Australia head coach Shelley Nitschke is prepared to face some “tough” selection calls ahead of the team’s opening ODI World Cup match against New Zealand on Wednesday.The defending champions completed their preparations with a four-wicket defeat against England in Bengaluru, but Nitschke was not too concerned by the result as Australia utilised a rejigged batting order. At 127 for 2 in the 16th over, they were on course for a huge total. But when Ashleigh Gardner and Phoebe Litchfield, who raced to 71 off 48 balls, fell in the space of four balls to legspinner Sarah Glenn, the middle order stumbled.The match saw left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux in action for the first time since last December after she sat out the series against India to complete the final stages of her recovery from knee surgery. She made 5 off 10 balls and claimed 1 for 37, but prior to heading to India captain Alyssa Healy had indicated that Molineux would be a first-choice pick if she proved her fitness.Related

• Australia remain the team to beat as they look for eighth title

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• World Cup to World Cup, 2013 to 2025: story of a revolution

That would leave a likely decision to be made between the two legspinners, Georgia Wareham and Alana King, when it comes to the final XI against New Zealand in Indore.”Just to see her [Molineux] out there was fantastic,” Nitschke said. “It’s been close on 12 months, but just to have her out there bowling again, that’s a really good thing for us and our squad.”I guess we’ll sit down in the next couple of days and assess everything and see how we line up. I think we’re going to be faced with some pretty tough calls throughout the whole tournament. We’ve got a really good squad here. You know, everyone’s sort of at some point played really well, so we’ve got some decisions to make for sure.”The selectors will also need to make a call on the make-up of the pace attack. Nitschke praised an “excellent” performance from Darcie Brown, who took 1 for 30 in six overs against England after returning from a back spasm, but Megan Schutt and Kim Garth would appear the first-choice pair.Georgia Voll, who is averaging 63.50 across her first five ODIs, appears likely to be the frontline batter to miss out. Allrounder Heather Graham, who has replaced the injured Grace Harris, neither batted or bowled against England.Georgia Voll might be the top-order batter to miss out•Getty Images

Nitschke conceded Australia had not played Glenn “particularly well” but that it was a question of shot selection rather than needing to temper the aggressive approach which has been a hallmark of the team’s recent ODI batting.Having faced India in three full ODIs earlier in the month, Nitschke believed Australia, who only opted for one extra warm-up match rather than the two they could have had, would go into the World Cup battle-hardened.”I think the bilateral series against India was a hard-fought series in some tough bowling conditions and a real challenge. So I thought that was excellent prep,” she said. “We come out here tonight, [in] slightly different conditions, a red-clay pitch as opposed to some black soil that we were playing on in the bilateral, so certainly have been exposed to some different conditions and learnt a lot and have to adapt to that.”I’d like to think that now we’re in a good place and had enough exposure. We’ve been here for long enough to acclimatise… and just looking forward to getting into it.”

سجل محمود حسن تريزيجيه، هدف الأهلي الثالث أمام شبيبة القبائل الجزائري، في المباراة المقامة بينهما الآن، ضمن منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، لتصبح النتيجة 3-1 لصالح المارد الأحمر.

ويلتقي الأهلي مع شبيبة القبائل، في إطار الجولة الأولى من عمر مواجهات دور المجموعات لبطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي.

طالع.. فيديو | خطأ فادح من محمد الشناوي.. شبيبة القبائل يسجل الهدف الأول أمام الأهلي

وأحرز تريزيجيه، هدف الأهلي الثالث في الدقيقة 84 من عمر اللقاء، بعدما سدد كرة رائعة من داخل منطقة الجزاء، وصلته بعد تسديدة قوية من إمام عاشور لترتطم في قدم طاهر محمد طاهر وتنتهي أمام تريزيجيه ليضعها في الشباك. هدف الأهلي الثالث أمام شبيبة القبائل.. تريزيجيه

وكان تريزيجيه ومحمد شريف قد سجلا هدفي الأهلي الأول والثاني، بينما جاء هدف شبيبة القبائل عن طريق الخطا من محمد الشناوي.

Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye has quickly addressed the shocking red card he was shown in the first half of his team's eventual win over Manchester United on Monday night, received for raising his hand to collegaue Michael Keane after an altercation between the pair on the pitch. Both Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Toffees boss David Moyes have also given their reaction.

Gueye's public apology

The incident erupted when Keane seemingly took exception to Gueye carelessly giving the ball away near to Everton's goal, which resulted in Manchester United having a shot. There were angry words exchanged and then pushing and shoving between the pair, during which Gueye's hand swiped at Keane's face. He was quickly pulled away from the situation by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, but it was the latter action which resulted in the midfielder being sent off.

The red card meant that Everton played all but 13 minutes of the match with a player disadvantage, miraculously still able to pick up a rare 1-0 win at Old Trafford, and Gueye didn't fail to see the significance of what he had done.

"I want to apologise first to my team-mate Michael Keane," the player began, in a statement published as an Instagram story. "I take full responsibility for my reaction. I also apologise to my team-mates, the staff, the fans and the club. What happened does not reflect who I am or the values I stand for. Emotions can run high, but nothing justifies such behaviour. I'll make sure it never happens again."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportGueye 'said his piece' to Everton team-mates

Before going public, Gueye had already said sorry to the rest of the Everton squad behind closed doors, straight after the full-time whistle in Manchester.

"Idrissa has apologised to us at full-time, said his piece and that's all he can do," Dewsbury-Hall, scorer of what proved to be Everton's winning goal in the first half, told afterwards.

"We move on from it. The reaction from us, was unbelievable. Top tier. We could have crumbled but if anything, it made us grow.

The former Chelsea midfielder was also asked what Moyes had made of the dismissal and how the manager had reacted to it at half-time, adding: "He just said: that's done now. We'll deal with that another time. It was about keeping to the plan we had. He made sure we do the right things, continue what we're doing. We can't change that now, second half we continued to do that."

Moyes bizarrely pleased by incident

He might have thought very differently had the game not finished up as Everton's first win at Old Trafford since 2013 – ironically when Moyes himself was Manchester United manager and Bryan Oviedo scored the decisive Toffees goal – but the Scot claimed he saw a major positive in the Gueye flashpoint because of what it represented.

"There's another side to it," Moyes said. "I like my players fighting each other, if someone didn't do the right action. If you want that toughness and resilience to get a result, you want someone to act on it."

On the actual decision to send Gueye off in the first place, Moyes added: "If nothing happened, I don't think anyone in the stadium would have been surprised. I thought the referee could have taken a bit longer to think about it. I got told that the rules of the game are that if you slap your own player, you could be in trouble.

"I'm disappointed we got the sending off. But we've all been footballers, we get angry with our team-mates. He's apologised for the sending off, he's praised the players and thanked them for it and apologised for what happened."

co-commentator Gary Neville disagreed with the decision to send Gueye off: "How much venom was in that slap? He has been sent off for that. Was it a little slap or a proper whack? There is no doubt a hand comes out to the face but it didn't look too much. They might have had to send him off purely because there is a strike to the face. They were not fighting, it wasn't a scrap. It could have been dealt with by a yellow. I don't think it needed to be a red."

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Getty Images SportGueye to serve automatic suspension

The standard punishment for a straight red card in the Premier League is an automatic three-game ban, which the FA has the power to increase on a case by case basis, depending on the severity of the incident. With debate as to whether a red card was even a fair punishment, this instance differs vastly from the infamous on-field between Newcastle team-mates Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer, who had bans upgraded to seven games, so increasing it is highly unlikely.

As it stands, Gueye will miss Everton's three upcoming Premier League games against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, and will be eligible to return for the trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea on December 13.

