In 16 seasons’ worth of IPL cricket, he did everything his teams expected him to, and then a little bit more

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Aug-2025A debut to forgetAshwin made his debut for his home IPL team Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2009, in their first game of the season against Mumbai Indians in Cape Town. But the debut was rather unmemorable as Ashwin, rumoured to have been brought on board primarily as a net bowler, didn’t get a chance to bowl after MS Dhoni’s CSK opted to field, and was not required to bat as CSK lost with seven wickets down.With the team management preferring Muthiah Muralidaran as their main spinner, Ashwin played just one other match that season. But it was a sign of things to come both from Ashwin and CSK, as he returned 2 for 13 in a low-scoring, spin-dominated win over Kings XI Punjab.R Ashwin is mobbed by his team-mates after getting Chris Gayle out in the first over•Associated PressThe new-ball starYou might score 205 in a T20 game, but if Chris Gayle is in the opposition, and enjoying one of the greatest seasons of any IPL batter, it can quickly seem like too few. Enter Ashwin, with the new ball, in the first over of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s chase in the IPL 2011 final. Never one to not think each of his deliveries through – with respect to the batter in front of him – Ashwin started with flight and big turn with his first two balls, and then pushed up his pace with his third, and got the ball to skid on. Attempting to cut, Gayle nicked, and Dhoni did the rest.”The plan was […] that I’d spin a few past him and then slip in an arm ball to get him out lbw or bowled,” Ashwin later said. “But […] it spun and bounced and I think Gayle was a little late for his shot.”Ashwin ended the tournament as CSK’s highest wicket-taker, with 20 strikes.It was also one of the initial acts of Ashwin the new-ball bowler. No spinner has bowled as much in the powerplay in the IPL. Ashwin leads with 1252 balls in the first six overs. Sunil Narine, second on the list, has bowled 918. Only three others – Harbhajan Singh, Axar Patel and Krunal Pandya – have crossed 450. That’s a fairly dramatic difference.If it can be done, R Ashwin made sure he tried to do it•BCCIOffspinner? Legspinner? YesThroughout his career, Ashwin has been unafraid to experiment. Turning the ball right and left, experimenting with speeds and lines and lengths, wide of the crease and close to the stumps, the pause at the point of delivery, carrom balls, reverse carrom balls – you name it and he’s done it. He’s even bowled legspin, which, really, offspinners are not meant to do. Not just the odd legbreak, mind you, but the legspinner’s full repertoire.It was in 2015 that he started trying to get it right, and by 2017, he had what he needed. And in IPL 2018, his first season with Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), it was on show at the IPL too.It didn’t actually happen till much later, but here’s R Ashwin warning Steven Smith for leaving his crease in 2012•AFPNot an inch given…He made things tough for the spirit-of-cricket obsessives on more occasion than one. Take running out the non-striker backing up. He wasn’t the first to do it, but he ended up making himself an ambassador for the dismissal, which is legal but frowned upon by many.As far back as 2012, there was Steven Smith in the line of Ashwin’s fire and finger-pointing ire, being asked to stay in or else. He had gone ahead and run out Sri Lanka’s Lahiru Thirimanne in this manner in an ODI the same year, only for his captain Virender Sehwag to withdraw the appeal. The actual didn’t happen until 2019, when Jos Buttler became the first run-out-backing-up victim in the IPL. Courtesy Ashwin, of course.If it’s legal, he’ll do it. If you don’t like it, hard luck.2:15

Retired out – yay or nay?

Retired, but not hurt about itCut to 2022, and again, entirely legal, but rarely put to practice: retiring out. And it had to be Ashwin to do it even if, really, the call must have been the Rajasthan Royals team management’s to make.It was against Lucknow Super Giants at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on April 10. Ashwin walked out at No. 6 with Royals well behind the ideal scoring rate, 67 for 4 in 9.5 overs. Ashwin did something of a rebuilding job in Shimron Hetmyer’s company, scoring 28 off 23 balls, but with ten balls left in the innings, he suddenly rushed off the pitch, bringing the more explosive Riyan Parag to the crease.At his post-match press conference, Royals’ cricket boss Kumar Sangakkara said Ashwin had himself played a role in the move’s conception. “It was a combination of both [Ashwin and the team management],” Sangakkara said. “It was the right time to do that, Ashwin himself was asking from the field as well, and we had discussed it just before that, as to what we would do.”Ashwin wasn’t the first batter to be retired out, and he won’t be the last, but it hadn’t happened in the IPL before that night.To Ashwin, it wasn’t even something that had to be analysed. Just something that was done, and something that should be done more often, especially in T20s. “Already we’re late, but I believe this will happen a lot in the coming days,” he said. “I don’t think it will be a stigma like running someone out at the non-striker’s end.”

