Deadspin | Hornets seek 1st playoff berth in 10 years in play-in game at Magic Jan 22, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) drives the ball past Orlando Magic forward Noah Penda (93) in the fourth quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images For the Charlotte Hornets, winning Friday night’s play-in game and earning the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference would cement the 2025-26 season as one of the most successful campaigns in recent franchise history. Even with a win Friday, the Orlando Magic will have a lot more work to do to meet their expectations. The Hornets and Magic will meet to determine the last piece of the Eastern Conference postseason field Friday night, when Charlotte visits Orlando in a battle of Southeast Division rivals. The winner Friday will earn the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and advance to a first-round series against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons which is slated to begin Sunday night. The Hornets, who finished in ninth place in the Eastern Conference with a 44-38 record, advanced to the final round of the play-in when LaMelo Bell hit the game-winning layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime to lift host Charlotte past the 10th-place Miami Heat, 127-126, in the first elimination play-in game Tuesday night. The Magic, which finished eighth in the East with a 45-37 record, fell into the elimination play-in game after losing to the host Philadelphia 76ers, 109-97, on Wednesday night, The frantic and controversial win over the Heat continued a breakout season for the Hornets, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2016 – by far the longest drought in the NBA. Coby White forced overtime by draining a 3-pointer with 10.8 seconds left for the Hornets, who survived Tyler Herro’s errant 3-pointer at the buzzer. Charlotte squandered a five-point lead in the final 26 seconds of the extra session before Ball – who was fined $35,000 on Wednesday for what was assessed upon review as a flagrant 2 foul on Bam Adebayo that forced the Heat star from the game in the second quarter – scored the winning points. Miles Bridges blocked a layup by Davion Mitchell at the buzzer, after which Ball capped his expensive night by uttering a profanity during a live interview. The 24-year-old was also fined $25,000 for the profanity. “At the end of the day, execution is not always going to be perfect,” Hornets head coach Charles Lee said. “But I think that these guys find a way to stick with it and not give in sometimes when things aren’t going well or not going your way.” Things have not gone the way the Magic anticipated when they began the season as one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference. Orlando won just four more games than last season despite the addition of Desmond Bane, who played all 82 games, and the return to the lineup of Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs, who missed a combined 83 games in 2024-25. The Magic, who are attempting to make the playoffs for the third straight season, squandered an opportunity to earn home court against Philadelphia by falling to the Celtics – who sat their top seven scorers – in Sunday’s regular season finale. Orlando shot 39.6% from the field in the loss. Orlando then shot 40.7% on Wednesday – the first time the Magic has shot below 41% in back-to-back games since consecutive losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers from Jan. 24-26. “You live with the result and come out Friday in front of the home crowd and go get a win,” Banchero said. “That’s all you can do. Shots didn’t fall, but you can’t be discouraged. We’ve got another game coming up real soon.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Hornets #seek #1st #playoff #berth #years #playin #game #Magic

Deadspin | Hornets seek 1st playoff berth in 10 years in play-in game at Magic
Jan 22, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) drives the ball past Orlando Magic forward Noah Penda (93) in the fourth quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

For the Charlotte Hornets, winning Friday night’s play-in game and earning the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference would cement the 2025-26 season as one of the most successful campaigns in recent franchise history.

Even with a win Friday, the Orlando Magic will have a lot more work to do to meet their expectations.

The Hornets and Magic will meet to determine the last piece of the Eastern Conference postseason field Friday night, when Charlotte visits Orlando in a battle of Southeast Division rivals.

The winner Friday will earn the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and advance to a first-round series against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons which is slated to begin Sunday night.

The Hornets, who finished in ninth place in the Eastern Conference with a 44-38 record, advanced to the final round of the play-in when LaMelo Bell hit the game-winning layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime to lift host Charlotte past the 10th-place Miami Heat, 127-126, in the first elimination play-in game Tuesday night.

The Magic, which finished eighth in the East with a 45-37 record, fell into the elimination play-in game after losing to the host Philadelphia 76ers, 109-97, on Wednesday night,

The frantic and controversial win over the Heat continued a breakout season for the Hornets, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2016 – by far the longest drought in the NBA.

