Things heat up in the American League Central as the surging Cleveland Indians take on the first-place Minnesota Twins this weekend, while the red-hot New York Mets host the Washington Nationals in a battle of teams left for dead not long ago.

Here's what we're most excited to see Friday through Sunday:

The biggest series of the weekend actually started Thursday, as the Twins host the Indians for a four-game set. Whom do you like this weekend?

Eddie Matz: I like the Indians all day, every day, and against anyone -- just so long as it's a day that ends with the letter Y. And just so long as it's after May. Since June 1, the Indians, who have made an annual habit out of somnambulating through the first couple of months of the season, are 41-17. That's what I like to refer to as "The Best Record In Baseball." The scary part is, Jose Ramirez only recently has started to do Jose Ramirez things. Of course, when these teams last met in mid-July, I predicted the Tribe would trample the Twins, only to watch Minnesota go out and take two of three. So clearly, I know nothing.

Sam Miller: OK, so put it like this: Cleveland traded Trevor Bauer for Yasiel Puig and Franmil Reyes, weakening its pitching staff significantly but also upgrading its offense significantly. But the Twins have 10 hitters who have gotten regular playing time and outhit both Puig and Reyes this year, by OPS+. The Yankees have so many good hitters (at least 150 plate appearances, at least 110 OPS+), and no other team in baseball has more than seven, and Cleveland has only three. The Twins' offense isn't to be taken lightly. Given the home-field advantage, they'll take three in this series.

David Schoenfield: My initial thoughts are (a) the Indians cleaned up on the Royals-and-Tigers portion of their schedule (they're 12-1 against the Tigers) and (b) they will miss Bauer more than they'll benefit from Puig and Reyes. But then I realize that Ramirez is swinging a big stick again and that while the Indians enter the series 18-24 against teams above .500, the Twins are only 24-26 against teams above .500. The Twins have destroyed bad pitching -- 137 home runs in 60 games against sub-.500 teams compared with 87 in 54 games against the good teams -- so I think we're looking at a split given Cleveland's good rotation and terrific (and underrated) bullpen.

Another big series this weekend -- and no one thought this would be the case six weeks ago -- is Nationals-Mets at Citi Field. Can the Amazin' Mets keep this run going long enough to make the playoffs?

Matz: Baseball Prospectus, which gives the Mets a 29% chance of making the playoffs, isn't buying. Ditto for Baseball Reference (16%). And even though FanGraphs has New York at a relatively lofty 40%, that's still the business end of a coin flip. There is this, though: That 40% is the second-highest number among the National League's non-division leaders. In other words, at this moment, FanGraphs thinks the Mets are in!!! Do I agree? Not yet. But get back to me on Monday.

Miller: As Eddie demonstrates with those playoff odds, there's no better answer than "they can, but who knows if they will," same as on Opening Day. That's the story of the National League this year: There were up to 14 plausible playoff contenders (everybody but the Marlins), and throughout the first 4½ months, the various iterations of "who's hot and who's not" (and the extremely condensed wild-card and NL Central standings) have been enough for about 10 of those teams to unexpectedly surge, unexpectedly fold and repeat. The Mets are right about where we thought they'd be at the start of the season. So are the Phillies, Nationals, Cubs, Brewers, Cardinals and Reds: All pretty good teams, all in each other's way. We haven't even started settling things yet.

Schoenfield: The funny thing about the Mets is that they are where we thought they would be -- but not because of why the front office thought they'd be where they are. (I have a feeling my seventh-grade English teacher will not like the construction of that sentence.) Think about it: Robinson Cano, now on the injured list, and Edwin Diaz have been terrible. Jed Lowrie hasn't played, but one reason general manager Brodie Van Wagenen traded for Cano and signed Lowrie was because the front office clearly didn't believe in Jeff McNeil or Pete Alonso (the Lowrie signing theoretically meant Todd Frazier or Cano might play some first base while McNeil was pushed into a utility role). The Mets did make a good pickup in J.D. Davis, but he's playing only because of the injuries to Lowrie and Brandon Nimmo. So they're succeeding in part because of two players the front office wasn't really willing to commit to. Remember that when they hoist the World Series trophy.

What else are you guys most looking forward to seeing this weekend?

Matz: I can't wait to see Christian Yelich, Mike Trout and Cody Bellinger -- whose current home run totals are 39, 38 and 37, respectively -- all reach the big 4-0 this weekend. I wanted to say Nelson Cruz would get there too. Yeah, I know he has only 32 bombs right now, but the way he'd been mashing (13 jacks in his past 16 games), it seemed he might reach 40 by Saturday. But with Nelson leaving Thursday's game with a wrist strain, we'll put those plans on hold for now.