The New Zealand coach is content to work out flexible agreements with casual contract players

Andrew McGlashan06-Oct-2025

Kane Williamson’s availability for the New Zealand home summer is unclear•ICC via Getty Images

Kane Williamson’s availability for New Zealand’s home summer will take a little longer to lock in. However, head coach Rob Walter is content to give a player of his standing the extra time.Williamson, who is one of the group of players to hold a casual contract with NZC, made himself unavailable for the three-match T20I series against Australia, having previously missed the tour of Zimbabwe to play county cricket and the Hundred.The next part of New Zealand’s home season sees them play England in T20Is and ODIs before an all-format visit by West Indies in November.”Kane, we’re still in conversations as to what the summer is going to look like,” Walter told reporters after the Australia series. “He will play, no doubt about that. Just what and where is still in discussion.Related

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Williamson to miss Australia series under NZC casual agreement

“I think the reality is we’re dealing with all the guys on casual contracts, actually in different positions from a playing point of view. Kane is one of those and he deserves the opportunity to sit and talk about what the rest of his year will look like. But I keep coming back to the most important thing, [which] is that he wants to play for his country, and so nutting out exactly what that looks like can take an extra week or two, but surely, he deserves that.”Walter confirmed that New Zealand would continue to be without Finn Allen (foot) and Adam Milne (ankle) for the visit of England while Lockie Ferguson (hamstring) and Glenn Phillips (groin) were unlikely to be fit.However, he was hopeful that white-ball captain Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra, who was a late withdrawal from the Australia series after suffering a facial injury colliding with the boundary boards at training, will have recovered in time for the series which starts on October 18 in Christchurch.Walter was unperturbed about not being able to get his full-strength T20I side together in the build-up to next year’s World Cup.Mitchell Santner is likely to be available again•ICC via Getty Images

“I think we don’t live in an ideal world and so that’s part and parcel of it,” he said. “I’ve been part of a World Cup campaign [with South Africa] where the team assembled at its full strength three days before our first game and that team managed to make a final.”For me, it’s just the way it works. I think what’s more important is the environment and the team culture that sort of assimilates together when it needs to. We do know that by the back end of the India series [in January] prior to the World Cup, that’s when our full World Cup squad will be together.”For me, as long as the guys are playing competitive cricket, that’s important, and almost everyone has been part of the environment at some point so I would assume that they can fit seamlessly back into it.”Should all players be fit and available for the World Cup, there will be some selection squeezes, especially around the pace bowling and top-order batting. Tim Robinson took his chance after Ravindra’s injury to make an impressive hundred in the first match against Australia, while Jimmy Neesham claimed a four-wicket haul in the third game.Australia won the T20I series against New Zealand•Getty Images

“Ultimately when things are operating the way they should, everyone’s not fighting for their position, but understands that competition for places is there,” Walter said. “Ultimately you want your best crop of players in the park and in the squad.”They’re all quality players. At the end of the day, there’s going to be a quality player that’s left out, whoever that may be. As you’ve heard me say many times before, the stronger the player that’s left out, the better the system.”Reflecting on the Australia series, Walter was encouraged by the way his side fought back from 6 for 3 in the opening match and forced a collapse with the ball in the second but conceded they had areas that needed improving before facing England.”There’s little bits [of positives] here and there but, to be fair, we were a little bit off our best game and when you do that against [Australia], who’s won 25 of their last 30 T20 internationals, you’re going to find yourself on the wrong end of the result,” he said.”Some of the areas that we weren’t competitive in are actually quite easy fixes, [they] just require a little bit of extra time on our part…like any loss there’ll be some positives most of the time and then some stuff that you walk away with and understanding that you have to do better as we move forward.”With England arriving, you’ve got a team that’s going to play very similar to how Australia played in the series. So again, we get to check out if we actually have improved in the areas that we’ve identified and spoken about.”

Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has apologised to the club's travelling fans after a "very bad night" in their 4-1 loss at Arsenal. A Leandro Trossard goal and an Eberechi Eze hat-trick condemned Spurs to a thumping defeat at Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Richarlison's consolation did little to lift the mood of Vicario, who criticised his team's "passive" approach.

• Arsenal heap misery on Spurs

  For Tottenham, this was, arguably, their biggest game of the season. A chance to beat the Premier League leaders, and their biggest rivals, on their home patch and boost their chances of qualifying for next season's Champions League. What played out on Sunday was quite the opposite. Arsenal ruthlessly cut apart a sorry Spurs side, who were far too tentative to threaten Mikel Arteta's team. The Gunners strove to claim all three points with an attacking display, whereas the visitors seemed content to come away with a point. In the end, they got nothing. The result saw Arsenal go six points clear at the top of the table, whereas Tottenham are now down to ninth.

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• AFP
  

  Vicario rues match to forget

  The Spurs keeper began by apologising to the thousands of Tottenham fans who attended the game after a horror night in enemy territory. He also said that the game plan they prepared was very different to the one they executed at Arsenal.

  He told Sky Sports: "A very bad night for us. First of all we have to apologise to the people that support us every day. They expected us to fight and today we didn't fight. That's not negotiable to do in football in this level. It's a tough night, a very bad defeat, but we have to stick together. We have a big night on Wednesday but we need to stick together. Tonight we didn't show the things we are normally capable of. The emotions are high, but we need cool heads and apologise to the people that support us and have travelled today. I think we waited too much to get into the game. We were too passive. The game plan we prepared was different. Today we didn't fight. We have to apologise first of all for this. But we have to stick together and move on because on Wednesday we have a big night."

  Vicario did appeal that Eze's first goal should have been ruled out as a couple of Arsenal players were in his eyeline and were offside. But he later said that it would not have mattered to the scoreline.

  The 29-year-old added: "I think the way the game went it wouldn't have changed anything. There were three people in front of me so of course they impacted me. But we didn't lose the game for that."

• Frank 'pained' by Arsenal rout

  Tottenham boss Frank said he felt confident going into the north London derby but what he got was an "extremely bad" performance. He said he tried to replicate the tactics they deployed in their narrow UEFA Super Cup loss to Paris Saint-Germain in August but these two displays were like night and day.

  He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's extremely painful to stand here after an extremely bad performance. Against the worst team we could put a bad performance in against. It was the perfect storm. I think especially first half we lacked the ability to have pressure and get close to them and be aggressive enough in the duels. We had to absorb to much pressure throughout the first half. In the second half we got a little bit better but nowhere near the level we want.

  "That's an extremely hard defeat to take. We are all emotional and frustrated and need to look at it with calm heads. I was very confident going into the game that we could be competitive and we weren't, which was disappointing. We tried to do something different that was very successful against PSG. Today it wasn't and I always take responsibility for my decisions and then when it doesn't go the way we want it to go, that's on me. We changed it at half-time but I am 1000% sure that no matter what formation you play if you don't win enough duels or are aggressive enough, it doesn't matter what formation you play."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  What comes next for Tottenham?

  Tottenham will look to bounce back immediately from this thrashing when they return to Champions League action on Wednesday. Unfortunately for them, the fixtures don't get any easier as they take on defending champions PSG in Paris.

“We have proven players in the current squad,” Litton Das says after West Indies won the T20I series 3-0, indicating that his boys have his trust

Mohammad Isam01-Nov-2025Litton Das has words of support for his players despite West Indies trouncing Bangladesh 3-0 in the home T20I series over the past week, only the second time in 12 bilateral home series where Bangladesh have been swept away. It came on the back of Bangladesh winning four consecutive bilateral T20I series since July this year.Bangladesh couldn’t chase down 166 and 150 in the first two matches, and West Indies then. chased down a 152-run target quite convincingly in the third game on what Roston Chase said was the best pitch in the series.”We have proven players in the current squad,” Litton said after the game. “One or two series, we can play like this. A player can go through a bad time for four or five matches. A batter knows where he has to improve. I am sure the batters will focus on those areas and consult the batting coach to make a comeback. If you change players every day, the results will be the same. A new player is unlikely to give you much more. So those who are playing cricket for a long time, it is better to go ahead with them to expect better results.”Related

