Is this the greatest final four in MLS playoff history? The conference finals feature the best team in the 2019 regular season, as well as the last three MLS Cup winners.

So who is set to reach this year's final on Nov. 10 (3 p.m. ET, ABC)? As LAFC prepares to host Seattle Sounders and Toronto FC travels to take on defending champion Atlanta United, we break down the matchups.

Jump to: LAFC vs. Seattle | Atlanta vs. Toronto

West: 1 LAFC vs. 2 Seattle Sounders (Tuesday, 10 p.m. ET; ESPN)

Backstory: LAFC is looking to emulate Atlanta a year ago by claiming the league's top prize in just its second season and could also lay claim to being ranked among MLS's best-ever teams, considering its record 72-point haul during the regular season.

For the third time in four years, meanwhile, the Sounders are in the conference finals. Players and tactics have changed, but the results continue to rack up under the steady hand of coach Brian Schmetzer.

Playoff path: For the first time in six games, LAFC got one over on cross-city rivals LA Galaxy by winning 5-3 encounter in a conference semifinal classic. Thanks in large part to two goals from Carlos Vela, it was the first playoff win in franchise history for LAFC.

After surviving a wild 4-3 extra-time win over FC Dallas in the first round, Seattle had a more straightforward outing in the semis, downing Real Salt Lake 2-0 behind second-half goals from Gustav Svensson and Nicolas Lodeiro.

Connecting thread: This is the first playoff meeting between the teams, but there is some interesting history. In March 2018, LAFC won 1-0 at the Sounders in its first-ever MLS game. Later that season, the same result marked the opening game at Banc of California Stadium. In four matches between the two teams, Seattle has yet to win, with three defeats and one draw.

Tactical contrast: Taking into account the previous two meetings this season, in which LAFC dominated possession, the odds are that Bob Bradley's men will dictate the tempo. The Sounders were able to absorb RSL's attack in the previous round, but will not have such a luxury against a more dangerous Black and Gold attack.

Headaches: Adama Diomande's two-goal performance off the bench against the Galaxy might be enough to earn him a start over Brian Rodriguez, who played well himself on derby day and set the table for Vela's second goal.

On the flip side, Roman Torres' injury creates a quandary for Schmetzer. If the defender is anything shy of 100 percent, then Xavier Arreaga would be the logical call as he was against Salt Lake. Elsewhere, Victor Rodriguez also impressed off the bench, but Joevin Jones is likely to keep his spot.

Star men: Vela continues to amaze. Not only did he tack on another two goals against the Galaxy, but he also delivered a superb assist on Diego Rossi's crucial tiebreaker that gave LAFC a 3-2 lead.

For Seattle, Jordan Morris was the hero against FC Dallas, but Lodeiro took control against Salt Lake and he must make his presence felt again, this time against a superior opponent. Lodeiro is his club's most creative player and can put the top seed to the sword.

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Where the game will be won or lost: It will be down to LAFC's efficiency in Seattle's defensive half and which Sounders defense shows up. Will it be the one that leaked goals and looked shaky on set pieces against Dallas, or the wall that shut out RSL?

X factor: Any time things get wobbly for LAFC, Eduard Atuesta just knows to get on on the ball and restore order. If he has time and space, it makes his team almost impossible to stop.

For Seattle, Cristian Roldan could rise up and make a difference. Relatively quiet against Salt Lake, a clash with the league's top team could provide a spark for the U.S. international midfielder.

LAFC will win because: Even if Vela has an off day, which is unlikely, it has too many other weapons for Seattle to survive.

Seattle will win because: Schmetzer doubles down on defense and gets enough out of the transition game to pull off a shock upset.

Prediction: LAFC 3-1 Seattle Sounders -- Arch Bell (@ArchBell)

East: 2 Atlanta United vs. 4 Toronto FC (Wednesday, 8 p.m. ET; Fox Sports 1)

Backstory: For all the hemming and hawing about Atlanta's season, the team ended up where it expected to be: Playing at home with a chance to reach back-to-back MLS Cup finals. Frank de Boer's perceived struggle to adapt to life in the league is little more than a memory.

As for Toronto, the Reds were never going to be satisfied with a half-step back from the league's elite following a disappointing 2018. Two playoff victories and a conference final berth represent a return to relevancy.

