Pete Alonso returned to Citi Field on Monday with the Baltimore Orioles after seven seasons with the New York Mets, for whom he was arguably the face of the team.
Batting second for Baltimore, Alonso received a standing ovation from the crowd as his walk-up song "Layla" played over the ballpark loudspeakers. Alonso acknowledged the cheers by taking off his helmet and tipping it to the crowd.
Before the first pitch, fans chanted Alonso's name in appreciation for his seven seasons in Queens. The Mets also played a tribute video to their longtime slugger as fans and his former teammates applauded.
The chants continued as the game started and Alonso flew out to right field in his first at-bat.
In his seven seasons with the Mets, Alonso recorded a .253/.341/.516 slash line wth 264 home runs and 712 RBI. He won National League Rookie of the Year honors in 2019, when he hit 53 homers.

#seasons #field #first #fans

India will look to seal the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan when the two teams meet in the second match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.

India lead the series 1-0 after a convincing seven-wicket win in the first T20I. Afghanistan will need a much better performance to keep the series alive.
Afghanistan were in trouble early in the first T20I after losing five wickets for 43 runs inside the Power-play. Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi then put the innings back on track with an 83-run partnership.

Omarzai remained unbeaten on 64 off 44 **** as Afghanistan finished with 156/8. However, the total was not enough against India's strong batting line-up.

Arshdeep Singh was India's best bowler, taking 3/9. Jasprit **** rah also made an impact on his return to international cricket by picking up an early wicket. Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy also took wickets as Afghanistan struggled to build momentum.
India made the chase look easy thanks to an explosive innings from Abhishek Sharma.

The left-handed opener smashed 82 off just 32 **** , hitting seven fours and seven sixes. Ishan Kishan also made a useful contribution with 42.

India reached 157/3 in only 13.4 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Afghanistan's biggest concern will be their top order.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz was dismissed for a duck in the first over of the opening T20I. Afghanistan will need their top-order batters to give the team a stronger start and provide a platform for players such as Omarzai, Nabi and Rashid Khan.

The visitors have several match-winners in their squad, including Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Naveen-ul-Haq.

Captain Ibrahim Zadran, who is leading Afghanistan in his first series as full-time T20I captain, will hope his team can turn its individual talent into a more disciplined performance.
India also have some selection decisions to make despite their comfortable win in the first T20I.

Abhishek's 82 has strengthened his position at the top of the order, while Sanju Samson scored only 10 runs.

Ishan Kishan also scored 42, giving India another option in the batting line-up. Teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could also be in contention after missing the first T20I.

India will also be without Harshit Rana, who has been ruled out after suffering a rectus femoris strain. Yash Thakur has joined the squad as his replacement.

A win on Tuesday will give India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Afghanistan, meanwhile, need a victory to take the series into a decider.

#first #lead #seven #need

India is all set to take on Afghanistan in the opening T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday, September 13.
Shreyas Iyer's side looking to build momentum after a mixed white-ball summer that included series defeats in Ireland and England.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan will be hoping to avenge defeat in the one-off Test at Mullanpur earlier this year. Ibrahim Zadran's side has the perfectly volatile combination of a spin-heavy bowling attack and a batting lineup that's still trying to figure out their place.
With Jasprit **** rah and Washington Sundar also cleared just this week, India will be keen to prepare mentally for the upcoming Asian Games and New Zealand. The venue will also play a big part in the match.
Arun Jaitley Stadium has hosted only a handful of T20Is despite its status as one of India's most-used grounds across formats, and their most recent appearance produced one of the highest totals ever recorded there when India piled up 209 against Namibia in February 2026.

#september

If Carlos Correa is able to return to the Houston Astros lineup by the end of the regular season, he could play second base, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports.
Correa, who turns 32 on Sept. 22, has been on the injured list since May 6 with a torn tendon in his left ankle that required surgery to repair. His 2026 season was believed to be over, as a result.
However, the 12-year veteran has been progressing well in his recovery and ran the bases earlier this week. The plan is for Correa to take up to 10 at-bats in live batting practice at the Astros' spring-training complex in West Palm Beach, Florida. If he doesn't deal with any setbacks, Correa could go on a minor-league rehab **** ignment with Triple-A Sugar Land next week.
Carlos Correa has reported to West Palm Beach and hit in the cages and took grounders there today, Joe Espada said. The plan is for Correa to start hitting on the field Monday.
In 32 games this season, Correa recorded a .279/.369/.418 slash average with 3 home runs, 8 doubles and 16 RBI. He played 23 games at shortstop and 14 at third base.

#season

The Braves are rotating their lineup a bit to mitigate the Phillies' ability to play the matchup game. Instead of Harris batting cleanup behind Olson, Albies bats cleanup between the two as a deterrent against lefty relievers. Additionally, Mauricio Dubon replaces Mike Yastrzemski in left field.
Home cookin’ pic.twitter.com/esdWHepFee
Meanwhile, the Phillies shuffle their outfielders, facing the righty Mahle instead of the lefty Sale.
Saturday night in Atlanta#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/G0Bj5r02hy
Game Time: Saturday, September 12, 7:15 p.m. ET

#Braves

NEW DELHI: England captain Joe Root went past Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar's record for most fifties in Test cricket during England's eight-wicket win over Pakistan in the third Test at Edgbaston on Saturday.

