Eoin Morgan hailed England's heart-stopping victory in the World Cup final at Lord's as the culmination of a four-year journey, and singled out Ben Stokes for particular praise after the manner in which he carried the team's hopes in both their faltering run-chase and then the Super Over.

Stokes top-scored for England with 84 not out from 98 balls in their regulation 50 overs, having rescued the team from 86 for 4 in the 24th, then - while battling fatigue - added a further eight runs from three balls in the Super Over.

"To come through it is extraordinary," said Morgan. "He's almost superhuman. He really carried the team and our batting line-up. I know Jos [Buttler] and his partnership was extraordinary, but to bat with the lower order the way he did I thought was incredible.

"The atmosphere, the emotion that was going through the whole game, he managed to deal with that in an extremely experienced manner. And obviously everybody watching at home will hopefully try and be the next Ben Stokes."

It was particularly sweet for Stokes to be England's hero in light of what happened to him on the last occasion that England reached a World final, the World T20 in India in 2016, when he was hit for four sixes by West Indies' Carlos Brathwaite.

"I have said this a number of times about Ben, I think a lot of careers would have been ended after what happened in Kolkata," Morgan said. "Ben on numerous occasions has stood up individually and in a unit for us. He leads the way in training, in any team meetings we have, and he's an incredible cricketer. And today he's had a huge day out and obviously we are thankful for that."

Speaking with the World Cup trophy sitting next to him at Lord's, Morgan joked that he was carrying it around with him as much as he could because he still could not believe the extraordinary circumstances by which his team had inched over the line, beating New Zealand on boundary countback after they could not be separated on the field.

"To me and to the team, and everybody who has been involved over the last four years, it means absolutely everything," Morgan said. "The planning, the hard work, the dedication, the commitment and the little bit of luck today really did get us over the line.

"It's been an absolutely incredible journey to everybody around the country and around the world who has followed us and supported us, thank you so much. It's been phenomenal."

It was a contest that could not be separated by runs scored, in regulation play nor during the Super Over, but were England inadvertently awarded one run too many during the chaotic scenes of Trent Boult's final over to Ben Stokes?

In what was later pinpointed by New Zealand's captain Kane Williamson as the key "uncontrollable" of England's run-chase, Stokes inadvertently sent a throw from deep midwicket skimming to the third man boundary, after diving for his crease in a bid to complete his second run.

After consultation with his colleagues, Kumar Dharmasena signaled six runs for the incident, meaning that England - seemingly drifting out of contention needing nine runs from three balls, were suddenly right back in the hunt needing three more from two.

However, according to Law 19.8, pertaining to "Overthrow or wilful act of fielder", it would appear that England's second on-field run should not have counted, making it a total of five runs for the incident, not six.

The law states: "If the boundary results from an overthrow or from the wilful act of a fielder, the runs scored shall be any runs for penalties awarded to either side, and the allowance for the boundary, and the runs completed by the batsmen, together with the run in progress if they had already crossed at the instant of the throw or act."

Also read: Last-over nail-biter

The crucial clause is the last part. A review of the footage of the incident shows clearly that, at the moment the ball was released by the New Zealand fielder, Martin Guptill, Stokes and his partner, Adil Rashid, had not yet crossed for their second run.

There is potential scope for ambiguity in the wording of the law, given that it references throw or "act", which may pertain to the moment that the ball deflected off Stokes' bat. However, there is no reference to the batsman's actions at any other point in the Law.

Speaking before questions about the Law came to light, Eoin Morgan said: "I wasn't quite sure what had happened to start with because, obviously, he dived and there was dust everywhere and the ball deflected through and all the Blackcaps standing around going "What's going on?" So I was trying to figure out, did he hit it, did the keeper hit it?

"I was trying to stay in the moment. I wasn't celebrating. It is not something you celebrate or cheer, well I don't because that could be us on the other side of it, and there's margins like that today that we spoke about. We spoke about that just chatting in the outfield the finest of margins today of guys ducking balls when they could have scored or different case scenarios, stealing runs where guys should have stopped them. It does emphasise that you need to be on top of your game."