Playoff path: There has been nothing irresistible about Atlanta's run, but that should not take away from the achievement. Down two defenders, United managed to navigate potentially tricky matches against two clubs that had nothing to lose, New England and Philadelphia. Talent is Atlanta's advantage and it uses it well.

The losses of injured pair Jozy Altidore and Omar Gonzalez should have been debilitating for Toronto, but Greg Vanney and Co. have made sure absent players would be no excuse. It took more than 90 minutes to take care of D.C. United, but Toronto was ruthless at NYCFC.

Connecting thread: Nothing connects these teams more than ambition. Two of the highest-spending clubs in MLS face off in a clash that feels like a battle of league giants. Toronto's rise to prominence set a bar that Atlanta aimed to meet immediately upon entering the league.

Tactical contrast: De Boer's focus on possession for the purpose of preventing the opponent creating chances will be tested. Atlanta's aim remains to get Ezequiel Barco and Pity Martinez (should he start) on the ball in space. Josef Martinez provides the release valve.

Toronto deployed a pressing approach that slowed down NYCFC in the midfield and a similar setup might be on tap, although Darlington Nagbe's ability to dribble out of pressure could be pose danger if the press is ineffective.

Headaches: So far in the playoffs, Atlanta's lesser athleticism at the back has not been punished, but that could change if Toronto gets Altidore back to play some part in proceedings.

If the U.S. striker cannot go from the off, Vanney faces a conundrum: Start Alejandro Pozuelo as a false nine with the thought of bringing Altidore on later, or use Patrick Mullins and go direct. Gonzalez, at least, is likely to be available.

Star men: Josef Martinez is Atlanta's best player and ace in the hole. If and when United is bogged down in attack, it can often look to him for a game-changing moment from almost nothing.

With two goals, Pozuelo showed his worth against NYCFC. He will be in the spotlight again and must be at his best if Toronto is going to shock the Mercedes-Benz Stadium crowd.

Where the game will be won or lost: With Michael Bradley at the center of the fray, Toronto's ability to slow Atlanta's midfield from connecting with Barco and Pity Martinez will decide the winner of a fascinating Eastern Conference final.

X factor: Pity Martinez did not start against the Revolution but was back in the Atlanta lineup against Philadelphia. In the first XI or off the bench, he figures to have a key role in the outcome.

Jonathan Osorio's work on both ends of the field is a major part of Toronto's success. Moreover, the Canadian midfielder has had a habit of scoring important, dramatic goals.

Atlanta will win because: The champs have the talent advantage and a boisterous crowd behind them. De Boer can pick a team to slow Toronto and find enough goals to win.

Toronto will win because: Confidence is high, Pozuelo is in excellent form and the moment will not be too big A year away from the spotlight did not rob TFC of its championship credentials.

Prediction: Atlanta United 2-1 Toronto FC -- Jason Davis (@davisjsn)

The New York Giants made a rare trade with the rival Jets for defensive lineman Leonard Williams, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday.

The Jets will receive a third-round pick in 2020 and a fifth-rounder in 2021, a source told Schefter. The fifth-round pick in 2021 will become a fourth-rounder if Williams signs an extension with the Giants before the start of the 2021 league year. The Jets are paying $4 million of the $6 million remaining on Williams' contract this year.

Williams joins a Giants defense that desperately needs an influx of talent. What complicates matters is that Williams, a first-round pick in 2015, becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

The Giants (2-6) seem likely to try to re-sign Williams this offseason. If not, they would be eligible to recoup a compensatory pick for the following year.

The addition of Williams continues general manager Dave Gettleman's investment in the Giants' defensive line. Since becoming the GM, he has added Williams, Dexter Lawrence with the 17th overall pick this year and B.J. Hill in the third round the previous year.

Still, the Giants' interior defensive linemen had accounted for just six sacks in the first half of this season. While not a prolific pass-rusher, Williams instantly becomes one of the Giants' best threats on the interior.

Out of playoff contention, the Jets started to address their future, loading up as they head into another rebuilding cycle, this time under first-year general manager Joe Douglas.

