(Humming to themselves) "It's coming home, it's coming home, it's coming…"
Excuse me … wasn't it your mate who stopped me in the street the other day and told me all about the cricket coming home…?

Umm … that sounds entirely probable. I do apologise, he's perfectly harmless really.
No, no, not at all. We watched it for the first time the other day and it was AMAZING!

What, really…?
YES! Oh my God … the tension, the atmosphere, that finish! I can't believe I've spent 40 years on this planet without knowing how awesome this sport is!

[Puffs chest out] Well, yes, it is rather splend…
… it was SOO good … that Super Over decider, what a brilliant concept! And that moment where that bloke dived at the ball to hit it over the rope for a treble! What skill and foresight! I can't believe you guys do this sort of thing every week!

Err, yes... We like to keep things interesting…
We couldn't believe our luck. We were completely wiped out after watching Federer v Djokovic, and then there it was, hiding in plain sight on the other channel! How we hadn't noticed it before, I just don't know!

Well, yes, quite…
Anyway, we've taken the plunge, and booked tickets for the Ashes at Lord's next week!

Ummm [checks date] … next week?
Yes! We heard there were tickets going spare at The Home of Cricket (I know, I couldn't believe it either!) so we thought, let's get ourselves down for the third match on Friday - who knows, we might get to see the decider!

Third day.
Sorry?

Third day. It's all the same match …
Ohhh … so this is one of those famous five-day Test matches you were talking about?

Ummm… yes. Except this one is a four-day Test.
R-i-i-i-i-g-h-t. I thought the Ashes was all about tradition?

Well, it is. But that's between England and Australia. This is between England and Ireland.
Ireland? But wait, aren't they on the same side, like that rugby team? I mean, isn't your captain Irish?

Yes, yes he is. Or was.
Was?

Yeah, he hasn't played Test cricket for seven years.
Okay … that makes no sense at all. Still, those two guys who did all the hitting at the end, they were awesome too, can't wait to see them.

Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler? They aren't playing either.
Wow … even they aren't good enough for five, sorry four-day cricket! What a format this must be!

No, they are good enough … they just needed a rest
Oh okay… well, what about that nice young man who threw the ball at the end?

Jason Roy? Oh yes, he's playing! Making his Test debut in fact!
No, not him … though that's nice. That other guy who did all the throwing?

Oh, the bowler, Jofra Archer?
Yes!

Err, no. He's currently getting splattered in paint on a holiday in Barbados.
Right … so who is playing?

Well, if you're lucky, you'll get to see two of England's greatest fast bowlers, with more than 1000 Test wickets between them.
Ooh, don't tell me, don't tell me ... Chris Woakes and Liam Plunkett! Oh I'm so pleased, I was telling my mate, "new-ball swing, cross-seam in the middle overs", it's a recipe for greatness, and now you're telling me I'm right!

Umm, no, though they are both jolly good too... no, I'm talking about James Anderson and Stuart Broad.
Who?

[Sighs] Look them up online (though only via official rights-holding accounts, of course).
Okay... so, what about the Irish? Anyone we should look out for?

Well, there's Tim Murtagh, who comes from South London and plays for Middlesex, and Boyd Rankin, who's got a fascinating career history. He played for Ireland in the 2007 and 2011 World Cups … where he helped beat England in one of the greatest…
[Picks ear-wax and gazes into middle distance…]

… but actually went on made his Test debut for England against Australia in the Ashes! But then he never got picked again, so he went back to playing for Ireland…
[Interrupting] Fascinating! Anyone else notable?

Well, there's Kevin O'Brien, whose 50-ball century beat England in the 2011 World Cup, and who scored Ireland's first Test century against Pakistan last year.
I've heard of him. Isn't he the Irish Backstop?

No, that's his brother, Niall, who's retired. And it's wicketkeeper…
Yeah, that's what I said... This is getting complicated. Can I have a rethink? Oi, where are you running off to...?!

Liam Plunkett knows all about the ups and down of life as an international cricketer. Having just become a World Cup winner at the age of 34, Plunkett is hopeful that he still has something to give with England, but he admitted that being left out of a squad to tour South Africa in 2016-17 prompted the reinvention that saw him become a key member of the ODI attack.

The circumstances of England's dramatic World Cup success are just beginning to sink in, as Plunkett considered the pressure the squad had been playing under over the last seven weeks. Speaking at a junior cricket session at Dulwich CC, he described the sense the final was destined to go their way even after James Neesham had struck Jofra Archer for six from the second ball of the Super Over.

