Get the latest updates on your favorite sports, from thrilling matches and championship events to player transfers and team rivalries. Dive into insightful analysis, expert opinions, and behind-the-scenes stories that bring you closer to the world of sports.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot says he has “no regrets” after making 10 changes to his team for their Carabao Cup fixture against Crystal Palace, a match they went on to lose 3-0 at Anfield.
READ MORE: Slot ‘making excuses’ – but should he have rested key players?
Was Edgardo Henriquez the best option to pitch to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the seventh inning with two outs and runners on the corners?
Maybe, maybe not.
And that was the problem.
The problem was that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didn’t have a choice that was clearly better than to place the game in the hands of a hard-throwing but unreliable 23-year-old rookie.
Henriquez walked Guerrero on a 99.9-mph fastball that sailed into the opposite batter’s box, evading the grasp of catcher Will Smith and allowing Addison Barger to score.
A manageable two-run deficit was now three and about to become four.
The Dodgers were on their way to a 6-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night, the Game 5 result placing them at a three-games-to-two deficit in this World Series.
For Roberts, that seventh inning didn’t represent a manager’s nightmare. That was a manager’s night terror.
What else could Roberts do?
Stick with starting pitcher Blake Snell? Snell had already pitched to Guerrero three times and his pitch count was at 116.
Use closer Roki Sasaki as a fireman? He’s their only dependable reliever and Roberts wasn’t about to use him in a non-elimination game in which his team was down.
Turn to last year’s postseason hero Blake …? Never mind, that question isn’t even worth being asked in its entirety.
“It’s hard because you can only push a starter so much,” Roberts said. “I thought Blake emptied the tank.”
The Dodgers somehow concealed their piñata of a bullpen in the three previous rounds of the postseason, but that bullpen is now catching up with them.
Reversing their series deficit will almost certainly require some of their starters to pitch in unfamiliar roles over the next two games, including Shohei Ohtani as an opener on three days’ rest in a potential Game 7.
Snell figures to be a candidate to also pitch in Game 7, perhaps as a middle reliever. Tyler Glasnow is expected to be available out of the bullpen in at least one of the two remaining games.
Besides Sasaki, the relievers can’t be trusted.
In each of the team’s three losses in this series, the games turned when the starting pitcher was removed with men on base. In all three instances, the bullpen made a mess of the game, allowing the inherited runners to score.
“You look at the three games that we lost, it spiraled on us with guys on base,” Roberts said. “Guys got to be better.”
They can’t.
This reality makes the bullpen’s heroic performance in the 18-inning victory in Game 3 all the more miraculous. The Dodgers are fortunate this series isn’t already over.
The construction of this particular bullpen has to be one of the greatest front-office blunders in franchise history, as it could cost the team a World Series in a season in which it has Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and a billion-dollar rotation.
How did this happen?
Start with Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates. The Dodgers committed a combined $85 million to the two relievers and neither of them is even on the roster.
Look at the injured list. Brusdar Graterol missed the entire season with shoulder problems. Evan Phillips underwent Tommy John surgery.
Finally, examine what the Dodgers didn’t do at the trade deadline. Everyone — and by everyone, I mean everyone except Andrew Friedman’s front office — knew they were in desperate need of bullpen help. Counting on some internal solutions working out, the only reliever they acquired was Brock Stewart. The notoriously brittle Stewart went down with a shoulder injury and didn’t pitch in the postseason.
What the Dodgers did was the baseball equivalent of building a breathtaking mansion but forgetting to install any toilets.
Now, the entire residence stinks, the Dodgers one loss away from losing a World Series that should be theirs.
Scholes initially kept his son’s diagnosis secret during his playing career and revealed he was dropped by United manager Sir Alex Ferguson while attempting to handle the situation privately.
“I never got a break from it, even when playing – it was very hard in those days,” Scholes, one of United’s key players in the 1999 Treble season, added.
“I don’t think they diagnosed it until he was two-and-a-half years old. But you knew early something was wrong, but then you get the diagnosis, and I’d never heard of it.
“I remember the first time after it, we were playing Derby away and I just didn’t want to be there.
“I remember the manager dropped me the week after, and I hadn’t told anyone. I ended up telling them a few weeks later, as it was quite hard.
“Even now, I don’t want sympathy or anything. I just thought, even if I did speak to someone about it, it’s not going to help Aiden.
“The big concern now is, because you’re getting a bit older, what happens when you’re not here? That’s the thing that’s now on my mind all the time.”
Autism spectrum disorder – its medical name – is the name for a range of conditions that affect how a person communicates and interacts with the world around them, as well as their interests and behaviour.
It is not a disease or an illness, but a condition that somebody is born with, and it is estimated that one in every 100 people in the UK is autistic.
SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
Quarterfinals
DIVISION 2
Long Beach Poly d. San Marcos, 25-17, 28-26, 25-11
Santa Margarita d. Redlands, 25-16, 25-7, 25-8
JSerra d. Bishop Montgomery, 25-13, 25-21, 25-17
West Ranch d. Orange Lutheran, 3-2
DIVISION 3
Flintridge Prep d. Lakewood St. Joseph, 3-2
Foothill d. Corona Del Mar, 25-20, 16-25, 25-16, 21-25, 15-10
St. Margaret’s d. Saugus, 27-29, 25-22, 25-22, 25-20
Cypress d. Millikan, 3-1
DIVISION 4
La Canada d. Marlborough, 25-22, 25-22, 25-13
Dana Hills d. Corona Santiago, 3-0
Oak Park d. Linfield Christian, 25-23, 21-25, 26-24, 25-21
Ventura d. Paloma Valley, 25-13, 25-18, 25-13
DIVISION 5
Ontario Christian d. Culver City, 3-2
Santa Barbara d. Gahr, 25-11, 25-20, 25-20
Royal d. Alta Loma, 3-2
Chadwick d. El Toro, 25-18, 24-26, 25-21, 25-16
DIVISION 6
Garden Grove Pacifica d. Pasadena Marshall, 25-16, 25-21, 25-18
Arrowhead Christian at Cantwell-Sacred Heart
Wiseburn Da Vinci d. Burbank Providence, 25-16, 25-13, 25-22
Capistrano Valley Christian d. Valley View, 3-1
DIVISION 7
Elsinore d. Esperanza, 3-0
West Valley d. Bell Gardens, 3-2
Cate d. Santa Fe, 3-2
CAMS d. Coastal Christian, 3-1
DIVISION 8
Foothill Tech d. Malibu, 25-22, 25-12, 13-25, 25-23
Schurr d. Arroyo Valley, 3-0
Loma Linda Academy d. Paramount, 3-1
Artesia d. Vistamar, 3-0
DIVISION 9
Westminster La Quinta d. Avalon, 3-2
Nogales d. Santa Ana Valley, 26-24, 25-5, 25-22
Nordhoff d. Fairmont Prep, 3-0
South El Monte d. Riverside North, 28-26, 25-16, 25-15
DIVISION 10
Thacher d. Colton, 3-1
Anaheim d. Rosemead, 25-21, 25-20, 25-15
San Luis Obispo Classical d. Mesa Grande, 3-0
Moreno Valley d. Glendale Adventist, 3-2
SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Matches at 6 p.m. unless noted)
Semifinals
DIVISION 1
Marymount at Sierra Canyon
Mater Dei at San Juan Hills
DIVISION 2
Long Beach Poly at Santa Margarita
JSerra at West Ranch
DIVISION 3
Flintridge Prep at Foothill
Cypress at St. Margaret’s
DIVISION 4
Dana Hills at La Canada
Oak Park at Ventura
DIVISION 5
Santa Barbara at Ontario Christian
Royal at Chadwick
DIVISION 6
Garden Grove Pacifica vs. Arrowhead Christian/Cantwell-Sacred Heart
Capistrano Valley Christian at Wiseburn Da Vinci
DIVISION 7
West Valley at Elsinore
Cate at CAMS
DIVISION 8
Foothill Tech at Schurr
Artesia at Loma Linda Academy
DIVISION 9
Nogales at Westminster La Quinta
South El Monte at Nordhoff
DIVISION 10
Anaheim at Thacher
Moreno Valley at San Luis Obispo Classical
Note: Division 1 Finals Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. at Cerritos College; Finals (Divisions 2-10) Nov. 6-8 (sites & times TBA).
There has been tension and, at times, the atmosphere has been cold between Vinicius and Alonso.
The incident that defined the current mood came in the final training session before the Club World Cup semi-final against PSG. Vini, who had started every match until then, was told he would be a substitute. He did not take it well and Alonso stood firm, determined to show that no player, however talented, is beyond instruction.
That dynamic has continued.
The manager has insisted Vinicius will not finish every game, that he needs to rest more, and Rodrygo will challenge him for a place on the left side of the attack. Alonso’s stance is rooted in authority and planning. Vini Jr, used to being indulged, has found it hard to adapt.
The coach’s approach is consistent with the way he was as a player: methodical, controlled and, on top of that, he has the personality to be unafraid of confrontation. He wants every member of the squad to understand who sets the tone. For him, managing Real Madrid means creating order, not deferring to star power.
Vinicius, meanwhile, feels treated like any other player when he expected a closer, more personal relationship. The warmth he shared with Ancelotti is missing, replaced by professional distance.
SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
OPEN DIVISION
Pool A — First Round
#1 Newport Harbor 14, #8 Laguna Beach 4
#5 JSerra 9, #4 Oaks Christian 7
Pool B — First Round
#2 Santa Margarita 13, #7 Long Beach Wilson 9
#3 Corona Del Mar 13, #6 Mira Costa 8
THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Games at 5 p.m. unless noted)
First Round
DIVISION 2
Redlands East Valley at Chino Hills
Etiwanda at Santa Monica
Alta Loma at La Habra
Walnut at Los Alamitos
San Marino at Orange Lutheran
Edison at El Segundo
Damien at Crescenta Valley
Carpinteria at Crean Lutheran
La Serna at Redondo Union
Riverside King at Royal
Corona Santiago at Ventura
Dana Hills at Aliso Niguel
Woodbridge at Capistrano Valley
Anaheim Canyon at Murrieta Valley
Portola at St. John Bosco
Cate at Riverside Poly
DIVISION 3
Flintridge Prep at Camarillo
Agoura at Brea Olinda
Long Beach Poly at Bonita
Roosevelt at Irvine University
Redlands at Malibu
Troy at Pasadena Poly
Elsinore at Arcadia
Millikan at Santa Barbara
Valley View at Temecula Valley
Rancho Cucamonga at Glendora
Yorba Linda at Great Oak
Fullerton at Temple City
Brentwood at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame
Schurr at Trabuco Hills
Burbank at Hoover
Cathedral at Upland
DIVISION 4
Webb at Charter Oak
Santa Ana at Tustin
Garden Grove Pacifica at La Canada
Temescal Canyon at Placentia Valencia
Aquinas at Buena Park
La Quinta at Anaheim
Palm Desert at Los Altos
Paloma Valley at Hemet
La Salle at Glendale
Estancia at Western
Sunny Hills at Mission Viejo
West Covina at Culver City
West Torrance at Liberty
Sonora at Don Lugo
South Torrance at Xavier Prep
Garden Grove at Corona
DIVISION 5
Bolsa Grande at Fontana
Edgewood at Lakeside
Heritage at Ramona
Chino at Los Amigos
Cerritos at Warren
Summit at Westminster
Pioneer at Rowland
Artesia at Norte Vista
Nogales at Montebello
Chaffey at La Mirada
Westminster La Quinta at San Bernardino
Indio at Hillcrest
Savanna at Nordhoff
California at Santa Fe
West Valley at Baldwin Park
FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
First Round
DIVISION 1
Servite at Loyola
San Marcos at San Juan Hills
Huntington Beach at Buena
San Clemente at Dos Pueblos
Downey at Mater Dei
Sage Hill at Yucaipa
Westlake at Beckman
Foothill at Harvard-Westlake
Note: Open Division Pool Play second round Nov. 1 at higher seeds; Divisions 2-5 second round Nov. 4; Open Division Pool Play third round Nov. 5 at higher seeds; Division 1 quarterfinals Nov. 6; Divisions 2-5 quarterfinals Nov. 7; Open Division crossover round Nov. 8 at higher seed; Divisions 2-5 semifinals Nov. 11; Open Division semifinals Nov. 12 at Woollett Aquatics Center; Division 1 semifinals Nov. 12; Finals (all divisions) Nov. 15 at Mt. San Antonio College.
