Mookie Betts has been in one of the worst slumps of his MLB career as of late, going 0-for-22, that was until Tuesday night when the Dodgers star hit a leadoff double in the third inning against the Cardinals.
The Dodger crowd has remained on Betts's side throughout his slump, but Dodger Stadium erupted in cheers on Tuesday night as Betts ran to second base. The stadium was extremely loud, and Betts fed off the fans' energy by doing a little celebration dance when he stood on second base. The Dodgers' bullpen and dugout both cheered for their teammate. Phew, that slump is officially over.
Through three at-bats on Tuesday, Betts already logged two hits and brought one run home. That's more like the Betts MLB fans know and love.
Dodgers fans truly love Betts, even when he is struggling. On Monday night, the fans prepared a sweet gesture for the eight-time All-Star by giving him a standing ovation when he came to the plate. He unfortunately went 0-for-4 on Monday night despite the strong encouragement from the fanbase.
Heading into Tuesday, Betts posted a career-low .657 OPS through 103 games. He has never finished a season with an OPS lower than .800. His current batting average (.231), on-base percentage (.302) and slugging percentage (.355) are all career-low numbers, too. Those averages will all go up slightly after Tuesday's outing.
Raphinha has admitted he is partly to blame for the two injury relapses that kept him sidelined for more than two months, but the Barcelona winger says he is finally ready to help the team again. The Brazilian revealed he endured a “very tough time” during his recovery but hopes to feature against Chelsea in a decisive Champions League clash, as he insists the team’s European ambitions remain intact.
Raphinha takes responsibility for relapses
The Brazilian international opened up about the injury setbacks that have kept him out for over two months, conceding that his own decisions contributed to a recovery process that took far longer than expected. The Brazilian forward is now pushing to make his full return against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, a fixture he described as “special” and vital to Barca’s ambition of finishing in the Champions League top eight.
Barcelona will rely heavily on the renewed energy and creativity Raphinha can provide, especially after back-to-back European performances that placed their league-phase ambitions at risk. His target is clear: to contribute immediately and help stabilise a Barça team that has struggled too often in this year’s Champions League.
AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'I take responsibility' – Brazilian explains
The winger explained that eagerness to return too soon ultimately led to complications. "There may have been mistakes… or there may not have been," he told reporters. "The first relapse was partly my fault, and I can take responsibility for the second one as well. I wanted to be back as quickly as possible, and I made a mistake, hence the relapses.
"I can take responsibility for that, because in the end, I do things, and if I think they won't help me, I should be the first to say no. I take responsibility for both relapses because I wanted to be back on the field as soon as possible to help the team. I made a few mistakes, and that's why I had those two relapses.
“It was a difficult time. I'm someone who always wants to be with the team, and spending these two months without being able to play was tough, and I need to get back into match fitness. I hope to return to the form everyone knows."
Brazil star frustrated by lack of recognition
Raphinha also appeared visibly annoyed when discussing his absence from last season’s individual accolades, especially coming in fifth in the Ballon d'Or rankings. “The truth is I think I deserved much more. These are individual awards… I'm satisfied with having a spectacular season. Others are the ones who vote,” he added.
His mission, however, is immediate, to regain the form that made him one of Barca’s most decisive players last season. and to begin that resurgence in the Champions League clash at Stamford Bridge.
Raphinha’s return comes as Barca approach one of their most important matches of the season. Their 3-3 draw at Club Brugge left them in a difficult position in the league phase.
Chelsea, unbeaten in five matches, present a complex tactical challenge under Enzo Maresca. Barca, meanwhile, have shown signs of improvement domestically with three consecutive La Liga wins, but the gap between their league and Champions League performances remains stark. Their defensive instability in Europe has been particularly worrying.
Raphinha said he is ready to help restore belief. “Being able to play again is already something special for me. I've been out for two months. If the manager plays me, I'll give my best.” He also reaffirmed the club’s ambitions: “The main objective of this club is to win the Champions League."