“I’ve waited 15 years for this moment. This feeling, there’s no words to describe it”

Deivarayan Muthu22-Sep-2025

After leading Trinbago Knight Riders to their first CPL title in five years, and earning his first CPL title in 12 seasons, Nicholas Pooran has put their success down to belief.While TKR were also tactically superior to Guyana Amazon Warriors on Sunday – Andre Russell bounced Quentin Sampson out with Kieron Pollard swooping in on a catch at short leg and their left-handed batters countered Gudakesh Motie – Pooran said that it was their immense self-belief that led them to CPL glory.”Nah [not tactics]. It’s just belief. Team belief,” Pooran said after TKR squeezed past Amazon Warriors in the final. “I’ve waited 15 years for this moment. This feeling, there’s no words to describe it. But before we talk about anything else, I just want to say thank you to all my guys here, every single person in the TKR team, all the squad members, every single one of our fans. Thank you for the love and support.”Related

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TKR’s victory capped a banner week for Trinidad & Tobago sport. Earlier this week, Keshorn Walcott had won the gold in the men’s javelin while Jereem Richards had claimed silver in the men’s 400-metre race at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.”We weren’t only doing it for ourselves, but we were doing it for the people of Trinidad & Tobago,” Pooran said. “They came out and supported us. The government supported us. Even the minister is here. I hope he’s going to reward us as well, right (laughs)?”But again, we did it for the people of Trinidad & Tobago. This week was a really important one where Keshorn Walcott and Jereem Richards won in the World Championship and then us coming to win the CPL.”TKR were pilloried for picking a number of players over the age of 30, but they turned their perceived weakness into their biggest strength. Fittingly, 32-year-old Akeal Hosein bagged the Player-of-the-Match award for his all-round effort while 38-year-old Pollard, the oldest West Indian in the TKR squad, won the Player-of-the-Tournament award.”First of all, it’s all about getting the ego out of the way,” Pooran said. “We’ve lost in the last five years and a lot of things were said: ‘The guys are old and time has passed’. I guess every single person, they answered and they proved everyone wrong. I want to start with Polly, 38 years old or young I should say, right (laughs)? MVP in a tournament like this. Dre [Andre Russell], every single person, day in and day out. These guys really did it for us. For me as a captain, I can’t ask for anything else.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

‘Sometimes you have to throw the first punch’ – Pollard on his battle with TahirIn front of a partisan Providence crowd that even booed him, Pollard played a vital cameo and took down Imran Tahir, the top wicket-taker in CPL 2025. Pollard pounded Tahir for 20 off six balls, including three sixes, before the Amazon Warriors captain burst through his defences with a wrong’un.”As much as you guys talk about him being a match-up for myself on the television, I back myself to hit the spin,” Pollard said. “In a situation like today, what we needed was a quick cameo to settle the nerves.”Throughout the entire tournament, the competition between Tahir and myself all over the world has been immense. Sometimes you have to take the first step and try to make the first punch. Once I show that sort of intent early on, I’m always going to be on top. There are other times where I have to just block him out. But you have to have the discipline and the want to do that because that’s what the team requires.”While Pollard was tight-lipped about his CPL future as a player – he has already retired from the IPL and forayed into coaching there – he confirmed that he will play in the upcoming season of the ILT20 in the UAE.”I can’t tell you the future,” Pollard said. “I can only deal with what’s in front of me. I have a flight coming up and I’m getting home to the kids. I’m just trying to enjoy some time at home. I’ve been on the road for the entire year. So, I think I owe it to them. Let’s see what happens. At the end of the year, I’ll still be playing in the ILT20 in Dubai. So that’s the only thing I can tell you at this point of time.”

Akeal Hosein overcomes illness to win it for TKRHosein, who iced the chase with an unbeaten 16 off seven balls, was ill in the lead-up to the final but overcame that and embodied TKR’s belief. He had also contributed handsomely with the ball, dismissing both Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope, the highest run-getter this season.”Very special. This win has eluded us for five years and we were really hungry,” Hosein said. “We had an experienced group and there were lots of talks about the ages in our group, but experience beat old talk and I’m really happy to get this win.”I told one of my team-mates yesterday that I’m gonna get the Man of the Match [award] today and that’s what I set my mind to. And no matter what condition I’m in, I’m gonna go out there and give it my all for my team and I’m really happy that I did that today.”Hosein has also been working behind the scenes to expand his range as a lower-order batter. Two months after he hit his maiden T20 fifty, for Texas Super Kings from No.6 in the MLC, he secured the CPL title for TKR with the bat and sparked wild celebrations in their camp.”I think there’s some work to be done [with the bat], but it’s always good to look up on the board and get recognised as an allrounder,” Hosein said. “So hopefully, more opportunities come along like that. I’ve been working really hard with Polly as well. So why not? I have the best in the world in my team. Why not pick their brains, rub shoulders with them and try and become a better player?”

