TORONTO -- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. paid tribute to his Hall of Fame father before his major league debut for Toronto against Oakland, arriving at Rogers Centre dressed in a replica of his dad's Montreal Expos jersey.

The 20-year-old was set to bat fifth and play third base Friday.

"Since I was a kid I was running around with my dad in the clubhouse in Montreal," Guerrero Jr. said. "I just wanted to bring that back today."

Guerrero wore No. 27, the number retired in honor of his father by the Los Angeles Angels.

Guerrero's famous father was on hand to watch his son take batting practice, which was broadcast live on Sportsnet, the Canadian network operated by team owner Rogers Communications.

Toronto selected Guerrero's contract from Triple-A Buffalo and optioned infielder Richard Urena to the International League farm team.

Beyond the goings-on north of the border, we've got a playoff rematch from last season and a big AL East rematch from last weekend, among other intriguing series. Here's what we're excited about this weekend and how we think things will play out.

Two of the AL power teams meet as the Indians face the Astros, with the series finale on Sunday Night Baseball (ESPN, 7 p.m.). If you had to pick one pair, which team's left side of the infield would you take: Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman of Houston or Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez of Cleveland?

Sam Miller: Not Tatis/Machado? (No, not Tatis/Machado, not quite.) At this precise moment, with Lindor still catching up after an injured spring, and Ramirez still in a serious rut, I'd go with the Astros' pair. But give me any longer time frame than this precise moment, and I'll take Cleveland's. There are quite possibly three Hall of Famers in this group -- I couldn't for the life of me say who I'm predicting won't make it -- but Lindor could be an inner-circle inductee, one of the 30 or 40 greatest players of all time and maybe the one active player most likely to elevate to the Mookie & Mike tier.

David Schoenfield: Ramirez hit his second home run Wednesday, but that only underscores what Sam pointed out: He has been slumping for a long time now. Since last Aug. 18, he has played 61 games and hit .173/.290/.283. That's a long stretch of not just terrible production for a superstar, but terrible production for Hanley Ramirez, and the Indians just released Hanley. Until Jose starts hitting, the answer for 2019 is Correa and Bregman.

Eddie Matz: Injury or no injury, Lindor was my preseason pick to win the AL MVP. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. On top of that, if we're talking about left sides of infields, how can we not factor in defense? Since the start of 2016, Bregman and Correa have combined for minus-three runs saved. Meanwhile, Lindor and Ramirez are at plus-40. Granted, most of that is Lindor (he's a defensive Paul Simon, and Ramirez is clearly Art Garfunkel), but duos are duos. And I'm taking Cleveland's here.

The Pirates-Dodgers series should be interesting. L.A. leads the NL in runs scored and OPS, and Pittsburgh's pitching has been outstanding (3.29 team ERA, MLB-best 2.7 WAR for SPs). How long can the Pirates' pitchers keep it up?

Miller: Jameson Taillon was the much-talked-up breakout ace candidate this offseason -- and he was easy to talk up, on account of his having already broken out in the second half last year -- but I also had at least one smart friend giddily high on each of Joe Musgrove, Jordan Lyles and Trevor Williams. That's to say that the latter trio's excellent pitching isn't totally out of nowhere. But it's also to note that those giddy forecasts were outlier opinions, and my friends aren't actually that smart. Some regression is due soon.

Schoenfield: Is the rotation going to have a 2.45 ERA all season? No. Does it have a chance to be one of the three best in the National League? Yes. Their dominance is a little unconventional for 2019-style baseball as the rotation ranks just 17th in the majors in strikeout rate, but they throw strikes and have induced weak contact thanks to the highest chase rate so far. Speaking of second-half breakouts, Trevor Williams now has a 1.67 ERA over his past 18 starts. He just might be really good, getting ground balls with that sinker.