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Getty Images SportChelsea showdown next
Barca travel to London knowing the stakes could not be higher as a win keeps them alive in the race for a top-eight finish. But, with key players still sidelined, including Pedri, Hansi Flick will hope Raphinha can deliver immediate impact off the bench or from the start. The winger is expected to receive more minutes after featuring as a substitute for just nine minutes against Athletic Club.
Following Chelsea, Barca face a demanding run of fixtures across La Liga and Europe as the calendar intensifies in December. Raphinha’s fitness, rhythm, and confidence will be pivotal in determining whether the Catalan side can rediscover the attacking consistency required to navigate this period successfully.
Which of two results surprised you more: Kusal Perera overcoming the greatest odds in Durban or Australia manufacturing a win out of nothing in Adelaide?
ESPNcricinfo staff24-May-2025Update: This poll has ended. The SA-SL 2019 Durban Test moves into the quarter-finals.Kusal Perera’s one-man show, Durban 2019 Sri Lanka were coming off a 2-0 pummeling in Australia, their captain had just been sacked, and an inexperienced team, led by Dimuth Karunaratne, reached South Africa.Then, in what was one of the most dramatic Tests in history, Sri Lanka emerged victorious, chasing down 304 with one wicket to spare. They had lost their ninth wicket while still 78 runs off their target. Kusal Perera then scored 67 of them in an incredible finale on the fourth afternoon along with the No. 11 Vishwa Fernando, as they saw their team home. Towards the end, you knew where this was going, even if it was just a matter of one good delivery.At lunch on the day, Sri Lanka were 166 for 5, still 138 runs away, after which Keshav Maharaj ripped through the lower-middle order, leaving them at 226 for 9. That brought Vishwa to the middle, and he was entirely focused on survival. He faced 22 balls before he got off the mark.As Fernando clung on at one end, Perera defended with unreal calm and even took several blows to his body on his way to the target. Batting for 309 minutes, he farmed the strike, and picked his opportunities to attack and push the score forward. Along the way, he also made his career-best Test score of 153*.Manufacturing a win – Adelaide, 2006The final day of the Adelaide Test of 2006-07 started with 1123 runs already scored, and only 17 wickets having fallen. The ESPNcricinfo report after the fourth day’s play was headlined “Draw beckons after Clarke hundred” – Michael Clarke was the fourth century-getter in the Test, after Paul Collingwood, Kevin Pietersen and Ricky Ponting.But within no time on the fifth morning, Shane Warne had broken through, and 54 overs into the day, England were done for 129. And Australia had a target: 168. In 36 overs. That meant an “asking rate” of 4.67.Australia had their own version of Bazball for the job, though.Matthew Hayden’s 18 came off 17 balls. Ponting’s 49 off 65. Mike Hussey remained unbeaten on 61 off 66. And Clarke, slow by comparison, scored 21 not out in 39 balls. And it was done. Australia victors by six wickets, with 3.1 overs in the bag, having gone at a scoring rate of 5.11.
Leeds United have now made contact over the signing of an “incredible” £50m player, with the 49ers looking to get a deal done in the January transfer window.
Leeds looking to strengthen amid poor run of form
After a solid start to the season, defeating Everton 1-0 on the opening day, Leeds’ survival hopes have taken a major hit over the past couple of months, having lost five of their last six Premier League games, which means they have now fallen into the relegation zone.
Gary Neville has recently suggested the warning signs were there right from the start, saying: “I said Leeds were going down after watching them on the first game of the season I thought ‘that’s not right, that’. Everton were shocking that night, but I just thought Leeds…”
Things aren’t going to get any easier in the coming weeks, with Daniel Farke’s side set to take on Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool in their next three matches, which means they could be in even deeper trouble by mid-December.
As such, the 49ers may have to bring in some fresh faces during the January transfer window, and they have already started work on potential new signings, with a report from The Mirror revealing Leeds have now enquired about signing Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips on loan.
However, the Whites want Phillips’ current employers to make a major contribution towards his astronomical £250k-a-week wages, which could be a stumbling block, and as things stand, it is unlikely that a deal transpires.