Coby White forced overtime by draining a 3-pointer with 10.8 seconds left for the Hornets, who survived Tyler Herro’s errant 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Charlotte squandered a five-point lead in the final 26 seconds of the extra session before Ball – who was fined $35,000 on Wednesday for what was assessed upon review as a flagrant 2 foul on Bam Adebayo that forced the Heat star from the game in the second quarter – scored the winning points.

Miles Bridges blocked a layup by Davion Mitchell at the buzzer, after which Ball capped his expensive night by uttering a profanity during a live interview. The 24-year-old was also fined $25,000 for the profanity.

“At the end of the day, execution is not always going to be perfect,” Hornets head coach Charles Lee said. “But I think that these guys find a way to stick with it and not give in sometimes when things aren’t going well or not going your way.”

Things have not gone the way the Magic anticipated when they began the season as one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference. Orlando won just four more games than last season despite the addition of Desmond Bane, who played all 82 games, and the return to the lineup of Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs, who missed a combined 83 games in 2024-25.

The Magic, who are attempting to make the playoffs for the third straight season, squandered an opportunity to earn home court against Philadelphia by falling to the Celtics – who sat their top seven scorers – in Sunday’s regular season finale. Orlando shot 39.6% from the field in the loss.

Orlando then shot 40.7% on Wednesday – the first time the Magic has shot below 41% in back-to-back games since consecutive losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers from Jan. 24-26.

“You live with the result and come out Friday in front of the home crowd and go get a win,” Banchero said. “That’s all you can do. Shots didn’t fall, but you can’t be discouraged. We’ve got another game coming up real soon.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Hornets #seek #1st #playoff #berth #years #playin #game #Magic

Sports news April 17, 2026

Jan 22, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) drives the ball past Orlando Magic forward Noah Penda (93) in the fourth quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

For the Charlotte Hornets, winning Friday night’s play-in game and earning the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference would cement the 2025-26 season as one of the most successful campaigns in recent franchise history.

Even with a win Friday, the Orlando Magic will have a lot more work to do to meet their expectations.

The Hornets and Magic will meet to determine the last piece of the Eastern Conference postseason field Friday night, when Charlotte visits Orlando in a battle of Southeast Division rivals.

The winner Friday will earn the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and advance to a first-round series against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons which is slated to begin Sunday night.

The Hornets, who finished in ninth place in the Eastern Conference with a 44-38 record, advanced to the final round of the play-in when LaMelo Bell hit the game-winning layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime to lift host Charlotte past the 10th-place Miami Heat, 127-126, in the first elimination play-in game Tuesday night.

The Magic, which finished eighth in the East with a 45-37 record, fell into the elimination play-in game after losing to the host Philadelphia 76ers, 109-97, on Wednesday night,

The frantic and controversial win over the Heat continued a breakout season for the Hornets, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2016 – by far the longest drought in the NBA.

Coby White forced overtime by draining a 3-pointer with 10.8 seconds left for the Hornets, who survived Tyler Herro’s errant 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Charlotte squandered a five-point lead in the final 26 seconds of the extra session before Ball – who was fined $35,000 on Wednesday for what was assessed upon review as a flagrant 2 foul on Bam Adebayo that forced the Heat star from the game in the second quarter – scored the winning points.

Miles Bridges blocked a layup by Davion Mitchell at the buzzer, after which Ball capped his expensive night by uttering a profanity during a live interview. The 24-year-old was also fined $25,000 for the profanity.

“At the end of the day, execution is not always going to be perfect,” Hornets head coach Charles Lee said. “But I think that these guys find a way to stick with it and not give in sometimes when things aren’t going well or not going your way.”

Things have not gone the way the Magic anticipated when they began the season as one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference. Orlando won just four more games than last season despite the addition of Desmond Bane, who played all 82 games, and the return to the lineup of Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs, who missed a combined 83 games in 2024-25.

The Magic, who are attempting to make the playoffs for the third straight season, squandered an opportunity to earn home court against Philadelphia by falling to the Celtics – who sat their top seven scorers – in Sunday’s regular season finale. Orlando shot 39.6% from the field in the loss.