Kane Williamson was left to regret the small margins that left them runner's up for the consecutive World Cups. "You can't sort of look at that and think that perhaps that decided the match," he said. "There were so many other bits and pieces to that game that were so important. When it comes down to a tie, you start looking at every single delivery, don't you? It was a pretty tough pill to swallow that when, yeah, when we were looking pretty likely with Trent bowling really, really well, so one of those things.

Though Stokes was unable to take England all the way in the remainder of that over, he and Jos Buttler teamed up in the Super Over to score a further 15 runs to give England the trophy after New Zealand this time were the team to match their total, only to lose on boundary countback.

The ICC has been approached by ESPNcricinfo for comment.

Cricket's grandest of occasions received a grandstand finale, and one that was potentially watched by a whole new audience in the UK, after the decision to show the match on Channel 4 in a one-off capacity, the first men's international to be screened on terrestrial TV since the 2005 Ashes.

And England's captain Eoin Morgan, whose team has been acutely aware of the need for English cricket to boost its participation levels, said that he hoped that the finale of the match would have attracted a fair few new converts to the sport, even on a day when cricket was competing both with a gripping men's tennis final between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer at Wimbledon, and Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Silverstone Grand Prix.

It potentially helped Channel 4's viewing figures that the Super Over came only minutes after the completion of Djokovic's victory.

"I hope so," Morgan said. "Particularly given the time it finished. Obviously today is a big day of sport with Wimbledon and Silverstone GP going on, but with Sunday evening, people normally settle in for a bit of David Attenborough or some random film that's on, so I hope they were tuned into the cricket.

ALSO READ: 'He's almost superhuman' - Morgan lauds extraordinary Stokes

"I certainly hope participation levels go up or continue to rise," he added. "I think the nature in which the game was played today was absolutely outstanding.

"I commend the Black Caps and Kane, they have been incredible, a hugely admirable team, spirit, the way they play, the fight they show and the fact they have done it for an extremely long time.

"We're only newcomers to this and we want to be as consistent as them come the next World Cup, with aspirations like that. But to get over the line reaffirms everything that we have done over the last four years and justifies it as well."

As to Morgan himself, he will be 37 come the 2023 World Cup in India, and though he said that he would take time to enjoy the feeling of being a World Cup winner, he was coy about his own future as England captain.

"We will let the dust settle," he said. "We'll celebrate as hard as we can. I think it's deserved. And then we will look at things. Four years is a long time away. I think the big question I will have to answer is will I be in the team in four years, will I be good enough? These guys are improving very quickly. Will I be able to keep up with them?"

For now, though, Morgan has etched himself a place in English sporting history, emulating Bobby Moore in 1966 and Martin Johnson in 2003 as the three England captains to have won the World Cup in one of the country's major sports.

Asked if he was aware of how this achievement might change his life, Morgan said: "I'm not sure it has. I hope it hasn't changed that much. I enjoy my life. I lead quite a quiet one, so I hope it hasn't changed too much. I would love it to change for everybody else who wants it to change, but I enjoy my life."

"It was just one of those things, hey". Kane Williamson, World Cup final press conference.

Over 44.5

Jos Buttler has changed how batsmen hit the ball. His golf swing power fade shots have shown that big sixes aren't solely about how big you are. Not that he isn't in peak physical condition, as usual every part of him is immaculate. If he looks like he's been grown in a lab by sports scientists, it's because the ECB would actually do that if they could. And like he seems to do more than most, he bats as if the pitch is different for him. His strike rate is 100 when he faces the last ball of the 45th over, the rest of his team is nowhere near that.

Lockie Ferguson is bowling to him. He has his long sleeve shirt untucked, he's wearing his black boots, he does not look like an international cricketer. More the bloke who rocks up to your local club like he's never played the game before bouncing out everyone. He doesn't use pace or bounce, he bowls wide and slow, Buttler slices it towards deep point. Tim Southee - the 12th man who took 7 for 33 against England last World Cup - is part of the best fast-bowling fielding packs in the world. But he misjudges the ball, going left, then right, before sliding in to take it barely above the surface.

Maybe it was like this all day, but this is where it really started. Whatever this was, one of those things.

