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Nothing sets the mood for playoff baseball quite like a Capital One ad.

As the Blue Jays were two outs away from their first World Series appearance since 1993, the Fox broadcast cut to an advertisement for Capital One, a move that did not gel well with the built-up tension for fans watching at home. Check it out below:

The importance of each pitch in playoff baseball, let alone in the ninth inning of Game 7 in the American League Championship series, is impossible to overstate. So viewers were not happy about the interruption, to say the least:

Toronto prevailed in the end, shutting the door on the Mariners in a 4-3 win thanks to George Springer's electric go-ahead home run in the seventh inning. Springer's dinger powered the Blue Jays to overcome homers from Seattle stars Julio Rodríguez and Cal Raleigh earlier in the game.

Game 7 of the ALCS lived up to the hype despite the vibe killer of an ad during the ninth inning. Let's all hope Fox learns from its mistakes during the World Series, where the Blue Jays are off to meet the defending champion Dodgers in a Game 1 slated for Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

Postseason baseball is the best, with drama on each pitch. Let's keep it that way.

If you’re going to make history, you might as well do it in style.

On Friday, Yankees slugger Aaron Judge took over sole possession of fourth place on the franchise’s all-time home run list, breaking a tie with legend Joe DiMaggio with career dinger No. 362. Judge had just matched DiMaggio yesterday, with two home runs against the Tigers.

Facing off against the Red Sox on Friday, Judge decided to one-up himself in terms of showmanship, smashing his tie-breaking home run all the way over the Green Monster and out of Fenway Park.

Look at this tater.

And here it is from the ump cam. Delightful.

Judge currently sits at 362 home runs in pinstripes. The only three players in front of him are all legends—Lou Gerhig (493), Mickey Mantle (536) and Babe Ruth (659).

While it might take a while for Judge to jump up to the next spot on the list, we’re undoubtedly in for plenty more unbelievable highlights between now and then.

Well, it appears that Liverpool are back in their biannual rut. Just as the Anfield side have shown themselves to be capable of hitting staggering heights over the past decade or so, they have also battled through several challenging campaigns in recent years.

This is, sadly, a crisis for Arne Slot, whose tactics aren’t working after a summer transfer window of sweeping change.

The likes of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak have been disappointing, and no mistake. However, Liverpool’s wider systematic issues have made it difficult for such players to bed in.

Could it be that, against the cascade of arrivals on Merseyside, sporting director Richard Hughes oversaw one too many sales too?

How Luis Diaz has sparkled at Bayern Munich

After 11 Premier League fixtures this season, Liverpool are eighth in the standings. It is not so much Arsenal’s eight-point advantage over last year’s champions as the difference in fluency and solidity that has made the gulf insurmountable.

The upheaval could have been eased, to be sure, had certain measures not been taken this summer. For example, it was probably a mistake to have sold Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich. He has been rampant since moving to Germany, scoring 11 goals in his first 17 matches.

The 28-year-old had stepped toward the penultimate year of his contract at Anfield, and despite efforts to spark a renewal, it became clear from all parties that a deal could be struck if Liverpool’s valuation was met.

And it was. The Bundesliga champions paid £65.5m for the versatile forward; the money was good, but Liverpool lost a winger who scored 17 goals and provided eight assists last season, and offered so much pressing impact and tenacity, both on and off the ball.

However, Diaz’s departure was an understandable one, given the circumstances, and there’s another Redman whose efforts overseas this season have shown that Slot and co made a big error in letting him leave.

Hughes made a bigger mistake than selling Diaz

Liverpool are bound to smooth out the creases in Slot’s side at some stage, but there’s no escaping the fact that it hasn’t been good enough this season.

Out of the Carabao Cup and facing a fight for Champions League qualification, let alone the Premier League title, Liverpool have a whole host of problems, but there’s unquestionably been something missing in central midfield, and Tyler Morton might have been able to do something about it, had he not been sold to Lyon in France for around £15m in August.

Hailed for his “incredible IQ” by journalist Bence Bocsak, the 23-year-old Morton is a creative and enterprising midfielder, industrious in his work ethic and more than happy to cover ground across the engine room, working hard to protect the defence and win back the ball before driving it forward and into the danger area.

He is early into his career with Lyon in Ligue 1, but the Wallasey-born midfielder has demonstrated remarkable confidence and maturity to make headway after a difficult, peripheral year under Slot’s wing, commenting since leaving that he didn’t “feel the trust” from the Dutch coach, not handed a single minute in the Premier League.

