All posts by h716a5.icu

Major League Baseball's trade deadline can certainly cause some hard feelings, but it can result in heartwarming reunions once in a while, too.

Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Eugenio Suárez is one of the most popular names surrounding this year's deadline, which is slated for July 31. With 36 home runs on the season, there's no shortage of suitors for his services. And according to a new report, he could be reunited with the team he spent the majority of his career with.

Per 's C. Trent Rosecrans, the D-Backs and Cincinnati Reds have mutual interest in a deal that would return Suárez to Cincinnati, where he has spent seven of his 12 big-league seasons. According to Rosecrans, the D-Backs are "at least interested in kicking the tires" on righthander Chase Petty, who made his MLB debut with the Reds this season but has spent most of the year in Triple-A Louisville.

The Reds dealt Suárez to the Seattle Mariners in 2022, where he spent two seasons before he was traded to Arizona following the '23 season. The Mariners are another team that could be interested in a reunion with Suárez, as well as the Detroit Tigers, where he began his career.

MLB insider Jon Heyman recently reported the Mariners have inquired with the D-Backs on a Suárez deal, along with the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs. The 12-year veteran is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season. He was tied for the most homers across the National League heading into Wednesday before Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani smacked his 37th long ball of the year. Suárez currently has the most RBIs in the MLB this season with 86.

Now, there's just more than a week left to see whether he will find a new home to finish out the season.

Arsenal star Bukayo Saka is reportedly set to sign a new contract extension with the Gunners that will run until 2030. Talks with the Premier League leaders are now said to be in their "final stages" and Mikel Arteta's side are hopeful the England international will put pen to paper on his new contract at the club before the end of the calendar year.

Arsenal lock down Saka

Saka's current contract runs until 2027 but an agreement has been struck for the forward to sign an extension until 2030, according to RMC Sport. Negotiations are ongoing but both sides are now confident of reaching an agreement soon. Arsenal would like the new deal to be signed off before the end of the year as they look to secure the future of one of their brightest stars. Saka joined Arsenal at the age of seven and has come all the way through the academy and into the first team in north London.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSaka hungry for trophies at Arsenal

Saka spoke about his future earlier this year, making it clear he wants to win trophies. He told reporters: “I want to win and I want to win wearing this badge. It is pretty clear, the fans know how much I love them. You saw when I came on on Tuesday, they love me back. So it is a good relationship. I am really happy to be hear and I am focused on winning. I don’t think anyone is really in a rush. I have got two years left on my contract so it’s pretty relaxed. Everyone knows my thoughts and I’ve let you guys know as well, so I don’t think there is much else really.”

The forward won the FA Cup with Arsenal in 2020 but was an unused substitute in the final. He'll be hoping he can add more silverware in the current campaign, with the Gunners currently top of the standings in the Premier League and the Champions League.

Saka to follow in Saliba's footsteps

Saka is set to follow in William Saliba's footsteps by penning new terms at Arsenal. The Frenchman extended his existing deal at the end of September, leaving manager Mikel Arteta thrilled. 

He told the club's media: "William is loved by all the players and staff, and that speaks volumes about his character, commitment and attitude every day. Since joining us, William has grown so much, embraced responsibility, and has created a strong connection with our supporters and everyone at the club. We know there is still so much to come from him and will continue to work together to keep improving with the clear ambition of winning major trophies."

Andrea Berta, the club's sporting director, added: “We’re so happy that William has committed his future to us to be part of what we’re building here. In the last three seasons, William has become an incredible defender whose composure, intelligence and physical presence make him one of the best in the world. He will continue his development with Arsenal to reach new heights. His consistency, maturity, and ability to influence matches will continue to be a big asset for us and we’re looking forward to many more great performances from him at the heart of our defence.”

Arsenal are also reportedly hoping to secure the long-term futures of Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber once Saka's new contract has been completed.

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AFPArsenal heading for crunch fixtures

Saka is back with Arsenal after international duty with England and is gearing up for some huge fixtures with the Gunners. Arteta's side face a north London derby against neighbours Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday and then face Bayern in the Champions League. Arsenal and Bayern two of only three teams left in the competition with a 100% record, meaning something will have to give at the Emirates in a week's time. The Gunners then head to Chelsea for another huge Premier League fixture.

