It doesn’t get any easier for the Miami Marlins. After playing a three-game series at Tampa Bay, the team with the best record in the American League, they return home to open a four-game set Monday against the Atlanta Braves, the team with the best record in the National League.

The Marlins lost the rubber game of the series 6-3 against the Rays on Sunday and have lost nine of their last 14. The Braves beat the Boston Red Sox 8-1 on Sunday to take two-of-three and post their major league-best 32nd win.

This will be the second series between the two National League East teams. The host Braves took two of three from the Marlins in mid-April.

The pitching matchups for the opener features Miami right-hander Max Meyer (3-0, 3.21 ERA) vs. Atlanta righty JR Ritchie (1-0, 3.32).

Meyer is coming off a workmanlike effort at Minnesota on Wednesday when he picked up a win after throwing 5 2/3 innings and allowing four runs. He fanned a season-high nine batters and walked only two.

“Max was fine,” manager Clayton McCullough said afterward. “He grinded through this a little bit. Nice to have the weapons he does. He’s come so far as a starter. His ability to navigate through lineups, he has more weapons at his disposal. To pitch into the sixth, get out of a few jams in earlier innings, was big.”

Meyer is 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in four career starts against Atlanta. He faced the Braves on April 14 and did not receive a decision, pitching five innings and allowing three runs in an eventual 6-5 Atlanta win.

Ritchie continues to impress since being recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett and inserted in the starting rotation. He did not receive a decision in his last outing on Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs, a game the Braves won 4-1. Ritche’s high pitch count (87) caused him to be removed after 4 1/3 innings, although he allowed only one run on two hits. He has never faced the Marlins.

“I’ve talked about Ritchie having the weapons, for left-handed hitters, right-handed hitters,” Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said. “He spins the ball well, and there’s some power with the heater. So, he’s got all the weapons.”

Atlanta has led the opposition to three or fewer runs in 11 consecutive games dating to May 5. The Braves have pitched to a 1.95 ERA (21 earned runs in 97 innings) over that stretch. It is the longest such stretch by Atlanta since going 12 straight games in 2002.

Ritchie will need to deal with Miami shortstop Otto Lopez and catcher/first baseman Liam Hicks. Lopez had two more hits on Sunday and leads the majors with 63 hits and a .344 batting average. He is the seventh player in franchise history with 60-plus hits through 45 games to start the season. Hicks has 40 RBI, joining Giancarlo Stanton as the only players in Marlins history to reach that milestone through a season’s first 43 games.

The Braves are 28-5 when scoring at least four runs. The Braves hit two more home runs (Austin Riley and Mike Yastrzemski) on Sunday and upped their NL lead to 66.

–Field Level Media

Romelu Lukaku was named to Belgium’s 26-man World Cup roster on Friday despite the team’s all-time leading scorer being limited to only five appearances for Napoli this season due to injuries.

Lukaku, 33, has 89 goals in 124 appearances for Belgium, but has not featured for the Red Devils since June of last year. He will make his fourth World Cup appearance along with Napoli teammate Kevin De Bruyne, whose season has been disrupted by a hamstring injury.

“Romelu has recovered, but he’s out of shape, and I’m not sure he’ll be able to start the matches. But he’s our best striker, Belgium’s all-time leading scorer,” coach Rudi Garcia told reporters at Friday’s press conference.

Lukaku and De Bruyne will be joined on Garcia’s team by fellow stars Thibaut Courtois, Thomas Meunier and Axel Witsel.

Garcia announced his roster on Friday, with notable omissions highlighted by 20-year-old winger Mika Godts. Godts has 17 goals and 12 assists for Ajax this season. Garcia also went with Starsbourg’s Mike Penders as his third goalkeeper ahead of Nottingham Forest’s Matz Sels.

Meanwhile, forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo received his first call-up for Belgium after a strong season with Ligue 1’s Lille. He will gain experience from the likes of Witsel, the 37-year-old who was included to help balance a fairly young roster.

“The concept of team spirit was important; we needed to stick with a squad that had performed well in the qualifiers, taking into account how the players complement each other and striking a balance between experience and youth,” Garcia told reporters at a press conference.

“This squad is built around playing well and getting on well together. We need to distinguish between our objective and our ambition. Ambition knows no bounds; we all dream of going all the way.

“The objective is simply to finish top of the group and progress from the group stage; we’ll then see who we’re drawn against in the next rounds. We’re not favorites, but I prefer this underdog position, which doesn’t stand in the way of ambition.”

Garcia’s current contract expires at the end of the World Cup, and Belgium is seeking to rebound after failing to get out of the group stage at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Belgium is scheduled to play friendlies against Croatia on June 2 and Tunisia four days later. The team’s World Cup base camp is in Renton, Wash., with the Red Devils opening their Group G play against Egypt in Seattle on June 15. They also will play Iran in Los Angeles on June 21 and New Zealand in Vancouver on June 26.

BELGIUM WORLD CUP ROSTER

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Senne Lammens (Manchester United), Mike Penders (Strasbourg, on loan from Chelsea).

Defenders: Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeno Debast (Sporting CP), Maxim De Cuyper (Brighton), Koni De Winter (Milan), Brandon Mechele (Club Brugge), Thomas Meunier (Lille), Nathan Ngoy (Lille), Joaquin Seys (Club Brugge), Arthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt).

Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli), Amadou Onana (Aston Villa), Nicolas Raskin (Rangers), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa), Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge), Axel Witsel (Girona).

Forwards: Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City), Matias Fernandez Pardo (Lille), Romelu Lukaku (Napoli), Dodi Lukebakio (Benfica), Diego Moreira (Strasbourg), Alexis Saelemaekers (Milan), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal).

–Field Level Media

The PWHL hired women’s hockey legend Manon Rheaume on Friday to be the general manager of the Detroit expansion team.

The PWHL recently announced plans to expand to Detroit, Las Vegas and Hamilton (Ontario) for the 2026-27 season, with a 12th team reportedly planned for San Jose, Calif.

“I’m incredibly honored and excited to join the PWHL and help build something special in Detroit,” Rheaume said. “This city has such a deep hockey tradition, and the passion for hockey here is truly special. The growth of women’s hockey has been incredible to watch, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to help shape the future of the sport alongside the PWHL. I can’t wait to get started and build a team that Detroit fans will be proud of.”

Rheaume, 54, made history in 1992 by signing with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning and becoming the first woman to compete in an exhibition game in any of the four major North American sports. A goaltender, she also won two world championships with Canada’s women’s team (1992, 1994) and a silver medal at the 1988 Nagano Olympics.

“Manon is a pioneer whose impact on the game extends far beyond the ice,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL executive vice president of hockey operations.

“She brings an unmatched hockey resume, a championship mindset, and a lifelong commitment to growing the women’s game. Her experience at every level of hockey, combined with her leadership and vision, makes her the perfect person to lead PWHL Detroit into its inaugural season.”

–Field Level Media