A first-inning blitz and a dominant outing by rookie starting pitcher Trey Yesavage put the Toronto Blue Jays within one win of their first World Series title since 1993.
Major League Baseball’s only Canadian franchise hammered the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-1 to give them a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven ‘Fall Classic’, which now returns to Toronto for its conclusion.
Right-hander Yesavage, who was only called up to the majors in September, threw seven solid innings, with 12 strikeouts – a World Series record for a rookie – and only gave up one run.
The game started in unbelievable fashion at Dodger Stadium as Davis Schneider launched the very first pitch of the night over left field for a home run, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr repeated the feat off the second pitch he faced, leaving the Dodgers 2-0 down before some fans had taken their seats.
While Enrique Hernandez halved the deficit with a solo homer in the bottom of the third inning, Toronto restored their two-run lead straight away as Ernie Clement’s sacrifice fly scored Daulton Varsho.
It got even worse for the Dodgers in the top of the seventh as multiple wild pitches and a walk allowed Addison Barger to score, and Bo Bichette drove in Andres Gimenez to make it 5-1.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s base hit added another run in the eighth as the home fans headed for the exits, on a night when even the Dodgers’ Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani went hitless for the second successive game.
After a travel day, the series returns to Toronto on Friday for game six at the Rogers Centre, also the venue for a potential decider on Saturday.
Nathan Ordaz scored an easy tap-in in the 79th minute to give LAFC a 2-1 victory over Austin on Wednesday night to begin the best-of-three series in the MLS playoffs.
LAFC plays at Austin on Sunday for a chance to advance to the Western Conference semifinals.
LAFC took a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute on Brendan Hines-Ike’s own goal. Ryan Hollingshead beat his defender in the box for a cross in front of goal that was deflected in by Hines-Ike.
Jon Gallagher tied it at 1-all in the 63rd for Austin. A loose ball in front of net fell to the feet of Myrto Uzuni, who poked it to Owen Wolff for a feed to a wide-open Gallagher at the back post.
Son Heung-Min started the game-winning sequence with a long run to get into the area and draw defenders for a pass to Denis Bouanga, whose shot took a deflection to Ordaz at the back post.
Austin won the two regular-season meetings with LAFC this year by a 1-0 scoreline — both goals coming on headers off corner kicks.
Although Liverpool’s starting 11 included 17-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha and 18-year-old midfielders Trey Nyoni and Kieran Morrison, the line-up also included seven full internationals.
Slot opted for three central defenders, with Scotland’s Andy Robertson on the left, England’s Joe Gomez in the middle and Japan’s Wataru Endo on the right.
Both full-backs have also represented their country too, with left-back Milos Kerkez a regular for Hungary, while Calvin Ramsay has played for Scotland.
Palace boss Oliver Glasner felt it was “disrespectful” to suggest Liverpool had fielded a weakened team and believed his side deserved all the credit.
“It was Arne Slot’s decision and we never care what other teams are doing,” said the Eagles boss. “I’ve seen Joe Gomez play for England, win the Champions League, seen Wataru Endo I don’t know how many games for Japan, I’ve seen Alexis Mac Allister, he won the World Cup as a starter, Kerkez moved for £40m, [Federico] Chiesa plays for the [Italy] national team, Ngumoha has shown he can score goals in the Premier League.
“It was still a good team and everyone is a member of the Liverpool squad. I was never good enough to be in the Liverpool squad. Maybe it was not the strongest team, but still a very good Liverpool side.”
For Slot, this match will be forgotten about if they can get positive results against Villa, Real and Manchester City.
“If they beat Villa and Real Madrid, and they start to turn a corner, then yes it will have paid off,” added Warnock. “If it isn’t and things continue, then Liverpool fans will get disgruntled.
“Managers don’t make changes for no reason. But when you need a victory, this was the ideal time to get it.”
As Slot pointed out, Liverpool’s recent poor run was unacceptable and he will be demanding, and hoping, for an immediate improvement in performances and results to relieve the pressure.
From Jack Harris: Late-night parties always come with a price.
On Tuesday, the Dodgers were reminded of the next-day cost.
Just 17 hours removed from their 18-inning marathon in Game 3 of the World Series, both the Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays seemed to be playing at a slower, more sluggish pace early on Tuesday evening. Their offenses scuffled. Their starters pitched methodically. Their emotional batteries (and that of a capacity crowd at Dodger Stadium, for that matter) seemed to be in low-power mode.
Eventually, however, the team facing more desperation to save its season rallied and finally conjured life.
And with a 6-2 win in Game 4 at Chavez Ravine, the Blue Jays threw another wrench into this back-and-forth Fall Classic fight.
Thanks to a go-ahead two-run homer from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the third, then a four-run rally in the seventh against the Dodgers’ fatigued and faulty bullpen, Toronto tied this World Series 2-2 and ensured a trip home for Game 6 on Friday night.