Since making a £50m move to the Etihad Stadium in 2022, the midfielder’s career has been on a downward trajectory, and he is prepared to move abroad, having now returned to full fitness after suffering a serious Achilles injury in pre-season.
"Incredible" Phillips still has time to get career back on track
Pep Guardiola has personally expressed sympathy for how the Englishman’s career has panned out, describing him as an “incredible person”, but the Man City ace still has time to get things back on track, given that he is still just 29-years-old.
That said, it would be a risk for Leeds to re-sign their former player, considering he has found game time very hard to come by this season, appearing for just seven minutes, which came in City’s 2-0 EFL Cup triumph against Huddersfield Town.
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On his day, the 31-time England international is capable of great things, having particularly impressed for the Three Lions at Euro 2021.
As such, if a low-cost loan move were an option, it could be worth taking a gamble on Phillips, who is represented by the same agent as Wilfried Gnonto, but it may take him some time to get back to his best, having barely featured for City.
“I am not using that as an excuse. I still think that the onus is on the players to find some way to churn up runs and wickets”
Ashish Pant04-Oct-20255:49
Bishop: Want WI batters to stop being satisfied with 20s and 30s
Roston Chase has voiced concerns about the “infrastructure problems” and the continuous “struggle for finances” in the Caribbean, but said that he didn’t want to use that as an excuse for West Indies’ poor performances in Test cricket in recent times.West Indies have lost five of their six Test matches this year. This includes being bundled out for 27 in the third Test against Australia in July. On Saturday, they went down by an innings and 140 runs to India on the third day of the opening Test in Ahmedabad.”I think the systems in the Caribbean are a bit poor in terms of training facilities and stuff,” Chase said after the game. “I am not using that as an excuse or something to hide behind for poor performances that we’ve been putting out lately. I still think that the onus is on the players to find some way to churn up runs and wickets and stuff.Related
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“But what I would say is yes, there is obviously a struggle in the Caribbean for finances. So whatever help we can get, if they are planning to get the help, I hope that we do get it so that we could strengthen the infrastructure for cricket.”While West Indies still have good fast bowlers in their set-up, their batting has been in freefall. In their last 15 innings in Test cricket, they have crossed 250 only once. Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s first-class average of 34.80 was the best among the top six batters in the West Indies’ XI for the first Test against India. Chase attributed the low averages to the pitches in the Caribbean not being batting-friendly.”Yeah, that is some of the infrastructure problems that we do have,” he said. “The pitches in the Caribbean are not really batsman-friendly. So guys don’t really bat for long periods and score those big scores. And then, too, the outfields in the Caribbean are really slow. When you hit the ball in the gaps, you probably end up struggling to get two. Those are just some of the problems that we are faced with in the Caribbean.”That’s why you see guys averaging so low. If you look at the past series we had against Australia, I think that was the first time I’ve ever played an international series where a batsman never scored a hundred in three matches. Obviously, we had a poor batting display. This has been something that has been plaguing us for the past two series.”
“Anytime you win a toss in a Test match and bat and you don’t bat out the first day, you’re always going to be in trouble.”
