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A lot can happen over the course of a long Major League Baseball season. A small-market team can emerge as a juggernaut. Big-market teams can be humbled. The deepest division in baseball a year ago can be turned directly on its head.

Just under a month and half remains in the 2025 regular season, and baseball's pecking order looks very different now from how it looked early on. Can the Brewers keep up their blazing second half? Can the Yankees and Mets rediscover their old mojo? What's going on in the American League Central? These issues and more will be explored in this edition of Fact or Fiction.

The Brewers will end the season with MLB's best record

Verdict: Fact

At 79–47, Milwaukee is perched atop both leagues and on pace for the best record in franchise history. The squad leads the Cubs by seven games in the National League Central and the Phillies by six games in the race for the No. 1 seed in the NL, and is five games better than the AL-best Tigers.

The question is whether those leads can hold up for the rest of the season. Milwaukee's remaining opponents have a winning percentage of .510 (11th strongest). Contrast that with .468 for Chicago (29th), .502 for Philadelphia (15th), .471 for the Dodgers (28th), and .493 for the Tigers (19th). Those numbers don’t post the prettiest picture, but the Brewers do play 22 of their 36 remaining games against teams under .500—more than the Cubs (21), Phillies (19) and Tigers (12), and just two fewer than the Dodgers. That’ll be present more opportunities to stack up wins against inferior competition. They also possess perhaps the best pitching depth in the league.

MORE:SI:AM | The Brewers’ Streak by the Numbers

Who can gain ground on the Brewers by beating them directly? The Cubs have two more chances to this week, but that’s the last time the two division rivals play. Back-to-back series against the Blue Jays and Phillies loom. A protracted dip seems unlikely, though, so Milwaukee can dream of a third straight division title—and a good shot at a first playoff series win since 2018.

The Yankees and Mets will both miss the playoffs

Verdict: Fiction

The Yankees were in danger of falling out of the playoff picture as recently as Friday, thanks to a lengthy slump and a month-long tear by the Guardians. The weekend, however, broke perfectly New York's way: the Yankees swept the Cardinals and watched Cleveland drop three in a row to the Braves. The Guardians scraped together a win over the Diamondbacks Monday, but lost again Tuesday. The Red Sox, meanwhile, are on a four-game losing streak.

What about the Mets? Ice cold of late as well, they also received a pair of morale boosts over the weekend. Pitcher Nolan McLean was sterling in his MLB debut against the Mariners Saturday, and they hammered Seattle in the Little League Classic Monday. The Reds still are just one game back for the final NL wild-card spot, but manager Carlos Mendoza’s crew has to be in a better mood amid a series against the last-place Nationals.

All that is to say: a postseason without both New York teams seems unlikely. There've been just four such playoffs this century—2008, '13, '14 and '23. While these Yankees may lack the single-minded, top-down seriousness of manager Joe Torre's squads of yore, they are better on paper than Cleveland and Kansas City—the Royals have won five in a row and trail Boston by 2 1/2 games for the final AL wild-card spot. Likewise, the Mets' potent offense should shake pesky Cincinnati.

No AL Central team will qualify for a wild-card spot

Verdict: Fact

As much of a boon as this past weekend was for the Yankees, it was a cataclysm for Cleveland—a team that had looked so good since a 10-game losing streak around the Fourth of July. It's clear the Guardians—a .516 team that should be a .468 one, per Pythagorean winning percentage—are punching above their weight, and the Atlanta series may have let the air out of Cleveland's balloon.

The Guardians actually now trail the Royals, fellow Pythagorean overachievers, by a half game. Like Cleveland, Kansas City has had an up-and-down 2025 after a very good '24. The Royals have dealt with a rash of pitching injuries and were briefly seven games under .500 in early July, but have played themselves back into the wild-card race.

Neither squad seems to have the offensive firepower to overtake the Yankees, Red Sox or Mariners, though—the Royals possess the AL’s worst offense (3.81 runs per game), and the Guardians (3.97) are barely better, outpacing just the Royals and White Sox among AL teams.

Pete Crow-Armstrong will enter the 40–40 club

Eddie Howe suggested Newcastle United have lost their bite after beating Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League this week, and there’s certainly a case that the Toon’s gritty bite has been dulled since the summer.