“We knew it was going to be a great series,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “This team is talented, they’re resilient … and they came back fighting.”
Plaschke: Dodgers hangover leads to giant headache of a World Series Game 4 loss to Blue Jays
Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series matchup a boon for viewership in Japan and Canada
‘Who is this guy?’ Inside Will Klein’s impossible rise to Dodgers World Series hero
Dodgers struggle in World Series Game 4 loss to Blue Jays | Dodgers Debate
Mookie Betts on the Dodgers losing World Series Game 4 loss
All times Pacific
Dodgers vs. Toronto
at Toronto 11, Dodgers 4 (box score)
Dodgers 5, at Toronto 1 (box score)
at Dodgers 6, Toronto 5 (18) (box score)
Toronto 6, at Dodgers 2 (box score)
Wednesday at Dodgers, 5 p.m., Fox, AM 570, KTNQ 1020, ESPN Radio
Friday at Toronto, 5 p.m., Fox, AM 570, KTNQ 1020, ESPN Radio
*Saturday at Toronto, 5 p.m., Fox, AM 570, KTNQ 1020, ESPN Radio
*-if necessary
Jimmy Butler had 21 points, five rebounds and five assists, Stephen Curry added 19 points and eight assists, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Clippers 98-79 on Tuesday night.
Curry shot 7 for 15 a night after four Warriors players scored 20 or more points to beat Memphis — but it marked just the sixth time in Curry’s 17 seasons he wasn’t one of them.
Butler and Moses Moody each hit three-pointers late in the third quarter as the Warriors used a 10-2 burst over the final 2:07 to go ahead 78-63 starting the fourth.
James Harden scored all 20 of his points by halftime while Kawhi Leonard added 18 points and five rebounds in a game featuring a 13-point second quarter by Golden State followed by the Clippers’ 14-point third.
Harden’s three with 41 seconds left in the first half gave the Clippers their first lead heading into halftime ahead 49-46 after ending the second quarter on a 24-6 run.
Brandt Clarke scored the tiebreaking goal from the right circle with 6:40 left and the Kings beat the San Jose Sharks 4-3 on Tuesday night after blowing a three-goal lead.
Corey Perry got his third goal in four games for the Kings. Jeff Malott and Drew Doughty also scored, and Darcy Kuemper made 37 saves.
It was the Kings’ second consecutive victory in regulation after going to overtime in their previous four games.
Troy Terry and Mason McTavish scored in a shootout, and the Ducks beat the Florida Panthers 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Leo Carlsson had a goal and an assist, and Cutter Gauthier also scored to help the Ducks end a five-game trip with a victory in coach Joel Quenneville’s first game against his former team.
Quenneville, who coached the Panthers from 2019-21, returned to Sunrise for the first time since resigning as Florida’s coach after details of a sexual-assault scandal involving his 2010 Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks squad were revealed in October 2021.
From Kevin Baxter: Does this sound familiar?
A Los Angeles team signs a superstar to a record-setting deal. Overnight that team’s uniform becomes ubiquitous in a major Asian capital, where the player appears on billboards, magazine covers, in countless advertisements and on TV, all while dominating his new league and leading his team to the playoffs.
Shohei Ohtani, right?
Well, yes. But he’s not the only one whose story fits that description because Son Heung-min is more popular than K-pop in his native South Korea, and as a result LAFC is quickly becoming the country’s favorite soccer team.
“His face is everywhere,” said Doane Liu, who was representing Los Angeles at the World Union of Olympic Cities conference in Seoul earlier this month. “But more than anything he is endorsing soccer in a country where baseball is slightly more popular.
“LAFC games are now broadcast live here in Korea.”
That includes Wednesday’s playoff opener with Austin, which will kick off at 11:30 Thursday morning in Seoul on streaming platforms that signed multiyear deals to broadcast LAFC games just weeks after Son joined the team.
1950 — Detroit’s Wally Triplett gains 294 yards in kickoff returns and ends up with 331 total yards as the Lions pound the Rams 65-24 on 41 third-quarter points.
1960 — Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) wins his first pro fight, beating Tunney Hunsaker on points in six rounds in Louisville.
1961 — Oscar Robertson dishes out a franchise-record 22 assists during Cincinnati’s 139-132 win over visiting Syracuse. The “Big O” goes on to average a triple-double (30.8 ppg, 12.5 rpg and 11.4 apg) for the Royals during the 1961-62 season, becoming the first NBA player to average double figures in assists.
1977 — Boston’s John Havlicek becomes the second player in NBA history to connect on 10,000 career field goals, reaching the milestone in a 103-98 loss at Cleveland.
1977 — Russell Erxleben of Texas kicks a 60-yard field goal in a 26-0 rout of Texas Tech for his third field goal of the season over 60 yards, an NCAA record.
1983 — Gil Fenerty rushes for 337 yards on a 18 carries and scores six touchdowns to lead Holy Cross to a 77-28 rout of Columbia.
1984 — Orlando Pizzolato wins the New York Marathon in 2:14:53 and Grete Waitz captures the women’s title in 2:29:30.
1987 — Thomas Hearns wins unprecedented 4th different weight boxing title.
1994 — Arnold Mickens rushes for more than 200 yards for the eighth consecutive game, breaking the NCAA Division I-AA single-season rushing record as Butler beats Evansville 49-14. Mickens’ 244 yards gives him a total of 2,111, surpassing the record of 2,016 set by Towson State’s Tony Vinson.
2005 — Top-ranked USC wins its 30th straight game, routing Washington State 55-13. The Trojans tie Texas for the 11th-longest winning streak in major college football history.
2006 — With a a 34-31 victory over Denver, Indianapolis is the first team to start 7-0 in consecutive seasons since the 1929-31 Green Bay Packers did it three straight times.
2011 — Joe Paterno breaks Eddie Robinson’s record for victories by a Division I coach with No. 409 in Penn State’s sloppy 10-7 win over Illinois.