In Ahmedabad, West Indies won the toss and batted first. They were bowled out for 162 in 44.1 overs in their first innings, and for 146 in 45.1 in their second.”We’ve not been able to at least bat 80 overs, bat a day or even get at least 250 or 300 runs on the board,” Chase said. “Anytime you win a toss in a Test match and bat and you don’t bat out the first day, you’re always going to be in trouble.”We saw the wicket. Although it had a bit of moisture, we still thought that it was a good wicket to bat first on. We thought that once we batted well and the openers went out there and just softened that moisture, then it would have been a good wicket to bat on, as we did see coming on later into the first day. But we didn’t start well and we never really put any partnerships in place. We never really got back into the game.”Chase suggested the only way for the batters to improve was to tighten and trust their defence. “We gifted some of the wickets too easily,” he said. “For me, it was a bit of rough and some balls were spinning up the rough. But there wasn’t any devils in the wicket. I still thought that it was a wicket that you could stand up and bat on as shown by the Indian batters.”But we need to trust in our defence a bit more. I can’t say that we weren’t scoring because the run rate was still good. But I just think that we need to be a little more solid in our defence.”West Indies are missing two of their three main fast bowlers in the series against India•AFP/Getty ImagesWhile West Indies’ batting has been an issue, they are also missing two of their key fast bowlers in Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph through injuries. Jason Holder also declined to be a replacement, citing a planned medical procedure. Players picking and choosing formats has also been an issue with West Indies, but Chase said that “a guy is going to try to earn his living”.”I can’t really speak on another man’s body,” Chase said. “One thing I can say is that there’s a lot more cricket being played. There’s not a lot of rest for a player, especially if he’s playing all formats of the game. And then, especially with the leagues around the world, guys are looking to earn their money. They’re not really resting, getting adequate rest that their body may need.”But if they can try to stay as fit as possible and do a lot of gym work and not get too bulky but be strong enough that they can handle the load or in the case where they can pick and choose certain formats of the game and be available, I think that would be obviously better for us. But it is what it is. A guy is going to try to earn his living.”So I can’t really fault a guy for trying to go there and be available for whatever cricket it may be that he’s given the opportunity to play.”
Well, the New York Yankees aren't done yet, and they've actually shot up in the latest odds to win the World Series after a thrilling Game 3 win in the ALDS on Tuesday night.
The Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays have played an offense-heavy series so far in the ALDS, with New York putting up nine runs in Game 3, rallying from a 6-1 deficit to extend the series in Game 4 on Wednesday night.
As a result, the Yankees have seen their World Series odds skyrocket, going from +1600 to +950 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
New York isn't the only team that made a major move in the odds on Tuesday night, as the Seattle Mariners (+390) stole Game 3 of the ALDS on the road against the Detroit Tigers. After those teams were +600 (Seattle) and +850 (Detroit) entering Game 3, Seattle has jumped up to second in the odds to win it all while Detroit has fallen back to +1700.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, who have a chance to sweep the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night, remain the clear favorite at +160 to win the World Series this season, but the American League matchups have a ton of intrigue ahead of Wednesday's Game 4 matchups.
Here's a look at the latest odds and some storylines to watch on Wednesday.
World Series Odds for Every Team in MLB Playoffs
Los Angeles Dodgers: +160Seattle Mariners: +390Milwaukee Brewers: +450Toronto Blue Jays: +600New York Yankees: +950Detroit Tigers: +1700Philadelphia Phillies: +2500Chicago Cubs: +3500
Both the Dodgers and Brewers are up 2-0 and looking to close out their respective matchups on Wednesday night, so it makes sense that they're both shorter than 5/1 to win the World Series this season.
However, the American League seems to be totally up for grabs after New York and Seattle won on Tuesday. The Yankees have done this before — they came back from an 0-2 deficit in the ALDS in 2017 against the Cleveland Guardians — and things are setting up well for the Yanks in Game 4.
Not only did New York finally get something going on offense against the Toronto pitching staff, but it is favored (-186 on the moneyline) at DraftKings to win Game 4. The Yankeesh have wild card hero Cam Schlittler on the mound for his second postseason start while the Jays are expected to go with a bullpen game.
That's a major concern for Toronto since the team had to deploy several bullpen arms in a marathon game on Wednesday. Could the Yankees force a winner-take-all Game 5? Based on the latest odds, it seems like it.
Toronto fell from +475 to +600 to win the World Series after Game 3, a sign that oddsmakers expect this series to head back to Toronto for a decisive Game 5 on Friday night.
Meanwhile, Seattle is a sight underdogs in Game 4 against the Tigers with Casey Mize on the hill for Detroit against Seattle's Bryce Miller. While oddsmakers clearly expect Seattle to win this series (Detroit is now +1700 to win the World Series), a win by the Tigers on Wednesday could change things drastically if Detroit tries to come back with Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal in Game 5 on Friday.
