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A look ahead to top enterprise and feature stories planned globally by AP Sports. New digests will go out each Thursday and Monday and will be repeated on other weekdays. Please note that story plans may change depending on news and other issues.

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As with all our operations, we welcome and want your feedback. If you have thoughts or questions about the Sports Showcase Digest or the material listed, please reach out to Oskar Garcia, deputy sports editor for presentation and storytelling, at 215-446-6632 or at ogarcia(at)ap.org.

All times are Eastern.

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SOC–WCUP-THE JERSEYS

NEW YORK – Spain, your asymmetry is showing. Nigeria, you’re so bright I need shades! Croatia, Russia’s fresh out of Big Boy restaurants. Those three countries and a few more are among the more festive standouts in jerseys this time around, with loads of sentimental touches in the designs of the 32 shirts rolled out over the last few months. By Leanne Italie. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.

SOC-WCUP PREVIEW

After raising the World Cup eight miles from Copacabana Beach four years ago, Germany hopes to lift the trophy four miles from the Kremlin on July 15 and become the first repeat champion in more than a half-century. The soccer world gathers at 12 stadiums in 11 cities across the European portion of Russia starting June 14 for a 32-day Zemgus Girgensons Jersey , 64-match championship. Much has changed since Die Mannschaft humiliated the host Selecao 7-1 in the 2014 semifinals, then left Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium with a 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina on Mario Goetze’s 113th-minute goal. By Ronald Blum. SENT: 860 words, photos.

WEDNESDAY, June 13

FBN–WENTZ’S COMEBACK

PHILADELPHIA – Carson Wentz was having an MVP season before a torn ACL forced him to the sideline where he watched Nick Foles lead the Philadelphia Eagles to their first Super Bowl victory. Wentz has a mission to return for Week 1 but his return comes with interesting circumstances: He’s got no pressure to return right away because the Eagles can lean on the Super Bowl MVP to start the season. And that’s not necessarily a threat to Wentz, whose friendship with Foles appears without the strain seen in other famed NFL tandems like Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers or Joe Montana and Steve Young. That has allowed Wentz to pursue other interests while rehabbing, like building a sports complex during a mission trip to Haiti, with the comfort of knowing his job is reasonably safe if he plays well once he comes back. By Rob Maaddi. UPCOMING: 850 words, photos by 3 a.m. Wednesday.

SOF–OLY-SOFTBALL GLOBALIZATION

OKLAHOMA CITY – U.S. softball officials say the sport needs to thrive outside the mainland United States and Japan to remain an Olympic sport long term. Softball was in the Summer Olympics from 1996 to 2008 but was left off the program in 2012 and 2016. It will return in Tokyo in 2020, and U.S. officials hope to convince Paris officials it needs to be a part of the 2024 Games. They say evidence of progress for other national teams will help their argument. By Cliff Brunt. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 12 p.m. Wednesday.

THURSDAY, June 14

BBC–STRIKEOUT UPSWING

OMAHA, Neb. – If the College World Series plays out like the season up to this point, there’ll be lots of strikeouts. Mirroring what’s happening in the major leagues Mathew Barzal Jersey , strikeouts are on the upswing in the college game. Strikeouts are at an all-time high, and the number of pitching staffs averaging nine or more per nine innings has tripled in the last two years. By Eric Olson. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 3 a.m. Thursday.

FRIDAY, June 15

FBC–COLLEGE FOOTBALL FATHERS

It is not uncommon to find major college football players all over the country who are fathers, many of them unmarried. Coaches say they want to know as much as possible when a child is in the picture. Information and understanding are vital to helping players who are fathers manage the responsibilities of school, football and parenthood. For some coaches it is not just about accommodating players who have kids, it is about helping to teach the young men in their programs to be good dads. By AP College Football Writer Ralph D. Russo. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos by 3 a.m. Friday.

SOC–WCUP-AMERICAN REFEREES

MOSCOW – The United States is missing from the World Cup for the first time since 1986 but is the only nation with two referees in Russia: Mark Geiger and Jair Marrufo. By Ronald Blum. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by 4 p.m. Friday.

SATURDAY, June 16

SOC–WORLD CUP-VIEWING PARTIES

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Start times before the sun rises and the lack of the U.S. team in the World Cup might seem to put a damper on excitement for the tournament. But the San Jose Earthquakes hope to make it a month-long party by showing every game on the video board at Avaya Stadium, even those starting as early as 3 a.m. local time. By Josh Dubow. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by 3 a.m. Saturday.

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Again Womens Greg Olsen Jersey , if you have questions about the Sports Showcase Digest or the material listed, please reach out to Oskar Garcia at 215-446-6632 or ogarcia(at)ap.org.

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AP Sports

NEW YORK — It took Jose Bautista 1,727 major league games to hit a walk-off home run. It only seems like it has been that long since the New York Mets won consecutive games at home.

The Mets will hope Bautista’s long-awaited walk-off on Friday propels them to a rare winning streak on Saturday afternoon at Citi Field when they host the Tampa Bay Rays in the middle game of a three-game series.

The Mets’ Steven Matz (4-5, 3.46 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Rays ace Blake Snell (11-4, 2.24) in a battle of left-handers.

Bautista made his first walk-off homer a particularly memorable one when his grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning lifted the Mets to a 5-1 win in the series opener.

“I guess sometimes it just takes awhile,” said Bautista, whose 336 homers without a walk-off before Friday were the most among active players.

The 37-year-old Bautista has proved to be a rare bright spot for the struggling Mets (35-49) by hitting .255 with four homers, 18 RBIs and a .432 on-base percentage since signing with New York on May 22, hours after he was released by the Atlanta Braves. He hit just .143 with two homers and five RBIs in 12 games for Atlanta.

“Top-tier production out of a guy that we got from Atlanta, who let him go, so that (performance is) surprising,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said Friday night. “Now the guy himself Brock McGinn Jersey Kids , who has the body of a 25-year-old (and) stays in shape? Can never count those guys out. He’s been playing for a long time, had a lot of success.”

Success has been hard to come by for the Mets, especially at home, where they haven’t won consecutive games since a four-game winning streak from May 18 to May 21. New York is 3-15 in its last 18 games at Citi Field.

The task won’t be easy Saturday when Snell looks to continue his breakout season for the Rays (43-44) and further bolster his case for drawing the start for the American League in the All-Star Game on July 17.

Snell has limited opposing batters to a .179 average, the lowest in the AL. He is tied for second in the the league in wins and ranks third in ERA.

Snell has been particularly dominant in winning his last three starts, a stretch in which he has allowed just two runs in 21 1/3 innings while striking out 26 and allowing 20 baserunners. He surrendered one run and struck out 10 in 7 1/3 innings in beating the Houston Astros on Sunday.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said the success has emboldened Snell, who entered the seasons with just 11 wins and a 3.83 ERA in 43 career starts.

“We all know how talented he is and the stuff that he features — there aren’t many guys in baseball, 6-foot-5 left-handers that throw that hard — but the consistency has been probably the most eye-popping of all of it,” Cash said. “And I’m sure there’s a lot of reasons that go into that. But once he got some confidence and realized how talented he is, I think it carries over from start to start.”

Snell has never faced the Mets, though he did pitch at Citi Field as a member of the “home” team last Sept. 12. In that game, he allowed one run and two hits in five innings for the Rays against the New York Yankees in a game relocated to Citi Field because of Hurricane Irma’s impact on the Tampa Bay area.

Matz also picked up the win in his most recent start Sunday when he gave up an unearned run in 5 1/3 innings as the Mets beat the Miami Marlins 5-2. He has never faced the Rays.

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