The Jets decided to part with Williams, drafted sixth in 2015, after concluding he's not part of their long-term plan. He's only 25, but he's making $14.2 million.

Instead of reinvesting in Williams, whom sources believe will command at least $10 million a year on the open market, Douglas opted for draft capital.

The Jets, reeling under first-year coach Adam Gase, are 1-6, mainly because of an anemic offense. They travel to Miami to face the Dolphins on Sunday.

Williams hasn't missed a game in four-plus seasons, but he's considered a disappointment because he hasn't produced as a pass-rusher. He has 17 career sacks, including only two in the past 18 games.

The current and previous coaching staffs defended Williams, saying he was strong against the run and helped others by drawing frequent double-teams. In the end, though, he never became the dynamic player that many expected.

In 2015, the Jets were stunned and happy that Williams slipped to them with the sixth pick. Some evaluators in the league felt he was the best prospect in the draft.

He was the first choice of former GM Mike Maccagnan, who was fired in May. The 2015 draft is wiped out; not one player remains on the Jets roster.

In recent days, Williams took a pragmatic approach to the trade rumors. He said he wanted to remain with the Jets and that he was comfortable in New York, but he also said, "What's cool about it is, it's not this or the streets. Either I'm playing for the Jets or I'm playing somewhere. At the end of the day, I'm still going to be playing. I feel like I have a lot of years left in me in my career."

HOUSTON -- The two women who flashed their breasts from behind the backstop during Game 5 of the World Series at Nationals Park on Sunday night have been banned from major league stadiums.

Major League Baseball sent the women a letter shortly after their escapade.

Julia Rose and Lauren Summer identified themselves on social media. Popular on Instagram, they lifted their tops and exposed themselves as Houston Astros ace Gerrit Cole was set to pitch to Washington Nationals batter Ryan Zimmerman in the seventh inning.

The women were standing in the second row, slightly to the first base side behind the plate. Their stunt was seen live on Fox by a camera shooting from center field.

Cole stepped off the mound, but it's unclear whether he saw the women.

MLB says the ban from big league stadiums is indefinite.

The New York Yankees have fired pitching coach Larry Rothschild, the team announced Monday.

Rothschild has had the job since 2011, when he replaced Dave Eiland, who was fired.

"I want to personally thank Larry for his near decade of commitment to this organization. Larry cares deeply about his craft and the pitchers under his tutelage, and he played a significant role in our successes over the past nine seasons. There's a reason why Larry has had the type of distinguished baseball career he's had, and it starts with experience and dedication that is difficult to emulate," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said in a statement.

Despite sending an MLB-record 30 players to the injured list this season, the Yankees appeared in the American League Championship Series, eventually losing to the Houston Astros. Statistically, the 2019 pitching staff wasn't as good as the 2018 version, however.

The 2019 Yankees finished 103-59 for a .636 winning percentage, and their 4.31 team ERA ranked sixth in the AL.

The 2018 team finished 100-62 but with a 3.78 ERA.

Rothschild would be an option as pitching coach in Philadelphia. He and new Phillies manager Joe Girardi have a good working relationship; they spent seven seasons together with the Yankees.

Rothschild previously worked as a coach for the Reds, Braves, Marlins and Cubs. He served as the Tampa Bay Rays' inaugural manager, from 1998 until early in the 2001 season.

After failing to acquire a pitcher before the July 31 trade deadline, Cashman said last week that the team intends to be "aggressive" in landing a star pitcher in the offseason.

Among the pitchers who could be available: the Astros' Gerrit Cole, who will be a free agent, and the Nationals' Stephen Strasburg, who can opt out of his deal.

ENSENADA, Mexico — Confidence and respect are key ingredients in the success of someone in any field.

SCORE Overall and SCORE Trophy Truck point leader Andy McMillin exudes both traits as he prepares for November’s BFGoodrich Tires 52nd SCORE Baja 1,000.

Following his victories in the 33rd SCORE San Felipe 250 and the 51st SCORE Baja 500 along with his second place finish in a new race truck at the inaugural Lucerna SCORE Baja 400, the San Diego veteran champion desert racer continues to lead the SCORE Overall and the SCORE Trophy Truck season point standings after three events in the four-race SCORE World Desert Championship.

