MLB's second half, racing, soccer lead weekend sports schedule

MIAMI, July 22 (UPI) -- The start of the second half of the MLB regular season and several auto races within the NASCAR and the Formula 1 circuits top the schedule of sports events this weekend.

Breaks in the tennis and golf major tournament slates and a calm before the summer storm of hundreds of college football and NFL games will clear the way for the aforementioned sports to take center stage.

Dozens of MLS and international soccer games, boxing bouts and UFC fights also will air this weekend. Several of those international club soccer matchups are friendlies, which will take place in the United States.

MLB's second-half launched Thursday, two days after the All-Star Game. The rest of the league's 30 teams will take the field this weekend.

MLB resumes

Every MLB team will take the field this weekend, launching the second half of their 162-game regular seasons. Most of those games will air on local networks. Eight MLB matchups will air from Friday through Sunday on national TV or digital platforms.

The Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies will launch that national slate at 7 p.m. EDT Friday at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. That game will air on Apple TV+.

The Phillies (49-43) are expected to start left-handed pitcher Kyle Gibson. Left-handed pitcher Justin Steele is expected to start for the Cubs (35-57).

The Chicago White Sox (46-46) will host the Cleveland Guardians (46-44) at 8 p.m. Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field. That game will air on the same platform.

Four more games will air Saturday on national TV. The Seattle Mariners (51-42) will host the Houston Astros (59-32) in the first game at 4:10 p.m. on FS1. The Los Angeles Dodgers (60-30) will then host the San Francisco Giants (48-43) at 7:15 p.m. on Fox.

The Guardians also will host the White Sox at 8 p.m. on Fox. The Oakland Athletics (32-61) will host the Texas Rangers (41-49) at 9:07 p.m. on FS1.

The Phillies will host the Cubs at noon on Sunday on Peacock Premium. The New York Mets (58-35) will host the San Diego Padres (52-42) in the final MLB game of the weekend at 7:08 p.m. Sunday on ESPN.

Racing

Four auto races also will air between Saturday and Sunday. The Camping World Truck Series CRC Brakleen 150 will be the first of three NASCAR races this weekend at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa.

That race will air at noon Saturday on Fox. The Xfinity Series Explore The Pocono Mountains 225 will follow at 5 p.m. on USA Network.

The Formula 1 racing slate will continue with the French Grand Prix on Sunday morning at Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet. The 12th race of the season will air at 8:55 a.m. on ESPN.

Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are among the favorites to win. Hamilton finished third in each of the last three races. Verstappen finished inside the Top 3 in seven of his past eight races and won in six of his last 10 appearances.

The Cup Series M&M's Fan Appreciation 400 will be the final race of the weekend. That NASCAR event will air at 3 p.m. Sunday on USA Network.

Cup Series standings leader Chase Elliott is the favorite to win at Pocono. Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain, Ryan Blaney and William Byron are among the other expected contenders.

Soccer

A slate of soccer games from the MLS regular season and the Women's European Championship also will air this weekend. Several international club teams are also on tour in the United States.

Sweden, the No. 2 team in the women's world rankings, will battle No. 19 Belgium in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Women's European Championship at 3 p.m. Friday on ESPN2.

A dozen MLS games, three friendlies and another UEFA Women's European Championship quarterfinal will air Saturday.

No. 3 France will face the fourth-ranked Netherlands at 3 p.m. on ESPN2 in the EURO quarterfinal.

Later, English Premier League power Manchester City will take on Bayern Munich of Germany's Bundesliga in a men's friendly at 7 p.m. at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisc. That match will air on ESPN.

Premier League clubs Chelsea and Arsenal will face off in another U.S.-based friendly at 8 p.m. Saturday at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. That match will air on ESPN+.

Spanish La Liga rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona will meet in another friendly late Saturday at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nev. That match will air at 11 p.m. on Fox Deportes.

The final nationally televised soccer game of the weekend will feature MLS sides Atlanta United and the Los Angeles Galaxy. That matchup will air at 9:30 p.m. Sunday on FS1.

Weekend schedule (all times EDT)

Friday

Soccer

Friendly: Villarreal vs. Borussia Dortmund at 1 p.m. on ESPN+

Women's European Championship: Belgium vs. Sweden at 3 p.m. on ESPN2

Golf

3M Open: Second round from 2 to 6 p.m. on Golf Channel

MLB

Cubs at Phillies at 7 p.m. on Apple TV+

Guardians at White Sox at 8 p.m. on Apple TV+

MMA

Bellator 283: Lima vs. Jackson at 7 p.m. on Showtime

Saturday

NASCAR

Truck Series CRC Brakleen 150 at noon on Fox

Xfinity Series Explore The Pocono Mountains 225 at 5 p.m. on USA Network

UFC

Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Aspinall at noon on ESPN+

Golf

3M Open: Third round from 3 to 6 p.m. on CBS

Soccer

Women's European Championship: France vs. Netherlands at 3 p.m. on ESPN2

Friendly: Manchester City vs. Bayern Munich at 7 p.m. on ESPN

MLS: Miami at NYCFC at 7 p.m. on ESPN+

MLS: New England at Columbus at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+

MLS: Nashville at Cincinnati at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+

MLS: Philadelphia at Orlando at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+

MLS: Charlotte at Toronto at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+

Friendly: Chelsea vs. Arsenal at 8 p.m. on ESPN+

MLS: Montreal at DC United at 8 p.m. on ESPN+

MLS: Minnesota at Houston at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN+

MLS: LAFC at Kansas City at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN+

MLS: Dallas at Salt Lake at 10 p.m. on ESPN+

MLS: Colorado at Seattle at 10 p.m. on ESPN+

MLS: Chicago at Vancouver at 10 p.m. on ESPN+

MLS: San Jose at Portland at 10:30 p.m. on ESPN+

Friendly: Barcelona vs. Real Madrid at 11 p.m. on Fox Deportes

MLB

Astros at Mariners at 4 p.m. on FS1

Giants at Dodgers at 7 p.m. on Fox

White Sox at Guardians at 7 p.m. on Fox

Rangers at Athletics at 9 p.m. on FS1

Boxing

Evelin Bermudez vs. Yairineth Altuve: Main card starts at 7 p.m. on TBA

Sunday

Formula 1

French Grand Prix at 8:55 a.m. on ESPN

MLB

Cubs at Phillies at noon on Peacock

Padres at Mets at 7 p.m. on ESPN

Golf

3M Open: Fourth round from 3 to 6 p.m. on CBS

NASCAR

Cup Series M&M's Fan Appreciation 400 at 3 p.m. on USA Network

Soccer

MLS: New York Red Bulls at Austin at 8 p.m. on ESPN+

MLS: Atlanta at Los Angeles Galaxy at 9:30 p.m. on FS1