"The whole World Cup, I was sleeping four hours a night, I couldn't sleep at all, I was on edge," he said. "I never felt tired during the games, I was just excited. Wanted to do well, probably the last World Cup you play in 50-over competition, what you've built up for the last four years as a group. You're ranked No. 1, you know you have the potential to win the World Cup, but after a couple of defeats it's now or never.

"Deep down inside, I don't believe it's written in the stars and stuff, but I had a feeling we could win it. And I still believed that when Jof got hit for six in the last over, still thought he'd run up and bowl wide yorker, wide yorker and game won. Because he's a cool cat under pressure. It's starting to sink in now."

Having come in as the No. 1-ranked side and favourites on home soil, England's tournament threatened to unravel after they lost back-to-back games against Sri Lanka and Australia. That prompted the team to get together and talk about how they were dealing with the stresses of a World Cup - and in Plunkett's case, admit his frustration at being on the sidelines.

"I think people just opened up about how they felt," he said. "We were put in groups, and I think it was Jos [Buttler] who said 'This group of players makes me excited to think we've changed white-ball cricket, and changed the route for kids watching in England. And the general public, don't expect but think England can win series, and we've changed that the last few years.'

"I wasn't playing, I was dropped at the time and my opinion was 'I'm frustrated, inside I'm pissed off a little it because I'm not playing. I feel like I can help win games. I'm not saying I should be playing, but everyone was open saying, I am disappointed, I feel I can help the team.' Everyone understands that, you're allowed to be, as long as you don't show it around the boys, or giving negative energy off, trying to slag people off. It's just because you want to win. It was good to have that chat. Everyone just said, people are nervous, people are excited, people are disappointed."

Plunkett had only played three of England's first seven games, but subsequently returned against India for the must-win game at Edgbaston, taking 3 for 55. He kept his place for the rest of the tournament, adding another three-for in the final as England lifted the World Cup for the first time.

Plunkett has been used to fighting for recognition, however, and admitted that being overlooked during four ODIs in the UAE and then left out of the squad entirely for South Africa three years ago - although he was in the end added as an injury replacement - had been a turning point in his white-ball career. Eoin Morgan, England's captain, told him not to give up and he went away to develop his options as a middle-overs wicket-taker.

"I think at one point, in a T20 series, I thought I'd never play white-ball again. I said, 'listen, I'm not sure I'll play, I may as well just retire', and Morgs was like, 'Mate, I'd hold on a bit. Just chill out.' I actually played a week later, it was a T20 series when we beat Pakistan in Dubai, and it came out really nicely, I bowled 90 clicks and got three-for and all of a sudden I'm back in.

"I didn't get picked for the South Africa series and they said, you need to go and work on some skills. So I went away and worked on my cross-seam deliveries, wobble seam, my cutters and stuff. Even if I felt, I can't bowl as quick as I used to, I still have the deliveries to take wickets and change games. And with the experience you work batsmen out."

With Jos Buttler having revealed that he had spoken to the England psychologist, David Young, about dealing with the possibility of failure at the World Cup, Plunkett said that he had also recognised the importance of dealing with the mental health side of the game.

"I've always been big into it. I had a panic attack a long time ago, but I never knew what it was. I got anxiety around it and I struggled being in one-on-one situations, travelling on a plane. I've always been conscious of that. Maybe three or four years I've been in and out of meditating, tried to a bit of yoga, take a breath - I've always been aware of that.

"They've got Youngy, who's the sports psychologist and you can get help from your county and outside sources. Everything's available to anyone that needs anything. As much as you go for a net, that's also available as well."

Worcestershire232 for 6 (Whiteley 88, D'Oliveira 66*) trail Gloucestershire 354 (Smith 83, Higgins 76, Dent 58, Leach 6-79) by 122 runs

Every moment one spends at Cheltenham is precious but no festival in recent years has been as rich in promise as that which currently garlands the College Ground. The six struck over point by Gareth Roderick to secure last week's victory over Leicestershire already has legendary status in Charlton Kings and by mid-afternoon on this second day the prospect of a second, rather more comfortable win for Gloucestershire beguiled both the serious drinkers in the Old Patesians marquee and the county chief executives enjoying their reunion at the College Lawn End.

Replying to the home side's 354, Worcestershire were 68 for 5 when Brett D'Oliveira joined Ross Whiteley. Most people agreed Chris Dent would enforce the follow-on; few considered the possibility he might not have the chance to do so. Yet Whiteley had already begun to bat against most of the memories his muscles and temperament had acquired over seasons of short-form cricket. He waited until his 43rd ball before hitting his first four and his six over midwicket off Ethan Bamber seemed an eccentric highlight from a different match.

