With Real Madrid’s season coming to a disappointing end, almost certainly one without trophies, the mood around Valdebebas is not positive. To make matters worse, a number of stories are being leaked to the press about the tension in the dressing room.

On Friday it emerged that Dani Ceballos had asked to end relations with manager Alvaro Arbeloa, following an argument in his office. He is set to leave the club in the summer, and may have played his last game for the club. Meanwhile Arbeloa has also had run-ins with Raul Asencio, who has barely played over the past month, and captain Dani Carvajal, who has also spent the majority of his time on the bench over the last few months.

Antonio Rudiger involved in altercation with teammate

However ESPN report that the most explosive altercation of any kind at Valdebebas involved veteran defender Antonio Rudiger. The 33-year-old reportedly ‘lost his mind’ with one of his teammates during training, causing a ‘heated scene’. That was confirmed to them by multiple sources, although they also that it was not an important incident, and was more down to the character of Rudiger than anything else.

Rudiger also involved in spats with opponents

This is not the first time that Rudiger’s temparement has been questioned in recent months. The Germany international was accused of deliberately kneeing Getafe left-back Diego Rico in the head, to which he responded that if he had ‘meant to injury him, he’d still be lying there’.

Meanwhile during Real Madrid’s second leg defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Bayern defender Josip Stanisic accused Rudiger of crossing the line with his comments, challenging him to tell the public what he said to him. Rudiger is out of contract this summer, but looks set to be offered the chance to extend his deal at the Bernabeu.

Jockey Mike Smith is 59, which has not escaped the attention of his colleagues.

Some of them call him grandpa, according to Smith.

“I get it all, man,’’ he said, but added, “At my age, I'm still doing the things I was doing when I was 30, man. It's crazy.’’

Smith, a two-time winner in the Kentucky Derby, will be in position to become the oldest jockey to win the race Saturday, May 2 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The late Willie Shoemaker was 54 when he rode Ferdinand to victory in  the 1986 Kentucky Derby and he remains the oldest jockey to win the race. Smith, who was 52 when he won the race in 2018, is no long shot to break Shoemaker’s record.

Smith will be riding So Happy, who’s 7-1. Trainer Mark Glatt could have chosen a talented jockey half Smith’s age, but apparently, it was never a consideration with the horse and Smith based in Southern California. Smith also happens to be a Hall-of-Famer.

Kentucky Derby contender: So Happy is the Kentucky Derby horse worth cheering for this year

“He keeps himself in prime condition,’’ Glatt said. “And especially in a race like the Derby, how do you replace the experience that a rider like Mike Smith has?’’

Smith is set to ride in the “Run for the Roses’’ for a record 29^th time, and he is familiar with the winner’s circle.

In 2005, he won the Kentucky Derby on 50-1 longshot Giacomo.

In 2018, he won on Justify and went on to win the Triple Crown.

“You're always excited to make it to the Derby, especially when you make it with one that's really a true contender,’’ Smith said. “And I think this horse showed… in the Santa Anita Derby that not only is he going, but he actually has a big chance to win it all. He really does.’’

So Happy went off at 38-1 in its racing debut and won. Since then, he has raced three more times, placing third once and winning twice – including the Santa Anita Derby in a race that earned the horse a spot in the Derby.

“I think we’re just starting to see the best of him,’’ Smith said.

Could the same be said for the 59-year-old jockey?

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kentucky Derby 'grandpa' looks to make history as oldest jockey to win

New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen indicated Thursday that discussions with free-agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. remain ongoing following a recent workout.

"No updates on that," Schoen said. "We worked him out a couple of weeks ago, and he did a good job in terms of that. We signed a couple of new defensive tackles yesterday, so we’re going to continue to always work on the roster regardless of the position and try to upgrade where we can.

"Odell is a guy we had in for a workout, and we'll continue to have conversations with his camp and see where it goes."

The comments come amid roster adjustments and injuries at wide receiver. Malik Nabers continues to recover from a torn ACL and could potentially miss the start of the regular season, while Darius Slayton recently underwent core-muscle surgery but is expected back for training camp.

Beckham, who impressed during his April workout and physical with the Giants, has hinted multiple times on social media about a potential return to the franchise that drafted him in 2014. Head coach John Harbaugh, who previously coached Beckham in Baltimore, has also maintained conversations with the veteran receiver.

A reunion could provide veteran leadership and depth to a young receiving group as the Giants build for the future.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants' Joe Schoen: Talks with Odell Beckham Jr. will 'continue'

PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers brought in Paul George for a reason. He is a player who can do it all on the offensive end while being one of the better defenders in the league, but it has been something of a sputtering start to his tenure in Philadelphia--until now, at least.

George delivered in a big way in Thursday's 106-93 Game 6 win over the Boston Celtics as he put up 23 points on 8-for-17 shooting while knocking down five triples in the win. He put up those numbers while also having to defend the likes of Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown and also being asked to help on the glass. This continues to be the best he has looked in a Sixers uniform since returning from his 25-game suspension in the regular season.

"We’re trying to figure it out," said Tyrese Maxey of George. "I mean, we've been having to figure it out on the fly. Not a lot of practice time, but once he came back from the 25 games, he had a mission, and I think he's accomplishing that mission, and he's been really good, and we appreciate him, and we appreciate his sacrifice, but he's done a great job."

As mentioned, George is one of those players who can just fit well next to the likes of Joel Embiid and Maxey as sort of that connector in the middle on the wing. He can knock down 3s, he can take players off the dribble, he can knock down shots in the mid-range, and he is a top-flight defender for this group.

"He just does everything," Embiid added. "Obviously, he’s guarding the two guys on the other team, and then offensively, just filling in, needing a post-up, he’s gonna go get you a bucket, 3s, just doing a little bit of everything, and I said it last game. We’re gonna need all of it."

Paul George, Game 6 pic.twitter.com/VjaRQu7daz

— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) May 1, 2026

The difference in George's play before and after the suspension is apparent. The 9-time All-Star has been able to look like himself and he has given the Celtics a lot of problems in this series. He has been able to dig deep and give the Sixers a ton of production as that time away during the suspension has helped him so much in that regard.

"Like I said, it came down to now me being able to—like off days spend extra minutes putting up shots, working on my band and my craft and before the suspension, I was kind of saving myself for games because of the soreness, and I wanted to be as fresh as possible going into games," George explained. "Any little thing I felt that was extra outside of practice would have carried over into a game I'm not feeling my best. So, it was a ton of rehab that was involved with that."

George isn't the same ruthless scorer that he once was while with the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, but he is still clearly somebody who can impact the game in a big way. His time away taught him a lot about himself as he moves forward.

"Now, I can focus on basketball and, again, finally enjoying it, now that I'm able to do things that I was once able to do again, and it's fun for me again," George finished. "So to be honest, it's kind of just like a lock into seeing who I am again. How can I be relevant again? Or, how can I chase some of the things that I was doing in my past. So, it's been fun to be on the floor and just experience it, and kind of just learning things about myself."

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers stars discuss the play of Paul George in win over Celtics

CHICAGO — It’s easy to talk big in the preseason, to style yourself as a team that’s going to be competitive and have championship aspirations.

When you’ve bumbled around as badly as the Chicago Sky has for most of its existence, however, you don’t get the benefit of the doubt. You want to prove you’re serious about winning, that you’re going to do more than the bare minimum?

You’re going to have to actually do it.

“We knew that earning the respect of (free agents) and retaining players that were here was going to take some real sincerity and a genuine plan from our end of who we wanted to be,” Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca said during the team’s April 30 media day.

“Looking at our roster now, you see more of an athletic group, shot-creating group, some more size, more versatility than we've had over the last couple of seasons,” he said. “We’re really going to go after being a very, very competitive group.”

Chicago Sky hasn't been model franchise

The Sky was always going to be under the microscope because of the WNBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, which more than quadruples most salaries and raises the minimum standards for all teams. Chicago has long been considered one of the W’s worst-run franchises, practicing in a suburban rec center until this season, running off a Who’s Who of star players and making questionable personnel decisions across multiple front offices.

As for the long-awaited practice facility, it still isn’t done. Originally expected to open in December 2025, it’s been delayed for a second time, with Pagliocca now saying it will be ready in “late spring, early summer.”

Then, on April 6, the Sky confirmed all the worst opinions of the franchise by trading Angel Reese, a fan favorite who was supposed to be a franchise cornerstone for years to come.

Reese was the Sky’s best player — she led the WNBA in rebounding in each of her first two seasons and averaged a double-double — but she had angered management with criticisms of the franchise, particularly the wisdom of banking too heavily on Courtney Vandersloot’s return this season. Vandersloot, now 37, tore her ACL last June.

Reshaping the roster

Giving away a superstar like Reese is the kind of move an unserious team makes, but Pagliocca said it was necessary for “roster balance.” In the days that followed, he traded for Rickea Jackson and Jacy Sheldon, and persuaded Azura Stevens to return.

He also won over Skylar Diggins, arguably the Sky’s biggest free-agent pickup since Candace Parker signed with her hometown team.

“Just the moves that they were making, really putting their money where their mouth was and wanting to make some good change toward us getting back competitive, getting back in the playoffs,” Diggins said of what sold her on the Sky.

“Jeff really put that vision out there of what him and (coach) Tyler (Marsh) were thinking for this team, what they wanted for this team.”

On paper, Chicago’s roster looks impressive. It has veteran experience, it has depth, it has defense and it has people who can score.

Challenges still ahead

But the game isn’t played on paper, and the Sky still has challenges.

It will start the season without Vandersloot, Stevens (knee) and DiJonai Carrington (foot), and there is no timetable, at least not publicly, for their returns. Of the 16 players currently on Chicago's roster, 11 have been in the league for two years or less.

“We're a growing organization,” second-year coach Tyler Marsh said. “And we're trying to steer it in a positive direction across the board.”

The Sky are saying all the right things ahead of the season. What matters is whether it can deliver on them.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chicago Sky must back up WNBA preseason optimism with results

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant has missed most of the first round of the NBA playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers and a similar pattern is expected for Game 6.

Durant missed Game 1 with a right knee contusion, an injury he sustained during practice a day before the game. He scored 23 points in a Game 2 loss, but suffered a left ankle sprain that has kept him sidelined for Games 3, 4 and 5.

The pain in his ankle will likely keep him from competing in the potential elimination Game 6 in Houston. League sources told ESPN's Shams Charania that Durant will not play, as the Rockets trail the Lakers 3-2 in their best-of-seven series. Durant was listed as "doubtful" on the NBA injury report as of 10 p.m. ET, April 30.

The Rockets have won the previous two matchups against the Lakers after falling down 3-0 in the series. A Game 7 is scheduled for Sunday, May 3, if necessary.

Durant's timetable for a return was a minimum of two weeks, sources told Charania. He first suffered the ankle injury on April 21. If the Rockets can force Game 7, it would be just days before the two-week mark given for Durant.

The Rockets have won back-to-back games without Durant, though, led by their young, future core of Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard and Alperen Sengun. Smith led Houston with a team-high 22 points in the Rockets' 99-93 Game 5 win in Los Angeles. Thompson led the Rockets with 23 points in their 115-96 Game 4 win in Houston.

Durant, 37, averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 78 games during the 2025-26 regular season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kevin Durant injury update, status for Lakers-Rockets Game 6

Now that we are past spring ball and the 2026 NFL draft, it feels like a good time to see where things land with a projected two-deep depth chart for the Ohio State football team. It's no easy task with 51 new players in the program, but we did get to see some reps and hear some guys start to make a name for themselves during the spring, so what we thought we knew after the transfer portal closed is much different now.

In fact, what we project and predict now will also most likely change once we hit fall camp and begin to see some more things after a summer of conditioning and development behind the scenes. But, as always, we're game to give it a try.

We've already gone through this exercise on the offensive side of the ball, and now it's time to look at the defense and special teams. Here's a look at a projected Ohio State football depth chart on defense and special teams post-spring.

Ohio State football projected two-deep depth chart on defense and special teams

Defensive Line

Starters: Kenyatta Jackson (defensive end), Eddrick Houston (defensive tackle), James Smith (defensive tackle), Qua Russaw (defensive end)

Backups: Zion Grady (defensive end), John Walker Jr (defensive tackle), Will Smith (defensive tackle), Beau Atkinson (defensive end)

There isn't a huge, known difference maker on the defensive line this coming year, but maybe a couple become household names when it's all said and done. Either way, defensive line coach Larry Johnson would love to rotate eight players, so if this is the two-deep, look for all of these guys to get plenty of time. The coaching staff went out to get experience for a reason, so we're going with Alabama transfers Smith and Russaw to get the nod over Will Smith Jr. and Atkinson to pair with Jackson and Houston as starters. This competition figures to go deep into the fall before we see who emerges.

Linebacker

Starters: Payton Pierce, Christian Alliegro

Backups: Riley Pettijohn, Cincere Johnson

Pierce will be a starter with no question. He was considered the third starter last year, even though OSU deployed two linebackers a lot of the time. He's going to make some noise this year, being a full-time starter. The wild card in all of this is Pettijohn because he has the talent to be an explosive player, much like what we saw with Arvell Reese. He's been injured, though, so we just don't know. For now, we'll go with the known commodities of Pierce and Alliegro. We can't forget about TJ Alford or Garrett Stover here, but Johnson is generating a lot of buzz and might just leapfrog them all for some action as a freshman.

Cornerback

Starters: Jermaine Mathews Jr., Devin Sanchez

Backups: Dominick Kelly, Cam Calhoun

It would be a surprise if returners Mathews and Sanchez don't grab the starting spots here. From there, the coaching staff brought in two transfers with experience, Kelly and Calhoun, who should be the nod to be a part of the rotation.

Star

Starter: Earl Little Jr.

Backup: Jay Timmons

Both of these guys had everyone in spring camp excited. Little was held out with injury on the back-end of spring, but before that, he was showing that he might be able to do at least some of the things Caleb Downs did to allow the defense to be varied and flexible. Oh, and he is also a big hitter. Timmons, just a freshman, might have done enough to be the first guy to plug in for Little if needed.

Safety

Starters: Jaylen McClain, Terry Moore

Backups: Leroy Roker, Blaine Bradford

You can write McClain's name in pen here, but beyond that, it gets interesting. Roker and Moore will compete for the other starting spot, but again, if we're going with the thought of playing the more experienced guy, then we have to go with the Duke transfer. Bradford seems to have done enough to be in the conversation for being in the rotation.

Punter

Starter: Joe McGuire

Backup: Brady Young

McGuire should be the unquestioned starter, and let's hope we see a little bigger leg from him at times. Young is still there if needed.

Kicker

Starter: Carter Hawkins

Backup: Cooper Peterson

Hawkins was brought in to solidify things at kicker, so he's going to be the main player without any competition, really. Beyond that, the walk-on Peterson is there, and so too is a walk-on transfer from Notre Dame, Marcello Diomede.

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.

This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State football 2026 post-spring projected depth chart on defense

After the Philadelphia Eagles selected Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers in the second round of the 2026 NFL draft, the Commodores shared a video of the moment Stowers got "the call" from Philly's draft room.

Somebody who attended Stowers' draft party, perhaps a teammate, friend or family member, can be seen in the background of the video wearing a Denver Broncos hat. Stowers, of course, was heavily connected to the Broncos leading up to the draft, but the Eagles picked him at No. 54, and Denver was not scheduled to pick until No. 62 (they eventually traded back).

The person wearing the Broncos hat can be seen soon after the video begins:

The call that made the dream real 📞 pic.twitter.com/pMKPEwetaC

— Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) April 28, 2026

Denver fans and pundits were quick to spot the hat on social media:

Damn, I spy a specific hat back there… https://t.co/sCMsJdzPjV

— SleeperBroncos (@SleeperBroncos) April 29, 2026

Dude in the back with the broncos hat 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔 IT SHOULDVE BEEN US

— Average broncos fan (@Mike_knowsball) April 28, 2026

Bronco fans are everywhere 😅

— Karsen 🐎 (@Broncos4six) April 29, 2026

What's that hat back there? https://t.co/mZjdbJWCVA

— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) April 28, 2026

After trading out of the second round, the Broncos selected Texas A&M defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim in the third round at pick No. 66. The Eagles are not among Denver's 2026 opponents, so they won't play Stowers during the regular season this fall, but they will undoubtedly face off against the tight end someday down the road.

Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.

This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: NFL: Somebody wore Broncos hat at Eli Stowers' draft party

Formula 1 is finally back after an extended absence, with this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix.

But it is shaping up to be a rather soggy return to the track.

Weather was the dominant story during Thursday’s media day sessions, as current forecasts call for thunderstorms and heavy rain on Sunday during the main event. That forecast has all the drivers talking about what they might encounter, and even has the sport considering changing the schedule for the weekend.

“It’ll be interesting. I don’t think many of us have driven these cars in the rain before, maybe a couple of people in Barcelona at the shakedown,“ said Oscar Piastri during Thursday’s FIA Press Conference. ”But I think they’re going to be challenging cars to drive in the rain just because of some of the quirks that they have. And obviously the weather, normally if it rains in Miami, it does it properly, so we’ll wait and see. But it’ll be interesting one way or another.“

“I understand that there is a meeting later on with the FIA to double-check the scenario for Sunday because apparently, it’s looking really bad. So, we’ll see if there are any changes on the schedule for the weekend,” added Cadillac’s Sergio Pérez.

The sport’s governing body, the FIA, issued a statement on Thursday.

“We are closely monitoring the weather forecast for this weekend,” an FIA spokesperson said. “Having faced a similar situation last year in Miami with threats of thunderstorms, we have a contingency plan in place and will activate it if needed to minimise disruption to the on-track [program].”

Last year, wet weather on Saturday forced the cancellation of the second F1 Academy race at the Miami Grand Prix, and the F1 Sprint race began in tricky conditions. Charles Leclerc crashed in those conditions ahead of the F1 Sprint race, and did not make the start.

As of Friday morning, forecasts are calling for showers in the morning with heavy thunderstorms on Sunday afternoon, with an 85% chance of rain and up to a half-inch of precipitation during the afternoon:

Complicating matters is the fact that few drivers have operated this year’s machinery in wet conditions, as noted by Piastri. Drivers are still coming to grips with the impact of the new regulations, which were tweaked during the extended break.

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, the current championship leader, is one of the few drivers who has experienced the new cars in wet conditions. He described that experience as “tricky” on Thursday.

“Yeah, I drove the car when we did the shakedown in Silverstone in the wet and definitely it was very tricky,” said Antonelli.

“Although now with the changes, they clipped the power to 250 kilowatts for the wet and no boost, so that’s already a step forward in that regard. And definitely I think it’s going to be tricky because there will be a lot of unknown, and obviously we’re also going to be racing if the wet weather presents. But I think also another big topic is that we will need to increase tire blanket [temperatures] for the wet because I think as they are now, probably they will be a bit too low for the conditions.