“It’s been a great year for our team so far,” said McMillin, who has five overall victories in the Baja 1,000. “I wish we could be going into the SCORE Baja 1,000 with three wins in a row, but we came up a little bit short at the SCORE Baja 400 in September. We have a lot of confidence going into the biggest race of the year, the SCORE Baja 1000, and that’s always a key ingredient to success going into this race.”

McMillin finished second behind Ryan Arciero in the SCORE Baja 400 in a field of 189 starters, including 36 in the featured SCORE Trophy Truck division for high-tech, 950-horsepower unlimited custom trucks. McMillin, who has 11 SCORE Trophy Truck race wins, drives the No. 31 McMillin Racing Mason Motorsports-built all-wheel drive Chevy Silverado and has scored 330 points thanks to his twin wins and one second place.

He’ll look to add to that even more with a sixth overall victory in the Baja 1,000, with the event taking place Nov. 19-24. The race will start and finish in the heart of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.

“The course looks fantastic,” McMillin went on to say. “It is everything we expect in a SCORE Baja 1,000. It’s going to be a great, great race. The entire course is inspirational. This is game seven of the World Series or the Super Bowl. Everyone wants to win this race and we are going to give it everything we’ve got to win another SCORE Baja 1,000.”

Maxwell Moldovan and Rose Zhang were announced Monday as the AJGA Rolex Junior Players of the Year.

Moldovan, an Ohio State commit from Uniontown, Ohio, and Zhang, a Stanford commit from Irvine, Calif., each finished No. 1 in the Rolex AJGA rankings on Oct. 15 and are among the 96 AJGA Rolex Junior All-Americans who will be recognized at the Rolex Junior All-America on Nov. 24 in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Moldovan's year was highlighted by his victory at the Polo Golf Junior Classic in June. After winning the match-play invitational, he went on to go undefeated in the Wyndham Cup, running his summer match-play record to 9-0-1 in those two events. He added a runner-up finish at the Memorial Junior and posted six top-10 national finishes, including most recently a T-4 at the Junior Players.

He is an AJGA All-American for the first time this year.

“I had a really good year … definitely the best of my career so far,” said Moldovan, who will sign with the Buckeyes during the early signing period next month. “My goal was to finish in the top 15 in invitationals and try to win an AJGA tournament. I won in 2016 and 2017, but not last year. I can’t thank God, my family and friends enough for all they’ve done in my life. My faith has led to great things and winning this award is a true honor that reflects God’s glory.”

Zhang, 16, had an incredible year in which she didn't finish outside the top 3 in any AJGA event. She won the Swinging Skirts AJGA Invitational and was a quarterfinalist at the U.S. Girls' Junior. She also competed in the U.S. Women's Open and placed eighth in the Pan American Games in Peru.

Her All-American selection is the fourth of her career.

“The Rolex Junior Player of the Year award means the world to me,” Zhang said. “It is the highest achievement in junior golf, and I will feel extremely lucky to see my name next to some of the best in the game. I’ve played against amazing junior golfers from the United States and from around the world, and this award makes me extremely motivated to continue to play well and set goals.”

Here is a list of this year's All-Americans (number of years as All-American in parentheses):

Boys – First Team

Canon Claycomb of Bowling Green, Kentucky (4)

Connor Creasy of Abingdon, Virginia (2)

Jack Heath of Charlotte, North Carolina

Bo Jin of (China) Encinitas, California (2)

Maxwell Moldovan of Uniontown, Ohio - 2019 Boys Rolex Junior Player of the Year

Joseph Pagdin of (United Kingdom) Orlando, Florida

Bo Peng of (China) Lake Mary, Florida

Brett Roberts of Coral Springs, Florida

Vishnu Sadagopan of Pearland, Texas

Taehoon Song of (South Korea) Buena Park, California

Jackson Van Paris of Pinehurst, North Carolina (3)

Karl Vilips of (Australia) Wesley Chapel, Florida (4)

Girls – First Team

Ty Akabane of Danville, California (2)

Phoebe Brinker of Wilmington, Delaware (2)

Jensen Castle of West Columbia, South Carolina

Briana Chacon of Whittier, California (2)

Xin (Cindy) Kou of (China) La Habra, California (4)