D'Oliveira, dropped by Miles Hammond at second slip off Ryan Higgins when only 3, joined him in a sixth-wicket partnership of 146 characterised by rigorous self-discipline. Whiteley hit three sixes but had earned the right to do so rather than brusquely asserting it in a manner likely to get him into trouble. Four years to the day since he made his last century, against Yorkshire at Scarborough, he was only 12 runs short of three figures when Matt Taylor got a ball that was 75 overs old to fly from just short of a length, take the edge of the bat and fly via James Bracey's gloves to Benny Howell at slip.

But our day ended with D'Oliveira unbeaten on 66 albeit Gloucestershire's bowlers will be encouraged by the prospect of using a nearly new ball in the morning. A game which both sides need to win is far better balanced than appeared likely in mid-afternoon and we have two fine days ahead of us. "There are great spiritual advantages to be had in that town," Nicholas Bulstrode informs his wife when describing Cheltenham in Middlemarch.

Yet advantages of any sort were the home side's monopoly earlier in a day when Worcestershire's top-order batsmen seemed as ripe for the picking as pears in late September. When their first dig dwindled from 24 without loss to 68 for 5 the statisticians pointed out it was the fifth successive innings in which they had lost those wickets for less than 85 runs and the sixth time in seven matches when Worcestershire's top five first-innings wickets had fallen for less than a hundred.

Gloucestershire's bowlers fed on such insecurity and their own Puritan disciplines offered Joe Leach's batsmen no repose. A hesitant Riki Wessels edged Bamber to Benny Howell in his side's sixth over; Callum Ferguson was pinioned in his crease by David Payne and nicked a catch to Hammond. After lunch Gloucestershire's can-do approach was epitomised by Bracey who took an outstanding leg-side catch off Ryan Higgins to remove Ed Barnard and then took an even better one standing up to dismiss Daryl Mitchell off the same bowler.

For all that he is having a poor season Mitchell remains the batsman Worcestershire's opponents would most like to remove but Bracey's positioning was a shrewd attempt to counteract his tendency to come down the wicket. That, though, was almost the end of Gloucestershire's absolute dominance. The rest of the day saw Whiteley and D'Oliveira give their team some hope they might yet achieve a victory they sorely need. And their resistance recalled a first session in which one of Worcestershire's most loyal servants had achieved a fine career landmark.

Indeed the morning has begun in an atmosphere of multi-faceted incipience and general enticement. Cleeve Hill was dark green beneath benevolent cloud and the old paths towards Winchcombe were beguiling in the gentlest haze. Tom Smith was on 79, five runs short of his career-best score, Gloucestershire were 11 runs shy of a fourth batting bonus point and Leach needed two wickets to reach 300 in first-class cricket for Worcestershire. The third of these landmarks was the first to be reached when Leach, bowling as tightly as ever, knocked back Payne's off stump in the sixth over of the day and had Bamber caught by a diving Ben Cox in the tenth. The bowler greeted this wicket with a guttural roar of triumph. Smith was left unbeaten on 83 but he will not give a monkey's if his side have 23 points in the bag on Wednesday evening.

Neither will any other home supporters. There must, one imagines, be better things in life than watching cricket at Cheltenham. Yet on a warm, dream-laden evening at the College Ground, with the Glorious Glosters slightly in the ascendant, and the air scented with possibility it was awfully difficult to think what those things might be. So we ate oranges on the pavilion balcony and watched the evening light on distant, tree-ringed fields.

Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed has been suspended for the first six games of the 2019 season for a violation of the NFL's personal conduct policy.

The violation stems from a 2017 domestic violence case in which Reed was accused of assault. Reed was not charged or arrested. However, the NFL's personal conduct policy allows the league to punish players regardless of legal outcomes.

The Seahawks said in a statement that they have "followed league and law enforcement protocol since the alleged incident in April of 2017."

In a statement posted to Twitter, Reed wrote that he "totally" disagrees with the NFL's ruling but takes responsibility for the situation.

?? I love you 12s pic.twitter.com/QH9YRPRqK0

— jarran reed (@1j_reed) July 22, 2019

He is eligible to take part in practices and play in the preseason. Once the regular season begins, he will be eligible to return to the Seahawks on Monday, Oct. 14, following Seattle's Week 6 game against the Cleveland Browns. He will also miss games against the Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams.

Reed's absence will be a major blow to a defensive line that will already be without its top pass-rusher, Frank Clark, who was traded to Kansas City. Reed is coming off a career-best 10.5 sacks and 50 tackles in 2018. Reed's 10.5 sacks were tied for fourth among defensive tackles last season.

A second-round pick out of Alabama in 2016, Reed is eligible for a contract extension, having played the requisite three seasons. His suspension will cost him roughly $394,153, which is six game checks from his $1,116,768 base salary.