“So yeah, it’s going to be interesting to see, tricky, but let’s see. If it’s thunderstorms, like they say, we probably also won’t get under way for quite a bit of time. So, let’s see how that goes,” added Antonelli. “But definitely it’s going to be very interesting because there’s so much unknown in the wet at the moment, especially no one really used the inter tires, so we don’t know how it’s going to feel, how much grip there will be, especially with the new regulation. And I think also one thing with this year’s cars, it’s a bit harder to build temperature with the tyres, so in the wet they might be tricky and that’s why we probably would need to increase tire blanket [temps] in order to make it a bit better and a bit easier on that side. But yeah, let’s see what’s going to happen.”

As Antonelli pointed out, ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, the FIA announced that the new boost mode would not be accessible for drivers in wet conditions, like we may see on Sunday.

Regarding what F1 could do to the schedule, the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix may be a guide. Ahead of that race, qualifying for the Grand Prix was moved from Saturday to Sunday morning due to severe weather, and the start time of the Grand Prix on Sunday was pushed up by 90 minutes as well.

With these forecasts, we could see something similar in Miami this weekend.

Bath rugby have been given a significant fitness boost ahead of their Investec Champions Cup semi-final against Bordeaux Begles with captain Ben Spencer able to start at scrum half.

Spencer had been touch and go to feature as he recovers from a shoulder injury sustained in the quarter-final win over Northampton, but has been cleared to play in his side’s first last-four tie for 20 years.

Backs Joe Cokanasiga and Max Ojomoh have been ruled out, though, with Wales international Louie Hennessey partnering Ollie Lawrence in midfield and Henry Arundell set for a head-to-head with fellow speedster Louis BIelle-Biarrey on the wing.

Thomas du Toit, used as an impact replacement in his last six games, is named to start on the tighthead as Bath bid to exploit the absence of Bordeaux Begles captain Jefferson Poirot, who is suspended.

The defending champions will also have to do without head coach Yannick Bru on the touchline as he serves a ban.

The winner of the clash will take on Leinster or Toulon in the Champions Cup final in Bilbao on Saturday 23 May.

Bath XV to face Bordeaux Begles (Sunday 3 May, 3pm BST): 1 Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Thomas du Toit; 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Charlie Ewels; 6 Josh Bayliss, 7 Guy Pepper, 8 Alfie Barbeary; 9 Ben Spencer (c), 10 Finn Russell; 11 Will Muir, 12 Ollie Lawrence, 13 Louie Hennessey, 14 Henry Arundell; 15 Santi Carreras.

Replacements: 16 Kepu Tuipulotu, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Vilikesa Sela, 19 Ted Hill, 20 Sam Underhill; 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Tom de Glanville; 23 Miles Reid.

Lucas Glover has often aired his opinion about the possibility of LIV Golf players returning to the PGA Tour.

Glover is one of the more experienced players on the PGA Tour, having made 574 career starts.

The 46-year-old has recorded six PGA Tour wins throughout his career and he is definitely someone who has benefitted from LIV Golf’s inception.

As a result of LIV Golf being established and poaching some of the PGA Tour‘s biggest names, Glover rose in the world rankings and gained improved status.

Glover took full advantage of the rise in tournament purses, winning the Wyndham Championship and the FedEx St. Jude Championship in back-to-back weeks in 2023.

He has always been outspoken about his opinion of the players who left the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf.

And that could make for some awkward moments in the future, with LIV Golf’s future said to be under serious threat.

What Lucas Glover said about LIV players returning in 2025

Back in July, Glover spoke very openly about the prospect of LIV players returning to the PGA Tour, as quoted via The Golfing Gazette.

“I don’t want to play with them, me personally,“ Glover insisted.

“I don’t think they should be back here, I don’t want them here. They made their decision, and I don’t blame any of them. I don’t care, but they also went away from this tour, and they chose to.

“As a PGA Tour player, and somebody who dreamed of playing on the PGA Tour, and have poured my heart and soul into this tour and game for 21 seasons now, I don’t want somebody who chose another path – a path of less resistance, I don’t want them back competing and taking part of my pie and these kids’ pie who are trying to make it now. I don’t want that.

“We as golf fans, yeah, the top four, five six players over there, if they were playing on the PGA Tour it would benefit all of us, because our TV deal in 2030 would be great.

“That’s the big question now in my opinion is; does it behove us as tour members who have equity now to grow our sport by bringing some of those guys back?

“I’m having a hard time with it and I got some good advice from somebody who’s had the same issues as me, you’ve got to take emotion out of it, but it’s still very hard for me. This is still my dream and I chose to stay, and after I chose to stay I had success.

“As far as a stalemate goes, ‘we’ being the PGA Tour, I don’t think we even care anymore, we’re focused on going forward. They’re not coming away from the team thing, and that’s fine. Our focus now is forward, forward, forward. We’re going to grow our sport, and grow our tour.

“All that being said, I don’t think we care anymore about this unification and I don’t think they do either. That’s fine with me but it’s also kind of shortsighted of me, because if five, six, seven, eight of them still move the needle for the public, that would help us grow even bigger.“

However, he appears to have taken a step back now…

Lucas Glover changes his tune on LIV golfers returning to the PGA Tour

Glover was asked in Miami on Thursday where he stands on the possibility of LIV Golf players returning to the PGA Tour.

“Well, first of all, it’s not up to me,“ Glover started off by saying.

“Second of all, whatever the TOUR decides is whatever they decide. I’ll support that. Like I said, there’s been pathways back, there still are, I don’t know if they will change. I don’t know. I think we’re very much in the infancy of all this and just yeah, I’m not privy to that information at this point.

“I mean, human beings are human beings. I kind of live by that, you treat everybody the same until they give you a reason not to. So, yeah, I have respect for people and golfers because they’re people first and my peers second. I will never begrudge anybody for making a decision for the betterment of their career, their life, whatever that may be. But do I think they should abide by the pathways back and pay the same penalties that the previous people have paid, absolutely.

He was then asked whether he will have a say on the matter, given that he is now on the players’ committee.

“Yeah, I don’t know,” he admitted.

“I don’t know how that, I don’t know — for instance, when the whole Brooks thing came down I don’t know if that was a player decision, if they were — I don’t know.

“Again, I’m very new to this side of it too. If the news is absolutely true and they don’t continue or guys start trying to jump back, they’re going to have to make that decision a lot quicker than I’m going to be on there.“

Talk about a complete U-turn. Glover clearly feels very differently about LIV players coming back to the PGA Tour now.

A cynic would say that is the stance he has been told to take by the higher ups, because Glover isn’t usually a man to back down on his principles.

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

“Hischier has made it known his goal is to win a Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils, and he’s certainly a player they need to keep around if they’re serious about doing so. He has averaged 32.4 goals and 72.6 points per 82 games over the last three seasons. That production alone makes him irreplaceable, let alone all that gets put on his plate defensively and in the faceoff dot. It’s rare to find players who can not only hold their own, but excel, with the kind of usage Hischier draws.” [Infernal Access ($)]

“Despite the disappointing season, the New Jersey Devils still had a few players who exceeded expectations.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]

What might new contracts look like for Nico Hischier, Simon Nemec and Arseny Gritsyuk? Some projections: [New Jersey Hockey Now]

Hockey Links

The Flyers, Wild and Ducks advance, and the Penguins, Stars and Oilers are done:

Lady Byng finalists:

“The on-ice officials not only missed Greig uppercutting a defenseless Hurricanes defenseman, but they also put Brind’Amour’s team on the PK afterward, something the Canes coach said shouldn’t be acceptable given how many people in the building saw the incident take place. But after years of watching mistakes such as this, Brind’Amour didn’t place blame on the two refs and two linesmen on the ice. Instead, he went back to an argument he has been making since he stepped behind the bench: the NHL’s officials need more help to get things right.” [The Athletic ($)]

“Jessica Campbell will not return to the Seattle Kraken bench next season, the team announced Thursday. Campbell’s contract is expiring this summer, and sources told ESPN that she has received interest across the league.” [ESPN]

A cool moment before Tuesday’s Bruins-Sabres game in Buffalo: “Seconds into ‘O Canada,’ national anthem singer Cami Clune’s microphone malfunctioned. A dutiful crowd of 19,070 — Shane and Andrea Doan included — rushed to her aid with a full-throated, word-for-word reinforcement.” [The Athletic ($)]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

Frank Warren has admitted that the episode surrounding Lawrence Okolie’s failed drug test is “a very, very big disappointment”, after the British heavyweight’s fight with Tony Yoka collapsed on short notice.

Okolie was due to face France’s Yoka in Paris last Saturday, but the fight fell through on Tuesday, when it emerged that Okolie had returned an adverse drug-test result.

Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, which was organising the fight, shared the news, which they said had come from the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.

Okolie took to social media to offer a statement, with the former cruiserweight and bridgerweight champion saying: “Before anyone starts imagining the worst, following my bicep injury last year, I sustained an elbow injury on the same arm during this camp.

“I had a treatment on it and now we are here. I truly hope sense prevails.

“I will of course be fully cooperating with all relevant authorities and I’m confident any investigation will clear my name. I won’t be making any further comment at this time. Thank you for all your support and see you soon.”

On Thursday, Warren said on a call with The Independent and other outlets: “It’s a very, very big disappointment. I mean, [I’m] very disappointed with that, but it is what it is.

“It will have to take its course when UKAD [UK Anti-Doping] and the [British Boxing] Board of Control call for the hearing, and they’ll have to go through the procedure.

“He’ll eventually... I’m sure he’ll present his B sample, and then depending on the outcome of that... If it matches the A sample, then he’s gonna have to give an explanation.”

That is the standard procedure in most cases, and it will have to play out before Okolie competes again.

The 33-year-old last fought in December, stopping Ebenezer Tetteh in the second round in Nigeria, as he continued his heavyweight venture.

Okolie (23-1, 17 KOs) is 3-0 at heavyweight, after his lone bridgerweight fight saw him win the division’s WBC title, following a run as WBO cruiserweight champion.

Okolie’s cruiserweight-title reign was ended by his former training partner Chris Billam-Smith in 2023, in the sole defeat of Okolie’s professional career so far.

The offseason is here a little earlier than the Penguins wanted it to be. As they shift into that mode, here’s what to watch for in the upcoming weeks for the early portion of decisions that will need to be made and events to unfold prior to the busy period around the draft and free agency.

Step 1: The Wilkes-Barre playoff run

Pittsburgh’s season is over but there’s still important information to glean for the organization within their AHL team. There are several players in Wilkes-Barre now, from Sergei Murashov to Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, Avery Hayes and Harrison Brunicke that will have very good chances to graduate to the NHL as soon as the start of next season. The organization would love to see a deep run by WBS to see which young players rise to the occasion and pique their interest when it comes to sorting out their squad for next season and which holes they might still want to fill via trades and free agents over the summer. The Pens probably wouldn’t have traded for Arturs Silovs without his 2025 Calder Cup run, this year their targets could well be internal for projecting to the NHL club.

Step 2: Find out draft position

Pittsburgh’s draft spot is currently 22nd, with draft position being set by regular season performance and not playoff results (until Conference Finals and Stanley Cup teams getting bumped to the end of the order, anyways). The Pens’ slot could move up to 20th if both the Flyers beat Carolina next round AND Vegas doesn’t advance to the Western Conference Final. If one of those items occur then the Pittsburgh pick moves to 21st. If neither of them happen, the pick remains 22nd. Vegas is up 3-2 in their series on Utah to move onto the next round and Carolina is a heavy favorite, so for draft positioning there might not be a move up from 22nd, but it’s one of those things to sit back and wait and see how it goes.

Step 3: Sort out Evgeni Malkin

This could take hours, days, weeks or even months to reach a conclusion. Malkin has made no secret his desire to return in 2026-27 with the Penguins. Kyle Dubas, on the other hand, has been in no rush to extend the star forward. Malkin will turn 40 this summer and the Penguins want to get younger, but he did produce 61 points in 56 games this season. Objectively, there shouldn’t be much to think about here to give the franchise icon a one-year extension. He’s still a productive player that could and should help the team next season and likely even come at a discounted rate. (It also doesn’t hurt that Malkin will help sell tickets and merch while keeping Sidney Crosby happier).

Step 4: Ownership transition

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman recently said the sale of the Penguins from FSG to the Hoffmann announced in December is ‘on track’ but didn’t give a timetable of when it would be completed. That requires Board of Governors approval and they haven’t had a meeting recently to get to that business. Immediate reactions might be for some sort of drastic change or shifts but it usually doesn’t pan out like that from the very start. It’s still an important item to check off the list, even if it likely won’t alter the offseason or team direction.

Step 5: Other free agents

The unrestricted free agents on the NHL roster, along with Malkin, are Kevin Hayes, Anthony Mantha, Noel Acciari, Connor Dewar, Connor Clifton, Ryan Shea, Ilya Solovyov and Stuart Skinner. In an effort to get younger, most of these names have likely played their final game as a Penguin. To varying levels, a few (most likely Dewar, Shea and Solovyov) will at least be approached for a possible return, if not get outright efforts to keep for next season. Maybe that applies to some of Acciari, Mantha and Skinner too, though I’d personally put those three names in a much less likely to return category at this point.

For restricted free agents, the Pens have Egor Chinakhov and Arturs Silovs to deal with (plus Koivunen and Joel Blomqvist down in the AHL). In this day and age it’s not uncommon to not tender an RFA and try to get a better deal for the team – that happened with Dewar and Phil Tomasino last year, but it’s a no-brainer that everyone mentioned in this category will get a qualifying offer and have their rights retained by the Pens.

—

There are certainly other items to consider and items to get to as well, depending on how aggressive the team might feel about what to do with someone like Ryan Graves or whatever might happen with the Kris Letang situation, whose no movement contract turns to a 10-team no trade on July 1st. Items like that are not as pressing or immediate for this early look at the offseason items and decisions that will unfold first.

There’s already tension around Liverpool right now, with ticket price protests highlighting a growing disconnect between supporters and decision-makers, and Arne Slot’s latest comments suggest change isn’t limited to what we see on the pitch.

DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL EMPIRE OF THE KOP APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAY

The Dutchman has now opened up on backroom adjustments, hinting that further shifts could still be on the horizon.

Slot addresses Liverpool backroom changes

Speaking via Liverpool’s official YouTube channel, Arne Slot reflected on the departure of a member of staff earlier this season, set-piece coach Aaron Briggs.

Our head coach explained: “We all know we lost a member of staff during the season, we parted ways. So it makes complete sense for this club if someone is leaving that you look at replacing.”

That decision came midway through the campaign, with the role handled internally since, though Slot’s comments suggest it may not remain that way for long.

He continued by outlining the broader philosophy behind these decisions: “In general you are looking to improve player wise and staff wise. Always keeping eyes open.”

More change possible behind the scenes

This isn’t happening in isolation either, because there’s already been turnover within the coaching setup over the past year, with John Heitinga leaving and Giovanni van Bronckhorst coming in, while further uncertainty remains.

Van Bronckhorst has been linked with opportunities elsewhere, which could again leave a gap that needs filling.

Slot previously made it clear that Briggs’ departure wasn’t taken lightly, stating: “He was a part – and a big part – of us winning the league last season… he has been a big help to me.”

That context matters, because while changes are often framed as improvements, they also mean losing continuity, something that can have a real impact over time.

At a moment when fans are already questioning the direction of the club, hearing that both the playing squad and the coaching staff are subject to ongoing review only adds to that sense of transition.

Whether these moves ultimately strengthen us or create further instability will become clearer in the months ahead, but for now, it’s evident that the rebuild isn’t just happening on the pitch.

Joao Palhinha kept the season alive as Tottenham Hotspur snuck past last-place Wolves, but the journey is far from over. West Ham remains two points ahead with four matches to go, and it no longer seems like even 40 points is a safe mark this year. Just getting there would require a 2-1-1 closing for Spurs, and with a trip to Stamford Bridge still looming, it essentially requires points from each of the other three fixtures.

That seems…unlikely, but survival was always going to require some luck. Sunday’s trip to Aston Villa represents the toughest remaining opponent in terms of table position, though Unai Emery’s side is dealing with the Europa League semis and questionable league form, having won just two of its last eight fixtures (both victories coming at home, however). Tottenham is not favored, but points must be earned somehow.

Match Details

Date: Sunday, May 3
Time: 2:00 pm ET, 7:00 pm UK
Location: Villa Park, Birmingham
TV: USA Network (US), TNT Sports 1 (UK)
Table: Spurs (18th, 34 pts), Villa (t-4th, 58 pts)

Spurs have had mixed results against Villa, but the recent stretch has not been kind. After a 4-1 win in November 2024 (following that impressive 4-0 trouncing the March before), it has been four straight losses in this head-to-head, including FA Cup eliminations in consecutive seasons. The reverse league fixture saw Rodrigo Bentcanur score in the opening five minutes before Villa came back to win 2-1 in North London.

Two Things to Watch

Expecting little

The first three matches under Roberto De Zerbi have done little to suggest the attack will reach his desired levels of fluidity. With three goals scored and an average xG under 1.0, it is fair to question if Spurs are simply unable to score enough to avoid relegation, even if the defense is miraculously improved (which is obviously a fantasy in itself).

Theoretically, the Villa defense is exploitable, sitting right next to Spurs in xGA this season, despite allowing the sixth-fewest actual goals. Three of the past six league opponents have found the back of the net at least three times each, though the other three contests during that stretch featured a total of two goals conceded. Most recent battles between these sides have seen modest scoring, and that feels like a safe bet again.

Much of this comes from Tottenham’s ever-dwindling list of healthy attackers. With Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons joining the crowded infirmary, good luck finding any sort of consistent attack. Richarlison, Mathys Tel, Lucas Bergvall, and Randal Kolo Muani are just about the only options, so there are going to be a ton of longballs that hopefully yield a lucky bounce in the final third.

Weekly Intangibles Update

To recap: Opta (an imperfect source, but at least a reasonable one), has West Ham at 40.2 points, with Leeds (45.7) and Forest (44.0) safe from the fray. The Hammers’ trip to the Gtech on Saturday is massive, especially since Spurs will know their standing ahead of the trip to Villa Park. While a draw (or loss) provides an opportunity to, at least temporarily, escape the drop zone, a West Ham win gives Spurs essentially no wiggle room.

Obviously, there is no result on Saturday that lowers the importance of Tottenham’s own fixture, but the gravity of seeing West Ham up five points does not sound great. Assuming equal results against Leeds, that would mean Spurs would need to win two of its other three matches in order to match the Hammers’ theoretical 42-point tally, and since one of those is against Chelsea, suddenly Villa is basically a must win.

