NHL players have yet to decide whether to terminate the current collective bargaining agreement with less than two weeks before the deadline to do so.

Roughly 50 players met Wednesday night in Chicago to get an update on talks with the league, which executive director Don Fehr called "a long discussion, good discussion" about the situation facing the NHLPA. The executive board and the other players attending the meeting did not make any decisions about the CBA, and NHLPA representatives will be back in talks with the league in the coming days.

Players have until Sept. 15 to decide whether to reopen the CBA and set the clock ticking toward a potential work stoppage a year from now. Even after owners decided last week not to trigger their opt-out clause, there's still no concrete indication which way players are leaning.

"We've got some time to go," Fehr said Wednesday. "Nothing happens on Sept. 16 if there's a reopening that's made or something like that. And you've got to hope that the discussions will proceed on the basis that both sides want a deal and however difficult it is, you're going to try and find a way to make one."

Fehr described discussions with the league as cordial and pleasant.

"It doesn't mean there haven't been disagreements and significant disagreements, but it's so far at least free from rancor," Fehr said. "That's a big improvement."

The last time owners and players engaged in CBA talks, the start of the 2012-13 season was postponed and shortened from 82 to 48 games before a new deal was reached.

This time around, players appear to have bigger concerns with the current agreement than owners, notably escrow payments and other financial issues. The continued dialogue between the sides is one significant positive along with the 12 months of leeway.

"There will be a series of talks and we'll see where that takes us," Fehr said. "I can't predict what the results will be. I supposed what I could say is if I thought it was a complete waste of time, I'd find something else to do."

Argentine legend Diego Maradona is closing in on a return to management at Argentine first division club Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata.

Maradona met with the club on Wednesday and the deal is "80 percent" agreed, the Argentine legend's lawyer Matias Morla told ESPN FC, with a definitive meeting set to take place on Thursday.

Maradona had admitted on Tuesday that he would like to coach in his homeland, but on Wednesday denied that a deal had been signed with Gimnasia, or that he had met with anyone at the club.

"I don't think that toying with the hopes of the fans is ok," wrote Maradona. "I still haven't met with anyone."

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But Morla posted a video later on Wednesday of Maradona talking directly to Gimnasia fans: "I want to make clear that I've very recently undergone an operation. I did have contact with people from Gimnasia, but I've not spoken to anyone recently

"For them to have considered me ... due to my achievements far away or because they are Maradona fans is a very beautiful thing, really touching and it fills my heart."

Maradona then made a point of getting up and walking around to prove he is fit, after a right knee operation in late July.

"They say that I can't move. Look! Look!" stressed Maradona in the video. "Am I ready to coach or not? All of you Lobo [Gimnasia] fans, I hold you here [points to heart]."

The 58-year-old joined Mexican second division club Dorados de Sinaloa one year ago and led the team to consecutive Ascenso MX finals in his two seasons, losing both to newly promoted Atletico San Luis -- owned by Atletico Madrid -- after extra time in the second leg.

But Maradona left in mid-June in order to undergo a knee operation, following indications he was happy in Mexico and wanted to continue, with Dorados also content with how things had gone.

Gimnasia is dead last in the Argentine league after five rounds of matches in the new season, having lost its last four games.

Maradona had invited his Argentina teammate Gabriel Batistuta to be part of the coaching staff at Gimnasia and take training sessions, but the former striker declined the invitation due to a scheduled operation on Sept. 17 in Switzerland.

"I want to thank Diego Maradona for the offer I'd been waiting for for so long," wrote Batistuta on Twitter. "I wish him all the best!"

CINCINNATI -- With a homer, a win and an appearance in the outfield, Michael Lorenzen pulled off a feat last accomplished by The Babe. Cincinnati's versatile reliever also blocked the Phillies from gaining ground in the playoff chase.

That last part stung the most for Philadelphia.

Lorenzen hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning Wednesday night as the Reds pulled away to an 8-5 victory. He got his first win and first homer of the season. He also finished the game playing center field.

The last player to get a victory, hit a homer and play outfield in the same game was Babe Ruth for the Yankees on June 13, 1921, according to Elias.