The Seahawks signed veteran defensive tackle Al Woods in free agency to start alongside Reed at nose tackle. Poona Ford, who showed promise as an undrafted free agent in 2018, is a candidate to replace Reed at the three-technique spot.

ESPN's Adam Schefter contributed to this report.

Cristiano Ronaldo won't face criminal charges after a woman accused him of raping her at his Palms Casino Resort penthouse suite in 2009.

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said he reviewed a new police investigation and determined that Kathryn Mayorga's claim can't be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

"Therefore, no charges will be forthcoming," Wolfson said in a statement.

@LasVegasDA Declines to Prosecute 10-year-old Sexual Assault Allegation Against Cristiano Ronaldo. @ClarkCountyNV pic.twitter.com/XXdc8D9Plk

— Clark County DA (@LasVegasDA) July 22, 2019

Ronaldo's attorney, Peter Christiansen, was traveling Monday and not immediately available to comment. Christiansen has said Ronaldo and Mayorga had consensual sex in 2009. He denied it was rape.

Attorneys for Mayorga, a former model and schoolteacher, did not immediately respond to telephone, text and email messages.

The Associated Press generally does not name people who say they are victims of sexual assault. Mayorga gave consent through her lawyers to make her name public.

She has a lawsuit pending against Ronaldo in U.S. court in Las Vegas that accused Ronaldo or those working for him of conspiracy, defamation, breach of contract and coercion and fraud. She says they allowed terms of a confidential financial settlement with Mayorga to become public.

Mayorga's attorney, Leslie Mark Stovall, has acknowledged that Mayorga received $375,000 to quiet her following the encounter. He maintained that agreement was made under pressure from "fixers" trying to protect Ronaldo's reputation.

The lawsuit seeks to void the agreement and collect at least $200,000 more from Ronaldo.

Ronaldo, who plays in Italy for the Turin-based soccer club Juventus, is one of the most recognizable and highly paid players in sports.

Mayorga underwent a medical exam to collect DNA evidence shortly after she says Ronaldo assaulted her in June 2009. She spoke again with police for the new investigation, and authorities this year obtained a sample of Ronaldo's DNA through Italian authorities.

Police said the initial investigation was closed in 2009 because Mayorga only identified her attacker as a European soccer player, not by name, and did not say where she claims the rape took place.

The investigation was reopened in last year at the request of her attorneys, shortly before they sued Ronaldo.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Lakers have been awarded the rights to Kostas Antetokounmpo on a waiver claim.

The Lakers announced the move Monday to acquire the 21-year-old brother of 24-year-old Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Kostas Antetokounmpo played in two games last season for Dallas. The Mavericks acquired him in a draft-night trade last summer after Philadelphia chose him with the 60th and final pick. The 6-foot-10 forward played 40 games for the Mavs' G League affiliate last year, when he averaged 10.6 points and 6.2 rebounds.

The Mavericks waived him Friday.

Antetokounmpo attended high school in suburban Milwaukee while his brother began his NBA career. He then spent two seasons at the University of Dayton.

Giannis Antetokounmpo's older brother, Thianis, signed with the Bucks this offseason. The 26-year-old joined Milwaukee on a guaranteed two-year, minimum contract after spending the past two seasons with Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League, where he helped the team win two straight league titles.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Tim Duncan has returned to the San Antonio Spurs as an assistant on coach Gregg Popovich's staff, the team announced Monday.

"It is only fitting, that after I served loyally for 19 years as Tim Duncan's assistant, that he returns the favor," Popovich said in a statement.

Duncan, 43, played his entire 19-year career with the Spurs.

The 6-foot-11 forward was a two-time league MVP and a 15-time All-Star while helping the Spurs win five NBA titles. He retired after the 2015-16 season.

The Spurs also announced that Will Hardy, who first joined the team as a basketball operations intern in 2010, will also be joining the bench as an assistant coach.

Washington Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard will offer guard Bradley Beal a three-year, $111 million maximum contract extension upon the All-Star becoming eligible to sign on Friday, Sheppard told ESPN.

"At the very first moment allowed, we are going to offer Brad the full max extension," Sheppard told ESPN.

Beal, 26, has until Oct. 21 to sign the extension, which would start with the 2021-22 season --- a decision that agent Mark Bartelstein indicates that Beal will need time to consider.

"There are moments in a career where there are big decisions to make, and Brad will work through everything and figure out the right thing to do," Bartelstein told ESPN. "There are nothing but great feelings for Ted [Leonsis], Tommy and Scott [Brooks]. They've treated Brad wonderfully."

The Wizards would also be willing to do a one- or two-year extension, Sheppard said.

