Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer said Friday he has an inflamed bursa sac in his back and received a cortisone shot on Tuesday to clear up inflammation.

Scherzer told reporters he won't pitch Sunday but is hopeful it won't be too much longer.

The injury was originally diagnosed as a back strain, but Scherzer said the current diagnosis is scapuolothoracic bursitis.

Scherzer was placed on the injured list last week, retroactive to July 10, meaning he was eligible to come off Saturday.

Scherzer was 7-0 with a 0.84 ERA in his past nine starts before the All-Star break, and he withdrew from the All-Star Game due to the ailing back.

The Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to a deal with left-hander Drew Smyly pending a physical, manager Gabe Kapler confirmed to reporters Friday.

If it goes through, the 30-year-old Smyly would move into the starting rotation and pitch Sunday against the Pirates in Pittsburgh, Kapler said.

The Phillies do not have a left-hander in their rotation.

Smyly had Tommy John surgery in 2017 and didn't pitch in 2018. He started this season with the Texas Rangers and compiled a 1-5 record and a 8.42 ERA, giving up 19 home runs in 51 1/3 innings. He was released on June 25.

Milwaukee signed Smyly to a minor league deal July 1, and in 12 2/3 innings in Triple-A, he had 4.97 ERA. He opted out of that deal Thursday.

Smyly has a career record of 32-32 and a 4.13 ERA over six seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Rays and Rangers.

Nick Pivetta would move into the bullpen for the Phillies if the deal goes through, Kapler said.

Rick Shapiro, a longtime attorney for the Major League Baseball Players Association, has been let go by the union after being increasingly marginalized in recent months, according to sources.

Shapiro's departure comes at a time when the union is gearing up for what will be an important and perhaps contentious round of collective bargaining with Major League Baseball. The current agreement, negotiated in December of 2016, is set to expire after the 2021 season, and the two sides have agreed to begin discussions this summer -- although it's currently unclear whether there is hope of immediate progress.

Tony Clark, the head of the players association, has been outspoken in his dissatisfaction with recent trends in the game, particularly in the way that veteran players have fared in free agency.

Last summer, Clark brought on Bruce Meyer, who had served as counsel for the NHL Players Association.

Shapiro had been heavily involved with past CBA talks and the union's arbitration arguments.

Aaron Boone's "savage" rant has netted him a one-game suspension.

The New York Yankees manager was disciplined a day after being ejected from Thursday's 6-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Boone was also fined an undisclosed amount for "inappropriate actions, including contact with the home plate umpire" during a tirade in which he called his own players "f---ing savages" and told umpire Brennan Miller, "Tighten it up right now, OK?" Boone was ejected for his outburst.

Boone, along with players Brett Gardner and DJ LeMahieu, was upset with some of Miller's strike calls. Miller is an International League crew chief who made his big league debut April 20 as a call-up umpire and was behind the plate for the fifth time in the majors.

The manager will miss the opener of the Yankees' home series against the Colorado Rockies.

His rant was met with raves from his players, with slugger Luke Voit saying Thursday, "Not a lot of coaches I think would back it up and use that type of word, but I think we appreciate it -- and we are a bunch of savages."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

BROWNSBURG, Ind. – Despite Mother Nature’s attempt to ruin all possibility for a 2019 edition of the Ohio Logistics Brad Doty Classic, Attica Raceway Park officials and event promoter, Brad Doty, have put into action a new plan that allowed the 31-year event to return to the schedule.

Now a multi-day showstopper in northwest Ohio, the Brad Doty Classic has transformed into a two-day, Labor Day weekend program, welcoming Tony Stewart’s Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 to headline both days of competition.

Set Aug. 30-31, Brad Doty Classic Weekend will award a total winner’s share equalling $15,000; $5,000 during Friday’s preliminary and $10,000 during Saturday’s Ohio Logistics Brad Doty Classic presented by Racing Optics finale.

“This is an exciting time for the Brad Doty Classic. I’m thrilled we were able to put this plan together and in such a short amount of time. I want to thank everyone involved including the entire All Star staff, all of those from Attica Raceway Park, and of course Ohio Logistics, Racing Optics, and all of the Brad Doty Classic partners for working together and making this event a reality after all,” Brad Doty explained. “It’s going to be a fantastic weekend.”

In addition, Brad Doty Classic Weekend will kick-off a massive, four-day stretch for Tony Stewart’s All Star Circuit of Champions. Following their visit to Attica Raceway Park, the series will move east and visit Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, Ohio, on Sept. 1-2.

Like Attica Raceway Park, the two-day visit to Wayne County will award a total winner’s share equalling $15,000; $10,000 during the annual Pete Jacobs Memorial on Sunday, followed by a $5,000-to-win program on Monday.

NEWTON, Iowa – On an extremely warm and muggy day in eastern Iowa, Chandler Smith led the way in ARCA Menards Series practice for Friday’s Fans with Benefits 150 at Iowa Speedway.

Smith’s fast lap came with three minutes remaining in the 90-minute session.

With temperatures already in the upper 80s and expected to climb into the upper 90s, drivers were expected to deal with a lack of grip on the 14-year-old Iowa Speedway pavement. Smith’s 24.399 second/129.104 mile per hour lap narrowly eclipsed teammate Michael Self, who led the session briefly before Smith’s fast lap. Self’s lap of 24.431 seconds/128.935 mph was good for second fastest.

Bret Holmes set the fastest lap in the opening moments of the session and stayed there throughout the next 85 minutes, but for most of that time Holmes was in the garage area. He made significant contact with the turn four wall about 20 minutes into the session, seriously damaging the right side of his car. Holmes and team are busy unloading their backup car in hopes of making a lap during General Tire Pole Qualifying.

Corey Heim was fourth at 24.499 seconds/128.577 mph and Ty Gibbs was fifth at 24.668 seconds/127.696 mph.

Christian Eckes, Carson Hocevar, Kaden Honeycutt, Travis Braden and Colby Howard rounded out the top-10.

In addition to the incident involving Holmes, the session was slowed four other times for incidents. The first caution of the day was for Rick Clifton, who’s car dropped fluid on the speedway. After the green came out following a lengthy clean-up the caution immediately came out again when Dick Doheny spun into the infield on the frontstretch. Howard spun off turn two shortly after the Holmes incident. Jason Miles also spun off turn two in the final half hour of the session.

James Harden has decided to withdraw from playing with the U.S. National Team at this summer's FIBA World Cup in China.

Harden is the second top player to pull out of a previous commitment to Team USA in the last week, joining Anthony Davis.

Harden told the Houston Chronicle on Friday that he had advised coach Gregg Popovich of his decision and that he'd use the extra time to focus on adapting to playing with new Rockets teammate Russell Westbrook.

Toronto Raptors star Kyle Lowry had surgery on his thumb this week in New York, but he is hoping to recover in time to play with the team.

The team's current roster has depth at guard with All-Stars Damian Lillard, Kemba Walker and Bradley Beal among those still committed.

The event runs from Sept. 1-15 at various cities in China. The tournament runs closer to training camps than it had been in years past.