Dinesh Chandimal and spinners Akila Dananjaya and Dilruwan Perera are contending for a return to Sri Lanka's Test squad, after being picked in the 22-man preliminary squad for the upcoming home series against New Zealand. Opening batsman Danushka Gunathilaka and fast bowler Lahiru Kumara also earned recalls with two uncapped players - batting allrounder Shehan Jayasuriya and fast bowler Asitha Fernando - also in the mix. This squad will be trimmed to 15 over the next week.

Angelo Mathews, who had missed the Tests against South Africa earlier this year with a hamstring issue, was also picked.

Chandimal had been dropped from the South Africa Tests, which Sri Lanka won 2-0, to regain his batting form after his poor run against Australia. He then went on to score 223 runs in five innings at an average of 55.75 in Sri Lanka's domestic domestic one-day competition, the Premier Limited Over Tournament.

Dilruwan, too, had been dropped from the South Africa tour and now returns after a stint with Colts Cricket Club in the domestic circuit, although in T20s and one-dayers. It remains to be seen whether he will make it to the final 15, however. With spinners Lasith Embuldeniya (who has been in outstanding form for the Emerging team over the last few weeks), Akila, Lakshan Sandakan and even the improving offspin of Dhananjaya de Silva to contend with, Dilruwan's place is by no means secure.

Milinda Siriwardana, who last played a Test in December 2016 and had been picked for the South Africa tour, has been left out without getting a chance on the tour.

Akila has been picked in the Test squad after he had been suspended from international cricket for an illegal action late last year. Dananjaya remodelled his action earlier this year and then played the ODIs and T20Is in South Africa before being left out of the World Cup squad.

Sri Lanka will host New Zealand for two Tests starting August 14 and 22 in Galle and at the P Sara Oval in Colombo, respectively.

Squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Niroshan Dickwella, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Perera, Oshada Fernando, Danushka Gunathilaka, Shehan Jayasuriya, Chamika Karunaratne, Dilruwan Perera, Akila Dananjaya, Lasith Embuldeniya, Lakshan Sandakan, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Asitha Fernando

Rahul Dravid is the latest big-name Indian cricketer to be served a notice by the BCCI's ethics officer for alleged conflict of interest. This was in response to a complaint, which pointed out that Dravid was both National Cricket Academy director - as well as coach of the India Under-19 and India A teams - and a vice-president with India Cements, owners of Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.

In July, Dravid's appointment to the NCA had been delayed because he was a paid employee of India Cements. As had been reported by the Hindu at the time, Dravid would be on a leave of absence from India Cements until such time as he serves as the head of NCA.

"Yes, I have sent a notice to Mr Rahul Dravid last week after receiving a complaint," Justice (retd) DK Jain, the BCCI's ethics officer-cum-ombudsman, was quoted as saying by PTI. "He has been given two weeks to reply to the allegations of Conflict of Interest. Based on his reply, I will decide whether to proceed further or not."

Dravid must now file a no-conflict reply and, if asked by Jain, appear for an in-person hearing.

Like in the cases of Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, and, more recently, BCCI Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) panelists Kapil Dev, Shanta Rangaswamy and Anshuman Gaekwad, the complaint against Dravid came from Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association life member Sanjeev Gupta.

New fashion in indian cricket .....conflict of interest ....Best way to remain in news ...god help indian cricket ......Dravid Gets Conflict of Interest Notice from BCCI Ethics Officer https://t.co/3cD6hc6vsv.

— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) August 6, 2019

Tendulkar and Laxman were both members of the CAC earlier, while also being involved in different capacities with IPL franchises Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad respectively. Separately, there was a conflict of issue complaint raised against former captain Sourav Ganguly, the third member of that CAC panel, who is president of the Cricket Association of Bengal, mentor of Delhi Capitals in the IPL, while also being a TV commentator.

Laxman and Ganguly were found to be in conflict in June. However, Jain ruled there was no issue of conflict against Tendulkar, after the latter submitted that he had decided not to be part of any BCCI committee, and had informed the board about it. As a result, the body was made defunct before being reconstituted with Kapil, Rangaswamy and Gaekwad.

As such, Rule 38 (4) of the BCCI constitution prevents individuals from holding more than one of 16 posts, which are listed therein. These are: Player (current), selector/member of cricket committee, team official, commentator, match official, administrator/office bearer, electoral officer, ombudsman & ethics officer, auditor, any person who is governance, management or employee of a franchisee, member of a standing committee, CEO & managers, office Bearer of a Member (state association), service provider (legal, financial etc.), contractual entity (broadcast, security, contractor etc.) and owner of cricket academy.