Root remained unbeaten on 62 off 69 ****** , hitting nine fours, as England chased down 130 to complete a 3-0 Test series whitewash.

His unbeaten half-century took his tally of Test fifties to 69, moving him past Tendulkar's 68.

West Indies great Shivnarine Chanderpaul is third on the list with 66 fifties, while Allan Border and Rahul Dravid have 63 each. Ricky Ponting has 62.
69* – Joe Root
68 – Sachin Tendulkar
66 – Shivnarine Chanderpaul
63 – Allan Border

#past

New York Yankees are set to manage Aaron Judge's workload carefully, with Aaron Boone making a key decision involving the star ahead of the team's next two games.
Judge has endured a difficult season by his usual standards, batting .250 with 17 home runs, 38 RBIs and an .896 OPS in 62 games. Since returning from the injured list, he is 3-for-10 with one run, one walk and five strikeouts across three games, without a home run or RBI.
Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
MLB.com reporter Bryan Hoch revealed that Judge could sit out one of the Yankees' upcoming games, with Boone considering Sunday as a potential day off before Monday's contest against the Minnesota Twins.
"Aaron Judge is DHing today. Sunday 'potentially could be' an off-day for Judge, Aaron Boone said. If not, then look for Judge to sit Monday at Minnesota."

#boone #yankees #sunday #york

NEW DELHI: England completed a 3-0 Test series clean sweep over Pakistan at Edgbaston, but the series produced an unusual statistic.

It was only the eighth three-match Test series in history to finish without a single individual century. It was also only the second such series in England, after the 1888 Ashes.

England's batting was led by Joe Root, who remained unbeaten on 62 in the third Test, while Jordan **** scored an unbeaten 59 as England chased down 130 with eight wickets in hand.

The result gave England their second 3-0 Test series clean sweep over Pakistan, after their success in the 2022/23 series. It was also England's 15th three-match Test series sweep overall.

For Pakistan, it was their 11th Test series defeat by a 3-0 margin.
England's chase got off to a shocking start when Ben Duckett was dismissed for a duck with the first ball. Emilio Gay then fell later in the same over bowled by Mohammad Abbas.

At 2 for 2, Pakistan had a chance to put England under serious pressure.

But Root settled things down. He survived a major scare when Mohammad Ali bowled him for 23, only for the delivery to be called a no-ball.

It was Ali's 17th no-ball of the series.

Root had another lucky escape when, on 38, he edged Abbas between first and second slip. Neither fielder went for the catch.

The England batter made Pakistan pay for the missed opportunities. He went on to complete his 110th score of 50 or more in Test cricket, including 41 centuries.
Jordan **** provided excellent support for Root as the pair took control of the chase.

Cox remained unbeaten on 59 and helped England reach the target in just 25 overs.

Pakistan had shown plenty of fight in the third Test after conceding a massive 320-run first-innings lead. But England's dominance in the first two Tests meant the series was already heavily tilted in their favour.

Had Pakistan shown the same fight earlier in the series, the contest could have been much closer.
England's fast bowlers were the biggest difference between the two sides.

Ollie Robinson led the attack and finished the series with 21 wickets. Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson also played important roles as England's pace attack made the most of helpful conditions.

The batting, however, was less convincing.

No England batter scored a century across the three Tests, making the series only the eighth three-match Test series without an individual hundred and just the second in England after the 1888 Ashes.
Pakistan's biggest positive came from debutant Razaullah, who produced an exciting counter-attack at Edgbaston.

His thrilling 81 off 63 **** gave Pakistan hope and briefly brought the third Test to life.

But it was too late to change the outcome of the series.

Pakistan have now lost 16 of their 21 Tests. Their difficult tour was followed by major changes, with seven players replaced in the squad after the second Test and coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and his **** istant

Boston Red Sox have made a notable change to their lineup for Saturday's meeting with the Kansas City Royals, with Jarren Duran moving up the batting order as Boston looks to respond to three consecutive defeats.
Duran will remain in centre field for the second straight game, but interim manager Chad Tracy has opted to give the outfielder a different spot in the order for the latest Royals clash at Fenway Park.
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Duran will bat seventh against the Royals after hitting eighth in Friday night's series opener, which Boston lost 3-2.
The Red Sox have also kept Duran in centre field, with Ceddanne Rafaela and Eli White both on the injured list. Roman Anthony and Wilyer Abreu will join him in the outfield for Saturday's contest.

#duran #boston #jarren

Joe Root led England to a 3-0 Test series whitewash over Pakistan after scoring an unbeaten 62 in the third Test at Edgbaston. England were chasing 130 for victory but got off to a poor start. Ben Duckett was dismissed by Mohammad Abbas with the first ball of the innings, while opener Emilio Gay also fell later in the same over.

At 2 for 2, Pakistan had a chance to put England under pressure. But Root and Jordan **** remained calm and slowly took control of the chase.

It was the first time England had whitewashed Pakistan in a home Test series.

Root survived a big scare when Mohammad Ali bowled him for 23, only for the delivery to be called a no-ball. It was Ali's 17th no-ball of the series.

Pakistan then missed another opportunity when Root, on 38, edged Abbas between first and second slip. Neither fielder went for the catch.