Bizarre broadside from Australia’s stand-in captain puts England’s former spinner front and centre of the pre-series banter

Alan Gardner20-Nov-20250:39

Steve Smith’s strange ‘Mastermind’ jibe at Monty Panesar

Hands up who had ‘Steven Smith Hits Back at Monty Panesar’s Sandpaper Comments with BBC Mastermind Jibe’ on their Ashes 2025-26 phoney war bingo card?Because that, bizarrely enough, is the point we had reached when those in the UK woke up on Thursday morning, less than 24 hours out from the start of the first Test. Perhaps it was the logical endgame of an Ashes build-up that has seemed ever more febrile and fantastical as the weeks have ticked by. But it also prompted, on many levels, the question: why?Why had Smith, in responding to what was reportedly a planted question early in his press conference, chosen to specifically target Panesar amid all the pre-series chatter on both sides? Why did Smith decide to make a personal dig at a retired player about a TV appearance from almost seven years ago? And why, on the eve of one of the most anticipated Ashes in recent memory, was he rewatching Panesar’s infamous meltdown if, as he claimed, “it doesn’t really bother me”.Ironically, the Panesar comments that Smith claimed he hadn’t been bothered by received minimal coverage – certainly in contrast to his “off-topic” digression in the full glare of pre-game media duties, which caused “Monty Panesar” to become a trending topic on two sides of the globe.The issue had, in fact, seemed to spiral after being picked up by Brad Haddin and Alyssa Healy on the Willow Talk podcast earlier this week. Haddin, still keen as ever to get involved in a stoush, suggested Panesar should “Pull your f***ing head in” – which is about the level of wit for Ashes repartee. What’s remarkable is that the mud-flinging has not been confined to social media, but ended up with Australia’s stand-in captain using it for an open-mic spot on matchday-minus-one.For those still in the dark, Panesar – speaking to an online betting company – had urged England to “really get into” Smith about his role in the 2018 sandpaper incident at Cape Town and “make him feel guilty”. But it seems unlikely that Monty’s masterplan would have featured quite so high up in the strategising by Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum ahead of this series (although perhaps it now should…)Monty Panesar and Steven Smith have reprised hostilities in unlikely circumstances•Getty ImagesPanesar also explicitly urged the UK media to take up the cudgels against Smith, following the example of some typically fruity coverage of England’s preparations by the local outlets. In another irony, Smith’s response has made it much easier for the English pack to now mount their high horses (something that rarely requires a second invitation).As for the Barmy Army, who are expected to make up a significant proportion of the crowd in Perth Stadium, they won’t need any prompting from Panesar to break into another chorus of “We saw you cry on the telly”.Smith added in his press conference that he was “pretty chilled” these days, and certainly delivered his pre-planned bit for the cameras with a broad grin in place. It was, nevertheless, a curious call that has added another layer of intrigue to the series – as well as an unexpected new chapter to Panesar’s colourful Ashes backstory.By coincidence, it is only a couple of weeks since Panesar popped up as a walk-on character in the story of Jake Weatherald’s maiden Test call-up. Weatherald – who described Panesar as “one of the funniest people I’ve ever met in my life” – played alongside the former England left-arm spinner during his time in the UK with Great Witchingham CC and took time to regale the Grade Cricketer podcast about what an “amazing experience” it was. Whether they were laughing with or at Monty is probably moot.Related

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This has often been the case, starting with Shane Warne’s infamous comment that Panesar hadn’t played 33 Tests, but the same Test 33 times. Panesar was an unlikely hero with the bat for England at Cardiff shortly after that, but was again reduced to a figure of fun on the 2013-14 tour, including when Cricket Australia apologised for causing offence with a tweet that pictured four men dressed as Teletubbies wearing turbans and the caption: “Will the real Monty Panesar please stand up?”Since the end of his playing career, Panesar has forged a number of different career paths – often with limited success. His blooper, which he put down to nerves, came during a period in which he tried to carve out a regular spot as a reality TV personality, while he has done more run-of-the-mill work as a cricket pundit for a number of organisations (including ESPNcricinfo). Last year, he made headlines after briefly promising to stand as candidate in the General Election for the Workers Party of Britain, before backtracking.He has also spoken about his struggles with mental health issues and, sadly, still seems to be casting around for a comfortable post-playing role. Whether Ashes bantermeister is the right fit remains to be seen – but Smith has fanned the flames, inadvertently or otherwise. Certainly Panesar’s zinger of a response, delivered on BBC radio a few hours later, then followed up in a Telegraph guest column, suggested he is rising to the occasion:”I’ve started, so I’ll finish,” Panesar wrote. “Those were the words I heard at the end of my Mastermind shocker six years ago. But if I’m guilty of anything, it is having bad general knowledge. And that is better than being a cheat.”We’ve both made mistakes. I made my mine on a quiz show. He made his on the cricket field.”And so the sideshow rumbles on, with Panesar also due to appear on Michael Clarke’s Beyond23 podcast later on Thursday. Wonder what they’ll talk about? Thankfully the cricket is about to begin, otherwise who knows what we’d wake up to tomorrow.