As for the Kapil-Rangaswamy-Gaekwad panel, the question of conflict came up because Kapil is also part of the steering committee on the newly formed Indian Cricketers' Association (ICA) where he is also one of directors. Incidentally, the ICA is funded by the BCCI. Kapil also works as an expert for Indian television channels. As for Gaekwad, it is alleged that in addition to working as a pundit on television channels, he is also part of the BCCI's Member Affiliation Committee, a sub-committee which grants membership to state associations. Gaekwad, too, is part of the ICA's steering group, as is Rangaswamy, who is also an ICA director.

The three of them, however, have been cleared and tasked with picking the next head coach of the senior Indian men's team. The decision is expected by mid-August.

Fast bowler Olly Stone has joined James Anderson and Mark Wood in the list of injured England fast bowlers after hurting his lower back during a training session on Tuesday.

The injury is a recurrence of the stress fracture in his lower back that ruled him out of England's Caribbean tour earlier this year.

Stone has been ruled out for at least two weeks - meaning he is likely to miss both the second and third Ashes Tests - and will undergo a scan on Wednesday afternoon to determine the exact severity of the injury.

"It's really disappointing for Olly that he's been ruled out of action for such an important two weeks of cricket because of a reoccurrence of his back injury," said Warwickshire's sport director Paul Farbrace.

"At the moment there's a bit of inflammation, but he will undergo a scan later this afternoon so that we know the full course of treatment that he can undertake with the club's medical team and with the support of the ECB.

"In the meantime, he needs to rest up before he can get his body strong again and ready to deal with the demands of being a fast bowler."

Stone's career has regularly been set back by injuries. In 2016, he suffered a freak knee injury while celebrating a wicket in the T20 Blast playing for Northamptonshire, which kept him out for over a year.

Last year, he broke into England's squads for the tour of Sri Lanka, and was picked for four ODIs, impressing with his pace despite only taking one wicket in his 16 overs.

But after being named in the Test squad to play the West Indies, he was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his lower back only days after arriving in Barbados.

Only weeks after making his comeback for Warwickshire in the County Championship, Stone took 3 for 29 on his Test debut against Ireland at Lord's, and according to coach Trevor Bayliss, was one of the bowlers in contention to come in for the injured Anderson in the second Ashes Test.

Stone's injury effectively leaves Jofra Archer and Sam Curran as the two candidates to replace Anderson at Lord's. Archer himself was sent away to "give him time to get absolutely ready and fit" as he continued his rehabilitation from a side strain suffered during the World Cup, but he proved his fitness by bowling 12.1 overs for Sussex's 2nd XI yesterday, taking 6 for 29 and adding a rapid century for good measure.

Another potential replacement, Lewis Gregory, who was named in the squad to play Ireland, is also out of contention after suffering a stress injury to a bone in his left foot.

WASHINGTON -- If the Nationals need a nickname for their stadium, they might want to consider "The Shark Tank." At least for as long as Gerardo Parra is on the team.

Seven weeks ago, Parra made the seemingly trivial decision to change his walk-up music. Released by the Giants in early May and signed by Washington shortly thereafter, the journeyman outfielder had been using "Contra La Pared" by Sean Paul and J. Balvin as his walk-up music ever since coming to D.C. But on June 19, prior to a doubleheader against the division-rival Phillies, Parra decided to mix things up -- wayyyyy up -- and walk to the plate to the tune of "Baby Shark."

If you're not familiar with "Baby Shark," it's the exact opposite of a traditional walk-up selection. It's not a thumping rap song that makes stadiums quake. It's not a ubiquitous hip-hop tune that gets people grooving in their seats. It's not a splashy reggaeton jam or a catchy country hit. Instead it's a child's song that, according to many people who don't have kids (and plenty who do), is annoying to the annoying power. It also happens to be Aaliyah Parra's favorite.

"My baby likes it," Gerardo Parra said of his 2-year-old daughter. Aaliyah is so into the song -- which rose to popularity thanks to Korean educational outfit Pinkfong and has a YouTube video that's garnered more than 3 billion views since its 2016 release -- that her father decided to give it a whirl as his walk-up.

Early returns were positive: Parra started Game 1 of that doubleheader against Philly, going 2-for-4 with a homer and helping his team to a sweep of the twin bill. Washington won its next two after that, as well as 13 of its next 17 contests heading into the All-Star Game. Although the Nats cooled off some after the Midsummer Classic, Parra didn't.

In the first two weeks after the break, the 32-year-old Venezuelan collected hits in five consecutive pinch-hit appearances, including a tiebreaking, two-run double against the Rockies that absolutely rocked The Shark Tank -- er, Nationals Park. It was during that stretch that Washington's game-day entertainment staff upped the walk-up ante, adding a videoboard clip of three mini-Parras snapping their arms to the music whenever he steps to the plate. The fans have eaten it up like sharks eating chum. Said second baseman Brian Dozier: "The crowd is very involved." They're not the only ones.