Root made Pakistan pay for the missed chances. His unbeaten 62 was his 110th Test innings of 50 or more, a tally that includes 41 centuries.

Cox remained unbeaten on 59 as England reached the target in the 25th over with eight wickets in hand.
Pakistan had shown more fight in the third Test after conceding a huge 320-run first-innings deficit.

Root said the difficult chase was useful for England after Pakistan had put them under pressure.

"Fair play to Pakistan, ?they threw some punches last night. They made it very difficult for us and in some ways it's a good thing to go through that," said Root.

"Test cricket is not always going to go your own way but to see us actually be quite clinical with the bat off the back of that was good too. So ?in many ways we're better for it.

"Of course there's things we will want to improve on but we ?came into this ?series with a lot of question marks and a lot of noise around the team and we've walked away 3-0 winners so ?in that respect I'm quite ?pleased."
The series came after a difficult period for England, who had been looking to recover from their defeat to New Zealand following the Ashes loss.

Root's return to the captaincy after Ben Stokes' retirement from international cricket ended with a series whitewash.

Pakistan had one major positive in the third Test. Debutant Razaullah scored an impressive 81 off 63 **** , giving his team hope and bringing energy to the contest at Edgbaston.
England's fast bowlers were once again too strong for Pakistan on helpful surfaces.

Ollie Robinson led the attack and finished the series with 21 wickets to be named England's player of the series.

"I'm a realist, I know it's not always going to be like this," said Robinson, England's player of the series.

"We know there's ?going to be tougher times ahead. We have some tough opposition coming up and we're looking forward to the challenge."

Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson also played important roles in England's dominant series win.

England's batting was less convincing, with no batter managing to score a century in the three Tests.

NEW YORK - Ben Rice's 3-for-4 night and key ABS challenge (reversing what would've been an inning-ending strikeout) set up Cody Bellinger's big three-run homer Friday.
But there was a lot more going on with Yankees' offense in that 6-4 win against the Mets.
With a deeper lineup since Aaron Judge's return, "it feels like there's a lot of places we can hurt you,'' said manager Aaron Boone, after a 13-hit attack that included another big night for Luis Garcia Jr.
Seamlessly fitting in to his new environment since last month's trade from Washington, Garcia's three hits raised his Yankee batting average to .314, with an .866 OPS in 33 games.
Naturally, there are some alterations to Saturday's Yankees lineup, against a lefty in Zac Thornton (3-5, 3.53), on a day game after a night game.

#since #york #cody

Sourav Ganguly is widely regarded as one of the most influential captains in Indian cricket history. During his career, "Dada" was known for several memorable moments on and off the field, from making Steve Waugh wait at the toss and celebrating shirtless on the Lord's balcony to clashes with coaches Greg Chappell and John Buchanan, arguments with Shane Warne, and refusing to walk after Graeme Smith claimed a catch.

But former Australia captain Michael Clarke has shared another story that shows a lighter side of Ganguly.

In his book Eleven Gods and a Billion Indians, author Boria Majumdar quotes Clarke recalling an incident involving Ganguly and Ricky Ponting during a toss in India, although Clarke admits he does not remember which match it was.

"One of Clarke's favourite anecdotes goes thus: Ganguly and Ricky Ponting were out at the toss during one of the matches in India — Clarke doesn't specifically remember which one — and Ponting had the coin in hand. Just as he flipped the coin, Ganguly, if Clarke is to be believed, said, 'Head-Tail'.

"'Trust me, mate, that's what Ricky told me,' Clarke says, cracking up. 'Ricky said he couldn't fathom what had happened with Dada having said Head-Tail. [And, apparently it was said at the speed of lightning.] It had taken Ricky a second or two to come to grips with the situation and by that time the coin had come down. Ganguly just picked it up and said to Ricky, "We'll bat" and walked off. India had won the toss and were batting. Ricky did not really know what to do or say and all he did was tell us in the dressing room exactly what happened at the toss," Clarke was quoted as saying in the book.

Clarke is not sure which match the incident took place in.

According to available records, Ganguly won five tosses against Ricky Ponting, and all of those came outside India; twice during the 2003 World Cup and three times in the 2003-04 VB Series. That means Clarke may have mixed up the venue while recalling the story, as Ponting would have been the one calling the toss if the match had been played in India.

Clarke, however, clearly states that he does not remember the exact match in which the incident happened.

#clarke #ponting

England have wrapped up victory over Pakistan in the third Test by eight wickets to seal a 3-0 series win.
Here's how the players rated at Edgbaston.
Emilio Gay - 6 - A gritty Test-best of 60 in tricky batting conditions in the first innings looked to have gone some way towards securing his place on the plane for a winter tour of South Africa, only for a duck next time round to bring back some uncertainty. (Series - 6)
Ben Duckett - 2 - A miserable end to the summer for the opener who will now come under some scrutiny. Made 11 and zero in this match and finishes this three-Test series well down the averages with a disappointing 44 runs at 8.8. (Series - 2)
Jordan **** - 7 - A cheap dismissal in the first innings but made a nerveless unbeaten 59 to take the sting out of Pakistan after a wobble in the chase. A particularly impressive effort with the gloves - taking five dismissals - after being called upon to keep following Jamie Smith's injury may have given the selectors food for thought in the role. (Series - 7)

#england #edgbaston #south

Pakistan great Wasim Akram has expressed frustration over the country's continued struggles in Test cricket, arguing that the lack of quality batting talent emerging through the system has become a major concern.