Matches (starts)

11 (11)

Goals

1

Assists

1

Touches*

63.1

Accurate passes*

40.0 (86%)

Chances created*

1.3

Dribble (success)*

0.6 (70%)

Recoveries

4.2

Tackles + interceptions*

2.4

Ground duels won*

3.2 (61%)

His league form so far this season would suggest that a mistake has been made, especially when considering Slot’s reluctance to play veteran Wataru Endo.

With Morton so early into his career and without the top experience of many ahead of him, there’s so much reason for Lyon to be excited about this talent and where he might take them.

Not Liverpool, though. Morton has been released from the books, and this might just come back to bite Slot, with the homegrown star’s sale more puzzling than that of the 28-year-old Diaz, who wanted to leave.

Liverpool star is quickly becoming their biggest "disaster" since Keita

Arne Slot has a Naby Keita-style situation on his hands with this expensive Liverpool flop.

2 ByKelan Sarson Nov 13, 2025

Kent appeared to be cruising but Sussex’s lower order had other ideas

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay 07-Aug-2025Sussex 288 for 7 (Carter 68, Carson 50*, Cohen 4-65) beat Kent 287 for 9 (52 Evison, Hudson-Prentice 3-65) by 3 wickets A remarkable and unbroken eighth wicket stand of 88 in 11 overs between Jack Carson and Archie Lenham saw Sussex to an unlikely three-wicket win over Kent with ten balls to spare in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup at Arundel.Kent looked home and dry in their opening game when they had Sussex 200 for 7 in the 38th over. They had weathered a fifth wicket stand of 90 between Oli Carter (68) and John Simpson (50) and then dismissed the dangerous Danny Lamb for 16.But Carson struck his maiden List A fifty off 43 balls, with five fours and a six. And Lenham made 45 off 38 with six fours and a six. The match was still in doubt with 22 needed off the last three overs. And it was leg-spinner Lenham who settled the argument when he hit Michael Cohen for 14 off three balls, an on-drive for six, a square slash for four and an off-drive for another boundary.That left Sussex needing five from the last two overs and Carson hit the first two deliveries from Fred Klassen for four.Earlier, Cohen, a South African-born left-arm seamer who is qualified to play for France, looked set to be the hero of the day. He had made a memorable first appearance for Kent when he took three wickets in his opening spell before returning to dismiss danger man Carter.Cohen, whose debut had been delayed by injury, struck with his second ball when he had Danial Ibrahim lbw and broke through again with the first ball of his second over when he bowled one across the left-handed Tom Haines to have the batsman caught behind.Fynn Hudson-Prentice looked anxious to dispel local concerns that he was batting too high in the order at No 4 when he flicked Cohen for two leg-side fours before driving him for two more. But Sussex kept losing wickets. Tom Clark had his middle stump knocked back by Klaassen as he went for an extravagant off-side stroke to make it 50 for three and in the next over the dangerous Hudson-Prentice was caught at backward square-leg.Sussex, who had lost their opening game against Durham, decided to bowl first on a slow pitch and made a good start. Jaydn Denly, driving, was well caught by Henry Crocombe at backward point off the last delivery of the first over and opening partner Ben Compton was caught behind off Ari Karvelas to make it 27 for 2 in the sixth over.Kent rebuilt through Joey Evison and and Chris Benjamin, who added 81 in 14 overs before both were dismissed by exceptional pieces of fielding. Lamb came on to bowl the 20th over and off his first delivery he produced an outstanding one-handed catch, flinging himself to his left, to dismiss the bewildered Benjamin. And in the next over Carter held on to a stinging catch at short midwicket to end Evison’s innings, a 54-ball 52 which included ten fours.For the second time Kent, winners of the competition in 2022, regrouped again, first through captain Harry Finch – a former Sussex player – and the Orpington-born Ekansh Singh, a recent century maker for the England Under-19 side, who put on 89 in 17 overs, and then again through Jack Leaning and Mo Rizvi, making his debut in the competition. They put on 75 before the innings ended as it had started, with a flurry of wickets.

يخوض منتخب السعودية مباراة قوية أمام فلسطين اليوم الخميس، في المواجهة التي تجمع بينهما ضمن لقاءات بطولة كأس العرب 2025.

وتقام المباراة بين السعودية وفلسطين على أرضية استاد “لوسيل الدولي”، في دور ربع النهائي لـ كأس العرب.

وتأهل المنتخب السعودي إلى ربع النهائي بعد تصدره المجموعة الثانية برصيد 7 نقاط، حيث حقق فوزين وتعادلًا واحدًا في مرحلة المجموعات، ويأمل لاعبو الأخضر للعبور إلى الدور نصف النهائي من البطولة.