2017 — Russell Wilson hits Jimmy Graham for an 18-yard touchdown with 21 seconds left, his second TD catch of the fourth quarter, to lead Seattle over Houston 41-38. Wilson finishes 26 of 41 for a career-high 452 yards and four TDs. Deshaun Watson is nearly the equal of Wilson, throwing for 402 yards and four touchdowns and three interceptions.
2017 — Caroline Wozniacki wins the biggest title of her career when she beat Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4 in the WTA Finals.
2017 — Justin Rose mounts the third-largest final-round comeback in PGA TOUR history to win the WGC-HSBC Champions. Rose starts the final round eight shots behind Dustin Johnson, who ties a record for losing the largest lead in the final round. The historic 5-under 67 round by Rose is keyed by a back-nine 31. Rose finishes at 14-under 274 and Johnson who finishes with a 77, ties for second with Henrik Stenson and Brooks Koepka, two strokes back.
2018 — Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors, breaks the NBA record for most three-pointers in a game with 14 in a Warrior’s 149-124 over the Chicago Bulls. The record was previously held by Thompson’s teammate Stephen Curry.
Compiled by the Associated Press
1969 — Tom Seaver of the Mets wins NL CY Young Award.
2014 — Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants succeed where no team had in 3 1/2 decades, winning Game 7 on the road for their third World Series title in five years. Bumgarner comes out of the bullpen to pitch five scoreless innings on two days’ rest as the Giants held off the Kansas City Royals 3-2.
2024 — Dodgers slugger Freddie Freeman sets record with a home run in his sixth consecutive World Series game, including two with Atlanta Braves in 2021, in 11-4 loss at Yankee Stadium in New York.
Compiled by the Associated Press
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at [email protected]. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Hearts’ draw in Paisley, coupled with Celtic’s victory, narrows the gap at the summit of the table to six points.
It was perfunctory, but after the week the defending champions have had, that’s exactly what they needed.
Next is an altogether different challenge, with Rangers and a League Cup semi-final lying in wait at Hampden on Sunday.
Celtic entered the game with an intent. There’s been flashes of that, but not with anywhere near the same intensity that has been seen prior to this season.
Twenty six shots were aimed towards Scott Bain’s goal on Wednesday, 11 found the target, two hit the woodwork. They made 119 successful final third passes, too.
In Kenny, they’ve got a forward who is grasping the opportunity gifted to him.
His two goals were instinctive, while a third really should have been added in the second half.
“That’s been at Celtic for quite a considerable time, getting the ball forward quickly,” O’Neill told Celtic TV.
“Sometimes we played it and we played it too quickly, it’s fine. As long as there’s an end product. We’ll see how we can come out of the game.
“As it turns out, even at my age I’m learning about players. I’m learning some of our players are really good.”
The interim manager joked on Wednesday that if Falkirk doesn’t go to plan, he won’t be there for Sunday.
So, mission accomplished. If he completes his next one, O’Neill can expect to be asked about his future plans a fair bit more.
USC had lost four of five, its season already all but lost, when Lincoln Riley made a bold move early last November that would have lasting ripple effects. He benched starting quarterback Miller Moss, in favor of backup Jayden Maiava, whose big arm and mobility gave the Trojans’ offense a different, more dynamic look.
The sudden switch made for a tense two weeks leading up to last season’s meeting with Nebraska. Not everyone in the locker room, you see, was thrilled with Moss’ removal.
But the move paid dividends in the end. Maiava injected life into the offense, USC returned from its bye and won three of its last four to finish the season. More critically, Riley found his quarterback of the future.
“The way that Jayden handled both when he wasn’t the starter, then when he was, I think set the stage for the player he has started to become and what he means to this program and this team right now,” Riley said this week. “He handled it with class both ways, and that makes a huge difference.”
USC starting quarterback Jayden Maiava throws a pass against Notre Dame at Notre Dame Stadium on Oct. 18.
(Justin Casterline / Getty Images)
A season later, USC is once again searching for answers coming out of its second bye, with Nebraska looming in November. Though, none of the questions this time concern the quarterback, who has been one of the best in the Big Ten. Nor are they as easy to solve as plugging in one player.
USC’s defensive front was just steamrolled for over 300 yards by Notre Dame’s run game. The offensive line is still dealing with nagging injuries. And the Trojans own rushing attack left a lot to be desired in their last outing.
Nevertheless, USC is 5-2, still within conceivable reach of the College Football Playoff conversation. The Trojans should be favored in four of their final five games, the lone exception being a trip to Eugene in late November. You don’t have to squint too hard to see a potential path to the Playoff … assuming USC can iron out its issues, first. That’s more encouraging than the circumstances were at this time last year.
“We’re still in a good place,” tight end Walker Lyons said. “We still control our destiny where we’re at right now.”
That’s been the message since USC left South Bend in bitter defeat. But control could slip through their hands in a hurry if Riley can’t right the ship this week on the road at Nebraska. A single loss, especially one outside of Oregon, would all but sink those hopes.
“I think we’ve learned a lot about ourselves with some of these really good matchups we’ve had as of late,” Riley said. “We know what we’ve gotta do. It’s very clear to us. Now we’ve just got to do a great job of it.”
That part hasn’t been so easy for USC as it unraveled down the stretch in each of its last three seasons. The Trojans are 6-11 in October and November since winning seven of eight during that stretch of Riley’s first campaign.
Adding a hostile road environment to that equation this week only makes matters more complicated. The Trojans haven’t won a true road game in October or November outside of Los Angeles since Oct. 28, 2023.
Nor do they seem to have pinned down precisely what’s ailing their defense at the moment. A week after one of USC’s best defensive performances of the season in a win over Michigan, the Trojans suddenly had major errors in execution, leading the Irish to rack up 306 rushing yards, the most allowed by a D’Anton Lynn-led defense. Lynn, the Trojans’ second-year coordinator, called the mistakes “extremely” frustrating.
