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.

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.

Harrison Armstrong in the Championship
Stats (* per game)	24/25	25/26
Matches (starts)	15 (12)	8 (5)
Goals	1	0
Assists	0	0
Touches*	33.6	35.0
Accurate passes*	14.8 (68%)	20.1 (82%)
Chances created*	0.3	0.3
Dribbles*	0.6	0.8
Ball recoveries*	3.8	3.0
Tackles + interceptions*	3.2	2.1
Ground duels won*	2.9 (57%)	2.8 (59%)
Aerial duels won*	1.0 (45%)	1.1 (75%)
Data via Sofascore

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.

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By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 27, 2025

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo carried a no hitter into the eighth inning of Thursday's game against the New York Yankees before it was broken up on a single by Jazz Chisholm Jr. that snuck through the right side of the infield.

It was certainly a painful way to lose a no hitter, but Woo was a good sport about it and walked over to first base to give Chisholm a quick pat on the backside in what was quick and respectful gesture.

It was a classy move from Woo, who was likely fighting back some frustrations as he went over to acknowledge Chisholm on first base.

Woo was dominant on the mound throughout the night, but Chisholm found a way to get on base, and he would later come around to score to get the Yankees on the board for the first time all game. After trailing 5–0 and not having a single hit heading into the bottom of the eighth, New York staged a miracle comeback to win in extra innings, 6–5.

Woo ended his night with five strikeouts, two walks and two earned runs across 7 1/3 innings. He improved his season ERA to 2.75, eighth best in the American League.

Leeds United travel away from West Yorkshire and Elland Road to face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League this afternoon.

The Whites are looking to win back-to-back matches in the Premier League for the first time this season, after they beat West Ham United in their last outing.

Daniel Farke’s side won, thanks to goals from Brenden Aaronson and Joe Rodon, and Anton Stach did not play a single minute of the match at Elland Road.

Why Leeds should unleash Anton Stach

Despite beating the Hammers, Leeds can improve on their performance from last time out because they failed to put the game out of sight for the away side, which led to a nervy ending when they pulled a goal back.

After Rodon’s goal, the Whites did not create a single chance that was worth more than 0.14 xG, per Sofascore, and they allowed West Ham to get back into the game, albeit they were able to hang on for all three points.

Stach, who did not get on the pitch, has proven that he can provide a threat at the top end of the pitch from a midfield position, with one goal, 1.8 key passes per game, and two ‘big chances’ created in eight appearances, per Sofascore.

The summer signing from Hoffenheim has shown that he can be a difference-maker with his individual quality, which could help Leeds to capitalise on a shaky Brighton defence that has conceded 15 goals in the Premier League.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

In order to bring Stach into the starting line-up, though, Farke would have to ruthlessly ditch Ao Tanaka, whose performances he has recently defended.

Why Leeds should drop Ao Tanaka

After the win over West Ham, the Japan international stated that he is “not good enough at the moment” and that he will be using these experiences to improve as a player.

Asked about Tanaka’s honest admission, Farke said: “He had a really good start to the season with us. I didn’t expect him to be man of the match [vs West Ham], being in his first match after injury back in the starting line up, but I think he was quite solid and showed a really, really good performance.”

In spite of his defence of the central midfielder’s comments and performance, the German head coach should drop the midfield maestro from the XI because Stach may be able to offer more quality against Brighton.

Appearances

7

8

xG

0.16

0.79

Goals

0

1

Key passes per game

0.6

1.8

Big chances created

0

2

Ground duel success rate

18%

52%

Aerial duel success rate

43%

77%

Tackles + interceptions per game

0.7

2.3

As you can see in the table above, Tanaka has struggled to influence games in the Premier League this season, as he has offered little in the final third whilst being dominated by opposition players physically.

The Japanese midfielder is seemingly still adjusting to the step up from the Championship, which is understandable, but Stach has shown that he can make an impact offensively and hold his own defensively in his eight starts in the division.

Given Brighton’s defensive struggles this season, conceding 15 goals in nine games, it could be the right time to bring the German central midfielder back into the starting line-up to give the Whites the best chance of causing their defence problems.

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Therefore, Farke should ruthlessly drop Tanaka from the XI, despite his defence of the midfielder’s display against West Ham, because it may improve the team’s chances of winning this afternoon, given the context of the opposition.

