Trees are an essential part of any property’s landscape. They provide natural beauty, shade, privacy, and environmental benefits while increasing the overall appeal of homes and businesses. However, trees also require regular attention to remain healthy, strong, and safe. Without proper maintenance, branches can become overgrown, damaged limbs can create risks,...

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) Bo Nix didn't have to wait until Friday night against the Green Bay Packers to get a game-like feel as he takes his biggest step yet in his comeback from two ankle surgeries.The Denver Broncos quarterback got knocked around a bit in a spirited full-padded practice Tuesday. His pocket collapsed one time and Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper and Malcolm Roach were right on top of him and he went down. Nix got up off the ground and fired the football in the direction of Bonitto and Roach. A couple of plays later, right tackle Mike McGlinchey was in the middle of a scrum as players pulled their teammates off the pile of bodies.I love it, Nix said of the over-the-top physicality. It's football and it's getting me ready for the games coming up and it's a physical practice out there played by physical people. "So, it got intense and we were just really enjoying it. And sometimes in the dog days of summer, practice gets long and the intensity runs high.Tempers tend to flare this deep into the summer, but Denver's coaches weren't pleased the competitiveness kept crossing the line.Obviously, you can't cross the line. That's against the rules," defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said. "So, practice, games, when we're playing our style of football, it's aggressive, downhill. But we can't ever cross the line and hurt our team. ... "Bo's our quarterback and we don't want anyone near Bo."Yeah, it's going to happen, we just can't cross the line, said offensive coordinator Davis Webb. (Sean) Payton said that and I agree. I'm glad that we're fiery and I love the competition out here. It's been unbelievable to watch both sides of the ball win some periods and win some plays. But yeah, we can't cross the line and that's offense and defense. That's not just one person, one position group, we all had a part in that.And they were sure going to hear about it later inside team headquarters. So, we're going to handle that and make sure we understand we're the Denver Broncos, not offense versus defense, Webb said.Nix is preparing for his first live action against another team since breaking his right ankle in Denver's overtime win against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC divisional round on Jan. 17. He missed the Broncos' loss to New England in the AFC championship a week later that put a sour end to a 15-4 season.I'm super excited," said Nix, who watched Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger split snaps in the Broncos' 27-7 win at Atlanta in their preseason opener last week. Payton surrendered offensive play-calling duties this season to Webb, who has called two preseason games in his short coaching career, neither of which Nix played in.So, this will be the first time in a game with him in my helmet, Nix said. And I think it'll be fun."Nix had a solid training camp, pushing off his back foot to drive passes without a problem, but offseason acquisition Jaylen Waddle missed a week with a lower body injury and only returned to practice this week, so they're still working on their budding chemistry.Also, the Broncos have had a rash of injuries at center with Luke Wattenberg missing two weeks with an upper body/shoulder injury, backup Alex Forsyth missing time due to an undisclosed injury and third-stringer Michael Deiter suffering a season-ending torn quadriceps.Nix looked on the bright side, saying, You can't always anticipate what's going to happen in a game and it's keeping us all on our toes. It's allowed me to be a little bit more in on the fine points and in on the communication and it's forcing me to take a bigger role in that.___See APs full NFL coverage here

The Buffalo Bills decided a month ago that the team would hold a second practice in Orchard Park this summer instead of their usual singular one to provide more fans with a chance to check out the new Highmark Stadium stadium following the building's construction.On Tuesday, that session took place. There was less flare around this one, but for an 8 a.m. practice, the team announced more than 41,000 people took in the early-morning session. What were those fans treated to?Bills Wire's roundup of video highlights shared to social media can be found below: Highlights: Bills' 2nd open Highmark Stadium practiceSolid but not spectacular crowd for #Bills open practice.Weather is picture perfect for #Billsmafiapic.twitter.com/p71KsJjwRW Thad Brown (@thadbrown7) August 18, 2026Highlights: Bills' 2nd open Highmark Stadium practiceJames Cook stuffed. Bradley Chubb appeared to be the first one thereGood run period for the Bills defense, Chubb helping lead the way. Hes been solid pic.twitter.com/JFRzDHD3h4 alex brasky (@alexbrasky) August 18, 2026Highlights: Bills' 2nd open Highmark Stadium practiceWould-be sack of Josh Allen, good coverage down the field Jim Leonhard continues to make it difficult on BUF offense pic.twitter.com/KPmHV9ZVRW alex brasky (@alexbrasky) August 18, 2026Highlights: Bills' 2nd open Highmark Stadium practiceJosh Allen to Joshua Palmer slant over the middle These two have been on point throughout camp pic.twitter.com/vjsFgmpwgf alex brasky (@alexbrasky) August 18, 2026Highlights: Bills' 2nd open Highmark Stadium practiceConnection between Josh Allen and Dalton Kincaid continues to flourish during team drillsGood to see Cole Bishop participating pic.twitter.com/A0ZtXhwDT8 alex brasky (@alexbrasky) August 18, 2026Highlights: Bills' 2nd open Highmark Stadium practiceJosh Allen DEEEP down the field to Dante Pettis.. TOUCHDOWNThe Bills new WR has made a solid impression early on. Allen continuing to work the deep ball. Impressive pic.twitter.com/ugIB6ITJXQ alex brasky (@alexbrasky) August 18, 2026Highlights: Bills' 2nd open Highmark Stadium practiceTyler Bass has made every kick hes attempted today (from my vantage point-no officials)A few were close, so thats unofficial. But overall a good bounce back, including this, what appeared to be a make from about 50 yards pic.twitter.com/3XohMRQXSe alex brasky (@alexbrasky) August 18, 2026Highlights: Bills' 2nd open Highmark Stadium practiceChristian Benford pass breakup. Bills CB1 starting to round into form pic.twitter.com/fG1NYXMyRW alex brasky (@alexbrasky) August 18, 2026Highlights: Bills' 2nd open Highmark Stadium practiceDJ Moore looks just fine after his injury scare during the Bills first preseason game against the Panthers Cutting, moving well. No worries pic.twitter.com/TMb0AYLcbH alex brasky (@alexbrasky) August 18, 2026Highlights: Bills' 2nd open Highmark Stadium practiceTwo straight plays in which Phidarian Mathis was able to get penetration - helping blow up a run play then getting pressure on Josh AllenBills are going to miss Mathis, who has been suspended for the first three games of the regular season pic.twitter.com/Iwb5b4dy5T alex brasky (@alexbrasky) August 18, 2026Highlights: Bills' 2nd open Highmark Stadium practiceFIGHT! A scuffle breaks out at the Bills open practice. A few players had to be held back after an Ian Wheeler touchdown run pic.twitter.com/Ci3ofD7qPK alex brasky (@alexbrasky) August 18, 2026Highlights: Bills' 2nd open Highmark Stadium practiceBills working the no huddle. Joshua Palmer beats Maxwell Hairston deep down the sidelinePalmer continues to impress pic.twitter.com/s6HR9YJBwP alex brasky (@alexbrasky) August 18, 2026Highlights: Bills' 2nd open Highmark Stadium practiceAnother nice play from Igbinosun down the field, breaking up a Josh Allen passIgbinosun has had a great practice https://t.co/kmo7NfmJpBpic.twitter.com/isDtrDbXYo alex brasky (@alexbrasky) August 18, 2026Highlights: Bills' 2nd open Highmark Stadium practiceAnother brief scuffle breaks out at Bills camp. This time rookie Jude Bowry is involvedRight before the end of practice pic.twitter.com/BIMzLiqaCO alex brasky (@alexbrasky) August 18, 2026Highlights: Bills' 2nd open Highmark Stadium practiceOver 41,000 fans at Highmark Stadium for a Tuesday morning practice.You're the best, Bills Mafia!! pic.twitter.com/Xkbp5MYIBH Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) August 18, 2026Highlights: Bills' 2nd open Highmark Stadium practiceHere's a look at Keon Coleman in a walking boot at #Bills practice inside the stadium this morning.No word on what Coleman's dealing with. pic.twitter.com/oIkPmACZG9 Jon Scott (@JonScottTV) August 18, 2026Highlights: Bills' 2nd open Highmark Stadium practiceMax Hairston was back practicing today after missing about a week with a groin injury.The #Bills 2nd year corner moving well and participating in full team work. pic.twitter.com/D6B0jam0VC Jon Scott (@JonScottTV) August 18, 2026Highlights: Bills' 2nd open Highmark Stadium practiceFantastic crowd at Bills practice this morning. 41,000 fans showing up at 8 in the morning. Impressive#BillsMafiapic.twitter.com/jzSpVPfrJl Mike Catalana (@MikeCatalana) August 18, 2026This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: Sights and sounds from the Bills' 2nd open practice at Highmark Stadium

How Bayern found their rhythm for the Supercup with Kane, Upamecano & OliseFC Bayern managed to impressively turn around a hard-fought and beneficial final friendly before the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup at Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. Having trailed 2-1 at the break, the German double winners won 4-2 at 1. FC Heidenheim thanks to a dominant second-half performance. However, the result wasnt the most important thing for head coachVincent KompanyasHarry Kane, Dayot Upamecano and Michael Olisemade their first appearances since the World Cup.Clear purposeThe friendly in Heidenheim had clear functions in pre-season: managing workload, integration of the World Cup returnees and a final test before the Supercup in Dortmund. "I know what a friendly is. You don't win any trophies or titles, but you can still win the game, the coach had said before kick-off, stressing that the 90 minutes against the Bundesliga 2 outfit who are already two weeks into their league campaign would help his players to get back into their rhythm.Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmichand Tom Bischofwere already in this and therefore stayed in Munich, where they completed a thorough training session in the morning.Those who particularly needed to find rhythm were Upamecano, Kane and Olise, who collected their first friendly minutes of this season. Only Upamecano was included in the starting line-up and he had to witness aghast how vulnerable Bayern were to Heidenheims counter-attacking football in the first half. Thats how the early opening goal came about after a loss of possession in midfield, while the hosts second goal just before half-time came after an insufficient clearance in the penalty area. Bayern struggled to find the gaps in the tightly knit Heidenheim defence, and it took a brilliant free kick from young talentFelipe Chvez to breach the home rearguard. Nevertheless, the statistics at the break made for bad reading from a Bavarian point of view: 4-1 shots on goal and 12-5 tackles in favour of the aggressive hosts, despite Bayern having 76 percent possession.Raining substitutesIt wasnt until the second half, in pouring rain and with a possibly record-breaking seven substitutions in the 60thminute, that Bayern unleashed their full potential for domination in front of the crowd of nearly 12,000. With better positioning and a clearer grip, Kompanys men cut off all Heidenheims attempts on goal and it was reflected in the statistics, with six shots on goal to zero and 26 touches in the opposition penalty area to two. Like the weather, Heidenheims luck also suddenly turned: the lively Tim Binder dribbled through the home defence in the first move after the restart and the 18-year-old could only be stopped by a foul.Arijon Ibrahimovi, who was on loan at Heidenheim last season, confidently converted the spot-kick against his former club to level the score at 2-2.Bayern come from behind to beat HeidenheimHeidenheim increasingly retreated as Bayern pressed down on the hosts goal at times with every outfield player in the opposition half. Then Kompany brought on a load of attacking power from his bench: Kane, Olise,Luis Daz, Jamal Musiala, Jonathan Tah, Josip Staniiand Aleksandar Pavlovicame onto the field, determined to turn the match around, as sporting directorChristoph Freundhad promised at half-time.Whetting the appetite for Franz Beckenbauer SupercupThe result: forceful dominance as well as the deserved goals to make it 3-2 by Daz, set up by Olise, and 4-2 byNathaniel Brown, who took out a whole handful of home defenders. Kane also had a big chance to get his name on the scoresheet, which he missed. Nevertheless, the second half whetted the appetite for the showdown with rivals Dortmund in the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup on Saturday.This was also the view ofMax Eberl. It was a game in which we were able to get further into our rhythm, said the board member for sport. Every minute helps. The game was worthwhile for us; the young players could learn, the senior players could get minutes. Weve had a good pre-season, weve put in good performances and got good results. Weve done a lot of things well but also realised that we still need to work on our physicality and get fitter.The interview with goalkeeper Jonas Urbig from members magazine 51:Interview with Jonas Urbig in '51': 'I hate losing'

The Little League World Series is arguably the biggest stage young athletes can find themselves on. While only a select few have gone on to enjoy professional baseball careers, every year, the utter joy and passion that these kids exude throughout the tournament in Williamsport captivates audiences.Of course, their electric talent draws in audiences as well. Unforgettable performances from unlikely sources are always bound to make big waves at the Little League World Series, and this year, we might see yet another.Kinley Rasmus, daughter of former Major League pitcher Cory Rasmus, has been making a name for herself at regionals, before the national tournament has even gotten underway. Here's what to know about her.Who is Kinley Rasmus?Rasmus is not only proving she belongs, but outperforming everyone she comes across.In the regional tournament, Rasmus tossed a complete game shutout en route to a 4-0 win over Tennessee to secure the Southeast regional title. Her line? Just three hits allowed, no walks and eight strikeouts.Rasmus is able to keep hitters off balance with a remarkable curveball, which she has attributed to her dad, former Major League pitcher Cory Rasmus.She's not a bad hitter, either. Through the regional tournament, Rasmus hit .750, going 6-for-8.Rasmus' efforts helped lift Alabama to their first trip to the Little League World Series in 27 years. That team was led by her father, Cory Rasmus, who went on to pitch for the Angels and Braves. Does Kinley have any other famous relatives?Yes, Kinley's uncle is none other than former MLB outfielder Colby Rasmus. The 10-year MLB vet played for five teams between 2009 and 2018, starting his career with the St. Louis Cardinals before joining the Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles.When does the Little League World Series begin?The Little League World Series starts on Wednesday, August 19 and runs through Sunday, August 30.Alabama plays their first game at 3 p.m. ET on August 19 against the Northwest representatives, Washington.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Get to know Kinley Rasmus, LLWS superstar and daughter of former MLB player

Independiente make Chimy vila signing officialClub Atltico Independiente confirmed the signing of Argentine forward Ezequiel Chimy vila as its new addition to strengthen the first-team squad.Transfer details and contract lengthThe 32-year-old attacker joins the Avellaneda club as a free agent after his contract with Spains Real Betis came to an end. Chimy sealed his commitment to the King of Cups by signing a long-term deal that will keep him with the club until December 2028.A signing with European pedigreeWith his arrival, Independiente adds power and efficiency in attack. After a standout spell in La Liga wearing the shirts of clubs such as Osasuna and Betis, the striker returns to Argentine football to become a key piece in the clubs sporting project.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in here.

