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Evan Longoria is officially retiring from baseball.

After 16 seasons, the longtime third baseman is set to sign a one-day contract with the Tampa Bay Rays on June 7 before calling it a career with the team that drafted him back in 2006.

Longoria spent the first decade of his career with the Tampa Bay Rays before being traded to the San Francisco Giants ahead of the 2018 season. He then played five seasons in the Bay Area but struggled to stay healthy. Longoria's most recent MLB stint was with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2023.

Throughout his impressive career, Longoria was named an American League All-Star three times (2008 to '10), and won three Gold Glove Awards, a Silver Slugger Award, and the 2008 AL Rookie of the Year Award. He is the franchise's leader in hits (1,471), RBI (892), runs (780), and home runs (261).

The Rays will honor Longoria at a pregame ceremony from George M. Steinbrenner Field on June 7 ahead of their matchup against the Miami Marlins.

Sunderland can keep up their impressive record against arch rivals Newcastle United when Sunday rolls around.

Indeed, looking back at the more recent iterations of the fierce Tyne-Wear Derby, the Black Cats have some memorable victories to their name, with a 3-0 win in Sunderland’s favour being the last scoreline when the two rivals faced off at the Stadium of Light in Premier League action back in 2015.

Since then, there has been only one meeting on Wearside soil in early 2024, when the then Championship strugglers were trounced by the Magpies 3-0 in the FA Cup.

Now, however, Regis Le Bris’ men will hope to collect another memorable league victory against their sworn enemy, with one figure in his talented camp now standing out as a modern-day version of Kevin Ball, who featured in various Tyne-Wear derbies himself as a legend of the club.

Kevin Ball's legend status at Sunderland

Noted as being a Sunderland legend in “the truest sense of the word” by current chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus in 2022, Ball really did embody the fighting spirit the Black Cats will need to show against Newcastle on the weekend throughout his long-standing stay on Wearside.

Lauded for always being “a warrior on the pitch”, by former Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson, Ball would go on to make a staggering 388 appearances for his beloved team, with many a memorable showdown with Newcastle popping up.

Ball’s consistent brilliance from the middle of the park would further see him chip in with 27 goals, which included this diving header being expertly put away.

On top of often being in the right place at the right time to put his neck on the line, the Black Cats hall-of-famer would also go on to collect two Player of the Year accolades at the end of the 1990/91 season and the close of the 1996/97 campaign, while also even temporarily being handed the reins as Sunderland’s caretaker boss in 2013.

To put it simply, Ball is synonymous with the famous red and white stripes of Sunderland, with Le Bris hoping he can see the same verve and determination Ball had in spades coursing through his team’s veins on Sunday, as one key individual – in particular – continues to stick out as a Ball-style figure.

The £110k-per-week star who is Le Bris' own Ball

Unfortunately, the Frenchman will be without Luke O’Nien for the showdown with the Magpies after his red card against Manchester City.

The no-nonsense 31-year-old would have loved to feature against Sunderland’s Tyneside enemies if he hadn’t been dismissed, with O’Nien recently being branded as a “remarkable” icon of the club by EFL pundit George Elek.

He’s worthy of such adoration, as well, as the full-blooded defender has notched up a crazy 316 appearances for his team now. His mammoth journey started way back in League One, with his dedication to the cause undoubtedly similar to that of Ball’s.

Yet, even with these substantial numbers next to O’Nien’s name, Granit Xhaka is managing to stand out even more as a figure made in the same mould as the ex-Sunderland captain

The Swiss international is not afraid to launch himself into a tackle or a battle if necessary, as seen in him being branded a “monster” centrally by Arsenal-based writer Connor Humm, when he was still at the Emirates.

But, much like Ball, too, as seen when looking at his mightily impressive statistics at Sunderland so far this season, Xhaka is more than capable of popping up with a crucial goal and assist, with his one goal and four assists this campaign sitting pretty next to his 5.4 duels won on average.

Managing to collect six wins in the North London Derby when on the books of the Gunners, Xhaka’s know-how under pressure has already seen him be handed the Sunderland captain’s armband, amid shouts that he is the club’s “signing of the season” by Wayne Rooney.

Of course, he still has some time to go before he will be considered a Hall-of-Fame-worthy recipient like Ball, but it’s clear from his past exploits at Arsenal and his battling nature with the Black Cats so far that the £110k-per-week star will leave everything out on the pitch against Newcastle, just like Ball would have done.

The nerves will be there from Sunderland’s perspective, with the Premier League not hosting this tense contest since 2016.

But, with Xhaka present, Le Bris will be optimistic that his side can reign supreme, to continue their fine start to the season.