Matz: Pitcher WAR? Are we really leaning on pitcher WAR here? Regardless of what stat you choose to measure the success of Pittsburgh's pitching, the honeymoon's about to end. Don't get me wrong -- the Pirates' rotation is definitely better than most people realize. But the schedule has been kind so far. Half of Pittsburgh's first 22 games came against teams that are severely challenged offensively (Reds, Tigers, Giants). In those games, Pirates pitchers gave up an average of 2.3 runs. In their other 11 games against legitimate lineups (Cardinals, Cubs, Nationals, Diamondbacks), they gave up 5.4 runs per contest. So what's up next for the Bucs? Seventeen straight against teams ranked in the top half of MLB in scoring. Fifteen of those 17 are against clubs ranked in the top seven (Dodgers, Rangers, Cardinals, Diamondbacks). Gulp.

You may have heard some big-swinging rookie is about to make his debut in Toronto. We've got a whole roundtable devoted to Vlad Guerrero Jr., but what do you think we'll see this weekend at Rogers Centre?

Miller: Probably a lot of camera cutaways to a familiar Hall of Famer in the crowd and, hopefully, a lot of swinging. I don't think there's any question Guerrero is going to be a very good ballplayer -- even within the realm of You Can't Predict Baseball, there are limits to what you can't predict -- but what I'm expecting are signs that Guerrero will be a unique, mold-breaking offensive force, a batter who does things nobody else does in a way nobody else does. I expect to see some really fun two-pitch at-bats: first-pitch fastball at the up-and-away edges of the strike zone, fouled away; second-pitch slider scraping the bottom of the zone, lined off the wall. Maybe right through the wall.

Or something like that. The truth is that most of us have only the caricatured vision of Guerrero, informed by incredulous scouting write-ups, a few absurd highlight videos and the Pavlovian response to hearing the name "Vladimir Guerrero" again. This weekend, we'll get to see him fill out the vision more completely and start to become his own ballplayer with his own name.

Schoenfield: Instead of sad Maple Leafs fans, we'll see happy Blue Jays fans! It's weird. That 2015-16 playoff run already feels like another generation ago (in a way, it was, since the Jays have turned over almost the entire roster). Vladdy Jr. will inject some life not just in the lineup, but in a fan base that -- as we saw in the 2015 playoffs -- will support this team with enthusiasm if there's a winning product to cheer. Guerrero won't turn the Jays into instant contenders, but he's going to hit and has a chance to become a transcendent force at the plate. It all starts this weekend in maybe the most-anticipated debut since Bryce Harper.

Matz: It should be a nice soft landing for Vladito (not that he needs one). The first two starters he'll face (Brett Anderson and Mike Fiers) both rank in the bottom 10 in the American League in strikeout-to-walk ratio, and Oakland's Sunday starter (Chris Bassitt) isn't a big bat-misser, either. Combine all that with VGJ's supernatural control of the strike zone, and good-ish things should happen: Guerrero goes 3-for-11 with a walk and a double. And an error.

Writer's choice: What's the one thing (other than Baby Vlad) you're most looking forward to seeing this weekend?

Miller: Cody Bellinger's .400 chase? I know that sounds absurd, since it's only late April. Bellinger isn't even a high-average type of hitter, and I haven't really cared about batting average in forever. But I love anything that creates day-to-day tension and, other than a long hitting streak, nothing in baseball is as tense, as easy to follow, and as unforgiving as a .400 chase. I'm going to enjoy it while I can, since these days .400 chases almost never make it very far into May.

Schoenfield: The Rays-Red Sox series at Fenway will be interesting as Boston pulled a sweep last weekend in Tampa, but I want to see how Jacob deGrom fares Friday against the Brewers. One day his elbow is "barking," then a few days later he's suddenly OK. He was brilliant in his first two starts (no runs, 24 strikeouts) and not brilliant for two starts before his IL stint (nine runs, five home runs, 12 strikeouts). Needless to say, the Mets need brilliant deGrom if they're going to win the NL East.

Matz: Kirby Yates flirting with history. It probably won't happen, but Yates has a chance to set the record for most saves in a single month. San Diego's closer -- who took over after the Padres traded Brad Hand last July -- is at 12 saves right now, most in the majors. If he saves all three games against Washington, he'll tie the record shared by Lee Smith, John Wetteland and Chad Cordero. If Yates gets four saves in San Diego's five remaining April games, he'll have the record all to himself. And if that happens, there's a good chance that the Padres (the Padres!!!) will have entered May atop the NL West.