Thankfully the home side will not be saying the same thing. Overcoming the 1-0 deficit to Forest in the Europa semis is the primary focus now with an eight-point cushion in the Champions League places, so perhaps Emery will mercifully deploy some rotation over the weekend. Wolves did not exactly roll over last Saturday, but hey, I would much rather face teams with nothing to play for than those still in the hunt. If talent is not enough to get Tottenham over the line, maybe desperation will be.

Good morning Gang Green Nation! Here are your links to your New York Jets this glorious Friday in May:

Randy Lange – How Jets Made Franchise History in Round 4 Tradeup to Take Cade Klubnik

Jordan Reid – 2027 NFL mock draft: Reid’s early first-round predictions

Nick Wojton – Winners, losers from the Jets’ 2026 NFL Draft class

Nick Wojton – The Athletic names Jets among ‘winners’ from 2026 NFL Draft

Nick Wojton – 2026 NFL Draft: Jets earn top grade from CBS Sports for team’s haul

Nick Wojton – Report: Did the Jets jump AFC rival to make pick at 2026 NFL Draft?

Matt Sullivan – Jets OC predicted Kenyon Sadiq pick during pre-draft interview with Oregon TE

Glenn Naughton – Russell Wilson Pursuit Sure to Catch eye of Former Jets GM

Charlie Baduini – Steve Wilks’ latest career move proves Jets had one of the league’s worst DCs

Derek Praschak – ESPN draft expert believes Jets dominated the 2026 NFL Draft

Mike Luciano – 3 biggest holes Jets must fill despite strong 2026 NFL Draft

Charlie Baduini – Joel Klatt gives Jets the ultimate praise for 2026 NFL Draft haul

Cardell Hardy – The New York Jets’ Path Back to Relevancy

Here are your missed connections from yesterday.

Free of charge for the discerning reader.

Happy birthday to Marcus Stroman* and a mighty host of others.

Today in baseball history, in 1991, Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers pitches the seventh no-hitter of his major league career, and other stories as well.

Today in baseball history:

• 1891 – In front of almost 10,000 fans, Cy Young of the Cleveland Spiders defeats the Cincinnati Reds, 12-3, in the first game ever played in Cleveland’s League Park.
• 1912 – George Sisler, a freshman at the University of Michigan, strikes out 20 in seven innings. Sisler will start his Hall of Fame career in 1915 with the St. Louis Browns, but will gain his fame as a hitter.
• 1925 – The Philadelphia Athletics introduce another future Hall of Famer, 17-year-old catcher Jimmie Foxx, who pinch-hits a single in the 9-4 loss to the Washington Senators.
• 1926 – All-time great pitcher Satchel Paige makes his debut in the Negro Southern League. Paige, at 19 years of age, leads Chattanooga to a 5-4 win over Birmingham.
• 1951 – Mickey Mantle hits the first home run of his career off Randy Gumpert in an 8-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park. In the same game, former Negro Leagues star Minnie Miñoso, the first black player in the history of the White Sox franchise. Miñoso belts a home run in his first at-bat.
• 1955 – Bob Feller pitches hitless ball for 6+ innings and hurls his major league record 12th one-hitter in a 2-0 victory in the opener, and in the nightcap rookie Herb Score strikes out the first nine batters (for a total of 16) en route to a 2-1 four-hit victory.
• 1959 – At the age of 39, Early Wynn of the Chicago White Sox pitches a one-hit shutout, strikes out 14, and hits a double and home run for a 1-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox at Comiskey Park.
• 1966 – Pittsburgh trounces the lowly New York Mets, 8-0. With four hits, Roberto Clemente equals the Mets’ total all by himself. Leading off the 4th, his line drive toward the right-center fence comes within inches of clearing the wall at the 436-foot sign.
• 1974Tom Seaver strikes out 16 Dodgers and gives up only three hits in over 12 innings, but the Mets lose in the 14th, 2 -1.
• 1975 – Hank Aaron collects four hits and two RBI in the Brewers’ 17-3 win over Detroit. This brings his career RBI total to 2,211, breaking Babe Ruth‘s record of 2,209. On February 3, 1976, the Records Committee will revise Ruth’s total to 2,204. In actuality, Aaron set the record with 2,205 on April 18th.
• 1984 – Dwight Gooden becomes the first teenager to strike out a least ten batters in a game since Bert Blyleven accomplished the feat in 1970. The Mets’ 19-year-old phenom, who will set a major league rookie record with 276 strikeouts, will have a total of 15 double-digit strikeout games this year.
• 1991Rickey Henderson of the Oakland Athletics surpasses Lou Brock as the major league career stolen base leader with his 939th steal in a 7-4 victory over the New York Yankees.
• 1991Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers pitches the seventh no-hitter of his major league career. The 44-year-old Ryan, who defeats the Toronto Blue Jays, 3-0, becomes the oldest pitcher to hurl a no-hit game. His masterpiece includes 16 strikeouts and only two walks. It is also the 209th time he has struck out ten or more in a game, and the 26th time putting 15 or more down on strikes.
• 2010 – Roy Halladay throws his second shutout in three starts when the Phillies stop the Mets’ winning streak at eight games with a 10-0 win.

Cubs Birthdays:Marcus Stroman*, Rudy Meoli, Paul Carter.

Today in history:

• 1486 Christopher Columbus proposes his plan to search for a western route to India in an audience with Spanish monarch, Isabella I; full support is granted three years later.
• 1851 – First public flushing toilets the ‘Monkey Closets’ unveiled by George Jennings as part of The Great Exhibition at Hyde Park, London, costing one penny.
• 1930 – The planet Pluto is officially named by 11-year-old English schoolgirl Venetia Burney
• 1939 – Batman first appears in Detective Comics #27.
• 1941 – “Citizen Kane,” directed by Orson Welles and starring himself, premieres at the in NYC.
• 1952 – Mr. Potato Head is first introduced by toy company Hasbro.
• 1964 – First BASIC program runs on a computer at Dartmouth College.
• 1989 – Tim Berners-Lee, working at CERN, submits his initial proposal for the World Wide Web (WWW).
• 1999 – Animated series “SpongeBob SquarePants,” created by Stephen Hillenburg, debuts on Nickelodeon.

*pictured.

Happy Friday, Big Cat Country! Let’s look at some Jacksonville Jaguars highlights, hype, and more from X/Twitter posted during the past week.

Trevor and Marissa Lawrence hosted a football and soccer clinic over the weekend for the Boys & Girls Club:

The team was surprised with a sunrise set:

NFL Africa shared this clip of Emmanuel Pregnon being drafted by the Jags:

Rookie Ben Patterson’s response to being signed:

Pro Football Hall of Fame Ambassador highlighted Jaguars rookie WR Josh Cameron’s last two seasons at Baylor:

The team shared rookie numbers and number updates:

Colorado Football posted this Buffalo x Jaguars connection:

Jaguars legend Jimmy Smith and Travis Hunter:

To help usher in the weekend, please enjoy these James Robinson Louisville Kings highlights:

I hope you have a good weekend! Not following Big Cat Country on social media? You can find us on Twitter, Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.

The word “dilemma” refers to a situation in which a difficult choice must be made, often between two or more undesirable options.

I see the topic of Catchers on the boards and marvel at how many points of view there are. Pages is unplayable because of his (lack of) offense. Herrera is unplayable because of his defense, especially his throwing. Crooks showed poorly and strikes out way too much and is untested and…and…and. Then there is Pozo. A charming rags-to-riches story, but little more. Many don’t understand why he is even on the roster or in the discussion. The answer to that side question became more clear last Saturday when Pages had to come out of the game when his hamstring tightened up. Without Pozo, the Cardinals lose the DH and add burden to Herrera earlier in the season than I think they’d like.

To further complicate a discussion, we could add the emerging Leo Bernal and the whistle we hear in the distance that is a high-speed train named Rainel Rodriguez. Since this is a data drive view, I’ll leave them aside – no data.

Today, I’m going to focus on the two main catching characters in this story – Pages and Herrera. We are starting to get some data. It isn’t definitive, particularly on the defensive side, because defensive stats can take a long time to stabilize, as in years. But we do have some data points. Fortunately, catchers are busy enough that the data points we have are more than a few. Let’s check the data we are getting against the narratives that have formed.

First, some background

Coming into the season, the Cardinals plan was to try and incorporate Ivan Herrera back into the catching rotation. Injuries limited him to 14 games behind the dish last year. Knee (bone bruise), hamstring and elbow issues all added up to a lost season from a catching standpoint, limiting him. But, boy, that bat. .837 OPS gets a persons’ attention, doesn’t it? Especially when it looks like there might be even more upside there.

As it has turned out in 2026, Pages has caught Liberatore, May and Leahy each turn through the rotation, and Herrera has caught McGreevy and Pallante each turn. This translates into a straight up 60-40% split of the catching duties, with Pages on the strong side of the platoon. For the most part, on his non-catching days, Ivan has served as the DH.

I think we have enough data to formulate some initial opinions about how this plan is working out.

Overall

Reader and commenter Solanus has some really interesting data collection he does on pitchers and catchers. I’ve managed to capture some of it in R queries, making the data more generally accessible (he hand collates this and I’m not passionate enough for that). I thought I’d start there.

The table above is a query of catcher outcomes for the 2026 season through the series with Seattle. What do I notice? The first thing that stands out is RA/game. This is a decent proxy for a more commonly cited reference called Catcher ERA. RA/game ignores Official Scorer variability and simply attributes the teams overall run prevention to the catcher who started. In prior years, Herrera’s Catcher ERA and RA/game have been noticeably higher than Pages. This year, not so much. When IH starts, the Cardinals are giving up .9 less run per game than when Pages starts.

Solanus has developed a Shutdown(SD)/Meltdown(MD)/No Decision (ND) method for starters not dissimilar to one Fangraphs uses to rate relievers. In this method, one takes all pitcher/batter events and calculates the change in win probability that resulted from whatever outcome the pitcher experienced. Give up a HR? Win probability goes down. Strike a guy out, win probability goes up. WPA is situation dependent. Relievers tend to experience much greater WPA with one event (such as the closer getting the final out with the tie and winning runs on base), whereas pitchers tend to accumulate WPA in much smaller increments, but much higher rates, since they face more batters. Starters throwing to Herrera (McGreevy, Pallante) are experiencing a net positive WPA so far in 2026, whereas the starters throwing to Pages (Liberatore, May, Leahy) are net negative. The method evaluates WPA > .06 as a shutdown performance (SD) by the pitcher. WPA < -.06 is a meltdown (MD) pitching outcome. Otherwise, ND. As you can see in the data, Pages has worn most of the Meltdowns among starters.

Personally, I’m not a guy that relies heavily on Catcher ERA or RA/game, because of its apparent volatility. But if you are a person inclined to cite this stat when defending your point of view that Herrera is not workable as a catcher, you might want to check again.

Throwing

Some folks would point to Ivan’s struggles with throwing base runners out and the obvious contributions from his bat, along with the injuries, and opine that Ivan would be better off at DH or another defensive position that keeps his bat in the lineup. Others discount the impact of CS% because the low run value of a stolen base (and the relatively high negative cost of a Caught Stealing). A team has to steal a lot (!) of bases and have a high success rate for the steals to really matter. Let’s look at some underlying metrics.

This is obviously small sample size theater. But many of these numbers compare to historical results for each player.

Herrera catches McGreevy and Pallante (not a pitcher noted for holding runners well). With these pitchers, the runners are a good 5 feet closer to second when the catcher’s throwing comes into play. That’s an extra half, almost full step. If you watch replays of SB attempts, 5 feet is significant.

Pages is a nick faster in pop time, but both are considered average by MLB standards. In MLB, the .1 difference is close to 1 standard deviation from average. Note that Pages has a stronger arm (MPH, last column). Herrera’s is up about .5 MPH from last year. MLB average for throw velocity is 83-84, so both are below average in throwing. Herrera moreso. One thing you can glean from these numbers…teams are not running crazy when Ivan catches.

You see the expected CS rate? If I understand, it’s a bit like xFIP and normalizes back to league averages given the pop time, exchange time and throw velocity. With the small sample, the actual CS doesn’t mean a lot. Statcast estimates that with the metrics Ivan has, he would likely throw out ~15% of runners given pitchers that could hold runners closer to first. That 15% is low, but not unsustainably lower than Pages at 22% expected. I have more research to do to verify, but I gather that Pages over-performs his expected CS rate and Herrera under-performs due to the large disparity in the “distance to second factor”, which is functionally a matter of how well pitchers hold the runners on.

Framing

While throwing is a super small sample size, framing is not. Lots of chances to do this. What do we see?

From a framing standpoint, the two catchers are pretty much even. Herrera doesn’t “steal” quite as many strikes on pitches just off the plate as Pages does, but he is above league average. Neither is particularly adept at stealing strikes beyond 1” outside the zone. Given what we see with ABS, that 1”-2” outside the SZ may become moot as challenges correct these calls.

The chart below overlays both catchers against league averages. Both chart out as pretty much league average, with Pages having a slight edge in Shadow Strike%, just enough to add 1 run for framing.

The chart below visualizes Pages’ and Herrera’s data, with the rest of the league shown in the lighter green lines. Verdict? They are both average net-net. You can see this in the Framing Runs.

One final component of framing is a new one. The utilization of ABS by each catcher. I’m still trying to figure some of this data out, and I’ve omitted what I don’t quite comprehend yet. But there is a high-level theme that emerges.

Above, we see that Pages is 1 run better than Herrera in framing (probably more like 1.5 on a rate basis, given the 60-40 split of playing time). If we look at the correction rate on framing, we see that Herrera is a more effective user of ABS, to the tune of 1 run. This is driven by two features Ivan has. First, he challenges less than expected, by almost half, whereas Pages is right at league average. But Herrera is successful 90% of the time with his challenges. Should he challenge more? The data says he might just be wrong more…I haven’t been able to correlate the data, but it is a decent bet that Herrera’s high overturn rate occurs on pitches in that zone 0-1” inside the K zone and that 63% framing metric ends up looking better after attenuating for successful challenges.

If you are willing to net ABS into framing runs, you end up with Herrera and Pages being in a dead heat so far in 2026.

Blocking

To-date, we Pages is dead on average blocking over 787 opportunities. No small sample here. He is league average.

Herrera grades out almost the same. -1 runs below average, resulting in one more expected PB or WP event. On a rate basis, you could probably view that as -2 runs.

Pages blocking opportunities exceed what I’d expect with a 60-40 timeshare. Herrera has 380 block opportunities in 40% of the games suggests that Pages should have 570 or so, not 787. It appears Pages’ pitchers makes him work a bit harder.

Would Herrera hold up as average with different, more erratic pitchers? I don’t know. I double checked (no chart, sorry) and the total number of tracked pitches between Herrera and Pages did comport with the 60-40 split, further supporting the notion that Pages’ pitching trio is a bit more challenging with balls in the dirt.

The offensive side

The comparison charts below omit that names, but I bet you can guess which is Herrera and which is Pages.

Herein lies the main argument in the Pages/Herrera “tastes great/less filling” argument. Pages grades out as a bit better defensive catcher (overall +1 fielding runs instead of Herrera’s overall 0 fielding runs if you include ABS), but as a materially worse hitter (-1 batting runs versus 5 batting runs). Given the current playing time allotment and same performance over 162-game season, Herrera would come out ~30 batting runs, whereas Pages would be around 0. That is 3 wins right there (under the Pythag theory that 10 runs = 1 win). Meanwhile, Pages would grade out as +6 field runs (1/2 of a win) and Herrera would grade out as 0 fielding runs. Fundamentally, Herrera grades out 2.5 wins better than Pages (net-net).

An alternative argument becomes … well, leverage Ivan’s bat at DH. Except…when Ivan DH’s, the DH penalty impacts him to the point where he is a league average hitter as seen by taking his offensive splits when DHing and seeing a 101 wRC+. Closer to 0 runs than 30. The data begins to suggest that perhaps Ivan should be the one on the long side of the platoon. You’d lose a bit defensively but potentially gain quite a bit offensively. How much you ask? Ivan’s hitting, while catching, is 181 wRC+. You want to know how good of a hitter Ivan is? 181 wRC+ would be third in the MLB, behind Rice and Alvarez.

Want to claim SSS on that 181 wRC+ for 2026? Let’s look at 2025. Ivan’s wRC+ while catching was an astounding 242. To be fair, he was wRC+ 127 at the DH spot. But across both years (and consequently, a much larger sample size), the DH penalty the Cardinals pay with Ivan is in the 80 – 100 wRC+ range. One could argue that is a heavy fine to pay for a little bit better defense.

Playing Time

The current format is for a 60-40 playing time split. Realistically, that is how the catcher position divides up for many teams. Rare is the everyday catcher, and rarer still is the everyday catcher who avoids injury. Only 12 catchers in MLB caught more that 105 games in 2025. A 60-40 split (or slightly different, like 67-33) is what every team, including the Cardinals, face. I don’t think the Cardinals have the option of playing Ivan at C for 162 games, or even 140.

One option that could be considered would be to flip the platoon basis, in favor of Herrera being 60% of the games. Playing out offense at current rates of each player, adding 30 games to Herrera’s non-DH offensive number would produce in the neighborhood of 10-12 more runs (using wRC) over what you’d expect from him at catcher on the offensive side, less 1-2 runs blocking throwing on the defensive side. Net of ~10 additional runs, that would be worth 1 win.

Summary

These are the numbers we can look at to-date. There isn’t any meaningful way to evaluate game calling and other soft skills, although RA/game or Catcher ERA may provide some hints at the macro level.

So far, Herrera grades out better at coaxing greater performance, moreso among the starters than relievers. That is what RA/game tells us, but that is not how the Cardinals view it internally. I see Pages and Herrera as functionally the same at framing, and Pages is slightly better at controlling the run game, but both are below average here. Overall, Pages is a bit better defensively, but perhaps nothing decisive (in the data we can observe). Herrera is materially better offensively. What to do?

I think with the data above, you can see why the Cardinals have Ivan Herrera catching. Net-net, they get more out of the C position than they would with Herrera as full-time DH, and they get more out of Ivan, too. While I think one could argue that the current arrangement is the optimum arrangement to maximize both players’ value, a gradual shift of the platoon allotment might be warranted, as Ivan gets further away from injury and recovery.

At some point, we can opine that the Cardinals need to get more offense from the 60% side of the platoon. This would entail 1) moving Herrera to the long side of the platoon or 2) promoting Crooks to replace Pages and hoping he can provide more offense. It’s not clear the Cardinals are ready to take that leap of faith. Another key question would be … what would be the impact on the defense? To my eyes (looking at the data), the bar Crooks must reach defensively is to be better than average. Again, it is not clear that the Cardinals are ready to take the leap that Crooks can clear that bar. Perhaps later this year, when the season outcome is more decided.

This is the dilemma from a data perspective, using the data we have to-date. Stay tuned.

Good morning, Camden Chatters.

