All posts by h716a5.icu

The Texas Rangers are bringing Nathan Eovaldi back after letting the right-handed pitcher test free agency.

According to Robert Murray of Fansided, Eovaldi and the Rangers are in agreement on new contract. ESPN's Jeff Passan reports the contract is a three-year pact worth $75 million. The 34-year-old will return to Texas, where he's played each of the last two years, and collect an average of $25 million per season over the life of his new deal.

Eovaldi made 29 starts last season and pitched a total of 170 2/3 innings, the most he's thrown since 2021. He registered 166 strikeouts, 42 walks and maintained a 3.80 ERA. Eovaldi, a two-time All-Star and a two-time World Series champion, made six starts in the postseason during the Rangers' run to a World Series title in 2023.

2024 was a disappointing season for the Rangers, who failed to reach the postseason after winning the World Series the previous year. They'll hope to get back on track in '25, and ensuring they kept Eovaldi as a key cog of their starting rotation will go a long way towards competing for a postseason spot next season.

Former AC Milan defender Emerson Royal opened up about his difficult spell at the San Siro, revealing that the negative attention he received in Italy made him a more talked about figure than Cristiano Ronaldo. The lack of appreciation from supporters, combined with a lengthy spell on the sidelines, ultimately influenced his decision to leave Milan. However, the Brazilian admitted that he is now happy at Flamengo, where he has settled back into life in his home country and rediscovered his confidence.

Emerson struggled at Milan

Emerson arrived at Milan from Tottenham in a €16 million (£13m/$18m) deal, brought in to strengthen the right flank. Under Paulo Fonseca, he initially became the starting right-back ahead of Davide Calabria, but his time at the club quickly turned turbulent. Although he showed flashes of quality, his performances were marked by inconsistency, positioning errors and a struggle to adapt to Milan’s tactical demands, leading to a mixed and ultimately disappointing spell.

He did enjoy one high point, winning the Supercoppa Italiana under Sergio Conceicao after Milan’s victory over Inter. However, the relationship between player and coach deteriorated soon after, pushing Emerson further down the pecking order. A move to Fenerbahce was close, but an untimely injury caused the transfer to collapse.

Eventually, Milan decided to move him on, and Emerson joined Flamengo in a permanent €9 million deal in the 2025 summer window bringing an end to a difficult chapter in his career.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportEmerson opens up about his difficult life at Milan

In an interview to , Emerson recalled the negative attention he received after arriving in Milan, explaining that no matter how hard he tried, he struggled to gain acceptance from the fans. 

"I arrived in Italy with a slightly strange feeling right from the start. From the beginning, every time I said or did something, people talked about me more than they talked about Cristiano Ronaldo, but in a negative way. I felt like I always had to do twice as much to be accepted, and then still not be accepted anyway," he said.

"It all started with me and my request. I spoke to my family and my agent, and the idea of leaving had already become a priority. I couldn't continue with that feeling. The same thing had happened to me at Tottenham, but there I managed to change their minds: you arrive, people talk, then they don't want you to leave. It's always a matter of time and adaptation. Initially, I thought I would do the same at Milan, stay to really prove who I am. But after the injury and months on the sidelines, that feeling grew even stronger. And when I realised that my relationship with the environment had worn thin, I realised that staying would not be the right choice."

However, things have turned around for Emerson since his move to Flamengo. The Brazilian has settled back into his home country and is thriving, with Flamengo leading the Brazilian Serie A by two points. Reflecting on his resurgence, he said: "Today I am well and finally happy again. Coming back here after so many years away has been special. We are competing in two important competitions and one of the reasons I chose to return was to make myself better known to the people of my country, because I have been abroad for so long. It is a wonderful feeling to feel appreciated."