If there is to be one major criticism of Daniel Farke and the squad that both he and the Leeds United hierarchy have assembled at Elland Road, it is the lack of quality and creativity in the final third.

The sight of Jack Harrison and Brenden Aaronson lining up on the flanks in recent weeks, in particular, perhaps illustrates that point best, with Harrison’s days in Yorkshire looking to have been over after spending the previous two seasons on loan at Everton.

From the delights of Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter in the recent past, there is a real void now in the Whites’ forward line. Where will the magic come from? Which player will truly get the crowd off their seat?

Such concerns have stemmed from a side that has scored just ten goals in 11 Premier League games this season, with centre-back Joe Rodon currently the joint-highest scorer with two goals, alongside Lukas Nmecha and Noah Okafor.

Stodgy and scrappy, there is little to get behind with regard to Farke’s football right now, with a change in the dugout, or January investment, likely to be required.

On the latter point, the Whites could save themselves by reintegrating a handful of forgotten stars, with Joe Gelhardt among those currently thriving out on loan.

Can Leeds recall Gelhardt from Hull City?

At 23, there is a sense that the ship has sailed for Leeds’ former wonderkid, with Gelhardt having burst onto the scene under Marcelo Bielsa, following his arrival from Wigan Athletic in 2020.

Lauded as a “human wrecking ball” by the Argentine genius, the then-teenager did score twice in the Premier League during the 2021/22 campaign, although that was about as good as it got, having since spent recent years on loan at Sunderland and Hull City.

The rampaging left-footer – who has scored three goals in 57 total games for Leeds – initially joined the Tigers in January, before sealing a season-long loan return over the summer, having not been included in Farke’s pre-season plans.

Finally settled and afforded a consistent run of games, the Englishman is relishing his role as Hull’s new talisman, scoring seven goals in just 15 Championship games so far in 2025/26. Hull City manager Sergej Jakirović is among those dishing out the plaudits.

With his parent club currently struggling to fire, there might be a temptation to bring Gelhardt back into the Elland Road fold, not least if there were to be a change in manager.

As reported by Leeds Live last week, however, there are no plans to end the forward’s stay at the MKM stadium, despite the presence of a recall clause, with the 5 foot 9 star expected to see out the campaign with the second-tier side.

As noted by The Athletic’s Beren Cross – who corroborated those claims – the hope is that such a fruitful loan will enhance his transfer value, with the 23-year-old’s existing Leeds deal set to expire in 2027.

Gelhardt – 25/26 Champ stats

Stat (*per game)

Record

Games (starts)

15 (13)

Goals

7

Mins per goal

159

Big chances missed

4

Goal conversion

19%

Assists

2

Key passes*

0.9

Big chances created

2

Successful dribbles*

1.3

Stats via Sofascore

A return might not be on the cards then for Gelhardt, but could it be for arguably an even bigger talent?

Leeds loan star has "similarities to Summerville"

Among the criticisms of Farke’s tenure of late is the treatment of Largie Ramazani, with the Manchester United academy graduate having been restricted to a bit-part role following his arrival from Almeria in the summer of 2024.

A player lauded as having “so many similarities to Summerville” – in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson – due to his blistering pace and trickery on the flanks, the fleet-footed forward was restricted to just seven starts in the Championship last time out.

That limited role may have come amid issues with injury, although even when fit and firing, Farke tended to look elsewhere, despite the fact that the 24-year-old still managed to chip in with six goals and two assists from his 29 total league appearances.

That matches the eight goals involvements he chalked up in LaLiga the year prior for Almeria, have already proven – unlike Gelhardt – that he can flourish in one of Europe’s top five leagues.

