The MLB playoff picture is wide open

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🚨 Headlines

🏀 Luka extension: The Lakers signed Luka Dončić to a three-year, $165 million max extension, solidifying his place as the future of the franchise. Their next challenge? Finding a secondary star who will eventually take over for 40-year-old LeBron James.

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🏈 NFLPA elects White: David White has been elected as the new interim executive director of the NFLPA. The former Screen Actors Guild power broker replaces Lloyd Howell, who resigned last month amid scandal.

🏀 Historic sale: A group led by Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca is purchasing the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun for a women’s sports record $325 million. The team is expected to move to Boston by 2027.

📺 ESPN buys RedZone: The Worldwide Leader made a blockbuster deal with the NFL to acquire “NFL RedZone,” along with other NFL Media assets, in exchange for up to 10% equity in ESPN.

🏈 Cowboys standoff: Superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons has requested a trade from the Cowboys amid stalled contract negotiations with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who seems unfazed by the tactic.

⚾️ The MLB playoff picture is wide open

With eight weeks left in the regular season, MLB’s playoff picture is filled with the usual suspects. But given the historic level of parity at the top, there’s no telling what the field will look like come October.

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Wild stat: The top 10 teams in MLB were separated by just 4.5 games entering August — the tightest gap through July in history. That’s grown ever-so-slightly to six games in the ensuing few days thanks to the Brewers’ continued hot streak,* but the competitive balance on display should make for an entertaining race to the postseason.

Where it stands…

AL playoff picture: The Blue Jays (65-48) and Tigers (65-48) would earn byes to the ALDS if the season ended today, while the Astros (62-50) would host the Mariners (60-53) in one wild card series and the Red Sox (62-51) would host the Yankees (60-52) in the other.

• In the hunt: The Rangers (58-55), Guardians (56-55), Royals (56-56), Rays (55-58) and Angels (54-58) are all within 5.5 games of a wild card spot.

• Not gonna happen: The Twins (52-59) and Orioles (51-61) were major deadline sellers, while the Athletics (49-65) and White Sox (42-70) are simply too far gone.

NL playoff picture: The Brewers (67-44) and Dodgers (65-47) would earn byes to the NLDS if the season ended today, while the Phillies (63-48) would host the Padres (62-50) in one wild card series and the Cubs (65-46) would host the Mets (63-49) in the other.

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• In the hunt: The Reds (58-54), Giants (56-56), Marlins (55-55) and Cardinals (56-57) are all within 6.5 games of a wild card spot.

• Not gonna happen: The Diamondbacks (53-59), Pirates (48-64), Braves (47-63), Nationals (44-67) and Rockies (30-81) are looking to the future.

*No juggernauts: As good as the Brewers have been, their league-best winning percentage through July was just .593 — the lowest by the MLB leader entering August in any season in the modern era (since 1900).

🇺🇸 Photos across America

Eugene, Oregon — 16-year-old phenom Cooper Lutkenhaus ran one of the greatest 800m races in history on Sunday at the USATF Outdoor Championships, where he took second to qualify for Worlds.

Consider this: Lutkenhaus was in a field with three different world champions, and he beat all but one… who held him off by 0.11 seconds. The winner is 28. Cooper is a rising high school junior. It’s pure insanity.

Bristol, Tennessee — The MLB Speedway Classic had all the makings of a spectacle, but a rain delay/postponement and logistical problems turned into a nightmare for fans, many of whom didn’t return on Sunday when play resumed to see the Braves beat the Reds, 4-2.

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91,032: That was the official attendance on Saturday, making this the most-attended game in MLB history (though the rain made sure it didn’t last for long).

Canton, Ohio — Eric Allen, Jared Allen, Antonio Gates and Sterling Sharpe (L to R) were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, bringing the total membership up to 382.

Player profiles: Antonio Gates (2003-18) | Eric Allen (1988-2001) | Jared Allen (2004-15) | Sterling Sharpe (1988-94)

Washington, D.C. — Trinity Rodman powered the Spirit to a 2-1 win over the Thorns with a stoppage time game-winner in her triumphant return to the field after missing three months with a back injury.

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NWSL standings: With the second half of the season now underway, here’s what the playoff field would look like if the season ended today: Kansas City (36 points), Orlando (26), Washington (26), San Diego (25), Seattle (24), Portland (22), Louisville (20), Gotham FC (19).

🌎 Photos around the world

Châtel, France — Pauline Ferrand-Prévot won the Tour de France Femmes on Sunday, becoming the first French winner of cycling’s biggest race since 1989.

The drought is over: “Not since Bernard Hinault last won the men’s Tour de France in 1985 and Jeannie Longo won the women’s edition in 1989 has a French cyclist taken home the yellow jersey — a long, long wait for a nation whose summers have been entwined with the race for more than a century.” (Issy Ronald, CNN)

Bridgend, Wales — Japan’s Miyū Yamashita (-11) won the Women’s Open Championship by two strokes to clinch her first major title and become the 21st different winner this season on the LPGA Tour.

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Nation on the rise: Prior to last season, Japanese golfers had won just three major championships on the LPGA Tour. They’ve now won four of the last nine.

Singapore — The U.S. women finished the swimming world championships with a bang, setting a world record in the 4x100m medley relay after Katie Ledecky beat Summer McIntosh to win her seventh consecutive world title (!!) in the 800m free.

Final tally: The U.S. topped the medal table with nine golds (Australia was second, with eight) and 29 overall medals (Australia, 20).

Seoul, South Korea — Spurs legend Son Heung-min officially said goodbye to Tottenham following Sunday’s preseason friendly against Newcastle in his native Korea. Next stop: Los Angeles.

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Coming to America: LAFC is reportedly paying Tottenham $20-26 million for the 33-year-old forward, which could make it the richest transfer fee in MLS history (current record: $22 million).

📊 By the numbers

⚾️ 24-24

The Yankees have a winning regular season record vs. every MLB franchise… except the Marlins, who swept New York over the weekend to even their all-time series at 24 wins apiece.

⛳️ 1,000th winner

Cameron Young won the Wyndham Championship to conclude the PGA Tour’s regular season and finalize the 70-man postseason field. The victory marked Young’s inaugural Tour win, and made him the 1,000th unique winner in Tour history.

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⚽️ 9 out of 10

Brazil beat Colombia in a shootout on Saturday to win their ninth Copa América Femenina title (out of 10 total). Marta was named Player of the Tournament (who else?) after scoring twice in the final and saving the day with this legendary strike.

⚾️ 17-16

The Rockies erased a 9-run deficit on Friday to beat the Pirates, 17-16, in one of the wildest games ever. All 18 players scored, which is incredibly rare, and the hero for Colorado was literally the worst offensive player in the majors entering the night.

⚾️ MLB trivia

Fill in the blank: ________ hit his 100th career home run on Sunday to become the first player in MLB history with 20+ HR and 20+ SB in each of his first four seasons.

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Hint: Centerfielder.

Answer at the bottom.

🍿 Baker’s Dozen: Top 13 plays of the weekend

Watch all 13 →

Trivia answer: Julio Rodríguez (Mariners)

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