Milan recovering all their players from injury

Milan appointed Massimiliano Allegri as head coach in the summer, and his arrival brought a shift to a 3-5-2 system with Alexis Saelemaekers operating effectively as the right wing-back. The team has responded well to the new structure, sitting third in the table after crucial wins over Napoli and Roma, and now just two points behind rivals Inter. An injury crisis in October disrupted their rhythm, but Milan have since recovered key players, including Christian Pulisic, Ardon Jashari, Adrien Rabiot and Pervis Estupinan. Their return comes at the perfect moment as Allegri prepares for a decisive derby clash against Inter.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportTop of the table Derby clash

With Milan recovering key players over the international break and Pulisic scoring in a friendly against Virtus Entella, Allegri will now look to use his returning starters to make important adjustments to his style of play, with Milan set for a virtual six-pointer against Inter on Sunday.

Following rain on day one, Somerset made hay in better weather to grind relegation-threatened Yorkshire

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay09-Sep-2025Tom Abell’s meticulous 19th first class century put Somerset in a strong position on the second day of the Rothesay County Championship Division One game with Yorkshire at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.The 31-year-old former club captain batted for more than five hours to score 130, off 227 balls, with 16 fours, sharing a fifth-wicket stand of 143 with Lewis Goldsworthy, who made 65, as the home side advanced their first innings score from an overnight 155 for 3 to 391 for 6 before bad light ended play 13.3 overs early.With the pitch showing signs of taking spin, Somerset look to have a challenging total. But showers are forecast throughout the final two days and a draw looks the most likely outcome.Yorkshire’s only success of the morning session came as early as the third ball, which saw James Rew edge Jack White through to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow without having added to his overnight score of 54.The visiting seamers gave little away, bowling straight and full to force a watchful approach from Abell and Goldsworthy, who were initially content to defend anything on the stumps.Only 25 runs were scored off the first 15 overs, eight of them coming from two sweetly-timed cover driven boundaries from Goldsworthy in successive overs off first George Hill and then Jordan Thompson.Yorkshire skipper Bairstow elected to switch to spin, introducing Dan Moriarty from the River End. The left-armer was quickly able to extract turn from the dry surface, but that didn’t stop Abell breaking loose by hitting two boundaries in an over.Goldsworthy raised 200 by pulling a short ball from Matthew Revis to the deep square boundary. The score was 217 for four when former Somerset off-spinner Dom Bess was brought on at the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End.By then Abell and Goldsworthy were well set, still taking few risks as they advanced the total to 235 for 4 at lunch, with Abell three short of a half-century and his partner unbeaten on 34. A morning session of 34 overs had produced 80 runs.With the skies darkening after the interval, Abell went to his fifty with an edged three to third man off Moriarty. He had faced 118 balls and hit five fours, looking rock solid against spin and seam alike.Goldsworthy had a moment of fortune when top-edging a sweep off Moriarty over the head of wicketkeeper Bairstow. The following over, the 82nd of the innings, saw Yorkshire take the second new ball with the scoreboard reading 247 for 4. Abell earned a first batting point with a single to leg off Hill.White took the new ball at the other end and his first with it brought two narrow escapes for Abell, who appeared to survive a sharp chance to backward point and then what must have been a close lbw appeal. The century partnership with Goldsworthy was raised off 246 balls.The next landmark was Goldsworthy’s fifty, reached with a single off Thompson having faced 146 balls and hit six fours. The floodlights had just been turned on and the rain, which had been forecast, arrived at 2.06pm.Tea was taken before play restarted at 3.20pm with the lights on and 14 overs initially knocked off the 104 scheduled to be bowled in the day. Moriarty had bowled without luck and was left holding his head when a ball grazed Abell’s off stump having come off his glove.Moriarty was finally rewarded with the wicket of Goldsworthy, lbw attempting to sweep with the total on 298, having battled away for 185 balls. Abell earned a second batting point with a single off the same bowler and a third was secured thanks to a half-century stand with Kasey Aldridge.It remained for Abell to reach three figures, which he did with a reverse swept four off Bess, his 11th boundary in facing 202 balls. An identical shot with the same outcome took Somerset past 350 and after 110 overs Yorkshire had to settle for a single bowling point.Abell finally departed to former team-mate Bess, lofting a catch to deep mid-wicket shortly before stumps were drawn.