If Beal passes on the extension, the Wizards have no plans to engage in trade talks with two years, $55.8 million left on his contract, Sheppard said.

As the franchise's newly promoted GM, Sheppard intends to sell Beal on a reshaped organization under his leadership. Sheppard cited Beal's willingness to wait a year in 2015 to sign his rookie extension to allow the franchise to keep its salary-cap space early in 2016 free agency.

"He's got two years left on his deal, and he's from Missouri and we are going to have to show him," Sheppard told ESPN. "We need to show him that we are about building this the right way, that we aren't going to have character-deficient guys around him. We are going to surround him with guys he wants to play with. He saw that right away in free agency with us bringing back Thomas Bryant."

Beal could be eligible to sign a five-year, $254 million supermax extension next summer if he earns All-NBA status in the coming season. Without the supermax, he's eligible for a four-year, $155 million max extension next year.

Once owner Ted Leonsis finalized Sheppard as the new GM, armed with a new supporting cast of executives and medical staff, Leonsis traveled to Chicago to lay out the organization's new vision to Beal's agent, Bartelstein of Priority Sports.

"I understand that it's a players' league," Leonsis told ESPN. "I do think that today's players are so intelligent, so smart and can smell inauthenticity from far away.

"I think they want owners and GMs, coaches and trainers -- everyone -- on the same page."

Beal averaged a career-best 25.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5 assists a season ago. In four trips to the playoffs in his seven-year NBA career, Beal has averaged 22.7 points in 40 appearances.

Washington Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman left Sunday night's game against the Atlanta Braves with a right foot injury following an infield single in the second inning.

Zimmerman, who missed 53 games with plantar fasciitis in his right foot this season, showed obvious discomfort while running down the line.

"Same foot, same sort of thing,'' Zimmerman said after the Nationals' 7-1 loss.

He is scheduled for an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the injury.

Zimmerman, 34, is batting .246 with three home runs and 15 RBIs in 33 games.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

For a second consecutive week, the Dodgers just barely held off the Yankees to cling to the No. 1 spot in our rankings, getting just one more first-place vote. In a Power Rankings vote that saw 22 different teams move up or down this week, everybody might have to look over their shoulders.

The most significant moves came in a shakeup in the top 10, where the Rays slipped out for the first time since Opening Day, replaced by an Indians team that shot up four spots to No. 7 as they start putting heat on the Twins in the suddenly reignited American League Central race. And they're right behind the high-rising A's, who clambered up to No. 6 in our rankings while putting heat on the Astros in the AL West. The Nationals have already made a remarkable in-season comeback to close in on the Braves in the National League East while reaching our top 10, but the Cardinals could be next as they pursue the Cubs in the NL Central.

Beyond that, we saw some big swings in the west, where we find some major gains and losses. The Giants made the single largest advance, rising five slots just in time to make you wonder if they have one last wild-card run in the tank instead of dealing veteran ace Madison Bumgarner. But that gain was matched by the Rockies' decline, whose flagging fortunes were reflected in a five-spot tumble. And the Rangers suffered an even larger drop, falling six rungs as they drift back toward .500.

With all of these races, the question remains: Can everybody be caught, even the Dodgers? We'll have to see.

For Week 15, our panel of voters was composed of Bradford Doolittle, Christina Kahrl, Eric Karabell, Tim Kurkjian and David Schoenfield.

Previous: Preseason | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

2019 record: 67-35
Week 15 ranking: 1

Chris Taylor landed on the injured list because of a fracture in his left forearm that will keep him out four to six weeks. That could open the door for 21-year-old Gavin Lux, who has been tearing the cover off the ball since his promotion to Triple-A (he hit .500 with six home runs his first 14 games). The Dodgers will also be looking to add to their bullpen at the trade deadline, maybe somebody like Shane Greene of the Tigers or, if they want to think big, Felipe Vazquez of the Pirates (who would probably want Lux in return). -- David Schoenfield

2. New York Yankees

2019 record: 64-34
Week 15 ranking: 2

The Yankees make a pitching roster change almost every day, but it's mostly a revolving door with the same group of pitchers. In fact, only the Reds have used fewer pitchers than the Yankees so far. Those guys have also given the Yankees some unheralded work -- Nestor Cortes Jr. and David Hale, for example, are a combined 6-0 with a 3.48 ERA in 67⅓ innings. -- Schoenfield

ICYMI: How DJ LeMahieu became a household name in the Bronx

3. Houston Astros

2019 record: 64-37
Week 15 ranking: 4

The Astros are getting healthy and are gaining momentum. After an injury-riddled pitching staff struggled for a fairly long stretch, this past week Houston gave up eight total runs in four straight wins against divisional opponents. Meanwhile, Yuli Gurriel remains the hottest hitter in baseball; his 60 total bases in July are eight more than any other MLB hitter, and he's slashing .373/.408/.896 during the month. Gurriel won't keep that up, but if he maintains a reasonable amount of mashing, the Astros have a nearly perfect lineup. -- Bradford Doolittle

ICYMI: Should the Astros target Marcus Stroman?