PICK 'EM TIME

Vlad Guerrero Jr.'s debut in Toronto is generating a lot of buzz, but it is fighting for attention up north with the Raptors in the playoffs and the Maple Leafs' postmortems.

Attendance at Rogers Centre for the three-game series: Over or under 65,000?

Miller: Under. Guerrero's late debut merely reinforces the larger truth that Toronto's front office doesn't believe this season is worth caring about. He's certainly worth a bump, but the Blue Jays drew only 60K Friday-through-Sunday in their opening weekend of the season.

Schoenfield: I'll go over. I think they can get an extra 7,000 in walk-up sales over that first weekend.

Matz: Over. Toronto drew just under 60K in each of its first two weekend series at home. I have to think that Guerrero is worth at least an extra couple of thousand per game. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Jays draw 30,000 for his debut.

Two of the top-scoring offenses in the AL meet when the Mariners host the Rangers (Friday, 10:10 p.m., and Sunday, 4:10 p.m., on ESPN+). Who will have more total bases this weekend: Texas' Joey Gallo or Seattle's Mitch Haniger?

Miller: Or better, who will allow more total bases this weekend, the Rangers (5.60 team ERA) or the Mariners (4.33)? Gallo is certainly having a moment -- his exit velo is 5 mph higher than last year, and the highest in baseball -- but Haniger at home is the right bet here.

Schoenfield: Haniger is having a weird season. He's striking out more and walking less than last year, but his isolated power is way up, and he has 19 extra-base hits already. Gallo is crushing baseballs, however. Plus, Yusei Kikuchi will have an abbreviated outing Friday, and Marco Gonzales started Thursday, so Gallo should feast on some right-handed pitching. I'll go with Gallo.

Matz: Haniger has always crushed Texas pitching (1.016 career OPS). He also has great numbers against Saturday starter Mike Minor. Gallo will get his, but Haniger will get more.

Who do you like Sunday night -- Indians or Astros?

Miller: I like the Astros every day of the week, every time of the day, and against every team in baseball.

Schoenfield: Carlos Carrasco seems like a wild card since he left because of a leg injury after four innings in his previous start. Wade Miley has been pretty good, and with Ramirez struggling and Lindor just getting going, the Cleveland lineup remains weak. Astros.

Matz: Carrasco is banged up, and the Astros have lost exactly once at home this season. Plus, they're the Astros. I'll take Houston.

TWO TRUE OUTCOMES

Each week, we'll ask our panelists to choose one hitter they think will hit the most home runs and one pitcher they think will record the most strikeouts in the coming weekend. Panelists can pick a player only once for the season. We'll keep a running tally -- and invite you to play along at home.

Editor's note: One of our contestants has asked to have some information formally put on the record. The floor recognizes Mr. Schoenfield:

Schoenfield: I would like to point out that I did not receive credit for the two home runs Eddie Rosario hit last Thursday, AFTER I made him my selection. Granted, he still hit three for the weekend, but crediting him with him five home runs would further cement the genius of the pick. So. As for this week, what the heck: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Kenyan runner had been due to race the London Marathon on Sunday

Kenya’s world half-marathon record-holder Abraham Kiptum has been provisionally suspended from competition following an athlete biological passport (ABP) violation, the Athletics Integrity Unit‏ (AIU) has announced.

The AIU confirms a Provisional Suspension against Kenyan long-distance runner Abraham Kiptum for an Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) violation under the @iaaforg Anti-Doping Rules.
Find out more ➡ https://t.co/opInfkVlnV#CleanSport pic.twitter.com/cYfRgWoFkW

— Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) April 26, 2019

The 29-year-old had been due to race in Sunday’s Virgin Money London Marathon but following news of his suspension, event organisers confirmed that Kiptum had left the UK capital.

“We have a zero-tolerance policy on doping,” said London Marathon event director Hugh Brasher.

“London is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors and we recently announced a groundbreaking extensive intelligence-driven testing programme.

“This shows the programme is working. Cheats will be caught and there is no place for them in marathon running.”