Unlike in years past, Arsenal are very well represented when it comes to England squads these days.

The likes of Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are guaranteed starters, while a couple of other players tend to make it into the squad, like Eberechi Eze.

The former Crystal Palace star featured in both games this international break and certainly made his case for a place at the World Cup.

However, his form on the domestic front has been somewhat middling, and if he’s not careful, he could eventually be replaced by one of the brightest talents in the country.

Eze's start to life at Arsenal

Now, to make things clear, Eze is an extraordinarily gifted footballer and has not been bad for Arsenal this season.

However, it would be fair to say that, aside from a goal against his old side and a few moments of magic, he has not exactly hit the ground running just yet.

For example, in 15 appearances for the Gunners, he has scored two goals, one of which was against Port Vale, and provided three assists.

Those are not really the numbers of a marquee summer signing, no less one who managed to produce a sensational tally of 25 goal involvements in 43 games for a significantly worse team last year.

However, there might not be too much to worry about, as according to FBref, he still ranks in the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the league for shot-creating actions coming from his own shots and the top 5% for goal-creating actions stemming from live passes, per 90.

In other words, while the output has been underwhelming, the 27-year-old still has some promising underlying metrics, which suggest that as he becomes more familiar with the team, the goals and assists should come.

After all, while his performance against Albania was nothing to write home about, fans were reminded just how technically magnificent a player he is with the goal he scored against Serbia.

In all, Eze will more than likely come good for Arteta and Co, but if he doesn’t, Arsenal might already have his perfect long-term replacement.

The Arsenal gem who could replace Eze

In this situation, many fans might instantly think of Ethan Nwaneri, as the 18-year-old already has plenty of first-team experience and is surely set for an England call-up at some point in the next year or so.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, while he might one day become a regular starter in the first team, he has already been somewhat usurped as the most exciting prospect at Arsenal, if not in the country, by Max Dowman.

Yes, it is certainly still early days for the 15-year-old dynamo, but he has been considered one of the next big things for some time now.

For example, in September of last year, talent scout Jacek Kulig boldly proclaimed him as the “most exciting prospect” he had seen “since Lamine Yamal.”

Then, just two months later, Hale End expert Will Balsam described him as “one of the greatest footballing brains that’s ever come through Hale End” and “the biggest talent in England.”

That might sound like a lot to say about someone who was just 14 at the time, but it probably wasn’t as thoroughly the season he proved time and time again that he is a special talent.

Appearances

23

Minutes

1945′

Goals

19

Assists

5

Goal Involvements per Match

1.04

Minutes per Goal Involvement

81.04′

For example, in 23 appearances, totalling 1945 minutes, he racked up a tally of 19 goals and five assists, which comes out to an average of 1.04 goal involvements per match, or one every 81.04 minutes.

Then, on the pre-season tour, he made it clear that, be it junior or senior football, he was more than capable of, in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson, “humiliating” opposition players with his incredible close control.

It was this technical brilliance that saw him win a penalty against Leeds United on his Premier League debut, and then again, why he started and shone against Brighton & Hove Albion in the League Cup.

If that wasn’t enough, the Chelmsford-born teen then became the youngest player in Champions League history against Slavia Prague, and was called a “miracle player” by defender David Zima.

Finally, if fans needed any more convincing that the Hale End gem is truly special, then recent news about him already being considered for England’s U21S should do just that.

Ultimately, Eze is safe from losing his place for now, but if he doesn’t start scoring and assisting more, then he could be usurped by Dowman within a season or two.

The new Rice: Arsenal chasing "generational" midfielder in £100m move

The international star could be as good a signing for Arsenal as Declan Rice has been.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 17, 2025

They say form goes out of the window for a derby, but Arsenal proved that to be entirely untrue on Sunday afternoon.

Mikel Arteta’s side played host to Tottenham Hotspur, and instead of wilting under the pressure, they made the most of Liverpool and Manchester City dropping points by demolishing their bitter rivals.