Orlando then shot 40.7% on Wednesday – the first time the Magic has shot below 41% in back-to-back games since consecutive losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers from Jan. 24-26.

“You live with the result and come out Friday in front of the home crowd and go get a win,” Banchero said. “That’s all you can do. Shots didn’t fall, but you can’t be discouraged. We’ve got another game coming up real soon.”

–Field Level Media

Source link
#Deadspin #Hornets #seek #1st #playoff #berth #years #playin #game #Magic

Which NFL draft rumors are you buying this year, and which are nothingburgers? <div id="zephr-anchor"><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Barely one week separates us from the 2026 NFL Draft, and that is good news because it feels like we are barely going to make it.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">So much has happened (Tua Tagovailoa is a Falcon!) and not happened (Maxx Crosby is still a Raider!) that getting through the draft feels necessary at this point. It will help the waters fully and finally calm across the NFL and close out (for the most part) the roster construction period.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">It will probably be quite the ride to get to the end, though.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p><h2 class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">What kind of quarterback room are the Raiders going to have?</h2></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Since we last spoke, the Las Vegas Raiders adjusted their quarterback room. Obviously they are expected to do it again with the No. 1 overall pick in Fernando Mendoza as well.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Kirk Cousins sort of feels like the perfect player to have ahead of Mendoza. The Atlanta experience likely helped Kirk understand his new place in the league as a backup and mentor to a younger signal-caller, and Mendoza seems like the perfect one to live and operate under his wing.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">It was always going to be fascinating to see what kind of situation Klint Kubiak developed with the Raiders. It feels like he’s off to a strong start.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">I don’t think there’s going to be anything unique happening with this room. I believe the addition of Kirk Cousins is nothing more than an insurance policy if Mendoza is not ready to lead the team right out of the gate. Cousins has not looked great since his Achilles tear and leaving the Vikings, but he’s still better than the majority of backups and gives the Raiders a relatively high floor at the position.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">In comparison to what they got out of Geno Smith in 2025, this is a huge upgrade. Now let’s see how they approach protecting their quarterback and upgrading the offense around him after the first round this year.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p><h2 class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Which draft rumor are you buying?</h2></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">This is such a weird class in that there aren’t many players seen as the consensus top guy at their position this year. One murmur I’m buying is that Georgia’s Monroe Freeling has the opportunity to be the first offensive tackle off the board, over the likes of Francis Mauigoa (Miami) and Spencer Fano (Utah).</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Freeling is a very prototypical tackle at 6’7” and 315 pounds with excellent athleticism. He’s the picture of an NFL tackle and it feels like teams are very willing to overlook his small sample of starting experience in college.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Do I think that’s smart? Not necessarily, but what do I know? I’m just a guy who writes the sweetest NFL column in the whole world.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">So much of the discussion around this class has been about how it is a little less impressive in some respects. In <em>this </em>respect I fully and totally buy that teams near the top are looking to trade out.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">I particularly buy this when it comes to squads like the Titans and Cardinals. They are not close enough to contending in 2026 so it makes sense for them to accrue more capital to set themselves up for when the opportunity is more closely in front of them.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">I definitely buy that someone outside of the top 10 is going to want to move up.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p><h2 class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Which draft rumor are you selling?</h2></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">It feels kind of impossible for AJ Brown to get traded at this point in my opinion. Why would Howie Roseman do it now? What would the benefit be?</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">I suppose the answer to this is that the Eagles first acquired Brown during the NFL draft so anything is possible in that sense. It would just be tugging at a thread that they should leave alone for the Eagles to do this now in my mind. I still see very little to gain from their perspective.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">There’s been a recent story being published around the media landscape that involves Miami edge rusher prospect Rueben Bain Jr. being a part of a fatal car accident in 2024. It’s being plastered just about everywhere despite the matter essentially being moved on from by all parties involved way before this draft season. The thought now is that Bain will see his draft stock fall because that’s usually what happens in these cases that happen so close to the draft, but when the family of the person who lost their life comes out and says they did not want the story published because they would prefer to move on, that tells me it’s as much of a nothingburger as something like this can get. It’s a very, very unfortunate story but it should not have any bearing on when Bain ultimately gets picked next week.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p><h2 class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Will the draft completely change any team?</h2></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Given the lack of quarterbacks beyond Mendoza I don’t think anybody is going to be seriously transformed after the draft. That is simply the way that professional football works.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">It is hard to capture lightning in a bottle, and even if you do that doesn’t necessarily mean your fortunes completely shift on a dime. Everyone is chasing the Seattle Seahawks these days and I don’t know that any one team is a draft away from everything being right in front of them.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Looking across the NFL landscape with the draft just a week and a half away, I have to say no. The closest team to doing such a thing, in my opinion, is the Raiders who spent a ton of money on their defense in free agency and have the number one pick. With the majority of their cap space being spent on that side of the ball, I would not be surprised if they really leaned into the offense during the draft, essentially building that side from the jump with (presumably) Fernando Mendoza as their quarterback of the future.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">By the start of the 2026 regular season, the Raiders should look quite, quite different than on opening day last year.</p></div></div> #NFL #draft #rumors #buying #year #nothingburgers