Over 45.6

Jimmy Neesham is a part-time bowler, he's probably the sixth bowler for New Zealand at times, at best he's part of the fifth bowler with Colin de Grandhomme. But in the last two games, he has been something else: a death bowler. Last match he had to hold his nerve with MS Dhoni at the crease. In this one to win a World Cup. And this part timer, fifth bowler, batting allrounder, whatever you call him, stands up. His first 11 balls in the Powerplay went for seven.

But he's bowling to Ben Stokes, a man desperate to not be remembered for a fight outside a nightclub. And he has three boundaries in 85 balls, Buttler is gone. The lower order is in, it is now or never for Stokes. The ball is full and straight, it's a shovel helicopter heave. It's the shot you play when you spend a lot of time in the gym. And he finds four.

Over 46.1

Ferguson digs one short, and it is Chris Woakes facing. England's batting has been so deep over the last four years that Adil Rashid and his ten first-class hundreds have batted eleven. And yet here, in the only game that matters, Woakes is at seven. It all feels different, England's entire set up is for 350-plus and hacking the middle overs with a never ending batting order is now just getting the runs any way you can. With Ferguson's bounce, Woakes can only top edge.

Under the catch is Tom Latham. He came into this tournament as a quality player and then hit a form slump at the wrong time. In the first seven games he never went past 14. It was only the game against England where he looked right, but his best innings was probably today when he made 47. The catch is the same, it goes very high, he moves in nine directions and is not in control, before finally pulling it together, taking the catch and almost falling over in disbelief.

Over 46.3

When Ferguson bowls to Liam Plunkett, it is beast meet beast. The big fast bowler up against the burly hitter. But, we get beauty instead as Ferguson bowls a Richard Hadlee leg cutter. Here is this young raw fast bowling demon - New Zealand uses leg gully as near necessity for him - bowling the more intricate ball that angles in, grips and moves away missing Plunkett's outside edge. This game feels apocalyptic, and this is the daisy that stands tall in the rubble.

Over 46.5

There was a time when Plunkett was one player who looked like losing his spot to Jofra Archer. Plunkett had a disappointing Big Bash League, seemed to be down on pace, and those magical cross seam balls just weren't working. But they did today, they did for Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls - and now he was in at eight and doing his other skill, slogging a few at the end. Plunkett kept going like England keep going.

This was England's 2992nd boundary since the last World Cup. From one to eleven, they all get it done.

Over 47.2

Trent Boult was where New Zealand would win this, left-arm seam rules Lord's, England do not face it well and first ball when he hit Jason Roy's pad it looked like it would be his game. But the lbw wasn't given, and now he was scrapping away at the death. He starts well, but he gives Stokes length, and he smashes one out to midwicket. Against most teams it would be four. But Mitchell Santner was there. It was Santner patrolling the boundary against India as well pulling off great saves that put extra pressure on Dhoni and Jadeja.

Over 48.4

The ball prior, Neesham made Plunkett mistime one down to long-off, Boult takes the catch. Now Neesham gets another mishit, this time from Stokes, and it's straight to Boult again. It was Boult who caught Carlos Brathwaite after Brathwaite had made a hundred at Old Trafford. It was a simple chance under colossal pressure, right on the rope. He's also pulled off some of the most fantastic boundary, and even non-boundary, catches over the last few years. And this one isn't near his hardest, he takes the catch while falling back, and for a moment, it looks like New Zealand has won the World Cup. But Boult got his feet wrong. His right foot lands safely, had he just tried to balance on that, he's fine, but his left foot lands, on the boundary triangle. It's not a catch, it's a six, England's first for the entire innings. Guptill, the relay catcher, doesn't hesitate in calling it a six.

Over 49.3

Boult nails two yorkers. Those are the exact balls that Stokes couldn't deliver against Brathwaite in the World T20 final of 2016. Here is Stokes, back in the most important over in cricket, and again he has started poorly. When Don Topley tried to comfort Stokes after that over in Kolkata - regaling him with a time in domestic cricket where Topley had allowed a big match losing over - Stokes turned to him and said, "But it didn't happen in front of a billion people, did it"? That over haunts Stokes, it was out there in the middle with him today.

Boult gives him a chance, he hits a length, Stokes swings across it as he loses balance, his power base is lopsided, but the ball flies deep into the stand. Lord's had been nervous all day, this was the time it first roared.