The gulf in class was so vast that it looked like the Gunners were playing a League One side, and summer signing Eberechi Eze, who almost moved to the white side of North London, was unplayable.

The Englishman was untouchable from the first minute to the last, and therefore, fans should be delighted that Arsenal are already brewing a homegrown version of him.

Eze's performance vs Spurs

While it was a joke, Thomas Frank must regret asking “who” when asked a question about Eze in the buildup to the game, as while the entire Arsenal team played well, the former Crystal Palace star was nothing short of spectacular.

It almost felt as if the Englishman was on a mission to make the Spurs boss eat his words, as just three minutes in, he played an exceptional ball over the top that Declan Rice should have finished.

Then, 39 minutes later, with the Gunners already a goal to the good, he added a second thanks to some tidy footwork and a low-driven shot.

Just 30 seconds into the second half, the 27-year-old scored his second goal, once again driving the ball into the bottom corner, only this time with his weaker foot.

Now, for most players, a derby-day brace is more than they could even dream of, but the Greenwich-born maestro is not like most players, and in the 76th minute, he scored a third to make it 4-1.

It’s the first time a player has scored a hat-trick in the North London derby since Alan Sunderland in December 1978.

Overall, it would be fair to say Sunday’s game will always be remembered as the Eze derby, and should act as a springboard for the midfielder to really kick on this season.

And in more good news, the club might already have another homegrown version of the international ace brewing.

Arsenal's homegrown Eze

Arsenal have long been a team that prioritise and promote youth from within, with the greatest example of this in recent years being, of course, Bukayo Saka.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The club now have another group of incredible youngsters coming through, including one who could develop into a homegrown Eze: Ethan Nwaneri.

Yes, while the 18-year-old might not develop to be just like the former Crystal Palace star, there are some unmistakable similarities.

For example, the Hale End gem is an incredibly skilful player who can and has played out wide, but is ultimately seen as someone who will develop into a sensational number ten.

Moreover, while he hasn’t been getting the minutes that so many expected or hoped he would this year, he’s still very young with plenty of time to develop and even then, he proved how talented he is last season.

For example, the “phenomenal” prospect, as dubbed by former professional Stephen Warnock, scored nine goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances, totalling 1378 minutes.

That works out to a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or more crucially, one every 125.27 minutes, which would be incredibly impressive if he were a seasoned professional and helps to justify Joe Cole’s claim that “he’s the most exciting footballer in England and maybe Europe.”

Appearances

37

Minutes

1378′

Goals

9

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

Minutes per Goal Involvement

125.27′

Finally, on top of his output, the Enfield-born gem put up some sensational underlying numbers last year.

According to FBref, he ranked in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League for successful take-ons, the top 6% for total carrying distance, the top 8% for crosses and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while he is still so young, Nwaneri’s ability to play out wide and as a ten, combined with his output and technical ability, means he could be Arsenal’s next Eze.

Forget Eze: £32m Arsenal star looked like prime Ozil and Odegaard vs Spurs

Eberechi Eze is not the only Arsenal star who deserves his flowers after north London derby win.

ByMatt Dawson Nov 24, 2025

India have never been swept in a bilateral ODI series against Australia as they aim to bounce back in Sydney

Tristan Lavalette24-Oct-2025

Xavier Bartlett dismissed Virat Kohli for a duck•Getty Images

Big Picture – Can India avert a clean sweep?In an anti-climax, considering the rivalry and general fanfare, the third ODI at the SCG will be a dead rubber after Australia clinched the series with a two-wicket victory in Adelaide.The final result probably flattered India, who fought to the end but were mostly up against it through the game. While valid excuses could be made for the truncated rain-affected opener in Perth, India were generally outplayed in the second ODI and could never quite recover from the early wickets of captain Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli, who bagged a second consecutive duck for the first time in his legendary ODI career.India’s top-order has been completely pinned down by Josh Hazlewood, the standout quick across the two games as England watch on ahead of the Ashes. The much-hyped returns of Kohli and Rohit Sharma have not quite gone to plan, although Rohit top-scored with 73 in Adelaide, and there remains an unknown over their futures with some pushing for Yashasvi Jaiswal to freshen up the top-order.Related

