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Shortly after the Mets suffered a season-ending 4–0 loss to the Marlins on Sunday, slugger Pete Alonso announced he will opt out of his current contract and enter free agency this offseason.

Alonso was a free agent last winter but never landed the long-term deal he was seeking. In February, he signed a two-year, $54 million contract with New York that included a player option for '26.

Alonso didn't rule out re-signing with the Mets again this offseason when pondering his future on Sunday.

"Playing for this organization, this city—they've continued to believe in me," Alonso said. "I've loved playing here. There's some great guys in the clubhouse; there's some great people on staff. Every single day, it's been a pleasure coming to work and putting on the orange and blue. I've really appreciated it and been nothing but full of gratitude every single day.

"Nothing is guaranteed, but we'll see what happens. I love being a Met. So hopefully they've appreciated me the same."

Alonso didn't land the free-agent contract he was looking for last offseason because of a down year in 2024. In 162 games that season, Alonso batted .240/.329/.459 with 34 homers and 172 strikeouts—adding up to a career-worst .788 OPS. He bounced back in '25, batting .272/.347/.524 with 41 doubles, 38 homers and 126 RBIs in 161 games.

The five-time All-Star will be one of the most talented bats available on the open market. But after the Mets and their $341 million payroll missed out on the postseason by one game in 2025, will they be willing to empty their pocketbooks for Alonso?

When Everton wrapped up a season-long loan deal for Jack Grealish ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, it felt like the Three Lions star had entered the last-chance saloon.

It also raised questions as to what David Moyes was to do with his Toffees talisman, Iliman Ndiaye. Both mavericks couldn’t play on the left flank, after all.

But Ndiaye has performed excellently in a new right-sided berth, leading the club’s scoring charts with three goals from nine Premier League matches.

Iliman Ndiaye's importance to Everton

Alongside Grealish, he is the standout star in Moyes’ squad. Ndiaye only arrived in 2024, signing from Marseille for about £15m, but he was a beacon of hope throughout the end of Sean Dyche’s tenure and has scored nine goals under Moyes; no active Everton player has bagged more.

His electric pace and sharp-witted brain makes him a tricky customer for even the sternest Premier League defence. As per Sofascore, the Senegal international has won seven duels per game so far this season, and he has yet to miss a big chance when played in on goal.

Grealish has a unique skillset of his own, but there is really no one else quite like him on the blue half of Merseyside, perhaps the red streets too.

He wears the #10 shirt with pride and purpose, and it’s unlikely anyone in Moyes’ squad has the quality to take it from him right now.

There is an Everton up-and-comer who would fancy his chances, though. He’s currently out on loan, and causing quite the storm as he angles toward an emphatic return to the Premier League next season.

The Everton prospect who could take Ndiaye's shirt

For those of an Everton persuasion, it’s a hard thing to admit, but if Ndiaye isn’t playing European football before long, he may well cast an eye on the continent. Already, the likes of Tottenham Hotspur are weighing up a bumper bid, and the Friedkin Group have responded with a price tag spilling over the £70m mark.

Should he leave, Harrison Armstrong might fancy himself worthy of the summer. Certainly, the teenager has been riding the crest of a wave out on loan in the Championship with Preston North End this season, with his performances leading writer Jonny Nelson to predict that he “will be playing for England in two years”.

The 18-year-old has the grace, technical skill and physicality to become a mainstay in the Premier League, and after a promising spell on loan with Derby County last year, he has taken his game to the next level at Deepdale.

Rangy and ever-more athletic, he’s already featured eight times for Everton’s senior side and has racked up three assists, having played prominently for the development side before being determined to warrant a series of loan moves at a lower level.

Lauded for his “unreal” recent performances by the Second Tier Podcast, Armstrong is going from strength to strength.

We are seeing improvements. We are seeing maturity and growth. Armstrong ranks among the top 10% of Championship midfielders this season for progressive carries and the top 13% for successful take-ons per 90 (data via FBref).

But, more crucially, it is the overall level of his game that has been raised, more confident on the ball, more combative against the run of play. This is a Moyes midfielder, and one who stands a compelling chance of emulating Declan Rice at West Ham United, who was schooled into the superstar he is by the Scotsman.

He is not a winger, and would not replace Ndiaye in terms of tactical role, but the Finch Farm starlet has what it takes to dazzle on Merseyside and provide Everton with a new dimension, much like the silky winger.

Everton might just have a superstar on their hands in Armstrong, one who could hit the heights Ndiaye has reached, and more.

Fewer touches than Pickford: Everton flop must be axed if Richarlison joins

This Everton dud will surely be on borrowed time even more if Richarlison rejoins the Toffees.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 27, 2025

Last year, Arne Slot won the sprawling Liverpool fanbase over with his incredible success in replacing the irreplaceable Jurgen Klopp and establishing a clear and compelling identity.