Novak Djokovic's stint in the Queen City might have been a short one, but he made the most of it, including attending Divine Liturgy at a small Cincinnati church.A churchgoer, Dragan Petrovic, posted about Djokovic's surprise visit to St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in College Hill in an Aug. 16 Facebook post. According to the post, the 24-time Grand Slam champion drove himself to the church, just a day after he'd fallen to Argentina's Thiago Tirante in a shocking upset Aug. 15 at the 2026 Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason."He lost the first round in the Cincinnati Open yesterday and today he went to Divine Liturgy at one of our smallest churches in America," Petrovic wrote.Father Andrej Pavlovi, the parish priest at the church, also confirmed Djokovic's attendance to the Sunday service, telling The Enquirer that parishioners were surprised, sharing the same sentimant as Petrovic's post."The people were shocked and didn't know what to say or do (especially didn't want to interrupt him in prayer)," Petrovic's post read, adding that Djokovic offered to take pictures after the service.Djokovic's return to the Cincinnati Open marked his first time back in the Queen City since beating Carlos Alcaraz in the tournament's longest match ever (3 hours, 49 minutes) in the 2023 final. It was also his first appearance since falling to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semifinals last month. Djokovic appeared to struggle physically as the match crept toward the three-hour mark.The three-time Cincinnati Open champion said it was likely this year was his last at the tournament."I certainly hope so, but unfortunately, at this point it seems more likely that I won't," Djokovic said of whether he'd return to Mason. "However, we'll see what the future holdsThe Enquirer's Shelby Dermer contributed to this report.This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Novak Djokovic surprised parishioners at church after Cincy Open defeat

The Buss siblings are not backing down following a legal challenge from their sister Jeanie to their plan to sell the familys remaining share of the Los Angeles Lakers.A day after the initial announcement, Jim, Johnny, Janie, Jesse and Joey Buss released a statement thru Shams Charania of ESPN Tuesday that they intend to move forward with their plan to sell their 17.8% share of the Los Angeles Lakers.Tuesdays statement is a response to their sister Jeanie, who challenged that plan in a letter from her lawyer Monday declaring that any sale of the Buss family share was void. The Los Angeles Lakers have never been just a basketball team, the statement from the five Buss siblings reads, per Charania. They have been one of the greatest privileges of our lives. Our focus has always been on what we believe is best for the Lakers, the fans who have supported this franchise for generations and the greater Los Angeles community. Johnny, Jimmy, Janie, Joey and Jesse have made the decision to sell the family's remaining stake, and we remain united in that decision. We intend to move forward thoughtfully, respectfully and through the appropriate process. We have tremendous respect for Bob Iger and Josh Kushner and believe they understand what the Lakers represent to Los Angeles and our incredibly loyal fan base. We are confident they will honor everything this franchise stands for while building upon the foundation our father created.Jeanie has been the Lakers governor since the 2013 death of their father, Jerry Buss, who had held majority ownership of the Lakers since he bought the team in 1979. Buss left his 66% majority stake in the Lakers in equal parts to his six children upon his death, and Jeanie took over at team governor. The Busses sold their majority share to Mark Walter in 2025 at a $10 billion valuation, but retained a collective 17.8% ownership via multiple trusts. Walter then agreed to sell his majority share to Iger and Kushner last week. On Monday, the five Buss siblings not named Jeanie announced their intent to sell that remaining share in a statement they shared with Charania. Hours after that announcement, Jeanie issued a scathing response through her attorney Adam Streisand challenging the planned sale."No sale can be effectuated without approval by the current co-trustees, i.e., Jeanie, Janie and Joey Buss," Streisand wrote. "On behalf of Jeanie Buss, I demand that your clients make clear publicly that Jeanie Buss is the Controlling Owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and that your clients shall take no action on this supposed "vote" to sell the 17.8% stake."This story will be updated.