"That's pretty exciting," said Lorenzen, who has seven career homers. "I'm going to have to look into what Babe Ruth would be making today and sit down with (the front office). It's one of those funny little baseball stats. I'm definitely honored to be part of that. It's cool to be part of a Babe Ruth stat."

The Phillies had their three-game winning streak snapped. They also slipped to three games behind the idle Cubs for the final NL wild card. Chicago begins a four-game series in Milwaukee on Thursday.

"Right now we're in the race, and it stings a little bit," said starter Aaron Nola, who lasted only four innings.

Joey Votto homered and had an RBI double off Nola as Cincinnati surged ahead 5-0, but the Phillies' resurgent offense caught up. Logan Morrison and J.T. Realmuto had two-run homers off Trevor Bauer, who has only one victory since coming to Cincinnati in a trade with Cleveland.

Jay Bruce tied it with his third career pinch-hit homer in the seventh off Lorenzen (1-4), rounding the bases to a "BRUUUUCE" chant from the crowd of 13,448. Bruce played more than eight seasons in Cincinnati and has 137 homers at Great American Ball Park, second only to Votto.

Jose Iglesias connected for his first career pinch-hit homer off Jose Alvarez (3-4) in the bottom of the inning to break the tie. Lorenzen connected off Blake Parker in the eighth, then moved to center field with Raisel Iglesias pitching the ninth for his 29th save in 34 chances.

"I told him I underestimated his ability," Reds manager David Bell said. "I've never seen anything like it. To have the athletic ability to do something like that is something I have to get used to."

Nola fanned six in four innings, giving him 200 strikeouts for the season. He's the ninth Phillie -- and the youngest at age 26 -- to have multiple 200-strikeout seasons. Nola fanned 224 last year.

Nola struggled with his breaking pitches in his shortest outing since May 13.

"I think what's most frustrating is we had an opportunity to pick up Aaron tonight," manager Gabe Kapler said. "He's picked us up so many times along the way, been a rock and a foundation, carried us in many ways."

Bauer pitched on short rest for only the fifth time in his career and lasted five innings. Bauer is 1-5 in seven starts with an 8.23 ERA since arriving in a trade for Yasiel Puig.

"I'm slamming my head against a brick wall," Bauer said. "I think I've been the unluckiest pitcher in baseball the last two months."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Phillies: Corey Dickerson hurt his left foot while hitting a single in the fifth inning and left the game after reaching first base. X-rays were negative. ... Jean Segura fouled a pitch off the plate in the eighth and the ball bounced up and cut his lip. He stayed in the game and popped out.

Reds: Catcher Kyle Farmer went on the 10-day injured list with a strained left oblique. Infielder Jose Peraza was recalled from Triple-A Louisville. ... Center fielder Nick Senzel was a late scratch with a sore right shoulder. ... Alex Blandino left after getting hit by a pitch on the left arm in the eighth.

STREAKS STOPPED

Votto's homer broke his 0-for-13 career streak against Nola. Philadelphia's Bryce Harper walked twice and flied out twice, ending his hitting streak at 11 games.

ANOTHER FAST START

Votto's homer added to the Reds' dominance in the first inning. Cincinnati leads the majors in first-inning homers (43), hits (173), runs (117), RBI (114) and batting average (.302).

GREAT PLAY

Adam Haseley reached over the wall in center to rob Freddy Galvis of a homer in the eighth.

UP NEXT

Phillies: Left-hander Jason Vargas (6-7, 4.31 ERA) is 1-2 in five career starts against the Reds with a 6.30 ERA.

Reds: Sonny Gray (10-6, 2.80) is 5-0 in his last seven starts, which include two blown saves.

Christian Pulisic thinks all the talented young American players could go far in next year's Olympic men's soccer tournament -- and he could be one of them.

"I would never completely count that out because it's a huge honor to play for your country in the Olympics," the 20-year-old Chelsea midfielder said on Wednesday, two days before the U.S. senior team plays Mexico in an exhibition.

Olympic men's soccer qualifying is limited to players under 23, with three overage players allowed for the final tournament in Japan. Age-eligible Americans include Pulisic and midfielders Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Tim Weah.