Calm and composed Connolly showcases his worth

Edwards called up for Sydney ODI, Beardman added to T20 squad

Shreyas Iyer begins new chapter with old stance in Australia

Josh Hazlewood and the beauty of a wicketless spell

Short, Connolly, Zampa guide Australia to series victory in Adelaide

Without Hardik Pandya, India have looked unbalanced and they trotted out the same XI across the two games to no avail. There are clearly teething problems for Gill as he looks to start moulding his preferred line-up.In a notable contrast, Australia feel rejuvenated especially with fringe players Matt Short, Cooper Connolly, Mitch Owen and Matthew Renshaw making valuable contributions in their successful run chase in Adelaide.Their performances would have pleased Australia’s hierarchy as they look to bed down a batting-order after the ODI retirements of Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell.Australia have never swept India in a bilateral ODI series, providing further motivation for a group that is currently in good spirits after a patchy run in 50-over cricket.Like in the previous two games, a pro-India crowd is expected amid a sold-out SCG.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia WWWLL
India LLWWWShubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir talk during a training session•AFP/Getty ImagesIn the spotlight: Matt Renshaw and Shubman GillHaving waited nine years into his international career to play ODIs, Renshaw has fitted in seamlessly after finishing the job in Perth with an unbeaten 21 off 24 followed by a run a ball 30 in Adelaide. He has publicly spoken about shutting out the external noise and exuded composure after coming to the crease in Adelaide with Australia wobbling at 54 for 2. Renshaw helped change the momentum with a brisk 55-run partnership with Matt Short, but would have been annoyed to not make a big score after being knocked over by a looping delivery from left-arm spinner Axar Patel having attempted to launch over mid-off. Renshaw is set to get another chance in Sydney as competition hots up in this transitioning batting-order. There is also the Ashes hovering, with Renshaw considered an outside chance of being in the selection mix.There has been a lot of attention on the returns of Kohli and Rohit, which has somewhat deflected the slow start to Gill’s ODI captaincy. Gill has been unable to set the tone like he spectacularly did in Test cricket. He has made just 10 and 9 although hasn’t been helped by Rohit holding up an end early in the innings, putting pressure on Gill to counterattack. He will face some heat early in his captaincy reign if India succumb to just a sixth ODI series whitewash in their proud history, underlining the importance of this game.Team news: Hazlewood/Starc may opt for restAustralia (possible): 1 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 2 Travis Head, 3 Matt Short, 4 Matthew Renshaw, 5 Alex Carey (wk), 6 Cooper Connolly, 7 Mitch Owen, 8 Xavier Bartlett, 9 Mitchell Starc/Jack Edwards, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Nathan Ellis/Josh HazlewoodWith the match a dead rubber, Australia might be tempted to rest Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc with there being just one day of rest between games two and three. Nathan Ellis, who performed well in game one, might be recalled while allrounder Jack Edwards has been named in the squad on the back of strong form on Australia A’s tour of India. Left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann has also returned to the squad after an impressive effort in the first ODI but two spinners in the XI seems unlikely.Josh Inglis has joined the squad in Sydney after missing the first two but is unlikely to play as he continues to recover from a calf strain, which means the top seven will likely remain the same.Josh Hazlewood could be rested•CA/Getty ImagesIndia (possible): 1 Shubman Gill [capt], 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 Axar Patel, 6 KL Rahul (wk), 7 Washington Sundar/Kuldeep Yadav, 8 Nitish Reddy, 9 Harshit Rana/Prasidh Krishna, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Mohammed SirajIndia decided to stick with the same XI in Adelaide but it did not do the trick and changes are almost certain. There has been a lot of debate over whether left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav should be in the side with the attack lacking some bite so far in the series. India have preferred the more conservative option of allrounder Washington Sundar, who has taken three wickets in the series but failed with the bat. Seamer Prasidh Krishna could be in the frame to replace Harshit Rana, who has been expensive in the series. It is also interesting to see if they find a way to give a game to Yashasvi Jaiswal.Pitch and conditionsClear and pleasant conditions are expected in Sydney on Saturday. While turn has not been as notable at the SCG in recent times compared to previous decades, spinners have still played a vital role on flat surfaces. Australia’s batters have feasted in the conditions, piling on huge scores during their current six-game winning streak in ODIs at the ground.Stats and triviaKohli still needs 54 runs to move past Kumar Sangakkara and into second place on the ODI runs list.India have lost the toss a record 17 times in a row in ODIs dating back to the 2023 World Cup final. India have not lost three consecutive ODIs since a four-game skid to Sri Lanka and South Africa in 2021-22 Australia have a commanding 16-2 (1 no result) record over India at the SCG. India’s only victories were six-wicket wins in 2008 and 2016.Quotes”We’ve got a lot of depth in Australian cricket. With Smudge [Smith] and Maxi [Maxwell] retiring from one-day cricket earlier in the year, there’s room for some younger guys to come through.”
“It definitely hurts [to lose the series]. I personally feel the way Australian bowlers bowl on such wickets, they have a fair bit of an advantage at the start and they utilised it pretty well.”