Fulham are now planning to make a move for Brendan Rodgers, amid a new update on Marco Silva’s future at Craven Cottage.

Silva is going through a tricky period in the Premier League, suffering a 2-0 defeat against Everton prior to the international break, which leaves his side in 15th place, just one point above the relegation zone.

With the 48-year-old’s contract coming to an end in the summer, there has been speculation about his future, but it seems as though the club hierarchy is keen to keep hold of him, having recently tabled a new contract offer.

However, with the former Everton boss still yet to put pen to paper, there could still be a twist in the tale, and it has now been revealed that an ex-Premier League manager is set to be approached, having recently resigned from his previous role.

Fulham set to sound out Brendan Rodgers amid Marco Silva uncertainty

According to a report from Football Insider, Silva’s future in west London is still in major doubt, which means Fulham are now set to sound out Rodgers over a move to Craven Cottage, with the Northern Irishman still out of work after leaving Celtic last month.

The Cottagers are planning to hold talks with the 52-year-old, who is vastly experienced in the top flight, having managed Swansea City, Leicester City and Liverpool in the past.

Having offered Silva a new deal, there is still a chance he remains in west London, but there are some issues to iron out, with the manager eager to be backed in the transfer window, following a quiet summer, during which Kevin was the only major addition.

It would be a shame to see the Portuguese manager move on, given the fantastic job he has done at Craven Cottage, stabilising Fulham as a top-flight club after guiding them to promotion from the Championship.

Games

198

Wins

90

Draws

37

Losses

71

Points per game

1.55

That said, should Silva decide to leave, Rodgers could be a fantastic replacement, having been lauded as an “unbelievable” manager by Jamie O’Hara as a result of the work he did during his time at Leicester.

The ex-Foxes boss won the FA Cup and the Community Shield during his time at the King Power Stadium, two of 13 trophies he has lifted as a manager, having also been extremely successful at Celtic.

However, while the Cottagers’ current league position is concerning, their current manager has proven time and time again that he is capable of keeping them in the top flight, so it would be a risk to replace him.

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Leeds United have made an approach to sign Flamengo winger Gonzalo Plata, alongside two other Premier League clubs, and a January move could now be possible.

A lack of goals has been an issue for Leeds so far this season, having scored just ten Premier League goals, the joint-second lowest figure in the top flight, with Danny Murphy bemoaning their lack of quality attacking options back in September.

Murphy said: “I think the biggest problem for Burnley and Leeds is firepower. I agree with what we talked about earlier. I think all the newly promoted sides doing well is great for the Premier League.

“I’d like to see them all stay up, actually. But I don’t think it’ll be the case.

Since then, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has continued to struggle in front of goal, having found the back just once in nine league outings, although Daniel Farke will be glad Lukas Nmecha scored his first goal from open play at the weekend, albeit in a 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest.

As a result of that loss, the Whites are just one point above the relegation zone, sitting in 16th place, and it has been revealed they have now made an approach to sign a new forward ahead of the January transfer window.

Leeds make contact to sign Gonzalo Plata

According to journalist Fabricio Lopes (via Sport Witness), Leeds have now made contact to sign Flamengo winger Gonzalo Plata, and the Brazilian club could be willing to sanction a move in the January transfer window.

Indeed, Flamengo have become increasingly frustrated with Plata, given that he went to a nightclub before an important match, which means they will now be open to offers this winter, although there could be competition for his signature.

AFC Bournemouth and West Ham United have also made enquiries over a deal for the Flamengo star, who remains under contract until June 2029, putting his current employers in a strong negotiating position.

There may be some concerns over the 25-year-old’s off-field issues, but he certainly has plenty of ability, having been lauded as “exceptional” by scout Jacek Kulig earlier this year.

The Ecuadorian is established at international level, having scored eight goals in 45 appearances for his national side, while the versatile attacker, who is also capable of playing at centre-forward, has also chipped in with 17 goal contributions in 63 appearances for Flamengo.

Leeds may need a fresh injection of quality in attack if they are to avoid the drop, given that not a single one of their players has scored over two goals this season.