Clubs, however, are not required to release players for the Olympics or for qualifying, scheduled for March 20 to April 1 in the CONCACAF region. The Olympic soccer tournament runs from July 23 to Aug. 8 and likely would overlap a contemplated preseason tour by Chelsea and perhaps the start of the Premier League season.

"A lot of factors come into play, I guess, but we'll see," Pulisic said.

The United States failed to qualify for the 2012 and 2016 Olympic men's soccer tournaments, a stumble that preceded the senior team's failure to reach for last year's World Cup. Pulisic thinks the U.S. could emulate Mexico, which won the 2012 Olympic men's soccer gold.

"We're a confident young group of guys and I think there's no reason why we couldn't," he said. "We set big goals for ourselves and, yeah, that would be one of them. That would be something I think we could do."

Pulisic was acquired by Chelsea in January from Borussia Dortmund for a €64 million (then $73 million) transfer fee, the most for an American player, then loaned back to the German club for the remainder of the season.

He made his Premier League debut in the opening 4-0 loss at Manchester United and has started the last three league matches under new coach Frank Lampard, who replaced Maurizio Sarri.

"It's amazing. I mean, it's everything I hoped it would be and more. It's incredible," Pulisic said. "It worked out really well, for sure. Frank's a great guy and he's helped me so much and he understands where I'm coming from and he's done a really good job and helped me, teaching us, especially a lot of the younger guys on the team."

Pulisic laughed when asked who was the better player: himself or Mexican winger Hirving Lozano,

"I'm not going to give you like an Ibra answer here," he said in a reference to egotistical LA Galaxy striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who two years ago boasted "lions do not compare themselves to humans" when asked where he ranked himself among strikers.

The oft-introverted Pulisic is reticent at times when speaking with media.

"I'll never be comfortable. I don't like being in front of cameras," he said. "I'm still getting used to it, I guess."

Pulisic will be part of a rare trio of Americans this fall in Champions League Group D, joined by 18-year-old Ajax defender Sergino Dest and Weah's Lille, who is missing the match against Mexico and Tuesday's friendly against Uruguay because of a hamstring injury.

Dest introduced himself to Pulisic this week and joked about the possibility of playing against him.

"I was asking him are you playing on the left side, right side, things like that?" Dest said with a smile.

Pulisic left Hershey, Pennsylvania, to sign with Dortmund at age 16. While living in Germany, he could meet up with McKennie, a starter for Schalke. McKennie is proud of his friend but doesn't have a chance to follow his club exploits too closely.

"I'm not a big guy to watch sports," McKennie said. "It's always a big deal whenever you have an American you know being in Europe let alone at a giant club like Chelsea. I've heard he's been doing well."

Pulisic has played primarily on the flanks with Chelsea, and falling back deep at times is part of his responsibility

"Learning to help more on the defensive side of things, which is like a good challenge for me, as well," he said.

With the U.S., he has increasingly ventured into the central portion of the field. Coach Gregg Berhalter changed Pulisic's listing from midfield to forward for this training camp.

"We want him to be able to affect games in a number of different ways," Berhalter said. "We want to be able to isolate him one vs. one at times but we also want him getting them ball between the lines."

Essex 165 for 4 (ten Doeschate 45*, Delport 44, Bopara 39* beat Lancashire 159 for 5 (Davies 80*, Bopara 2-28) by 6 wickets

This was one of the great county cricket fixture shambles of all time. Lancashire forced to play a home Vitality Blast quarter-final on a neutral ground because of a clash with the Old Trafford Test.

Not that it will overly concern Essex. They became the first county to qualify for Finals Day, driven there by Ravi Bopara, their reluctant No 6, who nevertheless fulfilled the role to perfection with an unbeaten 39 from 18 balls, leaving four balls in hand when Essex got home by six wickets.

Lancashire's 159 for 5 was the highest score made at Chester-le-Street this season. They handled the vagaries of the ground with aplomb. As so often with T20 pitches in county cricket's most northerly outpost, batting was an endurance Test. The pitch was slow and low, the boundaries were far flung and the ball bit into the surface as certainly as a chill northern wind bit into the couple of thousand hardy souls who had made the trip.