He achieved this wish on his 35th birthday, helping India seal a dominant win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Sep-20251:13

Wahab: Kuldeep always one step ahead of batters

Three spinners, and just the one frontline quick. This has been India’s way at this Asia Cup, and their captain Suryakumar Yadav said the template had been set earlier this year during their run to the Champions Trophy title. That was an ODI tournament, but India played all their matches in the UAE, which is also hosting this Asia Cup.The spinners played a crucial role in India’s seven-wicket win over Pakistan on Sunday, with Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy sharing six wickets between them. In all, India’s spinners conceded just 65 runs in 13 overs, including one from part-timer Abhishek Sharma.Related

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“That’s what happened a few months back – our team that won the Champions Trophy, they set the tone,” Suryakumar said at the post-match presentation. “But I am always a fan of spinners, because they control the game in the middle and post-powerplay [overs], and I think all the spinners were amazing.”India’s victory was particularly sweet for Suryakumar since it came on the day he turned 35. He celebrated his birthday by scoring an unbeaten 47 and hitting the winning six as India chased down their target of 128 with 25 balls to spare.”It’s a great feeling and it’s a perfect return gift for India,” Suryakumar said. “This is one box I always wanted to tick, stay there till the end, and it was the need of the hour today. And love to stay not out till the end.”The win left India with a 11-3 T20I head-to-head over their arch-rivals. Asked about this, Suryakumar said India don’t treat games against Pakistan any differently to other matches.”For me, and for my boys, and for the whole team, I feel it’s just another game,” he said. “We come on the ground, we prepare for all the oppositions, and that’s how we go about it.”Kuldeep Yadav sent Mohammad Nawaz back first ball•Associated PressKuldeep won his second Player-of-the-Match award in a row, returning figures of 3 for 18 to follow up on his four-wicket haul against UAE.”You just have to think who is batting on the crease and react to what they are doing, what their strength is and what they like to play,” Kuldeep said when asked about his plans. “Just follow that, and obviously I had my plans and just executed them.”As he did against UAE, Kuldeep struck with back-to-back deliveries against Pakistan. Having bagged two ODI hat-tricks in his career so far, Kuldeep said he wants his first ball to any batter to be a wicket-taking delivery.”First ball is always wicket-taking ball, you know, you just have to go with that mindset and try to execute that wicket-taking ball,” Kuldeep said. “Because whoever is batting is obviously new on the crease or maybe set, but yeah, he’s facing you the first time in the game and probably you have the chance to get on top of him.”Despite being in terrific form, and leading the tournament’s wicket charts, Kuldeep said he still had areas of improvement in his game.”I still think I need to really work on my bowling as well. Sometimes I feel that I try too many variations, but I have to learn day by day and game by game. I still think there’s a lot of room to improve in.”

Ex-Celtic striker Charlie Mulgrew has told the Hoops exactly what they must offer Jurgen Klopp to become their Brendan Rodgers replacement in what would be a sensational move.

The Bhoys are still looking for their next manager as Martin O’Neill continues to be a success as interim boss. The 73-year-old made it two wins from two on Sunday after defeating Old Firm rivals Rangers 3-1 after extra-time in the Scottish League Cup semi-final.

It was just like old times for O’Neill, who watched on as goals from Callum McGregor and a first goal for Callum Osmand ensured that his side got one over on their biggest rivals once again.

Relieved to earn a place in the final, O’Neill told reporters at full-time: “It was an incredible game. We were terrific and got the goal in front and got one disallowed for offside.

“We were in command, but I was saying to [assistant] Shaun Maloney we needed a goal to kill the game off and six or seven minutes later, Rangers get the penalty. I was 73 on Monday… I’m 94 now!”

Victory against Rangers has done O’Neill’s chances of becoming the next Celtic manager no harm, that’s for sure. Although the Northern Irishman was quick to admit that he’s just keeping the seat warm when first arriving, two wins from two has sparked rumours that he could yet get the job until the end of the current campaign.

With Ange Postecoglou taking a break from football and reportedly pulling out of the race and other candidates such as Nicky Hayen still in a job, O’Neill may make perfect sense. He’s more experienced than most, especially at Celtic Park, and he is already turning things around.