4. Minnesota Twins

2019 record: 60-38
Week 15 ranking: 3

The Twins are a much better team when Byron Buxton is healthy and patrolling center field. They have a sub-.500 record without him, and his outfield aggressiveness landed him on the seven-day concussion list recently. At the plate, the Twins feel as if anything Buxton gives them is enough, and he is hardly a liability, slugging .490. Buxton is also the team's primary base stealer, and he could end up with half the team's total. Bottom line: He is fun to watch and a crucial player. -- Eric Karabell

ICYMI: Why Buxton is the Twins' key player in the second half

5. Atlanta Braves

2019 record: 60-41
Week 15 ranking: 5

With Max Fried on the IL because of a blister problem, Kevin Gausman still on the IL, and Mike Foltynewicz owning a 5.09 ERA in Triple-A, the Braves gave Kyle Wright another shot, and it didn't go well as he gave up seven runs in 2⅔ innings to the Nationals on Thursday. Given some of this uncertainty in the rotation, the pressure to acquire a starter is picking up steam. -- Schoenfield

6. Oakland Athletics

2019 record: 57-43
Week 15 ranking: 8

Since coming off the injured list May 7, Matt Olson has been on a tear for the A's. His .372 wOBA ranks second among AL first basemen during that time (and seventh overall in MLB). And though a pull hitter who often sees defenses shift against him, he's a perfect 5-for-5 on bunt hits, the only player with 20 or more homers and five or more bunt hits. -- Christina Kahrl

7. Cleveland Indians

2019 record: 57-41
Week 15 ranking: 11

Do the Indians still think they need outfield help as the trade deadline approaches? Since June 21, when they cut Leonys Martin and made Oscar Mercado their everyday center fielder flanked by Tyler Naquin in right and a Jake Bauers/Jordan Luplow platoon in left, the Tribe's outfielders rank a collective fifth in MLB for offensive production with a .370 wOBA. And with Jose Ramirez showing signs of life at the plate since the break, with three homers in 10 games, maybe they're ready to let it ride while seeing if they can overtake the Twins. -- Kahrl

ICYMI: Should Tribe let it ride or trade Trevor Bauer?

8. Chicago Cubs

2019 record: 54-45
Week 15 ranking: 10

All along, it figured the Cubs would be the one NL Central team capable of pulling away in the division race. In coming out of the gate after the All-Star break with seven wins in eight games, all at Wrigley Field, Chicago is looking like the front-runner it was supposed to be. But the Cubs' upcoming road trip includes back-to-back series at St. Louis and Milwaukee. We should know after that what kind of race we're going to have. -- Doolittle

ICYMI: Darvish wins at Wrigley for first time with Cubs

9. Washington Nationals

2019 record: 52-46
Week 15 ranking: 9

In Thursday's victory, Stephen Strasburg became the first pitcher since Edwin Jackson in 2010 to homer and get a second hit in the same inning. Strasburg also became the first Nationals pitcher to drive in five runs in a game. Strasburg won a Silver Slugger in 2012 when he hit .277 with a home run, four doubles and seven RBIs, but even after his big game he's hitting just .136 with one home run and six RBIs in 2019. -- Schoenfield

ICYMI: Remember the buzz about the Nats trading Mad Max? Ancient history

10. Boston Red Sox

2019 record: 54-46
Week 15 ranking: 7

Yes, Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez haven't been as dominant as last season, and Andrew Benintendi hasn't been as good. Still, the Red Sox are second in MLB in runs per game at 5.66, bracketed by the Yankees and Twins. A big key has obviously been Rafael Devers, who has been scorching hot in July. Remember, he went homerless in 30 games in April and now leads the AL in total bases. -- Schoenfield

ICYMI: Price responds as spat with Eckersley resurfaces

11. Tampa Bay Rays

2019 record: 57-45
Week 15 ranking: 6

Just when it looked as if the Rays had recaptured their early-season prowess, they were erased in a three-game drubbing at Yankee Stadium, getting outscored 19-6 in the process. Then they went out and lost a home series to the White Sox, who had been struggling more than any team in the majors since the break. Wth Kevin Kiermaier heading for an MRI to determine the severity of a sprained thumb, Tampa Bay's season threatens to fly off the rails. -- Doolittle