In many ways, this is only natural. The sale of Alexander Isak to Liverpool. Yoane Wissa’s injury before he could make his debut, a recovery process he is still going through. Only Nick Woltemade’s emphatic introduction to Tyneside has eased the attacking struggles that have spilt over to the flanks.

Newcastle are in the now, and there’s no question that this is something of a transitional period for a club still set on making incremental gains under Howe’s wing.

But the hurdles that have sprung up over the past few months will be overcome, with such exciting signings as Woltemade added to the ranks, St. James’ Park is well set for the future.

Newcastle's new superstars

If Isak’s departure has told us anything, it’s that Newcastle have the capacity to rally against a storm and emerge with their core intact.

Woltemade, 23, is one of the most talented strikers in the world, and while he’s scored six goals in black and white so far, the German has so much more to offer, and that’s an exciting thought.

Against Bilbao, Dan Burn and Kieran Trippier showed off their culture and class down the flanks, but these are hardened veterans of the game, and in Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall, who impressed off the bench, the Tynesiders have a duo to be reckoned with for years to come.

So much quality, but the older average age of this group of players, starting in the Premier League, does emphasise the need for greater promotion of younger talents at the club.

Howe understands the need for a blend, though, but someone like Sandro Tonali is really stepping up and proving he can be an all-inspiring leader for the club. The Italian is 25, and he is “the best midfielder in the Premier League”, according to division great Paul Scholes.

This is all to say that Newcastle have hit the jackpot more often than not in the transfer market since that fateful PIF takeover, and it is for this reason they will continue to fight against the big six hegemony in the Premier League while pressing for European glory each and every year.

There’s another man we haven’t yet mentioned, and who perhaps deserves a big handful of praise. After all, this shrewd summer signing has been described as Newcastle’s future.

The Newcastle signing who is the future of the club

Newcastle have completed a wave of business in recent years, and while it is the attacking additions who often take the spotlight, we must pay credit to Malick Thiaw’s stunning start to life in England’s north east.

The German centre-half was signed from AC Milan in August for a fee just shy of £35m. It helped push United forward during a difficult summer transfer window, and he has repaid the faith over the past few months.

Howe eased the 24-year-old into the Premier League, benching him four times in a row to start things off, but he has since started the outfit’s past nine fixtures across the top flight and the Champions League, thriving alongside Sven Botman or Fabian Schar and perhaps even outshining the pair of them.

He has even been described as “the future of this club” by Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes, and if that doesn’t make a conclusive comment on the skillset Howe has added to his ranks, what will?

His success rate in the duel is absurdly high, especially having just stepped into the English game. What’s more, Thiaw is a confident distributor and he boasts awareness and intelligence to rival the mightiest defenders across England the the wider European scene.

As per data-led platform FBref, Thiaw ranks among the top 11% of central defenders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 13% for progressive passes per 90, illustrating his quality on the ball.

Given that Howe enforces a system rooted in transitional fluency, Thiaw’s presence will only enrich the tactical flow. He has, after all, been hailed as an “absolute steal” of a signing by one Magpies content creator, who went on to marvel at his “Saliba-esque” qualities.

To think that Newcastle are only just beginning to enjoy the fruits of this signing is to understand the calibre of player still yet to develop and grow at St. James’ Park.

Thiaw is a sensational defender, and he will form the bedrock of Howe’s Newcastle for many years to come, perhaps even establishing himself as one of the continent’s finest down the line and leading the side to even more illustrious heights than have been reached over the past four years.

Woltemade and Tonali are sensational players, and will define Newcastle’s central and offensive thirds throughout this new chapter, but Thiaw is on a level with such stars, and he is very much shining.

Newcastle have "one of the best teen prospects" & he can surpass Woltemade

Newcastle’s youthful underbelly is as talented as it’s ever been right now.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 8, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now targeting Brendan Rodgers as a replacement for Vitor Pereira, amid boardroom doubts about the Portuguese manager, who has made a very poor start to the campaign.

Indeed, Pereira is arguably fortunate to still be in a job, given that West Ham United and Nottingham Forest have already made changes, with the Old Gold sitting bottom of the Premier League, having failed to win any of their opening nine games.

Wolves have amassed just two points, which means they are currently six points adrift of safety, and the most recent result is likely to be particularly concerning, suffering a 3-2 defeat at home against newly-promoted Burnley.

