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Boston Red Sox pitcher Walker Buehler and manager Alex Cora were both ejected from Tuesday's game against the New York Mets in the top of the second inning after losing their cool following a heinous call from home plate umpire Mike Estabrook.

When pitching to Juan Soto, Buehler threw a pitch that was practically right down the middle of the zone. Soto took the pitch as Francisco Lindor was attempting to steal second base, however, Estabrook ruled it a ball because catcher Carlos Narvaez jumped to his feet in an effort to mow down Lindor.

Buehler was irate that Estabrook ruled the pitch a ball, and rightfully so, but he took things a bit too far when angrily protesting the decision from the home plate umpire.

Have a look at Buehler's meltdown on the mound:

Lip readers won't have to work too hard to decipher what Buehler shouted at Estabrook, as it was immediately clear that their verbal exchange was anything but friendly.

After Buehler was tossed, Cora came out from the dugout to give the umpiring crew a piece of his mind. It didn't take too long for him to follow in Buehler's footsteps on a one-way trip to the locker room, though he didn't leave the field before airing out his grievances.

Buehler pitched 2 1/3 innings in Tuesday's game before his ejection, after which he was replaced by Brennan Bernardinho.

Eddie Howe hasn’t minced his words when quizzed on Newcastle United’s interest in their former schoolboy Elliot Anderson, who was sold to Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest for about £35m in 2024.

Now regarded as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League” by Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel, Anderson is indeed becoming a star, and Newcastle want him back, forced into cashing in to comply with PSR regulations.

But Manchester United are also known suitors, and Forest are set to demand in excess of £100m for their prized player.

Newcastle need a centre-midfielder, though, and technical director Ross Wilson is centring on a shrewd alternative.

Newcastle pursuing new midfielder

Though Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali are among the finest midfielders in the game, Joelinton is becoming a weak link, with Toon writer Thomas Hammond claiming this is “the start of the end” for the Brazilian.

The 29-year-old surely doesn’t have much more mileage left in the tank, having run many laps around the St. James’ Park grass across the years.

The interest in Anderson is suggestive of Howe’s stance on the mainstay’s future, but there is an alternative option in the pipeline for the PIF-backed side.

Indeed, Italian outlet Tuttomercato, Newcastle are pursuing a January move for Roma midfielder Manu Kone, who has been instrumental in the club’s blooming Serie A title charge this term.

Reports from the summer claim that the Italians have placed a €50m (£44m) price tag on the 24-year-old, but United and PIF would surely strike gold, should they bring him over.

What Manu Kone would bring to Newcastle

Kone has been at Roma since the start of the 2024/25 campaign, joining the club from Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany. He was a loanee last season but has since become a permanent member of Gian Piero Gasperini’s squad.

A powerhouse of a midfielder, the 6 foot 1 Frenchman is limber but endowed with natural strength that allows him to perform robustly in the engine room.

As well as being a crisp passer, Kone is also skilled as a carrier, looking to break lines.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 2% of Serie A midfielders this season for pass completion and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90. He regularly draws fouls from lunging opponents.

That aside, Kone has also been hailed as a “one-man army” in midfield by talent scout Jacek Kulig, owing to that strength and physicality in the middle of the park.

In this, he could be the perfect player to succeed Joelinton in Howe’s midfield, striking a balance between the different facets of a successful box-to-box role.

Matches (starts)

10 (10)

12 (12)

Goals

0

0

Assists

0

1

Touches*

39.5

62.2

Accurate passes*

22.2 (82%)

43.8 (92%)

Chances created*

0.5

1.0

Dribble (success)*

0.2 (50%)

1.2 (67%)

Recoveries*

3.4

4.7

Tackles + interceptions*

2.7

2.0

Clearances*

1.7

1.0

Duels won*

4.6

5.4

Errors made

2x

1x

Joelinton has had a good run in Howe’s midfield, but it’s time for ruthlessness to take precedence: the club have threatened to stagnate this term, and a breath of fresh air in the engine room could elevate the squad, reinforcing the backline and giving new support to the forwards.