Also hailed as “the mini-Vinicius” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, during his first stint in Spain, the diminutive winger is an undoubted talent, with Leeds unfortunately yet to truly see the best of him.

Frustratingly for Ramazani too, neither have his current loan club, Valencia, with his return to LaLiga yielding just a solitary assist thus far, having again been pushed out to the periphery at the Mestalla.

Perhaps that suggests Farke was right to send him on his way, although at a time when Leeds are missing a spark, a player to bring a renewed level of excitement, the Summerville-esque speedster could well have provided just that.

Thankfully, as Cross reported, the Whites do have the option to end Ramazani’s temporary stay and bring him back to England, albeit with the most likely outcome set to be the forward then heading back out on loan for the remainder of the season.

Farke – or a potential successor in the dugout – will hopefully have a change of heart, with the forgotten Belgian arguably the player that Leeds should be looking to reintegrate, despite Gelhardt’s continued brilliance.

Related Farke has "wrecking ball" out on loan who can end Aaronson's Leeds career

Leeds could turn to this player to help solve their attacking issues

Posts ByJoe Nuttall Nov 11, 2025

“The final is the biggest stage, that’s the game that matters,” Chinelle Henry says ahead of the WCPL final, where her team, Barbados Royals, will be looking for their third title

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Sep-2025The Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) is in its fourth season, with the final lined up on Wednesday morning in Providence, and we will have the familiar sight of Barbados Royals in the middle, gunning for their third successive title. It’s a competition with just three teams, but Royals have been the dominant power, making all four finals, so “there was a lot riding on it,” when the WCPL began and Royals had to cope with the loss of regular captain Hayley Matthews. A shoulder injury left her on the sidelines and Chinelle Henry in the hot seat.”When she [Matthews] called me and asked me to be captain [because] she wasn’t going to be available, it was quite like, ‘yeah, just give me a moment to think about that’,” Henry said before taking on Guyana Amazon Warriors, the only team not to have won the title. Trinbago Knight Riders were the inaugural champions in 2022.”But I guess when [Matthews] asked, she was like, ‘you probably could be that person, because you have been around the team all the seasons before, as a senior player in the squad’, [despite] all the overseas players that we’ve had and even the captain in her own right in Chamari Athapaththu, who’s been brilliant helping me in the field in terms of decision-making and stuff like that.”Hayley is a big character, both on and off the field, and she has done a lot for us as a franchise. I think the girls have really stepped up. We’re in our fourth final, so that’s really something to talk about.”So far, the way we have been in the group games, there’s still a few areas to tighten up, but I think we are ready to compete in that final.”

“We go into Wednesday’s game with everything that we have and the girls are ready to fight. We’ve been in the finals and we know what it feels like to win finals, and we want to make it another one for us, so we go into the final with no complacency”Chinelle Henry

Royals have made the final winning all their four games this year, including the two against their opponents in the final, giving them a clear upper hand in the title fight.”Over the years, we have had a majority of the same girls playing on the team, so when it comes to culture, we already know what that’s like in terms of the players that we already have and the overseas players that we try to get into the squad,” Henry said. “Once they come in and get a feel of what the girls are about, everybody just fits right in and that’s what’s been the core thing for us this season.”Yes, Hayley’s not here, but how we play, how we come together as a group… she was here a few days ago, she had a few words for us, she will talk to me to say what she thinks, give a bit of advice, but it’s never anything to question my ability to lead the team. And that’s where she is really that person that trusts and believes in players and believes that players can step up when they need to. And, having done that, leading the Royals this season, it was just stepping into that spotlight and still playing my game.”The big star for Royals has been Athapaththu, who is 15 runs clear at the top of the run-scorers’ list with 169 runs in four innings, to go with seven wickets (second only to Amazon Warriors’ Laura Harris who has eight). Henry and Qiana Joseph have done their bit with the bat, but it has, at times, been a one-woman show.Chinelle Henry has played her part with the bat in Royals’ winning streak•CPL T20/Getty Images”We have a lot of big characters in this group, and she is very passionate, and she loves what she does,” Henry said of Athapaththu. “To be the opener for this team and constantly coming up with runs for us and in the middle, when we are bowling, you can call on her and be like, we need to break a partnership or something, which happens, you know.”She is that person, you know, whenever you call on her, she puts up her hand and is ready to perform and is ready to do her all for the team. With somebody like her, a lot of us, a lot of the younger ones that we have, we really look to her in terms of advice, how she plays, how she thinks when she goes out, and she keeps it simple.”Going by the form Royals have shown in the earlier games this season, they are runaway favourites for the final.”The final is the biggest stage, that’s the game that matters. If we go into that game with a calm and clear mind, things that we have to do as a team and, I have said in a previous interview, we still haven’t got all the areas that we want to tick, all three boxes, the final will be the game to do that,” Henry said. “We know that and we have that in the back of our minds, and we go into Wednesday’s game with everything that we have and the girls are ready to fight. We’ve been in the finals and we know what it feels like to win finals, and we want to make it another one for us, so we go into the final with no complacency, we’re just going out there to fight and bring that trophy back home.”