This explains why I saw Abraham Kiptum put in a car along with his suitcase outside the Tower Hotel (London Marathon HQ) at around 5.30pm today. https://t.co/bVbUND6Klb

— Malcolm Anderson (@malc_anderson) April 26, 2019

Kiptum clocked a time of 58:18 at the Medio Maratón de Valencia Trinidad Alfonso last October to break the world half-marathon record, which had been set by Eritrea’s Zersenay Tadese in 2010, by five seconds.

Kiptum’s mark improved on his PB of 59:09 which had been set just six weeks before in Copenhagen.

He ran a fast marathon in Abu Dhabi in December but his 2:04:16 is not his official PB as the course was later deemed to be short. His best time for the full 26.2-mile event is 2:05:26, run in Amsterdam in 2017.

TALLADEGA, Ala. – Xtreme Concepts Racing has bolstered its executive team with the addition of Jennifer Yohe as president and chief business development officer.

Yohe will lead day-to-day business operations as well as brand strategy and partnership development for XCI Racing, which made its NASCAR debut in the March 30 Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, finishing eighth with driver Jeffrey Earnhardt.

Yohe joins XCI Racing after 11 years at Comcast Cable, where she was senior vice president of procurement. In that role, Yohe managed the procurement team and its agreements and relationships. She also oversaw business-to-business development across Comcast and its partners, including NBC and Spectacor. It was this aspect of her work where Yohe became immersed in NASCAR as she managed Comcast’s relationships with industry partners and teams.

“Jennifer has been a key player in Xtreme Concepts’ entry into NASCAR and we’re proud to have her part of our leadership as we build a competitive NASCAR team,” said Landon Ash, owner, XCI Racing. “Jennifer’s relationships in the sport have made our alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing even stronger, allowing for more inroads with prospective partners. As a new organization, it’s important we make the right decisions at the right time. Jennifer’s experience in leadership and business development, along with her understanding of motorsports, gives XCI Racing the necessary depth to succeed in partnership development.”

Prior to her time at Comcast Cable, Yohe worked with Time Warner Cable, starting out as a business operations manager in 2001 and eventually becoming the organization’s vice president of business affairs in 2007. Recognized for her strong business leadership and procurement success, Yohe was named by CableFAX: The Magazine as one of the Most Powerful Women in Cable eight straight times between 2011-2018 and was the 2012 SCTE•ISBE Women in Technology award winner.

“I am thrilled to join XCI Racing as they grow their motorsports presence,” said Yohe, who throughout her time in the cable telecommunications industry served as a business advisor to several NASCAR teams. “XCI Racing has already taken the right steps in partnering with top organizations while simultaneously committing to develop the future of the sport through its relationships with drivers Jeffrey Earnhardt and Hailie Deegan. I look forward to broadening XCI Racing’s relationships within the sport and garnering new business opportunities that will prepare the team for long-term success.”

XCI Racing will make its Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway with Earnhardt piloting the No. 81 Toyota Camry. The team will return to Talladega in October for its second NASCAR Cup Series race, but in between XCI Racing will compete in four Xfinity Series races with Earnhardt: June 29 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois, July 5 at Daytona (Fla.) Int’l Speedway, Aug. 16 Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and Aug. 31 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

BAKU CITY, Azerbaijan – Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc fired the first shot of the weekend at the Bake City Circuit by pacing Friday’s practice sessions for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Leclerc led a Ferrari one-two during the second practice to put his name at the top of the overall practice charts with a top time of 1:42.872. His Ferrari teammate Sebastian Vettel was second fastest, .324 of a second off Leclerc’s best lap.

Championship leader Lewis Hamilton was third fastest overall, but was more than half a second off the pace set by Leclerc. Max Verstappen was fourth for Red Bull, followed by the second Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas.

The opening practice of the day was limited to just 13 minutes when George Russell ran over a loose drain cover, severely damaging his Williams entry and forcing a lengthy red flag period to address the loose drain cover.

The red flag’s continued in the second practice, with Racing Point’s Lance Stroll locking up his car going into turn two. He slid along the barriers and ripped the front-left corner off his car. His team repaired his car and got him back on track with a few minutes left in the practice.

The third and final red flag of the day waved for Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat, who crashed at the exit of turn seven and destroyed the front-left suspension on his car. Despite that, his best speed of the day left him sixth fastest overall.