If you were looking for a perfect six-hour encapsulation of the Orioles’ 2026 season so far, look no further than yesterday’s doubleheader against the Astros. The opener of the twin bill showcased how gloriously high the Birds’ potential can be when everything is clicking…and then the second game harshly reminded us of the sloppy, unwatchable mess this team too often becomes.

You’d hardly believe these two games were played by the same team. Game one was a master class in how to play winning baseball. Stupendous pitching, timely hitting, and grand slams aplenty led the Orioles to a 10-3 blowout win. Roughly 30 minutes later, the O’s stumbled out of the dugout and fumbled their way through a poorly pitched, defensively shoddy top of the first inning that put them into a 5-0 hole from which they never recovered, en route to an 11-5 loss.

As Mark Brown often writes, the Orioles never let you feel good about them for very long. Every time it appears they’re turning a corner or gaining some momentum, their fatal flaws show up and knock them on their keisters. The O’s had no sooner returned to the .500 mark with their win in the opener before they sank back underwater to 15-16 to finish April.

It’s been that way all year. The O’s have won just often enough to keep themselves afloat but never enough to pull away from mediocrity. Consider their week-by-week records so far:

First homestand: 3-3
First road trip: 3-3
Second homestand: 3-3
Second road trip: 3-4
Third homestand: 3-3

I guess there’s something to be said for consistency. But hovering around .500 isn’t going to cut it if the Orioles have real designs on being a contender.

It was at exactly this same point of the schedule last year — 31 games in — that the Orioles’ season completely fell apart. They began a death spiral of 15 losses in 17 games, costing manager Brandon Hyde his job and fully burying the Orioles’ hopes of relevance. The 2026 Orioles, at least, haven’t yet shown that level of futility. But their schedule is about to get a lot tougher, starting with a four-game trip tonight to face the best team in the American League, the Yankees. And 19 of the Orioles’ next 25 games are against teams that are currently .500 or better.

It’s going to be a real test of the Orioles’ mettle. If yesterday’s game one was any indication, the O’s can more than hold their own. But if yesterday’s game two was any indication? Well, my friends, things could get real ugly, real quick.

Links

Should you be optimistic about the Orioles? | MAILBAG – BaltimoreBaseball.com

Even Rich Dubroff’s case for optimism doesn’t sound all that optimistic. It’s more of an acknowledgement that most other AL teams aren’t that good, either.

A few random O’s stats and notes – Steve Melewski

Orioles catchers are the best hitters in the league! As for Orioles third basemen, um…uh…let’s just move on to the next link.

Meet 2 Orioles fans making the most of a doubleheader in the all-you-can-eat Truist Club – The Baltimore Banner

If you can eat as much stuff in six hours as these two O’s fans did, maybe the price of a Truist Club ticket is worth it. But as someone who can’t make it past one serving at Bill Bateman’s all-you-can-eat wings night, I think I’ll pass.

Orioles legend Jim Palmer eats his 1st chicken wing after grand slam bet – The Baltimore Sun

Speaking of wings, guess which 80-year-old just ate one for the first time in his life? See you at Bill Bateman’s, Jim.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Two former Orioles right-handers were born on this day: Dillon Tate (32) and Allan Ramirez (69).

On this day in 2012, Orioles skipper Buck Showalter notched his 1,000th career win, fittingly enough against the team he first managed, the Yankees. In a 7-1 rout, eight different Orioles had hits, including homers by Chris Davis and J.J. Hardy. Starter Brian Matusz, who had been 0-12 with a 10.47 ERA in 14 starts since his last win, got off the schneid with an excellent performance, holding the Yanks to one run in 6.1 strong innings. Showalter would finish his managerial career with 1,727 wins, including 669 with the Orioles.

Random Orioles game of the day

The random number generator spat out 2024, so we’re getting a recent one today. On May 1, 2024, the Orioles lost a 2-0 shutout to the Yankees at Camden Yards. Ace Corbin Burnes gave a valiant effort for the O’s, pitching six innings and giving up just two runs, both coming on an Oswaldo Cabrera homer in the fifth. But the Birds’ offense had no answer for Yankees starter Luis Gil, the eventual AL Rookie of the Year winner, who tossed 6.1 scoreless frames. Gil held Colton Cowser, the guy he ultimately beat out for ROY honors, to an 0-for-2. Clay Holmes got the last five outs for the save. The win pulled the Yanks into a virtual tie with the Orioles atop the AL East.

The Detroit Tigers return to Comerica Park to host the Texas Rangers on Friday after a 4-5 interleague swing that concluded with a 5-2 victory in the finale against the Braves in Atlanta on Thursday to prevent a sweep.

This weekend’s series opens up a six-game homestand that has the Boston Red Sox coming to town for the second leg of the stretch. But first things first — the Rangers arrive in the D just a half-game behind the Tigers in the overall standings with one less win in one fewer game played, placing them firmly in the middle of the American League West standings.

Detroit, on the other hand, is knotted up with the Cleveland Guardians atop the AL Central Division, both at an even 16-16 mark. It is still early in the season — summer has not even arrived yet — but it feels good to see the Motor City Kitties on top of things regardless of the time of year.

More good news: the Tigers are a tidy 10-2 at home so far this season against a brutal 6-14 record on the road; on the other hand, they are just 5-6 against fellow AL foes, but all five wins did come within the comfortable confines of Comerica Park.

So it seems that the odds are stacked in favor of the Olde English D, which hopefully bodes well for Friday night’s starter, right-hander Jack Flaherty, who has struggled significantly over his last two appearances – both notably on the road. The last time he faced Texas was last year on May 10, when he gave up five runs on four hits (all four home runs!) and two walks while striking out four over three innings in the loss.

For the visitors, left-hander MacKenzie Gore will climb the hill for his first appearance against the Tigers as a Ranger. The 27-year-old has struggled mightily over his last three starts, posting a 6.14 ERA and 5.50 FIP over 14 2/3 innings — a stretch that saw him allow 16 hits (three home runs) and 10 walks while striking out a whopping 17 batters.

The last time Gore saw the Tigers was last summer with the Washington Nationals on July 2, in which he threw 5 1/3 frames of two-run ball on three hits and four walks, along with two strikeouts in his team’s victory.

Take a look below at their respective season numbers ahead of Friday night’s fracas.

Detroit Tigers (16-16) vs. Texas Rangers (15-16)

Time (ET): 6:40 p.m.
Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
SB Nation Site:Lone Star Ball
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 33: RHP Jack Flaherty (0-2, 5.33 ERA) vs. LHP MacKenzie Gore (2-2, 4.35 ERA)

FLAHERTY

GORE

As a new month dawns, the Phillies find themselves back to winning ways. A trip to Miami is up next.

Onto the links.

Phillies news:

Nothing is new under the sun, including winning both games of a doubleheader on walk offs. But it’s been a while.

Don Mattingly is making his mark on the team.

What do you do when your game is rained out? Watch the Flyers take down Pittsburgh, that’s what. ($)

MLB news:

Whenever someone ties Ted Williams in anything, you can be sure they’re doing something impressive.

Jeff Passan gives his early thoughts on the MLB campaign.

MLB.com looks at the top 150 Draft prospects.

Myles Murphy started to show some life late last season, which is why it was a bit of a surprise when the Cincinnati Bengals decided against exercising his fifth-year option.

But, according to de facto GM Duke Tobin, that doesn’t mean they are looking to move on.

“He’s a 24-year-old guy that’s just starting to scratch the surface,” Tobin said in a press conference, per Bengals.com. “He’s a guy that we believe in. He’s going to be a big part of what Al [Golden] and his staff does… The organization believes in Myles and will continue to explore a long-term relationship.“

So why didn’t they just keep him around?

Here’s what Geoff Hobson wrote:

About half of Murphy’s fellow 2023 first-rounders haven’t had their fifth years exercised as the Bengals hope to take that $14 million option and convert it into a better salary cap fit for upcoming seasons.

Since the Bengals locked up their premier offensive weapons to long-term contracts in 2025 and now have a hefty sum dedicated to a well-stocked defense, the front office appears to be prioritizing the flexibility associated with a future extension over the more rigid fifth-year option number.

That makes sense in general, and it especially makes sense after the Bengals really pushed themselves to their spending limit this offseason with the trade for Dexter Lawrence.

We talked about the change in approach to spending of Duke Tobin and Katie Blackburn in our recent show.

The countdown to the 2026 World Cup is on! Each day ahead of the tournament’s return to North America, Yahoo Sports will highlight an insight or moment that showcases just how grand the world’s biggest sporting spectacle has become — even beyond the expanded field of this year’s global event.

The final knockout round spot from Group A at the 1998 World Cup was on the line during the last group stage matches. Norway had two points, while Morocco and Scotland sat on one point with Brazil easily winning the group after two victories. It was all up for grabs with a date against Italy in the Round of 16 on the line.

It was looking quite comfortable for Morocco, which built a 2-0 lead on Scotland early in the second half after goals from Salaheddine Bassir and Abdeljalil Hadda. Bassir would add a third in the 85th minute to ensure the win and put Morocco on four points. Over in Marseille, Norway faced a tall task after Bebeto beat Frode Grodås to put Brazil up 1-0 in the 78th minute. Norway needed to win with Morocco cruising in their match.

In the 83rd minute, Tore André Flo delivered a lifeline with his only goal of the tournament. The live table with 12 minutes to play read:

• 2nd: Morocco, 4 points

• 3rd: Norway, 3 points

One more goal was needed for Norway to leap-frog Morocco.

Flo wouldn’t score again, but he played a role in the dramatic finish. Júnior Baiano pulled down the Norway striker, causing referee Esfandiar Baharmast to call a late penalty kick.

Up stepped Kjetil Rekdal, who beat Cláudio Taffarel to put Norway up 2-1 in the dying moments of the match.

Norway hung on in stoppage time to secure the win and take the second spot in the group and advance to the Round of 16.

Norway will participate in its fourth-ever World Cup this summer. It has reached the Round of 16 on two previous occasions and only failed to advance in 1994 after all four teams in its group finished with four points, but missed out on a goals scored tiebreaker.

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (16-13)

GAME 1: SYRACUSE 7, LEHIGH VALLEY 0 (BOX)

Jack Wenninger bounced back very nicely from a relatively bat outing in his previous start, as he struck out seven, walked one, gave up just four hits, and didn’t allow any runs in five-and-two-thirds innings. By the standards of minor league pitching development, that’s practically a complete game—especially in a seven-inning game that takes place as part of a doubleheader.

A.J. Ewing remained red hot with a pair of hits, a stolen base, and a a stolen base, and he made a pair of diving catches in center field, to boot. Christian Arroyo and Ji Hwan Bae each had three hits. Syracuse’s early runs were helped significantly by a Lehigh Valley throwing error, but the team kept piling on in an easy win.

• CF A.J. Ewing: 2-4, 2 R, SB
• RF Nick Morabito: 0-3, R, K
• LF Ryan Clifford: 0-3, BB, 2 K
• 1B Christian Arroyo: 3-4, R, RBI, K
• 3B Vidal Bruján: 1-3, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, SB
• 2B Ji Hwan Bae: 3-3, R, 2B, RBI
• DH Cristian Pache: 0-1
• C Hayden Senger: 1-3, 2 RBI, K
• SS Jackson Cluff: 0-3, K
• P Jack Wenninger: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
• P Jonathan Pintaro: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

GAME 2: SYRACUSE 4, LEHIGH VALLEY 3 (BOX)

Not to be outdone by his own performance in the first game of the doubleheader, A.J. Ewing picked up two more hits in the second game and score a run. He’s hitting .583 with a 1.448 OPS since his recent promotion to Triple-A. This game was much closer than the first one, but the team scored just enough runs to outpace the runs allowed by its pitching staff in a bullpen game.

• RF A.J. Ewing: 2-4, R
• DH Nick Morabito: 1-3, R, 2B, RBI, K, SB
• 1B Ryan Clifford: 0-4, 3 K
• SS Vidal Bruján: 2-4, R, 2B, RBI, K
• CF Ji Hwan Bae: 2-4, R, 2B, RBI, K, SB
• LF Cristian Pache: 0-3, 3 K
• 2B Yonny Hernández: 1-4, K
• C Ben Rortvedt: 1-4, RBI, K
• 3B Jackson Cluff: 0-3, K
• P Daniel Duarte: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• P Dan Hammer: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• P Ryan Lambert: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• P Dylan Ross: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• P Alex Carrillo: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
• P Mike Baumann: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (9-15)

BINGHAMTON 6, NEW HAMPSHIRE 3 (BOX)

Five Binghamton pitchers held New Hampshire to three runs, and six different Rumble Ponies drove in the team’s six runs. Kevin Parada had one of his best days at the palte in a while with three hits, one of which was a double.

• RF Eli Serrano III: 1-3, R, RBI, 2 BB, K
• LF Chris Suero: 0-4, R, RBI, BB, 2 K
• DH Jose Ramos: 1-5, R, RBI, 2 K
• C Kevin Parada: 3-5, R, 2B, RBI, K, SB
• 3B Nick Lorusso: 1-4, BB, 2 K
• 1B TT Bowens: 2-5, 2 2B, 2 K, SB
• CF Matt Rudick: 0-2, RBI, 2 BB, K
• SS Wyatt Young: 0-1, R, RBI, 2 BB, K
• 2B Diego Mosquera: 1-4, R, 2 K, SB
• P Brendan Girton: 4.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• P Zach Peek: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• P Matt Turner: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
• P Douglas Orellana: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• P Ben Simon: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (6-17)

BROOKLYN 2, FREDERICK 1 (BOX)

After five scoreless innings from Cyclones starter Irving Cota, Brooklyn gave up a run in the top of the sixth, but an RBI double from Kevin Villavicencio tied the game in the bottom of the seventh. In the bottom of the eighth, shortstop Antonio Jimenez manufactured a run as he singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a ground out, and scored when Frederick tried to catch him off third base, prompting him to break for home plate and score what wound up being the game-deciding run in the process.

• SS Antonio Jimenez: 1-4, R, K, SB
• CF John Bay: 1-4, 2B, K
• DH Ronald Hernandez: 0-4, 3 K
• C Daiverson Gutierrez: 1-4, R, 2B, E
• 3B Colin Houck: 0-3, K
• 1B Trace Willhoite: 0-1, BB, K
• LF Vincent Perozo: 0-3, K
• 2B Kevin Villavicencio: 2-3, 2 2B, RBI
• RF Yohairo Cuevas: 0-3, 2 K
• P Irving Cota: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• P Cristofer Gomez: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• P Dakota Hawkins: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (10-14)

TAMPA 8, ST. LUCIE 5 (BOX)

R.J. Gordon, who had a solid season last year in Brooklyn and Binghamton, is working his way back from a lat injury and got roughed up in this one. He has a 43.20 ERA in Single-A through two appearances that have seen him throw just one-and-two-thirds innings in total.

At the plate, Elian Peña continued to impress, and with his two-hit night, he has a .353 average and a .949 OPS to start his first stateside season. He wasn’t the only St. Lucie Met with a multi-hit night, as Randy Guzman and AJ Salgado each hit a home run on a two-hit night, and Sam Robertson had a three-hit night with a stolen base.

• SS Elian Peña: 2-4, 2 R, K, SB
• LF JT Benson: 0-4, RBI, K
• 1B Randy Guzman: 2-3, R, HR, RBI, 2 BB
• C Julio Zayas: 1-5, K
• RF AJ Salgado: 2-4, 2 R, HR, RBI
• CF Simon Juan: 0-4, 2 K
• DH Jamari Baylor: 0-3, BB, 2 K
• 2B Sam Robertson: 3-4, RBI, SB
• 3B Branny De Oleo: 0-4
• P R.J. Gordon: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• P Tyler McLoughlin: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• P Joel Lara: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
• P Joe Scarborough: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K

Rookie: FCL Mets (0-0)

NO GAME (SCHEDULE)

STARS OF THE NIGHT

Jack Wenninger and A.J. Ewing

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

R.J. Gordon

Which UDFAs could make Dallas Cowboys roster? Ranking players with the best shot – Joseph Hoyt, The Dallas Morning News

Which UDFA’s could fight for a roster spot and playing time in 2026?

No. 1 Baylor TE Michael Trigg

Trigg’s talent is certainly evident. The 6-4 tight end looks like a basketball player on grass. He has a greater than 7-foot wingspan — a mark that’s not only rare, but one that’s earned a nickname around Waco. Trigg said people will say he has “go-go-gadget” arms like the character Inspector Gadget. Trigg uses those arms, too. He made plenty of spectacular catches during a five-year career at USC, Ole Miss and eventually Baylor. He had 14 touchdowns in his career, including six last season. He was rated as a potential fifth-round prospect, according to The Athletic. 

Of course, players are always available after the draft for a reason. He’ll have to show throughout the offseason that he’s not only athletic, but he can be diligent, too, and act like a professional on the field and in practice. If he can, and if he can make spectacular catches in Oxnard like he did in college, then expect him to push for a tight end spot on the 53-man roster. 

Cowboys player named top 30 pick, Round 3 steal by ESPN – Matthew Lenix, Blogging the Boys

The Jaishawn Barham hive is growing.

The name of the game for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2026 NFL Draft was defense, and they specifically nailed it in the first three rounds. After taking safety Caleb Downs and edge Malachi Lawrence in round one, the Cowboys selected linebacker/edge Jaishawn Barham out of Michigan in round three after not having a second-round pick.

Dallas could have tried to finagle a second-rounder with one of the fourth-round picks they got from the Philadelphia Eagles when they moved back to No. 23 from No. 20 and took Lawrence. However, they stayed and got Barham, and Matt Miller of ESPN loves that they did. He ranks Barham as the 30th best pick of the entire draft.

Good luck dealing with the Cowboys when they get into nickel defense with Downs in the box and Barham coming off the edge. A former linebacker at Michigan, he made the move to edge rusher in 2025 and was fantastic. Playing in a pro-level scheme under former NFL defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, Barham thrived after making the position change in Week 3, with 10 tackles for loss and four sacks. Getting Barham in Round 2 would have been a hit, but drafting him at the back end of Round 3 is a steal.

Caleb Downs Reacts to Being Drafted by Cowboys in New Behind-the-Scenes Video – Zach Bachar, Bleacher Report

New footage has come out from Caleb Downs draft day experience.

Former Ohio State safety Caleb Downs’ behind-the-scenes reaction to being selected by the Dallas Cowboys with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft has been revealed.

In a video posted by the YouTube channel for his Downs 2 Business podcast, Downs received a call from the Cowboys that he was getting drafted before celebrating with his family, friends and teammates (13:00 mark).

Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia also congratulated him (14:20 mark).

Dallas initially held the No. 12 pick in the draft, but traded up to select Downs in a swap with the Miami Dolphins.

It’s easy to see why the Cowboys were focused on landing the 21-year-old, as he’s coming off an impressive junior season at Ohio State.