Speaking to the media in Lahore on Friday, the former fast bowler said Pakistan's home-and-away Test series defeat to Bangladesh should have prompted the authorities to take immediate corrective measures. Instead, he felt little changed after what should have been a warning sign.

Akram pointed towards the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which has been running for a decade, and questioned whether the tournament had produced any significant batting talent for the national team.

"It has been 10 years since the PSL started, but has a single batter been produced by the PSL? Yes we have produced a few bowlers but tell me have we produced any noteworthy batting talent," he questioned.
Akram also highlighted the emergence of a 15-year-old batting talent in neighbouring India, an apparent reference to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, as an example of the kind of player Pakistan needs to produce.

"I think when we produce a batting talent like the 14-year old then we will see improvement coming through," Akram said.

While he felt Pakistan remained competitive in white-ball cricket, the former pacer was far less optimistic about the team's position in the longer format, describing the state of Test cricket as "bad".

Akram also played down the importance of who takes charge as Pakistan's coach, saying that whether the PCB appoints him or Gary Kirsten, the fundamental challenge would remain because the coach would still be working with the same pool of players.

Rather than repeatedly changing personnel, Akram called for the PCB's domestic structure to be given time to produce results. He believes the system should be allowed to operate for three to four years, with patience and long-term planning essential to any improvement.

Akram admitted that he was just as disappointed as any other Pakistani by the team's recent performances.

"Club cricket needs to be revived if we want improvement in red ball cricket. The PCB should spend 100 million rupees each in Karachi and Lahore, as talent comes from club cricket."

He also called for greater consistency in the national side, pointing out that Pakistan have continued to rotate players without addressing the underlying problems.

He said there should be consistency in the team, but the players remain the same -- they just keep coming and going.
Pakistan's ongoing Test series in England also came under scrutiny, with Akram criticising the team's approach against the home bowlers.

"In England in the ongoing series they didn't move their front foot forward, playing bowlers like Ollie Robinson while standing rooted in the crease. You need to play with courage, but for that, talent is essential."

Akram also offered his ******* sment of Pakistan's fast-bowling resources, arguing that raw pa

India's search for consistency in T20I cricket will continue with a three-match series against Afghanistan, but the team's batting combination could once again come under scrutiny, particularly with vice-captain Tilak Varma's role yet to appear fully settled.

India, led by Shreyas Iyer, endured a difficult run following their second consecutive T20 World Cup triumph earlier this year. The team lost all six of its T20Is against Ireland and England before finally putting together a 3-0 clean sweep against Zimbabwe.

The Afghanistan series begins on September 13 (Saturday), with India also scheduled to play a historic T20I against ******* an before featuring in the Asian Games 2026.
With several established batters competing for places, former South Africa star AB de Villiers believes India could face a selection headache, particularly when it comes to deciding where Tilak Varma fits into the batting order.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, de Villiers pointed to the number of batting options available to India and questioned how the team would accommodate its vice-captain.

"There will definitely be some selection issues with regard to the batters. Obviously, Shreyas, captain, Ishan Kishan, Samson, Sooryavanshi, and then there are all-rounders, Tilak Varma; I think that's where the balance is quite tricky. Where will he bat?" de Villiers said.

Tilak's recent numbers also underline why his position could become a talking point.

Since the 2026 T20 World Cup, the left-hander has scored 255 runs from 10 innings at a strike rate of 159.36, with three scores of 50 or more. However, the numbers need some context. One of those half-centuries came during the recent Zimbabwe series, while another was scored in the fifth T20I against England, by which point India had already conceded the series.

His overall returns therefore look stronger in isolation than his performances across the entire period suggest. Tilak endured a particularly difficult run during India's tour of the UK, and his inconsistency has remained a concern despite the occasional big score. That makes his position in India's batting order an even bigger talking point ahead of the Afghanistan series.

The presence of Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gives India several batting options, while the team also has to factor in its all-rounders.

For de Villiers, the challenge is not simply about selecting the strongest players but finding a combination in which every batter has a clearly defined role.

He believes India have enough quality in their squad to deal with Afghanistan, but stressed that clarity will be particularly important against a side he considers dangerous.

"Really, really strong squad, but the balance will be tricky to figure out. It is T20 cricket, so they can play around with the squad a little bit. There are different roles, but the role clarification will still be incredibly important for India, as

NEW DELHI: Ishan Kishan and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi shared a fun moment after East Zone's memorable Duleep Trophy 2026/27 triumph. Kishan, who captained East Zone in the final against South Zone, had a light-hearted exchange with his 15-year-old deputy over who should get the credit for the successful DRS calls during the match.

Kishan had a memorable final, scoring more than 350 runs across the two innings, including a stunning 270 in the first innings, and was named Player of the Match.
Kishan jokingly claimed that Sooryavanshi had taken all the credit for the DRS calls, even though the captain was the one who was initially going to take the reviews.