Miller: When Hyun-Jin Ryu allowed seven runs in Coors Field in late June, his ERA spiked to 1.83. Since then, he has steadily lowered it in five consecutive starts -- he had an ERA of 0.55 in July -- and when he takes the hill Sunday, his ERA will stand at 1.53. That's tied with Dwight Gooden (slightly better, by decimal points) for the second-best ERA of the live ball era, a whole danged century, behind only Bob Gibson's record 1.12 ERA in 1968, the anomalous Year of the Pitcher. I'm hoping to see Ryu put some space between himself and Doc; he needs only 26⅓ more innings to pass 162 and guarantee that this season goes down in history as "official."

Schoenfield: You know, we never give much love to the Tigers in this space. Do you realize how bad the Tigers are? Entering Thursday's game against the Royals, they were on pace to finish 48-114. That's only one win better than the 2018 Orioles. On May 12, however, the Tigers were 18-20. They weren't yet horrible. Since then: 16-58, a .216 winning percentage. If they play at that level over their final 50 games, they'll win 11 more games (rounding up!). That would come to 45 wins for the year, which would give them a chance at catching the infamous 2003 Tigers, who finished 43-119, and feel like an almost impossible win-loss record to "achieve" -- and yet the Tigers have a chance. My point: I will not be watching the Royals and Tigers this weekend.

PICK 'EM TIME

With at least one extra-base hit in nine straight games, Blue Jays rookie Bo Bichette is looking like -- small sample size alert! -- the next Mike Trout. So just for fun, who will have more total bases this weekend: Bichette vs. the Yankees or Trout vs. the Red Sox?

Matz: Here's a weird stat: This season, Mike Trout has a .777 slugging percentage in games that take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. That's the best in the majors. Given that Trout ranks second in slugging on all days of the week, though, it's not really that weird -- except Trout slugs about 100 points higher over the weekend than on weekdays. Still, when it comes to weird, nothing's weirder than the tear Bichette is on. I say he out-total-bases Trout by a count of 11 to 9.

Miller: The Red Sox look almost like they're tanking for draft picks right now. Only the Rockies, Orioles and Tigers have allowed more runs since the All-Star break, and they've lost nine of their past 11. As close observers of the franchise have noted, when things go bad for Red Sockers they have a tendency to get really bad -- it's not a low-stress environment, Boston -- so I'll say Trout wins this one easily, and that he might just knock the Red Sox into single-digit playoff odds.

Schoenfield: Bichette has doubled in nine straight games -- just 11 games into his career. That's not just a record for a rookie -- it's a modern record (since 1900) for any player. Yadier Molina in 2016 and Derrek Lee in 2007 doubled in eight straight games. Earl Webb, who holds the single-season record with 67 for the 1931 Red Sox, reached a high of just five games in a row that year. So young Mr. Bichette is a doubles machine. Meanwhile, Trout is a .345 career hitter at Fenway but has never homered there in 20 games. A bunch of doubles and singles, but no home runs. So I'm suggesting he's due for a couple of big ones this weekend. Trout over Bichette.

The Astros' offense is rolling, averaging nine runs per game in winning six straight, while Orioles pitching just got bashed by the Yankees. Total runs for Houston this weekend: Over or under 19.5?

Matz: Bundy, Brooks and Wojciechowski? Red rover, red rover, send "over" right over.

Miller: I don't know -- 19.5 is a lot. I could see 16 or 17, but has a team ever hit 19.5 home runs in a three-game series? You mean home runs, right? You just left out the "home"? I'll take the under, and I say they hit only 11 home runs (while scoring 29 runs).

Schoenfield: Forget Bellinger vs. Yelich. The most fascinating race of the season is Twins home runs hit vs. Orioles home runs allowed. Heading into Thursday, the Orioles led 234-224. But they have only three games left against the Yankees, so the Twins have a chance. I predict the Orioles extend that lead, however, when the Astros score 23 runs in three games and swat a bunch of dingers (note whom we all picked in "Two True Outcomes").

TWO TRUE OUTCOMES

Home run hitters

Matz: Yuli Gurriel

Miller: Yordan Alvarez

Schoenfield: Carlos Correa

Strikeout pitchers

Matz: Charlie Morton

Miller: Walker Buehler

Schoenfield: Luis Castillo

Many athletes in this weekend’s British Masters Championships will also be aiming for the European event in Venice

The British Masters Championships will see nearly 700 athletes aged 35 and over compete over two days (August 10-11) in Birmingham while also honing their preparations for the European Masters Championships next month.

The Euro event is in Venice from September 5-11 when around 500 Brits will make the trip.