But last season’s Premier League title triumph is a far cry from this current Liverpool crop, who have been battered away from title-defending contention after a run of six losses and just one win across eight league fixtures.

So much has gone awry, but Slot’s failure to get a tune out of £125m summer signing Alexander Isak has got to be among the biggest worries.

Isak's start to life at Liverpool

Isak, 26, left Newcastle as one of the most devastating forwards in world football, instrumental in the rise of Eddie Howe’s Tyneside team over the past three years.

But there’s no question that he’s struggled to adapt so far this season, having only scored twice so far and routinely drifting on the edge of matches. After Liverpool’s recent draw to Sunderland, Slot admitted that providing the 26-year-old was among his priorities to fix.

But, for now, his impact has been nominal, failing to bring the completeness and sharpness that his predecessor, Darwin Nunez, failed over three years to sustain with consistency.

Reporter David Lynch actually claimed last month that “Isak is currently offering less than Nunez did during his final year at Anfield”, and the few games he has played since have offered little encouragement that such a bold claim is without legs.

However, this is a time for cool heads, as far as the Swedish striker’s future on Merseyside is concerned.

Isak is one of the best strikers in the world, and he will surely come good at the Anfield spearhead.

Liverpool's new version of Darwin Nunez

Liverpool have enjoyed Cody Gakpo’s services for almost three years now, purchasing PSV Eindhoven’s talisman for a fee rising to £45m in late December 2022.

The left-sided forward is well regarded as one of the most prolific wingers in European football, but his overall performances do leave something to be desired. In fact, his samey efforts down the wing have irked some Liverpool fans across the campaign, and it is for this reason that he, and not Isak, is becoming the club’s new version of Nunez.

Liverpool have been too predictable this season, and the sight of Gakpo claiming the ball on the left flank and proceeding to cut inside has become a too-regular occurrence, something opponents are clearly cottoning onto.

The Netherlands international does offer something, but he isn’t dynamic enough, and the absence of Luis Diaz’s electric threat is accentuated by his sustained starting role on the left wing.

Looking at the data could leave a few fans feeling rather incredulous. Gakpo is statistically among the most creative players in the Premier League this season, and his return of four goals and three assists from 12 top-flight starts is pretty good for an outfit so far out of sorts.

Bruno Fernandes

40

2.9

Jeremy Doku

31

3.3

Mohamed Salah

28

2.3

Yankuba Minteh

27

2.0

Cody Gakpo

26

2.2

But he has also fallen into the trap of predictability, and many are questioning why someone like Federico Chiesa is not getting a chance to show what he can do in his stead (reminder: Chiesa has not started in the Premier League or Champions League for Liverpool this year).

Nunez left Anfield a popular figure, but it was clear that Liverpool needed to level up at number nine after three terms of inconsistency from the Uruguayan.

Gakpo isn’t inconsistent, per se, but he is undoubtedly frustrating in his inswinging repetition, and this is why he is becoming a picked-on figure in the same vein as Nunez before him.

Huge Gakpo upgrade: £70m "superstar" now keen to join Liverpool in January

Arne Slot’s Liverpool frontline is not quite right this season.

1 ByAngus Sinclair 7 days ago

Ayub smashed an unbeaten 71 off 38 balls after Pakistan’s seamers rolled South Africa over for 110

Firdose Moonda31-Oct-2025From the ruins of Rawalpindi, Pakistan rallied to level the T20I series against South Africa and romped to a nine wicket win in Lahore.The match was all but over in the first 10 overs, when South Africa slipped to 66 for 6 after stunning spells from left-arm quick Salman Mirza, playing in his sixth T20I, Naseem Shah and Faheem Ashraf. Pakistan used pace-off balls to excellent effect and South Africa put on one of their poorer displays of shot selection in a performance they will want to forget. Only one batter, Dewald Brevis, got past 20, and only one partnership did the same. With Lhuan-dre Pretorius on the bench, South Africa may want to rethink their line-up heading into tomorrow’s decider.On the other hand, Pakistan played the situation to perfection. Their bowlers read the surface well before the batters knocked off their target of 111 with 41 balls to spare. An opening stand of 54 between Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub set them up before Ayub and Babar Azam finished things off with an unbroken 58 for the second wicket. In the process, Babar became the leading run-scorer in T20Is.The series is 1-1 with the decider to come in less than 24 hours’ time.Salman Mirza’s figures of 3 for 14 were his best in T20Is•Getty Images

Mirza makes things happen

Mirza was given an opportunity ahead of fellow left-armer Shaheeh Shah Afridi and made an immediate impact. He set Reeza Hendricks up with an opening delivery that moved away from him and then brought the second one back in and found leg stump to dismiss him for a duck. In the next over, Mirza angled a couple into Tony de Zorzi’s pads, then went for the surprise short ball and de Zorzi missed his pull. That was a warning. Two balls later, Mirza went for a slower-ball bouncer and de Zorzi pulled to Abrar Ahmed at short fine leg.In between those dismissals, Quinton de Kock was caught at mid-off off a slower ball from Naseem Shah and dismissed cheaply for the third time since his comeback, and Naseem could have had more. Matthew Breetzke was dropped at short third off him, which only allowed Mirza to get a third. He delivered another cutter, beat Breetzke’s edge, and bowled him to leave South Africa 23 for 4 in the fifth over.