Recently, at the urging of Parra and Venezuelan pitcher Anibal Sanchez, whose locker is next to his close friend and countryman, the Nationals have turned "Baby Shark" into a celebration. Whenever a player hits a single, they turn to their teammates and start flashing the Baby Shark sign from first base (thumb and finger pinching together repeatedly). On a double, they go with Mommy Shark (left and right hand snapping together like a venus fly trap). For a triple or homer, it's a full-on Daddy Shark (arms and all). Parra's wacky walk-up has become so pervasive that even opponents have taken note.

According to Parra, Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto was the first foe to give "Baby Shark" his seal of approval. "He told me it's a good song," said Parra, who says he's constantly getting rave reviews from rivals. "Every catcher tells me that. First basemen tell me they love it. People send me mail and tell me they love it. Everybody loves it."

For the Nationals, all that love has grown to the point where it's oozing off the field and into family life. When Dozier and his wife went to Bethany Beach, Delaware, during the All-Star break, they saw a Baby Shark T-shirt they simply couldn't resist. Despite not having a child of their own yet (they're due later this month), they bought the shirt and shipped it to their 18-month-old niece.

When manager Davey Martinez's granddaughter was in town recently, she came to a game in which Parra pinch hit and couldn't help but get caught up in the craze. That night, after the contest, Martinez came home and was forced by the toddler to watch the "Baby Shark" video on YouTube over and over and over. And over. "So yeah," Martinez said with a chuckle and a roll of his eyes, when asked if Parra pandemonium has blurred the line between professional and personal. "It has hit home."

Even though the Nationals have come back to earth lately, they enter play Wednesday holding the top wild-card spot in the National League. It's a position that was all but unimaginable a couple of months ago, when everyone thought Washington was toast after limping out to a 19-31 start. Although there's no shortage of reasons for the team's improbable turnaround (healthier stars, improved bullpen performance, kinder schedule), those inside the Nats clubhouse believe the wackiest of walker-uppers has a lot to do with it.

"Guys are playing with energy," closer Sean Doolittle said recently. "You see what goes on in the dugout sometimes, and I think Gerardo Parra is a big part of that. I think he brought an energy and flare, and guys are playing loose and confident right now."

Of course, nobody's looser than Baby Shark himself.

"I feel relaxed," Parra said about the impact of his theme song. "All the fans love it and my teammates like it. So everybody's relaxed. It works for me."

LAS VEGAS -- When Jaylen Brown got to town last weekend, he was looking forward to trying Mizumi, a high-end Japanese restaurant at the Wynn Hotel.

So on Sunday night, with three of his Boston Celtics teammates also preparing for Team USA training camp, he was pleased they decided to go together. But when Brown, Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart arrived, they were told they couldn't be seated because they were wearing shorts and flip-flops and there was a strict dress code.

"We were in Vegas; we thought we'd be fine," Brown said with a smile.

The group instead went to an Italian restaurant and had their first chemistry-building meal. And it was Tatum, by the way, who picked up the bill, despite it being Walker who just signed a $140 million deal.

"He'll get the next one, as long as it's not me," Brown joked. "That was the first time as a group we got a chance to sit down together. It was the first of many."

The shifting Team USA roster over the past several weeks enabled Brown and Smart to earn invites. Tatum was already on the roster, and Walker had committed before he signed with the Celtics in free agency. It all created an unexpected chance for the established Celtics to get time together with their new teammate.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens was scheduled to arrive late Tuesday, and he will get some time with his players, as well.

"I'm the new guy; they already know each other," Walker said. "They are just kind of reeling me in and getting me acclimated to how things go. With four of us here now, it gives us an opportunity to play with each other and learn each other's tendencies."

Left unsaid by the players in Vegas is that chemistry was an issue for the Celtics at times last season. Though this isn't a secret.

Walker's predecessor, Kyrie Irving, had issues with younger teammates and wasn't afraid to say so. Irving also wasn't afraid to say it with his play. Eventually, it became clear he was shopping for a new future as his relationship with now Brooklyn Nets teammate Kevin Durant intensified.

There also was some chafing in the locker room by the slack Stevens afforded Gordon Hayward as he struggled in return from an injury, among other intra-team challenges.

Walker is known for being both hardworking and low-key, but that doesn't mean there won't be an adjustment period. It's too early to say whether this time with Team USA will end up being positive, negative or neutral.

"It can only be positive for us because it's chemistry added," Brown said. "I just want to hoop. I don't want any politics. We're artists and this season is a new canvas."