His ball-carrying metrics have decreased significantly, and while he remains a combative and dangerous force in the middle, there’s no question that the Brazil international lacks the same full-throttle energy as once before.

Kone was considered a top talent during his early-career days in the German Bundesliga, and while he has endured some ebb-tide moments in his career, no one can deny that he is now blooming into a complete midfielder tailor-made for the Premier League.

PIF have signed an "explosive" talent who can end Gordon's Newcastle career

Newcastle United already have an exciting attacker up their sleeve who can end Anthony Gordon’s stalling Magpies career.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 27, 2025

Batter set to link up with Dubai Capitals in December but hopes to impress during Ashes warm-up fixture

Matt Roller13-Oct-2025Jordan Cox, the newly-crowned PCA men’s player of the year, will leave England Lions’ tour to Australia early to take up a lucrative contract with Dubai Capitals in the ILT20.Cox missed out on selection for England’s 16-man Ashes squad after they deemed Ollie Pope to be sufficient wicketkeeping cover for Jamie Smith. He will have a chance to impress Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes first-hand when playing for the Lions in England’s only warm-up fixture but, barring an injury, will arrive in Dubai before the ILT20 starts on December 2.”We have got an agreement,” Cox said at last week’s Toyota PCA Awards. “I won’t be at the Lions as long as people think. I will be there for the first game, maybe the second. It’s mainly to help the England boys get ready for the Test matches, which is the most important thing. When they don’t need me, they will flick me off to Dubai.”The Capitals signed Cox as a replacement player before the ILT20’s recent auction and he is understood to be one of the league’s highest earners, with a contract worth around US$250,000. His exact itinerary is yet to be confirmed, but he is expected to leave the Lions tour before they play Australia A in Brisbane on December 5.After missing out on a Test debut there last winter with an ill-timed thumb injury, Cox is back in New Zealand with England’s T20I squad ahead of the start of the series on Saturday. He capped an excellent summer for Essex and Oval Invincibles with a maiden international half-century in Ireland last month, and is anticipating a busy winter.Brydon Carse hopes his injury problems are behind him, going into the Ashes•Getty Images”There is some England stuff I’d love to be a part of,” he said, “but if not, there’s a few franchise competitions and I’ll have some fun. My aim is to play Test cricket, but I wouldn’t wish an injury on anyone. If I get a chance, it would be awesome.”It will be nice to show Stokes, Baz and Keysy [Rob Key]. They haven’t watched me live much in red-ball [cricket]. They have come to Hundred or T20 games, but I don’t imagine they are coming to much four-day cricket. Maybe they will see something different that they like – or not – and I’d like to show them [what I can do] in the flesh. That would be really good.”I was close to a Test call-up but hopefully I will get closer. It will be nice to be on the Lions and try to score a few runs against the England bowlers to show them I’m capable… You always notice more outside of the nets: do they mingle well with the group? Are they polite, well-mannered? All that sort of stuff you need to be if you want to be an England player.”Related

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Meanwhile, Brydon Carse – who, like Cox, has arrived in New Zealand ahead of Saturday’s first T20I – has revealed that he has stockpiled specially modified bowling boots ahead of this winter’s tours. Carse struggled with an infected toe last winter and churned through pairs of spikes this summer as he tried to avoid cutting it back open.Carse said he had “absolutely no problems” with his toe this summer, and said that his sponsors have been an “unbelievable” help. “They’ve kitted me out with enough pairs of boots to go away,” he said. “They’ve started cutting holes into my boot for me, specifically made for me, which has been a massive help.”I’ve got a little hole in the second toe [area of the boot]… During that India Test series, I struggled in the first couple of games. I probably went through five or six pairs during the first two Tests. New Balance have been really supportive with me. As long as they keep churning out pairs of boots, I’ll be happy.”Carse spent two weeks training at Loughborough before travelling and said that Stokes and Mark Wood are progressing well in their recovery from injuries: “Ben is looking near enough 100% fit, and so is Mark. It’s exciting to see where they have got to after their setbacks during the summer. They will be raring to go come Australia time.”