Lucy Li of Redwood Shores, California (3)

Brianna Navarrosa of San Diego, California (3)

Alexa Pano of Lake Worth, Florida (3)

Amanda Sambach of Davidson, North Carolina

Yuka Saso of Manila, Philippines

Erica Shepherd of Greenwood, Indiana (5)

Rose Zhang of Irvine, California (4) - 2019 Girls Rolex Junior Player of the Year

Boys – Second Team

Aaron Du of (China) Sanford, Florida

J. Holland Humphries of Austin, Texas (2)

Piercen Hunt of (Canada) Hartland, Wisconsin

Benjamin James of Milford, Connecticut

Brian Ma of Milpitas, California

Andy Mao of Johns Creek, Georgia

Dylan Menante of Carlsbad, California (2)

William Moll of Houston, Texas (3)

Dawson Ovard of Frisco, Texas

Gordon Sargent of Birmingham, Alabama (2)

Ian Siebers of Bellevue, Washington (2)

Keaton Vo of Austin, Texas

Girls – Second Team

Zoe Antoinette Campos of Valencia, California (3)

Sadie Englemann of Austin, Texas (4)

Annabell Fuller of London, United Kingdom

Sophie Guo of (China) Orlando, Florida (3)

Rachel Heck of Memphis, Tennessee (5) - 2017 Girls Rolex Junior Player of the Year

Alyssa Montgomery of Knoxville, Tennessee (2)

Michaela Morard of Huntsville, Alabama (5)

Bohyun Park of (South Korea) Farmers Branch, Texas (2)

Catherine Park of Irvine, California

Megan Schofill of Monticello, Florida (2)

Christine Wang of Houston, Texas (2)

Kelly Xu of Claremont, California

Boys – Honorable Mention

Jake Beber-Frankel of Miami, Florida (2)

Trey Bosco of Austin, Texas (2)

Stephen Campbell Jr. of Richmond, Texas

Kelly Chinn of Great Falls, Virginia

You Seong Choi of (South Korea) Hacienda Heights, California

Tucker Clark of Phoenix, Arizona

George Duangmanee of Fairfax, Virginia (2)

Nicholas Dunlap of Greer, South Carolina

David Ford of Peachtree Corners, Georgia

Nathan Franks of Roebuck, South Carolina

Andrew Goodman of Norman, Oklahoma

Austin Greaser of Vandalia, Ohio (2)

Jonathan Griz of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Leopoldo Herrera III of (Venezuela) Doral, Florida

Andrew Yong. H Jung of (South Korea) San Diego, California

Scotty Kennon of Bradenton, Florida

Caden McMackin of Laguna Beach, California

Yuki Moriyama of (Japan) Las Vegas, Nevada

Luke Potter of Encinitas, California (2)

Drew Salyers of Howard, Ohio

Michael Thorbjornsen of Wellesley, Massachusetts (2)

Tyler Wilkes of Tampa, Florida

Wells Williams of West Point, Mississippi

Alexander Yang of Carlsbad, California (2)

Girls – Honorable Mention

Amari Avery of Riverside, California (3)

Sophia Bae of Norwood, New Jersey

Hailey Borja of Lake Forest, California (2)

Jillian Bourdage of Tamarac, Florida

Camille Boyd of Yorba Linda, California

Jennifer Cleary of Wilmington, Delaware

Macy Fox of Austin, Texas (2)

Megha Ganne of Holmdel, New Jersey

Melanie Green of Medina, New York

Jiarui (Joyce) Jin of (China) Encinitas, California (2)

Hailey Jones of Dallas, Texas (4)

Rachel Kuehn of Asheville, North Carolina (3)

Mackenzie Lee of North Little Rock, Arkansas

Faith Low of Foster City, California

Kaleiya Romero of San Jose, California

Calynne Rosholt of Cedar Park, Texas (2)

Brooke Seay of Rancho Santa Fe, California (5)

Latanna Stone of Riverview, Florida (2)

Kailie Vongsaga of Diamond Bar, California (3)

Casey Weidenfeld of Pembroke Pines, Florida

Nicole Whiston of San Diego, California (3)

Ashley Yun of West Covina, California

Yunxuan Zhang of (China) Plano, Texas

Emily Zhu of Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada

Gareth Bale has asked Real Madrid not to publish his medical records, exercising his right in the Spanish Law on Protection of Personal Data.