There is, however, an unusual scenario in which the group is caught up. There aren't a lot of certainties with the Team USA roster. There will be some real competition for the 12 roster spots available for the FIBA World Cup -- which tips off Aug. 31 in China -- and the Celtics might find themselves competing against one another.

Walker is the lone All-NBA player on the roster and one of only three All-Stars, along with Khris Middleton and Kyle Lowry, making him a lock.

Tatum has a strong chance, as he was one of the handful of players on the original roster who kept his commitment to play this summer. But the young Celtics trio might force coach Gregg Popovich to make some difficult decisions.

In the first session of the week, Walker found himself trying to make a tying basket at the buzzer only to have Brown draped all over him to force a miss. In some ways, it isn't unlike an average NBA training camp practice with teammates wanting to beat one another.

But this isn't a team with guaranteed contracts. Some of these guys will be going home, and that's not a position they are used to.

"I'm not sure I think of it as competing for playing time and spots with them," Tatum said. "We're all grateful to be here. Hopefully, all four of us make it; that would be amazing. Me and [Brown] play one-on-one all the time, and we've always tried to push each other and it's been that way since day one. Ultimately, we have the same goal with our teams and here."

Popovich indicated Tuesday he was considering some players from the Select Team, who are in camp to help the senior team prepare and who vastly outplayed the veterans in a scrimmage. De'Aaron Fox and Joe Harris already have been promoted to play with the main squad, and Fox is looking like a legitimate contender to make the team. Trae Young, also on the Select Team, played well in the portion of practice that was open to media Tuesday.

The coach declined to say how he wanted to structure his team, whether he preferred an extra true center or wanted more versatile big men. With so many on the roster who play some version of the wing/stretch power forward position -- including Tatum, Brown, Smart, Middleton, Harris, Donovan Mitchell, Harrison Barnes, P.J. Tucker and Kyle Kuzma -- there might be three or four cuts in that group alone.

There's a chance this won't be a fairy tale for the Celtics -- that is, getting to send their new core to play overseas together and shorten the adjustment period for Walker's arrival. Then again, it could happen. And with the defensive versatility of Tatum, Brown and Smart, it's even possible they could play together for some stretches.

Either way, the four Celtics know this week presents an opportunity, and they're sharing that mindset.

"I just want to jell with those guys as best as I can, kind of get things going as fast as we can," Walker said. "Me being with those guys, it's pretty cool."

The Texas Rangers have offered tickets to a family that says they were the victims of harassment at a game Saturday.

Jessica Romero posted to Facebook that a man made racist comments about Hispanics and intentionally made derogatory gestures behind her family photos taken in the upper-deck bleachers. She included one of the photos in her post.

The Rangers are offering the Romeros tickets to any home game in 2019, saying they will "make their next trip to Globe Life Park a memorable and enjoyable experience."

The team also released a statement earlier this week condemning the fan's conduct.

"The Rangers are committed to providing all of our guests with a safe and enjoyable experience and we are truly sorry that this family was subjected to this offensive behavior at Saturday's game," the team said. "There is no place at Globe Life Park in Arlington for this type of conduct to occur."

Rangers center fielder Delino DeShields was among the players to express concern over what happened.

"That's definitely not OK, especially when this is supposed to be the greatest country in the world," DeShields told reporters Tuesday. "I feel like everyone should be treated equally, especially at a sporting event when people want to come to enjoy a baseball game or a football game or whatever it is."

Romero told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that she has appreciated the support from others since making the post.

"I've gotten messages from Washington, D.C., Ohio, Louisiana, California, all over. I've tried to respond, but there are so many," she told the newspaper. "It's kind of amazing to me how kind people are and the words they're sending."

Along with the Rangers' offer, a season-ticket holder is offering four front-row seats to the family for a game in September.

Maybe this is the best way to sum up the National League playoff race. Consider the Philadelphia Phillies, with big expectations after a winter of big deals. Here's what's happened:

• Six of the relievers on the Opening Day roster -- and eight overall -- are currently on the injured list.

• Andrew McCutchen played 59 games and went down for the season with a torn ACL.

• Bryce Harper has been good but hardly great, and his 19 home runs in the season of the juiced ball while playing in a homer-friendly home park feel absurdly low.

• J.T. Realmuto? Similar to Harper, he made the All-Star team, but his numbers are down from last season, despite his leaving Marlins Park for Citizens Bank.

• Staff ace Aaron Nola has been very good but not as dominant as in 2018, when he finished third in the NL Cy Young voting.

• Zach Eflin and Nick Pivetta entered the season as popular breakout candidates in the rotation. Both have been demoted to the bullpen.

• Odubel Herrera played terribly and then got suspended for the season for violating the league's domestic violence policy.