But Essex's captain Simon Harmer had jettisoned their normal preference for batting first in the hope that dew would quicken the surface later in the evening; he was rewarded not as much by dew as by several bursts of heavy drizzle which sharpened the surface slightly and hindered Lancashire's spinners. "The conditions might have changed a little bit," Harmer conceded.

With 23 needed from two overs, Lancashire's captain, Dane Vilas opted for the leg spin of Liam Livingstone, ahead both of Matty Parkinson, the joint leading wicket-taker in the tournament this season, and the pace of Saqib Mahmood, who had bowled two overs for 10.

"I didn't know which way to go," Vilas admitted. If the decision was influenced by a preference for a staunch character in a pressure situation (not that the other two aren't), it backfired. Bopara pulled the second ball for six and, next ball, cleared the ropes again. Ryan ten Doeschate was missed at long off, fifth ball, by James Faulkner, who barely laid a hand on it. A third six to finish, over long-on, and Livingstone had disappeared for 22.

Essex had earlier lost the bludgeoning Cameron Delport at long off for 44 and Adam Wheater, run out by a direct hit by Josh Bohannan from deep square leg. A brilliant diving catch by Faulkner at long off left Bopara facing 61 from 34 and, with ten Doeschate, he found his long game in the nick of time, a six over long-off against James Faulkner with 29 needed off 13 when Steven Croft overran the ball in trying to make the catch signalling the start of the charge.

Perhaps it was always destined to end this way: with Lancashire the victims. Once the fixture clash was apparent, they conceded their advantage, especially as TV coverage demanded an evening match under lights, so ruling out outgrounds such as Liverpool.

And that fixture clash was apparent many months before the start of the season. The fact that the potential for such a fixture oddity in county cricket's most popular format was not intercepted and remedied when the draft fixtures were published late last year, and was not publically rejected by Lancashire from the outset, was a betrayal of the status of county cricket.

Lancashire's provision of three free supporters' coaches was a gesture, but a hollow one. The North Group winners, and a county that this summer has enjoyed the biggest growth in T20 crowds in the country, could not deliver the match that mattered most of all: a last-eight tie on its home turf. Excuses about a particularly crowded fixture list are unacceptable. Talk about the obvious need to prioritise the Ashes is just a side issue.

Midway through the match, it appeared as if Alex Davies would appease their supporters with victory. He batted through the Lancashire innings in imperturbable fashion for 80 from 55 balls, a judicious fourth-wicket stand of 89 in 68 balls with Vilas, as calm a batting partner as you could wish to have, setting up the victory. Davies recognised immediately that this was not a night to thrash through the line, but to deflect, to run hard and gather what he could.

Of Davies' nine boundaries, eight were on the off-side, most of them wristily angled square or behind the wicket, rounded off by two little ramps on both sides of the wicketkeeper against Aaron Beard. With patience and perseverance, Davies eked out what he could when he could, a dapper cricketer cutting his cloth.

When Lancashire were 47 for 3 after 6.4 overs, they were under pressure. Livingstone's leg-side swing and miss was a reminder to Davies of the challenges to follow, as was Croft's drag to long-on off Bopara which dyed many metres in front of the boundary. Even more disturbing was the near-shooter from Bopara which had Maxwell lbw - all deterrents that Davies immediately logged away.

During a rain stoppage, the TV cameras caught Glen Chapple, Lancashire's coach, staring blank-eyed into the distance, a picture of misery. And he was born in Skipton where it has been known to rain occasionally. Nothing captured Lancashire's night so well.

The cross-your-fingers-and-hope-for-the-best approach to the staging of a big night in the county calendar defied belief. Here was the arrogance of administrators who still regard T20 cricket as an entertainment, as a money-raiser rather than a sporting competition with intrinsic importance. Here was yet another example of the ECB's shameful undermining of the county game that has underpinned professional cricket in this country for more than a century.

NEW YORK -- New York Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton will head to the team's minor league complex in Tampa, Florida, this week for batting practice, among the final steps before returning for the final weeks of an injury-wrecked season.

"I feel like he's really starting to build some momentum and doing pretty well," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before Wednesday's homestand finale against Texas. "He'll start getting regular at-bats this weekend and, hopefully, really starting to ramp him up."