Sunderland's "signing of the season" is now their best player since Amad

This Sunderland star has been the club’s most impactful signing since Amad Diallo.

By
Dan Emery

6 days ago

William Saliba has been forced to "modify his running" after the ankle injury as Mikel Arteta revealed a potential comeback date for the Arsenal defender. The Frenchman has missed the club’s last four matches after completing 90 minutes in the 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in late November, and what was initially described as a “minor” setback has evolved into a more serious situation.

• Arsenal still await green light on Saliba’s recovery

  Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s clash against Wolves this weekend, Arteta explained that Saliba’s latest problem stems from an ankle injury sustained earlier in the season, one that forced him off barely four minutes into the defeat at Liverpool in August.

  "It was something quite small," he said. "It came from an ankle injury that he had and then he started to modify the way he was running and he started to overload an area, which is something common. But at some point he was uncomfortable continuing to be able to train and play and we had to stop it. He looks better but we'll have to wait and see if it's enough for him to be able to train with the team."

  On being pressed whether the defender will be available this weekend, Arteta said: "We have to wait and see. Yesterday we didn’t train, so we have an extra day between this afternoon, let’s see if he can be available or not. It remains the same. If you asked me for the Everton game, I think he will be fit; for tomorrow, I don’t know."

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• Getty
  

  A makeshift defence tested again

  Arsenal have had to shuffle their defensive pack repeatedly this season, and Saliba’s absence has forced further improvisation. Cristhian Mosquera, now sidelined, and Jurrien Timber, who is also nursing a knock, have shared duties at the heart of the backline. 

  Asked whether Timber could feature against Wolves, Arteta remained cautious: "Depends how he feels today. It was a knock that he picked, and he wasn’t feeling comfortable. So again, I think it’s a matter of days, but whether it’s tomorrow or not we’ll see."

  Despite the defensive uncertainty, Arsenal responded emphatically in midweek, brushing aside Club Brugge 3-0 in the Champions League to make it six wins from six in Europe. Now, Arteta stressed that the week-long gap after the Wolves fixture will give his squad a rare opportunity to reset.

  He said: "Well, three things. Make sure that we can give some rest to players, mentally and physically. Then start to re-activate everybody and start to work on things that you don't have time to work on. Then start to be in the best possible physical and emotional mindset to do what is required to be ready.

  "We’re in a very strong position in the three competitions that we’ve been involved in so far, and that’s what we have to continue to do at the end. The credit has to come at the end of the season, that’s when we’re going to measure what we’ve done, but in order to achieve that, you have to be achieving, every single day, the objectives that you want. So far, I think we are in a very strong position."

• Momentum builds as Gabriel Jesus returns

  One major boost for the Gunners this week has been the return of Gabriel Jesus, who played his first minutes in 11 months after recovering from a torn ACL. The Brazilian came off the bench in Bruges and, despite limited time on the pitch, he showed flashes of brilliance and even hit the woodwork.

  "We know his quality, a player who has given us so much and he comes with the energy that came the other day," he said. "He’s certainly a player who has to be pushing and aiming for that, that’s for sure."

  When asked if he would sell the Brazilian, the manager slammed shut the proposal. "I don't consider that, especially with the situation that we have right now," he said. "I think Gabriel has a lot to offer to the team and he's proven that straightaway in the first minute that he was available to play he's put so much to be in this position again and now the focus is to be with us."

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• AFP
  

  Arteta shows respect to Wolves

  Wednesday’s comfortable win in Bruges restored confidence after the Villa defeat and extended Arsenal’s flawless European record. Now the focus returns to the Premier League, where a meeting with bottom-placed Wolves offers an opportunity to consolidate their lead at the top.

  With Wolves languishing on just two points and suffering a club-record run of eight straight defeats, anything other than an Arsenal victory would disappoint the fans. However, Arteta does not want any complacency. 

  "In any Premier League match and especially against a team that is fighting against results, I know the manager really well and how he’s going to push and get the players ready to [try to cause a shock]. From our side, we’re going to go full gas from the beginning and we know what we have to do," he said. 

  "Well, showing them [our players] the team that they are, the game they had against Villa a few weeks ago, and understand that a team in that position have to react and have to show their teeth, and that’s a very dangerous thing, especially in this league when every team has the quality that they have. So from our side, that’s not going to happen."

It was an emotional night all around for Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw.

Not only did he capture his second World Series title, but his MLB career officially came to an end as he’s set to retire from baseball after the season. What a way to go out.