Herve Renard sacked as Saudi Arabia coach ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 <div id="content-body-70874015" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Frenchman Herve Renard told <i>AFP </i>on Friday he has been relieved of his duties as Saudi Arabia coach, less than two months before the start of the 2026 World Cup.</p><p>Renard, 57, returned for a second spell as Saudi coach at the end of 2024, having led it at the last World Cup in Qatar, including to a famous win over eventual champion Argentina in the group stage.</p><p>“That’s football… Saudi Arabia has qualified for the World Cup seven times, including twice with me,” Renard told <i>AFP </i>via telephone.</p><p>“And there’s only one coach who has led them through both the qualifiers and the World Cup; that’s me, in 2022. At least there will be that sense of pride,” he added.</p><p>Renard, a two-time Africa Cup of Nations winner with Zambia and Ivory Coast, led Saudi Arabia from 2019 to 2023 before being replaced by Roberto Mancini.</p><p><b>ALSO READ | <a href="https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/marie-louise-eta-union-berlin-first-female-bundesliga-coach/article70873306.ece" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Union Berlin rules out permanent men’s role for Marie-Louise Eta despite historic appointment</a></b></p><p>He served as coach of the French women’s team and reached the quarterfinals of both the 2023 Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Olympics.</p><p>Renard was later brought back by Saudi Arabia to succeed Mancini, as the Italian left his role after an underwhelming 14-month stint.</p><p>Former Greece international Georgios Donis is reportedly being lined up as the man to take over from Renard.</p><p>A source close to the negotiations told <i>AFP </i>that talks are underway between the federation and Saudi club Al Khaleej, where Donis has been in charge since 2024.</p><p>Saudi Arabia will face Spain, Uruguay and Cape Verde in Group H at this year’s World Cup.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 17, 2026</p></div> #Herve #Renard #sacked #Saudi #Arabia #coach #ahead #FIFA #World #Cup

#Peles #FIFA #World #Cup #final #shirt #sells #USD #million">

Pele’s 1958 FIFA World Cup final shirt sells for USD 4.9 million The shirt worn by Brazil great Pele when he scored twice in ‌the 1958 FIFA World Cup final has sold for USD 4.9 ⁠million at auction, becoming the most valuable piece of memorabilia ‌linked to the football legend, Sotheby’s said on ‌Thursday.The number 10 ‌shirt, ⁠worn by the ⁠then 17-year-old as Brazil beat host Sweden 5-2 in Stockholm to win its first ‌world title, attracted 10 bids from more than five bidders, the auction house ‌said.ALSO READ | FIFA World Cup trophy to arrive in style in bespoke Louis Vuitton trunkThe sale made it the second-most expensive football shirt sold at ⁠auction, behind the USD 9.3 million paid in 2022 for the shirt ‌worn by Diego Maradona when he scored his “Hand of God” goal for Argentina against England at the 1986 World Cup.Pele, ‌who died in 2022 aged 82, scored twice in the 1958 showpiece and ⁠remains the youngest player to score ⁠in a World Cup final.The shirt ‌had previously sold at auction in 2004 for 70,505 pounds (5,600), according to Sotheby’sPublished on Jul 17, 2026 #Peles #FIFA #World #Cup #final #shirt #sells #USD #million

