The Yankees bullpen sunk to a historic new franchise low in an 11–1 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday.

New York's 'pen surrendered nine earned runs for the second consecutive game, the first time that's occurred in Yankees franchise history, according to Katie Sharp.

Consider this: So poor was the Yankees bullpen on Wednesday night that each of the four relief pitchers Yankees manager Aaron Boone sent to the mound surrendered an earned run—except for outfielder Austin Slater, who entered the game in the ninth inning and slow-tossed 36-mph eephus-esque meatballs as New York waved the white flag.

Wednesday's game eerily resembled Tuesday's loss for the Bronx Bombers, who played Detroit to a 2–2 tie through six innings before the bullpen came undone in a nine-run implosion in the seventh inning.

But as poor as the results have been in the two-game postseason litmus test against the Tigers thus far, Boone, ever the optimist, believes the results are a blip on the radar rather than a concerning trend.

"Track record. Stuff. Who they are," Boone said when asked what gives him confidence the bullpen can turn things around. "Obviously, we got to get a couple guys on track so we can create that depth that we can have down there. A bullpen ERA in short samples like that can be a little misleading, like when you have a handful of games where it really gets away and it gets blown up.

"I feel like through this stretch of games, where over the last month we started winning, we've closed out a lot of good games, too, with guys capable of shutting people down. This is what we have. I've had a lot of confidence in their ability and their stuff, but we got to bring it together. We haven't done that consistently enough yet. Can we do it? That's what we're going to find out. That's what we're going to need to do if we're going to make a big run at this."

The Yankees play one more game against Detroit on Thursday before traveling to Boston for a three-game series against the Red Sox beginning on Friday.

The Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves will meet at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday night for Major League Baseball's Speedway Classic.

It's the first regular season MLB game to take place in the state of Tennessee and the first in the middle of a race track. Plus, a record-setting number of fans are slated to attend thanks to the capacity of just under 150,000 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The league pulled out all the stops for the occasion, which includes a pregame concert headlined by Grammy award winning artists Pitbull and Tim McGraw. The fusion between music and baseball led to some crossovers that you could never dream up. Reds star Elly De La Cruz threw a couple batting practice pitches to McGraw (yes, that's a real sentence). Reds manager Terry Francona even met up with Pitbull, who had the perfect comment as the pair bonded over their shaved heads.

As Francona went to shake Pitbull's hand and explain a time they met before, Mr. 305 quipped back with a great response.

"Actually, you go to the same barber, that's what you were going to say?" he hilariously said to Francona as the two chuckled.

Reds relief pitcher Brent Suter came prepared to meet Mr. Worldwide, revealing a bald cap he had on under a cowboy hat:

First pitch between the Reds and the Braves at Bristol Motor Speedway is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET. A full field was constructed inside the track for the event. The MLB announced last Monday that more than 85,000 tickets were sold to date, which would eclipse the previous paid attendance record of 84,587 set at Cleveland Stadium in 1954.

He will finish as Sri Lanka’s third-highest run-getter, and their fourth-most capped player in Tests