Wrexham, owned by Hollywood icons Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, have been boosted by a public grant from the government of Wales worth an astonishing £18 million. The funding is set to help the club in their ambitions to rebuild StoK Cae Ras into a world-class arena that meets UEFA's stadium requirements, with the goal of hosting prominent international fixtures in the future.

Wrexham received hefty public grant from Welsh government

Wrexham have received nearly £18 million (€21m/$25m) in non-repayable public grants from the Welsh government – far more than any other football club in Britain, according to UK government state-aid disclosures. Local officials had previously said that Wrexham would get a "substantial amount" of a £25m (€29m/$34m) Welsh government grant earmarked for redeveloping the area around Wrexham General train station, which sits adjacent the Racecourse Ground. What hadn’t been made public until now is that the club itself would receive the majority of that funding directly.

The club, owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, has also enjoyed a surge in commercial success. Their involvement has helped secure major sponsorships from global giants such as Meta, United Airlines, and TikTok. The public grant will only strengthen their already healthy financial situation.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportA positive step towards Wrexham's bid to meet £350m valuation

Back in June, reported that owners Reynolds and McElhenney were considering selling a minority stake in a valuation of the club at £350m (€400m/$475m), having bought for just£2m in 2021. Earlier this year, Wrexham hit the £100m valuation mark following a 15 per cent stake acquisition by New York's Allyn family. More investors are being sought according to the report, with internal talks having taken place already. The Welsh government grant will further strengthen the owners' bid to transform Wrexham into the most expensive club in the Championship and solidify their push to achieve a record-breaking fourth-successive promotion, which will take them to the Premier League. 

"This looks like an £18m nonrepayable subsidy to a privately owned business now flirting with a £350m valuation. Its existing owners are US-based and very wealthy and liquid private individuals," said Stefan Borson, a football finance expert who works as the head of sport at the McCarthy Denning law firm.

"The club, and its owners, will benefit from the stand for the next 50 years, yet at no point would the taxpayer be repaid or directly profit from the club’s rise. The current ownership have put Wrexham on the global map but it is hard to understand why funding this stand in this way would be a priority for the government.

"So many. I don't want to say to the world that I'm the best because there’s no truth to that. In my mind, I'm the best version of myself, if you know what I mean? It's different when you say you are the best in the world to the world. 'There are so many good players in my position. I'm doing my best. But I need to show more because I feel like I can do more. With goals, with assists, I can feel it.'"

Wrexham's StoK Cae Ras ambitions

Reynolds and McElhenney have reiterated their desire and ambition to convert StoK Cae Ras – the oldest international football stadium on the planet – into a world class venue. "We have a plan in place right now that would eventually work from stand to stand, so eventually you get all four sides. It's hard to say for sure, butwe think we could get between 45,000 and 55,000 people in there," McElhenney told last year.

With the renovation of the Kop Stand, the capacity will exceed 12,000. When that happens, it will comply with UEFA stadium requirements, having already been selected as one of the venues when Wales hosts next year's European Under-19 Championship. What's more, the Racecourse Ground has also been included in UK's official bid to host the 2035 Women's World Cup.

A council spokesperson said: "The Racecourse is an important cultural and heritage asset for the city of Wrexham and we are obviously keen to protect it for the future.

"Utilising grant funding from Welsh government, the council have provided funding to the football club to enable the redevelopment plans to be enhanced to a standard to enable international matches to be hosted in Wrexham once again."

A Wrexham spokesperson added: "The impact of these improvements, and the ability to host international sporting events in north Wales, will create both a catalyst for local job creation and provide an overall economic uplift to the region due to the increased number of visitors attracted to the events and their economic activity while they are in the area."

Meanwhile, the Welsh government is certain that the funding "will make the crucial difference between the club satisfying league requirements and meeting the more demanding international fixture standards," adding that, consequently, StoK Cae Ras "can host competitive international football at the world's oldest international stadium, boosting the local economy and delivering a fitting landmark for Wrexham."

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Getty Images SportWrexham pushing for Championship playoff spot

Phil Parkinson's men enjoyed an excellent November, going unbeaten in England's second tier after a difficult start to the season at the club's highest level in over 40 years. Their last defeat came over a month ago against Stoke City, and since then they’ve put together a strong run of form, remaining undefeated and collecting 15 from a possible 21 points. 