Over 49.4

Boult misses his yorker again, and this time it's a full toss and Stokes should hit it back into a stand, but he clangs it and it dribbles to deep midwicket. This time Martin Guptill is there. In the 2015 World Cup he was the leading scorer, this time he struggled all tournament with the bat, but in the field, he's god-like. It was his run out from deep backward square to remove Dhoni that got New Zealand here. Now he's motoring in to stop Stokes from finding two, he picks it up third bounce and throws in one motion. It's a beautiful throw, right in at the stumps. The only thing that can stop it hitting the stumps is Stokes dive.

The Law change of recent times means that batsmen can't impede the ball being thrown at the stumps without a risk of being out. But Stokes is just diving because he needs to get it, he doesn't know where the ball is, but he middles the ball off the back of his bat while he is horizontal. The ball goes past Latham and out towards the third man boundary. But third man is up in the circle.

Colin de Grandhomme played possibly one of the poorest innings of his life with the bat and then followed it with maybe his best spell of bowling ever. Now he's chasing this ball up the Lord's slope, and towards the rope. Behind him Stokes has raised his hands and does not try to run for the deflected overthrows, he looks confused and apologetic. In the old days, to get a four to the Pavilion End the ball had to go up the slope and then also up the slight hill right in front of the pavilion. That hill if it was there might have been enough for the exhausted looking de Grandhomme to overcome the ball, instead the four metres of lost space means he can't get there - it doesn't race to the rope, it just gets there. And England have scored their second lucky six.

There are conversations between players and umpires, Stokes doesn't seem to want the runs, New Zealand would prefer they didn't count, but there is nothing they can do. No one is sure if the umpires have noticed that Guptill's throw came in before the batsmen had crossed, so perhaps the four overthrows should have stood, but only one of the actual run runs. But six runs in total are given to England, they need three from two.

Over 49.6

Because of a great Boult yorker and a great Boult take, they run Rashid out at the non-striker's end. That means England need two from the last ball. Stokes talks to Mark Wood. Stokes decides on a two, and even when Boult bowls a slower yorker outside leg stump, Stokes just pokes it into a gap, and they look for two. But he hits it too hard, and Neesham flies in and gets the ball back to Boult who takes off the bails. Wood who looked injured earlier in the day when he finished his overs - Wood who almost always looks injured - who bowled probably the quickest spell in a World Cup final earlier that day, is now lying on the turf, run out by metres. New Zealand had two run outs in as many balls. England had a tie.

Super Over - England

0.1

Stokes faces Boult again for the Super Over, and the first ball he slices over third man. Buttler motors through for three, Stokes limps his. He looks moments from crippling cramp, and like running another three could have him close to retired hurt in a Super Over.

0.6

Boult finishes the Super Over with another full toss. One of the most accurate bowlers in world cricket, but he's now bowled two consecutive last overs, he should have won the first one, now he's strolling the second. Buttler whips the full toss with those golf power wrists because that is what England do. That is what Buttler does. Express yourself is the English mantra, and Buttler's self is boundaries. Since the last World Cup his strike rate is 124, no one else over a 1000 runs is faster. This is just four more, but it puts the Super Over into supernova territory.

Super Over - New Zealand

0.2

Neesham had a list in front of him with reasons why he should or shouldn't quit cricket only 18 months ago. He was 27, but the grind of professional cricket had almost beaten him. Injuries, form problems and missing the last World Cup had all eaten at the game he loved as a kid. Now he is New Zealand's designated hitter for the Super Over of the World Cup final. And he's only slogged a full ball into the stand.

New Zealand were seven from four away from winning.

0.3

Neesham hits out to the leg side, the New Zealand pair are running two no matter what, but it turns out that they don't have to worry as Roy flies in but fumbles the ball. A clean take and throw at Neesham's end could have removed the power-hitting Neesham, instead Roy has to pick the ball back up as the batsmen stroll home.

0.5

After New Zealand take another two, Neesham has two balls to find three runs. But Jofra Archer is bowling to him. Archer was a wicketkeeper in Barbados in his youth, whose selection started a row about how tight the English team were, and whether he would somehow fit in. Archer's father was born in the UK, usually that would be enough to play for the country. But because of regulations, he had to wait to qualify for England. It seemed everything was always against Archer until he started bowling fast. He bowls very fast. Today Archer hit someone in the head, it's the third time this tournament he has.