Pereiera had to be dragged away from an altercation with the fans after the full-time whistle, before going on to urge the supporters to stick with the team in his post-match interview, saying: “We understand the frustration of the people and supporters but what I must say, if we fight united with them, we can win games and compete and achieve our targets – without them, it is impossible,”

“If we win two or three games in a row, things will change.”

The 57-year-old appears to be safe for the meantime, with the board not taking any drastic action after the Burnley defeat, but the club’s hierarchy are starting to have doubts about their manager…

Wolves targeting Rodgers to replace Pereira

According to a report from The Boot Room, Rodgers has now emerged as a target for Wolves, with the 52-year-old now available after resigning from his position as Celtic manager earlier this week.

Transfer expert Graeme Bailey adds: “Wolves, as it stands, are sticking with Vitor Pereira, but I understand the club’s hierarchy is split. Some wanted Pereira out after their weekend defeat to Burnley, so they are one to watch.”

As such, the former FC Porto manager may get a few more games to save his job, but if results don’t improve, the Northern Irishman could be brought in to replace him, having decided moving back to England is his “number one priority”.

After such a poor start to the season, the Old Gold may need a special manager to guide them to safety, and the ex-Celtic boss, who has managed 34 Champions League games, could fit the bill.

Gabriel Agbonlahor once lauded the former Leicester City boss for the work he did at the King Power Stadium, describing him as a “world-class” manager.

During his time with the Foxes, Rodgers, who often utilises a 4-3-3 formation, secured two fifth-place finishes and won the FA Cup, showcasing that he is capable of punching above his weight with a smaller club.

Despite signing a new three-year contract last month, there is only so long Wolves can stick with Pereira if results don’t improve dramatically, and the former Leicester manager could be the ideal replacement.

Could Jorgen Strand Larsen save Vitor Pereira's job? Wolves' "phenomenal" star looks like another Cunha-type player for Pereira

The talented international could be another Cunha-type star for Wolves this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 18, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

A suspensão de Agustín Canobbio tirou do Fluminense uma das peças mais estáveis do time desde a chegada de Luis Zubeldía. O uruguaio, titular em praticamente todas as partidas do treinador, não enfrenta o Vasco nesta quinta-feira (11), no Maracanã, e obrigou a comissão a lidar com a decisão mais sensível da semifinal: quem vai ocupar o lado direito do ataque.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasLance! BizBrasileirão 2025 termina com público histórico no ‘novo normal’ dos estádiosLance! Biz10/12/2025FluminenseRoger Flores relembra Vasco x Fluminense histórico pela Copa do Brasil: ‘Foi uma loucura’Fluminense10/12/2025Futebol NacionalPartida entre Vasco e Fluminense terá operação especial do metrôFutebol Nacional10/12/2025

➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Fluminense

Nos últimos jogos, Soteldo transformou essa lacuna em oportunidade. O venezuelano encerrou um jejum de mais de 400 dias com dois gols contra o Grêmio e, diante do Bahia, voltou a aparecer bem, entrando no segundo tempo e construindo a jogada da assistência para Thiago Silva fechar o placar. A comissão técnica entende que o camisa 7 vive seu melhor momento desde que chegou ao clube, não só pela influência ofensiva, mas também pelo comportamento defensivo.

— Acho que o Soteldo fez um trabalho bastante completo. Fez os gols, cuidou da bola e se sacrificou defensivamente, às vezes armando uma linha de cinco e roubando bolas. É uma boa notícia, porque não só ajudou o time, como isso permitiu que ele também pudesse fazer gols — disse o Zubeldía após a vitória em Porto Alegre.

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Na saída do Maracanã no domingo, após garantir vaga direta na fase de grupos da Libertadores, o técnico foi questionado sobre a lacuna deixada por Canobbio e admitiu que estuda variações táticas. Uma possível “outra estrutura” é conhecida pelo elenco. Após o Mundial de Clubes, o Fluminense chegou a atuar com três volantes. A opção daria ao time mais pressão central e controle de posse, além de proteger a zona onde o Vasco costuma acelerar com transições rápidas.

O cenário da decisão do Fluminense

Soteldo chega com vantagem do momento e a confiança renovada, mas a alternativa com três volantes não surpreenderia o elenco, que já executou essa estrutura em jogos decisivos da temporada.