"Yeh sab review mein credit le hi liya hai har jagah. Bhale main lene waala tha review, but aake mast bol deta tha main aapke paas aa jaata hu. Phir toh internet will be like: Vaibhav! My goodness! Vaibhav is the one! Toh bohot acche se isne woh kaarya nibhaya hai. (I am very happy (He has taken all the credit for the review everywhere. Even though I was about to take the review, he would come and say it so confidently, 'I'll come to you'. Then the internet will be like: Vaibhav!)," Kishan said in a video posted on BCCI's social media handle.

Sooryavanshi was quick with his reply.

"Aur jab field ke bahar jaa rahe the tab kon le raha tha review? Yeh bhi toh bata dijiye! (When we were going off the field, who was taking the reviews then? Tell us that too!)"

Kishan then praised the teenager's leadership qualities and suggested that Sooryavanshi could have a bright future as a captain.

"Haan, that was Vaibhav himself! Yes. Future captain, maybe? Let's see how it goes. But it's very good to have him in the team because more than a very good player, he's a very nice boy who takes care of each and every one in the team, whether it's a junior player or senior."

Kishan then jokingly corrected himself when talking about Sooryavanshi being a junior.

"Achha, junior toh tu hi hua (Oh, you are not a junior anymore now), sorry, sorry. That is one quality which I love about him. Hopefully, he'll be more dangerous than what he is today.

"I think it's not going to be his first or the last. I think he's gonna play many more like this, and he'll keep performing the way he's doing right now," he stated.
Sooryavanshi also spoke about the fun atmosphere in the East Zone camp and praised Kishan for his outstanding batting performance in the final.

"The way we were off the field and the way we were enjoying inside, it was a lot of fun. The way he batted in the final, it was unbelievable. I can't say anything much about it.

"I think the match changed from there and as a captain, a lot of people have been watching and playing under him for a long time. It was a lot of fun to play in his captaincy. We enjoyed a lot."
Kishan ended the exchange by stressing the importance of enjoying the game as a team.

"The most important thing is to enjoy. The result is not in our hands, but to enjoy as a t

25-year-old Guardians LHP Parker Messick made his MLB debut last August, and so far the results have been pretty spectacular. Even if they're helped a little by a lucky batting average on **** in play (he's at .264 for the season, the MLB average is .289). That's not a crazy outlier though, I don't think. Messick relies heavily on a 94-ish fastball and slightly slower sinker; that combo has been dynamite for him this season. He'll frequently mix in a change, less frequently some breaking stuff.
75 years ago, Bill Veeck pulled one of his signature wacky baseball stunts. He signed 3'7" Eddie Gaedel to the Browns' roster and had him pinch-hit in a game. Gaedel drew a walk — obviously his strike zone was small — and Veeck replaced him with a pinch-runner. The pinch-runner didn't score
Now, Veeck owned the St. Louis Browns at that time, not the team in Cleveland. (So this is kinda the wrong week for this post. I thought this happened in Cleveland, until I started writing it.)
But Veeck had owned the Indians for four years, selling them in 1950 when he needed money for a divorce settlement. And had done some notable things with the team, like signing the first Negro League player to join the American League, Larry Doby. (When manager Lou Boudreau introduced Doby to the team, three players refused to shake his hand — and Veeck got rid of all three.) In 1949, Veeck signed Satchel Paige, the oldest rookie to ever play in MLB at the age of 41; he'd pitch 155.2 innings over two seasons for the team (and then became a two-time All-Star with the Browns).
Veeck claimed the idea of using a small person as a pinch-hitter was his own notion… however, there'd been a 1941 story in The Saturday Evening Post called "You Could Look it Up" by James Thurber, author of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." You can read the Thurber story here, if you like. It has paintings by Norman Rockwell which are very detailed and striking, as usual:

#pinch #cleveland

England had "no plan" and were "out of control" in the face of Razaullah's stunning hitting on the third day of the final Test against Pakistan, according to former captain Alastair Cook.
Razaullah, the 21-year-old batting at number nine on Test debut, clobbered 81 from 63 ****** at Edgbaston.
He shared a ninth-wicket partnership of 121 with Muhammad Abbas to drag the third Test into an unlikely fourth day, with England set 130 for victory.
Though England are heavy favourites to earn a 3-0 clean sweep, the carnage of the final session was an alarming spell as Joe Root begins his second spell as captain.
Root's tactics were often criticised in his first spell as skipper and there were further questions of the Yorkshireman when he stood in for former captain Ben Stokes earlier this summer.

#former

Cancel the tee booked at the Belfry, rearrange the trip to Cadbury World and abort the shopping jolly to the Bullring.
The reason? Pakistan debutant Razaullah and 'Razball'.
England's bowlers were thwarted by a Pakistan side who mixed batting belligerence with brilliance and instead of a Saturday off must reconvene at Edgbaston for day four.
The brilliance was provided by Razaullah, who produced a dizzying knock to breathe life into the third Test and lift the spirits of Pakistan supporters everywhere. A new hero, a new hope.
Bazball might be on its way out, but has Birmingham might just witnessed the birth of new phenomenon during two hours of unbridled chaos during which he made a stunning 81 off 63 **** coming in at number nine.