Former England striker Gary Lineker has signed a lucrative new deal to take his The Rest is Football podcast to streaming giant Netflix for the 2026 World Cup. The show will run daily throughout the competition in North America, Mexico and Canada and will also feature usual co-hosts Alan Shearer and Micah Richards. It will be filmed in New York but will also feature reports from the England camp and fan zones across the tournament.

New Netflix deal for Lineker and Co.

Lineker has confirmed he will play his part in the 2026 World Cup after agreeing a deal with Netflix to host a daily episode of his popular podcast. The former England captain had been due to cover the tournament for BBC Sport but left the corporation in May amid a row over a controversial social media post. However, he will now be part of the coverage of the World Cup with a daily show that will be produced by Goalhanger Podcasts. The company have promised the podcast will feature "game analysis, special guests, interviews and insights into the world's largest sporting event".

AdvertisementGetty Images EntertainmentLineker tells fans what to expect

Lineker is relishing the new opportunity and has already told fans what they can expect from his daily show. He said: "We can’t wait to bring The Rest Is Football to Netflix for the 2026 World Cup. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the three of us to do what we love — talk football every day — but on a truly global stage. Expect all the usual analysis, honesty and plenty of laughs … just with a few more cameras pointed at us, all from the Big Apple.”

England icon to receive big pay hike

Lineker's new contract with Netflix will see the 65-year-old receive a big hike on his previous salary. According to , Lineker's new "multimillion-pound" deal "will dwarf the £1.35 million salary he earned for hosting on the BBC".

A source told : "It’s a really exciting deal and Gary is thrilled. It means he will be at the World Cup after all. It’s Netflix’s first real foray into football coverage, with a daily show built around the podcast. This will also introduce Gary to a whole new international audience. Netflix first approached his company a few months ago, and his son, Harry, will also be joining Stateside as he’s a producer, so it’ll be a real family affair."

Lineker is also set to host a new game show on ITV next year. 'The Box' will feature celebrities taken to different locations and asked to undertake challenges in giant yellow boxes.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPAll eyes on World Cup draw

Excitement for World Cup 2026 is starting to build, meaning all eyes will be on Friday's draw which will take place at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC at 17:00 GMT (12:00 local time). The glitzy affair will feature performances from legendary group the Village People, British superstar Robbie Williams, former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger, and Italian maestro Andrea Bocelli and is due to be co-hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum and actor and comedian Kevin Hart.

Actor and producer Danny Ramirez will also be on hand to interview the great and the good at the event. 

A total of 48 nations will feature in the draw and will be divided into four pots containing 12 teams. The competition runs from 11 June to 19 July and is jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The Boston Red Sox have dealt with a slew of injuries over the last month that have added some unnecessary drama to an already underwhelming start to their 2025 season. The latest is to third baseman Alex Bregman, who left Friday night's contest at Fenway Park with a right quad injury.

