It's elimination Monday in the championship series round of the 2023 MLB playoffs.

First, the Arizona Diamondbacks will attempt to stay alive against the Philadelphia Phillies as the National League Championship Series shifts back to Citizens Bank Park for Game 6. Then, it's time for the two best words in sports: Game 7! This time, it's Texas style, with the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros meeting one more time with a World Series trip on the line in the American League Championship Series.

To get ready for all of the excitement in Philly and Houston, we asked the ESPN MLB experts covering these series to answer the biggest question for each team vying to make it through to the Fall Classic.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Philadelphia Phillies

NLCS Game 6, 5:07 p.m. ET (Merrill Kelly vs. Aaron Nola)

What can the D-backs do to avoid being overwhelmed by the atmosphere in Philly?

David Schoenfield: Well, the easy answer is to score in the top of the first inning and then keep the Phillies off the board in the bottom of the first. In Game 1, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper homered in the first inning. In Game 2, Trea Turner homered in the first off Merrill Kelly, who gets the ball again in Game 6. But the noise is going to be there regardless.

If there is a key for the Diamondbacks, I'm looking at Corbin Carroll. He's just 2-for-19 with one walk in the series, and after going 54-for-59 in stolen bases in the regular season, he hasn't attempted a steal in the NLCS. He needs to get on base and needs to be aggressive. The Diamondbacks aren't going to win two games here playing it safe.

Jeff Passan: Get back to who they are. During the regular season, the Diamondbacks' offense thrived when it dared opponents to stop its running game. So far in the NLCS, Arizona has swiped just one bag -- by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in Game 3. Neutralizing Arizona's base-stealing presence -- especially from Corbin Carroll, who took 54 bags in the regular season -- has been a priority of the Phillies and one they've executed well, from their pitchers' fast times to the plate and quickened deliveries to the play of Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto, whose pop times are the best in the big leagues.

The Diamondbacks usually won't outslug the Phillies, so when they get runners on, they need to do their best to beat Philadelphia and better embody the word they've embraced all year: chaos.

Jesse Rogers: Learn from Games 1 and 2. It has to mean something having been through it already. Really, it all comes down to Merrill Kelly. The D-backs have been down early in games way too often in this series. This isn't the Milwaukee Brewers they're playing here. Kelly has to give them three to five solid innings in Game 6, and then Arizona's lefty relievers simply have to shut down some of the best left-handed sluggers on the planet. If ever the cliché "one inning at a time" applies, it's now. And it starts with Kelly.

How should the Phillies set up their bullpen for the rest of this series?

Schoenfield: It seems pretty clear that Craig Kimbrel has probably pitched himself out of high-leverage situations. It's not just that he lost Games 3 and 4 with poor outings, but even including four earlier scoreless appearances in the postseason, he has induced just nine swinging strikes out of 111 pitches, a very low total for a high-leverage reliever. Rob Thomson still has plenty of good options, though, and he'll rely on Jeff Hoffman and lefties Matt Strahm and Jose Alvarado as his top three guys, with Seranthony Dominguez and Gregory Soto as deeper reserves. That's still a lot of depth to deploy.

Thomson should use Alvarado and Hoffman against the top half of the order, matching up lefties with Carroll as he's been doing, and use them as needed based on the situation and allow Strahm or Soto to close if necessary. A good manager is flexible with the bullpen, and Thomson should proceed with closer-by-committee at this point. That group has been good this postseason: In 25 innings, just one home run and five runs allowed.

Passan: With duct tape and superglue. Yes, Kimbrel and Orion Kerkering would be going on two days' rest if they take the mound in Game 6, but does Rob Thomson trust either? If not, it's likely going to be the Aaron Nola Show for as long as possible, with Hoffman entering if a leverage situation reveals itself early -- Thomson has used him in a fireman role -- and likely a heavy dose of Alvarado in the late innings.

Thomson seems to trust left-hander Strahm and right-hander Dominguez, so if he needs to match up, he's got options. But the prospect of throwing Taijuan Walker or Michael Lorenzen for the first time this postseason in Game 6 of the NLCS seems reserved for only if they're behind and need innings eaten to preserve those in the circle of trust for a potential Game 7. Ranger Suarez, the projected starter for a Tuesday game, is not an option out of the bullpen in Game 6, Thomson said Sunday.

Rogers: Unlike the Diamondbacks' bullpen, the Phillies don't have to play the matchup game all that often. Other than perhaps making sure Carroll faces Alvarado or Strahm, Thomson can deploy his righties as he sees fit while staying away from Kimbrel. And frankly, if there's a time to send Walker or Lorenzen to the mound, it should come in Game 6. Not that the Phillies can mess around, but it seems like Thomson has missed an opportunity or two to utilize them so far. He wouldn't have that luxury in a win-or-go-home Game 7, but with a one-game cushion, it's a possibility -- especially if Aaron Nola has a shorter-than-expected start. Kerkering could probably use a high-leverage moment off as well. Otherwise, it'll be Hoffman, Dominguez, Strahm and Alvarado to bring home the pennant.