Many world champions from Malaga in 2018 are in action along with others entering new age groups.

One of those is the 1970 Commonwealth discus champion Rosemary Chrimes who, after moving into the W85 age group, makes her first appearance for five years and goes in three throws and the high jump.

Her first major championship was the 1958 Empire Games in Cardiff.

Going further back, 1956 Olympic Games steeplechase eighth-placer Eric Shirley is entered and will seek to retain his M90 title over 400m. He is not the oldest competitor, though, as Dalbir Singh Doel, who is 92, goes in the 100m before clashing with Shirley over 200m.

Another octogenarian, Evaun Williams, who took four W80 throws golds and a clutch of world records in Malaga, will seek to do the same here.

Former senior discus international John Watts should defend his four M80 throws titles, as will M70 Neil Griffin his two.

Some of the older athletes are gluttons for punishment and Tony Bowman is entered in eight M80 events from sprint and hurdles to throws and jumps.

Kathleen Stewart took W75 titles last year and she too moves up into the over-80 group, going in the 200, 400 and 800m events.

Multiple world record-holder Steve Peters returns in the M65 sprints, but one of his British best times could be under threat in the M50 200m as Darren Scott moves up an age group. TJ Ossai looks set for M40 sprint golds.

Michelle Thomas will seek to retain her W45 titles, while the W65 sprints will be keenly contested between Helen Godsell, Caroline Powell and Caroline Marler, all of whom have taken international titles.

The men’s distance races have seen greater participation in recent years and the M50 5000m has Ben Reynolds and Gordon Lee in action, while the M75 group sees Martin Ford and Peter Giles on duty.

Record holders Irie Hill and Mark Johnson go in the over-50s pole vault, while Wendy Laing looks good for W55 high jump retention and is also down for a sprint, long jump and shot tilt.

Double M45 world champion Jason Carty should see off 110m hurdles favourite and title holder Joe Appiah in the 100m, before doubling up with the 200m.

Also in the hurdles, Neil Tunstall defends his M55 title, while double W60 world champion Jane Horder is up for another two golds, as Emily McMahon will look to retain her W65 100m hurdles crown.

Some athletes are keeping their powder dry for Venice but Angela Copson makes an appearance in the W70 1500m before committing to more events at the major championships. Dave Bedwell defends his M65 title.

Kevin Murch spends much of his time coaching these days but took two M55 throws golds last year. After moving up to the M60 group he will challenge holder John Fenton in the javelin as well as tackling the four other throws.

The walks should again see Ian Richards dominate and provided he stays well away from disqualifications he could be on target to set a couple of new records in the M70 age group.

Rafael Nadal moved one step closer to defending his Rogers Cup title with a straight-set victory over Argentina's Guido Pella in Montreal.

The Spanish top seed, an 18-time Grand Slam champion, won 6-3 6-4 in windy conditions to set up a quarter-final meeting with Italian Fabio Fognini.

Victory was Nadal's 379th ATP Masters 1000 win, giving him the all-time lead having tied with Roger Federer.

Nadal, 33, has already won a record 34 Masters 1000 titles.

"It was a tough day in terms of wind but we are used to playing like this and when we play on outdoor courts, that's part of the game. Of course it is better to play without this kind of wind," Nadal said.

"At the same time, it is beautiful to play under tough conditions because then the player who has different options to play has better chances to survive these kind of days."

Seventh seed Fognini, 32, beat France's Adrian Mannarino 6-2 7-5 and his last-eight tie against Nadal will be their 16th meeting, with the Spaniard having won 11.

"He's having a great season, one of the best of his career, if not the best," Nadal said. "I need to be playing well."

Meanwhile, second seed Dominic Thiem will play Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals after beating Marin Cilic 7-6 (9-7) 6-4.

Germany's Alexander Zverev, who won the Rogers Cup in 2017, beat Nikoloz Basilashvili 7-5 5-7 7-6 (7-5) and will take on Russian Karen Khachanov next after he dispatched Canadian youngster Felix Auger-Aliassime in three sets.

In the other quarter-final, Gael Monfils will play Roberto Bautista Agut after they defeated Hubert Hurkacz and Richard Gasquet respectively in straight sets.

Andy Murray will make a return to singles action at the Cincinnati Masters next week - seven months after fearing he might have to retire.

Britain's former world number one has been playing doubles since June as he regains fitness after hip surgery.

Murray, 32, broke down in tears at the Australian Open in January, believing the resurfacing operation he had later that month could end his career.

Now the Scot is pain-free and feels the time is right to return to singles.

Murray's last singles match was a five-set loss to Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut in the first round in Melbourne.