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Bangladesh’s batting was woeful in this T20I series, with only Tanzid Hasan hitting consecutive fifties. In the third game, only Tanzid (89) and Saif Hassan (23) crossed double-digits as they collapsed from 107 for 2 to be bowled out for 151 in 20 overs.Litton suggested that the T20I players needed some rest.Bangladesh have been the second-busiest team in 2025, having played 42 matches, two fewer than Pakistan. They have also played more than 40 matches in the last five calendar years and will feature in two Tests and three T20Is against Ireland in November and December to close off their 2025 tally.”We had separate fitness and skills camps before the Netherlands series. Then we beat them at home, before we went to the Asia Cup and Afghanistan series in the UAE, and then we came home for the West Indies ODIs and T20Is,” Litton listed. “Except for me – I was not in the T20 squad, so I got some time at home – most of these players were playing [continuously].

“World cricket is now far ahead, and those who bat on turning wickets play the reverse sweep. In that regard, we are a little behind. We need to work on those things. You should increase your strengths as much as possible, but when you apply it depends on your game”Litton Das

“Sometimes, the players need rest because when you play so much, many things will not go your way. When the players get a break, like now that the T20 series is over, they will get at least ten days of break to restart themselves. Then there is the Ireland series, and before that, there will be practice. I think all the players will recover well and will be able to come back well.”Litton, however, conceded that the Bangladesh batters were behind the times in terms of skill development, especially in T20Is.”The more you develop your skill, the better you will get. Obviously our batters need to increase their skill and play all kinds of shots. We hardly have batters who play the reverse sweep, for instance,” he said. “World cricket is now far ahead, and those who bat on turning wickets play the reverse sweep. In that regard, we are a little behind. We need to work on those things. You should increase your strengths as much as possible, but when you apply it depends on your game.”Litton said that someone like Jaker Ali should look to be more positive and surround himself with people he can trust to get out of his batting dip.”There is only one option to come back from this: to keep his spirits high, not to worry too much, because if you worry, the negative thought will come more, the positive won’t. If he can think positive, it will be very good for him,” Litton said. “I will always say that when a person is struggling, he should back himself, give himself time, and hang out with people who always help him. I think he will get back into runs soon.”

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola provided an update on Rodri's condition as he revealed the club's cautious plan for the Ballon d'Or winner's latest injury return. The Spanish midfielder spent almost the entire 2024-25 season on the sidelines after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in September 2024. He returned to action towards the end of the season and appeared in a few matches in the current campaign before picking up a fresh injury.

Rodri's fitness a concern for Man City

Rodri suffered a devastating ACL injury in September 2024 that prevented him from forming part of a Premier League title defence at the Etihad Stadium – with that crown eventually being surrendered to Liverpool. More minor knocks were picked up when competing at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. 

City have always been aware of the need to handle Rodri with care, with the hope being that he could play his way towards full sharpness. Another setback was suffered, though, when lining up against Brentford last month. The 29-year-old midfielder was forced out of that contest inside the opening 20 minutes due to his persistent knee injury.

Rodri's absence has impacted the Cityzens' performance on the field. It was only after the Spaniard's injury last season that City lost form and momentum and were nearly out of the Premier League title race by the start of 2025. This season, City have started on a bright note but with Rodri featuring sparingly, their performances have been inconsistent. 

AdvertisementGetty ImagesGuardiola provides update on Rodri

Ahead of the club's upcoming Champions League fixture against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday, manager Guardiola provided an update on Rodri's situation as he said: “Everybody is fit except Kova and Rodri. Not long [for Rodri]. Not sure but not long. In the process and timing on when he will be back. We will wait a little more to make sure he is fine.”

City's receive setback in title race after Newcastle loss

City were finally showing some consistency after winning four matches in a row across all competitions and were back in the title race alongside Arsenal as they were only four points behind the Gunners the latest round of fixturef However, Guardiola's side suffered an unexpected 2-1 loss against the Magpies and have now dropped to the third position in the Premier League thanks to wins for Chelsea and Arsenal.

Analysing the game after the loss, Guardiola told Live: "Tight game. Entertaining game. They had chances. We had chances. In the end they scored one more goal. Two or three chances that he [Haaland] always have because he is the best. And yeah, go to the next. Two or three chances that he always have because he is the best. And yeah, go to the next. The second half we started rally well and had the momentum, we were arriving and finding players in the positions. But after we scored a goal, they scored a goal. After it was more difficult because [Sven] Botman was in the pitch, the defence was deep, so yes more difficult." 