Bad news as PSG hatch plan to drive Bradley Barcola price even higherLiverpool have been chasing Bradley Barcola ever since missing out on Yan Diomande. The Ivorian, 19, was the No1 winger target to replace Mohamed Salah with the Reds submitting an offer of up to 100m to RB Leipzig. That bid was knocked back however with Diomande going on to complete a money-spinning deal to join Real Madrid.Since then Barcola has been the focus.Bradley Barcola is Liverpool's first choiceThe 23-year-old has been reduced to a squad option at Paris Saint-Germain with Luis Enrique adding Mika Godts to his roster this summer.Accordingly the two-time European champions are ready to listen to bids for the France international who has only two years left on his deal. However the Ligue 1 side are playing hardball with Liverpool - demanding up to 145m for his services.Its understandable that Liverpool are reluctant to pay that price for Barcola - which would represent a new British transfer record.Liverpool won't pay 145m for BarcolaTalks have been centred on reducing the fee - with the sporting director Richard Hughes not keen to pay more than around 100m.But there could be a sting in the tail for the Anfield side with PSG concocting a plan which would push Barcolas price tag even higher.According to a report in LEquipe - as cited by Foot01 - the Parisians are optimistic of drawing out a bid from ANOTHER Premier League club.That club is believed to be Arsenal - with a bid coming from the Emirates sure to spark a bidding war for Barcolas services.PSG to get another Premier League bid for BarcolaPSG have accepted the idea of selling the French international and have a plan to push the price higher, the report reads.Within the Paris club, there is now little doubt that Barcola will leave.Liverpool are reluctant to go beyond 110 million, a figure PSG regard as insufficient, but an approach from another English club could change everything.The French newspaper says PSG expect another Premier League giant to make an offer for Barcola soon.For PSG, the involvement of a second English club would be a major opportunity to inflate the price.Arsenal would love to sign BarcolaArsenal would not be merely a stalking horse in this race either. Mikel Arteta has got serious designs on upgrading his attack.Leandro Trossard has already departed for Besiktas while Gabriel Martinell would be sold if the right bid is activated. The Premier League champions tried to sign Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid before the Brazil inked his new contract extension.Its clear that the Gunners consider their attack a work in progress and would love to onboard Barcola.

It is hard to believe that the Houston Texans found a way to make their defense better in the offseason after how well they performed last season.However, they made multiple additions that only strengthened the team, including signing Pro Bowl defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and Super Bowl-winning safety Reed Blankenship.Blankenship spent the first four years in the league as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.Last season was a season to forget, but in 2024, he recorded four interceptions, had a fumble recovery, and recorded 78 total tackles, 52 of which were solo stops.Even though they have yet to play in the regular season, Blankenship has been learning a lot from his fellow safeties, including Jaylen Reed and rookie Kamari Ramsey."Yeah, 'K-Ram', 'J-Reed', they're fantastic guys and great athletes, Blankenship said Monday.Especially 'K-Ram', he put on a show his first preseason game. You like to see rookies do that. Trying to get him out of his shell a little bit. He's a little quiet. He's doing a great job. He's starting to communicate a little bit more. I feel like just being around him more and getting him out of his shell lets him play with a little more confidence. Especially 'J-Reed', last year, dealing with some injuries, but at the end of the day, he's a baller, too. Preseason, he's coming downhill. He's hitting guys and I'm just trying to be a good vet to him. Trying to be there to answer any questions and if I have any questions, I'm going to ask, 'J-Reed' about stuff and 'CB' [Calen Bullock]. Those two guys, they're doing really good and having some really great camps right now."Ramsey was a rookie out of USC and a fifth-round draft selection. He also had one of the best plays of the night for Houston in their preseason opener against the Los Angeles Chargers with an interception shortly before halftime that gave the Texans the ball inside of Chargers territory.Between him, Blankenship and Houstons established safeties from last year including Reed, Bullock and Pitre, this may be the best safety room in the NFL.The Texans take on the Las Vegas Raiders this Thursday at 7 p.m. The game will be locally televised on ABC. This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans' Reed Blankenship says Kamari Ramsey 'put on a show' in loss vs. Chargers