طالع | طاقم مصري يدير مباراة فلسطين والسعودية في ربع نهائي كأس العرب 2025

وفي المقابل تواجد منتخب فلسطين في المركز الثاني بالمجموعة الأولى، بعدما حصد 5 نقاط من الفوز في مباراة وحيدة والتعادل بمواجهتين، محققًا أداءً مميزًا في دور المجموعات، ويتطلع لمواصلة المشوار في البطولة العربية.

ومن المقرر أن يلتقي الفائز من هذه المواجهة أمام المتأهل من لقاء الأردن والجزائر في الدور نصف النهائي للبطولة. موعد مباراة السعودية وفلسطين اليوم في كأس العرب

وتنطلق المباراة بين السعودية وفلسطين، اليوم الخميس 11 ديسمبر، في تمام السابعة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت مصر وفلسطين، الساعة الثامنة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة السعودية وفلسطين اليوم في كأس العرب

وتذاع المباراة بين السعودية وفلسطين، عبر قناة beIN SPORTS HD المفتوحة، وقناة الكأس القطرية، وقناة دبي الرياضية، وقناة أبوظبي الرياضية، وقناة الشارقة الرياضية 1، وقناة ام بي سي مصر2، وعمان الرياضية وام بي سي أكشن، بجانب منصة شاشا. معلقين مباراة السعودية وفلسطين اليوم في كأس العرب

ومن المقرر أن يتولى مهمة التعليق على أحداث مباراة السعودية وفلسطين، كل من: “عصام الشوالي، وبلال علام، وأحمد الطيب، ومدحت شلبي، ومشاري القرني”.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات البوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا

Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez and his catcher, César Salazar, were involved in a wild moment in Tuesday night's loss to the Yankees that had one former MLB player saying he would have fought Valdez in the tunnel if he was his teammate

In case you missed it, Salazar tried to wave off Valdez before a pitch to Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham. Valdez ignored his catcher and delivered the pitch, which Grisham crushed for a grand slam home run.

Next up for the Yankees was Anthony Volpe and during that at-bat Valdez seemed to cross up his catcher and hit him in the chest with 93-MPH pitch.

Here's how that played out:

Valdez apologized for it after the game and said he didn't do it on purpose.

On Wednesday, former MLB player and current Red sox announcer Will Middlebrooks called out Valdez, calling it an "all-time scumbag move be a teammate" and saying he would have fought Valdez if he did that to him.

"The reaction to it [by Valdez] was everything I needed to know," Middlebrooks said to CBS Sports. "When I initially saw it I was thinking, O.K. it was a mistake. Then you watch the reaction by [Valdez]. No remorse. No my bad. No nothing. No reaction because your initial reaction any time you cross up a catcher is 'oh my god' because you could really hurt a guy. You squared him up in the sternum with 95 and you didn’t even react? I’m sorry, if he’s my teammate if I’m that catcher we’re going down the tunnel and you’re getting these hands either now or after the game, you can pick when you want them."

Here are Middlebrooks's full comments:

It will be interesting to see if the Astros do anything to Valdez for that move of if they'll just move on since he apologized for it.

Either way, that is a tough look for their star pitcher.

Manchester United continue to eye a move for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, with the Seagulls star’s thoughts of joining the Red Devils clear.

Baleba was a strong target for the Red Devils during the summer transfer window, with Ruben Amorim eyeing a move for a natural Casemiro replacement, ahead of his contract expiring next summer.

But in the end, the 21-year-old decided to remain at Brighton for the time being, where he was compared to Leicester City legend N’Golo Kante by Adam Virgo when he joined in 2023.

“For me, he’s not a Caicedo, he’s not like that at all. For me he’s more like an N’Golo Kante, in terms of his power and his pace to get around, he covers so much ground. He can certainly be slightly better on the ball, so he’ll have to adjust his game in that way but Brighton always do their due dillegence in terms of finding players of this age. He’s a typical Brighton signing.”

There is every chance that Baleba leaves Brighton sooner rather than later, though, potentially even in 2026, and a new update has dropped regarding United snapping him up.

Baleba "clearly" wants to join Man Utd

Speaking to TEAMtalk, transfer insider Dean Jones claimed that Baleba “clearly wants” to seal a move to Man Utd, but they won’t pay £100m for his services.

“It is being talked about again that Baleba is a priority target, but it has to be stressed that they [United] are not paying £100million for him any time soon. The player clearly wants the move, and their attempt to turn his head in the summer has worked, but his form has actually been worse since then, and so I do not see United going close to the level Brighton value him at.