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Assim, a provável formação tem duas versões:

Com Soteldo:
Fábio; Samuel Xavier, Thiago Silva, Freytes e Renê; Martinelli, Hércules (Nonato) e Lucho Acosta; Soteldo, Serna e Everaldo.

Com três volantes:
Fábio; Samuel Xavier, Thiago Silva, Freytes e Renê; Martinelli, Hércules, Nonato e Lucho Acosta; Serna e Everaldo.

O clássico abre a disputa pela vaga na final da Copa do Brasil, com a volta marcada para domingo, também no Maracanã. Zubeldía segue com a “escolha difícil” — entre premiar a retomada de Soteldo ou reforçar o setor que controla o jogo — para preencher o espaço do jogador que mais simboliza sua identidade competitiva: Canobbio.

Tudo sobre

Copa do BrasilFluminenseLuis Zubeldía

Peter Crouch has hit out at Liverpool' defensive frailty after they lost another game in midweek. The Reds fell to a disappointing 4-1 home loss to PSV in the Champions League to extend their losing streak by three-goal margins to three matches. In that time, Liverpool have conceded 10 goals, and Crouch took aim at the defending champions as they look to rescue their season this weekend.

Liverpool have lost nine of their last 12

Liverpool fell behind to an Ivan Perisic penalty in the sixth minute at Anfield on Wednesday night but were level 10 minutes later through Dominik Szoboszlai. However, Arne Slot's side failed to push on in front of their fans and fell behind again 11 minutes after the break as Guus Til restored the Dutch side's lead.

And a late brace from Couhaib Driouech compounded a miserable evening for Liverpool. The 4-1 defeat means Liverpool have now lost nine of their last 12 matches in all competitions, a woeful run of form that means Slot is under pressure to turn the club's fortunes around.

The Reds come into the weekend's game at West Ham 11 points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, and their title defence lies in tatters. And former Liverpool and England striker Crouch has heavily criticised the club, describing the loss to PSV on Wednesday as "defensively woeful".

AdvertisementGetty Images SportReds legend slams performance vs PSV

Peter Crouch was speaking exclusively to Paddy Power when asked what he made of the performance against PSV, to which he replied: "Defensively, woeful. It just didn't look like them at all. They weren't getting up to people, there was no tracking back. Salah is guilty of that, but I don't think there's anyone in a Liverpool shirt right now who can hold their hands up and say they've been playing well. A real frustration for all Liverpool fans.

"I saw Curtis Jones' interview saying it’s the hardest time of his career at the club. You can lose a couple of games, that's bad enough. But to lose to them in that manner, I remember playing PSV and they're a decent team, but Liverpool should be putting them away. These things can happen but it's happened too regularly and it's clear there is a deep-rooted problem there."

The defeat to the Dutch outfit means Liverpool now sit 13th in the league phase of the Champions League, albeit just a point off the top eight that was guarantee a place in the knockout stages of the competition. 

Liverpool and City losing their fear factor

Liverpool are not the only Premier League powerhouse that looks vulnerable this season. Manchester City, who would previously steamroll opponents, have looked less untouchable over the past 12 months, as the Cityzens now look to reclaim the Premier League title.

Crouch, though, believes that visitors at Anfield and the Etihad Stadium are quietly confident they will get something, whereas in the past that would have been unthinkable. "Teams are going to the Etihad and Anfield now and believe they'll get a result," Crouch added.

"In years gone previous, certainly under Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, it was a complete write-off. Even if you did get a result, you'd be expecting your goalkeeper to be keeping you in it, saving 25/30 odd shots, so there's definitely a loss of the fear factor and you can put some pressure on them."

City, like Liverpool, also lost in midweek as a much-changed side crashed to a 2-0 home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen. A 2-1 loss at Newcastle last weekend, meanwhile, means they head into Saturday's game against Leeds seven points behind league leaders Arsenal.

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AFPCrouch insists there is 'no limit' to Arsenal

Crouch also praised Arsenal as the Gunners maintain their title push. The north London side sit top of the Premier League and Champions League following respective wins over Tottenham and Bayern Munich following the international break as they seek to secure their first league title in over 20 years, and the first major piece of European silverware in their history.

And when asked whether there is a limit to Arsenal's season, Crouch said: "There's no limit for Arsenal this season. I look at the other teams around them and I think they’re superior to them. The only thing that’s holding them back is the fact that they haven't done it.