Just six weeks remain in the 2026 MLB regular season. Six weeks stand between our current selves and the more entertained, more fulfilled, playoff-watching versions of ourselves. What a notion, what a joy! Still, much is left to be decided as far as which clubs get to participate in the October jamboree.Strength of schedule, in MLB, is generally less relevant and meaningful than it is in the NFL or in college sports. With the new balanced calendar, every club plays every other club at least once. Plus, teams play their division rivals for four series per year instead of six, which evens things out over the long haul.But at this point in the year, SOS emerges as a crucial character in our baseball lives. With the standings so bunched up, getting to play a discombobulated opponent can make the difference between an autumn trip to Cancun and an autumn trip to glory. The American League, at present, is a particular disaster-fest, with seven teams separated by just two games, fighting it out for the third wild-card spot.Frankly, the wild-card picture is a mess one that, in the end, might be cleaned up by strength of schedule. Lets take stock of what the regular seasons final six weeks have in store for the teams fighting for a spot in the wild-card field. (Note: Not included on this list are the Yankees, Red Sox and Cubs, who have comfortable holds on their wild-card spots entering play Tuesday.)American LeagueBaltimore OriolesRecord entering play Tuesday: 61-64, tied for AL wild-card 3Remaining SOS: .506 opponent winning percentage (10th-hardest in MLB)After a strong weekend in Tampa, the birds find themselves, somehow, tied atop this unseemly AL wild-card fiasco. Now they head home for a massive, six-game run against the Yankees and, once again, the Rays. From there, Baltimore will head out on a nine-game roadie, though one with a friendlier outlay of opponents: Cardinals, As, Rockies. After that, its all playoff contenders, plus the delightfully pesky New York Mets. This is easily the most difficult slate left among the AL wild-card hopefuls; Baltimores easiest remaining home series involve the Guardians and Blue Jays. If this team is going to make the playoffs, theyll have to earn it.Texas RangersRecord: 61-64, tied for AL wild-card 3Remaining SOS: .499 opponent winning percentage (13th-hardest in MLB)Texas just dropped five of seven on the road against the bottom-feeding Angels and Athletics, so maybe strength of schedule isnt relevant after all. The Rangers light run continues with home series against the suddenly-sputtering Nats and the always-sputtering Angels. Their season-ending tilt against the Twins could prove consequential in sorting out the postseason picture. Also of note: 22 of this clubs remaining 37 games are at home, the largest allocation among these teams. Thats particularly relevant, as the Rangers are playing .542 ball at Globe Life Field this year.Detroit TigersRecord: 61-64, tied for AL wild-card 3Remaining SOS: .493 opponent winning percentage (13th-easiest in MLB)A gauntlet homestand looms on the horizon, with the Tigers set to welcome the Rays and Dodgers to Comerica next week. Then its 10 games in 10 days against the Twins and Guardians, the two other AL Central clubs gunning for a wild card while hoping to chase down the division-leading White Sox. If the division race remains close in late September, a four-game set in Chicago from Sept. 17 to 20 will be must-see TV. The Tigers finishing with six at home against the Nats and Pirates is quite a friendly finale.With six weeks left to play, strength of schedule becomes a major character in the wild-card race.Joseph Raines/Yahoo SportsMinnesota TwinsRecord: 61-65, half-game back of AL wild-card 3Remaining SOS: .483 opponent winning percentage (sixth-easiest in MLB)From Aug. 28 to Sept. 13, the Twinkies have a critical stretch of 15 straight games against the White Sox, Tigers and Guardians. Sadly for the people of the Twin Cities, theyre all done playing the Royals. A West Coast roadswing in the final week will take the Twins to Anaheim and San Francisco before that trio of home games against Texas to finish things off. The Yankees also come to town at one point, which, given the history of those franchises, wont be music to Minnesotas ears. This schedule is harder than it looks, particularly with so many high-tension division games.Toronto Blue JaysRecord: 61-65, half-game back of AL wild-card 3Remaining SOS: .480 opponent winning percentage (third-easiest in MLB)Six left against the Royals? Sure! This is an impressively easy slate considering the Jays generally have a tough go of it in the AL East. A nine-game trip in early September to Cleveland, Kansas City and Sacramento presents a great opportunity to rack up wins. Toronto will need to be strong on the road, too, with 21 of its remaining 36 away from Rogers Centre. Finishing the season with a three-game set against an up-the-creek Reds team will be quite an odd way to wrap things up.Cleveland GuardiansRecord: 60-65, one game back of AL wild-card 3Remaining SOS: .453 opponent winning percentage (easiest in MLB)With a schedule softer than a newborn baby, Cleveland has the easiest remaining slate by a country mile. This alley-oop of opponents begins Tuesday, with a 12-game run against the Giants, Rockies, Angels and Royals, four of the five worst teams in the sport. Cleveland then has four consecutive series against other AL wild-card dreamers: home against Toronto and Detroit, away against Baltimore and Minnesota. Its a fascinatingly light last six weeks, which significantly elevates Clevelands postseason chances.Seattle MarinersRecord: 59-66, two games back of AL wild-card 3Remaining SOS: 471 opponent winning percentage (second-easiest in MLB)The Mariners are currently grinding through a preposterously tough stretch including three at home vs. the Rays, three each at the Yankees, Astros and Brewers, and a six-game homestand against the Cubs and Phillies. Thats six straight matchups against playoff teams. After that, though, the Ms have an exceedingly friendly September that features