Downs racked up 68 tackles, five tackles for loss, two interceptions and two forced fumbles in 14 games during his 2025 campaign while finishing No. 9 in Heisman Trophy voting.

He allowed a mere 46.5 passer rating when targeted, according to Pro Football Focus.

Dee Winters on joining Cowboys: ‘This is a huge year for me’ – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com

Dee Winters introduces himself to Cowboys Nation.

FRISCO, Texas – Dee Winters was moving into his new home in Arlington, Texas last Friday night when he got a call from Cowboys COO/co-owner Stephen Jones.

Dallas traded a fifth-round pick to the 49ers for Winters, who had just wrapped up his third NFL season in San Francisco.

“Honestly, I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised quite a bit…” Winters said of the news. “I definitely didn’t have any plans on being traded. But everything happens for a reason, I’m excited that I’m back home and I get to play for the Dalals Cowboys.”

Winters, a Texas native who played college football at TCU, had the most productive season of his NFL career in 2025, starting all 17 games for the 49ers and posting 101 tackles, eight tackles for loss, five pass breakups and a pick-six.

“I think just the attention to detail last year, and just kind of understanding what offenses like to do,” Winters said of what sparked his career-best year in 2025. “I feel like I started to pick up on it more as I got reps. Just that experience each and every game getting better and trying to use that motto, I think that really helped me have a decent year last year.”

COWBOYS 3–4 DEFENSIVE DEPTH CHART PREDICTION – Cody Warren, InsidetheStar.com

How will the Cowboys base defense look with all the new faces?

Now that the offense is finished, we will take a look at what I think the defensive depth chart will look like at the start of the 2026 season.

I’m building this around a base 3–4 defense, and that change will affect how I look at the entire depth chart. This will be about figuring out where the players fit the scheme, who gives Dallas some position flex and helps this defense progress.

In a 3–4, the Cowboys will need size up front, athleticism at linebacker, and defensive backs who can move around. Some players fit cleaner than others, and a few roster decisions are going to be tougher than people think.

Again, players that are bold and blue are projected for my 53-man roster on the defensive side.
In a base 3–4, I want size, power, and versatility up front.

Quinnen Williams and Keny Clark give Dallas strength and pass rush at the end position. They can also move up and down the line much like the rest of the defensive end depth chart and take pressure off the linebackers.

Jonathan Bullard makes the roster because I like having a veteran body who can handle different jobs across the front. LT Overton is the kind of young defensive lineman I want to keep around because he has the size and upside to grow into a big role.

Kelvin Gilliam Jr., DJ Withers, and Tommy Dunn Jr. are not on the 53, but they are all players I would consider for the practice squad. Out of that group, I would really try to keep Dunn in the building as a developmental lineman.

The Washington Commanders are entering a critical offseason in 2026, and needed an infusion of youth, talent, and some luck as they try to bounce back from a 5-12 season. The second year of Adam Peters’ “recalibration” of the roster started with sky-high expectations after an NFC Championship Game appearance the year before. A Terry McLaurin hold-in, along with injuries to multiple starters made for a miserable season, but with the NFL draft over, it’s time to get an idea of where Washington stands.

The Commanders used free agency to make massive changes to the defense, along with firing defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr, and replacing him with Daronte Jones. That focus on defense continued with their first pick in this year’s draft, Ohio State LB Sonny Styles.

Washington also made major changes on the offensive side of the ball. There were reportedly issues with former offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s use of personnel/playcalling last season, which was amplified by injuries to major players like Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin. David Blough took over the reigns from his former boss, and is expected to make significant changes to the offense, and help mold Daniels into a more complete NFL QB. He also got some help in free agency with players like TE Chig Okonkwo and RB Rachaad White. Adam Peters used Washington’s second pick in the draft(3rd round) on WR Antonio Williams.

Washington ranks as high as #15 with high praise for this year’s free agency and draft classes. The other side of the spectrum has them ranked as low as #26, but with expectations to bounce back from last year’s disappointing results.

• Winning the Super Bowl odds: +4,500
• Winning the NFC Odds: +2,200
• Winning the NFC East Odds: +410
• To Make the Playoffs: Make +190, Miss -230
• Jayden Daniels MVP Odds: +2,000
• Washington Commanders Win Total O/U: Over 7.5(-135), Under 7.5(+115)

High: 15

Low: 26

Average: 22.3

#15

Pro Football Network (Infante)

Coming off a disappointing 2025, the Washington Commanders needed some major upgrades to their roster in free agency. So far, they’ve been able to do exactly that. Most of their moves have come on defense, having signed the likes of Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson, Leo Chenal, Nick Cross, Tim Settle, and Amik Robertson.

Despite not having picks in the second or fourth rounds, the Commanders came away with the top-graded draft class by PFSN’s NFL Draft HQ. Sonny Styles and Antonio Williams should start right away for Washington, while Day 3 picks like Joshua Josephs, Kaytron Allen, and Matt Gulbin were all great value selections where they got drafted.

#20

SB Nation

#21

Sporting News (Iyer)

The Commanders went strong for Sonny Styles at linebacker and Antonio Williams at wide receiver, addressing two key needs with changing coordinators on both sides of the ball. They also need Kaytron Allen to boost the running game for Jayden Daniels, who needs to have a healthy season for the Commanders to surprise again.

The Big Lead (Antoine)

Drafted defense-first with real intent and tried to raise the unit’s athletic floor – the only problem is they still need the offense to be competent.

Barstool Sports

A lot of this comes down to having faith in Jayden Daniels. The trio of him, Bill and Terry are super solid. Add Okonkwo to that offense and I like what I see. I feel they overpaid for Odafe Oweh (he was a great in-season trade for my Chargers but I don’t see the vision there) but, if he performs at the same level as the end of last year, that front 7 could be dangerous. The bigger issue is that they just don’t have a lot of picks top to work with. They face the NFCW and AFCS. 

Their defense took a major step back last year and Styles is an immediate upgrade. Every team needs a hyper-dynamic guy like that. Antonio Williams should also help their depleted WR room and give Jayden something to work with. I think this team has improved but they still have problems, the Eagles aren’t going anywhere and the Cowboys/Giants are getting better. 

#22

Sharp Football Analysis (Summerlin)

Sonny Styles was a great get for Washington, even if they might have rather landed Mansoor Delane, and I am a fan of Antonio Williams both as a player and how he can complement Terry McLaurin.

The Score

There was a huge gap between the Commanders’ first two picks (Nos. 7 and 71), but they were able to combine need, best talent available, and value. Washington landed inside linebacker Sonny Styles in Round 1 and later added much-needed help at wide receiver in the form of the overlooked Antonio Williams in the third round.

New York Post (Selby)

Rookie LB Sonny Styles completes an extensive defensive upgrade while a healthy Jayden Daniels needs a bounceback season from WR Terry McLaurin.

#23

USA Today (Davis)

Even if they get a full season of QB Jayden Daniels, does he have enough weaponry around him offensively?

Fox Sports (Vacchiano)

Dan Quinn fell in love with Ohio State LB Sonny Styles, and that’s great. But what this team needed most was offensive playmakers. They got Clemson WR Antonio Williams in the third, but they needed more, plus more help on the offensive line.

#24

NFL.com (Edholm)

The Commanders entered the draft with just six picks (two in the top 100) to try to check a lot of boxes. They were looking to butter both sides of the bread — getting more help for Jayden Daniels while attempting to add more firepower on defense — and they did fairly well with what they had, I suppose. Hyper-athletic LB Sonny Styles felt like a strong pick and should start immediately. I am not anti-Antonio Williams, but I do wonder whether he’s the type of receiver Washington needed most. On the positive side, I felt like both edge Joshua Josephs and RB Kaytron Allen were strong picks where the Commanders got them. On the whole, this class only moved the needle so much, and Daniels’ re-emergence holds the key to a bounce-back season.

#26

The Athletic (Kendall)

Best rookie season: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

The seventh overall pick is going to excel in Daronte Jones’ defense, where he’ll start right out of the gate. The 6-5, 244-pound former safety will do a little bit of everything for the Commanders and should fill up the stat sheet.

CBS Sports (Prisco)

They are coming off a down year, but Jayden Daniels is back healthy and they added some good pieces in free agency and the draft. There have been a lot of changes in the offseason, including their coordinators.

Bleacher Report

The Washington Commanders are positioned to rebound from a disappointing and injury-plagued 2025 campaign.

The Commanders have taken significant steps to improve a defense that ranked dead last in yards allowed last season. They hired a new defensive coordinator in Daronte Jones and added the likes of Odafe Oweh, Nick Cross, K’Lavon Chaisson, Tim Settle, and rookie first-round pick Sonny Styles.

Despite adding Rachaad White, Jerome Ford and Antonio Williams, Washington could use more depth at running back and receiver. However, the offense should be just fine if Jayden Daniels can stay healthy in 2026.

FTN Fantasy (Kelley)

The Commanders ended last season 5-12, but they started 3-2. Things just fell apart. The team’s talented enough that it could bounce back in 2026.

Where should the Commanders be ranked? Let us know in the comments.

Manchester United are targeting Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique as an alternative to Michael Carrick to take the managerial role at Old Trafford on a full-time basis, The Times understands. The Spaniard is one of only a small number of ‘elite’ candidates who could prevent the former England international midfielder from landing the role permanently. 

Carrick has impressed since he got the role at Manchester United on an interim basis. The Red Devils have won 9 of the 13 matches that the former Middlesbrough boss has taken charge of. His impressive start has seen the Mancunian outfit rise to third in the Premier League table. 

Would Luis Enrique be interested in moving to Manchester United?

Despite the interest from the English giants, the former Spain international head coach seems content in the French capital. The Times reports that Luis Enrique is happy at the Parc des Princes, and the prospect of managing at Old Trafford is unlikely to change that. 

GFFN | Liam Wraith

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: W, 5-4 (10) vs. Buffalo Bisons

SS George Lombard Jr. 1-3, 2 BB, K, CS, picked off — antsy on the basepaths, but on base three times in Triple-A debut
CF Spencer Jones 1-5, 3 K
RF Yanquiel Fernández 2-5, RBI, K
3B Oswaldo Cabrera 2-3, 2 BB
DH Seth Brown 0-4, BB, 3 K
1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. 2-5, HR, RBI, 2 K
C Ali Sánchez 2-5
LF Duke Ellis 1-4, 3B, BB, K
2B Jonathan Ornelas 2-5, 2 RBI, K

Carlos Lagrange 4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 4 K
Hanner 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
D Coleman 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K (hold)
Kervin Castro 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 0 K (blown save, win) — blew two-run lead in ninth but held on in extras

Double-A Somerset Patriots: W, 9-6 vs. Portland Sea Dogs

RF Jace Avina 2-5, RBI, 2 K
DH Garrett Martin 3-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI
2B Marco Luciano 1-4, 3 K
1B Coby Morales 1-5, HR, 3 RBI, K — sixth homer of the year was a walk-off
3B Tyler Hardman 2-4, 2 K
LF DJ Gladney 1-3, BB, K, SB
CF Kenedy Corona 0-4, 3 K
C Miguel Palma 0-1, 2 BB, K
SS Owen Cobb 1-3, 2B, RBI, K, SAC, throwing error

Carlos Rodón 5.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 8 K, 1 HR — very sharp, up to 75 pitches (51 strikes)
Miguel Arias 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Xavier Rivas 3 IP, 3 H, 5 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 6 K, 2 HR — blew the save up two in the ninth, but prevailed anyway

High-A Hudson Valley Renegades: L, 4-3 at Jersey Shore BlueClaws

DH Eric Genther 0-1, BB, K, HBP
PH Cole Gabrielson 0-1, HBP
SS Core Jackson 4-5, K
1B Kyle West 1-5, 2 RBI, K
3B Roderick Arias 1-5, K
RF Wilson Rodriguez 0-3, RBI, BB, K
LF Josh Moylan 1-4, 2B, 3 K
CF Camden Troyer 0-4
C Josue Gonzalez 1-3, BB, CS
2B Connor McGinnis 1-3, K, fielding error

Allen Facundo 4 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 7 K
Tanner Bauman 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Hansel Rincon 1 IP, 0 H, 2 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 1 K (loss)
Jackson Fristoe 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Kyle West brings home Cole Gabrielson to tie things up at 2 in the top of the 7th! pic.twitter.com/SmJNQFxr58

— Hudson Valley Renegades (@HVRenegades) May 1, 2026

Low-A Tampa Tarpons: W, 8-5 vs. St. Lucie Mets

CF Luis Durango 1-3, 2B, BB, 2 SB
SS Jackson Lovich 2-4, 2B, RBI, 2 K
3B Enmanuel Tejeda 1-4, 2 RBI, SB
LF Brando Mayea 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, K, SB
DH Willy Montero 0-3, BB, K, CS
2B Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 1-3, BB, K
RF JoJo Jackson 1-2, 2 BB, K
C Ediel Rivera 1-3
1B Hans Montero 0-3, BB, K

Justin West 4 IP, 7 H, 4 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 3 K, 1 HR
Greysen Carter 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (win)
Jordarlin Mendoza 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR

Florida Complex League Yankees: Season begins on May 2nd vs. FCL Tigers

The Big Ten is shaping up to be as deep and unpredictable as it’s been in years, and with spring ball in the rearview, we’ve got a better feel for rosters, key contributors and where things might be headed.

Here’s how things could shake out in 2026.

Purdue: 4-8

Purdue still feels like a program trying to find traction. Barry Odom has work to do reshaping the roster, and the schedule doesn’t exactly do them any favors. The Boilermakers get Notre Dame in non-conference play, then draw Indiana and Washington as two of their tougher Big Ten games. There are some more manageable games up for grabs against teams like Maryland, Wisconsin and UCLA, but Purdue may have to steal a couple of those just to climb toward four wins.  

Northwestern: 4-8

Northwestern’s schedule is brutal. The Wildcats have to play Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State all on the road, which is about as unforgiving as it gets. Even with the addition of Aidan Chiles providing some intrigue at quarterback, that path leaves very little room for error. Add in games against Penn State, Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois, and it’s hard to see Northwestern stacking enough wins to get to bowl eligibility.  

Maryland: 5-7

Maryland has enough returning experience to be interesting, especially with Malik Washington giving the Terps some upside at quarterback. The problem is the schedule — the Terps have road games at Nebraska, Ohio State and USC, plus home games against Virginia Tech, Illinois, Wisconsin and Penn State. There are wins available, but the middle and end of the schedule make it tough to envision a ceiling that’s much higher.

Rutgers: 5-7

Rutgers should get a chance to start fast with UMass, Boston College and Howard early, but things get tougher once Big Ten play settles in. Indiana, Michigan and USC all come to Piscataway, and then they have to go to Maryland, Wisconsin and Penn State. With Athan Kaliakmanis gone, even with Antwan Raymond and KJ Duff returning as important offensive pieces, the margin feels thin.

Minnesota: 6-6

Minnesota’s schedule feels manageable enough to get back to a bowl, but not easy enough to project a major jump. The Gophers avoid some of the absolute worst-case schedule draws, but the three biggest tests look like Indiana, Washington and Michigan, with two of those being away from home. A non-conference game against Mississippi State is also huge.  

UCLA: 6-6

UCLA has a chance to build early momentum with games against Cal, San Diego State and Nevada before the Big Ten grind really picks up. The issue is the top-end schedule — the Bruins go to Oregon and Michigan, while also getting USC at home. Nico Iamaleava gives them a real quarterback to build around, but they may need to win a couple of swing games against teams like Maryland, Wisconsin, Minnesota or Illinois to reach six.  

Michigan State: 6-6

Michigan State’s schedule has some real teeth. The Spartans go to Notre Dame in September, travel to UCLA, then later visit Michigan while also drawing Washington and Oregon. That’s a tough setup for Pat Fitzgerald’s first season in East Lansing. Still, if the Spartans handle Toledo, Eastern Michigan, Northwestern and Rutgers, they only need to find a couple Big Ten wins to reach bowl eligibility.

Wisconsin: 7-5

Wisconsin has one of the more favorable Big Ten schedules on paper. The Badgers miss Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan and Indiana, which is a massive break. The problem is Notre Dame looms in the non-conference, and USC is still a tough conference draw. Luke Fickell needs Colton Joseph and the offense to take a huge step, but the path is there for Wisconsin to be better than it was a year ago.

Nebraska: 7-5

Nebraska has a tricky path with draw Indiana, Oregon, Ohio State and Washington. The Cornhuskers then close the regular season at Iowa. That’s a lot to ask, even if the roster is improving. Nebraska should be competitive, but those ranked matchups are what keep this projection from moving higher.

Iowa: 8-4

Iowa’s schedule sets up for another solid season, but there are some clear trouble spots. The Hawkeyes host Iowa State early, then get games against Michigan, Washington and Ohio State. The swing games at Minnesota and Illinois may end up deciding whether this is a seven-win team or a nine-win team.

Indiana: 8-4

Indiana’s schedule is much tougher this time around. The Hoosiers get the Ohio State rematch on Oct. 17, host USC, and have road games at Michigan and Washington. That’s a difficult path, even with Curt Cignetti coming off a remarkable run. Josh Hoover gives Indiana a solid quarterback following Fernando Mendoza’s departure, but repeating last year’s level of success feels like a lot to ask.

Washington: 8-4

Washington is one of the more interesting teams in the league because the home schedule gives it a real chance to make noise. The Huskies get Indiana at home, and if Demond Williams Jr. takes a step at quarterback, that game could be a big one. The issue is the road slate, with trips to Oregon and USC standing out immediately, plus tricky games at Nebraska, Michigan State and Purdue.

USC: 9-3

USC has a playoff-caliber roster, but the schedule makes this far from automatic. The Trojans get Oregon, Ohio State and Washington at home, which helps, but they have to travel to Penn State, Wisconsin and Indiana. Jayden Maiava gives Lincoln Riley a proven quarterback, but the defense has to hold up against a schedule filled with heavyweights.

Penn State: 10-2

Penn State’s schedule is one of the biggest reasons to like the Nittany Lions this season. They avoid Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon, and get USC at home. The tougher spots still exist — Michigan and Washington are both on the road — but compared to other contenders, Matt Campbell has a very manageable path in year one.

Oregon: 10-2

Oregon’s schedule got a lot tougher. Washington and USC are back on the slate, and Ohio State and Michigan are both on there this year. There’s also a non-conference road game at Oklahoma State to consider. The final four-week stretch against Ohio State, Michigan, MSU and Washington could define the Ducks’ season. Dante Moore and a defense returning plenty of experience give Oregon enough to stay near the top, but that late run will be a real test.

Ohio State: 11-1

Ohio State has the best roster in the league, but it may also have the toughest schedule. The Buckeyes have games at Texas, Indiana, USC, Iowa and Nebraska, while Oregon and Michigan come to Columbus. That’s a brutal path, even for a team with Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith. Somewhere between 1-2 losses feels reasonable when you consider what this team will miss following the NFL Draft, but anything more would be a surprise.