Former Netherlands and Real Madrid star Wesley Sneijder has claimed it's "possible" that Lamine Yamal will surpass Lionel Messi, while predicting that the Barcelona wonderkid will stay at the club until at least 2035. At just 18, Yamal has already established himself as one of the top players in the world, finishing second to Ousmane Dembele in the race for the 2025 Ballon d'Or.

• Yamal's injury struggles after stellar 2024-25 season

  After a terrific 2024-25 campaign, where Yamal helped Barcelona win a domestic treble and reach the Champions League semi-finals, the teenage sensation has been plagued by injury issues in the first half of the new season. In September and October, Yamal missed four La Liga games due to a groin problem, which was later diagnosed as pubalgia – a chronic groin injury stemming from a tear in the surrounding soft tissue. 

  Just when it seemed that Yamal was slowly recovering from the setback, he was forced to withdraw from the latest Spain squad. He is, however, expected to make a full recovery in time for Barcelona's hectic festive schedule. Despite the fitness woes, Yamal has racked up 11 goal contributions in 11 appearances across all competitions so far this term.

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• Getty/GOAL
  

  Sneijder backs Yamal to surpass Messi

  Yamal has long been billed as the successor to Messi's throne at Barcelona, and Dutch legend Sneijder believes the Spaniard could even eclipse the five-time Ballon d'Or winner. The former Ajax midfielder also thinks Yamal will resist any transfer temptation for at least the next decade.

  Speaking to , Sneijder said: "We speak about whether Lamine Yamal can be Messi one day, well Lamine Yamal at Barcelona is the new Messi. They will never let him go and I think, I believe, that the kid would never want to leave. He’s been there since he was a youngster and he’s already achieved so much as a first team player. He’s earned a lot of money. He’s a big star of the team. Why would you consider going to England or Germany or wherever else? It doesn’t make any sense. 

  "Maybe he will leave later like Messi did to go and try some new experiences but it is 2025. If we speak again in 10 years time, Lamine Yamal will still be at Barcelona. Can Yamal reach Messi’s level or even go beyond him to become a better player? It’s possible. Players improve every year and he is already at such a high level."

• Yamal excited to play at Camp Nou

  Barcelona are gearing up to return to Camp Nou for the first time since its closure in 2023, with an extensive refurbishment almost complete. Yamal expressed his excitement about playing at the newly renovated ground in a social media post. He said, "Special nights are coming," before zooming in on Camp Nou with his phone camera.

  Messi, meanwhile, caused a stir when making a secret visit to the ground at the start of the November international break.

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• AFP
  

  Next up for Yamal: Athletic Club & blockbuster Chelsea clash

  After staying away from Camp Nou for two years, Barcelona could return to their iconic venue this Saturday when they face Athletic Club in La Liga with a reduced capacity of around 30,000. Barca hope to have the entire stadium open at full 62,000 capacity by the end of the year. 