"Under Arteta, they've won a cup, but they’ve not won a league and they've not won a Champions League, that's the only stumbling block. When it gets towards that crunch point in the season, the crowd get nervy, and so might the players. Until you overcome that, the question marks will always be there. But I believe they've got winners in their dressing room and they'll overcome it."

Arsenal face second-placed Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon, and could end the weekend nine points clear at the top of the table should they beat the Blues and results elsewhere go their way.

Birmingham City would like England's Lionesses to share their proposed new 'Powerhouse' stadium as the Blues continue their ambitious plans for the £1.2 billion ($1.57bn) new ground, which was officially announced in Thursday. The venue is hoped to be open by the 2030-31 season and could also host the Lionesses, who do not have a permanent home at present.

Lionesses could join Birmingham in £1.2bn new stadium

Reported by , Birmingham’s owners, Knighthead Capital, would like the Lionesses to become one of the long-term tenants of their state-of-the-art new arena. They aim for the stadium to be fully in use all year round, including not only hosting Blues’ home games, but a range of international sports, conferences and boxing fights.

Offering to become the new home of the Lionesses takes these ambitions to a new level, as to make Birmingham synonymous with the two-time European champions would go a long way to raising the profile of the new stadium and attracting a new fanbase to the city’s new 62,000-capacity ground.

Amidst aims to have the stadium opened in less than five years’ time – in time for the 2030-31 season – plans are coming together to see the club’s dream home become a reality in the not-too-distant future.

Birmingham would like to speak to the FA regarding the potential ground-share with the Lionesses, who are not currently tied down to use of Wembley Stadium as are their male counterparts. Sarina Wiegman’s side currently play at Wembley two to three times per year and spend the remainder of their domestic fixtures travelling around other stadiums up and down the country. 

Their proposed use of Birmingham’s ‘Powerhouse’ stadium would put an end to this and see the Euro 2025 winners have a new permanent home.

AdvertisementBirmingham City'Fantastic opportunity' – Blues chief speaks on proposed Lionesses share

A senior figure at Birmingham City said of the proposition: "The Lionesses do not have a permanent, or even semi-permanent, home to call their own.

"We believe we are ideally situated to host them.

"It’s less than an hour’s drive from St George’s Park and, once HS2 is operational, we estimate that around 80 per cent of the country will be able to access Birmingham within two hours.

"The Powerhouse presents a fantastic opportunity to showcase the Lionesses in a home they can call theirs which will be accessible to a huge number of people."

Birmingham aim to convince FA ahead of submitting final plans

Birmingham have reportedly told the FA that they will alter their plans for the build to incorporate the Lionesses if they agree to their idea to share the stadium. The current document outlining the plans for the development is currently more than 500 pages long, which reflects the extensive planning which the ambitious Championship club have put into their future home, which they hope will be hosting Premier League football by the time the stadium is fully functional.

The stadium will also offer ‘top-of-the-range corporate packages’ as part of the deal, with the final plans set to be tabled in front of Birmingham City council once a decision has been reached.

With the stadium set to be ‘comfortably the biggest’ within an 80-mile radius of the city, the use of HS2 could also prove influential in the FA’s decision thanks to its ability to attract fans from across the nation with a much-reduced travel time.

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Getty/GOALWagner speaks of 'huge milestone'

Chairman and co-owner Tom Wagner told the club’s website of his excitement for the ambitious plans: "This is a huge milestone for Birmingham City Football Club, creating a home for the club that reflects our ambition to compete at the highest level. More than that, the iconic design is a statement of intent for the City of Birmingham and the West Midlands, testament to a region that is on the rise. The stadium draws upon the proud heritage of the West Midlands – a heritage of industry, ingenuity and growth. I believe those same qualities can create a new era of success on and off the field and prosperity for local communities that have been starved of opportunities for too long."