The 29-year-old slugger has been limited to nine games with the Yankees this season. He strained his left biceps March 31 in his third game, strained a shoulder and calf during his rehabilitation and did not return until June 18. Just a week later, he strained the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during an awkward headfirst slide into third base.

Stanton is hitting .290 with one home run and seven RBIs. He took batting practice Tuesday against reliever Dellin Betances, who hopes to return this month from a lat injury that has sidelined him since spring training.

Betances and right-hander Luis Severino were scheduled to pitch at Double-A Trenton on Friday rather than for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The RailRiders are at Durham, North Carolina, which could have rain related to Hurricane Dorian. Severino, also out with a lat injury, pitched one inning for Scranton on Sunday in his season debut.

Left-hander CC Sabathia, on the injured list for the fourth time in his final season, tested his chronically painful right knee by playing catch for the second consecutive day.

Left-hander Jordan Montgomery allowed two runs and five hits over three innings for Trenton on Wednesday in his third appearance since Tommy John surgery on June 7 last year. He struck out five and walked none.

Boone said 20-year-old right-hander Deivi Garcia will remain at Scranton for the rest of the International League playoffs. Garcia is 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA in six starts and five relief appearances since his promotion to the RailRiders in July, striking out 45 and walking 20 in 40 innings.

"I think he's still kind of finding his way at that level," Boone said. "He's a very young guy and still developing in a lot of ways."

Infielder Gio Urshela, who hurt his right groin Aug. 28, ran the bases and could be activated when eligible Sunday at Boston.

Third baseman Miguel Andujar, recovering from season-ending surgery May 20 to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder, plans to start throwing next week and expects to be ready for spring training.

"It's stronger now. It definitely feels better than it did before," Andujar said through an interpreter. "I'm very happy with the work that they did. It's showing progression."

LOS ANGELES -- The first pitch Gavin Lux ever saw in the major leagues, a 93 mph fastball tailing low and away, he lined into shallow center field for a base hit. When he reached first base, the Los Angeles Dodgers broadcast panned to his mother, Heather, and his father, Tom, who had flown in from Kenosha, Wisconsin, to take in their son's debut on Labor Day. Tom, outfitted in a blue Dodgers T-shirt and cap, pumped both fists into the air, clapped his hands together a few times and turned increasingly more red through the process. His eyes began to swell. Tears started to become visible. The video made its way to Lux after the game.

"I thought he was the tough guy," Lux said behind a smile. "I thought he was gonna be the one to not do that."

Lux is here to stay now, through the month of September and potentially deep into October. He is the fifth highly rated prospect to play for the Dodgers in their dominant 2019 season, after Alex Verdugo, Will Smith, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May. His ascent is the most unlikely, his immediate future the most enthralling.

Lux was on track to become the everyday second baseman by 2020, but the Dodgers could turn to him now, despite fielding the National League's greatest and deepest offense, to help capture the franchise's first World Series title in 31 years. It was a possibility dismissed by club officials as recently as four weeks ago.

"He earned his way here," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, "and he knocked the door down."

Lux, 21, overhauled his hitting mechanics in the summer of 2017 and overcame a mild case of the yips in the spring of 2019. He shot up the prospect rankings last year but attained mythical status after a recent promotion to Triple-A, tearing up the Pacific Coast League like few ever have. Lux batted .392/.478/.719 in the 232 plate appearances that preceded his major league call-up. He recorded 18 extra-base hits through his first 15 games and hit safely in 27 of his first 28.

Matt Beaty was drafted a year earlier and always played a level higher, but he kept hearing about Lux. When Beaty was sent back to Triple-A on July 10, he was curious to see him up close. Beaty spent three days with the team in Memphis, Tennessee, and saw Lux take 16 at-bats. He saw him line pitches all over the outfield and saw him launch a home run deep down the line on a humid night when balls weren't carrying. Seven of those at-bats ended in hits.

"He was locked in," Beaty said. "I've never seen a hitter that hot."

Lux will tell you it was all the result of "just going out there and being myself," which isn't fluff. The success of these past two years, which included a .336 batting average across four minor league levels, have been the culmination of Lux growing comfortable with new mechanics.