• Just the other day, Gabe Kapler ran out of pitchers, and outfielder Roman Quinn had to pitch, losing the game in the 15th inning.

So all that ... yet if the season ended today, the Phillies would be in the postseason. They still have a reasonable chance to win the NL East. It has been that kind of season. Anything actually can happen.

With that in mind, here are a few noteworthy series to mark on your calendars over the final two months:

Aug. 8-11: Cleveland Indians at Minnesota Twins

The four-game series is the first set of 10 games remaining between the AL Central rivals, with two more series coming in the first half of September. The Twins catch the Indians at the right time in one sense, post-Trevor Bauer and before Corey Kluber is ready to return. Cleveland has withstood the various injuries to its rotation largely because (A) Shane Bieber has been a stud (B) Zach Plesac and Adam Plutko have been solid contributors. What I wonder is how Plesac and Plutko will fare down the stretch, especially with a much tougher schedule in August. Plesac has a 3.41 ERA and 5.23 FIP and Plutko a 4.55 ERA and 5.84 FIP.

Aug. 9-11: Washington Nationals at New York Mets

The Mets have their big boys lined up for this wild-card/NL East showdown: Marcus Stroman, Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom. No surprise, the Mets have been hot in part because Syndergaard and deGrom have produced better results of late:

Syndergaard: 1.78 ERA past five starts
deGrom: 1.35 ERA past six starts

Let's see how Syndergaard fares against a Nationals lineup that is a little tougher than those past five opponents, however (Marlins, Giants, Padres, White Sox and Pirates). The Mets will also miss Max Scherzer, as he remains on the injured list with an upper back strain.

Aug. 13-15: Mets at Atlanta Braves

The Mets and Braves play six times in August and finish the regular season with three more games at Citi Field. The Braves lead the season series 6-4. An interesting subplot is the terrific three-way race for National League Rookie of the Year, one of the best we've seen in a long time. Pete Alonso probably holds the edge due to his impressive power numbers, but if you dig deeper, you can make a case for Alonso, Braves starter Mike Soroka or Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. The stats entering Tuesday (and Alonso added another home run):

Alonso: .259/.363/.585, 35 HRs, 80 RBIs, 3.9 WAR
Soroka: 10-2, 2.45 ERA, 121 IP, 97 SO, 7 HRs, 3.9 WAR
Tatis: .323/.383/.587, 19 HRs, 46 RBIs, 3.8 WAR

Can we just make it a three-way tie? Look, if Alonso hits 50 home runs, he's going to win. I think. Tatis' all-around game is remarkable, however, and if he hadn't missed more than a month, he might be the favorite. But he did miss a month. Soroka's ability to limit the power game has made him an elite starter as a rookie, and the Braves have indicated that they won't hold him to an innings limit, so he should easily soar pass 5 WAR. All three have a chance.

Aug. 13-15: Chicago Cubs at Phillies

This is two teams fighting the perception that they're having disappointing seasons. But maybe those expectations were unfair, based more on big names and, in the Phillies' case, an active offseason. But check out the preseason projections at FanGraphs:

Phillies: 85-77, 48.5 percent playoff odds
Cubs: 87-75, 64.2 percent playoff odds

Baseball Prospectus' PECOTA projection was even more alarming on the Cubs, picking them to win just 79 games. Really, the National League has played out as expected: the Dodgers as the best team and a big mud fight in the middle in the NL Central and the wild-card race. What this all means is there's a chance we could end up with tiebreaker chaos.

Of course, it will be hard to top last season, when we had tiebreakers in the NL Central (Brewers over Cubs) and NL West (Dodgers over Rockies). In the two-wild-card era, we've had just one tie, with the Rays beating the Rangers in 2013. What we've never had is a three-way (or more) tie for one or two wild cards or the even more convoluted multiple-way tie for a division and wild card -- say, if the Cubs, Cardinals, Brewers, Mets, Phillies and Nationals all end up 84-78.

That would be fun. Unless you're MLB trying to figure out a tiebreaker schedule.

Aug. 19-21: Milwaukee Brewers at St. Louis Cardinals; Aug. 26-27: Cardinals at Brewers

The Brewers are trying to make the playoffs two years in a row for just the second time in franchise history -- they did it back in 1981 and 1982. The Cardinals are trying to avoid missing the playoffs for the fourth straight season. That hasn't happened for them since an eight-year drought from 1988 to 1995. Oddly, they were managed in that era by two Hall of Fame skippers: Whitey Herzog and Joe Torre. Anyway, the Cardinals better figure out a way to get Christian Yelich out:

His past 16 games versus the Cardinals: .358/.514/1.019, 10 HRs, 28 RBIs

These teams will also meet again in mid-September. The season series is tied 5-5.