To combat said attrition, the team made a substantial move on Saturday afternoon. As first reported by MassLive's Katie Morrison O'Day, Boston is calling up their top infield prospect Marcelo Mayer from AAA Worcester. ESPN's Jeff Passan since confirmed the news.

Mayer was drafted by the Red Sox with the No. 4 pick in the 2021 MLB draft and has quickly made his way through the team's minor league ranks. The 22-year-old is hitting .271/.347/.471 with the Worcester Red Sox this season while hitting nine home runs and knocking in 43 RBI.

Boston is set to finish the second leg of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night, with first pitch from Fenway scheduled for 6:35 p.m. EST. Mayer is expected to make his major league debut.

It does now appear that Daniel Farke’s days as Leeds United manager are very much numbered.

This isn’t exactly the biggest shock in the world, considering the Whites have now lost five of their last six Premier League games, with the Aston Villa loss sending them into that dreaded bottom three.

Reports are indicating that the German’s sacking looks inevitable amid doubts over whether he is the correct long-term man at Elland Road, albeit with a succession plan seemingly not yet in place.

Unfortunately, Farke looks as if he will fall victim to a fate that even the great Marcelo Bielsa had to come to terms with in the Premier League.

Not even a colossal 81 wins in charge could save the revered Argentine from the sack in the end, with far less sadness on display when Jesse Marsch was given his marching orders after the South American, when looking at his up-and-down stint in West Yorkshire.

Marc Roca's Leeds woes under Marsch

The new Canada boss would only muster up a weak 11 wins from the pressurised dug-out, in contrast, but that isn’t to say it was all doom and gloom while he occupied the hot seat.

Indeed, Marsch would steer the Whites to safety during the 2021/22 season after picking up the pieces from Bielsa, with a memorable away win at Liverpool even on his resume.

Still, a fair few of the signings the American signed off on during his brief stay in England were extremely hit-and-miss, including the one-season wonder of Marc Roca.

Initially, the Spaniard stood out as a rock-solid option in defensive midfield, with Leeds’ unbeaten start to the 2022/23 season seeing Roca win a high 15 duels in wins over Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea.

Yet, much like Luis Sinisterra, who showed flashes of his excellence at Leeds with five Premier League goals put away, Roca’s efforts ultimately meant nothing, as Leeds succumbed to relegation during his only season at the club.

Pundit Adrian Durham would even state, during his brief time in West Yorkshire, that he wasn’t sure if Roca had the calibre to be a “Premier League footballer”. By the end of the campaign, he was merely a bit-part player, too, despite such early promise.

Leeds will hope history isn’t repeating itself now with this promising summer acquisition, who has gone off the boil somewhat in recent weeks.

Leeds' next Roca in the making

To make matters worse for the Whites, Roca would end up returning to home comforts in La Liga smoothly, having looked far more impressive back at Real Betis.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Indeed, as per FBref, he currently ranks in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for assists per 90, as well as in the top 10% for interceptions and the top 17% for tackles, showcasing an all-around quality that was sorely lacking at Elland Road.

Much like the Betis number 21, Anton Stach was a notable midfield purchase this summer from Europe, with £17.4m splashed out on the German, after he had collected a weighty five goals and 16 assists in the Bundesliga for the likes of Hoffenheim.

He has packed his shooting boots for England, too, with this outrageous free-kick against Wolves earlier in the season making him a fan’s favourite amongst Leeds supporters packed into Molineux.

During the same game, he also picked up an assist, while winning a combined eight tackles and duels.

Yet, since that standout performance against the bottom-of-the-table Old Gold, Stach has failed to consistently deliver, with his form out of sorts against Nottingham Forest at the start of the month, which culminated in the German completing zero successful dribbles and losing possession a high 15 times.