Leeds’ top scorers	Number of goals
Joe Rodon	2
Lukas Nmecha	2
Noah Okofor	2
Sean Longstaff	1
Brenden Aaronson	1
Anton Stach	1
Dominic Calvert-Lewin	1

That said, it would be a risk to sign Plata, given that the Ecuador international is unproven in the Premier League, and wasn’t exactly prolific in the 2025 Brazilian Serie A, netting four goals in 24 outings.

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Rocchiccioli was the most successful Australian bowler, picking up 3 for 159

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Sep-2025Devdutt Padikkal scored his seventh first-class hundred to lead India’s response as the first four-day game in Lucknow ended in a high-scoring draw.India A resumed the day on 403 for 4 with Padikkal on 86 and Dhruv Jurel on 113. Jurel could add only 27 to his overnight score but Padikkal carried on. Along with Tanush Kotian, he added 41 for the sixth wicket. Padikkal hit 14 fours and a six in his 150 before falling to Corey Rocchiccioli’s offspin.Soon after that, India declared their innings, on 531 for 7, one run behind Australia’s first-innings total. The Australian openers, Sam Konstas and Campbell Kellaway, came out to bat for 16 overs, in which they added an unbroken 56.Just like the previous three days, rain once again interrupted play on Friday.”Unfortunately, the rain probably didn’t help us over the four days,” Rocchiccioli said. “I think if there were no rain, it probably would have allowed for a result somewhere along the line. But it was an invaluable experience with the group that we have picked. The players who have played here… first hit out for some of them in a while. So to be able to play in some foreign conditions, learn your game a little bit better, have some really good conversations in the change rooms, I think has helped everyone be better for these conditions and move forward to the next game.”Rocchiccioli was the most successful Australian bowler, picking up 3 for 159 in 36.1 overs. Apart from dismissing Padikkal, he got rid of Shreyas Iyer and Kotian.”Look, there’s actually probably no direct plan,” he said when asked about the Iyer lbw. “I was just hoping to land the ball on the stumps. I probably didn’t bowl my best leading into that moment. Luckily enough, one sort of spun and took his pad. He is obviously a really big player that we looked at a lot during the pre-game, but there was nothing there that I thought was a weakness or anything. I just knew that I had to bowl good balls and ask good questions and I was lucky enough to have the wicket at that moment.”The second four-dayer will also be played in Lucknow, from September 23.

Big picture: Big-ticket visit, but small beer for visitors

It’s a state of affairs that sums up the imbalances of international cricket. England and Ireland are about to play their first-ever bilateral game of T20 cricket – even though the format has consumed the sport in the course of the past two decades – at a moment in the respective itineraries of the two nations that could scarcely be more polarized.On the one hand, there’s the visitors England, girding their loins for one final push after an exhausting home season comprising a five-Test series against India, while already casting their eyes forward to the single biggest date on their 2025 calendar: November 21, and the start of their legacy-defining Ashes campaign.Despite the notable pick of Jacob Bethell as captain, they’ve arrived in Dublin with something close to their first-choice XI, or at least the version that took the field with such stunning success in their most recently completed match, against South Africa at Old Trafford last week.Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett were scarcely missed while Phil Salt and Jos Buttler were blazing England towards that record 304 for 2, but they remain in mothballs alongside the regular captain Harry Brook and Jofra Archer – each of whom, with as much respect as can be mustered in such circumstances, has bigger fish to fry in the coming months. As indeed has the head coach, Brendon McCullum, who has already flown home to New Zealand.And then, there’s the hosts Ireland – for the most part exiles in their own land, given how rarely they are able to attract the quality of opposition that justifies the outlay required to accommodate them. This three-match series is their biggest ticket since India popped over for three T20Is in August 2023 (one of which was abandoned).Sure enough, Malahide has rolled out its temporary stands (at considerable expense) to take the ground’s capacity to around 4,000 for these three games. Happily, Friday and Sunday are already sold out, while Wednesday’s series opener should be at least 80% full, with tickets still available. Given that last year’s visit by Australia was canned on the grounds that even those broadcast rights couldn’t have covered Cricket Ireland’s costs, their financial tightrope is real and terrifying.For both teams, however, this series remains a key staging post for a significant and looming peak. England’s thoughts will have to turn to the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka almost before they’ve completed their Ashes comedown, and such are the reasons why experimentation for this leg has been relatively limited, even if the conditions in Malahide will be as far removed from those in the subcontinent in February as can be imagined.For Ireland, however, that focus will be nothing less than full-bore. So much of their raison d’etre revolves around ICC events, from the long and anxious qualification bids that precede them, to the crucial exposure and funding that their moments on the big stage provide. But here, in a slender weather-threatened five-day window, that stage has at long last come back to their own shores.