ICYMI: Ex-Rays prospect pivots to Supreme Court clerk

12. Arizona Diamondbacks

2019 record: 50-50
Week 15 ranking: 13

What are the Diamondbacks going to do at the trade deadline? If general manager Mike Hazen's approach is going to be dictated by where Arizona resides in the standings, the answer to that question remains murky. The past week provided little clarity, as the Snakes alternated resounding wins with punchless losses. The next week might provide more concrete clues: Arizona has three at home against Baltimore, followed by a four-game series at Miami. If they can't rise above mediocrity over the next seven days, this might not be a roster worth adding to. -- Doolittle

ICYMI: Selling starting pitching? Act fast

13. St. Louis Cardinals

2019 record: 51-47
Week 15 ranking: 16

Seven wins in their first 10 games since the break have moved the Cardinals into third place in the NL Central, but only 2½ games behind the first-place Cubs. The next 17 days will be the best test of the team's contender status. After a four-game series at Pittsburgh to begin this week, the team will face three first-place teams: the Astros, Cubs and Dodgers. -- Tristan H. Cockcroft

14. Milwaukee Brewers

2019 record: 53-48
Week 15 ranking: 14

Good teams with shaky bullpens either plug those holes or end up missing the playoffs, or flop once they are there. The Brewers at least had the starting point of having Josh Hader while they searched for additional solutions. Unfortunately, those haven't arrived and the Milwaukee pen has collapsed. The Brewers have given up 48 runs in 59⅓ relief innings in July and rank 27th with a 6.52 ERA during the month. This had better change fast. -- Doolittle

15. Los Angeles Angels

2019 record: 52-49
Week 15 ranking: 18

The first 162 games of Shohei Ohtani as a hitter went better than expected, as he hit .292 with 36 home runs, 101 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. That is terrific offensive output, even for this era. Ohtani, who figures to split future seasons on the mound and at the plate, simply hasn't shown many weaknesses. He hammers right-handed pitching, but his OPS against lefties is above .800. He hits fastballs and off-speed stuff. He runs. Some wonder if Ohtani should be a hitter-only asset, and it is a reasonable notion. -- Karabell

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16. Philadelphia Phillies

2019 record: 52-48
Week 15 ranking: 15

Rookie outfielder Adam Haseley should get a legitimate chance at regular playing time in center field. Haseley, who hit his first big league home run this past week against the Dodgers, does not project as a big power option, but he makes contact and should hit for average. The Phillies lack depth -- in more than a few areas -- but Haseley, a Virginia product rushed to the majors, could really help them even if he is just league average. If only he could help the bullpen, too. -- Karabell

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17. San Francisco Giants

2019 record: 50-50
Week 15 ranking: 22

Since locking in prospect Tyler Beede on May 30, the Giants' rotation has stabilized, ranking sixth in innings and 12th in ERA, big improvements from 26th and 25th beforehand. The other major initial problem unit, the outfield, has been equally remarkable in its turnaround -- since adding Alex Dickerson on June 21, Giants outfielders are second in the majors in isolated slugging (.272), trailing only the Dodgers (.293). -- Kahrl

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18. Texas Rangers

2019 record: 50-49
Week 15 ranking: 12

Danny Santana batted 32 times in the major leagues for Atlanta last season -- and hit .179 -- and seemed an afterthought pickup by the Rangers this January. Then a funny thing happened. Santana started hitting and continues to do so. Santana has already batted more times in the majors this season in any year since 2014. He is hitting better than .300 and on pace for more than 20 home runs and perhaps 20 steals. Danny Santana? Good for him, good for the Rangers. -- Karabell

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19. Cincinnati Reds

2019 record: 44-53
Week 15 ranking: 19

The Reds are sinking after seven losses in their first 10 games after the All-Star break, and the team will need a swift turnaround to stay afloat. Injuries -- David Hernandez is on the IL because of a shoulder issue -- absences -- Raisel Iglesias recently missed time while on the paternity list -- and otherwise poor performance by the Reds' bullpen has been a lot of the reason, as the team's 5.17 relief ERA since the break ranks 22nd. -- Cockcroft

20. Pittsburgh Pirates

2019 record: 46-52
Week 15 ranking: 20

The Pirates' bats haven't woken up since the break, and their five home runs as a team during that span ranks last in the majors. Fortunately for the team, its top two healthy starting pitchers have given it a fighting chance, as Chris Archer has delivered back-to-back quality starts to begin his second half, and Joe Musgrove tossed six good innings while tying his season high of eight strikeouts in Saturday's victory. -- Cockcroft