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Getty ImagesIs Guardiola frustrated with Man City's performances?

Guardiola completely lost his cool after his side's 2-1 loss on Saturday, as the Spanish coach was first seen getting into a very animated chat with Bruno Guimaraes, with both individuals looking testy at times. The 54-year-old also appeared to argue with a cameraman as he struggled to keep his cool. When questioned on the matter, he later said: "No questions, everything is fine. I said how good he [Bruno] is [but that conversation] is for private situations. Everything is fine."

He even issued an apology to the cameraman while speaking to reporters, as he added: "I apologise. I feel embarrassed, ashamed when I see it. I don’t like it. I apologised after one second to the cameraman. I am who I am. After 1,000 games I’m not a perfect person, I make huge mistakes. It’s not about that. What is for sure, I defend any team and my club, that’s for sure. The reason why is I want to defend my team and my club."

A mixed start – and recent injury – for Benjamin Sesko may have put a dampener on things, although it’s hard not to be impressed by Manchester United’s summer recruitment, with it finally looking as if the Red Devils have invested wisely in the transfer market.

It is also worth pondering just how Ruben Amorim’s side might have looked if things had panned out differently at the start of the window, with United notably chasing Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap, after wrapping up a £62.5m deal for Matheus Cunha.

The England striker – fresh off scoring 12 times at Portman Road in the Premier League – was an attractive target due to his £30m release clause, although despite lengthy negotiations, he ultimately opted for Chelsea and Champions League football instead.

There is a sense that perhaps United have had the last laugh with regard to the ex-Manchester City man, with Delap yet to score for the Blues this season, although frustration might still linger over the failure to prise Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth.

Ahead of ultimately forking out for Sesko, there were suggestions that the Old Trafford side were leading the race for the Ghanaian, amid the prospect of a potential £70m switch.

Frustratingly, the 25-year-old stayed put on the south coast, and is now flourishing again under Andoni Iraola, sparking hope that a renewed approach from Amorim and co could be in store in the New Year.

Latest on Antoine Semenyo's future

There was a sense over the summer that Amorim and co could put together a completely new-look, Premier League-proven forward line, with Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo potentially set to be joined by Semenyo as the attacking spearhead.

Sesko, ultimately, was recruited instead, although with the Slovenian scoring just twice since his arrival from RB Leipzig, a further forward still appears a necessity, hence potentially turning to Semenyo again in 2026.

The former Bristol City man – who can operate all across the frontline, as well as at wing-back – remains a worthy option amid what has been a stunning season so far in 2025/26, having registered nine goals and assists in just 11 league games.

Arguably the “best winger in the country”, in the view of pundit Chris Waddle, Semenyo is again likely to turn heads in January, with The Athletic’s David Ornstein revealing on Monday that there will be a release clause to activate in the player’s contract in that winter window.

Previously valued at £70m, the in-demand speedster will now cost ‘just’ £65m in January for a specific time period, with that figure then set to reduce again next summer.

As per the report, both United and Tottenham Hotspur are named as the clubs who ‘coveted’ him in the most recent window, although the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool are now also in the equation.

As already suggested, Semenyo’s red-hot form has certainly warranted such admiring glances, although back at Old Trafford, Amorim already has a similar figure to shout about.

Man Utd's own version of Semenyo

It has been remarkable to witness Semenyo’s rise under Iraola in recent times, having previously scored just 21 times in 125 games during his stint at Ashton Gate, as well as enduring a goalless seven-game spell at Sunderland in League One.

In 90 games working with the Basque boss, however, the £65m man has already chalked up 40 goals and assists, as per Transfermarkt, with his devastating brilliance best seen on the opening weekend against Liverpool, having run almost the full length of Anfield before lashing home in that 4-2 defeat.

He does look unstoppable right now, although the same can be said of the aforementioned Mbeumo, with Amorim and INEOS perhaps thanking their lucky stars that the Cameroonian decided to join them over the summer, after initially missing out on Delap.

Protracted negotiations with Brentford did ensure it was something of a waiting game to see if the 26-year-old would actually make the switch from west London, although since arriving in the door, the clinical left-footer has hardly put a foot wrong.