mwasimuddin125 0

The shirt worn by Brazil great Pele when he scored twice in ‌the 1958 FIFA World Cup final has sold for USD 4.9 ⁠million at auction, becoming the most valuable piece of memorabilia ‌linked to the football legend, Sotheby’s said on ‌Thursday.
The number 10 ‌shirt, ⁠worn by the ⁠then 17-year-old as Brazil beat host Sweden 5-2 in Stockholm to win its first ‌world title, attracted 10 bids from more than five bidders, the auction house ‌said.
ALSO READ | FIFA World Cup trophy to arrive in style in bespoke Louis Vuitton trunk
The sale made it the second-most expensive football shirt sold at ⁠auction, behind the USD 9.3 million paid in 2022 for the shirt ‌worn by Diego Maradona when he scored his “Hand of God” goal for Argentina against England at the 1986 World Cup.
Pele, ‌who died in 2022 aged 82, scored twice in the 1958 showpiece and ⁠remains the youngest player to score ⁠in a World Cup final.
The shirt ‌had previously sold at auction in 2004 for 70,505 pounds ($105,600), according to Sotheby’s
Published on Jul 17, 2026

#Peles #FIFA #World #Cup #final #shirt #sells #USD #million">Pele’s 1958 FIFA World Cup final shirt sells for USD 4.9 million

The shirt worn by Brazil great Pele when he scored twice in ‌the 1958 FIFA World Cup final has sold for USD 4.9 ⁠million at auction, becoming the most valuable piece of memorabilia ‌linked to the football legend, Sotheby’s said on ‌Thursday.

The number 10 ‌shirt, ⁠worn by the ⁠then 17-year-old as Brazil beat host Sweden 5-2 in Stockholm to win its first ‌world title, attracted 10 bids from more than five bidders, the auction house ‌said.

ALSO READ | FIFA World Cup trophy to arrive in style in bespoke Louis Vuitton trunk

The sale made it the second-most expensive football shirt sold at ⁠auction, behind the USD 9.3 million paid in 2022 for the shirt ‌worn by Diego Maradona when he scored his “Hand of God” goal for Argentina against England at the 1986 World Cup.

Pele, ‌who died in 2022 aged 82, scored twice in the 1958 showpiece and ⁠remains the youngest player to score ⁠in a World Cup final.

The shirt ‌had previously sold at auction in 2004 for 70,505 pounds ($105,600), according to Sotheby’s

Published on Jul 17, 2026

#Peles #FIFA #World #Cup #final #shirt #sells #USD #million

Over the past few seasons, Tarik Skubal has been one of the best, if not the best, pitchers in the sport. Since 2023, Skubal has the second-lowest ERA among pitchers with at least 50 starts and ranks 9th in total strikeouts, despite having 13 fewer starts than every pitcher above him on that list. The two Cy Youngs are a culmination of his continued dominance, but now his upcoming free-agent decision looms large for the Detroit Tigers.

Skubal is a Scott Boras client. If you know anything about Boras guys, it’s not common for any of them to take team-friendly deals to stay in smaller markets, so this could very well be his final season in Detroit.

At this moment, the Tigers are 44-52, good for 4th in the AL Central, but are still only 3.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot. Detroit closed out the first half of the regular season strong, going 9-3, and got as close as 4.5 games of the Central division.

In a normal year, the season would be all but over for the Tigers, but fortunately they’re playing in one of the worst American Leagues we’ve ever seen. The trade deadline is August 3rd, so Detroit has five series to decide whether to make a playoff push or sell. Only one of those series is against a team over .500, and three of the other four series are against the three worst teams in the American League.

Detroit isn’t out of it yet

Detroit is finally getting healthier, and a playoff push isn’t out of the question, but that doesn’t make them a contender. Skubal and Casey Mize make one of the best 1-2 punches in baseball, but the lineup is terrible.

Last season blinded Detroit to a flawed lineup. Most of the lineup outperformed their expected stats and have plummeted back to Earth this year. Kevin McGonigle, Riley Greene, and Dillon Dingler are a very solid top of the order, and Gelyber Torres should return from injury soon, but I’m just not very sold on this team.