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21. San Diego Padres

2019 record: 47-52
Week 15 ranking: 21

Seeking to inject some life into an offense that had averaged 3.6 runs per game while scoring more than five runs only once in its first 14 games of July, the Padres recalled prospect Luis Urias, who batted .314/.398/.603 with 18 home runs and 49 RBIs in 69 games for Triple-A El Paso between his most recent big league stints. The Padres have gotten a slash line of .233/.308/.377 out of their second basemen this season. -- Cockcroft

22. Colorado Rockies

2019 record: 47-52
Week 15 ranking: 17

Getting swept by the Giants, at the time the NL West's last-place team, at Coors Field added to a miserable month for the Rockies. The team has only three wins in 15 games in July, endured a six-game losing streak during the past week and has gotten an MLB-worst 9.25 ERA from its starters since the break. German Marquez gave up 11 runs in 2⅔ innings to open that series against the Giants, setting the tone for the week. -- Cockcroft

23. New York Mets

2019 record: 45-54
Week 15 ranking: 24

Are we nearing the end of the Noah Syndergaard era as a Met? The big right-hander lowered his ERA to 4.36 against the Giants on Thursday, though he earned a no-decision, and his most recent loss occurred more than two months ago. He really hasn't been the team's biggest problem. Still, the Mets have many needs and the trade deadline is approaching, and Syndergaard, if dealt, would bring back depth and, presumably, youth. Stay tuned: Other Mets are on the block, too. -- Karabell

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24. Chicago White Sox

2019 record: 44-52
Week 15 ranking: 23

The face-plant the White Sox performed coming out of the break wasn't so much disappointing because it destroyed their fringe wild-card hopes. After all, at least the seven-game skid provides some deadline clarity, and Chicago was merely becoming the team its run differential said it was. But for the ChiSox, it's all about the trajectory. Forget about the playoffs in 2019; it's important for Chicago to recreate the perception of forward momentum heading into the offseason. -- Doolittle

25. Toronto Blue Jays

2019 record: 38-63
Week 15 ranking: 26

Marcus Stroman's seven-inning gem against the Tigers on Friday was the highlight of the Blue Jays' week, though it seemed to be more a showcase for scouts from other teams. With it, Stroman lowered his ERA to what would be a career-best 3.06, and he's now on pace for a career high with 21 quality starts. Here's the problem, though, if Stroman is indeed traded: Excluding him, the Blue Jays' ERA from their starters is a combined 6.24, which would be more than a quarter-run worse than any other team this season. -- Cockcroft

26. Seattle Mariners

2019 record: 40-62
Week 15 ranking: 25

How bad has Seattle's pitching been? Very bad. In the first half, opponents hit .269/.333/.476 off the Mariners. That's not good. In the first five games of the second half heading into the weekend, opponents hit .314/.397/.663 and scored 13, 9, 6, 9 and 10 runs. The offense countered by scoring nine runs total. So much fun in Seattle these days. When does that NHL team start play? -- Schoenfield

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27. Kansas City Royals

2019 record: 37-64
Week 15 ranking: 28

Royals pitching has been anything but good this season, but give closer Ian Kennedy some props. Kennedy entered the season with 289 starts, still among the top 20 for active hurlers, and with nary a save. He has flourished as a closer, giving the team back-end stability, and could surpass 25 saves for the season; the team's save leaders in 2018 had 14. Kennedy in June: 0.96 ERA and eight saves. July has been solid, too. Perhaps the Royals can actually flip Kennedy, 34, before the deadline. -- Karabell

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28. Miami Marlins

2019 record: 36-61
Week 15 ranking: 27

The improbable saga of rookie Jordan Yamamoto took another twist Sunday. Facing the Dodgers with an unblemished record and having never given up more than two earned runs in his first six MLB starts, he took his first real major-league beating, giving up five earned runs in four innings to suffer his first MLB loss. -- Kahrl

29. Baltimore Orioles

2019 record: 31-67
Week 15 ranking: 30

As ugly as the season has been, the Orioles are 8-9 in their past 17 games, and have held opponents to two runs or fewer in nine of those games. The lack of pitching depth is still telling -- they've lost five of those 17 games by five or more runs -- but they've slowly morphed into a more competitive club. Less helpful is Chris Davis, still only "good" for just a .674 OPS since snapping his season-opening 12-game hitless streak. -- Kahrl

30. Detroit Tigers

2019 record: 30-65
Week 15 ranking: 29

The Tigers' stock to trade from to shore up their rebuilding effort is getting smaller. Matthew Boyd hasn't thrown a quality start in six weeks (posting a 6.62 ERA with 11 homers allowed in 35⅓ innings across six turns) and Jordan Zimmermann has seen his ERA go up by two full runs in July. So they might have just closer Shane Greene and designated hitter-to-be Nicholas Castellanos to work from. -- Kahrl