Michigan: 9-3

Michigan’s schedule is one of the tougher ones in the Big Ten, and we’ll learn a lot about the Wolverines early. The Wolverines open against Western Michigan, but Oklahoma comes to Ann Arbor the following week. Big Ten play then starts vs Iowa, and the conference slate also includes Indiana, Penn State, Oregon and Ohio State.

That’s why nine wins feels like the right landing spot for now. Bryce Underwood’s development completely determines the ceiling, while Jordan Marshall and the defense should give Michigan a strong enough floor. On paper, the Wolverines are good enough to beat just about anyone on the schedule, but with this many high-end games, projecting three losses feels fair.

Greetings, Brew Crew Ball community. The Brewers are back on the road this weekend, as they’ll take a trip through D.C. and St. Louis to visit the Nationals and Cardinals for three games apiece.

Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-baseball sports, the Brewers, you name it. As long as it’s appropriate and is allowed by our moderators, it’s fair game here.

You know the drill.

This is now an open thread:

With the Detroit Lions’ 2026 draft now nearly a full week in the rear-view mirror, it’s time for the Pride of Detroit staff to take inventory of what transpired. We’ve had time to read the scouting reports, listen to what Lions general manager Brad Holmes had to say about each pick, and do our own dive into the college film.

So over the next week, our staff will be sharing their thoughts on the Lions’ draft class in a roundtable-like discussion. To kick the series off, we’re going to talk about our favorite pick from the Lions’ NFL Draft.

And as a fun exercise, I’m going to include a link to last year’s answers to see how wrong/right we were.

2025: Best Detroit Lions draft pick discussion

What was your favorite pick from the Lions’ 2026 NFL Draft?

Ryan Mathews: Blake Miller

Miller was easily my favorite pick of the draft. Holmes didn’t have to sacrifice any future capital to bolster an offensive line that desperately needed to be improved after last season’s noticeable step back. Instead, he let the board come to him on Day 1, and when it did, Holmes drafted a player who fits in terms of both football character and play style.

Brandon Knapp: Blake Miller

Despite the rumors of the Lions liking Kadyn Proctor, he thankfully was off the board. For me, Miller was my 1B to Francis Mauigoa as my top twoo options in the first round. The OT spot was the most important position that needed to be addressed and the team taking one at 17 was music to my ears. I wanted the experience and consistency Miller brought.

John Whiticar: Blake Miller

There was some thought (fear?) that the Lions might get cute and pass on tackle in the first round. Instead, not only did the Lions get a perfect culture and scheme fit, they also did so without trading up from pick 17. Miller will technically battle Larry Borom for the right tackle spot, but it would be a major surprise if he doesn’t win it outright. For a team that just parted ways with Taylor Decker, adding Miller to the roster is just about a perfect way to replace—and potentially improve upon—the veteran. It was an easy and obvious choice, and the Lions went for it.

Erik Schlitt: Blake Miller

I haven’t been shy about my desire to see Miller in Honolulu Blue, as I believe he was a perfect combination of skill set, character, and need for the Lions at pick No. 17 in the first round. I firmly believe that the Lions have found the ideal replacement for Taylor Decker; a starting tackle who can deliver reliable production for the next 10 years.

Jeremy Reisman: Miller/Keith Abney

I discussed this earlier in Sunday’s Question of the Day. But in short: Miller was the most logical pick, and I’m glad the Lions stayed relatively patient and took him without spending extra draft capital—even if they tried. But more impressively, they may have gotten their future starting nickel in Abney all the way in the fifth round. For a team with minimal draft capital, landing a potential starter that late in a “thin” draft class should be considered a huge triumph. If the Lions are going to stay competitive long-term, it’s not just imperative they hit on the early picks, but they’ll need to find late-round steals and that’s exactly what Abney is.

Arsenal are preparing for another significant summer transfer window, with the Gunners expected to strengthen their attack once again despite making notable additions in 2025. The club remain committed to continuous improvement and is determined to ensure its squad remains competitive at the highest level.

The arrivals of Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres have already enhanced Arsenal’s attacking options, yet there is no indication that the club intend to slow down. Instead, they are actively seeking further reinforcements who can elevate the team’s overall quality and depth.

Arsenal identify key attacking targets

Arsenal continue to work diligently in the transfer market, aiming to secure some of the best players available. Their recruitment strategy reflects a desire to build a squad capable of competing consistently for major honours, with a focus on adding both quality and versatility in forward areas.

According to Fichajes, the club have identified Yan Diomande and Julian Alvarez as priority targets for the end of the season. Both attackers have emerged as highly regarded options, and Arsenal believe they could make a significant impact if brought into the squad.

Mikel Arteta is already working with a talented group of players, but there is a clear ambition within the club to go even further. Strengthening the attack remains a key objective, particularly as Arsenal look to maintain momentum and challenge on multiple fronts.

Financial commitment to major signings

The report adds that both Diomande and Alvarez are currently valued at €250 million. This represents a substantial financial outlay for just two players, underlining the scale of Arsenal’s ambitions in the transfer market.

Despite the considerable cost, the Gunners are reportedly undeterred and remain confident in their ability to secure both signings. Their willingness to invest heavily reflects a broader strategy of targeting elite talent, even when it requires significant resources.

In the coming weeks, Arsenal are expected to continue working behind the scenes to advance negotiations. The club will be keen to avoid losing out to rival European sides and will aim to position itself strongly in the race for both players ahead of the summer window.

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Pep Guardiola says Rodri is making good progress from his groin injury but added it is too early to say whether he could feature in Bank Holiday Monday’s Premier League trip to Everton.

Men's Team

City Magazine: May issue available to read now!

The City boss also provided the latest news on Ruben Dias ahead of what will be our first-ever trip to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Spanish holding midfielder Rodri has missed City’s last two fixtures – a Premier League win at Burnley and our FA Cup semi-final win against Southampton – due to a groin problem sustained in last month’s 2-1 league win over Arsenal.

But addressing the media at Friday’s pre-match press conference, the City boss provided an encouraging update on the 2024 Ballon D’Or winner’s progress.

“He is getting better. Still he hasn’t trained so we will see in the next few days.

“Always I am confident.”

Men's Team

O'Reilly voted Etihad Player of the Month for April

Pep also provided the latest news on Dias, who has been absent with a thigh injury since mid-March, along with long-term absentee Josko Gvardiol.

“Ruben is not yet with the team. Him, Josko and Rodri are getting better,” Guardiola added.

Everton have enjoyed a fine season under the stewardship of David Moyes.

The Merseysiders are still in content for a place in Europe and Guardiola said he was anticipating the toughest of tests on what will be a maiden visit to the Toffees’ new ground.

But he said with Arsenal now three points ahead in the title race – and with the Gunners due to play Fulham on Saturday evening – only a victory would suffice as the Premier League title race comes to the boil.

“Always Everton have been tough,” Pep added.

“Old Everton was so cool and so British and I loved to go there but in the new stadium they are defending really well and always it has been tough.

“In recent weeks, Everton have had very good results and are fighting for a place in Europe.

“We won with two or three actions here but we were not good at that moment.

“We can’t have any result but win, win, win.”

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Holly Holm’s coach thinks the former champ would be interested in a second fight

Ronda Rousey is set to return to MMA, and while she says it will be her last run, a chance to settle old scores might give her something to think about.

Rousey’s comeback will happen on May 16, nearly 10 years after her last fight.

She’s taking on Gina Carano in the main event of Netflix’s debut MMA card, which also includes returns for Francis Ngannou and Nate Diaz.

Mike Winkeljohn backs Holm to repeat Rousey knockout

It’s been nine years since Holly Holm knocked out Ronda Rousey at UFC 193, a win that ended one of the most dominant title runs in MMA history. Now, talk of a rematch is starting to gain traction.

Rousey is returning to action under Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, where she’s also looking to step into an executive role after her fight with Gina Carano. Holm, meanwhile, joined MVP after resuming her boxing career following her departure from the UFC.

If both fighters continue along their current paths, there may be an opportunity for them to meet again down the line. And according to Winkeljohn, Holm would have no hesitation about repeating what she did back in 2015.

“That would be perfect,” Winkeljohn said on Submission Radio. “Ronda’s with MVP, Holly’s fighting for MVP. She’s fighting for the 135-pound world title at the end of May.”

“Afterwards, there’s no doubt Holly would love to fight Ronda again. Do it all over again. Do the same thing to her. I’d love to do it all over again,” he added.

While Rousey prepares for her fight against Carano, Holm is getting ready for another familiar opponent inside the boxing ring.

MVP quickly organised a rematch between Holm and Han which will go down in El Paso, Texas on May 30.

Read more:

Dua Lipa has reportedly declined an offer to perform at the super-fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua later this year.

This week, it was announced that Fury and Joshua have signed a contract to fight one another at long last, although no date or location was confirmed for the all-British heavyweight clash.

Instead, it was announced that “AJ”, 36, will box relative unknown Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia on 25 July, before fighting Fury later in 2026 – likely in the UK this autumn, possibly at Wembley Stadium, and almost certainly on Netflix.

Fury, 37, also wants a warm-up bout, despite having competed just three weeks ago, when he eased past Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

And there has been another moving part, it seems, with Saudi matchmaker Turki Alalshikh expressing a keen desire for British pop star Dua Lipa to be part of the Joshua vs Fury event.

Sky Sports even reported that Alalshikh had threatened to pull the plug on the fight if the “Levitating” and “Don’t Start Now” singer would not take part – although the alleged claim certainly could have been made in jest.

In any case, the BBC has now reported that Dua Lipa, 30, was approached to feature at the event, and that the three-time Grammy winner declined.

If a replacement can be found, it will not be the first time a musical act has performed at a fight with Saudi involvement. For example, Eminem performed a set before Terence Crawford beat Israil Madrimov in 2024, and later that year, Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher did the same before Joshua was stopped by Daniel Dubois.

As well as the afore-mentioned songs, Dua Lipa counts “Dance The Night”, “Houdini” and “Training Season” among her most-popular tracks. She also collaborated with Elton John on the hit song “Cold Heart”, and with Calvin Harris on the hugely-successful “One Kiss”.

Real Madrid are going through a period of tumult after yet another season without any major trophies, with some notable changes expected in the coming weeks.

It will start with the appointment of a new manager to take over from Alvaro Arbeloa, with several names being considered by the club hierarchy.

Prominent figures such as Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho are heavily linked, along with some unexpected names, such as Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni.

Real Madrid have asked about Scaloni

Indeed, according to Rodra of ESPN, Real Madrid are indeed looking at Scaloni and have made enquiries about the 2022 World Cup-winning manager.

However, at the moment, there have been no negotiations between the Spanish capital club and the 47-year-old tactician.

The Argentine has never been in charge of a club, let alone one of the size of Real Madrid. His only experience at club-level was the assistant manager’s job he held at Sevilla in the 2016/17 season.

Lionel Scaloni is on Real Madrid’s shortlist. (Photo by Marcos Brindicci/Getty Images)

After that, Scaloni has been fully with the Argentina national team, initially working as the assistant manager before eventually taking over as the main man in charge a few months after the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Since then, the 47-year-old has been able to take La Albiceleste back to the top, winning the World Cup as well as two Copa America titles.

Scaloni, therefore, happens to be a name on Real Madrid’s shortlist, but there has been nothing beyond initial enquiries made with regard to a move for him.

One issue for Real Madrid with Scaloni would be the fact that he will be coaching Argentina at the World Cup this summer, but the club are keen to bring in someone who can take over immediately.

So, as per the report, other names such as such as Didier Deschamps, Massimiliano Allegri, and even Unai Emery are also being considered.

Burnley managerial vacancy sparks fresh debate

Relegation has a way of stripping a club back to its essentials, and at Burnley the process has already begun. The departure of Scott Parker, confirmed by mutual consent, leaves Turf Moor in a familiar yet uncomfortable position. A reset is required, but the identity of the next architect remains uncertain.

Parker’s exit followed a season that unravelled quickly after promotion. Just four league wins told their own story, and the inevitability of the drop was confirmed with weeks still to play. In a club statement, Burnley said: “Scott Parker has left his position as head coach of Burnley Football Club by mutual consent. The club would like to place on record its sincere thanks to Scott for his professionalism, dedication and contribution.”

There is gratitude, but little time for sentiment. With the 2026 to 2027 campaign already looming, Burnley must act decisively in appointing a manager capable of rebuilding both confidence and competitiveness.

Photo: IMAGO

Bellamy emerges as early contender

Attention has quickly shifted to Craig Bellamy, a name that carries both intrigue and risk. According to reports originating from The Telegraph, Bellamy is considered an early contender for the Burnley job, though complications remain.

Currently involved with the Wales national setup, Bellamy is under contract for two more years and has expressed a clear ambition to guide his country into Euro 2028, a tournament set to open in Cardiff. That commitment may prove a significant obstacle.

Still, the appeal is evident. Bellamy’s playing career was defined by intensity and intelligence, traits he has sought to transfer into coaching. His time at Liverpool, across two separate spells, offered glimpses of his sharp football mind. He was capable of decisive moments, none more so than his performance against Barcelona in 2007, a night that hinted at a deeper tactical awareness.

Burnley, in their current state, require precisely that blend of edge and organisation. Bellamy represents a modern coaching voice, albeit one yet to fully establish himself at club level.

Gerrard remains in conversation

Alongside Bellamy, Steven Gerrard has also been linked with the Burnley vacancy. Gerrard’s managerial journey has been uneven, yet his pedigree ensures he remains a figure of interest whenever roles of this nature arise.

His success at Rangers demonstrated his capacity to build a winning side, while subsequent experiences have offered lessons in resilience and adaptation. For Burnley, appointing Gerrard would signal ambition, but also a willingness to embrace a project that may require patience.

There is a symmetry in considering both Bellamy and Gerrard. Former Liverpool teammates, both driven and fiercely competitive, now find themselves at crossroads in their managerial careers. Burnley could offer either man a platform to reassert their credentials.

Challenges ahead for Burnley rebuild

Whoever takes charge will inherit a squad in need of reshaping and a fanbase seeking reassurance. The task is not merely about promotion, but about restoring a sense of direction.

Burnley’s recent history complicates matters. Parker’s predecessor delivered a remarkable promotion campaign, including a lengthy unbeaten run and defensive solidity that bordered on the exceptional. Yet the transition to Premier League level exposed structural weaknesses that must now be addressed.

Interim management will guide the club through the remaining fixtures, but the broader strategy demands clarity. Recruitment, style of play, and long term vision must align.

Bellamy offers freshness and potential. Gerrard brings experience and stature. Burnley’s decision will reflect how they wish to define themselves in the next phase of their journey.

What is clear is that the stakes are high. Relegation can either fracture a club or forge it anew. Burnley now stand at that junction, with Bellamy and Gerrard representing two distinct but compelling routes forward.

Oilers' trade clock is officially ticking with Connor McDavid originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It probably won't happen this summer, although you never know.

But the Edmonton Oilers' season-ending loss on Thursday night pushed them closer to one of the biggest decisions they'll ever have to make: Should they trade Connor McDavid?

And for McDavid, the question somewhere in his mind will grow ever louder: Should we request a move out of town?

Those are the kinds of things that feel more urgent immediately following a season-ending loss. The Oilers won the series opener against the Anaheim Ducks, then dropped four of the next five to get sent home in the first round.

After two consecutive seasons of losing in the Stanley Cup Finals, these Oilers didn't even win a playoff series.

"We were an average team all year," McDavid told reporters after the game. "When you're an average team with high expectations, you're going to be disappointed."

MORE: Sabres' fans show they can handle 'O Canada' with no microphone help

The trade reality isn't so much an immediate thing as it becomes a bit of a ticking time bomb.

Before this season, McDavid signed a contract extension for two years. It meant he wouldn't be a free agent this summer, and instead he still has two years to go.

But that's not a long-term commitment. That's basically removing the across-the-board stress of a contract year while also acknowledging that this thing better get figured out in a hurry.

A first-round loss isn't figuring it out. A first-round loss raises all the questions.

For the Oilers, it wouldn't make sense to just let McDavid walk in two years' time. For McDavid, it doesn't make sense to waste two more prime years if this isn't the best place for him to win.

Maybe the trade rumors are big this summer, or maybe it's next trade deadline or next offseason.

At some point, they're coming. A disappointing end like the one Thursday night only brings them closer.

More NHL news:

• A redemption goal for David Pastrnak
• Sabres relish in Ryan Whitney's prediction misfire
• Sidney Crosby hints at retirement plans

It wasn’t a good day for the Brotherhood Thursday in the NBA playoffs.

Jayson Tatum and Boston lost to Philadelphia, 106-93. That series is now tied 3-3. Minnesota eliminated Tyus Jones and the Denver Nuggets with a 110-98 win in Game 6. And New York eliminated Atlanta, also in Game 6, but this was more like a Mafia-style elimination than an NBA game. It was just brutal.

The halftime score was 83-36, and at one point, the Knicks were up by 60. NBA playoff teams are not supposed to be down by 60. Unbelievable.

New York blew the game open with a 39-4 run that was basically flawless. They’ll probably never be in a game like this again. It’s a one-off…but what a one-off it was! When the players on this Knicks team are old men, they’ll have dreams about this game. It was an incredible performance.

Minnesota won despite lacking their starting backcourt, which can’t make the Nuggets very happy.

Jones got in for 12 minutes, scoring 4 points and dishing out 3 assists. Typically, he had no turnovers.

Finally, Jayson Tatum and Boston missed a chance to eliminate Philly, as the Jays (Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown) both played less than their best. Brown had 18 points on 7-17/2-6, and got just 1 rebound. Tatum finished with 17 on 6-13/2-6, with 11 rebounds and 3 assists.

Tatum only played 29 minutes, leaving the game with 4:03 In the third quarter after a problem with his left leg. He said after the game that he left to ride the bike, but when he came back out, the game was out of reach, so the starters were rested for Game 7.

On Friday, we’ll get Detroit at Orlando in Game 6, with the Magic up 3-2, Toronto hosting Cleveland with the Cavaliers up 3-2, and Los Angeles at Houston, with the Lakers up 3-2.