“The message remains clear that United want a midfielder in January and also a midfielder in summer. So they are working on targets that are attainable in each of those, and the ones from the Premier League seem unattainable in January. That’s how the picture is for now.

“Obviously, these things can change, but Baleba is going to have to be very patient here because a lot is going on. United do still like him; they do still think he would suit the role, but his form and valuation do not match up at the moment. And on top of that, Brighton don’t want to sell him in January.”

Appearances

11

Starts

10

Minutes played

653

Goals

0

Assists

0

Tackles per game

1.1

Interceptions per game

0.9

Pass completion rate

85.3%

Baleba may not have necessarily found top form this season, possibly because of his head being turned by a move to United, and he should continue to be looked at as a leading option to be Casemiro’s successor.

Forget Bruno and De Ligt: Man Utd "monster" is looking like a new captain

This Manchester United star is now looking like captain material for Ruben Amorim this season.

ByDan Emery Nov 17, 2025

The Cameroonian has been hailed as “wonderful” by Alan Shearer, and his box-to-box midfield brilliance could add so much to the Red Devils’ side, coming in as a long-term signing with world-class potential.

No Casemiro; Guehi & £100m "monster" sign: Man Utd's dream XI after January

It would be fair to say that the atmosphere around Tottenham Hotspur is not a positive one at the moment.

Thomas Frank’s side might be sixth in the Premier League, but the performances so far this season have been hard to stomach, none more so than the one against Chelsea on Saturday.

Despite being at home, the North Londoners were utterly toothless, bereft of ideas, and the player who best encapsulated their dire display was summer signing Xavi Simons.

It’s still early in his Spurs career, but so far, the Dutch international has been a massive disappointment and should therefore be dropped for another young talent who could perhaps offer a little more urgency.

Simons' start to life at Spurs

Perhaps in part due to missing out on Eberechi Eze, there was a tremendous amount of excitement in the Spurs fan base when Simons was announced.

After all, he’s long been considered one of the most exciting young attackers in European football and, at one point, looked destined to join Chelsea.

Unfortunately, it would be fair to say that the 22-year-old has come nowhere close to justifying the hype so far this season.

In 12 appearances for the club, he has failed to score a single goal and has provided just one assist, which came in his first appearance, away to West Ham in gameweek four.

With that said, while that is a poor return, could it be that the former PSV Eindhoven gem is simply someone who starts seasons a little slower than most?

Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

For example, in his first 11 games for RB Leipzig last year, before he got injured, the Amsterdam-born gem managed to score three goals and provide two assists.

Likewise, the campaign preceding that saw the youngster rack up an even better tally of four goals and five assists in his first 12 matches, excluding the curtain-raising DFL-Super Cup.

Therefore, while it would be nice to say that Simons is doing what he does every season and will therefore eventually come good, that is not the case.

Therefore, Frank should keep him on the bench for now and look towards the academy for a temporary solution.

Spurs' Simons solution

With Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison still out, Frank could and probably should look to the likes of Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar-Sarr to start ahead of Simons.

Chalkboard

However, there is another, far bolder option, one he could go with for the ‘easier’ games, or as a first option from the bench ahead of the Dutchman.

That option is Hotspur Way’s most exciting prospect since Mikey Moore: Luca Williams-Barnett.

Now, the first argument one might put forward here is that the Englishman is too young.

However, that would carry a lot more weight if the suggestion was to start the youngster in game after game, but that is not the case.

Instead, it might be worthwhile for Frank and the club to use the youngster as a substitute more often, and then potentially against the weaker teams, hand him a start.

After all, at 17 years old, he is two years older than Arsenal’s Max Dowman, and according to respected analyst Ben Mattinson, is “one of England’s best talents”.

Moreover, when you take a look at his form for the youth sides, it’s clear that he’s way beyond that level now and more than deserving of more senior football.

Williams-Barnett’s youth record
Team	U18	U21
Appearances	30	8
Goals	22	7
Assists	13	5
Goal Involvements per Match	1.16	1.5
All Stats via Transfermarkt

For example, in 11 games for the junior side this season, he has scored eight goals and provided seven assists, which is an average of 1.36 goal involvements every game.

Last season, he was even more effective, scoring 20 goals and providing 12 assists in just 23 appearances, which works out to an average of 1.39 goal involvements per game.

Ultimately, even if it is not from the start, Williams-Barnett has earned the right to play some meaningful minutes for Spurs this season.

Moreover, picking him over Simons could be the wake-up call the Dutchman needs to start playing to people’s expectations.

Spurs have signed a frightening young talent who can end Kolo Muani's stay

Tottenham have some painful attacking teething problems under Thomas Frank.

3

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 3, 2025