They find themselves in 10th position on the league table, just two points behind sixth-placed Ipswich Town. If they can now find a bit of long-term consistency, Wrexham will fancy their chances of securing a promotion playoff spot, which would put them on the brink of the Premier League.

Shohei Ohtani is baseball’s Houdini. Somehow, he finds a way to continue to amaze us. The first player with 200 home runs as a hitter and 600 strikeouts as a pitcher. The first player to start an All-Star Game as a pitcher and designated hitter. The first 50–50 player. The first athlete in major North American sports to win three MVPs unanimously.

Now Ohtani is well on his way to his latest trick: the greatest run-scoring season in 89 years.

The Los Angeles Dodgers DH leads the major leagues with 59 runs in 56 team games—while, oh by the way, training on the side to return to major league pitching. How crazy is that pace?

Only two players in the modern era (since 1900) scored 162 runs in a season: Babe Ruth (twice) and Lou Gehrig (twice), the last to do it, in 1936.Only five players scored 154 runs in the modern era, all between 1920 and ’36: Ruth (four times), Gehrig (twice), Chuck Klein, Rogers Hornsby and Kiki Cuyler.As a follow-up to 50–50, Ohtani might as well go for 50–150 this year, as in 50 homers and 150 runs. Only two players have gone 50–150: Ruth (four times) and Jimmie Foxx, the last to do it, in 1932.

Yes, runs scored is influenced heavily by the strength of the surrounding lineup. The Dodgers are scoring more runs per game this year than any team except the Chicago Cubs and more runs per game than any full-season Dodgers team in 72 years.

But with his speed, extra-base power and ability to steal bases, Ohtani makes full use of his opportunities. He scores 49% of the time he reaches base, a rate exceeded only by Ceddanne Rafaela of the Red Sox and Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs.

Ohtani is a superb baserunner, not just a leadoff hitter riding the coattails of a deep lineup. Statcast rated him the fifth best baserunner in 2023 and the third best baserunner last year. He ranks tied for 10th this year, though in subtle ways he has bettered his game.

Dodgers third-base coach Dino Ebel challenged Ohtani after last season to improve his secondary leads and his reads on the bases. Ohtani is a massive dude who is surprisingly fast. As Ebel says, “He’s like Mike Trout. When he comes around third base, you can him running. There is sound that comes from someone that big, moving that fast.”

Truth is, however, that Ohtani needed to sharpen his baserunning work. Last year he was thrown out on the bases seven times, a career high, including three times at home, also a career high. (Outs on the bases do not include pickoffs, caught stealing or force plays.)

To no one’s surprise, Ohtani has improved. He has not been thrown out on the bases and his rate of taking the extra base is a career high (48%).

If you want to stop the Dodgers, you must stop Ohtani. The Cleveland Guardians discovered that truism Wednesday. They kept Ohtani from scoring (he reached base once via a walk) and defeated Los Angeles, 7–4. The Dodgers are 28–9 (.757) when Ohtani scores a run and 6–19 (.316) when he doesn’t.

Houdini died 99 years ago but was such a force of showmanship that he lives on eponymously as the very name of escape maneuvers. Like Ohtani, Houdini was an enormous global sensation who transcended his craft to become a cultural icon. And like Ohtani, Houdini knew the magic came not from words but from deeds.

“Never tell the audience how good you are,” Houdini said. “They will soon find out for themselves.”

Liverpool manager Arne Slot’s future at Anfield has come into question after his team dropped points in their 3-3 draw with Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Dutchman, who won the title in his first season, has lost ten of his 23 matches in all competitions, including six in the top-flight, this term.

On top of that, Mohamed Salah has claimed that his relationship with the manager has broken down after being on the bench for the third straight game against Leeds.

The Salah situation and the poor results this season have put pressure on the former Feyenoord tactician, with the club reportedly looking at potential replacements.