Texas Rangers at Houston Astros

ALCS Game 7, 8:03 p.m. ET (Max Scherzer vs. Cristian Javier)

What will be Bruce Bochy's plan for his pitchers?

Bradford Doolittle: Nathan Eovaldi getting into the seventh on Sunday was huge as it allowed Bruce Bochy to deploy his standard late-inning contingent without overextending any of them. Now for Game 7, he hopes to do the same thing -- only the path from Inning 1 to Inning 7 is likely to be less clear than letting Eovaldi roll three times through the Houston lineup. Max Scherzer will be on a short leash, and even if he's on -- around his typical velo, with a better slider than in Game 3 -- you'd think 80-85 pitches would be his ceiling.

Bochy has a number of rested options to get from Scherzer to his high-leverage crew. Sorting out who matches up best with whom, well, that's an open question, but it's one that Bochy has answered correctly so many times during his playoff career. If Scherzer's outing is short, then it gets dicey and Bochy will have to get multiple innings from someone, whether it's Cody Bradford, Martin Perez, Jon Gray or somebody else. Gray, for one, is someone I thought might play a little more of a role than he has in the ALCS, so maybe Game 7 will be his time.

Alden Gonzalez: That top of the ninth, when Adolis Garcia hit the grand slam that sent Astros fans filing for the exits, was one of the best things that could have happened for the Rangers -- it meant Jose Leclerc didn't have to return for the bottom half to record three more outs. It has become increasingly clear as this postseason has played out that Bochy doesn't trust much of his bullpen. It was never more evident than in Game 6, when he had Eovaldi begin to tackle the Astros' lineup a fourth time and then turned to Josh Sborz and Leclerc for the rest of the game (not even using Aroldis Chapman to face Yordan Alvarez). Leclerc and Sborz will probably be counted on heavily again in Game 7. And if the Rangers need a big out against Alvarez, it'll be interesting to see whether Bochy turns to fellow lefty Jordan Montgomery, who started Game 5 -- recording 16 outs and throwing 82 pitches -- but could technically make a relief appearance rather than his typical between-starts bullpen session.

Buster Olney: It's true, the circle of trust for Rangers manager Bruce Bochy seems to be small, and what occurred in Game 6 really sets him up well to respond if Scherzer struggles. If he needs to summon a reliever mid-inning, maybe he calls on Sborz. If he needs a reliever to face Kyle Tucker, maybe that'll be Chapman. If he needs multiple innings, he could give Jordan Montgomery the ball at the start of an inning after Scherzer departs. And it seems Bochy will not hesitate to use Leclerc for three to six outs, either -- and keep in mind that no manager has manipulated a bullpen with more success over the past 15 years than Bochy.

Can the Astros turn around their offensive woes at home?

Doolittle: They can -- but their home offensive woes don't really make any sense, so who knows? There are a lot of struggling hitters in Houston's lineup right now, which makes it a lot easier to navigate if you can survive the Jose Altuve-Alex Bregman-Alvarez gauntlet. I'm guessing we'll see a tight game that will be decided by two or three key sequences, as most postseason games are. But these being the Astros, would we really be shocked if they hang five runs on Scherzer right off the bat and roll on from there? I just don't think Houston's bizarre home-road inversion is anything more than an interesting fluke. Still, the way these teams are coming out of Game 6, the Rangers seem more explosive right now. Houston needs to change this narrative, whether it's real or not.

Gonzalez: It's more so about certain hitters getting right for the Astros -- and nobody represents that better than Kyle Tucker, who will get some down-ballot MVP love this year but has struggled mightily throughout the postseason, with five hits in 35 at-bats and one RBI through 10 games. Tucker, Jeremy Pena and Martin Maldonado -- the Nos. 6, 8 and 9 hitters in the Astros' Game 6 lineup, respectively -- have combined to slash .165/.277/.206 in these playoffs and have accumulated eight hits in 56 at-bats in this series, only two of them for extra bases. The Astros need more production from the bottom half of their lineup. But Tucker is the one who can change the dynamic of their offense. And one at-bat in Game 6 might have provided a window into his confidence at the moment. There were runners on first and second with none out, with the Astros trailing by two, and Tucker squared to bunt for a hit on the first pitch from Eovaldi, whom he had already seen twice. The next pitch produced a half-swing that resulted in a harmless ground out. This is far from the Tucker who surged through the summer -- but it can turn at any minute.

