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A18 SPORTS
Thursday 11 July 2019

Trade deadline

looms as baseball

resumes after break

By JAY COHEN Central, where the Chi-
AP Sports Writer cago Cubs have a 4½-
CHICAGO (AP) — Francisco game advantage — over
Lindor and the Cleveland last-place Cincinnati. Yup,
Indians, looking up at Nel- that’s right, it’s just 4½
son Cruz and the surpris- games from top to bottom,
ing Minnesota Twins. Matt with Christian Yelich and
Chapman and the Oak- Milwaukee a half-game
land Athletics, trying to run back of Javier Báez and
down José Altuve and the the inconsistent Cubbies.
Houston Astros. Max Scher- “Nobody really wants to
zer and the Washington run away with it,” Cardinals
Nationals, chasing Ronald shortstop Paul DeJong said.
Acuña Jr. and the Atlanta “That gives us confidence
Braves. Baseball ramps up as a group to think that we
again this weekend, and can run away with it.” American League’s Joey Gallo, left, of the Texas Rangers, is congratulated by American League
a handful of contenders It sets up for some very teammate Francisco Lindor, of the Cleveland Indians, after Gallo hit a solo home run during the
have a lot of work to do. tough decisions ahead seventh inning of the MLB baseball All-Star Game, Tuesday, July 9, 2019, in Cleveland.
Five of the majors’ six divi- of the trade deadline af- Associated Press
sions feature deficits of at ter trade waivers were saying,” Smith said. “There’s other, we back each other days. Beginning with Thurs-
least 5½ games as play eliminated in the offsea- so much out there, and you up. We’re having a blast.” day night’s Astros-Rangers
resumes after the All-Star son, meaning no player don’t know what’s true.” Washington also is having game in Arlington, the
Game, in which the Ameri- can be traded after July Cleveland could inject some fun again, moving game’s top sluggers re-
can League beat the Na- 31 through the end of the some drama into the AL into position to shake up sume their assault on an
tional League 4-3 Tuesday regular season. Players who Central as soon as this the NL East after a terrible array of home run records.
night. Life is pretty good for clear outright waivers can weekend, when Minnesota start to the season . Led by Yelich leads the way with
two iconic franchises, with still be claimed and will be comes to town for a three- a resurgent Scherzer, the 31 so far, putting together
Cody Bellinger and the Los eligible for the postseason if game series. The Indians hit Nationals have won 15 of an appropriate encore to
Angeles Dodgers in control they are in the organization the All-Star break with the 19 to pull within six games of his NL MVP performance a
of the NL West again and before Sept. 1. majors’ longest active win the division-leading Braves. year ago.
Aaron Judge and the New Buying or selling will be one streak at six in a row, im- Washington plays Atlanta The majors are on pace for
York Yankees looking down tricky call for several teams, proving to 21-6 since June 14 times in the last half of 6,668 homers, which would
on the rest of the AL East all the way to the final days 1 and moving within 5½ the season, including seven smash the record 6,105 hit
despite a rash of injuries. of July. The hard deadline games of the division-lead- games in July. in 2017, and the real heat
“This team is capable of also could affect the prices ing Twins. “When we can go out of the summer, when hits
some great things,” Yan- for some of the top players “In the beginning it seemed there and play our best pick up, is only just begin-
kees pitcher James Paxton on the market, possibilities like we were good, then baseball and play mistake- ning.
said. “You’ve got some re- like San Francisco pitchers all of a sudden in May we free baseball, we’re a “Guys are working year
ally talented players here, Madison Bumgarner and had that stretch where we tough team and we can in and year out on their
guys with a lot of drive, Will Smith, Toronto right- weren’t playing as good compete with anybody in swings,” Pittsburgh first
great leadership. We’re set hander Marcus Stroman as we wanted to play,” Lin- this league,” Scherzer said. baseman Josh Bell said
up really well to make a and Detroit lefty Matthew dor said. “But right now, we The Nationals have seven during the All-Star break.
good run the second half Boyd. continue to play the game players with at least 11 “We’re just focused on try-
here as well.” “I know something could right and we’re enjoying it, homers, led by Anthony ing to put a show on for you
The one exception at the happen, but I don’t take a we’re all having fun. We all Rendon with 20. But every- guys.” The show is on once
moment is the crazy NL peek at what people are get along, we love each one is going deep these again.q

White Sox begin placing extended netting to foul poles

CHICAGO (AP) — Work take the step after a liner end of each dugout. The
crews have begun extend- by Cubs outfielder Albert Pittsburgh Pirates, Texas
ing the protective netting Almora Jr. struck a 4-year- Rangers and Washington
to the foul poles at Guar- old girl in Houston in May. Nationals are among the
anteed Rate Field, a step A woman was hit by a foul other teams that have an-
the Chicago White Sox are ball off the bat of White Sox nounced they’ll extend
taking following a couple slugger Eloy Jiménez in Chi- netting.q
of high-profile injuries this cago on June 10.
season. Commissioner Rob Man-
The White Sox say the ma- fred has said extending
jority of the work should be protective netting down
completed Wednesday foul lines is a ballpark-to-
and the netting will be in ballpark decision because
place when the team re- of differing configura-
turns home July 22 to host tions. Major League Base-
Workers from C&H Baseball company install additional the Miami Marlins. ball mandated ahead
protective netting at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago on
Wednesday, July 10, 2019. The White Sox are the first of the 2018 season that
Associated Press major league team to netting extend to the far