So when Neesham was drilling his full balls, Archer went short. It was in conversation with Eoin Morgan. Morgan has been through a lot in his career. A failed Test career, captaining against his own nation, and annoying some English fans by not singing their anthem. And also rebuilding English white-ball cricket. He has also captained a bowler who went for 24 runs in four balls to lose a World T20.

But this short ball worked, it smashed Neesham's arm, and took him from strike. The Archer-Morgan gamble paid off, New Zealand needed two runs from the last ball.

0.6

Archer's full, straight ball was flicked out to midwicket by Guptill. The reason New Zealand sent Guptill was because of his running between the wickets. "He is such a fast runner, and that was all he had to do," Williamson said. After Guptill flicks the ball, he slipps, his spikes just don't grip the surface, and Roy is running around like mad. Roy made Australia's semi-final total look pitiful, but they dropped Roy during the Champions Trophy. And he had just misfielded a ball. This time he picks it up perfectly, he gets it out of his hand, and it goes back to Buttler. It is a long way from the stumps, but Guptill is a long way from the crease.

It is another tie, but a fatal one for New Zealand. The scores were the same, but England hit more boundaries, Buttler hit seven on his own.

On the balcony, Williamson clutches his chest. It was just one of those games, hey

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

STATELINE, Nev. -- Tony Romo completed a wire-to-wire victory Sunday in the American Century Championship for his second consecutive win in the celebrity tournament at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course.

The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current CBS NFL analyst closed with a 2-over 74 and scored 20 points to finish at 71 in the modified Stableford scoring system. Former pitcher Mark Mulder, the winner in 2015-17, was 10 points back after a 71 and a 24-point day.

Romo, 39, became the fourth player in tournament history to successfully defend the title. With Romo an amateur, the $125,000 first prize was donated to official tournament charity Stowers Institute for Medical Research.

"It's an honor to win this tournament," Romo said. "I came in with confidence and this is some of the best golf I've played these past few weeks. When I won last year, every shot mattered. This year, it was easier. That's why we practice so much."

Free-agent forward Tyler Lydon has agreed to a two-year deal with the Sacramento Kings, agent Andy Shiffman of Priority Sports told ESPN.

Lydon, 23, was the No. 24 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft but never was able to crack the rotation on a deep and talented Denver Nuggets roster.

Lydon's ability to shoot 3-pointers attracted the Kings, who have been on the search for floor-spacers. Teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers had discussed trading for Lydon during his second NBA season, but no trade ever materialized, league sources said.

Lydon, who is 6-foot-10, played in 25 games in his second NBA season in 2018-19, after an injury cut short his rookie season to just one game appearance. Lydon played two seasons at Syracuse before entering the NBA draft.

The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to hire former Toronto Raptors assistant Phil Handy as an assistant coach, a source told ESPN's The Undefeated.

Handy will be a front-of-the-bench assistant under new Lakers head coach Frank Vogel.

Handy has been an assistant coach with the Raptors (2018-19) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (2013-18) after working in player development for the Lakers (2011-13). The former Hawai'i star guard has coached as an assistant in the NBA Finals the past five seasons, winning two titles.

Handy has worked with the likes of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving on their individual games over the past eight seasons.

This is Handy's first assistant coaching job in the NBA at the front of the bench. The LA Clippers also had interest in Handy before he took the Lakers job.

MILWAUKEE -- About 20,000 Milwaukee Bucks fans packed the courtyard outside Fiserv Forum -- nicknamed the "Deer District" -- to celebrate Giannis Antetokounmpo's MVP award. Some fans wore Antetokounmpo jerseys. Others showed up Sunday with homemade posters and intricate paintings of Antetokounmpo.

The Bucks had set up a temporary stage where a DJ played. The actual ceremony -- during which Antetokounmpo briefly addressed the crowd and held up the trophy -- lasted just 15 minutes, but fans showed up to stake out the perfect selfie spot hours before the Bucks star arrived.

When Antetokounmpo took the stage around 3:15 p.m. CT, he grabbed a microphone with the Bucks' moniker on it and asked the crowd for three favors. After asking fans in attendance to show up for every game next season and to pose for a crowded selfie, Antetokounmpo urged them not to call him the Most Valuable Player anymore.