Olney: Scherzer believes that his slider was better than portrayed in Game 3, but the bottom line is that if he does not have that pitch, he will be extremely vulnerable to the Houston hitters, who figure to be very aggressive against him. Regardless of Scherzer's feel, the Rangers will be very wary of Altuve, Bregman and Alvarez, so there will likely be some opportunity for those who follow them: The key hitters in this lineup might turn out to be Jose Abreu and Tucker. Tucker has gotten some hits and drawn some walks in this series, but he hasn't looked at all close to the sort of confident, dangerous hitter that he was during the regular season. As Dusty Baker has said, that could all change with one swing.

World Rugby has confirmed it will formally review the alleged use of a racial slur by South Africa hooker Bongi Mbonambi towards England's Tom Curry.

If banned, Mbonambi could miss the final against New Zealand on Saturday.

World Rugby said it will take the allegation "extremely seriously".

More to follow.

Former U.S. women's national team manager Vlatko Andonovski is the new manager and sporting director of NWSL side the Kansas City Current, the club announced on Monday.

Kansas City had been without a permanent manager since April 19, when it fired Matt Potter. The team had been managed on an interim basis by Caroline Sjoblom, with the team failing to make the NWSL playoffs after finishing in 11th place out of 12 teams. The season of struggle comes just one year after the Current reached the NWSL final, losing to the Portland Thorns, 2-0.

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"We are thrilled to welcome Vlatko to the Current," said Kansas City Current co-owners Angie Long and Chris Long. "We talk all the time about our desire to be the best women's football club in the world, with Vlatko that brings us one step closer to that goal. His football acumen and his penchant for developing talent will keep this team competitive on the world stage and make Kansas City a destination club for players across the world."

A native of Skopje in what is now North Macedonia, Andonovski, 47, returns to the same city where he previously won consecutive NWSL titles in 2014 and 2015 with the side then known as FC Kansas City. The team was effectively relocated to Utah for three seasons before returning to Kansas City as an expansion team ahead of the 2021 season, in which it inherited Utah's players.

Andonovski will get plenty of financial support this time around. Owners Chris and Angie Long as well as Brittany and Patrick Mahomes have made a considerable investment in the club, spending $15 million on the team's training center that opened in June of 2022, as well as $120m on CPKC Stadium which is set to be completed in 2024.

"Kansas City is home, and always will be," said Andonovski. "This club is very ambitious, and they have an ownership group willing to do what it takes to meet their goals. I am grateful to Angie, Chris, Brittany and Patrick for this opportunity to lead my hometown team. The fans here have always been passionate, and it has been so exciting to see them grow and make Kansas City one of the best atmospheres in the NWSL, and it will only get better in the new stadium."

The appointment is the first for Andonovski since he resigned as manager of the USWNT last August. His resignation came the wake of the team's round of 16 exit at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, the worst finish at a major tournament in the program's history. While Andonovski's record with the U.S. was 51-5-9, his record in major tournaments was just 3-2-5 (games decided by penalties are officially recorded as draws).

Andonovski's previous managerial experience came at club level, both indoors with the Missouri Comets, FC Kansas City and Reign FC (now OL Reign) in the NWSL.

Vice-captain Courtney Lawes will retire from England duty at the conclusion of the Rugby World Cup.

His bid to finish on a high with coach Steve Borthwick's side ended against South Africa in Saturday's semi-final.

"I think it's time. I've done four World Cups, so I'm pretty happy with that," he said.

"I haven't told Steve yet! But I will let him know.

"It's a bit of an end of an era, but it's been a real honour for me to represent England for so long. It flies by.

"I'm proud of the journey I've been on. To be able to finish with this group, it's something I'll treasure forever."

Lawes, who has made 105 international appearances across 15 years, could play his final game in Friday's bronze-medal match Argentina.

He made his England debut against Australia in 2009 when Borthwick was team captain.

The flanker was a beaten finalist against the Springboks in 2019 and also played in the 2011 and 2015 tournaments, in addition to representing the Lions in 2017 and 2021.

He believes England have a bright future and is determined to sign off at international level, although he will continue to play at at club level for Northampton, by helping the team finish third.

"We showed to everyone what it means to play for this team," he said. "Play for your country and the boys alongside you.

"I think people can see now what a good coach he is - and where this team can really go.

"We want to finish on a high. It's important for us to finish properly and send us all off on a good win."

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Travis Dermott became the first NHL player to use Pride Tape on his stick in defiance of the NHL's ban of its use during warmups and games this season.

Dermott wrapped the top of his stick with Pride Tape, a rainbow-colored stick tape that's used in support of the LGBTQIA+ community, during the Coyotes' 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks at home Saturday night.