Sept. 3-9: Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox

This is a crucial seven-game homestand for Boston, as it could be their last gasp in the wild-card race. Look, maybe they'll dig down and find something extra -- that mostly means the starting rotation -- but the bottom line is the Red Sox have struggled against good teams:

Yankees: 4-11
Astros: 2-4
Rays: 6-9
Indians: 1-2
Dodgers: 1-2

They're 2-1 against the Twins and 4-3 against the A's, but they're 22-34 against teams currently better than .500, a .393 winning percentage.

Sept. 9-12: Oakland Athletics at Houston Astros

The Astros have owned the A's this season; they're 9-2 against them with a 60-27 run differential. This is their final meeting before the Astros coast into the postseason with series against the Royals, Rangers, Angels, Mariners and Angels. In one sense, that's a good thing, as it will help in their battle with the Yankees and Twins for home-field advantage. On the other hand, other than a two-game series against Milwaukee on Sept. 2-3, this is the Astros' only reasonably tough series the entire month of September (depending on how you feel about the Rangers, I suppose).

Will the lack of tough competition adequately prepare Houston for the playoffs? It's probably not a major concern, as they should be able to turn on the juice when it matters. The Astros should cruise past 100 wins for the third season in a row and become the first team to do that since the 2002-2004 Yankees.

Here's another way to put that in perspective. The Red Sox's past three 100-win seasons: 2018, 1946 and 1915. The Dodgers' past three 100-win seasons: 2017, 1974, 1962. The Giants: 2003, 1993, 1962. The Phillies: 2011, 1977, 1976. Many franchises have never had a 100-win season. To do it three seasons consecutively will be a remarkable achievement.

(Oh, and don't count out the A's!)

Sept. 17-26: Phillies at Braves, Indians and Nationals

Yeah, that's a tough 11-game road trip, including five games in D.C. and a doubleheader on the 24th. And that's following nine games against the Mets, Braves and Red Sox. Remember all those injuries in the Philadelphia bullpen? The Phillies will hope they don't lead to a repeat of what happened last season, when a fatigued pitching staff fell apart in September. The Phillies were two games out of first entering the final month but went 8-20 to finish under .500.

Sept. 20-25: Red Sox and Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays have a fairly forgiving schedule down the stretch, including two series against the Mariners, two against the Orioles and one against the Tigers. Then comes this stretch in September: They have a road trip to Texas, Anaheim and L.A. to face the Dodgers for a two-game series, and then they head home for four against the Red Sox and two against the Yankees. The Rays are 9-6 against the Sox but just 5-12 against the Yankees -- and have been outscored 95 to 50. The Yankees have homered 32 times in those 17 games.

Sept. 27-29: Cubs at Cardinals

Will the NL Central title be up for grabs? This could be a fun series. You know, Joe Maddon's job on the line, the Cubs' streak of four straight postseasons maybe on the line, Cubs and Cardinals fans going at it -- that's all.

Other season-ending series between possible contenders: Indians at Nationals, Braves at Mets, Dodgers at Giants.

The Premier League transfer window closes at 5 p.m. BST (12 p.m. ET) on Aug. 8, but the rest of Europe remains open until the end of the month, so English clubs will not be able to replace any players they sell after the deadline until January.

Here are some of the main talking points ahead of Thursday's deadline.

- ESPN Premier League fantasy: Sign up now!
- All Premier League summer transfers
- When does the transfer window close?

Will Man United sign Eriksen and then sell Pogba?

It's been the saga of the summer, alongside Neymar's desire to quit PSG (which will keep going until the end of the month), but Paul Pogba looks set to stay at Manchester United. UNLESS, United sign a replacement in the hours before the window closes.

In mid-June, Pogba told reporters that he wanted a "new challenge" and speculation has linked him with a move to Real Madrid or Juventus. However, a month later, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made his position clear: United could offer the Frenchman that new challenge.

Real would certainly love to land the 26-year-old but have been unable to shift Gareth Bale or James Rodriguez to make room. Without adding players to the deal, which United have rejected, they do not have the £150m asking price but, if United are able to sign Christian Eriksen from Tottenham, then Real have until Sept. 2 to figure out a deal and sell some of their deadwood to raise funds.

Juventus are probably out of the running as they have not got the kind of money United want for Pogba and have already signed two midfielders (for free) in Aaron Ramsey and Adrien Rabiot anyway. There was a suggestion that striker Paulo Dybala could be added to any deal, but that broke down with Juve seemingly more keen on Romelu Lukaku. And time is running out.

Will Tottenham sign more players?