Shubh Agarwal16-Jun-2025Angelo Mathews has called time on his Test career. Sri Lanka’s first Test against Bangladesh, starting in Galle on Tuesday, will be Mathews’ last. Irrespective of his performance in his farewell Test, Mathews will finish as the third-most prolific Sri Lanka batter in Tests, behind Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. No other batter from the island country has accumulated over 8000 runs in the format.Mathews’ tally of 119 Tests will also be the fourth-highest for Sri Lanka, after Jayawardene (149), Sangakkara (134) and Muthiah Muralidaran (132).Most Test runs for Sri Lanka•Getty ImagesReliable away from homeAt present, Mathews has 4323 runs in Sri Lanka, the third-highest for a Sri Lanka batter, and 3844 runs away from home (including neutral venues), also the third-highest from his country – both only behind Sangakkara and Jayawardene.Among batters with over 6000 Test runs for Sri Lanka, Mathews has the third-highest proportion of runs away from home (47.07%), only behind Dinesh Chandimal (52.11%) and Aravinda de Silva (48.28%).Mathews is also among the only three Sri Lanka batters to average over 40 away from home (minimum 1000 runs outside Sri Lanka), and is just behind Sangakkara. Nine of Mathews’ 16 Test centuries came outside Sri Lanka, joint-third-most alongside Aravinda, and only behind Sangakkara (16) and Jayawardene (11).All four of Mathews’ Player-of-the-Series awards came away from home: against Pakistan in the UAE (2013-14), in England (2014), in Zimbabwe (2020), and in Bangladesh (2022). In 2014, Mathews got 306 runs, including two hundreds, in two Tests on the tour of England, where he led Sri Lanka to their first series win in the country (barring the one-off Test win in 1998).Angelo Mathews’ Player-of-the-Series awards in Tests•Getty ImagesLove affair with NZ, Pakistan and BangladeshAmong the eight countries against whom Mathews played at least five Tests, he averaged 50-plus against three: Bangladesh (55.38), New Zealand (51.21) and Pakistan (50.03).In terms of host nations, Mathews averaged 73 in Bangladesh, with two hundreds – including an innings of 199 in 2022. In New Zealand, Mathews averaged 51.38 for his 668 runs, the most runs for a Sri Lanka batter in the country. That included a knock of 120* in Wellington in 2018, as the match resulted in a draw after a marathon partnership of 274 off 655 deliveries between Mathews and Kusal Mendis.Mathews played six Tests against Pakistan in the UAE, where he averaged 73.37, with one hundred and four fifties. In Pakistan, however, he averaged only 21 across two Tests.The Purple PatchMathews averaged 40-plus as a Test batter for five years in a row from 2011-15. However, he was even more productive from 2013-15, when he surpassed Sangakkara (2355 runs) as Sri Lanka’s highest run-scorer by amassing 2378 runs.Mathews averaged 74.6 in 2013, and 77.33 in 2014. After the second Test against Pakistan at home in 2014, he was ranked as the No. 3 Test batter in the world. In 2015, Mathews averaged 42.25 and notched up three tons, as many as he did in the previous two years combined. Mathews also averaged 138.5 in 2020, but played only two Tests that year. His 50-plus average years in 2022 and 2023 included three out of four hundreds against Bangladesh and Ireland.In the three years from 2013-15, Mathews was also the most prolific No. 5 and 6 batter in Tests, scoring 2201 runs at an average of 57.92. Only Misbah-ul-Haq had more 50-plus scores than him (21).In this span, Mathews averaged 121 against South Africa (two Tests), 79.9 against Pakistan (eight Tests), 76.5 against England (two Tests) and 56.5 against India (three Tests).The misfortune in the 90sMathews is the only batter in the world to be dismissed on both 99 and 199 in Tests. He was run-out on 99 in his seventh Test, against India in 2009-10, while trying to come back for a second run to complete what would have been his first Test hundred. Mathews then had to wait for nine more Tests to bring up his first Test century: 105* vs Australia in 2011.Overall, he has so far been dismissed in the 90s five times, the second-most for a Sri Lanka batter, after Jayawardene (six times).Mathews also missed out on what would have been his second double hundred in Tests, when he was out for 199 against Bangladesh in 2022. That made him the second Sri Lanka batter to be out on 199, after Sanath Jayasuriya in 1997. Sangakkara, meanwhile, was left stranded on 199* against Pakistan in Galle in 2012.Steve Waugh has a 99* and 199 to his name.The part-time Test bowlerAn occasional bowler, Mathews picked 33 Test wickets. Younis Khan was his favourite batter to bowl to, as he dismissed him four times while averaging only 24 runs per dismissal. Two of those wickets came in Mathews’ debut Test in 2009.Mathews’ medium-pace seam bowling contributed to Sri Lanka’s win in the Headingley Test in 2014. Before his 160 with the bat in the second innings, Mathews bagged 4 for 44 in the first innings, including the wickets of Gary Ballance and Joe Root.

Scott McTominay delivered yet another commanding Champions League performance as Napoli beat Qarabag 2-0. But beyond the goal, the dominance, and another Man of the Match award, the midfielder turned the spotlight toward Napoli’s unsung behind-the-scenes heroes, further showing why his influence under Antonio Conte goes far beyond the pitch.