seven against the As, six against the Angels and three against the Rockies. Thats part of why Seattle, despite having the worst record among this AL wild-card group, has the highest postseason odds on FanGraphs.National LeaguePhiladelphia PhilliesRecord: 68-58, holding NL wild-card 2, one game up on NL wild-card 3Remaining SOS: .522 opponent winning percentage (fifth-hardest in MLB)The playoffs start early for the Phillies, who complete the year with six at home against Milwaukee and Tampa Bay. They also have two ominous sojourns to tackle. First, theres a West Coast swing to Seattle, Anaheim and Arizona. Then theres a trip with fewer miles but more familiar faces: Atlanta, Washington, Queens. The Phils have been strong away from Citizens Bank all season, so dont expect this road-hardened, experienced group to fray from all the travel.San Diego PadresRecord: 67-59, holding NL wild-card 3Remaining SOS: .496 opponent winning percentage (14th-hardest in MLB)The Dodgers have certainly looked catchable of late, but the eight-game gap between L.A. and San Diego is probably too much for the Padres to claw back over the final six weeks. Thats even truer considering they have only one series left against the two-time defending champs, with three at Chavez Ravine during the seasons final week. After that could come the ultimate decider: a series at home against the Diamondbacks that might determine the final NL postseason participant.Arizona DiamondbacksRecord: 66-60, one game back of NL wild-card 3Remaining SOS: 492 opponent winning percentage (12th-easiest in MLB)The ins and outs of Arizonas remaining schedule are significantly less important than the club remedying the Ketel Marte situation. The Snakes need Marte healthy, happy and at his best if theyre to have any chance of playing postseason baseball, so getting that very odd, very concerning saga sorted matters much more than any homestand or road trip. Having said that, Arizonas remaining slate is pretty straightforward, with some toughies (Yankees, Cubs, Phillies) and some cushions (Royals, Reds, Rockies).Miami MarlinsRecord: 64-62, 3 games back of NL wild-card 3Remaining SOS: .523 opponent winning percentage (fourth-hardest in MLB)If the Fish are going to shock the baseball world, theyll have to earn it. Miami has six left against the Cubs, three against the Dodgers, three against the Braves and three against the Red Sox. Oh, and the frisky Mets come to town, surely intent on avenging last seasons gut-wrenching, playoff-ruining final weekend in Miami. One piece of good fortune for the Marlins: They have sets left against all three of the clubs ahead of them in the wild-card race.St. Louis CardinalsRecord: 64-62, three games back of NL wild-card 3Remaining SOS: .492 opponent winning percentage (10th-easiest in MLB)If the Cards were in the American League, theyd have a comfortable hold on the third wild card. Unfortunately for them, they play in the National League, and so playoff baseball might be just out of reach this season. However, the Cardinals sneaky easy remaining schedule might make things interesting. They still have six left against the Giants, six left against the unraveling Pirates, three against the Nats and three against the Rockies. Its a lot of road games (21 of 36), but St. Louis has a chance to go on a little run in September if it can survive series in Philly and L.A.

Wait a minute, INDYCAR is racing where? Yes, the streets of Washington, D.C. But not near the Capitol, right? Well, across the street. And by the Washington Monument and Smithsonian? Yup. Thats sick. In what is guaranteed to be a spectacle, INDYCAR drivers will navigate a 1.7-mile, seven-turn course on streets well known to the world, including Pennsylvania Avenue (the course does not reach The White House) and through the National Mall on Sunday afternoon. The FOX prerace show will begin at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday with the green flag scheduled for 1:13 p.m. ET. Heres what to know about the Freedom 250 this weekend. Where Is The Course? The start-finish line is across from The Capitol on 3rd Street. It then takes a left on Pennsylvania Avenue a street wide enough to include a pit road. There then will be a left on 9th, a left on Constitution Avenue and then a right on 7th where the Washington Monument will be in the backdrop. The cars then take a left on Independence Avenue by the Smithsonian to get back to 3rd Street. How Long Is The Race? Loooooong. The race, at 250 miles, is the longest street race since some of the early Cleveland airport races in the mid-1980s. The race will likely be close to three hours instead of the usual two hours. "It very well will be a three-hour race," ECR driver Alexander Rossi told me and other reporters last week. "Its awesome. We have a four-[pit] stop street race. Thats just really cool. "It opens up the strategy and what you can do and the variables that go along into that." For comparison, here is the length (in miles) of the other five street courses on the INDYCAR circuit. Arlington: 191Markham: 189St. Petersburg: 180Long Beach: 177Detroit: 164 "Its going to be tough. Its going to be super long, especially on a street course where the races already feel long and theres so much going on," series points leader and three-time series defending champion Alex Palou told me and other reporters last week. "It will be like an endurance race, a survival race, where we just need to be able to stay alive, keep our nose clean and get to the end. It will be fun. Itll be super