Indeed, since netting his first goal for the club away at Grimsby Town, Mbeumo has gone on to score five times in just 11 Premier League games – just one shy of Semenyo’s record – while also chipping in with a solitary assist thus far.

Fresh off the back of a standout 20-goal season with the Bees, the one-time Troyes starlet has already cemented himself as arguably United’s “best player”, in the words of Wayne Rooney, amid his rampant start to 2025/26.

Like Semenyo, the £71m man can operate on either flank or in a false nine role, having even interchanged nicely with Amad at wing-back of late, with the pair striking up a fruitful partnership down that right-hand side.

Semenyo vs Mbeumo – 25/26

PL Stat

Semenyo

Mbeumo

Games (starts)

11 (11)

11(11)

Goals

6

5

Big chances missed

5

3

Goal conversion

26%

19%

Assists

3

1

Big chances created

0

3

Key passes*

1.0

1.7

Pass accuracy*

77%

80%

Successful dribbles*

1.9

0.8

Stats via Sofascore

That likeness to the Bournemouth talisman in a positional sense is also backed up by their likeness in a statistical and stylistic sense, with the pair deemed to be similar players among those in their position in Europe’s top five leagues, as per FBref.

Two of the most in-form forwards in the Premier League right now, you would be splitting hairs to decide who is the better player between Semenyo and Mbeumo, with the two men so decisive for their respective sides.

In an ideal world, they might even be lining up together at some stage in 2026, although even if Semenyo doesn’t end up in Manchester, at least United have Mbeumo to hang their hat on these days.

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Posts 2 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 17, 2025

As Monday’s historic, World Series Game 3 marathon began its descent into silly territory, Blue Jays manager John Schneider received a message from his Game 4 starter: Shane Bieber wanted his skipper to know, in the 11th inning the night before he was scheduled to take the mound, that he was ready to start warming up.

As it turned out, Bieber didn’t get the call to enter the 18-inning affair (which the Dodgers won, 6–5). Instead, he’d wait one more night to save Toronto’s season.

Facing the possibility of going down 3–1 in the series and armed with a bullpen running on whatever comes after fumes, Bieber turned in 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball to spearhead a 6–2 Blue Jays win in Game 4 of the World Series, evening things up at two games apiece.

It was just the latest contribution from a player who has quickly surged up the list of most impactful Blue Jays, despite beginning the season still recovering from Tommy John surgery while wearing a different uniform.

Bieber didn’t make his debut for his new team until Aug. 22, nearly 17 months from his most recent big-league game. But despite the injury and uncertainty about how he would perform after a lengthy rehab, the Blue Jays made him a priority at the trade deadline, along with several additional role players who have made crucial contributions to getting Toronto this close to the franchise’s first championship in more than 30 years.

“It's not an easy thing to do, get traded from the only team you've been with and then just have your life kind of flipped upside down in a new country and things, with a family,” Schneider said after Game 4. “But he just settled in really well, and these are the spots that we acquired him for.”

Bieber’s night was far from dominant. He allowed three of the first seven batters he faced to reach base, and gave up the game’s first run on a sacrifice fly from Kiké Hernández in the bottom of the second. He generated just five whiffs on 34 swings (14.7%).

But he kept a powerful Dodgers lineup in check, allowing just four hits (all singles) and pitching around traffic. He stymied Game 3 star (and Tuesday night’s opposing starting pitcher) Shohei Ohtani, walking him to lead off the game before striking him out twice. Less than 24 hours after reaching base nine times, Ohtani finished the game 0-for-3.

From being out of major league action for a year and a half, to changing teams and countries of residence, to winning a World Series outing, it has been a whirlwind few months for Bieber, the 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner and two-time All-Star. But he has quickly made himself feel at home with his new team while pitching on the game’s biggest stage.

“[It was] the first time I’ve ever been traded, so I didn't know exactly what to expect,” Bieber said of the transition. “Ultimately I feel like the organization, the families within it, my teammates, their families, have helped my wife and I acclimate better than I ever expected … I couldn’t be happier.”

Bieber’s not alone as a recently-arrived Blue Jay who’s stepping up in the postseason. Relief pitchers Louis Varland and Seranthony Domínguez—acquired at the deadline from the Twins and Orioles, respectively—are now vital high-leverage arms Schneider relies upon to bridge the gap between his starting pitchers and closer Jeff Hoffman.