The Wales international has missed the last two matches against Galatasaray and Mallorca after suffering an injury during the most recent international break, but Madrid have still not provided any update on his fitness.

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Bale's agent Jonathan Barnett told ESPN FC: "Medical records are private. If every citizen's medical reports are private, why should Gareth's be public?"

The latest statement Madrid released on Bale's fitness was on Jan. 5.

The previous one came in September 2017 and club sources told ESPN FC it was back then when Bale asked for privacy over his injuries because he was frustrated with public criticism.

The same sources told ESPN FC about their "discomfort" regarding Bale's injuries because they have prevented him enjoying consistency.

Furthermore, sources at the club believe his injuries are happening too often, and attribute them to the forward's low pain threshold.

For their part, Bale's teammates have privately expressed their respect for the player because, despite his injury, he has been the most important player for the club this season.

The Madrid coaching staff said the same but also told ESPN FC they hope the Welshman can have the "necessary" fortune to return to action despite a difficult year.

Bale had managed to turn around his situation at the club and became a key player during the opening weeks of the campaign after manager Zinedine Zidane wanted him to leave in the summer.

Bale trained Monday morning at Real Madrid's training ground but was later spotted by cameras catching a flight to London.

Madrid confirmed to ESPN FC that the player had permission to travel for personal reasons but neither the club nor his agent wanted to reveal the reasons of the trip.

Pakistan head coach Misbah ul Haq spoke of the unique challenge of playing in Australia, and the difficulty of adjusting to conditions and the pitches, particularly for batsmen. The recently appointed coach, for whom the upcoming tour is just the second since being given the job, also termed it a big opportunity for his young side, while acknowledging Pakistan needed to become more consistent in their performances.

"The conditions are totally different than when you play in all other parts of the world," Misbah told reporters in Sydney. "So you need to adjust to that pace and bounce especially in the batting unit and obviously when you're bowling, because in Asian conditions your biggest strength is your spinners. You have to bowl slightly differently here, the lengths are different, even the lines are different for the pacers here. So these are the challenges we are looking at ahead of this series. We want to address those and the kind of talent we have, if we can be disciplined in all departments, I think we can produce good results."

Misbah was appointed coach to relatively unanimous approval after the PCB decided to part ways with Mickey Arthur and his staff. A home series against a depleted Sri Lanka side represented an ostensibly soft start to his reign, but Pakistan found themselves overturned comprehensively in the T20I series, losing all three games comfortably, leading to the departure of Sarfaraz Ahmed as captain, with Azhar Ali succeeding him in Test cricket and Babar Azam in T20 internationals.

Misbah admitted an Australia tour would be a challenge for the captains, but believed they were good enough players to manage. "Sometimes it's a challenge for the captains. Azhar has already captained in Australia. He's a bit experienced, he knows, and he's played a lot of Test cricket. Babar is new, and so it will be really important for me to pass on advice. The team also needs to support him and execute plans.

"Some of the bowlers who have experience can help him too. Imad Wasim is there, Wahab Riaz is there, Mohammad Irfan... they can really help him, setting the fields, having their bowling plans executed properly. Obviously it's a new thing, new experience for him but I think all these challenges will help him get stronger and be bigger in stature."

In a squad already replete with surprises, Usman Qadir's selection raised eyebrows, particularly in Australia. Until recently, it was believed the legspinner had ambitions to play international cricket for them. He'd even said so himself. Misbah spoke about the process that led to the 26-year old being picked for Pakistan.

"The last couple of years now, we've just been playing Shadab Khan, who's been slightly out of form. There are very few legspin options in Pakistan. A few of the youngsters have come up just in this season, and Usman Qadir is one of them. He played the T20 tournament there and he bowled well. We picked Usman because he has experience playing in Australia, knows the conditions and with his height, especially, gets little bit more bounce also. I thimk his variations, the flipper and the googly for example, gave him a bit of an advantage. That was the reason behind his selection. We need to develop someone in that department, so that we have a back-up for Shadab, especially before the World Cup."