But he’s not everyone’s first choice. Instead, Mulgrew has urged Dermot Desmond to “go big” and turn to a Champions League winner in Klopp.

Mulgrew urges Celtic to "go big" and hire Jurgen Klopp

Speaking on the latest edition of The Warm-Up Show, ex-Hoops player Mulgrew urged Celtic to hire Klopp and offer the former Liverpool manager a contract worth as much as £7m-a-year, which works out at £135k-a-week.

There’s no denying that it would be an incredible appointment. Klopp transformed Liverpool, awaking English giants and taking them back to Champions League glory, but it seems unlikely that he would make a return to the dugout for Celtic.

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That said, whilst unlikely, all hope isn’t lost. The Liverpool legend recently admitted on Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO podcast that a return to management is still possible – saying: “I’m 58, that means I could make the decision in a few years, I don’t know. Do I have to make the decision today?

“Then I will not coach again. But thank God, I don’t have to do that. I can just see what the future brings.”

Celtic submit offer for Mark van Bommel

England lose Zak Crawley to last ball of day after being set 374 to win with series on the line

Matt Roller02-Aug-20253:22

Bangar: ‘Jaiswal’s Sehwag-esque impact makes it easier for batters to follow’

The fate of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy will be sealed at The Oval on Sunday. England need another 324 runs to pull off the second-biggest chase in their history and win 3-1; India need eight wickets – or nine, in the improbable event that Chris Woakes walks out to bat one-handed – to square the series. The draw is no longer on the table.India are the favourites, and owe that status to four men: Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored his sixth century, and second of the series; Akash Deep, the nightwatcher whose maiden Test fifty wore England’s seamers down; Ravindra Jadeja, who passed 500 runs for the series; and Washington Sundar, whose late blitz took the target from 335 to 374 inside five overs.Related

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England have been here before. They chased 371 in the first Test of this series with five wickets in hand, and cruised to 378 against India at Edgbaston three years ago without breaking a sweat. A punchy opening stand between Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett shaved 50 runs off the target as the shadows lengthened, and England will not be overawed by scoreboard pressure.But Crawley’s dismissal in the final over of the day swung the pendulum firmly in India’s favour. It was Mohammed Siraj, the last seamer standing in this series, who delivered a moment of high skill and high drama. With two balls remaining, Siraj pushed Jaiswal back to deep square leg, a bluff to mask the searing 84mph/135kph yorker which followed, and crashed into off stump.It will be a huge test of both teams’ character, skill and resilience as the series heads into its 24th – and surely final – day. A draw would be a superb achievement for India under new leadership, not least from 2-1 down and on the ropes in Manchester; for England, a series win would be their first against a ‘Big Three’ opponent under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.3:25

‘Root’s wicket will be most important for India’

In Woakes’ absence, this was a brutally tough day for their three greenhorn seamers Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue and Jamie Overton, who bowled 79 out of 88 overs between them in India’s second innings. Ollie Pope did his best to rotate them but the workload was immense, particularly without a specialist spinner. Their cause was not helped by six dropped catches, and India profited from their profligacy.Akash Deep was the unlikely protagonist of the morning session, seizing an opportunity to chance his arm after seeing out two balls as nightwatcher on Friday evening. He popped the third ball of the day over mid-on for four and decided to keep on swinging, punching the air and thumping his chest when he reached 50 for only the second time in his professional career.England could have had him twice in two balls: they were convinced that Tongue had trapped him lbw, only for the DRS to uphold umpire Ahsan Raza’s not-out call, and Crawley dropped Tongue’s follow-up at third slip. By the time his leading edge was pouched by Atkinson at point off Overton, Akash Deep had added 107 in partnership with Jaiswal.Akash Deep’s gleeful hitting cast Jaiswal in an unfamiliar role, playing in his partner’s slipstream. But he continued to inflict death by a thousand cuts on England’s seamers, scoring heavily behind square on the off side and seizing on any width offered. He reached his hundred after lunch by pinching a single into that very same region, bookending his first tour of England with centuries.By that stage, he had lost another partner. Shubman Gill’s fine series ended with the first ball after lunch, which nipped back off the seam and thumped into his knee roll to give Atkinson his seventh of the match. His overall aggregate – 754 – was second only to Sunil Gavaskar among Indian batters in a Test series, but his highest score in four innings in London was just 21.2:58

Bangar: ‘Akash Deep could be India’s No. 8’