But like Riley, he’s confident a week away will have done USC’s defense well.
“At the end of the day, when we’re on the same page, we know we can be a good defense,” Lynn said. “But we have to be on the same page and trust that the guy next to us is going to do his job, and we don’t have to overcompensate for anything.”
Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price (24) carries the ball and pulls away from USC’s Bishop Fitzgerald (19) on Oct. 18 in South Bend, Ind.
(Paul Beaty / Associated Press)
That trust comes much easier now for Maiava, after a full year as USC’s starting quarterback. Though, Nebraska and its top-rated pass defense won’t make it easy, per se. The Huskers are giving up a mere 127 yards passing per game through seven games.
It all makes for a test that the Trojans can’t afford to fail, one where its quarterback will be critical.
“Keep your head down, keep fighting,” Maiava said. “Just stay in it no matter what. We had this bye and we got to rest up a little bit which is great. But we need to be that beast every single day.”
Left tackle Elijah Paige and center Kilian O’Connor both dressed for practice on Tuesday, but Riley expressed some doubt that USC would have its full starting offensive line available in time for Saturday’s game.
“We’re better,” Riley said, “but we’re not at a point where I’m like, ‘Yeah those guys are ready to go.’ We’re just not to that point yet.”
An Australian teenager has died after he was hit by a cricket ball during a practice session in Melbourne.
The 17-year-old was training in cricket nets in Ferntree Gully on Tuesday when he was struck in the head or neck by a ball from an automatic bowling machine. It’s believed he was wearing a helmet.
Emergency workers were called to the scene shortly before 17:00 local time (06:00 GMT) and the boy was rushed to Monash Children’s Hospital in critical condition. He was put on life support but died on Wednesday.
The boy’s local cricket club said it was “absolutely devastated” by the “tragic passing” of one its players and the teenager’s death “will be felt by all in our cricket community”.
The local cricket association president, Arnie Walters, said the boy was “both talented and popular in local cricket,” according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
“I know how heavily this news will land across our community and we will provide any and all support we can to our clubs and cricket family,” he said.
In a social media post, the boy’s cricket club extended their condolences to his family and friends and “to all of those who knew [him] and the joy that he brought”.
“We ask you to please respect the privacy of [the boy’s] family during this time,” the post said.
On behalf of the teenager’s family, the club also thanked Ambulance Victoria, the police and hospital staff.
The BBC has contacted Cricket Australia and Cricket Victoria for comment.
The incident comes just over a decade after Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes died after being struck on the neck by a ball while batting in the Sheffield Shield in 2014.
His death, for which a coroner ultimately found no-one was to blame, sparked improvements to safety equipment for those playing the sport.
Hi and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. One of the most exciting World Series games in history followed by one of the most boring.
Game 4 thoughts:
—Tinashe sang the U.S. national anthem. Deborah Cox sang the Canadian national anthem. Apparently, Bruce Hornsby and Avril Lavigne were unavailable.
—Orel Hershiser threw out the first pitch. Apparently Dave Goltz and Don Stanhouse were unavailable.
First inning
—You have to wonder which relievers will be available for either team. Let’s look at those Game 3 pitch counts:
Dodgers
Anthony Banda, 3
Justin Wrobleski, 28
Blake Treinen, 15
Jack Dreyer, 5
Roki Sasaki, 29
Emmet Sheehan, 37
Clayton Kershaw, 8
Edgardo Henriquez, 30
Will Klein, 72
It would seem Banda, Treinen, Dreyer and Kershaw would definitely be available.
Blue Jays
Fluharty, 14
Varland, 20
Dominguez, 27
Bassitt, 8
Hoffman, 33
Fisher, 19
Lauer, 68
Little, 28
You have to figure Fluharty, Varland, Bassitt and Fisher would definitely be available.
—No George Springer in the lineup for the Blue Jays. He hurt his side while swinging in Game 3. Sometimes this can be a rallying point for a team, and the player who replaces the star can lift his game, just like Mickey Hatcher did when he replaced Kirk Gibson in the 1988 World Series.
—Will pitcher Shohei Ohtani‘s legs be strong tonight after reaching base nine times yesterday? We’ll find out.
—Great defensive play by Kiké Hernández. He hasn’t quite been Super Kiké at the plate, but he still raises his game in the postseason.
—The Blue Jays made Ohtani work a little, but he got out of it. 19 pitches.
—They pitch around Ohtani, then the runner is stranded. Uneventful first inning.
Second inning
—Seven-pitch inning for Ohtani. Blue Jays should be trying to work the count more.
—Dodgers have first and third and one out. Need to score a run here.
—Kiké brings him home.
—Can Andy Pages break out of his slump?
—He cannot.
Third inning
—Well, that home run by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was well struck. It’s OK, seemed unlikely the game was going to end 1-0.
—Ohtani has made 42 pitches through three innings. This may become important later.
—The Dodgers are hitting the ball hard, but right at people.
Fourth inning
—Everyone on the field seems tired. Heck, I’m tired. Are you tired?
—Ohtani strikes out the side. He’s the only one who doesn’t look tired. I’m pretty sure he’s some sort of android.
—Ohtani has made 59 pitches through four innings.
—And poor Will Smith. Catches 18 inning last night, back in there today.
—I’m not a fan of these in-game interviews with the manager. The questions are usually lame and it detracts from the actual game going on. People tune in to see the game. They don’t call out to their family, “Honey, quick, you are missing the in-game manager interview!”
Fifth inning
—Ohtani has made 76 pitches through five innings. Perhaps two more innings for him? Maybe three? It’s his last pitching start of the season.
—Can Andy Pages break out of his slump?
—He cannot.
—The Dodgers are not working the count ever. Bieber has made 75 pitches through five.
—I’m guessing this game does not end 2-1.