San Jose Sharks captain Joe Pavelski has officially been ruled out of Friday's series opener against the Colorado Avalanche, according to coach Peter DeBoer.

Pavelski remains day-to-day from the controversial hit that knocked him out of Game 7 against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Right winder Joonas Donskoi also will not play Friday. He had previously missed the series clincher against the Golden Knights and has been participating in practice in a noncontact jersey.

On Thursday, DeBoer preached the "next man up" mantra as the Sharks deal with their injuries.

"That's playoff hockey. We've talked about it all year: If you're going on any kind of run, you're going to have to use everybody at some point or another. And we're confident of the guys we have here. Who's out there is going to get it done," he said.

The Sharks swept the three-game season series against the Avalanche. Playing in San Jose has been particularly difficult for Colorado, which has one win in its past 19 regular-season games at the Shark Tank.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

LOS ANGELES -- Five o'clock on the Friday of a holiday weekend is not an ideal time to be driving on the highways of Southern California. But here we are, somewhere between the apartment Sebastian Lletget shares with his girlfriend, pop star Becky G, and Dignity Health Sports Park, home of the LA Galaxy -- who host Real Salt Lake on Sunday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN+). The 26-year-old star, a facilitator of his Major League Soccer club's potent attack and arguably the one man in the U.S. men's national team player pool with the ability to press Christian Pulisic for his starting spot (although the ideal lineup probably involves them both), weaves in and out of the early-evening traffic. He has somewhere to be.

In the past, Lletget wouldn't have been the first one to the stadium on game day. He is now, however, hitting the gym to get 100 touches even before heading out to the field to warm up for the Galaxy's matchup with the Houston Dynamo. The new routine is a result of growing older and having a body that's not quite as pliable as it used to be, and also of returning from a foot injury that nearly cost him his career.

In March 2017, he scored his first goal for the U.S., in a key qualifier in front of a home Northern California crowd. Minutes later, an Ever Alvarado tackle ended his night, breaking bones and tearing ligaments, requiring surgery and a long rehab. Two years later, Lletget is only now returning to form.

"The first year post-injury, I basically didn't touch a ball," he tells ESPN FC. "To build off of all that and use last year to gather all my skills back, my sense of the game, and my instinct took longer than I expected. Prior to an injury like that, you feel invincible. When this happens, it kind of breaks you. You don't have that Superman shield that you think you have subconsciously."

The superpower of youth becomes the preparation of a veteran. Lletget drives a Chevy Traverse that's new enough to maintain its dealership shine but dusty enough for a Galaxy staffer to lovingly write "Wash Me" on the driver's side door after he parks it in the bowels of Dignity Health. He jokes with the perpetrator, smiles for a few photos, says goodbye to his parents (who come to town for most of his home games), and walks down a hallway past trophies from previous Galaxy squads, and into the locker room to prepare, alone.

Sebastian Lletget the person is not Sebastian Lletget the social media account. His Instagram, @theylovedaboy, boasts 506,000 followers -- a lot, until you realize that Becky has 17.6 million and counting -- and a remarkable variety of selfies featuring him Blue Steeling it for the camera. He got the idea for the Drake-inspired handle one night in England when he was a teenager who was trying -- and ultimately failing -- to find his way at West Ham. He started the account, then went to sleep.

"I wake up the next morning and I'm getting killed by my teammates," he says. "Just murdered, nonstop. First-team players and coaches are asking what I was thinking."

Some guys would have deleted their foray into social media, or at least changed their handle. Not Lletget. He loved the reaction, the good-natured ribbing. He still does.

"I got so much s--- for my last media post, which is hilarious," he says. "I love going in and everybody cracking jokes at me. It starts that banter in the locker room. It will happen without fail. I have a really good time with it."

He tells this story in a Manhattan Beach coffee shop, sipping a decaf Americano and a bottle of water, wearing a simple white t-shirt and shorts. He could be anyone, just another anonymous, fit, sun-kissed surfer with a megawatt smile and easy charisma. Lletget is quieter, more subtle than Da Boy, although the overlap is obvious. There's an easy through line between the guy sitting in front of me, and the one in a hot tub, teaching Alan Gordon and Dan Gargan how to take a selfie. Lletget understands the balance, the value of showing off his personality.