• McTominay shifts focus to 'hidden heroes' as Napoli beat Qarabag

  Napoli secured a vital 2-0 Champions League win over Qarabag on Tuesday keeping their play-off hopes alive. McTominay was at the heart of it all, breaking the deadlock in the 65th minute with a goal directly from a corner before forcing Marko Jankovic’s own goal with a sharp swivelling volley seven minutes later. Napoli controlled possession, registered 17 shots and delivered when it mattered, all in the charged atmosphere of the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on the fifth anniversary of the legend’s passing.

  McTominay’s leadership once again defined the night, earning him the Man of the Match award. Yet, instead of celebrating himself, he closed the evening with a remarkable gesture. In a brief but heartfelt note on Instagram, he dedicated his MVP display to Napoli’s kitmen-the hidden heroes, as he called them-who make the club function quietly and tirelessly in the background.

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• ‘The Real MVPs’ behind Napoli’s success

  In his post-match message on Instagram, the Scottish midfielder shared a locker-room picture with Napoli’s kit staff and wrote: “Champions League nights. True MVPs always.”

  Injured compatriot Billy Gilmour left a blue heart, while supporters called him “Prince Scott.” Even Napoli legend Dries Mertens applauded the gesture.

  The midfielder's seamless Neapolitanisation, both culturally and professionally, has become one of the club’s most celebrated success stories since his arrival.

• McTominay pushed back to central role amid injury crisis

  This season has demanded versatility from McTominay, and injuries to key midfielders have pushed him back into a role he knows well. With Kevin De Bruyne sidelined for up to four months following a biceps femoris tear and Zambo Anguissa also out with a high-grade hamstring lesion, Napoli’s midfield has been stretched.

  As a result, the ex-Manchester United player has returned to his preferred central midfield position, taking on deeper responsibilities beside Stanislav Lobotka. The shift has meant fewer forays into the box compared to last season’s advanced role, but the Scotsman has adapted without complaint, balancing defensive duties, pressing triggers, and tempo control while still contributing goals and assists.

  His ability to thrive in multiple systems, a 3-5-2, a 3-4-3, or a narrow three-man midfield—has reinforced why coach Conte trusts him so deeply. Even amid tactical reshuffling, McTominay continues to be one of Napoli’s most consistent performers, already contributing five goals this season across competitions.

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  How Conte will navigate the games ahead?

  Since joining from United in 2024, McTominay has grown into a central pillar of Conte’s project. His first season culminated in a Serie A MVP award, a league title, and decisive goals that cemented his role as a clutch performer. With more than 2,700 minutes played last year, he has become one of Conte’s most trusted lieutenants who values him for his discipline, work rate, aerial power and an uncanny ability to arrive in the box at the perfect moment.

  In the current campaign, Conte will depend heavily on McTominay to stabilise the midfield, maintain control, and continue contributing offensively. The upcoming fixture list, Roma away on November 30, followed by Cagliari, Juventus, and a decisive Champions League tie against Benfica, will define Napoli’s campaign ahead. 

Leeds United will no doubt be disappointed after losing 3-2 against Manchester City this afternoon, but the fans can take some positives out of the clash at the Etihad Stadium.

Phil Foden’s first-minute goal could have signalled an afternoon of domination for Pep Guardiola’s men, but it wasn’t to be, with the hosts only boasting a two-goal lead at the break.

Daniel Farke’s substitutions at the break saw the Whites bring the game level within a matter of minutes, that’s despite many questioning his decision to withdraw Dan James and Wilfried Gnonto.

However, it wasn’t to be as Foden had the last laugh with his stoppage-time effort enough to secure all three points for the Citizens – resulting in a sixth Premier League loss in their last seven.

Despite the defeat, numerous players can leave Manchester with their heads held high, with one player deserving huge plaudits for his showing this afternoon.

Ethan Ampadu’s performance against Manchester City

For the 12th time in the league this season, midfielder Ethan Ampadu started at the heart of the Leeds side, doing so with the captain’s armband too.

His performance against Manchester City was one of a leader, with the Welshman putting in a phenomenal showing and one that was highlighted by his underlying stats.

The 25-year-old featured for the entirety of the contest, completing a staggering 46 passes, with such a tally the highest of any player in Farke’s squad.