Liverpool have admiration for national team manager

Dave OCKOP reports that Steven Gerrard has been sounded out as a potential interim to come in and steady the ship if FSG decide to part ways with Slot in the coming days or weeks.

Manager Focus

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The report claims that Liverpool are also admirers of Germany national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann, previously of Bayern Munich and Hoffenheim.

It adds that the 38-year-old manager is expected to lead his country to the World Cup in America, Canada, and Mexico next summer, though, which means that he will not be available immediately.

Dave OCKOP suggests that the German tactician may be available after the World Cup, though, which is where Gerrard stepping in as an interim option could make sense.

If Liverpool were to eventually bring Nagelsmann in as their long-term replacement for Slot, he would be the perfect appointment to get the best out of Florian Wirtz.

Why Nagelsmann would be perfect for Wirtz

To say that Wirtz has not lived up to expectations in a Liverpool shirt so far would probably be an understatement, as he has yet to deliver a single goal or assist in the Premier League, per Sofascore.

The Reds splashed out £116m to sign the attacking midfielder from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer transfer window, and he has racked up no goals and three assists in 19 appearances in all competitions.

Slot has simply been unable to get the best out of the huge-money signing, who produced 16 goals and 14 assists for Leverkusen last term (Sofascore), but Nagelsmann could come in to get him flying at Anfield.

Wirtz’s form for Germany at international level is proof that he could shine for the Reds if Nagelsmann replaces Slot in the dugout, because he has proven that he can perform in that system.

Caps

27

3rd

Goals

8

1st

Assists

6

2nd

Goals + assists

14

1st

As you can see in the table above, the Liverpool attacking midfielder has been the most impactful attacker of the manager’s reign with the national team, providing more goals and assists combined than any other player.

For further context, Wirtz scored no goals and provided three assists in his first ten caps for Germany before Nagelsmann took the job, which shows that the ex-Bayern boss can get the best out of him.

The 38-year-old boss was once described as the “best young coach in Europe” by reporter Josh Bunting in 2022, and it is still hard to argue with that assessment in the present day.

Mikel Arteta, 43, and Xabi Alonso, 44, are two of the brightest young coaches in the game, managing Arsenal and Real Madrid, yet they have won as many league titles combined (one) as Nagelsmann has, having won the Bundesliga with Bayern, and he is five and six years younger than them.

The German boss won 2.31 points per game during his time with Bayern, per Transfermarkt, whilst Slot has won 2.00 points per game across 79 matches with Liverpool to date.

This suggests that Nagelsmann could come in as an upgrade on the Dutchman as an all-round manager, whilst also being the perfect appointment to get the best out of Wirtz at Anfield.

As bad as Konate: Slot must axe 6/10 Liverpool star who made 0 tackles

Liverpool blew a two-goal lead to draw 3-3 against Leeds United at Elland Road.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 6, 2025

Therefore, it could be a good move for FSG to bring Gerrard in as an interim appointment with a view to landing Nagelsmann next summer, if they decide that parting ways with Slot is the route that they want to go down in the coming weeks.

It is understood that both franchises have spoken to all three players involved

Nagraj Gollapudi09-Nov-202511:36

Sanju Samson – RavindraJadeja trade: shocking, or not?

In one of the most high-profile player trades in IPL history, Rajasthan Royals are set to trade wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in exchange of allrounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran.It is understood that both franchises have spoken to all three players involved but neither franchise confirmed the development when ESPNcricinfo reached out to them.Both RR and CSK have to send an expression of interest naming the three players involved in the trade to the IPL governing council. As per the trading rules, once the players’ written consent comes in, the franchises can have further discussions for a final agreement, which will also be ratified by the governing council.Samson and Jadeja have been with their respective franchises for a long time. Samson has represented RR for 11 seasons, while Jadeja has played for CSK since 2012, barring the two seasons in 2016 and 2017 when the franchises were suspended. Samson had indicated after IPL 2025 that he was looking for a change and wanted to be released by RR.Related