Karun Nair soon became Atkinson’s eighth victim of the Test, edging behind for 17. Nair was struck on the glove first ball, and dropped by Harry Brook – whose view was obscured by Crawley diving across him – on 12 before failing to account for Atkinson’s extra bounce. After a top score of 57 in eight innings, it seems Nair’s comeback series may also prove to be his farewell.Dropped twice on Friday evening, Jaiswal got a third life from Duckett at leg gully, but holed out to deep point for 118 soon after. But India’s lead continued to swell: Jadeja successfully overturned an lbw decision after being struck flush on the right boot and added exactly 50 for the seventh wicket with Dhruv Jurel, as England finally resorted to their occasional spinners.The pitch had clearly flattened out from the first two days but still offered something to work with. Overton managed to get a 76-over-old ball to swing away and trap Jurel lbw, and Tongue threatened to end the innings quickly: Brook finally held on to one when Jadeja steered to him on 53, and Siraj was distraught when given out lbw off the inside edge, with India out of reviews.But Washington went down swinging, as though Brook’s advice in Manchester to “get on with it” was ringing in his ears. He hauled four leg-side sixes in 12 balls, the last of which brought up a 39-ball fifty. By the time he miscued to Crawley at midwicket to give Tongue his fifth wicket, he and Prasidh Krishna (0 off 2) had put on 39 vital runs for the 10th wicket.Duckett and Crawley were left with 14 overs to lay a foundation for England, and Gill was clearly desperate to avoid a repeat of their freewheeling stand in the first innings, posting a deep point from the outset to stem the flow of runs. If it initially seemed curious that Siraj was held back to first change, then his crucial strike vindicated Gill’s decision to give him a single, late burst.

Celtic’s interim manager Martin O’Neill got off to a dream start on Wednesday night with a commanding 4-0 win over Falkirk at Parkhead in front of the home support.

The Hoops had lost their previous two matches in the Scottish Premiership, to Hearts and Dundee, before Brendan Rodgers tendered his resignation from his role on Monday night.

O’Neill and his interim coaching team got a brilliant response out of the first-team player against Falkirk, with Johnny Kenny being one of the stars of the night.

Why Johnny Kenny is undroppable for Celtic

The Ireland U21 international has started the last two Premiership matches after Kelechi Iheanacho suffered a hamstring injury early on in the win over Sturm Graz in the Europa League last week.

Kenny failed to make much of an impact against Hearts on Sunday, but he stepped up with two goals from five shots in 66 minutes on the pitch against Falkirk, per Sofascore.

On top of his goalscoring exploits, converting from close range on two occasions, the Irishman won five of his nine duels and won three fouls for the team, per Sofascore, acting as the focal point in the number nine position.

Chalkboard

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With Iheanacho’s injury and Celtic’s lack of depth in the striker position, Kenny’s impressive performance against Falkirk should mean that he is undroppable for the time being.

The former Shamrock Rovers star is not the only Hoops ace who should be considered undroppable after Wednesday night, though, as Marcelo Saracchi was just as good.

Why Marcelo Saracchi should be undroppable already

The Uruguay international was brought in for experienced left-back Kieran Tierney, and barely put a foot wrong throughout the 90 minutes on the pitch.

Despite assisting Celtic’s goal, Tierney had a difficult afternoon against Hearts last time out. He lost three of his four aerial duels and failed to make a single tackle, per Sofascore, which is why the left-back position may not be guaranteed to him.

Saracchi came in against Falkirk on Wednesday and showed the defensive quality that was lacking from Tierney’s performance against Hearts, as he impressed for O’Neill.

Minutes

90

Tackles won

4

Interceptions

1

Ball recoveries

12

Ground duels won

7/11

Aerial duels won

3/3

Key passes

2

Crosses completed

3/6

As you can see in the table above, the Boca Juniors loanee made four more tackles and won 75% more of his aerial duels than Tierney did in his last outing at left-back.

On top of his impressive defensive work, with ten duels won and 12 ball recoveries, Saracchi also created two chances and had two shots on target, one of which was parried out to Benjamin Nygren for the third goal on the night.

It was a brilliant all-round display from the energetic full-back, who showed that he can contribute at both ends of the pitch. He has the bite, tenacity, and patience to provide quality defending, whilst also having the ability on the ball to make things happen in the final third, which is why he was just as good and influential as Kenny.

Saracchi, who earned an 8/10 player rating from 67HailHail, is now undroppable because his performance was one that the Hoops lacked when Tierney was in the XI against Hearts on Sunday, albeit that was away against the league leaders.

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O’Neill, should he still be in charge next time out, should consider the left-footed star an undroppable part of his team, along with Kenny, because of his sublime showing in and out of possession.