Varland, for his part, has appeared in 13 of Toronto’s 15 games this postseason, striking out 16 batters in 14 innings. He has thrown at least 20 pitches seven times during that span.

“He's kind of a different animal,” Schneider said of Varland. “It's not normal to put a guy in as much as I have and have his stuff be consistent. I was talking to [GM] Ross [Atkins] at the deadline. He was one guy that I really wanted to acquire. There were a lot of big arms out there, big available arms, and the combination of his stuff and just kind of knowing his personality a little bit … he’s been nothing short of amazing. It’s not easy to do what he’s doing, pitching this much and in high leverage. But I trust the hell out of him.”

The Blue Jays have gotten help on the margins, too, from less-heralded acquisitions on the position player side. Veterans Ty France and Isiah Kiner-Falefa have each been called into duty after injuries to Toronto’s regulars. France made his postseason debut during Monday’s extra-inning affair, going 1-for-3 off the bench, and had an RBI groundout on Tuesday to add an insurance run in the seventh inning. Kiner-Falefa has appeared in 13 playoff games (eight starts) and went 5-for-15 during the final four games of the ALCS to help the Blue Jays erase an 0–2 series deficit.

Add it all together, and the moves point to an organization that has successfully prioritized culture fits and niche roster needs over chasing big names.

“You have to give some credit to the front office there,” infielder Ernie Clement said. “They didn’t just get really, really good baseball players, they got really, really good people who fit right in in the locker room. It felt like all those guys came over and just fit right in immediately.”

As much as the Jays have leaned on contributions from up and down the roster, Tuesday night was a showcase for their big stars. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continued his supernova of a postseason by taking Ohtani deep for a two-run homer in the third, his seventh home run of the playoffs. Two-time All-Star Bo Bichette had the hardest-hit ball of the night—a 109.6 mph rocket off the left field wall in the seventh that scored a run and ricocheted off the fence so hard he was held to a single.

And in the middle of it all was Bieber, a native of nearby Orange County with an impressive big-league résumé who had only known one organization for his entire professional career. In the wake of returning from a career-threatening injury and getting acclimated to a new clubhouse in the middle of a pennant race, Bieber picked up the pieces in the aftermath of Monday’s historic ordeal to get the Blue Jays back on even footing with the defending champions.

“Coming off of what could [have been] a back-breaking loss last night, it was an absolute pleasure to show up today and see that guys are—nobody changes, nobody ever wavers, nobody ever hesitates,” Bieber said. “It’s the same group of guys each and every day that continue to put the work in, continue to compete, continue to rely on each other, and it's an absolute pleasure to play for them.”

Given his performances leading up to—and including—Tuesday night, it’s a sentiment that’s surely mutual among his new teammates.

تحدث مالك نادٍ سعودي، عن فكرة التعاقد مع النجم الدولي المصري محمد صلاح، لاعب الفرق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول وتفضيله لنجم ريال مدريد.

وخرج صلاح بعد انتهاء مباراة ليدز يونايتد وتحدث لوسائل الإعلام وفتح النار على الجميع، وعلى رأسهم مدربه آرني سلوت، بسبب جلوسه على دكة البدلاء لثلاث مباريات متتالية.

بعد تلك التصريحات، انهالت على صلاح تعليقات اللاعبين القدامى والمحللين الإنجليز وانتقدوا حديثه بشدة وعلى رأسهم جيمي كاراجر.

واتخذ الهولندي آرني سلوت، المدير الفني لليفربول قرارًا باستبعاد محمد صلاح من مباراة إنتر ميلان بعد تصريحاته الأخيرة عقب تعادل الفريق مع ليدز يونايتد ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي.

وقال بين هاربورج مالك نادي الخلود السعودي إن محمد صلاح لن يكون إضافة جيدة لدوري المحترفين السعودي، مقترحًا أن تركز الأندية على اللاعبين الأصغر سنًا مثل فينيسيوس جونيور: “لقد جنى صلاح ثروة طائلة في ليفربول وخيب آمال الكثير، سأختار فينيسيوس”.