He also completed 50% of the dribbles he attempted, whilst making two passes into the final third – often trying to hit the hosts on the counter in the second half.

Ampadu’s incredible showing was also evident without the ball at his feet, subsequently making four recoveries and winning 67% of his ground duels – arguably being one unsung hero at the Etihad.

He certainly wasn’t alone in producing a performance to remember against the former Premier League champions, with Farke needing to select one other player on a consistent basis.

The Leeds player who should be undroppable after City

Many people would have anticipated a dominant victory for City this afternoon, but Leeds certainly put up a fight – which is the least you can ask for given the current situation.

Farke will likely receive some criticism for failing to see out the game for a point, but ultimately, individual errors were the contributing factors to the late goal.

The supporters should also remember it was the manager’s bold call at the break that gave the side the opportunity to get back into the game in the first place.

He switched to a somewhat unfamiliar 3-5-2 system, with the impact of Dominic Calvert-Lewin at the top end of the pitch certainly putting the hosts under huge pressure.

The Englishman replaced Gnonto at the interval, a decision that proved to be an inspirational one given the talisman’s impact during the second half at the Etihad.

His first goal since September certainly wasn’t the prettiest, but it was a reward for his determined efforts at the top end, before poking the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The 28-year-old was also hugely involved in the Whites’ second goal of the contest, with Calvert-Lewin caught in the area by Josko Gvardiol – leading to Lukas Nmecha’s rebounded penalty.

The substitutes’ underlying figures were also massively impressive, with the target man putting doubt into the opposition’s backline after his introduction.

He completed 100% of the dribbles he attempted, whilst also winning 80% of the ground duels he entered – subsequently offering a dominant option during the fightback.

Calvert-Lewin also completed a pass into the final third, whilst also drawing three fouls, with the former Everton man playing a huge part in the side’s ability to get off the canvas.

As a result of his showing off the bench, the striker was handed an impressive 9/10 match rating from Leeds United journalist Graham Smyth – further showcasing his impressive cameo off the bench.

After such a showing, there’s little denying the manager simply has to start Calvert-Lewin on a consistent basis, with his assets constantly causing havoc for the opposition.

Ampadu, too, has showcased this season why he’s a solid Premier League option, which could see both play a huge role in the club’s survival bid come the end of the season.

Bielsa 2.0: Leeds prepare for Farke replacement with "elite" boss in frame

Leeds are reportedly preparing to possibly replace Daniel Farke in the dugout with a LaLiga boss in the frame.

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By
Dan Emery

Nov 28, 2025

Devine and Halliday’s fifties took New Zealand from 38 for 3 to 227 before their bowlers bundled out Bangladesh

Shashank Kishore10-Oct-2025

Sophie Devine took 65 balls to hit her first boundary•AFP/Getty Images

The less-experienced teams have often been challenged to sustain levels of dominance over longer periods at this World Cup. Bangladesh alone have found themselves in this situation three times. While they prevailed over Pakistan in their opening game, they haven’t been able to match England or New Zealand’s might.On Friday, Bangladesh’s moment of reckoning was when they had woven a web around New Zealand’s top order. Rabeya Khan, the legspinner, was getting them to rip and fizz off the Guwahati pitch. At 38 for 3, the moment was theirs to seize. They couldn’t. Eventually, they conceded 227 for 9, which proved to be 100 too many, as New Zealand got off the mark after losses to Australia and South Africa.Like she had done in those two games, Sophie Devine stood like a rock. And batted without the typical flair or enterprise she is known to bring. She was willing to dig in, play patiently, look ugly, and fight the conditions – both in terms of the heat and the surface – to eke out a half-century that she would consider perhaps far more valuable than the century she got against Australia in a losing cause just last week in Indore.If Devine’s half-century was the pillar, Brooke Halliday’s was the icing on the cake for the inventiveness. Like she briefly did against South Africa, Halliday negated the spin threat by sweeping the bowlers off their lengths. This isn’t to say she was over-aggressive at all times; she was measured to begin with and took calculated risks as her partnership with Devine progressed.They put on 112, and it took them 166 balls. But for much of that duration, they didn’t show the desperation to break free. Halliday top-scored with 69 before falling to trigger another mini-wobble. Her attempt to play a slog sweep led to a top-edge pouched by Nigar Sultana, and Devine was out trying to hack one over cow corner, in the same over where she had hit offspinner Nishita Akter for two sixes back-to-back.Brooke Halliday played the sweep to good effect•ICC/Getty Images