The return you can get on a guy like Skubal can change the long-term direction of your organization. Mason Miller was dealt at the deadline for four players who are now the first, fourth, and twelfth-ranked players in the Athletics farm system. Skubal would only be a rental, but if you could land a top 10-20 prospect in the sport, I think you have to do it.

Unless Detroit is going to shock the world and pay Skubal’s massive extension, I think the Tigers should start preparing for a world without their ace. This team’s not strong enough to contend and will only set themselves back if they hold on to Skubal.

#Tigers #Moving #Tarik #Skubal #Trade #Deadline #Deadspin.com">

Why Tigers Should Consider Moving Tarik Skubal at the Trade Deadline | Deadspin.com Over the past few seasons, Tarik Skubal has been one of the best, if not the best, pitchers in the sport. Since 2023, Skubal has the second-lowest ERA among pitchers with at least 50 starts and ranks 9th in total strikeouts, despite having 13 fewer starts than every pitcher above him on that list. The two Cy Youngs are a culmination of his continued dominance, but now his upcoming free-agent decision looms large for the Detroit Tigers.Skubal is a Scott Boras client. If you know anything about Boras guys, it’s not common for any of them to take team-friendly deals to stay in smaller markets, so this could very well be his final season in Detroit.At this moment, the Tigers are 44-52, good for 4th in the AL Central, but are still only 3.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot. Detroit closed out the first half of the regular season strong, going 9-3, and got as close as 4.5 games of the Central division.In a normal year, the season would be all but over for the Tigers, but fortunately they’re playing in one of the worst American Leagues we’ve ever seen. The trade deadline is August 3rd, so Detroit has five series to decide whether to make a playoff push or sell. Only one of those series is against a team over .500, and three of the other four series are against the three worst teams in the American League.Detroit isn’t out of it yetDetroit is finally getting healthier, and a playoff push isn’t out of the question, but that doesn’t make them a contender. Skubal and Casey Mize make one of the best 1-2 punches in baseball, but the lineup is terrible.Last season blinded Detroit to a flawed lineup. Most of the lineup outperformed their expected stats and have plummeted back to Earth this year. Kevin McGonigle, Riley Greene, and Dillon Dingler are a very solid top of the order, and Gelyber Torres should return from injury soon, but I’m just not very sold on this team.The return you can get on a guy like Skubal can change the long-term direction of your organization. Mason Miller was dealt at the deadline for four players who are now the first, fourth, and twelfth-ranked players in the Athletics farm system. Skubal would only be a rental, but if you could land a top 10-20 prospect in the sport, I think you have to do it.Unless Detroit is going to shock the world and pay Skubal’s massive extension, I think the Tigers should start preparing for a world without their ace. This team’s not strong enough to contend and will only set themselves back if they hold on to Skubal. #Tigers #Moving #Tarik #Skubal #Trade #Deadline #Deadspin.com

mwasimuddin125 0

Over the past few seasons, Tarik Skubal has been one of the best, if not the best, pitchers in the sport. Since 2023, Skubal has the second-lowest ERA among pitchers with at least 50 starts and ranks 9th in total strikeouts, despite having 13 fewer starts than every pitcher above him on that list. The two Cy Youngs are a culmination of his continued dominance, but now his upcoming free-agent decision looms large for the Detroit Tigers.
Skubal is a Scott Boras client. If you know anything about Boras guys, it’s not common for any of them to take team-friendly deals to stay in smaller markets, so this could very well be his final season in Detroit.
At this moment, the Tigers are 44-52, good for 4th in the AL Central, but are still only 3.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot. Detroit closed out the first half of the regular season strong, going 9-3, and got as close as 4.5 games of the Central division.
In a normal year, the season would be all but over for the Tigers, but fortunately they’re playing in one of the worst American Leagues we’ve ever seen. The trade deadline is August 3rd, so Detroit has five series to decide whether to make a playoff push or sell. Only one of those series is against a team over .500, and three of the other four series are against the three worst teams in the American League.