• Watch: James Dolan couldn’t believe the Knicks-Hawks score
• HLs: Knicks unleash 39-4 run to eliminate Hawks
• Hawks news: Quin Snyder make 1 thing clear about Dyson Daniels after Knicks scuffle
• Winners and Losers From the Atlanta Hawks Disastrous Game Six Loss to The Knicks
• Quin Snyder points to ‘perfect storm’ that wrecked Hawks in Game 6
• Trae Young trade leaves Quin Snyder extension talks ahead
• Hawks have brutally embarrassed Quin Snyder in a way Jazz never did
• Report: Atlanta is Expected to Bring Back Quin Snyder, CJ McCollum Next Season
• Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum STALL Boston Celtics Offense, Sixers Force Game 7
• Jayson Tatum injury: Celtics star shares update, expects to play in Game 7
• Celtics star Jayson Tatum has left calf discomfort after 76ers force Game 7 with 106-93 win over Boston
• Celtics star Jayson Tatum provides optimistic update ahead of do-or-die Game 7
• Jayson Tatum Breaks Silence on Injury, Sends Clear Game 7 Message
• Celtics’ Jayson Tatum explains concerning in-game leg issue vs. 76ers

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a line

What are the projected salary cap hits for the Jacksonville Jaguars' 10 draft picks during the 2026 NFL season?

From one year to the next, rookie contract details can somewhat vary, specifically, how much of the contract is guaranteed or what the signing bonus looks like. But generally speaking, based on the round the player was taken and the specific selection, you can have a good idea of what the rookie deal will look like, with the previous year's draft guiding that projection.

So, with that, Over the Cap has projected the 2026 salary cap hit for all 257 draft picks.

Projected salary cap hits for Jaguars 2026 draft class

• Pick 56: Nate Boerkircher, TE, Texas A&M - $1.564M
• Pick 81: Albert Regis, IDL, Texas A&M - $1.279M
• Pick 88: Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon - $1.249M
• Pick 100: Jalen Huskey, DB, Maryland - $1.222M
• Pick 119: Wesley Williams, DE, Duke - $1.175M
• Pick 164; Tanner Koziol, TE, Houston - $1.006M
• Pick 191: Josh Cameron, WR, Baylor - $958,793
• Pick 203: CJ Williams, WR, Stanford - $953,249
• Pick 233: Zach Durfee, DE, Washington - $923,631
• Pick 240: Parker Hughes, LB, Middle Tennessee State - $918,273

In total, the Jaguars' 2026 draft class will count $11.251 million against the 2026 salary cap. However, that full amount won't be reflected in the Jaguars' available salary cap space. Here's why.

How much 2026 salary cap space do the Jaguars have?

As has been the case all offseason, the Jaguars are tight on cap space. Following the draft, OTC has the Jaguars with $11.078 million in available cap space, which ranks 25th in the NFL. The 2026 draft class is not yet accounted for in this figure.

This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 2026 NFL draft: Projected salary cap hits for Jaguars 10 picks

Head coach Eddie Howe says the desire of Newcastle United's owners to get to the top remains "unchanged" after meeting with them this week.

Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), and minority owner Jamie Reuben are among those who have flown in for a two-day annual summit at Matfen Hall in Northumberland.

Although the PIF is to withdraw its multi-billion dollar backing of LIV Golf at the end of the season, senior figures at Newcastle were informed a couple of weeks ago that the pullout would not affect the club.

Newcastle are 14th place in the Premier League, but Howe stressed the "determination to succeed" came through from those above him in the meetings he attended on Thursday.

"The desire is unchanged," he said. "It's to try and get to the top of the Premier League, to try and consistently win as many trophies as possible.

"I don't think that will change while the PIF are our owners, part owners or majority owners. They are very ambitious for the football club."

Newcastle's hierarchy have talked of achieving such goals by 2030, but Howe recognised that the infrastructure needed to elevate the club to such a position will take time.

Following a major capital investment, an announcement is expected regarding plans for a new state-of-the-art training ground to underline the owners' commitment.

There have also been discussions this week regarding the future of St James' Park as Newcastle weigh up whether to expand the stadium or build a new ground in a bid to turbocharge income streams in the long run and bridge a huge revenue gap on the league's highest-earning clubs.

"They clearly care so much about the football club [given] the long-term planning that's going on, on a number of levels," Howe said of the PIF, who bought an initial 80% stake in 2021 before going on to increase their share.

"[There are] very exciting times ahead for the club, regardless of what happens short-term. The long-term vision is clearly there."

This gathering of executives, which had been in the diary for several months, was viewed as an opportunity to discuss such infrastructure projects, recruitment plans, the team's slide down the table and how the club go about addressing it.

Howe was among those to give a presentation on Thursday, as was always planned.

Rather than reacting emotionally, the view internally remains that Newcastle need to respond rationally with the help of cold, thorough analysis.

Howe had "challenging conversations" with those at the top, but the head coach sounded upbeat at his news conference on Friday before the visit of Brighton.

"I was pleased by the level of support given to me, but of course still understanding how football works and knowing we need to get results," he said. "That will never change."

• Is Saudi Arabia's sports revolution unravelling?

• Latest Newcastle news, analysis and fan views
• Ask about Newcastle - what do you want to know?

With just over a year left on his contract at Bayern Munich, Konrad Laimer’s future with the German champions remains uncertain.

Negotiations over a new deal beyond 2027 have proved difficult due to differing salary expectations, with Laimer said to be seeking an increase from €8-9 million to €12-15 million per year.

Bayern, however, are unwilling to grant such a pay rise and remain firm in their stance, according to Bild.

It's claimed on the German tabloid’s ‘Bayern Insider’ podcast that the Bavarians want to “set an example” and draw a “clear red line” in negotiations following a series of costly contract extensions in recent years.

Could Konrad Laimer leave Bayern?

Despite being a regular starter, Bayern could opt to cash in on Laimer in the summer if an extension isn't agreed by then, Bild reports.

Laimer addressed his future in an interview with ServusTV around a month ago.

“Ultimately, it’s always about appreciation. That the performances you’ve delivered over the past years are recognised in some way,” he said.

“There was a brief conversation once, then nothing more after that. Since then, more has been written than what is actually true.”

BBC Sport has been told Mykhailo Mudryk was banned by the FA in January but that only a close-knit group of people around him and a small number of people at Chelsea were informed.

That is because the FA's anti-doping programme is deemed strictly confidential - all parts of the process, from testing to discussions with lawyers, are carried out behind closed doors in order to respect the privacy of footballers.

UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) works in collaboration with the FA on the programme.

The exact prohibited substance for which Mudryk tested positive has never been named by the FA, but BBC Sport understands it is the cardiovascular medication meldonium, which has the potential to increase respiratory capacity and stamina, which he came into contact with while on duty with the Ukraine national team.

It remains unclear how exactly Mudryk apparently ingested meldonium, which has been banned by Wada since 2016 and is primarily used in Eastern European countries to treat conditions such as angina, heart failure and coronary artery disease.

Mudryk has been suspended and unable to play for either Chelsea or Ukraine since the FA provisionally suspended him 16 months ago.

He remains contracted to the Blues until 2031, having signed a long deal when he joined for £61m in 2022, as part of the club's plan to amortise the cost of transfers and contracts.

If Mudryk's ban is upheld by Cas, he would be unable to play again until roughly December 2028, as that is four years since his provisional suspension began.

But if the ban were to be reduced by Cas, he could be back on the pitch in a much shorter timeframe. Sources close to the player believe he could be back in action as early as next season.

Chelsea would be able to terminate Mudryk's contract once the Cas process has concluded, given an anti-doping ban constitutes a breach of employment terms in most footballers' contracts.

Mudryk last played for Chelsea on 28 November 2024 and was an unused substitute for a league match three days later against Aston Villa.

The Ukrainian is training alone with a private coach at facilities including Uxbridge FC and has also hired goalkeepers for some sessions.

Mudryk lodged his appeal to Cas on 25 February.

The court will re-examine the case, typically with a panel of three arbitrators who go over the evidence and can either uphold, overturn, or modify the ban given out by the FA.

Read more on Mudryk's four-year ban and subsequent appeal

UEFA has taken a strategic step to strengthen smaller football nations across the continent.

Through its Kit Assistance Scheme programme, the European governing body has partnered with Adidas to supply high-quality kits to the national federations of Andorra, Belarus, Cyprus, the Faroe Islands, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Malta and San Marino.

Over the next two seasons, these countries will unveil exclusive designs. All of this follows a selection process carried out through a tender that prioritised product quality, costs and customisation capacity.

Thanks to this, these federations will have access to an exclusive platform to design bespoke training and matchwear. By removing technical sponsorship costs, UEFA is allowing these federations to invest more of their budget in infrastructure and training, while professionalising their image on the world stage.

These are the new shirts.

ANDORRA

CYPRUS

FAROE ISLANDS

KAZAKHSTAN

KOSOVO

LIECHTENSTEIN

NORTH MACEDONIA

MALTA

SAN MARINO

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

El Hadji Malick Diouf Transfer: Manchester United Monitor West Ham Left-Back

Manchester United’s summer planning is beginning to take clearer shape, with The Guardian reporting that West Ham United defender El Hadji Malick Diouf has “emerged as a target” as the club assess options at left-back.

For United, this is not yet framed as an imminent move, more a developing situation to watch. Their first priority is understood to be midfield, where two additions are wanted, but Diouf’s name entering the conversation is significant. At 21, already adapted to Premier League football and expected to be part of Senegal’s World Cup plans, he fits the profile of a player with scope to grow rather than one arriving as a finished product.

United Eye Left-Back Competition

United’s interest is logical. Luke Shaw has enjoyed a good season, but his injury history means careful squad management will be essential, especially with Champions League football expected next term. The Guardian notes that United are “looking at bringing in competition for Luke Shaw”, and that assessment feels sensible rather than reactionary.

Tyrell Malacia has made only two appearances this season, while Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot are right-footed options who can cover the role but do not naturally solve the left-back issue. Patrick Dorgu’s versatility also complicates matters, as he could be pushed further forward, creating space for a more defensively minded addition.

Diouf’s Premier League Rise

Diouf’s West Ham story has been one of progression. Signed from Slavia Prague for €22m, around £19m, he endured a difficult opening period but has grown into one of the club’s more important performers.

Photo: IMAGO

The Guardian reports that “Diouf’s defending has improved during the second half of the campaign”, while also pointing to his “crossing ability” as a key part of his attacking threat. That combination is exactly why leading clubs are beginning to look. A young full-back who can defend more reliably, carry physical power and contribute in the final third will always attract attention.

Midfield Remains Priority

United’s transfer hierarchy still matters. The midfield is expected to come first, with Atalanta’s Éderson, Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali and Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson among the names referenced by The Guardian.

That means Diouf may depend on budget, sales and opportunity. If funds remain once midfield business is advanced, United could turn to the left flank. A winger is one option, but a defensive signing who allows Dorgu to play higher may offer better squad balance.

West Ham’s Position Could Define Deal

West Ham’s situation adds intrigue. They are fighting relegation, sit two points above the bottom three with four games remaining, and posted losses of £104.2m for the year ending 31 May 2025.

That financial context may matter if bids arrive. The Guardian suggests West Ham are “likely to need summer sales”, with Crysencio Summerville and Mateus Fernandes also expected to attract interest. Whether Diouf becomes available may depend heavily on survival, valuation and how aggressively United choose to move.

For now, this feels like a watching brief with genuine strategic merit. Diouf is not the headline priority, but he is the type of intelligent, age-profile signing United need if their rebuild is to become more coherent.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

From a Manchester United supporter’s perspective, this report is intriguing because it points towards a club finally thinking about squad architecture rather than simply chasing names. Under Michael Carrick, who remains in charge until the end of the season following Ruben Amorim’s January dismissal, United have looked more stable, but the squad still needs serious refinement.

Left-back has been a recurring problem. Shaw is still excellent when fit, but relying on him across a Champions League campaign would be a gamble. Malacia cannot be treated as a guaranteed solution after such limited football, while Dalot and Mazraoui covering there feels more like emergency planning than elite squad building.

Diouf would make sense if the price is sensible. He has Premier League experience, physical upside and delivery from wide areas, which could help United attack with more width and variety. The key concern is priority. United desperately need midfield control first. If Éderson, Tonali or Anderson are genuine targets, that area must take precedence.

Still, Diouf feels like the kind of move supporters could get behind. Not glamorous, not reckless, but potentially smart. United have made too many expensive, reactive decisions in recent years. This would feel more like recruitment with a plan.

Novak Djokovic has 24 Grand Slam titles to his name but hasn’t lifted one since the 2023 US Open.

He’s made it to five straight semi-finals since then, but number 25 has stayed out of reach so far.

Now at 39, there are growing questions about whether age is starting to catch up with him and if another major is still within reach.

Asked about his chances of winning a 25th Grand Slam before he steps away from the game, Ana Ivanovic shared her thoughts on the matter.

Ana Ivanovic backs Novak Djokovic to win another Grand Slam

Speaking to Eurosport, Ivanovic shared her thoughts on Djokovic’s chances of adding another Grand Slam title before he retires.

“I mean, what he’s achieved, it’s really incredible,” she said.

“We’ve known each other since we were very, very young, and we’ve been friends for a long time.

“It’s very inspiring to see that and to give that much back to Serbia and the next generation.

“I definitely think he has a chance to win another Grand Slam.

“His game is still at a very high level; he can compete with the top guys.

“If you look at the Grand Slams, he was in the semi-finals and finals, so one step closer to the title.

“But an incredible career, and not something that will be easy to match.”

Why the French Open could be Djokovic’s best shot at number 25

This month, Alcaraz confirmed he won’t be taking part in the French Open. The Spaniard had won back-to-back titles there in 2024 and 2025 and was tipped to go for a third straight title this year.

With him out of the picture, Sinner takes over as favourite, but Djokovic is still very much in the mix.

Sinner isn’t far behind, but it’s worth remembering that Djokovic got the better of him at this year’s Australian Open. If he manages to do it again in Paris, that long-awaited 25th Grand Slam might finally be within reach.

We’ll find out soon enough when play gets underway on Sunday, May 24th.

Read more:

Are Celtic now favourites for the Scottish Premiership title?

Former Rangers and Hearts midfielder Andy Halliday seems to think so despite having all but written them off last week.

Martin O'Neill's side were third in the Premiership heading into the split, one point behind Rangers and three adrift of Hearts.

But after last weekend's win over Falkirk and Rangers' defeat to Motherwell, Celtic leapfrogged Rangers to go second, still three points off the leaders.

If Celtic win at Hibs on Sunday and Rangers beat Hearts on Monday, the Parkhead club would be joint on points with Derek McInnes' side with a home game against the Jambos still to come.

"I definitely think they've improved," Halliday told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"And the main improvement that's come from Celtic has been off the ball. I think their energy and their intensity to press at the top end of the pitch is making it really difficult for opposition players.

"I must admit having watched the game in the Sportsound studio last weekend, I do think the fans made a difference at Celtic Park.

"I don't know if it's just this stage of the season, in a really tight title race, but I think that transferred on to the pitch with Celtic playing with a different type of energy.

"Last week when I was sitting on the podcast on Friday morning I had Celtic third favourites. I probably have them favourites now. That's just how much it can easily change within this league this year."

The trial is live, limited to the U.S. for now, and moving faster than you likely expected. ChatGPT ads launched Feb. 9 for logged-in users on Free and Go tiers, with 600+ advertisers already in. 

With 800 million weekly active users, a global rollout of ChatGPT ads is a matter of when, not if. 

OpenAI has confirmed the next expansion to Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. The latest update from Adthena trialists suggests the UK could see ads as early as mid-May.

We’ve tracked ChatGPT ad placements since rollout. With an index of 50,000+ daily placements across B2B software, ecommerce, fintech, and consumer verticals, we’ve had a front-row view of how this format is evolving. Here’s what we’ve found.

What ChatGPT ads actually look like

ChatGPT ads appear inline within conversation responses. When you ask something with commercial intent like “best weekend getaway” or “top running shoes under $100,” a sponsored result can appear alongside the AI’s answer, clearly labeled “Sponsored.”

This isn’t a search bar. It’s a conversation. Users arrive already engaged, already researching, often close to a decision. 

The format is tighter than traditional search: no sitelinks or extensions — just a headline, short body copy, and a destination.

But here’s what we didn’t expect. Our data shows what we’re calling the Adthena “Double Parked” phenomenon: a single brand appearing twice in the same response.

We spotted New Balance with two separate sponsored placements in one ChatGPT answer. This raises a key question around visibility, frequency, and what it means to own a conversation on this platform.

10 things we’ve learned from 50,000+ daily placements

If you move fast, this is a rare moment: a new format, an uncontested landscape, and data most competitors don’t have yet. Here’s what it shows.

1. Headlines follow a “Brand: Benefit” formula. A name, a colon, a value claim. Think “Betterment: 5.25% APY Cash Account.” Dominant across top performers.
2. Almost every ad leads with the brand name. Awareness thinking for a format where users are already deep in a conversation, not just entering a search bar.
3. Headlines average just 30 characters, with a ceiling around 36. The constraint forces hyper-concise messaging and every word earns its place.
4. Body copy runs around 19 words, structured as two tight sentences. One lead proof point, one offer or nudge. One reason to click.
5. Context mirroring is a defining feature. The strongest ads echo the user’s query directly. A running shoe ad referencing “the transition from 5k to 21.1k” isn’t a coincidence.
6. The $ symbol drives conversion. Specific dollar figures, precise APY rates, credit amounts. Concrete claims consistently outperform vague promises in intent-heavy environments.

7. Numbers dominate body copy. Specs, trial lengths, rates. Hard numbers feel more native and trustworthy than soft superlatives in a research-led environment.
8. “Free” is the most common conversion lever. It removes friction for users already in research mode and close to a decision.

9. CTAs are action-specific and generic “Learn More” is virtually absent. “Open Account,” “Shop Cell Phones,” “Claim Credits.” Every CTA names the brand, offer, or next step.

10. Tone is confident and measured. Exclamation marks are rare. The best ads mirror ChatGPT’s calm register—hype punctuation kills trust here.

What this means for your paid search strategy

Top-performing brands in ChatGPT don’t repurpose Google ad copy and hope for the best. They write for a conversational, intent-rich environment where users are already halfway through a decision before the ad appears.

Lead with your brand name. Anchor value in specifics. Make low-friction offers central to your creative. If you’re not thinking about context mirroring, you’re leaving performance on the table.

The bigger question is visibility. If your competitors show up in ChatGPT conversations and you don’t, you’re not just missing clicks — you’re missing the conversation.

See exactly what’s happening with Adthena’s ChatGPT Ads Intelligence

Knowing the trends is one thing. Knowing what your competitors are doing on your exact prompts is another. That’s the problem we set out to solve.

Right now, ChatGPT ads give you impressions and clicks — nothing more. No competitive context, no prompt-level visibility, no insight into who else appears in the same conversations or where you’re missing coverage. You’re optimizing blind.

Adthena’s ChatGPT Ads Intelligence changes that. Here’s what you get.

Your performance, in context

The Ads Performance tab gives you a live snapshot of your ChatGPT activity: ad presence rate, top-performing intent group, total impressions, average CTR, and unique competitors detected. The trend chart shows your presence over time so you can clearly see whether you’re gaining or losing momentum.