#Pakistan

With 2.5 weeks remaining in the regular season, those in the fantasy baseball playoffs should be focused on adding players with favorable schedules in the coming days. The list this week includes hitters to stream this weekend (Henry Bolte, Jeff McNeil, Colt Keith) as well as those who should be added by Monday (Ty France, Mickey Moniak, Cole Carrigg).
The same can be said on the pitching side, as those who need a weekend streamer can skip to the bottom of this article.
Ty France, 1B, Padres, 31%: France has been one of baseball's best hitters in the second half, batting .324 with a .937 OPS. Unfortunately, he remains on waivers in many leagues, as managers opt to chase an influx of exciting rookies rather than adding a boring veteran. But that should change over the weekend, as France and his teammates will open next week with four games at Coors Field against a Rockies pitching staff that ranks last in baseball with a 5.50 ERA. Managers in deeper formats could also consider Jake Cronenworth (6%), who has hit second in the lineup of late, or catcher Luis Campusano (1%), who is working as a DH often enough to keep him in the regular lineup.
Mickey Moniak, OF, Rockies, 26%: Moniak has some similarities to France, as a boring veteran who is having his productive season overshadowed by a constant stream of youngsters on the waiver wire. The 28-year-old has been terrific at home (.957 OPS) and against right-handers (.835 OPS) this season, which makes him a potential league-winner next week when the Rockies play seven games at their hitter-friendly home park, including five versus right-handed starters. Those who cannot add Moniak can consider his teammate, Cole Carrigg (15%).
Henry Bolte, OF, Athletics, 30%: Bolte is the fastest runner in baseball and has a bit of pop, which has made him the Athletics regular leadoff hitter and one of baseball's most explosive players. He is batting .320 since the beginning of August, and during September he has already accumulated four homers and five steals. Like many Athletics hitters, Bolte has fared best at his offense-inducing home park, which is where he will play this weekend. It helps that the series will come against the Mariners, who surprising rank 28th in baseball with a 5.39 ERA since the All-Star break.

#moniak #Rockies #athletics #week

The FSU baseball program has landed its fourth player in the 2028 recruiting class, and it is yet another in-state prospect, with two-way player Garrett Harper committing on Thursday.
"Officially committed to Florida State University! 🍢 Thank you to my parents, family, friends, coaches, teammates, and Brad for believing in me and helping me get here." he wrote on social media. "Thank you to FSU for the opportunity to continue my academic & baseball journey. Time to work!"
Harper is a left-handed pitcher and outfielder from Cocoa Beach, Florida. He was originally a member of the 2029 recruiting class, but reclassified to join the 2028 class in April. He has a great frame at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds.
He had a strong freshman season at Cocoa Beach High School and is looking to take another step as a junior after skipping his sophomore season. He finished the season hitting .442 with nine doubles, one home run, 19 RBI, and 27 runs in 29 games. He recorded a .509 on-base percentage, walking 11 times and striking out twice.
He made 12 appearances on the mound, going 3-0 with a 2.07 ERA in 44 innings. He held opponents to a .179 batting average, allowing 26 runs (13 earned) on 28 hits and 30 walks, striking out 69 batters. He faced 190 batters and did not allow an extra-base hit.

#class #harper #thank #cocoa

NEW YORK — As the freshly-promoted Anthony Volpe settled into a new locker inside the Yankees' clubhouse on Thursday, he said that he felt as if he had been in a "bubble" at Triple-A.
Not because he was stuck in the minors, but because he was focused on trying to improve his game. Volpe said he was so locked in that he didn't even realize Jazz Chisholm Jr. sprained his thumb on Tuesday until RailRiders manager Shelley Duncan told him.
"I wanted to get a lot out of it," Volpe, recalled on Thursday after Chisholm was placed on the 10-day injured list, said of Triple-A. "You have a game every night to try out different stuff and feel what works and feel like it's going to translate in case an opportunity like this comes. So there was just a lot of trial and error."
On Thursday, however, Volpe only found results, going 3 for 4 with a grand slam that broke open the Yankees' series-sweeping, 10-3 win over the Rockies. The seventh-inning blast earned the New York native a curtain call from a crowd that has booed him plenty over the last few years.
Volpe, batting ninth, also had an RBI single and a stolen base on Thursday. He didn't make an error while starting at second base for the first time as a big leaguer, either.

#didn 't #like

Red Sox Prospect's Season In Jeopardy After Unfortunate Injury originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Kristian Campbell's bid to return to the Boston Red Sox took an unfortunate turn with little time remaining in the minor league season. The Worcester Red Sox placed Campbell on the seven-day injured list Thursday because of a left foot contusion, according to MassLive's Chris Cotillo. Infielder Max Ferguson was promoted from Double-A Portland to fill the open roster spot.
Campbell reportedly had been dealing with a sore toe before leaving Tuesday's game against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in the sixth inning. The timing makes the injury particularly frustrating. Worcester has only 10 games remaining before its season concludes Sept. 20, leaving Campbell with a limited window to return.
It also could eliminate whatever chance remained of Campbell joining Boston for its postseason push.
The 24-year-old has spent the entire 2026 campaign in Triple-A after struggling during his first major league opportunity. He batted .223 with a .664 OPS, six home runs and 21 RBIs across 67 games for the Red Sox in 2025. Campbell, once ranked as MLB Pipeline's No. 7 overall prospect, produced an encouraging opening month and earned American League Rookie of the Month honors after batting .301 with four home runs. His production dropped considerably afterward, however, and Boston optioned him to Worcester in June 2025.