How no clubs have moved seriously for Toby Alderweireld or Eriksen up until now in this transfer window is a mystery. Alderweireld was available for just £25m due to a clause in his contract that expired last week, while Eriksen's lack of progress over a new contract should have seen interested clubs testing Spurs' resolve to keep the midfielder.

Alderweireld looks like he's staying put, but Eriksen has attracted late interest from Man United. Tottenham don't want to miss out on a transfer fee for the Denmark international so could sell him to United, but only if they sign a replacement.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino's angry comments about not being in charge of transfers might have something to do with it, but after spending €60m on Tanguy Ndombele, Spurs could be busy up until the deadline as talks over Real Betis midfielder Giovani Lo Celso, Sporting Lisbon's Bruno Fernandes, and a full-back -- possibly Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon or Napoli's Elseid Hysaj -- continue.

Also keep an eye on interest over Dybala and a possible loan bid for Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho. Neither are a like-for-like Eriksen replacements, but they are class acts and the rumours are hard to ignore.

Will Arsenal sign a defender?

Laurent Koscielny threw a spanner in the Arsenal transfer plans this summer by refusing to go on the club's summer tour, stating his desire to leave and eventually joining Bordeaux for €5m. The Gunners were counting on their captain -- one of the team's few top-class defenders -- and focused attention on bringing in attacking players.

While Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney would be a bargain at £25m, and a move that would allow Nacho Monreal to play as a centre-back more regularly, Arsenal needed to add a defender even before Koscielny's ill-timed exit; the €30m spent on St Etienne's William Saliba is no good this season because he has been loaned back to France for a year.

Juventus' Daniele Rugani has reportedly been the subject of a two-year loan bid, while RB Leipzig pair Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate have been on the radar for some time but would be expensive. Arsenal are nearing the limit of their budget, so perhaps a move for someone £10m-rated Pape Abou Cisse of Olympiakos would work.

Will Zaha stay at Crystal Palace?

Arsenal's move for Nicholas Pepe has seemingly put paid to Zaha's dream of joining his boyhood club, but that does not mean that he will not move. Everton showed interest and had a bid of £54m rejected, while Napoli are also keen after they missed out on Pepe.

Man United will get a cut of any transfer fee for Zaha, having added a clause in his contract when they sold him to Palace in 2015, so the London club want to get as much money as possible. They have only brought in Jordan Ayew and Gary Cahill so far and selling Zaha on Deadline Day would give them virtually no time to find a replacement.

Having sold Aaron Wan-Bissaka to United for £50m earlier in the window, Palace have lots of cash but unless they make some late moves they will be a shadow of their former selves this season.

Will Liverpool or Man City make any moves?

Liverpool have appeared content with their Champions League-winning squad, only adding youngsters Harvey Elliott and Sepp Van Den Berg, while Jurgen Klopp told ESPN that the club are not interested in bringing Philippe Coutinho back from Barcelona.

The Reds could do with some depth, though, particularly more creativity in midfield, but Nabil Fekir has moved to Real Betis and only a handful of names have been linked, including Leipzig striker Timo Werner and Coutinho. It seems unlikely Klopp will move for anyone new, but he will not be afraid to spend in January if needed.

City, meanwhile, did the majority of their business early. A defensive midfielder to share the burden with the ageing Fernandinho was the main target and €70m landed them Rodri from Atletico Madrid. A left-back to provide cover for Benjamin Mendy also arrived with the familiar face of Angelino returning from a loan at PSV.

A like-for-like swap for Juventus full-back Joao Cancelo could happen, with Danilo and €30m going the other way, but big-money links with Jadon Sancho, Joao Felix and Harry Maguire all came to nothing. Indeed, City's depth is so impressive that they might not even need to sign a replacement should they let Leroy Sane join Bayern for around €80m.

If the top two Premier League clubs are this confident, it's a worrying sign for the rest of the league.

The European transfer window is open. Click here to view all the latest transfers and keep up to date with the latest gossip below.

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TOP STORY: Spurs jump United in move for Dybala

Spurs fans will be salivating at the prospect of their club making two major signings. First up is news of a possible move for Paulo Dybala, who reportedly already turned down Manchester United, with the Argentine expressing an interest in joining the north London club. These rumours come courtesy of Sky Sports Italia, which suggests a deal for between £62m-£65m has already been agreed between the two clubs, with just the player to agree.

Juve have made it clear that Dybala has no future in Turin, which is why he is now more open to a move to England. Mauricio Pochettino is also rumoured to have called compatriot Dybala personally over the weekend in an effort to help get the deal over the line.

Next up for Pochettino is a loan move for Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho in a deal that would see the duo reunited for the first time since they worked together at Espanyol. This comes on the heels of news which ESPN confirmed that Arsenal had no interest in the Brazilian.