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Jadeja was retained by CSK ahead of the 2025 mega auction for INR 18 crore as the second player after captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. Along with MS Dhoni, Jadeja has been a constant part of their core. He has been part of three of CSK’s five title wins.Jadeja played a crucial role in CSK’s win in the 2023 final, with his batting heroics in the last over against Gujarat Titans. It was also his best season with the ball as he finished with 20 wickets. He followed the feat with the bat in 2025, scoring 301 runs in the season, including two fifties.Jadeja has played 254 IPL matches, the fifth-most in the tournament behind Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik. With 143 wickets, he is the highest wicket-taker for CSK with best bowling figures of 5 for 16. He has the most Player-of-the-Match awards (16) along with Dhoni too. In 2022, Jadeja was appointed CSK captain, but handed the captaincy back to Dhoni midway after a poor start to the season.Sam Curran was bought back by CSK in 2025•BCCIRR was the first team Jadeja represented in the IPL as a 19-year-old, and also the first team he won the title with in 2008. Jadeja played for RR for the first two seasons but was suspended in 2010 by the IPL for trying to negotiate a contract with Mumbai Indians directly. After the ban, Jadeja featured for Kochi Tuskers in 2011 before being bought by CSK for USD 2 million in 2012.After an impressive maiden IPL in 2013, when RR finished third as well as runner-up in the Champions League T20, Samson was the youngest player retained at 19 ahead of the 2014 season. That first stint lasted until RR’s two-year suspension in 2016-17 and Samson rejoined the franchise in 2018. He was appointed captain in 2021 and, in 2022, working with Kumar Sangakkara, RR’s team director, led the franchise to the IPL final for the first time since 2008.Samson has led RR in 33 wins and 33 defeats in 67 matches. In 2024, when RR made the playoffs again, he had a 500-run IPL season for the first time, scoring 531 at an average of 48.27 and strike rate of 153.47. He was one of six players retained by RR ahead of last year’s mega auction at INR 18 crore and he also remained captain. However, a side injury ruled him out of the second half of IPL 2025, and RR kept losing matches from strong positions to finish ninth out of ten teams.Samson is RR’s leading run-scorer with 4027 runs, has the joint-most 50-plus scores (25), the joint-highest score (124), and has taken the most catches (149). After he informed RR that he wanted to be released, the franchise initiated trade talks with several teams.Curran began his IPL career at Punjab Kings in 2019 and played for them again in 2023 – when he became the league’s most expensive player at INR 18.5 crore – and 2024. In between, he played for CSK in 2020 and 2021. Curran was bought back by CSK for INR 2.4 crore in the 2025 season, when he finished with 114 runs and only one wicket in five games.

Oliver Rathbone stole the limelight after coming on as a late substitute as Wrexham held Watford to an exciting 2-2 draw at the Racecourse Ground on Saturday. The Red Dragons scored but they soon gave up on the lead as Watford went ahead just before the break. Phil Parkinson's decision to put Rathbone on the pitch late in the game, however, proved to be a masterclass as his team walked away with a point.

Wrexham show grit in Watford draw

Wrexham started the match on a positive note and looked motivated to get back to winning ways after their seven-match unbeaten streak ended against Hull City earlier this week. The hosts also drew motivation from the presence of their Hollywood owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, as the actor duo were present at the Racecourse Stadium to cheer for their team.

The Welsh outfit broke the deadlock in the 21st minute as Josh Windass followed a long ball down the middle from Matty James. The forward fired past goalkeeper Egil Selvik with a clinical finish to hand his side the all-important opening goal. 

The Red Dragons looked positive in their intent following the opener but suffered a setback around the half-hour mark when, against the run of play, Mamadou Doumbia equalised for Watford. The 19-year-old Mali international's shot from the edge of the box got deflected off Max Cleworth before lobbing over Arthur Okonkwo.

Three minutes before half-time, Watford went ahead and took the lead as Othmane Maamma stepped up and converted his effort. Phil Parkinson's side had the opportunity to restore parity towards the end of the first half, but one of their chances came off the post, while Lewis O'Brien's strike from close range went wide.