There's no doubt that these World Series odds will shift on Wednesday night, so bettors may want to get a bet in on their team — especially if they're at a favorable price — before first pitch.
Just 21 T20Is old, Abhishek Sharma is making a name for himself as a six-hitter to rival the best
Sampath Bandarupalli24-Sep-20251:20
Chopra: Very little the bowlers could do against Abhishek
58 Sixes hit by Abhishek Sharma in 21 T20I innings. He is already the joint seventh among batters with the most sixes for India in men’s T20Is.Since his T20I debut in July 2024, only Austria’s Karanbir Singh (99) and UAE’s Muhammad Waseem (60) have hit more sixes than Abhishek. Among Full-Member nation players, Sanju Samson ranks second with 37 sixes.6.83 Balls per six for Abhishek in this format, the second best among 153 players with 50-plus sixes in men’s T20Is. Gibraltar’s Kayron Stagno has the best, averaging a six every 6.61 balls. Abhishek’s balls-per-six ratio is the best among Full-Member nation players, with Andre Russell (7.21) ranking second.2.76 Sixes per innings for Abhishek, also the second-best ratio among batters with 50-plus sixes. Karanbir Singh is ahead with 3.14, having hit 113 sixes in 36 innings. Evin Lewis (2.13) is the only player from Full-Member nations, apart from Abhishek, with a ratio of two or more sixes per innings.6 Instances of Abhishek hitting five or more sixes in a T20I, including Wednesday’s Asia Cup fixture against Bangladesh. Among Indians, only Rohit Sharma (13) and Suryakumar Yadav (9) have hit five or more sixes in a T20I more often than Abhishek.32 Abhishek’s sixes in the powerplay overs. Only three Indians have hit more sixes in the first six overs in men’s T20Is. Abhishek has hit 23 sixes in the middle overs (7-16) and three at the death (17-20) in T20Is.33 Sixes for Abhishek against pace bowlers off 246 balls, at a rate of one every 7.46 balls. Against spinners, he has hit one every six balls on average – 25 sixes in 150 balls.331 Number of balls Abhishek took to bring up 50 sixes in T20Is, the fewest among all T20I batters. His 50th six came on Sunday in the Asia Cup fixture against Pakistan. Gibraltar’s Kayron J Stagno was the previous quickest – 335 balls – while the next fastest from Full-Member nation players is Lewis (366 balls).
Ben Stokes waiting for final look at pitch before making call on all-pace attack
Matt Roller20-Nov-2025England have deferred a final decision on their team for the first Ashes Test until Friday morning as they weigh up the merits of picking a spinner in Perth.Ben Stokes has often named an XI two full days out from Tests since taking over as captain, but on this occasion England announced they had trimmed their 16-man squad down to 12 names on Wednesday. Stokes said before England’s training session on Thursday afternoon that they would “probably” have a final team later in the day, but has instead opted for a final look at the pitch on the first morning.England’s biggest decision surrounds the possible inclusion of Shoaib Bashir on a pitch expected to offer pace and bounce for their fast bowlers. Australia’s Nathan Lyon has a formidable record at Perth Stadium, with 29 wickets at 20.86, but visiting spinners have a combined record of eight wickets at 87.50 at the venue.Related
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Bashir has not played competitively since taking the final wicket in England’s fifth-day win over India at Lord’s in July, having broken the little finger on his left hand earlier in the match. He was expensive in England’s warm-up match last week, returning figures of 2 for 151 off 24 overs, but Stokes backed him to play a role at some stage in the series.”Team sport takes all 11 [players] to influence a game at some point,” Stokes said. “All 11 guys who get the honour of being selected in the next five games will be just as important as each other. He was always going to be in the 12-man [squad]. Seeing the way the game at Lilac Hill went, it felt like we could just get him as many opportunities to bowl as possible.”It leaves open the possibility that England will field an all-seam attack for only the third time since Stokes took over as captain three years ago, which would see Jofra Archer and Mark Wood paired together for only the second time in Tests. They have lost on both previous occasions, against Australia at Lord’s in 2023 and against India at The Oval in August.Wood appeared to be a major doubt after hamstring soreness in England’s warm-up game, but Stokes was bullish about his prospects on Thursday. “He’s flying,” Stokes said. “I know you guys say he only bowled eight overs in the game, but he’s been bowling for a long, long time. He has always been someone who can just hit the ground running in a game, and he’s bowling rapid.”Some of England’s unused squad members may feature for England Lions in their four-day match against a Cricket Australia XI at Lilac Hill, which also starts on Friday. Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks and Matthew Potts are all in contention to play.England XII: Ben Stokes (capt), Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (wk), Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir
Chelsea are weighing up the possibility of an early January move for one ‘magnificent’ forward with an agreement already in place for his arrival next year.