Sixth inning
—Ohtani made only one bad pitch this game, and it cost him two runs. He has looked great otherwise.
—Ninety pitches through six innings, so one more inning.
—Freeman gets a single and again the next batter doesn’t work the count.
—Bieber talked manager John Schneider into leaving him in the game. Will that come back to haunt him?
—Teoscar Hernández singles, so so far it was a bad decision.
—And now Bieber comes out for left-hander Mason Fluharty.
—And Fluharty gets Max Muncy and Tommy Edman. The Dodgers waste their best chance so far.
Seventh inning
—Single. Double. This game could be out of hand in a hurry.
—That’s it of Ohtani. Anthony Banda is the next man up for the Dodgers.
—If the Dodgers can get out of this giving up only one run, it’s a rousing success.
—The Blue Jays get two runs. It’s 4-1. The Dodgers can come back from that, but they look tired.
—Oh, no! It’s Blake Treinen!
—And he Blake Treinens the place up. It’s 6-1.
—With a tired bullpen, maybe Dave Roberts had no choice but to bring Treinen in today. But let this be the last time we see him this season.
—Like usual, it doesn’t look like the Dodgers will be winning the World Series at home.
—Can Andy Pages break out of his slump here?
—We’ll never know, as Alex Call pinch-hit for Pages and struck out. Heck, Pages could have done that.
Eighth inning
—The Dodgers just look lethargic. Of course, their offense has been below par ever since the start of the NLDS.
—Their starting pitching has carried them, and when the starting pitcher gives up a couple of runs, trouble ensues.
Ninth inning
—Dreyer ate up the innings, which is just what the Dodgers needed. He probably won’t be available in Game 5, but everyone else will be.
—Now the Dodgers need Blake Snell to pitch better than he did in Game 1.
—The offense comes alive a little bit in the ninth, but too little, too late.
—Mason Fluharty is the unsung hero of the game.
—Mason and Hannah were in their assigned seats, but the Dodgers lost, so they are now released from captivity.
—It’s now a best-of-three series, and the Blue Jays have home-field advantage.
—I get the feeling there will be at least one lineup change for the Dodgers in Game 5.
—My prediction remains, like I’ve said all along, Dodgers in um, six.
—More important, we wish Alex Vesia and his wife the best as they go through a trying time.
Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series matchup a boon for viewership in Japan and Canada
‘Who is this guy?’ Inside Will Klein’s impossible rise to Dodgers World Series hero
Who would have pitched had World Series Game 3 went to 19+ innings?
‘Got an out’: Inside Clayton Kershaw’s brief but clutch appearance in World Series Game 3
This is how much Dodgers fans spent to attend the World Series: ‘This is the golden ticket in L.A.’
Former Dodger Mike Davis wants to be remembered for more than a well-timed walk
The perfect L.A. bakery for this Dodgers moment
Forget Game 4, let’s look at 30 minutes of highlights from that amazing Game 3. Watch and listen here.
Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at [email protected]. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Manny Pacquiao says he has “almost” agreed a rematch with fellow boxing legend Floyd Mayweather.
The former multi-weight world champions first met in 2015, in what was billed as the ‘Fight of the Century’.
Mayweather won after 12 rounds by unanimous decision but Pacquiao said he had a shoulder injury and told the BBC in 2018 that he “cannot retire with peace of mind with that defeat”.
The 46-year-old retired in 2021 but returned to face WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios in his comeback fight in July, with Barrios retaining his title after a majority draw.
Mayweather has had a string of exhibition bouts since retiring with an undefeated record in 2017 and the 48-year-old American is scheduled to face Mike Tyson next year.
But Pacquiao says Mayweather’s camp are “in negotiations” over a rematch that would “probably” take place in Las Vegas.
“It depends on whether we can understand each other,” the Filipino told Seconds Out., external “My people and his people [are] directly co-ordinating.”
Referring to his injury in 2015, Pacquiao added: “It’s very interesting because, right now, I don’t have a shoulder problem.
“I’m sure the world of boxing will be excited if the rematch will push through. He has his own decision so I cannot prevent him from fighting Mike Tyson.”
Mayweather’s exhibition fight with former heavyweight champion Tyson, 59, is scheduled for next spring but an exact date is yet to be confirmed.
A large group of former UCLA football players sent a letter to chancellor Julio Frenk earlier this month asking for besieged athletic director Martin Jarmond to be replaced “to reestablish the university’s commitment to excellence, both on and off the field.”
The 64 players, who represent multiple eras of UCLA football spanning coaches Bob Toledo to Chip Kelly and include several who went on to play in the NFL, wrote to “express deep concern with the current direction of UCLA Athletics under Martin Jarmond. Despite the resources, history, and opportunities at his disposal, Mr. Jarmond has not demonstrated the level of leadership or vision consistent with UCLA’s proud legacy. Rather than building on the foundations of greatness established by those before him, his tenure has fallen short of advancing UCLA to its rightful place among the nation’s premier programs.
“UCLA deserves an athletic director who understands that this role is not merely about administration, but about stewardship of a legacy — one rooted in excellence, historic achievement, and national leadership. Unfortunately, Mr. Jarmond has not embodied these values, nor has he positioned UCLA Athletics to rise to the standard its history demands.”
The letter went on to call for new leadership, saying it was part of a movement “bigger than any one of us. Former players have joined forces — through countless calls, texts, and meetings — to push this cause forward. We are united in our commitment to protecting the proud legacy of UCLA football and athletics.”
A UCLA spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Jarmond has come under fire since the dismissal of coach DeShaun Foster after only 15 games illuminated the athletic director’s stewardship of the football program. Jarmond’s refusal to fire Kelly before Kelly abruptly left in February 2024 to take a job as offensive coordinator at Ohio State led to the whirlwind hiring of Foster, a position coach whose deficiencies as a head coach were on full display while posting a 5-10 record that included an 0-3 start this season.
