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Trades or
no trades
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Expanded playoffs in baseball make trade predictions tricky, especially for players like Detroit’s Tarik Skubal. Twenty-three of the 30 teams are within four games of a playoff spot as the season’s second half begins today.
Skubal, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, is a major trade possibility. The 29-year-old left-hander returned to the mound in June after elbow surgery. The Tigers, who have improved since June, are close to a wild-card spot. Their performance in upcoming games will decide their trade strategy. Other pitchers like Joe Ryan and Freddy Peralta might be dealt.
A’ja Wilson
picked first
(AP) -- Four-time MVP A’ja Wilson was selected first in the WNBA All-Star draft for the exhibition game that will be played on July 25 in Chicago. Acting as honorary general managers, WNBA greats Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon each drafted All-Star teams from players that previously were either voted as starters by fans, media and fellow players, or chosen as reserves by the league’s coaches.
Paige Bueckers headlines Cooper’s team and Caitlin Clark is atop Weatherspoon’s squad.
Joining Bueckers in the starting lineup playing for coach Becky Hammon are Breanna Stewart, Kelsey Mitchell, Natasha Howard and Gabby Williams. Weatherspoon picked Wilson, Olivia Miles, Aliyah Boston and Jessica Shepard, who will play for coach Cheryl Reeve.
ACC revamps
tiebreakers
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- The Atlantic Coast Conference is revamping the tiebreaker format for its football championship game following a controversial finish last season that allowed a five-loss Duke team to reach the title game over then No. 10-ranked Miami. That put the Hurricanes at risk of not making the College Football Playoff.
When head-to-head competition cannot separate tied teams, the team with the strongest overall body of work will earn the opportunity to compete for the ACC championship and the conference’s automatic qualifier to the College Football Playoff. ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips says that will be based on a SportSource Analytics metric used by the CFP.
Hot weather
at Birkdale
SOUTHPORT, England (AP) -- How far the golf ball travels has been a debate for years. At the British Open, it’s more how far the ball goes on the ground than in the air. The 154th Open begins today on the brown-and-yellow links of Royal Birkdale.
The forecast is for hot weather and bright sunshine and that’s only likely to make the links even fast.
Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion. He joins a list of players who say the condition of the course allows for decision to be made at every turn.