Games played

6

Games started

4

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Accurate passes

153/187

Total duels won

22/40

Looking at the table above, Stach has only won 22 of his following 40 duels since his man-of-match-worthy display in the West Midlands, with Farke even pushing him down to the bench on occasion, which is a fate Roca became very much used to during the latter stages of his hot-and-cold Leeds stint.

Farke has even openly come out and said that Stach needs to “step up” amid a concern that his performances have gone downhill, with relegation staring Leeds in the face, even with glimpses of promise here and there from the ex-Hoffenheim star.

The under-pressure German will hope Stach listens to his words and gets back to his best shortly.

If he doesn’t, and he fades into the background like Roca, relegation looks to be on the cards, as the walls begin to be “slowly closing in” on the ex-Norwich City manager, as per the Athletic’s Beren Cross.

Leeds star is becoming Elland Road's biggest liability since Berardi

Leeds United could now have their biggest liability since the days of Gaetano Berardi in this underperforming flop.

1 ByKelan Sarson Nov 25, 2025

He made his fourth century of the season, and his second in consecutive Sheffield Shield innings, to all-but guarantee a recall

AAP16-Oct-2025Marnus Labuschagne appears certain to return to Australia’s team for the Ashes, his fourth century in five innings making a compelling case to selectors.Fresh off posting 160 in the opening round of the Sheffield Shield, Labuschagne struck 159 for Queensland at Adelaide Oval on Thursday.His innings helped them to 319 for 6 when bad light forced an early stumps on day two, well ahead of South Australia’s first-innings score of 228.Related

Konstas' Test hopes fade with a duck on 13-wicket day

O'Neill bags five but late Victoria collapse in the gloom keeps NSW in touch

Weatherald's aggression opens route to Ashes selection

Dumped from Australia’s Test team back in June after a long run of outs, Labuschagne now has four tons across all formats to start the summer. And while two of those were in 50-over games, his overall returns stand at 556 runs at 111.2.Labuschagne played with ease and control all around the wicket on Thursday, hitting 18 boundaries and one big six off Lloyd Pope in the first two sessions.A week after Australia coach Andrew McDonald declared the 31-year-old was looking back near his best, Labuschagne certainly looked it in Adelaide. He drove the quicks down the ground and through the covers with confidence, and was back hitting spinners to the mid-on and mid-wicket boundaries.There is little doubt this was the Labuschagne whose meteoric rise saw him become the world’s No.1-ranked Test batter for large periods between late 2021 and early 2023.He got off the mark with a thick outside edge from Nathan McAndrew after having dust caught in his eye before he took strike. And while another ball dropped marginally in front of second slip when he was on 31, that was still played with soft hands in an innings where false shots were incredibly rare.

ANOTHER century for Marnus Labuschagne #SheffieldShield pic.twitter.com/suSMfoEByg

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 16, 2025

Labuschagne brought up his century when he clipped Liam Scott to the boundary on the 129th ball he faced, earning congratulations from Test keeper Alex Carey.Carey eventually had Labuschagne caught behind late in the day, playing at a ball outside off stump from Wes Agar.Labuschagne now appears almost certain to be in Australia’s Test team for the series opener in Perth on November 21. The only question for selectors will be where to bat him.Labuschagne’s preferred position is No. 3, where he is batting for Queensland and has spent most of his Test career. The likes of David Warner and Matthew Hayden have urged against moving Labuschagne to open, but Australia’s options to partner Usman Khawaja are limited.Sam Konstas is yet to fire a shot for NSW, while Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft are also yet to impress. Jake Weatherald did hit 94 for Tasmania against Western Australia on Thursday, with the left-hander the only other opener in real form.If Labuschagne was to open, it would allow Cameron Green to stay at No. 3 and Beau Webster to remain in the side at No. 6 if he overcomes an ankle injury.Putting Labuschagne back in at No. 3 would likely force a squeeze on Webster, who hopes to be fit to return for Tasmania for the next Shield round this month.Khawaja hit a solid 46 on Thursday before he was caught behind off, while youngster Lachlan Hearne was unbeaten on 66 at the close.