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Lionel Messi finally got his MLS Cup with Inter Miami, but the Herons will face an offseason full of change as they look to defend the trophy

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The lasting image of Inter Miami’s triumph over Vancouver Whitecaps was that of Lionel Messi, facing the fans, arms raised, finally celebrating with a stadium that had waited so long for this. 

Yet that is not the most important. There will, in all likelihood, be more Messi moments of that ilk. He has 48 trophies and counting. For Miami, the most telling picture was that of Jordi Alba, lying on his back, sobbing as the third Miami goal went in. That was a moment of total catharsis for a player who knew that his time was up – and had ended the right way. 

Miami were excellent Saturday evening, and the Messi narrative simply cannot be ignored. He has been in South Florida for almost three years now, and finally claimed his first MLS Cup. Yet this also felt like the changing of the guard. Alba will now retire. Sergio Busquets, too, is hanging up his boots. Luis Suarez did not play, and there is little indication that he will return with his contract up. 

This, then, was the last moment of Messi’s Miami 1.0. And it ended in the storybook way. But now, a restructure – not a rebuild – has to begin in South Beach. 

“I know what it means to [Busquets and Alba] to leave this way,” manager Javier Mascherano said. "Two players have made history at this club, have completely transformed it along with Leo. Today they are part of the great history of this club, which is very short, very small, but that's what they came for, to change the course of this club."

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  'The efficiency of Leo'

  After the match, Mascherano called it “the efficiency of Leo.” He has a point. Zoom out, consider the variables, analyze the game and Miami shouldn’t necessarily have won here. Every conventional stat, the flow of the game, the vibe of the place, the groundswell of momentum that comes from one team steadily beating another pointed towards a Vancouver victory. 

  Even when took an early lead, the Whitecaps had a true foothold. And from the 15th to the 66th minute, they dominated. When Emmanuel Sabbi pinged a shot off both posts and out midway through the second half – with the game knotted at 1-1 – a Vancouver winner felt far more likely than a late Messi burst. 

  But this is the genre of the Argentine you get these days. He was sparsely involved, yet the main man throughout. He pressed off the ball and was clinical when he had it. Messi registered 45 touches in 97 minutes, and, in truth, seven of them really mattered – four to dribble, three to deliver either an assist or a key pass leading to a goal. 

  “He was making a big effort in the last two, three, four games, pressing. It showed us how important it is for him to win,” Mascherano said. 

  It was two mistakes, really, that undid Vancouver. First was Edier Ocampo turning the ball into his own net off a Tadeo Allende cross. Next was a slightly overzealous dribble from Andres Cubas into midfield. Messi pinched it, shimmied, and fed Rodrigo De Paul to make it 2-1. Miami’s late third came because Vancouver simply overcommitted.  Messi refused to lose. It was as simple as that.

  "This is the moment I had been waiting for, and that we, as a team, were waiting for. It’s very beautiful for all of us. They deserved it," Messi said. 

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  'The kind of luck you need'

  Yet this felt key for Mascherano, too. This had been a long season for the Argentine – 78 games across four major competitions. By all indications, the vibes around Miami are, generally, pretty good. He gets along with Messi mostly by “giving him ideas” and getting out of the way. He was quick to point out that Messi was pressing and running off the ball not because he was asked; rather, he just wanted to. 

  Messi holds the cards in Miami. But if they had lost this final, there might have been noise for the manager to go. There are plenty of good coaches out there, and Messi, 39 next summer, has a limited window – even if he did pen a three-year deal. This was the final moment of the first edition of this project. Mascherano probably couldn’t fumble it. 

  The good news, from his point of view? He navigated it wonderfully. Miami, even when they were under pressure, never truly cracked. He admitted that they had perhaps enjoyed a stroke of luck by seeing a shot ping off the post. But otherwise, Mascherano said, this was the performance of champions. 

  "We knew it would be a very difficult game, and they had a shot bounce off two posts, but that is the kind of luck you need to win a championship," he outlined. 

  And after his press conference was interrupted by his players, drenching him in beer, it’s hard to disagree.

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  'I know it’s my last game'

  Alba was a mess at full time. This wonderful springing Spaniard has always had a grit about him, but also a real steel. He is, to be sure, a passionate player, but not an entirely emotional one. 

  On Saturday, he finally broke. The tears started before half time and continued long after. So much of the rhetoric around his and Busquets’ retirement has been that of “focus.” They wanted to go out with a win. Alba insisted as much in his pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon. 

  “It’s different because I know it’s my last game,” he said. “Of course it’s important – it’s a final – but it means even more for the club. No matter what happens, I’m leaving afterward. Hopefully, I can leave with a trophy. Busi is in the same situation as me. I don’t know how I’ll process it because you only feel those emotions in the moment. My last game with Barcelona was very emotional, but this isn’t just changing teams – it’s not playing anymore, and that makes it even bigger.”

  Busquets had his moment, too. He was less emotional. In fairness, Alba probably has a bit of football left. Busquets, in MLS, is well past his best. Parts of the second half of the 2025 season were hard to watch; this great statesman of the game was steadily losing his legs. There were some lovely flashes Saturday evening of the player that once was – a couple of hard challenges on Thomas Muller, the impossible passes and swivels of the hips to find a searching ball. But otherwise, this was the last dregs of a footballer. 