Fortunately, New Zealand were helped by late cameos from Maddy Green, Lea Tahuhu and Isabella Gaze, who combined to add 49 to help give the innings a late lift. New Zealand pocketed 74 off the last ten overs to have momentum with them at the halfway mark.Any chance Bangladesh had to take the game head-on was in the powerplay. But their top order looked diffident, with their inadequacies against the swing and seam of Jess Kerr and Rosemary Mair exposed. They hardly played an aggressive shot in the first ten overs, and quickly found themselves 22 for 3. This included the wicket of Sobhana Mostary. The half-centurion from their previous game against England was out for 2, to a leading edge to short third off Jess Kerr.If Bangladesh went spin, New Zealand continued to frontload with pace. After a thoroughly impressive first spell from Jess Kerr and Mair, Lea Tahuhu showed she has still got her bag of tricks, profiting not as much from raw pace but subtle changes in length and seam movement. Bowling the hard length, she had Sumaiya Akter chipping one to cover, and then had Shorna Akter lbw with a superb nip-backer. At 33 for 6, it was only a matter of time before Bangladesh folded.Fahima Khatun and Rabeya then resisted to add 44 for the eighth wicket to prolong New Zealand’s wait. Fahima’s early reprieve, when Gaze put down a regulation chance, helped her extend her stay. She was eventually the last batter out for 34 after stonewalling her way through 80 deliveries, with Bangladesh bowled out for 127 in 39.5 overs.Despite the win, New Zealand would reflect on their top-order woes that they would want to fix heading to Colombo. Suzie Bates did score 29 off 33 on Friday, her first runs in the World Cup, but Amelia Kerr and Georgia Plimmer were once again not able to force the pace in the powerplay. For now, Devine seems to be raising the bar with every innings, but with more trial by spin to come, they will do well to have the top order contributing more.

His mastery of angles from over the wicket and around keeps left-handed batters on their toes

Matt Roller24-Jul-2025

Jofra Archer has enjoyed bowling to left-handers in this series, and his career•Getty Images

It was a sight to make any fast bowler purr: a stump lodged in the outfield like a javelin after being uprooted and sent cartwheeling towards the wicketkeeper. It was made even better for Jofra Archer by the fact that it was the batter’s off stump, and better still that the batter in question was Rishabh Pant.Pant’s wicket on the second afternoon of the Manchester Test was Archer’s seventh of the series, and all seven had been left-handers. That was not a coincidence, but a wider trend of Archer’s career: he has bowled just over 30% of his deliveries in Test cricket to left-handers, but they account for more than 40% of his wickets.He did finally dismiss a right-hander for the first time this series when he had Jasprit Bumrah caught down the leg side on review, but the story of Archer’s return to England’s Test team has been his threat against lefties. He now averages 35.48 against right-handers in Tests compared to 21.66 against left-handers, and the trend extends across formats.Related

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The ball that accounted for Pant was the archetypal left-hander’s dismissal to a right-arm seamer in the modern era: angled in from around the wicket on a good length, before shaping away late to hit the off stump. It was once the angle of last resort but in 2025, more than 70% of balls from right-arm seamers to left-handers have been from around the wicket.But Archer’s threat to left-handers is exacerbated by the fact that he is just as comfortable bowling over the wicket to them, as he proved in his first over of the second morning. He created two chances in three balls to Ravindra Jadeja – the first dropped at gully, the second taken at second slip – which highlighted his great strength of keeping tight to the stumps.Compared to most right-arm seamers, Archer’s angle across left-handers from over the wicket is much less pronounced. The result is not only that he never offers enough width to be cut, but that he can keep multiple modes of dismissal in play with a single ball: his stock ball pitches in line with leg stump, unlocking the lbw, then shapes away off the seam to challenge the edge.

JOFRAAA!!

Archer flirts with the outside edge a few times, then gets the nick!

Harry Brook holds on and Ravindra Jadeja is gone for 20.

pic.twitter.com/F0XuLbAe6B

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 24, 2025