#boston #return

CHENNAI: Ishan Kishan has developed a habit of saving his best for the big occasion. Last year, he led Jharkhand to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy ***** le and produced a match-winning century in the final, a performance that helped him earn his way back into India's T20I setup. After playing a matchwinning hand against Pakistan in Colombo in the T20 World Cup earlier in the year, Kishan delivered again in the Duleep final on Monday, leading East Zone against South at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Kishan smashed 270 off 334 ***** (30x4, 7x6), taking East to a mammoth 708 all out, ***** ar Kushagra chipping in with 101 as well. The double century, his second in first-class cricket, came after a gap of 10 years and has further strengthened his case for a return to India's red-ball setup.

A triple century seemed on the cards after he crossed 250, but Kishan said that personal landmarks never occupied his mind. Interestingly, he himself was unaware that it had been 10 years since he scored a first-class double century. "Honestly, I wasn't even thinking about 50, forget 300. I was only thinking about 50-run partnerships," Kishan said.

The double century came off 273 ***** . He then accelerated dramatically, reaching 250 in only 27 more ***** . But the intent, he said, was never to chase numbers. "I didn't change anything in my game plan. I was just batting normally. Once I got set, my thought was not to throw my wicket away. I have enough confidence in my shots to know that if I play well, I will either clear the field or find the gap," he said.

For Kishan, the most satisfying aspect of the innings was the temperament he showed. With East having won the toss and opted to bat, the priority was to build a total that would put South under pressure. "I would rate this innings very highly because I kept the team's goal ahead of my own runs. There were moments when I could have played more attacking shots, but the priority was to spend time in the middle, make good decisions and build a big total," he said.

That approach was shaped by a mindset Kishan believes has changed considerably during his time away from the Indian team. Having spent to two years grinding it out in domestic cricket, he said the experience taught him to simplify his game. "When you're playing for India regularly, sometimes you get into a flow and your growth can stagnate. Going back to domestic cricket makes you start from zero. You realise there are so many players scoring runs and that you have to perform better to get back," he said.

#year

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi may have been among the early contributors for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy final, but it was captain Ishan Kishan who eventually stole the show with a breathtaking double century against South Zone at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Sooryavanshi opened the innings for East Zone and made a brisk 44 off 37 deliveries. During the match, former India cricketer and commentator Vivek Razdan used Kishan's remarkable innings to offer some advice to the teenage batter.

"Sooryavanshi sahab, now you have to learn from players like Ishan Kishan. Once you are set, you have to learn how to play a long innings," Razdan said on commentary.

The message came as Kishan continued to pile on the runs and turn the final into a one-sided contest.
Resuming on 385/4, East Zone's batters showed little sign of slowing down. South Zone turned to the new ball in search of wickets, but Mohammad Siraj and MD Nidheesh struggled to make an impact.

Kishan immediately put pressure on the bowlers, collecting consecutive boundaries against Siraj before taking on Nidheesh. ***** ar Kushagra also joined the ***** ault as South Zone rotated between pace and spin.

Kushagra eventually completed his sixth first-class century, scoring 101 from 132 ***** with eight fours and five sixes. His dismissal shortly before lunch finally gave South Zone a breakthrough.

Kishan, meanwhile, remained in complete control.

The East Zone captain repeatedly found gaps in the field and punished anything loose. Even when South Zone introduced part-timers Devdutt Padikkal and Shaikh Rasheed, the flow of runs did not stop.

Kishan brought up his double century from 270 ***** and continued attacking thereafter. He raced beyond 250 before fatigue briefly forced him to retire from the field.

East Zone continued marching towards a massive total, eventually crossing 600 and then 700. When Mohammed Shami was dismissed for a quick 28, Kishan returned to the crease with the possibility of reaching an extraordinary triple century.
Kishan's pursuit of 300 ultimately came to an end when he was caught near the long-on boundary. The left-hander departed for a monumental 270 from 334 ***** , having smashed 30 fours and seven sixes.

His innings was the eighth-highest individual score in Duleep Trophy history and formed the backbone of East Zone's mammoth 708 all out.

Razdan had earlier highlighted not just the quality of Kishan's batting but also the physical demands of staying at the crease for such an extended period.

"Every person who is present here at this time stood up and applauded this innings. Because this is not just technique, this is not just temperament, this is also match fitness. To stay out there for so long in such heat and play an innings like this. What an innings by Ishan Kishan."

Kishan's marathon effort, alongside Kushagra's century, ensured East Zone posted more than 700 for only the third time in first-class cricket history at Chepauk.

Shohei Ohtani's return to the Los Angeles Dodgers' lineup Monday, Sept. 7 wasn't exactly a return to form just yet for the back-to-back National League MVP.
Back in his usual spot atop the batting order, Ohtani went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a walk in a 6-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Results aside, however, manager Dave Roberts was pleased with how Ohtani's swing looked compared to five days ago.
But as far as when Ohtani might return to the mound for the defending World Series champions, that news was rather bleak. Ohtani told reporters postgame that he doesn't expect to pitch again this season.
"Most likely no," Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton when asked if he's still working towards getting back on the mound. "I'm gonna be focusing on hitting moving forward."
Ohtani has not pitched in a game since July 3 due to lingering injuries in his left knee and right bicep.