As the Dodgers were celebrating their World Series title on the field at Rogers Centre, Kershaw’s family ran out to tackle him with hugs. Kershaw’s wife Ellen and their four children all shared hugs with the 37-year-old pitcher, and they celebrated by jumping up and down and clapping for him. The sweet moment is now going viral on social media, understandably.

The celebrations continued for the three-time Cy Young award winner after this moment as he got to lead his team of 18 seasons in their champagne celebration in the locker room.

“It’s an absolute honor to be in this clubhouse with you guys,” Kershaw said. “I love every single one of you. I can’t imagine a better way to go out than to pop bottles with this group of guys. We’re back-to-back champs!”

The entire postseason was emotional for Kershaw. He said goodbye to his Dodger Stadium after Game 5 of the World Series, which the Dodgers lost 6-1. He had a heartwarming moment with his family on the field then, too. It’s clear Kershaw’s family means a lot to him.

Kershaw only pitched in 2.1 innings during the Dodgers’ postseason run this year. He appeared briefly in one inning during the marathon Game 3 of the World Series that went to 18 innings. In his two playoff game appearances, he gave up six hits, four earned runs and two home runs.

The home belonging to Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ketel Marte was robbed during MLB's All-Star break, reported early Thursday morning, per police.

Scottsdale-area authorities are investigating a "high-dollar residential burglary" that is believed to have happened Tuesday night, while Marte would have been away at the All-Star Game in Atlanta.

Per , no one was home when the incident occurred, and "numerous personal items and jewelry" were taken. An investigation into the matter is currently ongoing.

The incident is just the latest in a series of recent robberies involving well-known athletes across leagues, where players' homes have been repeatedly targeted while they are traveling for events or away games. Among those impacted are NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow, as well as basketball bigwigs Luka Doncic and Bobby Portis.

In good news, the National League walked away from the All-Star Game with a win, during which Marte hit a two-run double in the first inning.

Earlier in June, the second baseman was also a victim of some pretty nasty trash talk from a fan who brought him to tears after invoking his late mother. But the D-Back handled it with class, and received a standing ovation at his first home game after.

Manchester United are keen to add more talent under Ruben Amorim and could now look to make a move that would make the world sit up and take notice of developments at Old Trafford.

Man Utd look to strike tactical balance under Ruben Amorim

Undoubtedly, Amorim’s decision to stick with his complex 3-4-3 formation has drawn his fair share of admirers and critics. However, the Portuguese boss doesn’t appear likely to change that any time soon.

Per Pundit Arena, Emile Heskey has claimed that regardless of their tactical set-up, a lack of leaders in the Old Trafford dressing room is a reason behind their inconsistent form this season.

He stated: “Nothing seems to go right for Ruben Amorim. Everyone keeps talking about the tactics, but when you put 11 players on the pitch, they’ve got to fight. Where’s your leaders? I remember playing at Liverpool, I was only 22 at the time, we had Gary McAllister and he would be on to us. Steven Gerrard was younger than me, he would be on to us, Sami Hyypia, too.

“It doesn’t look like Man Utd have any leaders on the pitch, who are really digging people out.”

Now, that may be a little harsh. Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire are two shining examples of leadership, but ultimately, the best form of authority in football comes from players who do their talking with the ball at their feet.

Man Utd have a "£100m + footballer" who's becoming their new McTominay

Man Utd will not want to repeat the mistake they made with McTominay

2

By
Joe Nuttall

Oct 13, 2025

Bringing new talent with the potential to be world-class is what will take Manchester United closer to their glory days. Nevertheless, that is easier said than done, all things considered.

However, they may now be plotting a seismic move to sign a proven international who is becoming one of Europe’s best attacking forces due to his excellent displays.

Man Utd ready to go big for Kenan Yildiz

According to reports in Europe via Stretty News, Manchester United are planning to launch an offensive for Juventus star Kenan Yildiz, someone who was previously of interest to the club during the summer window.

Regardless, it would take a fee well over the region of £86 million to entice him to Old Trafford, with the Serie A giants keen to retain the 24-cap Turkish international at all costs.

Labelled “brilliant” by Massimiliano Allegri, Yildiz has registered two goals and four assists in eight appearances for Juventus this term across all competitions, proving his worth as the Old Lady aim to push for the league title.

Furthermore, the Regensburg-born winger has already created 17 chances and delivered eight successful crosses in Serie A, per Fotmob, illustrating his ability to carve open defences.

With Manchester United pushing hard for his signature, it remains to be seen whether they can come to an agreement with Juventus on a structure for a potential deal and whether he would be open to moving to Old Trafford.