Detroit isn’t out of it yet

#Tigers #Moving #Tarik #Skubal #Trade #Deadline #Deadspin.com">Why Tigers Should Consider Moving Tarik Skubal at the Trade Deadline | Deadspin.com

Detroit isn’t out of it yet

#Tigers #Moving #Tarik #Skubal #Trade #Deadline #Deadspin.com

Death, taxes, and speculation about Max Verstappen’s Formula 1 future.

The sport has been dominated in recent weeks by speculation over Verstappen’s future with Red Bull, keyed by some difficult sessions this season. After crashes during qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix and in the closing stages of the British Grand Prix — with Verstappen chasing a podium finish — it is confirmed that he cannot rise to the top two spots in the Drivers’ Championship standings by the summer shutdown, which comes after the Hungarian Grand Prix next weekend.

With that, according to multiple reports, a clause in his Red Bull contract can be triggered, giving him an out for the 2027 season.

Sprinkle in a dash of the general frenzy that is the F1 driver transfer market, and you have arguably the dominant story ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.

And despite his manager, Raymond Vermeulen, tamping down those rumors recently, the F1 world got a chance to hear from the driver himself on Thursday in the buildup to this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.

And Verstappen made it clear that his focus is elsewhere.

Mainly, on turning the season around, and his “future” driving for Red Bull.

“There’s nothing to say,” answered Verstappen when asked about the speculation during the FIA Press Conference on Thursday. “I don’t want to say yes and no, and this and that about my future. I said already many times that if there was something new, I would say it myself.”

The driver then addressed the recent struggles, as well as his efforts alongside the team to right the ship.

“Now we’re just looking to the future trying to fix current issues that we have on the car, but that’s an open discussion,” he said. “Yes, sometimes you get a little bit disappointed or upset after a race, but for example after Silverstone, you go home and you reset.

“On Wednesday I was back at the factory and then you prepare again for the weekends ahead. That’s how I’ve been operating in all the years together. And of course, some years are just a little bit more competitive than others, but in terms of my approach and how we work as a team, nothing really changes.”

Part of that process is a focus on the rear wing of the RB22. That component — the revolving design referred to as the “Macarena” wing in the media — has been identified as the reason for those two high-speed crashes from Verstappen in recent weeks. The driver called the situation “super dangerous” when speaking to the media after the crash in Silverstone, and the team will reportedly shelve the component for this weekend.

But in terms of his future beyond Spa, Verstappen remained adamant on Thursday.

“Red Bull are like a second family to me,“ added the driver.

Here at SB Nation we are talking F1 every hour, every day. Join the discussion at the new F1 Feed, a community for Formula 1 fans!

#Belgian #Grand #Prix #Max #Verstappen #focused #future #Red #Bull">

Belgian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen is focused on the ‘future’ at Red Bull Death, taxes, and speculation about Max Verstappen’s Formula 1 future.The sport has been dominated in recent weeks by speculation over Verstappen’s future with Red Bull, keyed by some difficult sessions this season. After crashes during qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix and in the closing stages of the British Grand Prix — with Verstappen chasing a podium finish — it is confirmed that he cannot rise to the top two spots in the Drivers’ Championship standings by the summer shutdown, which comes after the Hungarian Grand Prix next weekend.With that, according to multiple reports, a clause in his Red Bull contract can be triggered, giving him an out for the 2027 season.Sprinkle in a dash of the general frenzy that is the F1 driver transfer market, and you have arguably the dominant story ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.And despite his manager, Raymond Vermeulen, tamping down those rumors recently, the F1 world got a chance to hear from the driver himself on Thursday in the buildup to this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.And Verstappen made it clear that his focus is elsewhere.Mainly, on turning the season around, and his “future” driving for Red Bull.“There’s nothing to say,” answered Verstappen when asked about the speculation during the FIA Press Conference on Thursday. “I don’t want to say yes and no, and this and that about my future. I said already many times that if there was something new, I would say it myself.”The driver then addressed the recent struggles, as well as his efforts alongside the team to right the ship.“Now we’re just looking to the future trying to fix current issues that we have on the car, but that’s an open discussion,” he said. “Yes, sometimes you get a little bit disappointed or upset after a race, but for example after Silverstone, you go home and you reset.“On Wednesday I was back at the factory and then you prepare again for the weekends ahead. That’s how I’ve been operating in all the years together. And of course, some years are just a little bit more competitive than others, but in terms of my approach and how we work as a team, nothing really changes.”Part of that process is a focus on the rear wing of the RB22. That component — the revolving design referred to as the “Macarena” wing in the media — has been identified as the reason for those two high-speed crashes from Verstappen in recent weeks. The driver called the situation “super dangerous” when speaking to the media after the crash in Silverstone, and the team will reportedly shelve the component for this weekend.But in terms of his future beyond Spa, Verstappen remained adamant on Thursday.“Red Bull are like a second family to me,“ added the driver.Here at SB Nation we are talking F1 every hour, every day. Join the discussion at the new F1 Feed, a community for Formula 1 fans! #Belgian #Grand #Prix #Max #Verstappen #focused #future #Red #Bull