challenging for everyone, and hopefully were good there." So Will That Be A Problem? Maybe. "I kind of look forward to it because I love those sort of challenges," Andretti Global Will Power told me and other reporters last week. "That last 50 [laps] will be pretty tough. I think once you see the end coming, things just get easier because you know youre going to get there. "Youre probably going to be at the halfway point going, at [lap] 70 or 75, Weve got another 75 to go? Oh my God." Will The Heat Be A Concern? For sure. Well, the humidity. The mugginess of Washington, D.C., will make this a miserable race for the drivers. They train for it and they have cool shirts shirts where cold water is bumped through to keep them cool but the current INDYCAR is incredibly hot because it wasnt built with the current aeroscreen in mind. "The humidity makes it much tougher because the cooling is just nowhere near as efficient you go from St. Pete to Long Beach, its about the same temperature, but the difference of physicality is massive just because of the humidity," Power said. Drivers do train during the offseason and then throughout the year to be able to handle the high temperatures. "Im sure theres going to be drivers out there that fall out of the seat, theres no doubt," Penske driver Scott McLaughlin told me and other reporters last week. "But at the same time, you feel like you train for this and get ready for it." As of Tuesday, the forecast is for a heat index in the upper-80s. Not great but certainly not as hot as it was in Washington in the last month. "Its going to test us for sure," Pato OWard told me last week. "When you build in the humidity and the heat, thats what makes it tougher. We dont get a lot of fresh air into these races. "Some guys are going to feel it. I think were all going to feel it. Theres some that are going to feel it much more than others. Will It Be Physical? Oh, yes. These cars do not have power steering. It will test their arm strength. What About Pit Crews? The pit crews will be tested, too. Typically, the debate on the street courses is whether there will be two or three stops. This race likely will have four pit stops. Did They Adjust The Schedule? A little bit. Typically, on street and road courses, INDYCAR has one practice Friday, another practice and qualifying Saturday and race on Sunday. But to limit disruptions in the city, they are only on track Saturday and Sunday. That will put both practice and qualifying on Saturday. Ironically, because the track last weekend in Markham wasnt finished on Friday, the schedule ended up being the same as it will be this weekend in Washington. The schedule means limited time in evaluating data and deciding on the changes to improve the car to get ready to race. "Markham being a two-day event was hard for everyone but at least we got a taste of it," Andretti Global driver Kyle Kirkwood told me Monday. "We kind of understand what the cadence needs to be on a street course to be ready for qualifying at the end of the day on Saturday. "Its going to be hard. Its not going to be easy for anybody, but we got a taste of it last weekend, so it might actually help." Will The D.C. Course Be Ready? All indications are that Penske Entertainment, which is handling this race (and also operates INDYCAR, promotes street races at Detroit and Long Beach and owns Indianapolis Motor Speedway), is on good pace. There are streets that they dont get access to until this week, which isnt rare for a street event. For instance, when NASCAR raced in Chicago, it didnt get full access to Michigan Avenue until the day before the race. Will President Trump Be There? Yes. What Other Parts Of The Spectacle Will Be Cool? Dont want to give everything away. But among the pagentary, this race will have an epic flyover. Will It Be A Good Race? Dont know. This is part race and part spectacle. And it depends on who you talk to on whether that matters. "Its the fact that this a race that is a showcase for our series and the nation," Rossi said. "Thats really cool." Of course, a good race makes it even a little more of a showcase. "Ultimately, were in the entertainment business, and if were not entertaining, then our jobs are going to be no longer," Kirkwood said. "This is obviously going to be an event that a lot of people around the world, particularly in America, are going to be watching. ... We want it to be a good competition, something that gets people jazzed up for INDYCAR." But Its Important To Win, Right? Yes, for two reasons. Drivers always want to win. But this also most likely will be the only time they race on this circuit. "Im a competitor I want to win the race," two-time INDYCAR champion Josef Newgarden told me Monday. "I want my team to be successful, but I want the series to be successful, and I want to get as many eyeballs on the sport as possible. "Im hoping that this D.C. event will draw more attention to our sport, which will draw more interest. As a driver, Im going to be focused on the competition side more than anything. Everything else around it will sort of take care of itself." Will There Be A Freedom 251? While the Washington, D.C., area potentially could have another race, it most likely wouldnt be on this circuit. "Its an event that as soon as it was announced, you were counting the days until you get to do it," Rossi said. "As we all know, its probably going to be a one-and-done thing. "So Im just super looking forward to getting there and experiencing it and doing something that very few people will get to do."