Form guide

Ireland LLWLL (last five T20Is, most recent first)
England WLWWW

In the spotlight: Jordan Cox and Ross Adair

All he ever seems to get are scraps from the table, but to Jordan Cox’s immense credit, he has not yet been consumed by frustration at an international career that simply cannot stick a landing. The false starts have been numerous – most gallingly the broken thumb that robbed him of three guaranteed Tests in New Zealand last winter – while his two previous T20I appearances, against Australia last year, were – just like this potential recall – tacked onto the end of a long international summer. But his belated call-up to the squad is entirely on merit, after his MVP displays for Oval Invincibles in the Hundred. Given half a chance, he is still hungry to make the most of it.At the age of 31, and having parked his previous career in rugby union, Ross Adair is a significant bolter for this winter’s T20 World Cup. His last-but-one international innings was a storming knock of 100 from 58 balls as Ireland beat South Africa in Abu Dhabi this time last year, and as he told ESPNcricinfo this week, the explosive nature of T20 cricket means there are plenty of transferrable skills from his previous incarnation as a winger.

Team news: Calitz, Baker in line for debuts

Ireland could hand a maiden cap to Ben Calitz, the 23-year-old Canada-born batter, with Paul Stirling, their captain, saying they were “crying out” for a left-hander in their middle order. Their bowling stocks have taken a hit with Josh Little and Mark Adair both absent for this series – Little has played just once for Middlesex in two months as he nurses a side injury. Matthew Humphreys is set to lead the attack once more, after impressing in his only outing against West Indies in June.Ireland: (possible) 1 Paul Stirling (capt), 2 Ross Adair, 3 Harry Tector, 4 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 5 Ben Calitz, 6 George Dockrell, 7 Curtis Campher, 8 Barry McCarthy, 9 Graham Hume, 10 Matthew Humphreys, 11 Craig Young.Sonny Baker seems in line for a maiden T20I outing, and ideally a less brutal return to England colours, after being launched for 76 runs on his wicketless ODI debut against South Africa earlier this month. Cox is the obvious replacement for Brook in the middle-order, with England likely to persevere with their spin-heavy attack in preparation for the T20 World Cup.England: (possible) 1 Phil Salt, 2 Jos Buttler (wk), 3 Jacob Bethell (capt), 4 Jordan Cox, 5 Sam Curran, 6 Tom Banton, 7 Will Jacks, 8 Liam Dawson, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Luke Wood, 11 Sonny Baker.

Pitch and conditions

Dublin in early autumn is unlikely to be the sort of batting paradise that England encountered in that Old Trafford contest. Stirling predicted conditions would be as “alien” to those at next year’s World Cup as you could imagine: “September in Ireland is going to be green, it’s going to nip a little bit, and it’s going to be slightly slow.” The weather for Wednesday is mostly set to be clear, though torrential overnight rain is anticipated, which may well influence the decisions at the toss.

Stats and trivia

• England and Ireland have played only twice before in the T20I format – at the T20 World Cups in 2010 (then the World T20) and 2022. Ireland memorably won the second of those at the MCG and might well have won the first but for a washout. England, remarkably, recovered from those set-backs to claim the title on each occasion.
• At 21 years and 329 days, Jacob Bethell is set to become the youngest captain in England’s history, beating the mark currently held by Monty Bowden, who was 23 and 144 days when he led England against South Africa at Cape Town on the Test tour of 1888-89.

Quotes

“It was fantastic viewing… Hopefully it’ll be a bit different than Old Trafford, where the pitch didn’t seem to be doing much. Coming here, it might be a bit slower, it might do a bit more, and hopefully we can catch a team off-guard that way if things go our way – maybe win the toss and go from there.”
“I’ve played with Paul Stirling myself, and I’ve seen how destructive he is at the other end. He’ll be someone we’ll be looking to target early and try to get him walking back into the sheds.”