"I think we're at a point in sports in general of blurring the lines between street scene and fashion," he says. "It's kind of OK to do something away from soccer. I think people enjoy seeing a different side of you."

Of course, he also knows that the off-field fun is only tenable if he's producing on the field.

"Once a coach sees my dedication and my focus in what the common goal is in the locker room, I don't think they care as much," he says. "They know I know that when it's time to work, it's time to work. If you show every day that you're into this, if you don't have that brush-off mentality, I think coaches will be OK with you being you, especially off the field."

Injury aside, Lletget has been good for the Galaxy since joining the team in 2015. He's competitive -- "Not like [Zlatan Ibrahimovic]," he says. "Ibra's intense." -- and wants the ball in a way not a lot of Americans do: gesturing for it demonstratively, emphatically and aggressively. The Galaxy offensive philosophy primarily involves getting the ball within about 40 yards of the opposition net, then looking for Ibrahimovic. (This strategy, it should be said, has been proven to work.) But there are also some intricate exchanges, weaves between Lletget, Jonathan dos Santos and Joe Corona; quick one-twos with Lletget and the big Swede; other variations that demonstrate Lletget's improving understanding of his teammates and the game.

On the American team, he's one of Gregg Berhalter's No. 10s, and he's loving the push the new U.S. boss gives him.

"It's uncomfortable, but he really does make you see the game a little bit differently," Lletget says. "I have certain habits in my position, and they weren't necessarily the best habits. He's trying to take me out of those. I was comfortable, but I could be in a more dangerous area that's more risky. He dragged me out of my comfort zone in the short time we've worked together. When you do things he advises you to do and they work, it's like, 'Oh my god, I'm progressing.'"

He credits Berhalter with helping him improve his awareness, his positioning, and his game, skills that he's brought back to the Galaxy and wants to deploy at the Gold Cup this summer.

It's a contract year for Lletget, and there are thoughts about the future. Europe calls in that way it does, although perhaps not as aggressively as it does for some others. There's a tension between the cliché of athletes wanting to test themselves against the best in the world and the fact that Lletget did that already as a teenager and it went poorly for reasons both his fault and not. Though he thinks he has the skill to play in Europe now, he's cautious.

"Going back to Europe could be in the cards," he says. "It has to be a right situation. You want to go to the right organization. A manager that really wants you there. I think Americans think Europe is the best thing for us, then we get there and immediately regret it."

Plus, he's carved out a damn nice life for himself in LA. He's nearing 100 appearances for a single club, which has been a lifelong goal. This Galaxy team might be the best in years, with a chance to bring home a trophy. His parents are close by. His favorite NBA team, the Golden State Warriors, play at a reasonable time. He and Becky share an apartment in a quiet neighborhood a few minutes from the beach. There's parking and a pool, a place to make a home. She's gone a lot, touring and being a star, but they are figuring it out.

"We don't see each other often. It's almost like a long-distance relationship but we live together," he says. "Once you get the hang of it, it's not that hard. It's finding that partnership."

Last year, he organized a surprise birthday party for her, an event that earned the TMZ treatment, with him being called "her soccer boyfriend, Sebastian Llejay." The pair take the pressure off of their respective careers, Lletget pretending he knows about music to make Becky laugh, Becky kicking the ball around with him. (Lletget's scouting report of her: "a little rat" with "some good control.") I asked him about his skin-care routine because the dude has some nice skin, and he said that Becky always puts stuff on the bed for him. "I don't know if I should take it as an insult, but she always gives me a boatload and tells me I'll thank her when I'm 40," he says, laughing. "She's investing in herself, too. She has to look at me, so I get what she's doing."

Whatever the next move is, the pair will decide it together. For now, however, the future can wait. It wasn't so long ago that his return was a real question mark. Lletget's just happy to be back playing, back taking selfies, back doing what he loves.

"I feel like I'm going to keep playing better," he says. "Maybe I only notice that. But I definitely want it more. I'm grateful for these opportunities. It's just awesome to be part of a special moment in time with the club and with the national team."