Pochettino is keen to add the 27-year-old to his midfield to further enhance his new-look side following the signings of Tanguy Ndombele and Jack Clark. Coutinho's representatives are alleged to have contacted a number of Premier League clubs in an effort to get the Brazilian away from Camp Nou.

LIVE BLOG

09.41 BST: PSG goalkeeper Kevin Trapp is set to join German side Eintracht Frankfurt later today for at least €7m and will sign a five-year contract, sources have told ESPN FC.

Trapp leaving opens up a space for PSG to sign a new goalkeeper, so they could revisit their interest in AC Milan's Gianluigi Donnarumma from earlier this summer. A reminder that clubs in Europe have until Sept. 2 to complete their deals.

09.25 BST: Both Manchester City and Manchester United had scouts watching Norwegian prospect Hakon Evjen this week, according to Norwegian broadcaster TV2.

Evjen, 19, scored twice in Bodo/Glimt's 3-1 win over Stromgodset on Monday, and the club tweeted that representatives of the Premier League sides were watching on from the stands.

TV2 reported that the scouts had made the journey to watch, who took his goal tally to six goals in 14 Tippeligaen appearances this season.

09.05 BST: Fabinho's wife has reacted incredulously to rumours circulating on social media that the Liverpool midfielder has agreed a deal to join Real Madrid.

The Brazil international and his wife, Rebecca Tavares, are happy and settled on Merseyside.

pic.twitter.com/ydvLcVLqoE

— Rebeca Tavares (@reebecatavares) August 6, 2019

Fabinho is a guaranteed starter for Jurgen Klopp and the reported fee of €65m + €10m in add-ons is unlikely to have been signed off by sporting director Michael Edwards, who has a reputation for maximising the club's earnings when selling players. The club has described the rumour to ESPN FC's Melissa Reddy as "absolute nonsense."

08.29 BST: Manchester City full-back Danilo has arrived at Juventus this morning to seal his move to Turin.

The deal is set to see Joao Cancelo move in the opposite direction between the two clubs, although reports suggest that the two transfers will not be officially linked.

Danilo, 28, joined City from Real Madrid in 2017 and went on to win back-to-back Premier League titles in England.

Cancelo, 25, had been linked with a move to England before joining Juve last summer from Valencia. His move could be announced as early as today, according to reports.

08.00 BST: Welcome to Wednesday's Transfer Talk live blog. It's Transfer Deadline Eve and there is plenty going on. Tuesday's top story was Wayne Rooney's move from D.C. United to Derby County and we're going even bigger today. Jason Puncheon has signed for Pafos FC in a move labelled "the greatest transfer" in their history.

Puncheon moves to Cyprus on a two-year deal after leaving Crystal Palace on a free transfer and the 33-year-old is being talked up as "brilliant on both wings."

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PAPER TALK (by Nick Judd)

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Ozil could replace Rooney at D.C. United

Staying in north London, and not to leave out those of a red persuasion, Arsenal look like they could potentially offload Mesut Ozil, with talks planned between the German's representatives and MLS club D.C. United.

The news follows Wayne Rooney's announced move to Derby County as player-coach and could see Ozil replace Rooney in Washington as the main marquee signing.

Any deal would see Ozil stay at the Emirates until January -- the same month Rooney will join Derby -- before making the switch to the U.S. Ozil would represent another huge signing for United.

Everton close in on Sidibe loan

Everton are on the verge of signing Monaco defender Djibril Sidibe, according to the Mail.

The Mail reports that the 27-year-old defender is arriving at Goodison Park on Wednesday for a medical ahead of a season-long loan. The France international made 26 appearances for the Ligue 1 side, which followed his forming part of the France side that won the World Cup this time last summer.

Sidibe operates at right-back but can play on either side, and Everton boss Marco Silva wants competition for places alongside Seamus Coleman after having offloaded Jonjoe Kenny to Schalke.

Silva remains hopeful of making more additions before the transfer window slams shut on Thursday (see our tap-ins below).

Tap-ins

- You might be tempted to switch off when you hear the names Wilfried Zaha and Everton mentioned together, such has been their on-off deal this summer. And tonight, the Mail reports that Crystal Palace have turned down a £70m cash deal plus Cenk Tosun and James McCarthy for Zaha from the Toffees. Palace maintain that the winger won't be sold.

- Plenty of action in Sheffield tonight too, with the Mail reporting Wednesday are set to move for Chelsea defender Michael Hector. The news follows Sheffield United's sale of Ched Evans to Fleetwood on a permanent deal earlier in the day. Like Evans, Hector spent last season on loan, making 39 appearances for the Owls. Hector has failed to make an appearance for Chelsea in four years since signing from Reading in 2015, and would welcome regular first-team action.