mwasimuddin125 0

Death, taxes, and speculation about Max Verstappen’s Formula 1 future.
The sport has been dominated in recent weeks by speculation over Verstappen’s future with Red Bull, keyed by some difficult sessions this season. After crashes during qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix and in the closing stages of the British Grand Prix — with Verstappen chasing a podium finish — it is confirmed that he cannot rise to the top two spots in the Drivers’ Championship standings by the summer shutdown, which comes after the Hungarian Grand Prix next weekend.
With that, according to multiple reports, a clause in his Red Bull contract can be triggered, giving him an out for the 2027 season.
Sprinkle in a dash of the general frenzy that is the F1 driver transfer market, and you have arguably the dominant story ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.
And despite his manager, Raymond Vermeulen, tamping down those rumors recently, the F1 world got a chance to hear from the driver himself on Thursday in the buildup to this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.
And Verstappen made it clear that his focus is elsewhere.
Mainly, on turning the season around, and his “future” driving for Red Bull.
“There’s nothing to say,” answered Verstappen when asked about the speculation during the FIA Press Conference on Thursday. “I don’t want to say yes and no, and this and that about my future. I said already many times that if there was something new, I would say it myself.”
The driver then addressed the recent struggles, as well as his efforts alongside the team to right the ship.
“Now we’re just looking to the future trying to fix current issues that we have on the car, but that’s an open discussion,” he said. “Yes, sometimes you get a little bit disappointed or upset after a race, but for example after Silverstone, you go home and you reset.
“On Wednesday I was back at the factory and then you prepare again for the weekends ahead. That’s how I’ve been operating in all the years together. And of course, some years are just a little bit more competitive than others, but in terms of my approach and how we work as a team, nothing really changes.”
Part of that process is a focus on the rear wing of the RB22. That component — the revolving design referred to as the “Macarena” wing in the media — has been identified as the reason for those two high-speed crashes from Verstappen in recent weeks. The driver called the situation “super dangerous” when speaking to the media after the crash in Silverstone, and the team will reportedly shelve the component for this weekend.
But in terms of his future beyond Spa, Verstappen remained adamant on Thursday.
“Red Bull are like a second family to me,“ added the driver.
Here at SB Nation we are talking F1 every hour, every day. Join the discussion at the new F1 Feed, a community for Formula 1 fans!

#Belgian #Grand #Prix #Max #Verstappen #focused #future #Red #Bull">Belgian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen is focused on the ‘future’ at Red Bull

Death, taxes, and speculation about Max Verstappen’s Formula 1 future.

With that, according to multiple reports, a clause in his Red Bull contract can be triggered, giving him an out for the 2027 season.

Sprinkle in a dash of the general frenzy that is the F1 driver transfer market, and you have arguably the dominant story ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.

And Verstappen made it clear that his focus is elsewhere.

Mainly, on turning the season around, and his “future” driving for Red Bull.

The driver then addressed the recent struggles, as well as his efforts alongside the team to right the ship.

But in terms of his future beyond Spa, Verstappen remained adamant on Thursday.

“Red Bull are like a second family to me,“ added the driver.

Here at SB Nation we are talking F1 every hour, every day. Join the discussion at the new F1 Feed, a community for Formula 1 fans!

#Belgian #Grand #Prix #Max #Verstappen #focused #future #Red #Bull

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Detroit isn’t out of it yet

Detroit isn’t out of it yet

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