The NHL announced in June that teams were no longer allowed to wear "specialty" jerseys during warmups, practices or games. The unilateral ban followed a season in which several players refused to take part in warmups when their teams wore Pride Night jerseys due to their personal or religious objections.

Before this season started, the NHL further clarified that on-ice player uniforms and gear worn in warmups, official team practices and games cannot be altered to reflect "specialty" theme nights. That included the use of Pride Tape on sticks.

Previously, NHL players would wrap their sticks with the tape and then auction off the game-used gear for charity. The league said the current ban on Pride Tape was to prevent teams and players from using it as an "end around" to violate the new uniform policy.

Dermott used the tape during the team's home opener. The Coyotes will be the first NHL team to hold a Pride Night this season when they host the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 27.

The Coyotes told ESPN that they had heard nothing from the NHL regarding punishment for Dermott or the team.

An NHL spokesperson told ESPN there wasn't any announcement from the league's hockey operations department regarding Demott's use of Pride Tape. The NHLPA had no further information, either.

Dermott had previously used Pride Tape as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He told ESPN's Kristen Shilton in 2021 that he has "some family that is involved in the LGBTQ community. So, I'd like to step forward and in the future take part in supporting them more vigorously."

Jeff McLean, one of the co-founders of Pride Tape, said they continue to send Dermott shipments of the tape because "he's always been kind enough to regularly use" it.

"He sent me a text to get topped up because he had run out. We're always more than happy to support Travis," said McLean, who previously said he was disappointed by the NHL's ban on Pride Tape.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has said that the league's new policy has been "terribly misunderstood and mis-portrayed" and that the NHL still encourages "specialty nights where groups of all different types are honored and consciousness is raised."

Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid is expected to miss one to two weeks after suffering an upper-body injury, the team announced Sunday.

McDavid, the reigning Hart Trophy winner, suffered the injury during a 3-2 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night. He took his final shift in the third period and was seen reaching for his left side during a rush. He stayed on the bench throughout the overtime session.

Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft said after the game that "it appeared to be muscular more than anything."

McDavid, 26, has two goals and six assists through five games this season.

The injury puts McDavid's status for next Sunday's Heritage Classic in doubt. The Oilers will face the rival Calgary Flames at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium.

McDavid led the NHL last season in goals (64), assists (89) and points (153) and played in all 82 regular-season games en route to picking up his third Hart Trophy.

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez praised the fearless Marc Guiu after the 17-year-old came off the bench to score the only goal of the game in his debut against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

Guiu was introduced with just over 10 minutes left at the Olympic Stadium, sliding home the winner 33 seconds later after being fed by João Félix to give Barca a narrow 1-0 victory.

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"Marc is a kid from the academy and he made the difference," Xavi said in a news conference. "I am happy for him and with the three points, which are really important.

"I thought of him in that moment because he is a goal scorer, he has a spark and I like him personally. I don't have any problem looking at what we have in-house. The complete opposite. I want to give them the confidence that I was given at 17, 18 years old."

Guiu is the latest youngster to emerge from Barcelona's academy and make an impact on the first team.

Lamine Yamal (16) and Fermín Lopez (20) have also broken through this season, scoring key goals in comebacks against Mallorca and Granada this season.

Gavi (19) and Alejandro Balde (20), meanwhile, have both established themselves as regulars in Barça's first team.

"The thing that surprises me with this generation is that they have no fear," Xavi added of Barça's youngsters. "Maybe it was different in my day. They have that spark. They look at me with a face that says: 'Put me on, I'll show you that it will go well.' When we put them on, they're ready, they show character and bravery.

"I saw it in Gavi, Balde, Lamine, Fermín... and I saw it in Marc. There was no fear in his face.

"I told him he would get one chance. He gets one chance and he took it. I felt he was ready. I am really happy for Marc, he is a good kid who works hard.

"To score with his first touches is extraordinary. I've congratulated him just now and you can imagine how he is feeling. It's quite possibly the best day of his life."

Guiu, who joined the club's academy in 2013 and is a Spain U17 international, enjoyed the moment.

"I can't believe it," he told reporters. "I am enjoying the moment. I didn't imagine this. I have been working my whole life for it, taking advantage of every opportunity and... I won't sleep tonight.

"I have dreamt of this many times, almost every night. I am so proud. It all happened really quickly, I hardly had chance to think about it. It was intuition."

Guiu was handed his chance because of injury problems at Barcelona. Robert Lewandowski, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Jules Koundé, Raphinha and Sergi Roberto were all sidelined for the game against Athletic.

Xavi said neither Kounde nor Roberto will return for this week's home games against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League or Real Madrid in LaLiga, but it's a case of "wait and see" with the other.

Ahead of Saturday's Clásico, Barça are now just one point behind Real Madrid, who are level at the top of the league with Girona.