The Pirates’ playoff drought reached a decade this year. Pittsburgh finished the season 71-91 at the bottom of the NL Central, but the franchise does have one big piece of the puzzle figured out.

One of the best pitchers in baseball is on their roster in Paul Skenes. Although the Pirates’ putrid results have led to Skenes hearing his name in trade rumors, general manager Ben Cherington asserted any teams who ask for last year’s NL Rookie of the Year are quickly shot down.

"The question gets asked, and it's always respectful," Cherington said at the MLB general managers meetings via ESPN’s Jorge Castillo. "Teams have to ask the question. I suspect that won't end. But the answer's been consistent."

The 23-year-old righthander has finished each of his two MLB seasons with a sub-2.00 ERA. Skenes recorded a MLB-best 1.97 ERA this year, with Tigers ace Tarik Skubal the next closest at 2.21. Skenes had 216 strikeouts over 32 starts in 187 2/3 pitched on the year and is the clear favorite to receive the NL Cy Young Award.

Run support has lacked behind Skenes’s dominance as the Pirates scored just 583 runs as a unit this year, the lowest total in the MLB. Pittsburgh hopes to build around the dominant righty as they await the arrival of 19-year-old Konnor Griffin, MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 9 pick in the 2024 MLB draft. Bubba Chandler, another top prospect, made his debut this season when the Pirates called him up in August as the team hopes he can become a mainstay at the top of their rotation alongside Skenes.

Skenes remains under team control for four more seasons, which could net the Pirates a massive haul if he eventually becomes available on the trade market. For now, though, that’s not the case and Cherington aims to build around his elite ace.

Shohei Ohtani seems to always be making some sort of history, and he did it again on Sunday.

During the Los Angeles Dodgers' final game of the season, Ohtani blasted his 55th home run of the year. Not only is that a career-high for the two-way slugger, it's also a Dodgers record.

He accomplished the feat in the top of the seventh inning against the Seattle Mariners when he took an 0-2 fastball from Gabe Speier and crushed it to center field. The ball came off his bat at 109.5 mph and traveled 412 feet.

The 31-year-old Ohtani had 54 home runs last season to set L.A.'s franchise record, and broke it this year. While his numbers are a bit down from his remarkable 2024 campaign, they're still incredible, and he's made 14 starts as a pitcher as well. He is a massive favorite to win his fourth MVP award and third in the last three years.

Ohtani and the Dodgers capped off the 2024 season by winning the World Series. They'll be looking to repeat this year, but it will be a much tougher road as they won't be getting a first-round bye. While they won the National League West again, they have the third-best record of the NL's division winners and will open the playoffs next week against the league's final wild-card entrant.

That won't be as easy as the path they blitzed through the 2024 postseason, but Ohtani is hitting his stride after yet another huge season.

Shohei Ohtani's Numbers in 2025

As of this article, Ohtani is slashing .282/.392/.623, with 55 home runs, 109 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.015. He also has 20 stolen bases,, 25 doubles, and nine triples.

On the mound, Ohtani made 14 starts after not pitching since late in the 2023 campaign. He was 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and 62 strikeouts against nine walks in 47 innings. He got much better as the season went along. In September, he made three starts and posted a 0.00 ERA, while allowing only eight hits and two walks against 18 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings.

He enters the postseason on a roll.

Gary Ballance is only 30 and should be at his peak, but he admits to being knocked by his experience with England

George Dobell05-May-2020There are moments when being a journalist feels a little like being a dentist. It’s not years of training or great pay that we have in common – there really isn’t much shared ground there – it’s more the sense that some people fear you and, even when you’re trying to help, there is a fair chance you’ll inflict pain. “This question’s going to hurt a bit.”So it is with interviewing Gary Ballance. It is not that he is anything other than unfailingly polite and good-humoured – he’s impeccable in both regards – it is that there is a sense, at times, that you are making him relive traumatic experiences.ALSO READ: How Buttler inspired Stokes to get ‘bigger and better’The thing is, Ballance should, right now, be England’s rock. He turned 30 in November and his record, in county cricket at least, is exceptional. He reckons he is playing better than ever. These should be his peak years.The stats are striking. For example, since 2013 only seven men have scored 5000-plus runs in the County Championship; of those seven, only three average 40 (Ballance, Rory Burns and Chris Dent). Ballance, with an average of 46.67, leads the way. In the shorter term, since 2017, only Burns has scored more Championship runs.Last season, only Dom Sibley scored more Division One runs than Ballance. Nobody scored more than his five centuries. Whichever way you look at it, over whatever time frame, Ballance has a record that suggests he is among the best England-qualified batsmen of his era.