Know which topics you’re winning and where to close the gap

The Topics and Keywords Analysis view breaks down performance by intent group, showing your ad presence rate against the competitor average. Each group includes a built-in tactical recommendation, so you always know your next move.

See your own ads as users see them

The Ads Sampling tab shows all your ChatGPT creatives with their headline, description, image, and format. The insight panel highlights your top-performing creative and surfaces optimization opportunities, like pairing a price anchor with a time-limited offer.

Understand exactly what competitors are running

The Competitor Creative Analysis panel breaks down rival ads across your tracked prompts: the images they use, the dominant copy themes, and their format mix. No more guessing what your competition is doing.

Never miss a shift in the competitive landscape

The Ads Benchmarking tab shows who’s advertising on your prompts and how their presence changes week to week. The “What changed this week?” feed flags new entrants and share shifts in plain language before your next campaign review.

Find the gaps before your competitors do

The Competitor Gap Analysis table shows every prompt where competitors have presence and you don’t, flagged by intent group and competitor count. A clear, prioritized view of where to expand your ChatGPT coverage.

The first prompt is the new first click

We’re tracking early-stage data from a platform still in limited rollout. As OpenAI expands to new countries and the advertiser base grows, the competitive landscape will shift fast. Brands building their ChatGPT presence now — learning the format, testing creative, mapping competitive gaps — will have a meaningful head start over those who wait.

Don’t let competitors win the first prompt. Join the product waitlist to uncover your ChatGPT ads landscape. 

In the meantime, get your ads ready with Adthena’s free ChatGPT AdBridge. Connect your Google Ads account and we’ll build your ChatGPT ads setup with AI-enriched campaigns and smarter negative keywords — delivered to your inbox, ready to import.

Xbox Mode has started rolling out to all Windows 11 PCs Microsoft has officially started rolling out “Xbox Mode” to all Windows 11 PCs, laptops, and tablets in selected regions. This new mode is what Microsoft originally called the “Xbox Full Screen Experience“, which provides a more console-like experience to PC gamers. This mode gives […]

The post Xbox Mode expands to Windows 11 PCs in select markets appeared first on OC3D.

In the past few years, we have seen the number of console exclusives shrink considerably. While Nintendo continued to keep its games confined to its systems, Sony and Microsoft began releasing their tentpole PlayStation and Xbox franchises to PC and other consoles, respectively, signaling that the era of console exclusives was coming to an end. However, both seem to be pivoting away from their multiplatform strategies, and the reason couldn't be clearer: for many gamers, exclusives are the main reason to get a console over another. As spotted by Idle Sloth on Bluesky, The Game Business' Chris Dring recently reported […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/playstation-and-xbox-exclusives-remain-reason-gamers-buy-consoles/

With the development of Mortal Kombat 1 winding down, there was no doubt that NetherRealm Studios was hard at work on a new game. In the past, many, including voice actors for Superman and Green Lantern, suggested that the studio's next game would be Injustice 3, and earlier this week, a WB Games Artist listed the game among those they have worked on. However, it seems like the next game from the Mortal Kombat series developer may be more of a DC fighters of sorts, rather than a continuation of the series. Yesterday, known fighting games YouTuber Rooflemonger (who corroborated […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/injustice-3-dc-fighter-rebrand/

According to reputable Hollywood online magazine TheWrap, the upcoming Battlefield movie is already locked in what could become the biggest bidding war of the year between almost all the major production studios: Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery, Amazon MGM Studios, Sony, and Universal. The Battlefield movie adaptation was officially announced last week and already has two big names attached: recent Oscar-winning actor Michael B. Jordan, who will produce and potentially star in the film, and filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie, another Oscar winner who will write and direct. Jordan is known mostly for his roles in Black Panther, Creed, and last year's Sinners. […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/battlefield-movie-hollywood-studios-mcquarrie-jordan/

AutoSift lets you search car listings and parts prices across major marketplaces in one place. Enter a year, make, model, and optional filters, and it fetches results from Autotrader, CarGurus, Cars.com, Carvana, TrueCar, Facebook Marketplace, and leading parts retailers like Amazon, eBay, AutoZone, RockAuto, Advance Auto, and O’Reilly. Compare options side by side, verify fitment for your vehicle, and click through to the best deal.

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BAIC's Arcfox has begun pre-sales of the Wendao V9, a luxury EREV MPV. Pricing starts at 32,200 USD, and 8000+ orders were received in 48 hours.

The post BAIC’s Arcfox begins Wendao V9 EREV MPV pre-sales in China starting at 32,200 USD, 8000+ orders in 48 hours appeared first on CarNewsChina.com.

Read full article: https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/travel-alert-shock-as-uk-government-issues-new-rules-across-europe-asia-and-americas-with-strict-safety-updates-just-in/

Travel Alert Shock As UK Government Issues New Rules Across Europe Asia And Americas With Strict Safety Updates: Just InUK...

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Read full article: https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/iata-focus-africa-2026-in-addis-ababa-sparks-aviation-safety-connectivity-and-efficiency-revolution-across-africa/

IATA Focus Africa 2026 in Addis Ababa Sparks Aviation Safety, Connectivity and Efficiency Revolution Across AfricaIATA Focus Africa 2026 in...

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Read full article: https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/swm-austrian-airlines-el-al-israel-airlines-jetstar-and-more-airlines-flights-trigger-travel-disruption-across-thailand-as-six-total-cancellations-affect-bangkok-phuket-and-samui-routes-includin/

SWM, Austrian Airlines, EL AL Israel Airlines, Jetstar, and More Airlines Flights Trigger Travel Disruption Across Thailand as Six Total...

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Read full article: https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/grasp-technologies-appoints-maria-chevalier-as-ceo-to-drive-innovation-in-travel-data-and-corporate-travel-solutions/

Grasp Technologies Appoints Maria Chevalier as CEO to Drive Innovation in Travel Data and Corporate Travel SolutionsGrasp Technologies Appoints Maria...

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Camera Assistant could gain support for many more Samsung phones with One UI 8.5 update. Users of various mid-range and budget Galaxy devices would be allowed to tweak the stock camera and access some experimental settings.

Samsung’s Camera Assistant allows you to tweak the stock camera app. You can also add select new features that are not enabled by default. There’s also an option to select priority between focus and shutter speed for photos.

Various Samsung devices already support the Good Lock module. The next wave of expansion will likely cover mid-range and budget-tier phones, along with the entire Galaxy Tab S series tablet portfolio.

Tipster Alfaturk posted a Samsung device list on X, which is expected to become compatible with Camera Assistant following the One UI 8.5 rollout.

These Samsung phones may support Camera Assistant

• Galaxy A36
• Galaxy A35
• Galaxy A34
• Galaxy M36
• Galaxy M35
• Galaxy M34
• Galaxy Tab S11 series
• Galaxy Tab S10 series
• Galaxy Tab S9 series
• Galaxy Tab S8 series
• Galaxy Tab S10 FE
• Galaxy Tab S9 FE

One UI 8.5 is in the works, and the Beta Program is available for select models. Beta is limited to certain markets, whereas the stable release is likely to be available later this month.

Galaxy S25 series would have received One UI 8.5 yesterday, but the rollout was delayed due to the Labour Day holiday in South Korea. Now, the rollout is expected to kick off on May 4 in the Global market as well.

The post One UI 8.5 may unlock Camera Assistant on many Samsung devices appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Motorola recently unveiled a wide range of devices, including the new Razr 70 series, Moto G87, Moto G47, Moto G37, and Moto G37 Power. Alongside these launches, the company has also expanded its Brilliant Collection with new additions. Originally introduced in August 2025 in collaboration with Swarovski, the Brilliant Collection now includes the Motorola Signature and the newly launched Moto Buds 2 Plus. The Brilliant Collection Motorola Signature and Moto Buds 2 Plus are offered in a Pantone Violet Indigo finish and feature Crystals by Swarovski. Motorola says the devices...

is set to return to action in two months’ time, as he prepares himself for a possible world title shot before the end of the year. Whilst many are keen to avoid the 21-year-old sensation, there is one unbeaten rival who is chasing the fight. Itauma moved to 14–0 in March with a highlight-reel knockout […]

The post Unbeaten heavyweight with 85% KO ratio vows to take Moses Itauma to ‘hell and back’ appeared first on Boxing News.

Changan sales are up 85% year-on-year in March.

March volumes in Panama shoot up 42.5% year-on-year to 6,473, leading the Q1 2026 tally up 17.6% to 16,405. Toyota (+29.2%) leads the way in the brands ranking above Hyundai (+39.1%) and Kia (+32.3%). Suzuki (+18.4%) is slower but advances to #4 ahead of Jetour (+109.2%). Geely (-5.8%) drops to #6 while Changan (+85%), Isuzu (+79.5%) and Mitsubishi (+72.6%) all post fantastic gains.

Model-wise, the Top 5 is unchanged on February. The Hyundai Grand i10 (+56.6%) repeats at #1 ahead of the Kia Soluto (+75.6%), Toyota Hilux (+7.3%), Yaris Cross (+21.6%) and Hyundai Creta (+82.1%). The Isuzu D-Max climbs to #6, equal with the Toyota Prado (+58%). 

Previous month: Panama February 2026: Chinese up 52.6%, Jetour X70 Plus inside Top 10

Previous year: Panama Full Year 2025: Toyota Hilux signs 5th straight win

Full March 2026 Top 67 All brands and Top 10 models below.

Panama March 2026 – brands:

Panama March 2026 – models:

Source: ADAP

The Dongfeng Box has a great start in New Zealand.

New light vehicle sales in New Zealand soar 25.1% year-on-year in March to 14,910 units, leading to a Q1 volume up 12.5% to 36,910. In the detail, passenger cars gain 19.4% to 10,063 sales while light commercials shoot up 38.9% to 4,847. Toyota (+8.6%) can’t match the flying market and holds 18.7% share vs. 18% so far this year. Ford (+31.3%) manages an excellent score at #2 unlike Mitsubishi (-14.1%) at #3. BYD (+221.9%) is up 3-fold year-on-year to #4 and 5.8% share, that’s a new ranking record eclipsing its previous best of #5 reached in December 2023 and June 2025. Tesla is up 271% to #8 and Dongfeng ranks #14 with 2.3% share.

Over in the models charts, the Toyota Hilux (+76.7%) gets a big new generation boost and claims the top spot for the first time since last July. The Ford Ranger (+46.1%) is relegated to 2nd place but holds onto the #1 ranking YTD. The Tesla Model Y surges to third place with 3.2% share, its best ranking since topping the charts outright in September 2023. The Mitsubishi Triton (-15.2%) and Nissan Navara (+6.5%) ensure there are four pickup trucks inside the March Top 5. The Toyota Hiace (+115.3%), Hyundai Tucson (#7), Toyota Corolla Cross (+65.9%) and MG ZS (+50.8%) also shine below. Finally the Dongfeng Box makes a splash at #12 and 1.7% for its first full month of sales.

Previous month: New Zealand February 2026: Hyundai Tucson and Nissan Navara impress

One year ago: New Zealand March 2025: Ford Ranger claws back on top, BYD Shark 6 at #13

Full March 2026 Top 25 brands and Top 25 models below.

New Zealand March 2026 – brands:

New Zealand March 2026 – models:

Source: MIA

Gelecek sezon için transfer çalışmalarına başlayan Galatasaray, orta saha transferi için gündemine Napoli forması giyen Zambo Anguissa'yı aldı.

Fenerbahçe'yi evinde 3-0 mağlup etmesinin ardından şampiyonluk için geri sayıma geçen Galatasaray bir yandan da gelecek sezonun kadro planlamasına başladı. Teknik direktör Okan Buruk gelecek sezon orta sahasını daha üçlü bir duruma getirmek istiyor. Bu nedenle bu bölgeye yapılacak transferler için çalışmalar yürütüyor. Sarı-kırmızılılar orta saha transferi için aradığı ismi buldu.

İtalyan basınından Tuttosport'un haberine göre, Galatasaray, Zambo Anguissa ile ilgileniyor. Galatasaray, gelecek sezon için Napoli'nin orta saha oyuncusu Frank Zambo Anguissa'ya ilgi gösterdi.

Anguissa'nın Napoli ile 2027 yılına kadar sözleşmesi bulunuyor.

SEZON PERFORMANSI

Piyasa değeri 20 milyon Euro olan Anguissa, bu sezon 21 maça çıktı ve 4 gol 2 asistlik performans gösterdi.

Juventus'ta forma giyen Kanadalı futbolcu Jonathan David için Fenerbahçe ihtimali doğdu.

Devre arasında santrfor transferi yapmaması nedeniyle sorun yaşayan Fenerbahçe bu bedelini ağır ödemiş ve şampiyonluk hayallerini suya düşürmüştü. Bu nedenle gelecek sezon için santrfor transferine ağırlık veren sarı-lacivertlilerde gündeme sürpriz bir isim geldi.

FENERBAHÇE VE GALATASARAY

İtalyan basınından TuttoMercatoWeb'in haberine göre, Juventus yönetimi, oyuncunun olası ayrılığına sıcak baksa da yüksek maaş yükü transfer sürecini zorlaştırıyor. Yine aynı habere göre, David'in geleceği için en güçlü senaryolardan biri Türkiye olarak öne çıkıyor. Galatasaray'ın, Victor Osimhen'in olası ayrılığına bağlı olarak devreye girebileceği belirtilirken, Fenerbahçe'nin de yeni sezon öncesi birinci santrfor arayışı kapsamında oyuncuyu gündemine aldığı aktarıldı.

SEZON PERFORMANSI

Piyasa değeri 35 milyon euro olarak gösterilen Jonathan David bu sezon Juventus formasıyla 43 maça çıkarken 8 gol ve 5 asist kaydetti. David kariyerinde daha önce Gent, Lille ve Ottawa formalarını da giymişti.

Gianni Infantino, "elbette İran 2026 FIFA Dünya Kupası'na katılacak. ABD'de olacak" dedi. Trump da, "inanması zor ama bence oynamalarına izin vermeliyiz" dedi.

Birkaç hafta içinde 2026 Dünya Kupası başlayacak. Dün gece Gianni Infantino, katılımı belirsiz olan İran'ın gerçekten de orada olacağını doğrulayan önemli bir açıklama yaptı.

- Başlangıçta, başka bir şey söylemek veya yazmak isteyenler için hemen teyit edeyim ki, elbette İran 2026 FIFA Dünya Kupası'na katılacak. Ve elbette İran, ABD'de oynayacak. Sebebi basit: Birleşmeliyiz. İnsanları bir araya getirmeliyiz.

Bu açıklamayla ilgili sorulara yanıt veren Donald Trump şunları söyledi:

- Gianni bunu söylediyse, benim için sorun yok. Bundan bahsetti. Ona, ‘Ne istersen yap. Onları alabilirsin. Almak zorunda değilsin’ dedim. Muhtemelen iyi bir takımları var. Aslında inanması zor ama bence oynamalarına izin vermeliyiz.

İran federasyonunun turnuvaya katılmayı kabul edip etmeyeceği ise henüz belli değil

Galatasaray, olağan başkanlık seçiminin 23 Mayıs Cumartesi günü yapılacağını açıklamıştı. Başkanlığa aday olacak isimlerden olan mevcut başkan Dursun Özbek'in yeni yönetim listesi belli oldu.

Galatasaray Kulübü, olağan seçimli genel kurul tarihini açıklamış ve olağan başkanlık seçiminin 23 Mayıs Cumartesi günü yapılacağını açıkladı. Tarihin açıklanmasının ardından gözler başkan adaylarına çevrildi. Mevcut başkan Dursun Özbek'in ise tekrardan başkanlığa aday olacağı biliniyor. Bu sene bir kez daha şampiyonluk için gün sayan sarı-kırmızılılarda başkan Dursun Özbek'in yeni yönetim listesi de netlik kazandı.

Dursun Özbek'in yeni yönetim listesi şöyle:

Başkan

Dursun Aydın Özbek

Yönetim (Asil)

Metin Öztürk

Sedat Artukoğlu

Eray Yazgan

Can Natan

Mecit Mert Çetinkaya

Mehmet Saruhan Cibara

Abdullah Kavukcu

Mehmet Burak Kutluğ

Fatih Demircan

Özen Kuzu

Yönetim (Yedek)

Bora İsmail Bahçetepe

Ozan Bingöl Yurtsever

Emir Aral

Tanur Lara Yılmaz

Ömer Sarıgül

Bakıda təlim-məşq toplanışında olan çimərlik futbolu üzrə Azərbaycan milli komandası növbəti yoxlama oyununu keçirib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, komandamız yenə Belarus millisi ilə qarşılaşıb.

Su İdmanı Sarayında təşkil olunmuş görüş qonaq millimizin 4:3 hesablı qələbəsi ilə yekunlaşıb. Millimizin qollarını Ramil Əliyev, İsa Zeynallı, Bayram Bayramlı və Sahib Məmmədov vurublar.

Xatırladaq ki, çimərlik futbolu yığmamız Bakıdakı hazırlıq prosesi çərçivəsində Belarus milli komandasına qarşı keçirdiyi ilk oyunda 1:3 hesabıyla məğlub olmuşdu.

Bu toplanış üçün millimizə dəvət edilmiş oyunçuların adlarını diqqətinizə çatdırırıq:

Qapıçılar: Elçin Qasımov, Emil Omarov;

Oyunçular: Elşad Manafov, Kamil Hüseynov, Orxan Məmmədov, İsa Zeynalli, Sabir Allahquliyev, Ramil Əliyev, Kamran Qürbətov, Bayram Bayramlı, İsa İsayev.

Futbol üzrə Azərbaycan Premyer Liqasında mübarizə aparan “İmişli” yarımmüdafiəçisi İdris İnqilablı ilə yeni müqavilə bağlayıb.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə Premyer Liqa təmsilçisinin mətbuat xidməti məlumat yayıb.

24 yaşlı yarımmüdafiəçi ilə 2 illik sözləşmə imzalanıb. Onun əvvəlki müqaviləsinin müddəti cari mövsümün sonunda başa çatacaqdı.

Xatırladaq ki, İdris İnqilablı 2024-cü ildən “İmişli”də çıxış edir. Mərkəz yarımmüdafiəçisi cari mövsümdə əyalət təmsilçisinin heyətində 28 oyuna çıxıb, 1 məhsuldar ötürmə müəllifi olub.

“Qəbələ”nin yetirməsi olan İdris karyerası ərzində “Sabah” və “Kəpəz”in də formasını geyinib. Yarımmüdafiəçi Azərbaycanın U-19 və U-21 yığmalarında çıxış etsə də, əsas millimizdə debüt şansı qazanmayıb.

Qeyd edək ki, “İmişli” ilk mövsümünü keçirdiyi Azərbaycan Premyer Liqasında hazırda 29 oyuna topladığı 29 xalla 9-cu sırada qərarlaşıb.