The Dodgers drafted Lux 20th overall out of high school in the summer of 2016 and in some ways remade him in the summer of 2017. Lux began that season in the Midwest League and didn't record his first extra-base hit until his 22nd game. Robert Van Scoyoc -- then a hitting consultant, now a hitting coach at the major league level -- flew in to help.

"It's a pretty difficult time of year to make changes," Van Scoyoc said, "but he was struggling to a degree that it was necessary."

The Dodgers reworked everything, from his hands to his swing to the way he sets up and the way he loads. They wanted Lux to have a strong foundation with his lower half and keep his bat through the strike zone as long as possible, with more loft in his finish. The changes would ideally give Lux better plate coverage and allow him to elevate pitches more easily, but implementing them became a struggle.

Lux finished that season with a .693 OPS, then spent the entire winter working to make the changes feel natural. The 2018 season began in the Cal League, and Lux recorded only nine hits through his first 43 at-bats. Most players, particularly young ones, would have reverted to their old ways.

"Luxy just kept with the process, trusted everything that he did over the offseason, and from that point on, he hasn't looked back," Dodgers assistant general manager Brandon Gomes said. "He's been one of [the best], if not the best, hitters in the minor leagues the last few years."

Gomes, who previously served as the team's director of player development, considers Lux an "ultimate professional." He raved about his mental toughness, his attention to detail, his desire to become great and his openness to new instruction. He said his makeup is "as good as it possibly can get."

For those reasons, Gomes said, he hardly worried when Lux seemingly forgot how to throw a baseball during spring training in Arizona.

Beaty, who spent a lot of that time as Lux's first baseman, knew there was a problem when Lux six-hopped a throw off a routine grounder at Camelback Ranch. Beaty exuded optimism. "Hey," he told Lux, "we got the out." But Lux wasn't easy to console. It was his first big league camp, before the most important season of his professional career, and he had the yips. It seeped into his mind and wouldn't leave.

The Dodgers encouraged Lux to set his feet before throwing and let the baseball go without fear. One day, in the back fields of the Dodgers' spring training complex, Jose Vizcaino, a major league infielder for 18 seasons, asked about his grip. Lux grabbed a baseball from his glove and placed his index finger and middle finger on the outer edges of it. Vizcaino, now a special assistant with the Dodgers, couldn't believe it. He advised him to keep his fingers close, the way most pitchers would throw a fastball, and saw the yips go away shortly thereafter.

"And look at the season that he's had," Vizcaino said. "If he was somebody else, who's not mentally strong, he wouldn't have the season that he's had."

Lux is still relatively new to second base, but evaluators believe it's his best position in part because the throw is shorter. Scouts now see Lux as an average-to-slightly-above-average defender. His bat, however, is elite at any level.

Lux's second-inning hit Monday was followed by a third-inning double in the right-center-field gap, which capped a six-pitch at-bat. His next three plate appearances ended in a fly ball to the warning track, a grounder to the right side and a popup to the infield, but they all lasted six pitches.

"That's who he is," May said. "If he's not hitting the first pitch, he's definitely going to take his time in the AB."

Lux jumped from eighth to first in the batting order Tuesday, a 1-for-4 showing in a 5-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies. He batted there only because Joc Pederson took the night off, and he is consistently in the lineup largely because Max Muncy is nursing a wrist injury.

The Dodgers have won 91 of their 141 games and can clinch a division title as early as Saturday, 22 days before the final day of the regular season -- but they still have a lot of loose ends.

Cody Bellinger is suddenly playing center field and A.J. Pollock is transitioning to left. Julio Urias is back from suspension and getting stretched out, joining May, Gonsolin and the recovering Rich Hill as options for the fourth spot in the rotation. Kenley Jansen is and isn't the closer, with Kenta Maeda suddenly an option to pitch in high-leverage situations, including the ninth inning. Verdugo will be back next week, but suddenly he has to earn his place in the lineup again.

And then there's Lux, who might blow this whole thing up.

"You're trying to find the best 12 to 13 position players to formulate your roster," Roberts said when asked about the possibility of Lux earning his way onto the roster, and perhaps becoming the starting second baseman, in the postseason. "To say that's impossible, that's not the case."