اقرأ أيضًا | لاعب ليفربول السابق: صلاح يستمد حافزه من أخطاء الآخرين.. وكنت أطمئن عند النظر إليه

وأوضح هاربورج من خلال تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية بأنه على الرغم من أن صلاح كان هدفًا للأندية السعودية في الماضي ورفض عرضًا بقيمة 170 مليون يورو في عام 2023، إلا أن هناك الآن قلق عام أكبر بشأن التعاقد معه نظرًا لعمره والذي يبلغ 33 عامًا وأدائه الأخير.

وسجل محمد صلاح خمسة أهداف فقط وقدم ثلاث تمريرات حاسمة هذا الموسم، بعد أن كان هداف الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز في الموسم الماضي.

كما أكد المسؤول التنفيذي بأنه يُفضل التعاقد مع فينيسيوس جونيور بدلًا من صلاح، إذ يرى أنه قادر على تقديم أداء أفضل في الدوري السعودي.

واختتم أنه بالضرورة تركيز الأندية السعودية على اللاعبين في فترة تألقهم مثل من هم في الخامسة والعشرين من العمر بدلًا من اللاعبين الذين يقتربون من نهاية مسيرتهم الكروية مثل صلاح.

Jeff Kent is headed to Cooperstown.

The former second baseman has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame class of 2026 after a 17-year career with the Blue Jays, Mets, Cleveland, Giants, Astros and Dodgers from 1992-2008. Kent first became eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2014, and is now making it in over a decade later.

Related: Analyzing the Best Contemporary Era Hall of Fame Candidates: Jeff Kent

Over his career, Kent was a five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger. The former Cal Bear was a 20th-round draft pick by the Blue Jays in 1989, and finally made it up to the big leagues in 1992. He played for the Blue Jays during their 1992 World Series campaign, but was traded to the Mets before their postseason run.

Kent had the best stretch of his career with the Giants, when he was a three-time All-Star and the National League MVP in 2000 as he slashed .334/.424/.596 with 33 home runs and 125 RBIs. The Giants have honored him by making him a member of their Wall of Fame. Throughout his career, Kent hit .290 and compiled a total of 2,461 hits, 1,320 runs, 377 home runs and 1,518 RBIs.

“I’ve used all my cry rags already. The emotions are overwhelming. Unbelievable. Didn’t even expect it for me,” Kent told MLB Network. “There are so many quality guys … a lot of guys that the committee had to argue through and vote for. Grateful that they considered me and gave it a shot for putting me in. 

Meanwhile, candidates including Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela did not receive enough votes to be elected into the Hall of Fame. Bonds, Clemes, Sheffield and Valenzuela all received fewer than five votes, and will not be eligible for the Hall of Fame again until 2031.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Allianz Parque viverá mais uma noite especial nesta quinta-feira (30), quando a torcida do Palmeiras vai se despedir do atacante Endrick, no duelo diante do San Lorenzo, pela última rodada da fase de grupos da Copa Libertadores 2024.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão

Buscando a melhor campanha da Libertadores mais uma vez, o Verdão deve contar com a casa cheia para o ‘gran finale’ do seu camisa 9 e claro que a torcida alviverde vai preparar uma homenagem mais do que especial para a joia de 17 anos que deixa o Palmeiras como bicampeão brasileiro e paulista.

A Mancha Alviverde, maior torcida organizada do Palmeiras, deve fazer alguma movimentação na arquibancada em homenagem ao Endrick, antes da bola rolar para Verdão e San Lorenzo.

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Recentemente, a torcida alviverde deu um show na entrada do time na grande final do Paulista, homenageando Abel Ferreira e sua comissão técnica com a bandeira de Portugal enfeitando a casa alviverde.

Por conta dos protocolos da Conmebol, o Palmeiras não deve conseguir fazer muitas ações para Endrick ao final da partida, e a despedida oficial do camisa 9 dos seus companheiros de elenco e funcionários deve ficar para a sexta-feira (31), na Academia de Futebol, quando Endrick vai entregar as 300 camisetas que ele mesmo comprou para presentear as pessoas que vivem o dia a dia do Palmeiras.

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Ainda não se sabe se o clube e o staff do atacante irão organizar alguma coletiva de imprensa de despedida do atacante, que já se apresenta na Seleção Brasileira na próxima semana.

A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

Endrick vai deixar o Palmeiras com mais de 80 jogos, cinco títulos, 21 gols e uma série de recordes que o fazem entrar de vez na história não só do Maior Campeão do Brasil, como também do futebol brasileiro.

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