Before the match the three-time Grand Slam champion said he planned to retire after this year's Wimbledon and feared the Australian Open could be the final tournament of his career.

But he returned to the doubles court in June after a career-saving operation with renowned hip surgeon Sarah Muirhead-Allwood, whose previous patients have included the Queen Mother.

Murray said the resurfacing of his hip, where the femur head is smoothed down and covered with a metal cap, was "life-changing" and took away the pain which dogged him for a number of years.

He has played five doubles tournaments since his return to competitive action, winning Queen's alongside Spain's Feliciano Lopez in a dream comeback.

Joining Murray in a star-studded draw at the Masters 1,000 event in Cincinnati are Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Serbia's world number one Djokovic and Swiss great Federer return to action for the first time since their historic Wimbledon final, while Nadal will be back in action for the second week running after starting his North American hard-court campaign at this week's Rogers Cup.

Analysis

Jonathan Jurejko, BBC Sport

At Wimbledon, Murray began to get fed up of answering questions about when he would return to the singles court - insisting he did not know himself when his new metal hip would be ready to cope with the added workload.

Patience has been Murray's mantra since his competitive return in the doubles, refusing to commit to a singles event - and therefore not putting himself under the pressure of a timeframe - until he felt completely comfortable.

Hitting the weights in the gym to build up his strength was the focus post-Wimbledon before he headed over to the North American hard courts with a dual purpose: improve match sharpness by playing doubles in Washington and Montreal, and upping the workload on the singles court in public practice sessions.

Those solo outings, he says with a smile, did not leave him "completely embarrassed" as they might have done earlier in his comeback bid.

So, after further practices in Cincinnati with fellow Britons Kyle Edmund and Dan Evans this week, he is confident a return now will not be a mistake as he looks to prolong a glittering career which he felt might have already been over.

The next question is: will he play singles at the US Open? Murray has consistently said he would not want his first tournament back to be over five sets in New York. Playing over three in Cincinnati appears to leave the door ajar for a potential follow-up appearance at Flushing Meadows.

England Squash lead the way with Karakal partnership
By HOWARD HARDING – Squash Mad International Correspondent

World Squash Day returns on Saturday October 12th with ambitious plans to attract one million new players to the game over the next decade.

The theme for 2019 is for every club on the planet to open their doors and hold a free taster session called The Big Hit.

Clubs and federations will be supported by social media campaigns and a new WSD website www.worldsquashday.net has been set up to provide further ideas and promotional material which can be downloaded for free.

World Squash Day founder Alan Thatcher said: “Our aim is to attract 100,000 new players to the game this year.

“Every club and squash facility is invited to host a Big Hit taster session to promote the health benefits that squash has to offer, alongside the fun and friendly social atmosphere that is a universal part of our great game.

“Each club can create their own pathways to look after those newcomers, including weekly group sessions, mentors to help them on their way, and social evenings to complement the huge fitness buzz that squash is guaranteed to deliver.”

World Squash Day is endorsed by the World Squash Federation, PSA, and national federations across the globe.

“World Squash Day is a wonderful annual initiative,” said World Squash Federation president Jacques Fontaine. “It provides such a great opportunity for clubs everywhere to show the public who have not yet experienced it just what makes our sport so popular around the globe.”

Many nations are already planning campaigns to support the push to attract a new generation of players.

England Squash have launched one of the biggest development initiatives in the history of World Squash Day. In partnership with racket brand Karakal, they are offering equipment bags including 18 rackets, plus a grant of £250, to the first 100 clubs to sign up. To date, 76 clubs have signed up to support the initiative.

Mark Williams, Director of Sport at England Squash. said: “World Squash Day serves as a springboard to inspire the nation to pick up a racket and we are thrilled to have Karakal’s support to grow the game in England.

“This year, we’ve set the ambitious target of engaging 5,000 players through World Squash Day events in England and we are encouraging clubs to sign up and help showcase our fantastic sport to their local communities. Delivery partners will receive a host of incentives including the Karakal kit bag and a £250 grant to grow their programmes.”

Thatcher added: “We hope this fantastic event will capture the imagination of the wider public and attract new people to the game. To make it a huge success, we need the support of every squash club and federation.

“Next year on World Squash Day we plan to launch Squash: Project 200 as we begin the 10-year countdown to the 200th anniversary of the birth of squash.

“If we can attract 100,000 new players to the game every year over the next decade, that’s one million new players, all buying rackets and equipment, spending money on hiring courts, supporting their local clubs and federations, and helping to create stars of the future.”

Further information from Alan Thatcher: [email protected]

World Squash Day Toolkit for clubs and federations: www.worldsquashday.net/world-squash-day-toolkit/