Lauren Bell, Mady Villiers restrict Originals to 95 for 8 before Laura Wolvaardt sees visitors home

ECB Reporters Network06-Aug-2025Southern Brave started life after Charlotte Edwards with a convincing win over Manchester Originals at Emirates Old Trafford.The damage was all done with the ball, as Lauren Bell took 3 for 28 and Mady Villiers 2 for 19 to limit the hosts to just 95 for 8 from their 100 balls.Seren Smale fought a lone hand for Originals on a wicket that none of her team-mates ever looked at home on, making 40 from 34 balls to give her side the faintest hope at the halfway mark but no side has ever defended fewer than 109 in the Hundred women’s competition and their total never looked like enough.And while Brave were rarely fluent, they were always comfortable – easing to a six-wicket win with 11 balls to spare. Former Originals batter Laura Wolvaardt, a direct signing for Southern Brave this season, showed her old team what they were missing with an assured and unbeaten 42.She was supported by Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who made 32, as Brave’s batting line-up eased over the line in first gear. Having endured a surprising eighth-placed finish last summer, with just one win, Brave – and their new head coach Luke Williams in particular – will have been pleased to start the campaign with a victory.For Originals it was a disappointing start to the season and, Smale’s innings aside, a day of few positives – they’ll hope to demonstrate it was mere blip next time out at the Kia Oval on Saturday.Meerkat Match Hero Bell said: “It’s great to get our first win on the board. In tournament cricket it’s really important to get a good start, and it was a good team performance.”The girls stuck in. The wicket was a bit tricky but we’ve got a great line-up and the batters did the job. We’ve had a lot of really good chats about being really confident, backing our strengths, and having fun out there.”

LOS ANGELES — In the end, it was star first baseman Freddie Freeman who ended it at 18 innings, when his third consecutive deep drive to center field was finally enough, but when he crossed the plate, the person he was looking for was an anonymous reliever who barely made the roster: Will Klein. 

“MVP of this game,” said Freeman of the pitcher who a week ago was in Arizona, throwing live at-bats in case someone needed him. 

On Monday, they needed him. It took 18 innings, six hours and 39 minutes, 45 players, 153 plate appearances and a heroic effort from a pair of maligned bullpens, but finally the Dodgers prevailed 6–5 in Game 3 of the World Series to take a series lead of two games to one. 

When it was over, as the fans chanted FRE-DDIE, the players hugged and thanked the reliever who extended the game long enough to give Freeman a ninth plate appearance. “I don’t know how many times a guy hits a walk-off home run and the whole team is jumping around the pitcher,” said third baseman Max Muncy.

Seven years after the Dodgers played an 18-inning World Series Game 3 here, this one matched it for longest in Fall Classic history. (Though thanks to the pitch clock, it took 41 minutes less than the 7:20 slog between the Red Sox and the Dodgers.) The Blue Jays used all eight of their relievers; the Dodgers used all nine of theirs. The Blue Jays used every position player. 

So many moments in the game were just a win away from being World Series classics. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. scored from first on a single. Shohei Ohtani tied a 119-year-old record for extra base hits in a Fall Classic game. And then there were the wild ones: A late strike call led to a pickoff at first base. Three good defensive plays in the infield nabbed a runner at third base on a single. Ohtani was caught stealing when he fell off second base. A pinch runner was thrown out trying to score on a double. Ohtani was intentionally walked four times, a postseason record, and the choice was so obvious that fans in the stands began holding up four fingers when the first chords of his walk-up song, “Feeling Good” by Michael Bublé, played. In the end he reached base nine times, shattering the previous World Series record of six. The Dodgers intentionally walked the No. 9 hitter. Seven runners were thrown out on the bases, including two at home. For the first time in his career, Clayton Kershaw pitched in the 12th inning. The bullpens—the weakest area of both clubs—combined for 26 2/3 innings of four-run ball. 

Klein, the last reliever on the roster, a 25-year-old fifth-round draft pick on his fourth organization in two years, threw 72 pitches in four innings and allowed one hit. It was his longest outing since, he guessed, his junior year at Eastern Illinois.

“I was just going to go until I couldn’t,” he said. “There were times when you’re starting to feel down and you feel your legs aren’t there or your arm’s not there, and you just got to be like, So I had to dig deep, do it myself.”

Everton are in the race to sign James Ward-Prowse from West Ham in January, with the midfielder “almost certain” to leave the London Stadium in the new year.

Ward-Prowse has enjoyed an impressive career, spending many years at Southampton and being renowned for being one of the best set-piece specialists in Premier League history.

Ward-Prowse has struggled to be a regular for West Ham this season however, and with his current deal expiring in the summer of 2027, the Hammers are set to listen to offers for him in January.

“There’s no way he’s getting back into the plans at West Ham. Nuno just doesn’t want him in the team; he is not open to the idea of this turning around,” reported Dean Jones earlier this month, claiming a move is “almost certain”.