The Red Dragons looked underwhelming in their approach to equalise throughout the second half as Parkinson made a few changes after the break to inject fresh legs. Making the substitutions, however, proved to be a masterstroke, particularly Oliver Rathbone's introduction. The English midfielder was brought on the pitch in injury time, and within a minute, Rathbone scored the equaliser from outside the box to seal a point for his side. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportThe MVP

Rathbone was the star of the show for the hosts as his cameo appearance earned Wrexham a crucial point against Watford. The Englishman was introduced in the 90th minute but he made the most of the opportunity he got by scoring a brilliant late equaliser. 

The big loser

Watford defenders did well throughout the second half to keep a firm check on the Wrexham attack and hardly allowed the opponent to threaten them inside their box. However, the backline failed to keep up the level of concentration as Rathbone scored the late equaliser and robbed them of an opportunity to pick up all three points.

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Getty Images SportMatch rating (out of five): ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The New York Yankees' offense had been mired in its worst drought of the 2025 season, having failed to score a single run in its previous three games, including an 11-inning loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Monday.

After failing to get a run across in the first inning of the series finale against the Angels on Wednesday, their scoreless streak reached 30 innings. Fortunately, it didn't progress any further.

During the second inning, Jazz Chisholm Jr. launched a solo shot off of Jack Kochanowicz, evening the game at 1–1 and getting the Yankees on the scoreboard for the first time since Saturday.

Fans in New York, mostly sarcastically, celebrated the end of their scoreless spell, taking to social media to cherish the hard-earned run.

Fans will be hoping it's quite a while until they experience another scoreless drought like that one, and they'll be eager to get more runs on the board to snap the current five-game losing streak.

The Philadelphia Phillies added a major piece to the back end of their bullpen, agreeing to acquire standout closer Jhoan Duran from the Minnesota Twins in a blockbuster trade on Wednesday.

The Phillies haven't had a true closer this season, splitting the role between various late-innings relievers including Jordan Romero, Jose Alvarado and Matt Strahm, all of whom have six or more saves.

Duran provides them with a stable closer and a dependable option in the ninth inning, having enjoyed a sensational 2025 season.

It wasn't a cheap trade for Philadelphia to execute, though. The Twins were able to pry two of their top prospects away in exchange for Duran, acquiring catcher Eduardo Tait and right-handed starting pitcher Mick Abel.

It's one of the first blockbuster deals of the 2025 trade deadline, and we're going to assess how both teams fared in the swap, giving grades to both the Phillies and Twins.

Philadelphia Phillies: A-

Yes, the Phillies landed themselves the top relief pitcher on the trade market. But they gave up a lot to get him. Abel, 23, has already pitched in the majors this season and has shown flashes of brilliance in his first taste of the big leagues. He's the No. 6 prospect in Philadelphia's farm, per MLB Pipeline, and should develop into a solid MLB starter.

As for Tait, he's the Phillies' No. 4 prospect and while he's still a few years from making his debut in MLB, he certainly seems promising at age 18. At Single A and A+ ball, Tait has a .753 OPS with 11 home runs and 57 RBIs across 82 games, while boasting a great arm behind the plate.

The price was steep, but they managed to hold onto prized pitching prospect Andrew Painter. Duran is electric, with a flamethrower of an arm and a pristine 2.01 ERA with 16 saves on the year. He's struck out 53 batters in 49 1/3 innings and has surrendered just one home run all season. He won't hit free agency until 2028, either, so the Phillies now have themselves a closer for the present, and for the future.

Minnesota Twins: B+

The Twins were certainly hoping to get their hands on Painter, but Abel is an excellent consolation prize. Though he had a 5.04 ERA in his first six starts, he was sensational in his debut, striking out nine batters while surrendering five hits and no runs against the Padres. His upside his high, and he won't be as under as much pressure to perform right away with the Twins not contending just yet.

Minnesota's farm system was lacking a top right-handed pitching prospect, and they received just that in Abel, as well as a developmental piece in Tait who could potentially be an everyday catcher in the majors down the line.

The Twins got a strong offer for one of the game's best closers, and it's hard to blame them for taking it. Although Duran still had a few years of control left on his deal, his value was sky high with relievers going at a premium, and they struck while the iron was hot.