Liam Delap succumbs to another Chelsea injury blow
Liam Delap’s Chelsea career has descended into frustrating misfortune following another significant injury setback.
The 22-year-old suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder during Saturday’s goalless draw at Bournemouth, leaving the field in obvious discomfort after landing awkwardly following a challenge with Marcos Senesi.
Medical staff immediately applied a makeshift sling before Delap trudged directly towards the tunnel, his arm immobilised to prevent further damage.
Enzo Maresca then delivered a concerning post-match update that confirmed initial fears.
Reports suggest Delap faces approximately six to eight weeks sidelined, which comes as another devastating blow for the young forward after he was previously out of action for weeks with a hamstring injury.
Chelsea signed Delap from relegated Ipswich in June, beating the likes of Man United and Newcastle to his signature after an impressive maiden Premier League season.
The Winchester-born striker finished as Ipswich’s leading scorer with twelve goals across thirty-seven appearances last term, accounting for thirty-three percent of their total output despite their eventual drop to the Championship.
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Delap also earned a PFA Young Player of the Year nomination and convinced Maresca – who previously managed Delap during his tenure overseeing Man City’s Elite Development Squad – that he represented an ideal target man.
However, the Englishman has since struggled to establish himself at Stamford Bridge, managing just sporadic appearances whilst failing to register a single Premier League goal for his new employers.
Player
Pedro
Guiu
Delap
Games
18
8
11
Minutes
1377′
280′
453′
Goals
4
1
1
Assists
3
1
0
His only Chelsea strike this season arrived against Barcelona in the Champions League, providing brief optimism before this latest injury.
Marc Guiu replaced Delap against Bournemouth but was rusty throughout, highlighting Chelsea’s lack of alternative options, and it has led to suggestions that Strasbourg striker Emanuel Emegha could arrive earlier than anticipated.
Chelsea weigh early January move for Emanuel Emegha
According to TEAMtalk and journalist Graeme Bailey, Chelsea chiefs are evaluating whether to bring forward Emegha’s arrival from their sister club following Delap’s injury blow.
The Blues confirmed a deal worth around £22 million several months ago, that was scheduled to deliver Emegha to Stamford Bridge in the summer.
Emmanuel Emegha for Strasbourg
However, Delap’s absence has prompted internal discussions about accelerating that timeline to January.
Strasbourg initially resisted any mid-season departure for their captain, but circumstances have shifted considerably.
Argentine forward Joaquin Panichelli has emerged as Liam Rosenior’s first-choice striker, demonstrating excellent form which suggests the Ligue 1 side could accommodate Emegha’s premature exit.
The 22-year-old Netherlands international stands at a towering 6 foot 5 and recently earned his maiden senior caps for his country, establishing himself as one of France’s most promising attacking talents.
Should Chelsea trigger the January switch, they would also likely compensate Strasbourg by funding an immediate replacement through BlueCo’s multi-club network.
Emegha, who’s been called ‘magnificent’ by critics, scored 14 French top flight goals last season and ended the campaign as one of Ligue 1’s top scorers.
He’s also bagged seven goals across 11 appearances in all competitions this season, so he’s a man bang on form right now regardless of Panichelli’s rise.