The Sports Report: Rams don’t know when Cooper Kupp will return

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From Gary Klein: A game against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday is the last one that Rams star receiver Cooper Kupp is mandated to sit out because he is on injured reserve.

But there is no guarantee that Kupp will return from his hamstring injury for the Oct. 8 game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Coach Sean McVay said Wednesday it is “the hope” that Kupp will play against the Eagles but stopped short of proclaiming it a done deal.

“He’s progressing, he’s doing a good job,” McVay said. “But I don’t want to pigeonhole myself. He’s ramping up his workload … but when you’re talking about returning to performance and returning to play, those are different things.

“And we want him to be able to return to performance at the level he’s capable of. ... Hopefully next week will represent that.”

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DODGERS

From Jack Harris: The Dodgers officially have nothing left to play for.

Not regarding their position in the standings, anyway.

Despite an 8-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday at Coors Field, the Dodgers’ long-shot hopes at earning the No. 1 seed in the playoffs were dashed as the Atlanta Braves locked up the top spot with a walk-off win over the Chicago Cubs.

As a result, the Dodgers will be the No. 2 seed. In the NL division series, they will meet either the Milwaukee Brewers (who will be the No. 3 seed as the NL Central champions), or one of several wild-card teams, with the Cubs, Miami Marlins and Arizona Diamondbacks likeliest to finish in the sixth spot and face the Brewers in a wild-card series next week.

“It changes every night it seems like,” manager Dave Roberts said. “But I don’t play that [who are we facing] game too much.”

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Dodgers box score

All MLB box scores

NL WEST STANDINGS

x-Dodgers, 98-60
Arizona, 84-74, 14 GB
San Diego, 79-80, 19.5 GB
San Francisco, 78-81, 20.5 GB
Colorado, 57-101, 41 GB

x-clinched division

WILD-CARD STANDINGS
top three teams qualify

y-Philadelphia, 89-69
Arizona, 84-74
Miami, 82-76

Chicago, 82-76
Cincinnati, 81-78, 1.5 GB
San Diego, 79-80, 4.5 GB

y-clinched wild-card berth

Note: Miami has the tiebreaker edge over Chicago.

For full standings, go here

ANGELS

From Sarah Valenzuela: Griffin Canning delivered a final quality start in his last appearance of the season in the Angels’ 5-0 loss to the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium on Wednesday.

Canning pitched six innings, giving up two runs on five hits and striking out five. He finished the season with a 4.32 earned-run average and a 7-7 record in 24 games (22 starts).

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Angels box score

All MLB box scores

AL WEST STANDINGS

Texas, 89-69
Houston, 87-72, 2.5 GB
Seattle, 85-73, 4 GB
Angels, 71-88, 18.5 GB
Oakland, 48-110, 41 GB

WILD-CARD STANDINGS
top three teams qualify

y-Tampa Bay, 97-62
Toronto, 87-71
Houston, 87-72

Seattle, 85-73, 1.5 GB

y-clinched wild-card berth

Note: The Angels have been eliminated from postseason contention.

For full standings, go here

CLIPPERS

From Andrew Greif: Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were injured when the last Clippers season ended in April. When the new one begins next week, the stars — whose arrival four years ago heralded championship aspirations not yet realized because of injuries — will be in uniform and healthy to play.

When the team holds its first practice of training camp Tuesday in Hawaii, both will be “full participants,” Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, said during his annual preseason address.

If one question about their present availability appears settled, another about their futures with the team has not been resolved.

Both Leonard and George, who are beginning their fifth seasons in Los Angeles, can become unrestricted free agents next summer if they choose to not exercise the final year of their contracts, a player option worth $48 million apiece that covers the 2024-25 season. Leonard has been eligible for a contract extension since mid-July, and George since Sept. 1. Both can sign for a maximum of up to four years and $220 million.

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CHARGERS

From Jeff Miller: Injured Chargers running back Austin Ekeler took a potentially significant step toward returning Wednesday when he participated in practice on a limited basis.

Dealing with a high-ankle sprain suffered in Week 1, Ekeler took part in individual drills and did some running.

“It’s kind of like climbing the stairs,” he said. “You’re not going to just jump to the top stair. You kind of go one by one. We’re progressing toward going 100%. I haven’t been there yet.”

Ekeler did not rule out returning Sunday when the Chargers play Las Vegas at SoFi Stadium. He said his availability will be determined as he ramps up his activity this week.

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THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1920 — A Chicago grand jury indicts eight members of the Chicago White Sox on charges of fixing the 1919 World Series, known as the “Black Sox Scandal.” White Sox owner Charles Comiskey immediately suspends the eight players.

1941 — Ted Williams ends the season with a .406 batting average.

1951 — Norm Van Brocklin of the Rams throws for an NFL-record 554 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Rams to a 54-14 rout of the New York Yankees. Elroy Hirsch catches four of the touchdown passes and finishes with 173 yards receiving and teammate Tom Fears has 162 yards receiving.

1964 — Australia beats the Unites States 3-2 to win the Davis Cup, the first time it’s played on clay courts.

1968 — The Atlanta Chiefs beat the San Diego Toros 3-0 to win the first NASL championship.

1969 — Minnesota’s Joe Kapp throws for 449 yards and ties an NFL record with seven touchdown passes to give the Vikings a 52-14 victory over the Baltimore Colts.

1976 — Muhammad Ali wins a unanimous 15-round decision over Ken Norton at Yankee Stadium to retain his world heavyweight title.

1979 — Larry Holmes knocks out Earnie Shavers in the 11th round at Las Vegas to retain his WBC heavyweight title.

1997 — Wendy Ward records the lowest total in relation to par in the 47-year history of the LPGA tour for her first victory. Ward’s 23-under 265 gives her a two-shot victory in the Fieldcrest Cannon Classic. Ward, who made just one bogey all week, closes with 13 consecutive pars to match Kelly Robbins’ LPGA record for the lowest 72-hole total.

2012 — Homer Bailey of the Cincinnati Reds throws the season’s seventh no-hitter, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 1-0. The seven no-hitters match the modern record (since 1900) for one season, tying 1990 and 1991.

2020 — Tampa Bay Lightning win the Stanley Cup for the second time with a 4-2 series win over the Dallas Stars in Edmonton, Alberta.

—Compiled by the Associated Press