  Yamal is expected to be fit for the clash with Athletic Club, which Barca must win to keep pace with arch-rivals Real Madrid at the top of the table. After their latest domestic outing, Hansi Flick's side will start preparing for a blockbuster Champions League encounter against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Max Scherzer managed just 45 pitches before being pulled from his first start with the Toronto Blue Jays, and now the veteran right-hander is set for a stint on the injured list.

The Blue Jays announced they have placed Scherzer on the 15-day IL with what the team described as right thumb inflammation. Toronto promoted left-handed pitcher Easton Lucas from Triple-A in a corresponding move.

Scherzer threw just three innings on Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles and surrendered two home runs in the opening frame. He struck out one batter and gave up three hits without a walk.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters that Scherzer will see a specialist for a closer look at the issue with his hand. It's not immediately clear if the 40-year-old will be ready to return from IL after 15 days.

The three-time Cy Young winner signed with Toronto during the offseason after spending the 2024 season with the Texas Rangers. Injuries have plagued him throughout the last few seasons, limiting him to just 19 starts in 2023 and nine starts in '24. Now, after one appearance in '25, Scherzer already finds himself shelved with a hand ailment.

Jackson Merrill knows how to celebrate.

Hours after agreeing to a new nine-year, $135 million contract extension with the San Diego Padres, the 21-year-old center fielder blasted a home run to give the Padres a 4-0 lead over the Cleveland Guardians.

The at-bat came against Ben Lively, with two outs in the bottom of the third inning and the Padres already up 2-0. Lively hung a curveball on the first pitch and Merrill clobbered it. He launched it 388 feet into the right field bleachers as the ball came off his bat at 108.5 mph.

It was Merrill's second home run in as many days, as he tattooed one Tuesday night as well.

Merrill had a stellar rookie season in 2024, slashing .292/.326/.500 with 25 home runs and 90 RBIs. He was an All-Star, was named second-team All-MLB and won a Silver Slugger award. He won't turn 22 until April 19.

Merrill's new deal is incredibly team-friendly and helps secure the Padres' future moving forward.

West Ham United are now looking to sign a “sensational” £35m midfielder who’s won the Premier League title two times, amid growing uncertainty surrounding his future…

West Ham eyeing new midfielder amid Paqueta uncertainty

West Ham star Lucas Paqueta recently admitted that he wanted to return to Brazil during the summer transfer window, saying: “Maybe I shouldn’t even be saying this, but I had some conversations with Filipe (Luís), who is a friend, in addition to the work he’s doing at Flamengo,”

“I really expressed my desire to return and also showed it to my agents.”

Ultimately, the attacking midfielder ended up staying put, however, and he has since gone on to put in some impressive performances in the Premier League, scoring three goals, most recently finding the back of the net in the 3-1 victory against Newcastle United.

That said, the Hammers won’t be particularly reassured by the fact one of their key players was angling for a move, and they have now set their sights on a new attacking midfielder, who could be brought in next summer.

That is according to the print edition of the Sunday Mirror (via West Ham Zone), with a report stating West Ham want to be kept informed about Harvey Elliott’s situation, having failed to make an impact since arriving at Aston Villa on loan from Liverpool.

Villa have an obligation to pay £35m for Elliott if he plays ten matches this season, but he hasn’t been getting a look-in as of late, which means Liverpool may recall the Englishman during the January transfer window.

The 22-year-old, who is represented by the same agency as Niclas Fullkrug, is viewed as a target for the summer, rather than this winter, but the Hammers may have to fend off rival interest, with RB Leipzig also named as potential suitors.

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The attacking midfielder’s move to Villa simply hasn’t worked out, but he is still very young, and there are plenty of signs he could be an exciting acquisition for West Ham, having impressed at times during his spell with Liverpool.

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The London-born midfielder made 149 appearances for the Reds, amassing 15 goals and 20 assists and playing a role in his side winning two Premier League titles, while the 28-cap England U21 star has also caught the eye at international level.

As such, West Ham should continue to monitor Elliott’s situation as the season goes on, ahead of potentially launching a move next summer, with the former Fulham man in need of a move to a club where game is guaranteed, if he is going to fulfill his potential.