Da Boy, man; he's going places.

England's stock of potential batting candidates for a summer that includes the World Cup and an Ashes series has been further hit by the news that Surrey's Ollie Pope is likely to miss most of the season after dislocating his shoulder.

News that Pope will require surgery on his left shoulder follows confirmation of Sam Billings, England's likely back-up for the World Cup, being sidelined for three-five months with a similar injury.

Surrey said that the club hoped Pope would be back in action "towards the back end of the current 2019 domestic season". Pope has not been capped in limited-overs cricket but could have been in contention for England's Test team to face Australia.

A Surrey statement said: "After suffering an injury while fielding during Tuesday's Royal London Cup victory over Essex at the Kia Oval, the 21-year-old was confirmed to have dislocated his shoulder. Having since visited a specialist, he has been advised that surgery would be the best course of action.

"It is hoped he will return to first-team cricket towards the back end of the current 2019 domestic season."

Pope made his Test debut last summer, playing twice against India, and was part of the squad that toured Sri Lanka. He was subsequently released to join up with the Lions, but began the season with a career-best 251 in Surrey's Champion County fixture against MCC.

Hampshire 331 for 8 (Vince 190, Dawson 73) beat Gloucestershire 246 (Crane 3-64) by 71 runs (DLS mehod)

James Vince produced the highest one-day score in England for over a decade with an incredible 190 as Hampshire remained unbeaten in the Royal London Cup with victory over Gloucestershire.

No player had scored as many since Ravi Bopara for Essex in 2008, but Vince crashed the highest individual total for a Hampshire player in List A cricket - beating his own previous best of 178. The innings was even more special for the situation, having arrived at the crease in the second over before Hampshire were reduced to 65 for 4 and struggling.

Vince put on a record 186-run stand for the fifth wicket with Liam Dawson and guided his side to 331 before Hampshire bowled Gloucestershire out for 246 to complete a 71-run victory by the DLS method.

Hampshire were put in on a good-quality wicket, with variable conditions throughout the match, and initially struggled, with Chris Liddle the chief destroyer with the ball.

David Payne was the first to strike as Tom Alsop attempted an extravagant drive in the second over and was bowled through the gate. Fast bowler Liddle then entered to find Aiden Markram edging behind before forcing Sam Northeast and Rilee Rossouw to chop onto their own stumps.

Enter Dawson, to accompany, and save the innings with Vince. Both carefully negotiated the niggling line and length of the Gloucestershire attack before fluently moving to fifties, both from 63 balls.

Together they added 186 runs to steam Hampshire into a strong position, before Dawson fell for 73 as he picked out Benny Howell at long-on to hand Liddle figures of 4 for 66.

Vince has now passed fifty in three of his four one-day innings this summer - and given the England selectors a push ahead of the World Cup this summer if any of the currently selected players suffers an injury.

This was must-watch cricket as he moved through the gears and struck five huge sixes - the pick of which saw him dance down the wicket and deposit a checked cover driver over the off-side. He reached 100 in 111 balls, 150 in 138 as he rattled his total from 100 to 190 in 43 deliveries.

Vince's assault saw his side score 114 runs in the last 10 overs, although James Fuller's handy 21 off 13, which included the biggest maximum of the day over squad leg, helped the cause.

Vince eventually succumbed for 190 before scooping to Tom Smith at point and was given a rapturous reception from the Ageas Bowl members.

With DLS altering the target to 318 off 47 overs, Kyle Abbott stunted Gloucestershire's reply by dismissing George Hankins in the third over, caught at point by Northeast, and then Gareth Roderick, caught and bowled. Captain Chris Dent was then run out by Northeast's direct hit, as the visitors slumped to 38 for 3.

Mason Crane, who posted 3 for 64, had James Bracey caught by a stunning outfield catch by Dawson, before Howell was lbw to the leg-spinner.

Jack Taylor was bowled by Crane, before Dawson had Graeme van Buuren stumped and Smith castled to complete figures of 2 for 32. Brad Wheal bowled Ryan Higgins, before Hampshire were held up by a 50-run stand for the last wicket between Payne and Liddle, eventually completing their victory with 19 balls to spare.