"After this day, please don't call me the MVP until I win it again next year," he said. The crowd roared with delight.

On Saturday, Antetokounmpo told ESPN that he had reached only 60 percent of his basketball potential. He expanded on that Sunday, saying, "I've got a lot of things that I can improve on. In my head, when I say that I am only 60 percent, it makes me want to improve. Obviously, I can add a jump shot to my game." Then Antetokounmpo yelled out to the crowd asking for more suggestions on improvements he could make.

"Free throws," one man screamed.

"Three-pointers," a woman yelled.

"We love you," another man shouted.

The "Greek Freak" laughed and nodded through all the responses.

Antetokounmpo, 24, had more to say about it to reporters afterward.

"I get mad when my girlfriend says, 'You know you're really good, you're one of the best,'" Antetokounmpo said. "I'm like, 'No, I'm not,' because whenever that happens I relax. I am a person where whatever I do, I do it 100 percent. If I am lazy, I am lazy 100 percent. I don't want to relax a bit because I'm not done yet. I want to be for multiple years the best player in the league."

Antetokounmpo concluded his speech to fans by saying, "Let's go win the big trophy now," in reference to the Larry O'Brien championship trophy.

After a final energetic back-and-forth with the crowd, Antetokounmpo walked down the steps of the stage and watched a short video that featured short clips of former Bucks star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, teammates Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton, Brewers player Christian Yelich, Antetokounmpo's brothers, mother and others congratulating him on his award.

After the ceremony, Antetokounmpo held a brief and wide-ranging news conference in which he talked about his summer travels, the Bucks' offseason roster moves and his signature shoe.

Antetokounmpo said he was pleased with how the Bucks' roster had taken shape. He would have "loved" to have seen Malcolm Brogdon -- who signed a three-year, $85 million deal with the Indiana Pacers -- return to the Bucks. He conceded that when it comes to roster construction, numbers aren't his specialty, and he understood why it was best that Brogdon moved on.

"Obviously, we didn't have enough to bring him back," Antetokounmpo said of Brogdon. "That's my brother. I wish him nothing but the best going forward. I know he is going to kill it in Indiana -- hopefully not against us. I think we have guys that will step up and take that role."

This summer has been a whirlwind, Antetokounmpo said. Just in the past month, he has been in Greece, Los Angeles, Milwaukee and Las Vegas.

Antetokounmpo said he isn't sure how the busy offseason, combined with the deepest postseason run he has been a part of, will affect his performance next season.

"I might come back and be tired for the first month," Antetokounmpo said. "I really don't know how it is going to go for me, but I am going to learn from it. Hopefully next year when we go -- if we go -- all the way, I got to know how to react."

Then, Antetokounmpo picked up the MVP trophy, walked through the hallways of Fiserv Forum and back outside, where he proceeded to block children's layups with a smile on his face.

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox have placed knuckleballer Steven Wright on the 10-day injured list with a bruised right foot a day after he was hit with a line drive by Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Max Muncy.

The move was made before Sunday night's series finale against Los Angeles at Fenway Park.

With Wright being placed on the IL, Boston added right-hander Andrew Cashner to the active roster.

The Red Sox acquired the 32-year-old Cashner from the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday for two minor leaguers. He's expected to make his first start for Boston on Tuesday in Fenway against the Toronto Blue Jays.

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- A tight right calf forced Mike Trout to exit Sunday's game early, but the Los Angeles Angels' star center fielder doesn't anticipate missing much more time, if any.

"I don't think it's a big deal," Trout said after a 6-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners, which capped a three-game sweep in the Angels' first home series since the death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs.

Trout experienced soreness in his calf early in the game and was removed to begin the third inning. He lobbied to remain in the game, but the team instead opted to exercise caution with its best player.

Trout, 27, will undergo an MRI on Monday, but Angels manager Brad Ausmus said "we don't think it's a long-term thing."

Trout is batting .305/.455/.666, putting him on a pace to capture his third MVP trophy, and is 12-for-32 with eight home runs in nine games this month.

"They're just playing it safe," said Trout, who left open the possibility of playing in Monday's game against the visiting Houston Astros. "Calves can be tough. You don't want it to get worse."