Faheem finishes off

Brevis threatened to take control with a quickfire 25 off 16 balls including three sixes, all hit cleanly, but mishit a slower short ball from Faheem to cover point. South Africa were in all sorts at 49 for 5 in the eighth over, and stand-in captain Donovan Ferreria could barely rebuild. He chopped a Faheem short ball onto his stumps at the end of the 10th over. Two overs later, George Linde went almost exactly the same way, playing the pull rather than cut, but also edging onto his stumps. South Africa were 73 for 7 but dragged things into the 20th over before getting bowled out for 110.Faheem Ashraf picked up four wickets•AFP/Getty Images

Super Saim

South Africa had made run-scoring look difficult but Ayub showed that was a fiction as he anchored the chase with his first fifty in a home T20I in a 360-degree display of hitting. He took advantage of any hint of width or anything slightly short and even had a bit of luck with two healthy edges that went for four. But the ninth over belonged to him; after an edge off Baartman went for four, he smashed a slightly short ball over long-on for six, then hit him over point for four, and then produced the shot of the night with a no-look pick-up over deep square leg for six. The over cost Baartman 21 runs and put Pakistan 29 away from victory with 11 overs left to play.

All hail Babar

After a duck on T20I comeback in Rawalpindi, expectation was high on Babar, especially on his home ground, and he was in the mood to deliver. He creamed the first ball he faced through the covers for four to send Lahore into a frenzy. Then he was stuck on 6 off 7 for two overs, with Ayub taking all the strike and carving big chunks off the target. Babar needed three more to overtake Rohit Sharma as the leading run-scorer in T20Is. He got there at the start of the 12th over with a single of Ferreira – his 4232nd run in the format – and the home fans knew exactly what he had achieved. Babar received appreciative applause from a packed crowd, and Ayub sealed the game with a six two overs later. Babar is now three runs ahead of Rohit, who is retired from the format.

Brevis, Mhatre and Urvil have given a flagging team some positive vibes

Sreshth Shah07-May-20252:40

Moody: ‘Brevis could be one of CSK’s best signings of the decade’

Wins have been hard to come by for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) this season, and reversing a losing trend is rarely straightforward. But adversity often presents unexpected openings. In recent games, the inclusion of Ayush Mhatre, Urvil Patel, and Dewald Brevis has reignited CSK’s batting firepower. The narrow two-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru hinted at a revival, and the emphatic win over Kolkata Knight Riders confirmed it.What makes the turnaround even more remarkable is that none of the trio were part of CSK’s original auction plans. All three were signed as injury replacements after April 15, yet they’ve leapfrogged several players from the 25-member post-auction squad to break into the playing XI. While the franchise had publicly backed its auction strategy in earlier press conferences, there’s since been an implicit acknowledgment that they fell short in identifying emerging talent early on. The initial blueprint – built around Devon Conway, Ravindra Jadeja, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tripathi, and the now-injured Ruturaj Gaikwad – failed to click. With playoff hopes extinguished, CSK have shifted their focus toward IPL 2026, though not without showing signs of finishing the current season on a high, if not a triumphant, note.Batting coach Michael Hussey shed light on the thinking behind introducing the new trio.”When it got to a stage where we were going to struggle to make the playoffs, there was an opportunity to maybe look at what our future looks like,” Hussey said after CSK’s third win of the season. “Yes, obviously, we’ve got those players that were picked in the auction, but this was an opportunity to do some scouting, to have a look at some younger talent that was coming through, to inject them into the games and get to see them in pressure situations and see if they can handle the pressure of IPL.”Related

• Brevis cracks counterattacking fifty as KKR's playoffs hopes nosedive

• 'Nothing for me to decide as of now' – Dhoni on his IPL future

Each of the three newcomers has shown, in different ways, that they belong. Mhatre’s 94 against RCB was one of the finest IPL innings by a teenager. Brevis has brought electric energy in the field and backed it up with a blazing 22-ball half-century at Eden Gardens. Urvil, too, lit up his IPL debut with a dazzling 31 off just 11 balls. But beyond their individual numbers, Hussey credited them with lifting the overall mood of the squad.”They’ve had a positive impact on the team,” he said. “They’re highly motivated to do well. They’ve created energy around the group, because when you’re in this position, sometimes the energy of the players can just go downhill very quickly. But this injection of some youth has really invigorated everyone.”It’s not just their runs that have changed CSK’s fortunes, it’s the intent behind those runs. Ahead of the KKR match, CSK had the lowest powerplay run rate this season at 8.1. Their top-order had either batted too cautiously for the modern T20 game or struggled to play with freedom, often leaving the middle and lower-order with too much to make up, whether batting first or second.1:23