Others have since criticized Jarmond for a broad range of shortcomings, including an insufficient response to leaked donor data, lowered expectations for success involving a once-proud football program and carte blanch spending that has led to staggering athletic department deficits.
A petition seeking Jarmond’s removal or resignation garnered 1,462 signatures and a mobile billboard truck circled Westwood with messages such as “UCLA Football Deserves Better Fire AD Martin Jarmond” and “$7 Million Buyout for UCLA’s AD? Failure Never Paid So Well.”
Some have questioned why Jarmond was granted a contract extension in May 2024, at a time when UCLA was transitioning from outgoing chancellor Gene Block to Frenk. According to the terms of that extension, Jarmond would be owed roughly $7.1 million, or the full amount of a contract that runs through June 30, 2029, if he was terminated without cause.
Many appear to want him gone before then. Before each of the football team’s last two home games at the Rose Bowl, an airplane has flown over the stadium pulling a banner calling for his dismissal.
World champion Luke Littler was denied entry to Wednesday’s Players Championship 33 event after he arrived late because of traffic congestion caused by a serious incident.
The 18-year-old was set to play in the penultimate Players Championship event of 2025 at Wigan’s Robin Park Leisure Centre.
But he had to withdraw after missing the 11:00 GMT registration deadline for players.
It later emerged someone had died in an incident on the M6.
Littler posted on Instagram: “Missed registration today for the pro tour, but someone sadly lost their life. Thinking of everyone.”
Littler was replaced by fellow Englishman Charlie Manby, who is ranked 174th in the PDC’s order of merit. He upset 2018 world champion Rob Cross 6-5, before being knocked out in the second round.
The event was won by England’s Chris Dobey, who beat Ireland’s William O’Connor 8-6 in the final to leapfrog Cross to eighth in the order of merit.
Sovereignty, the top-ranked horse in the country, will not run in the $7-million Breeders’ Cup Classic after developing a fever this week. The winner of the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes will recover although it’s unclear if he will ever race again.
Trainer Bill Mott made the announcement Wednesday morning and informed Breeders’ Cup officials of the scratch.
“I actually started thinking, ‘We might be OK.’ But then, in a matter of hours, my optimism was taken away,” Mott said. “When he had a real mild fever and we medicated him right away, he acted normal. I actually was maybe looking at it with rose-colored glasses.”
On Wednesday morning, Sovereignty was standing upright in his stall munching on hay and showed no obvious discomfort.
“We’ve gone through the entire year with this horse without a hiccup,” Mott said.
The fever was detected on Monday and he was treated with an NSAID, similar to Tylenol. He could not be given an antibiotic at that time because he would then likely fail a drug test. On Tuesday, Mott puts his odds at running at 50-50.
“If we don’t think he’s 100%, he won’t run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic,” Mott said on Tuesday.
After he was initially treated, his temperature went back to normal but then it spiked again overnight.
Sovereignty was the biggest star of the 42nd Breeders’ Cup and was installed as the 6-5 favorite to win the Classic.
Mott and owner Godolphin have been very cautious with this Sovereignty. After he won the Kentucky Derby his connections elected to not run him in the Preakness because it was only two weeks after the Derby. Horse racing is a dying brand on the sports landscape and a possible Triple Crown winner could have a shot in the arm the sport desperately needs.
A decision has not been made if the colt will return to racing next year or be retired to stallion duty.
How many fans that will be there to watch Wales this autumn remains to be seen with the current discontent surrounding the Welsh game.
There has been very little success on the field and disarray off the pitch in the past couple of years, with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) now preparing to cut a men’s professional side.
The Principality Stadium capacity is 74,500 meaning the four matches could attract 298,000 supporters in November.
A WRU statement read: “With more than 200,000 supporters expected to visit Cardiff over the four-match series, to match average attendances over the last 10 years, ticket sales are tracking well against targets for the Quilter Nations Series.
“Fans are keen to see Wales take on Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa on home turf.
“As you would expect, the All Blacks game is the best seller and Principality Stadium’s best chance of a sell-out this autumn.”
Walt Disney Co. on Wednesday said it finalized its deal to acquire a majority stake in FuboTV and swiftly combined its Hulu + Live TV business with the sports-focused operation.
The union creates the nation’s sixth largest pay-TV service with nearly 6 million domestic subscribers.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
Similar to competitors DirecTV, YouTube TV and Charter Spectrum, both Hulu + Live TV and Fubo distribute traditional channels including broadcasters ABC, CBS and cable channels Fox News, Bravo and ESPN.
The combined company will be overseen by a nine-member board led by Brad Bird, former chairman of Walt Disney International. The firm will continue to offer Fubo and Hulu + Live TV as separate services available through their respective apps.
Disney’s investment plans were announced in January, after the much smaller Fubo sued Disney and two other media companies over their plans to launch a high-profile streaming joint venture, Venu Sports. Fubo argued the collaboration of Disney, Fox Corp. and Warner Bros. Discovery was “a sports cartel,” one that would crush its business.
A judge agreed based on anti-trust concerns, blocking further development of Venu.
Disney’s deal to acquire 70% of New York-based Fubo ended that litigation.
The combined business will be led by Fubo Chief Executive David Gandler, who co-founded the service, and Fubo’s management team.
“Since Fubo’s founding a decade ago, our vision has always been to build a consumer-first streaming platform defined by innovation and value,” Gandler said in a statement. “Together with Disney, we’re creating a more flexible streaming ecosystem that gives consumers greater choice, while driving profitability and sustainable growth.”
His firm will have access to a $145 million term loan that Disney agreed to provide. Fubo’s ad sales team will join Disney’s sales organization.
The company’s stock will continue to be publicly traded under the FUBO ticker. Existing Fubo shareholders represent about 30% of the company. Shares were up slightly to $3.95 in mid-day trading.