#national

NEW YORK (AP) — After missing more than three months, Aaron Judge is ready to return to the New York Yankees.
The three-time MVP was reinstated from the 60-day injured list Monday night, an off day for the Yankees. They open a three-game series at home Tuesday night against the Colorado Rockies.
Judge hasn't played since May 31 because of a broken right rib, but the slugger traveled with the Yankees on their recent trip to the West Coast. He took batting practice on the field multiple times last weekend in San Diego and ran the bases as he worked toward his return.
The outfielder will rejoin New York's active roster without going on a minor league rehab ******* ignment first. Throughout his absence, Judge said he wouldn't need a stint in the minors to get ready.
"If I tell them I'm ready to go play, I think we're ready to go play," Judge said on Aug. 27. "I'm not a pitcher. I'm a position player. I can get my reps down here in the cage. I'm in every game. I'm sitting there in the dugout watching every game, feeling the environment, feeling the energy, so I don't think there's going to be much of a difference."

#night #going

Call it a winning streak!
Not for the White Sox. Taking two of three from an AL Central rival in what wound up being emphatic 10-1 fashion is always satisfying, but it wasn't two in a row. No, folks, I'm celebrating me and my absolute heater of 10 wins in 11 recap tries. Put me in every day, Brett!
The box score does betray the tension that underlined the majority of this one. Hosting their first Sunday Night Baseball broadcast as a first place team since 2008, the tone of the game was lively early, though the bulk of the early action was a straightforward redux of the frustrating offensive play the Sox have produced since the All-Star break. They rank near the bottom of the league with a .240 batting average with RISP since then, and it feels like that average should be a lot lower, because getting runners in from the basepaths without the longball has been like pulling teeth lately.
The theme continued with verve for what I'd call the majority of the game — though ultimately, and fortunately, not the entirety of it. Sam Antonacci led off the first and fifth innings with a double, sandwiching back-to-back free bases from the non-brothers Montgomery to open the second frame and preceding Tristan Peters' own leadoff double an inning later. They even queued up a rally in the third inning, when Miguel Vargas and Andrew Benintendi reached base before Colson Montgomery's second punchout of the game ended the threat. Colson finished with a golden sombrero, bringing him to 197 on the season. When he presumably reaches the ignominious 200-K milestone, he'll make the White Sox the only team to have three separate players break the 200 strikeout threshold in a season. Yoán Moncada did it most recently, and I don't think I need to type the name of the one who did it first.
If you've been following the team as of late, it won't be surprising that almost none of those White Sox rallies resulted in any runs, as Twins starter Bailey Ober labored through 4 1/3 innings with highly-diminished stuff. Still, when the Minnesota pen got the call, only one Sox run had been stuck on the board, as Antonacci did make his way around in the fifth, after Murakami shot a single through the right side:

#white #call #since #majority

Something isn't right with Shohei Ohtani. It has been obvious to Dodgers fans for a couple of weeks, and is finally became apparent to the team. So, for the last four nights, Ohtani has found himself on the bench, resting his injured left knee and balky right biceps. The team is now considering whether or not to put him on the injured list.
Both of these injuries have kept Ohtani off the mound since July 3rd. But, for a while, the maladies did not truly affect his offense. In fact, in the first 35 games after his last pitching appearance, Ohtani slashed .309/.366/.626, with eleven home runs and nine doubles.
But since the day he hit two home runs in Denver against the Rockies — a run of 13 games — he is slashing a mere .137/.290/.255, with one double, triple, and homer. And on Wednesday night against the Cardinals, he struck out four times. That brought his batting average down to .279, his lowest mark since May 30th. But it was not just the four punch outs, it was how he looked in those at-bats. Ohtani, who typically unleashes ferocious swings, matching power with power, looked overmatched and out of sorts. He looked diminished, off-balance, and considerably less than 100%.
Last month Ohtani started a throwing program to get him back on the mound as soon as possible. After a handful of good bullpen sessions, the pain in the right knee raised its head again, and Los Angeles was forced to shut down their two-way star. While in Detroit last week, manager Dave Roberts stated that "if any pitcher was feeling like this, we wouldn't run him out there," so neither will his $700 million star.
But there was hope that once the thought of (and thus the training necessary to) pitching again was off the table, Shohei would get back in the groove in the batter's box. Unfortunately for the Dodgers, whose offense has been in a funk for more than a month, that has not been the case. He has two singles since that time, one at 66-mph and one at 78-mph — a far cry from the 100-mph+ that fans have become accustomed to from the slugger (according to Savant, his 93.2-mph average exit velocity is in the 97th percentile).

#shohei

Dave Roberts reveals when Shohei Ohtani could finally return to Dodgers lineup originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Dodgers could soon have Shohei Ohtani back in their lineup after the superstar missed his fourth consecutive game Sunday night.
Ohtani remained sidelined because of physical issues that have included discomfort in his right biceps and left knee. While any injury involving the four-time MVP creates concern, Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts has offered optimism about his progress.
The Dodgers have understandably taken a cautious approach with one of baseball's most valuable players, especially considering what Ohtani has accomplished this season.
Ohtani is batting .279 with 30 home runs, 80 RBIs and 11 stolen bases across 499 at-bats. He also owns a .906 OPS, once again giving Los Angeles elite production near the top of its lineup.

#Dodgers #shohei #sporting #preferred