them.”

Despite plenty of speculation regarding the reasons for Brady’s absence from voluntary offseason workouts in 2018, the simplest explanation could be that his family has demanded more of his attention, prompting him to choose spending time with them over non-mandatory work days. And that could be part of the complex compromise that will come to characterize the latter days of Brady’s Hall of Fame career.

As long as he can maintain that balance — and as long as he can perform at a high level — he’ll keep going.

Even then, no one should ever expect Brady to provide an expiration date to his career. He’s not wired to have a Jeter-style farewell tour, which would put himself above the team. Brady likely will insist he intends to keep playing until the moment he decides to stop, and it will come as a surprise, no matter how inevitable everyone realizes it now is.

If the Cardinals got no one in this draft besides Josh Rosen Joe Flacco Jersey , fans would have called it a rousing success.

And offense turned out to be the theme. Only one of the six players drafted by the Cardinals plays defense, even though their new coach Steve Wilks was defensive coordinator last year at Carolina.

The choices were simply a function of the names on the Arizona draft board, general manager Steve Keim said.

”In a perfect world, coach and I would have been thrilled to have balance and to fill some positions defensively if those guys warranted those picks,” Keim said. ”But we had such high grades on those offensive players, we didn’t want to stray away from the board.”

In the second round, Arizona went with homegrown wide receiver Christian Kirk from Texas A&M in the second round.

The Cardinals picked center Mason Cole out of Michigan in the third round and, with their first choice Saturday dipped into the FCS ranks to grab running back Chase Edmonds of Fordham.

It marked only the second time in the draft’s modern era (which began in 1967) that the Cardinals have used their first four picks on the offense. The other was in 1993.

Finally, in the sixth round, Arizona went defense, grabbing cornerback Chris Campbell of Penn State. The Cardinals’ final pick came third to last in the seventh and final round when they selected offensive tackle Korey Cunningham of Cincinnati.

But this draft was, first and foremost, about that long-awaited young quarterback for Arizona.

When Carson Palmer retired at the end of last season, there were no QBs on the roster. Now they have Sam Bradford, Mike Glennon and Rosen, who will begin his new job in earnest at the rookie minicamp in two weeks.

HOME SWEET HOME

No Arizona draftee could have been happier than Kirk, who grew up in the Phoenix area, starring at Saguaro High in Scottsdale before choosing Texas A&M over staying home at Arizona State. Now he’s coming home and keeps describing the situation as ”surreal.”

Kirk said he got to know star receiver Larry Fitzgerald when he played on the same Pop Warner team as Kurt Warner’s son. Warner would sometimes bring Fitzgerald along to games and they struck up a friendship.

”I think I was probably in the fourth grade at the time Youth Denzel Ward Jersey , third or fourth grade, and every time they came out, it was just so crazy,” Kirk said.

Kirk will use his old No. 13. That was the Hall of Famer Warner’s number, too.

”Exactly, I have to rock it well,” Kirk said. ”I have a lot to live up to.”

CHARACTER

Keim said that as he evolves through his fifth year on the job, he’s paying more attention than ever to off-the-field character and the player’s love of the game as he assesses who should be selected. He noted all but Campbell in this year’s class were team captains.

The idea was to go with ”strong character guys” that match what Wilks calls his team’s DNA.

”I’ve almost promised myself that we would take guys, even if they’re a little less talented, but they have that makeup,” Keim said. ”… Especially in our first draft together, we wanted to make a statement.”

FCS SUCCESS

Almost every year, the Cardinals dip into the talent at the FCS level, or lower.

This year it was Edmonds, the all-time leading rusher in the Patriot League for yards and touchdowns who could be in a crowded competition for a backup spot behind 2016 All-Pro David Johnson, as well as a kick and punt returner.

”I’m just looking forward to whatever role Arizona asks me,” he said. ”Whether it’s being a special teams player, being a third-down back http://www.redskinsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-derrius-guice-jersey , on the slot, something like that. I’m looking forward to it.”

Keim called Edmonds’ production ”off the charts” and said he would have set the FCS career rushing record had he not been injured during his senior season.

Some prior Arizona draftees from the FCS ranks or lower include Johnson, taken in the third round out of Northern Iowa in 2015; wide receiver John Brown, selected in third round out of Pittsburg State (Kan.) in 2014; and cornerback/special teams player Justin Bethel, picked in the sixth round out of Presbyterian in 2012.

Oh, and quarterback John Skelton out of Fordham in the fifth round in 2010. He’s no longer around.

STILL NEED

Look for defensive players to be signed as undrafted free agents, as well as maybe some late veteran signings. Arizona still needs to find a cornerback to play opposite Patrick Peterson and is looking for depth at linebacker as the team transitions from a 3-4 base formation to a 4-3. The Cardinals also could use some depth at tight end.

—

The last sled to get as many views as the one Chandler Jones broke yesterday was named Rosebud.

And the Cardinals defensive end had no apologies for the broken equipment/viral video he created when he snapped the arm off a blocking sled during practice yesterday.

Via Darren Urban of the team’s official website, Cards coach Steve Wilks said he thought the damage was a result of Jones being handled by tackle D.J. Humphries on an earlier play and the resulting motivation.

“That’s not why,” Jones said, clearly proud of himself. “I’m just too powerful. You can write that down. Way too powerful. . . .

“I was like, ‘[Expletive], I forgot how powerful I was.”

Sled vs @ChanJones55.

Advantage: @ChanJones55. pic.twitter.com/SLy4UInWXN

— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) July 30, 2018

And while Wilks now has a sled that’s short an arm which somebody is going to have to pay for, he admitted he was still impressed.

“We’ve got to replace that,” Wilks said. “But it was exciting to see.”

Hopefully none of the Cardinals break any of the other props this week. Pray for ball-on-a-stick.