The youngest players Pakistan have selected have come in the form of fast bowlers. Sixteen-year old Naseem Shah, 18-year old Muhammad Musa and the more experienced 19-year old Shaheen Afridi are all part of the Test squad, the first two almost completely unknown outside of Pakistan, which Misbah thought might give his side an advantage. He singled out Naseem for high praise.

"He's bowling well. Especially in the four-day competition that's going on, first-class, he's bowling well. The good thing about him is he's bowling well in all spells. He's now playing his fourth first class game of the [Quaid-e-Azam trophy] back home, and in all spells he's bowling quick. His control with the ball is also good. I'm looking forward to him bowling here in Australia where the conditions will also give him some assistance in getting pace and bounce. Everybody is excited to get him in the team.

"There is always the surprise that plays a part in selection but again you need to bowl well in Australian conditions. Only pace is not going to favour you. The good thing with him is he can bowl in good areas also. At Under-19 levels he bowled really well with the new ball and the old ball and he's doing that in first-class cricket, too. Looking forward, if he can just put the ball in the right areas at that pace, it could be a surprise package."

There was still time for Misbah's characteristically bone-dry wit to emerge, too. "Of course the unpredictability could be frightening for Australia. But it could be for us, too."

With their top two running backs injured, the Arizona Cardinals have reached an agreement in principle to acquire Miami Dolphins running back Kenyan Drake for a conditional 2020 draft pick, league sources tell ESPN's Adam Schefter.‬

Miami will receive a 2020 sixth-round pick that can become a fifth-round pick, sources told ESPN.

Arizona will need Drake's contributions in a hurry since David Johnson (ankle) and Chase Edmonds (hamstring) are dealing with injuries that will likely hold them out for at least Thursday night's game against San Francisco.

Drake, the Dolphins' leading rusher, did not travel with the team for it's Monday night contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers in anticipation of a trade. Multiple teams had called the Dolphins about Drake ahead of Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, sources told Schefter.

The speedy 25-year-old running back adds playmaking and dual-threat ability for a Cardinals team that's 3-4-1 and hoping to stay in the playoff picture.

For the Dolphins (0-6), the move is about continuing to stockpile 2020 picks for what is expected to be an aggressive offseason for general manager Chris Grier.

Miami now has 13 picks in the 2020 draft, including three first-round picks, two second-round picks and two expected compensatory selections. Their own selection, which could be used to select a franchise quarterback, is projected to be first overall.

Dolphins fans will remember Drake most for his playmaking ability, most notably his touchdown in the "Miami Miracle" last December in which he outran a stumbling Rob Gronkowski for the game winner against the Patriots as time expired. That remains the Dolphins' most recent victory.

Drake, a 2016 third-round pick, is in his contract year, and there has been no progress on extension talks with the team this year. He was also recently supplanted by Mark Walton as the team's lead back. It seemed clear that Drake didn't have a long-term future in Miami, and both sides were prepared to move on.

Walton now should have the keys to the Dolphins' backfield. The 2018 fourth-round pick is putting together a solid sophomore year after a rough rookie year combined with an offseason of legal issues.

The Dolphins are likely to give 2018 fourth-round pick Kalen Ballage, undrafted rookie back Patrick Laird and rookie seventh-round pick Myles Gaskin bigger reserve roles with Drake gone from the rotation.

Drake has 348 total yards this season (174 rushing, 174 receiving) and could provide kick-return capabilities for the Cardinals as well if they want to use him in that way. But his most important immediate role will be manning the backfield while Johnson and Edmonds deal with injuries.

The Dolphins have traded left tackle Laremy Tunsil, receiver Kenny Stills, defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick, linebacker Kiko Alonso and Drake over the past two months as part of the team's extensive rebuild.

On Sunday, the Cardinals were also without running back D.J. Foster, who has missed the past two games with a hamstring injury. His status for Thursday night is uncertain.

Arizona signed running backs Zach Zenner and Alfred Morris on Wednesday to provide backup for Edmonds during practice. Zenner played just one offensive snap before Edmonds' injury Sunday, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. He finished with 19 offensive snaps. Morris, however, was a healthy scratch.

Information from ESPN's Josh Weinfuss was used in this report.