Moody: Urvil’s stability at the crease stood out

Against KKR, just like in the RCB game, CSK showed early aggression. Despite losing five wickets, they powered to 62 runs in the first six overs. Brevis then lit up the 11th over, taking down Vaibhav Arora for 30 runs with a sequence of 6, 4, 4, 6, 6, 4. That onslaught gave CSK the breathing room they needed. The experienced middle order did the rest, with Shivam Dube’s 45 off 40 and MS Dhoni’s 17 off 18 finishing the chase with calm authority.While Hussey admitted that the lack of intent in the powerplay had been a concern, he also pointed to the home conditions in Chennai as a contributing factor. Still, he acknowledged that this stretch might mark the beginning of a tactical transition for CSK.”I mean, we weren’t playing in Hyderabad, you know. We weren’t playing in Delhi where the ground is smaller and the pitch is better,” Hussey said. “But I agree with you, it has been an area that we were below par on, particularly in the early stages of the season. The injection of youth, they bring that, I guess, youthful exuberance, that freedom, that lack of fear.”So yeah, it’s an area that we’re putting a fair bit of time into is that sort of talent identification. Trying to find some gold nuggets, I guess, if you like. Hopefully it pays dividends in the future years to come. Transitions are always difficult to manage, especially in a competition like IPL.”Hussey reserved special praise for Mhatre, even though he was dismissed for a two-ball duck in Kolkata. In ESPNcricinfo’s studios, Tom Moody praised Urvil’s technique and went as far as to call Brevis a game-changing CSK signing for the next ten years.”Mhatre’s a special talent, but he’s also a special young man,” Hussey said. “He’s got a great support network around him with his coach back in Mumbai, his parents. So I feel as though he’s got a great foundation to hopefully have a very successful career, and hope it’s with CSK for a long time.””Brevis could be one of Chennai’s best signings of the decade. He is an exceptionally talented player and he’s just starting to realise his talent. The one blip he will have to overcome is his cricket smarts,” Moody said on Time:Out. “And the thing that stood out with Urvil was his stability in the crease. One of the key things to power-hitting is a stable base, and for a young man to come into his first game and stay true to that and to be able to execute like that tells me a hell of a lot that this guy has a future.”The batting flourish in the last two games has offered CSK enough positives to suggest that all is not lost, even if the points table says otherwise. IPL 2026 may still be a while away, but some clarity around key personnel for the future makes even these small victories feel significant.

2025 is the year of Cal Raleigh.

The Mariners catcher has been on an absolute tear this season, launching 38 home runs before the All-Star break and in doing so nearly eclipsing Barry Bonds' first-half home run record of 39. Raleigh then got to participate in the Home Run Derby, with his dad Todd pitching and his brother Todd Jr. catching.

Raleigh, commonly known among MLB fans as "Big Dumper" due to his sizable hindquarters, took home the Home Run Derby trophy, and soon after landed himself an absolutely perfect endorsement deal.

On Wednesday, Honey Bucket, a provider of portable toilets headquartered in the Pacific Northwest, announced that they'd reached an agreement on a new partnership with Raleigh.

"This exciting collaboration brings together two names that stand for grit, reliability, and performance under pressure. Whether it’s behind the plate or behind the scenes at construction sites, community events, and stadiums, both Raleigh and Honey Bucket share one mission: deliver when it counts," the brand said in its release about the partnership.

"Honey Bucket is the name behind the cleanest, most dependable restrooms in the game. As someone who understands the value of showing up prepared every single day, I’m proud to team up with a company that does the same," Raleigh said.

After his historic first half of the season, Raleigh will hope to stay locked in at the plate as he looks to break the record for most home runs hit by a catcher in a single season, while also helping to guide the Mariners to the postseason for the first time since 2022.

Mitchell Starc declined to call himself the GOAT of left-arm pace, saying Wasim Akram was “still a far better bowler than I am” after surpassing the Pakistan great as the leading Test wicket-taker among left-arm fast bowlers on day one of the Brisbane Test against England.Starc claimed 6 for 71 at the Gabba, his fourth haul of six wickets or more in four innings, to once again shoulder the burden of leading an Australia attack shorn of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood at the start of the 2025-26 Ashes. That took him to 418 Test wickets, four more than Wasim, who tweeted his congratulations to Starc during the day’s play.