“I don’t see any possibility that West Ham try to stop him from leaving. I think they will treat him with respect and allow him the chance to move.”

Everton are the team most strongly linked with the 11-cap England international, and now a new update has emerged regarding a possible move for the 31-year-old.

Everton ready to offer Ward-Prowse exit route

Speaking to Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown talked up Everton’s interest in Ward-Prowse due to his connection with David Moyes, confirming the Blues are “willing” to offer him a fresh start.

At 31, Ward-Prowse is now in the autumn of his career, so Everton wouldn’t be signing him as a long-term prospect with lots of sell-on value.

That said, he could be a shrewd signing in terms of his experience and enduring quality, not necessarily being a key starter but adding depth to the Blues’ squad at a relatively low cost given his contract situation.

Friedkin now plotting 2026 move to sign "sensational" boyhood Everton fan

He recently scored a hat-trick.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 21, 2025

The fact that Moyes knows him well can only be a positive – he wouldn’t want him if he didn’t value him as a player and a character – so the positives outweigh the negatives.

Only three players earn more than James Ward-Prowse at West Ham

Newcastle United’s PIF bosses are backing Eddie Howe to find solutions to the current hole they have slipped into. It is important that this point is emphasised, with noise levels rising regarding the manager’s future.

Yes, Newcastle are 14th in the Premier League, and their away form has gone beyond merely concerning. But the Magpies are also into the last eight of the Carabao Cup, and have made a confident start to their Champions League campaign too.

However, there is an expectation that Howe will make the necessary adjustments to bring United back into contention at the top of the table.

Newcastle’s Form in 25/26 (all comps)

Home

Stat

Away

10

Games

7

7

Wins

1

0

Draws

3

3

Losses

3

20

Goals scored

7

9

Goals conceded

8

2.1

PPG

1.16

There is also an acceptance that a difficult summer transfer window and the bitter sale of Alexander Isak to Liverpool have knocked things out of kilter. Luckily, Nick Woltemade has been a shining light, and he proved his skill once again this week for Germany.

Nick Woltemade's start to the season

Since joining Newcastle from Stuttgart for a club-record £69m fee at the end of August, Woltemade has posted six goals for the Toon, quickly bedding in on English soil and proving he has what it takes to succeed Isak in the long run.

Moreover, he has scored three times in his past two outings for Germany, scoring a brace as his side sank Luxembourg in their World Cup qualifier on Friday evening.

Newcastle have their issues this season, but it’s curious that the 23-year-old has made it so his integration in Isak’s still-warm seat has not been one of them.

The 6 foot 6 striker’s unique skillset has seen him dovetail right into a system that has yet to click together, and when wide players like Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga find form, Howe could pull the strings of a frontline capable of throwing down with any defence across Europe.

Of course, football is about more than just the forwards, and there’s another Tyneside star whose performances this season have established him as one of the best in the business.

He’s even worth more than Woltemade.

The Newcastle star worth even more than Woltemade

Newcastle have many fine players contracted to St. James’ Park, but Sandro Tonali is fast emerging as the cream of the crop.

After joining from AC Milan for around £55m in 2023, the 25-year-old faced difficulties, but he rebounded last year and redefined Howe’s midfield, instrumental in a long and brilliant purple patch that led to glory.

Now, he is “the best player by a distance”, according to correspondent Craig Hope, and while Newcastle have some issues in the build-up, Tonali is becoming the defining force alongside Bruno Guimaraes.

Largely, this is because the Italian has become far more progressive on the ball, ranking this season among the top 5% of Premier League midfielders for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

And he is beginning to revel in a new level of recognition, with pundits and observers from afar coming to understand that Tonali is one of the best in the business.

His market value is a reflection of that. Woltemade might be the talk of the town, and in many ways, rightly so, but Tonali cut from a different cloth. He’s a maestro, endowed with impressive athleticism and unteachable technical skill.

There is talk of him falling into the same financial bracket as someone like Guimaraes, over the £100m mark, and this is indeed an accurate emphasis on the calibre of superstar at Howe’s disposal.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher said that Newcastle had “made a mistake” when signing the midfielder, given his suspension throughout his first year in England, but Tonali is now showing he’s one of the best Premier League signings of recent years, more so, even, than Woltemade.

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Posts ByHenry Jackson Feb 12, 2024