  Suarez is a more curious case. He has not announced anything, even though his contract is up. And such is the intensity of the control around Miami’s public messaging that no one really knows what’s next for him. A few months back, Jorge Mas insisted that he could stick around for as long as he wanted. Right now, it’s unclear if he should. Suarez lost his spot in the XI in the tail end of the playoffs, and Miami were quite irrefutably better for it. He cannot be guaranteed minutes here. Yet, this is also a player who probably should have retired on three separate occasions in his career, only to come back and be productive. It will be interesting to see what he, and Miami, decide. 

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  A winter of change

  The good news for Miami here is that there is flexibility in the way there wasn’t before. Busquets’ contract is off the books. So too is Alba’s. There is an assumption that Rodrigo De Paul – who was excellent in Saturday’s final – will take up a designated player slot alongside Messi. 

  The Herons could also see any number of players depart. There is a word here in which Miami lose two stars in Busquets and Alba and two starters in Allende, Maxi Falcon. If Suarez leaves and Benjamin Cremaschi – on loan at Parma after falling out with Macherano – also bolts, Miami have spots to fill and money to spend. 

  What, exactly, that looks like is hard to determine. There will undoubtedly be the temptation to swing big on a former European superstar. Neymar rumors will not go away. According to Angel Di Maria, Messi would love to unite with the Argentina star in South Beach in the future. 

  A smarter club would realize that it would do better to spend big on an elite central defender or defensive midfielder. Yet, with Miami being led by ambitious owners like Jorge Mas and David Beckham, the club has often focused the majority of its resources on big names as opposed to inteligent signings on the transfer market. 

  Either way, change is coming. Miami have money to spend and a trophy to defend. Normally, champions don’t need to overhaul too much. But here, Miami face an uncertain – and incredibly important – offseason.

  Miami 1.0 ended with a trophy. Miami 2.0 begins with hope, and no shortage of questions.

Where to begin? That sentence, perhaps, sums up the malaise at Liverpool this season, the catastrophic failure that has tainted not just the form of Arne Slot’s side but the culture and the club-fanbase connection too.

The overwhelming frustration that the supporters have felt since this abject run of results started is clearly shared by the players, with Mohamed Salah’s audacious outburst after Liverpool’s 3-3 draw at Leeds United leading to an overspill that has threatened to engulf the club.

Slot is walking a tightrope, now, but the plain truth is that FSG are right to givew the head coach their overwhelming support. Backing a player, even Salah, over the boss is something the ownership simply cannot do, even with Slot pitted against a peerless hero, even against Salah.

This is a mess of a situation, so far removed from the culture and stability that has left rivals so envious over the past decade, Jurgen Klopp starting the fire.

Salah’s calculated gambit will prove the end for one of Liverpool’s leading parties, to be sure.

Liverpool already looking at big-money Salah replacement

Slot and Salah’s long-term futures at Anfield are now mutually exclusive, with the Egyptian King’s incendiary comments after being benched for three successive games confirming a breakdown in the relationship between the two.

The Premier League champions have been sent in a tailspin, and Salah’s divorce from Slot’s plans stands as a symbol of the staggering collapse.

But, whichever side of the fence you stand on, there’s no denying that Salah is 33 years old and has been well below expectations this season, just five goals and three assists to show for his campaign, 19 matches in.

That’s why Spanish sources suggest plans to sign Desire Doue from Paris Saint-Germain have been ramped up, with FSG ready to launch a British-record €150m (£131m) bid in 2026.

Doue, 20, was crowned the European Golden Boy after his incredible breakout campaign in Paris, now established as one of the most talented wide attackers in the world.

He is not as polished as Salah in his prime, but this would be the perfect signing to replace the £400k-per-week superstar on Merseyside, should push come to shove.

Why Doue would be a Salah upgrade

Doue is quite the talent, unique in his dynamic and versatile wing play. He is a talented technician, but he also wears his qualities with such personality and gusto, splitting defences open with fleet footwork and calculated passing.

He was hailed as a “magician” by talent scout Jacek Kulig after his “incredible performance” against Inter Milan in the Champions League final last year, a fine indication of his ability to showcase his skills on the grandest of stages.

Moreover, the France international is able to balance his output; not shy to shoot, he is a fierce playmaker, and this is why he could prove such a perfect upgrade on the ageing Salah.

Doue has yet to get going in Ligue 1 this season, but Sofascore data presents an average of 5.1 duels and 1.5 tackles in the league last year, underlaying a return of 16 goals and 16 assists across all competitions, and plenty of flashy dribbling besides.

Salah’s deterioration this season has been well documented, but he was in contention for the Ballon d’Or last year, and when looking at how he compares to Doue over the past year, you begin to see why this French up-and-comer is so highly touted.

Doue is a combative player, and the energy and mobility he would add to Liverpool’s right flank would help steer Anfield back into calmer waters, flowing toward the attacking successes and fluency of last year.

It is clear that some measure of change is needed, and while FSG will fight tooth and nail to retain Salah’s services for now, Doue would mark a significant upgrade, nailing down the right-sided wing for many years to come.

Salah is a one-of-a-kind sort of winger, and Liverpool would likely fall by the wayside if signing someone mimicking his style. Doue is his own player, and his creative emphasis would help service the likes of Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike in the centre.

In this way, he would prove an upgrade on a legend whose Liverpool career sadly seems to be winding down.

Perfect for Wirtz: Liverpool could hire the "best young manager in Europe"

Liverpool have an interest in a manager who would be the perfect appointment for Florian Wirtz.

By
Dan Emery

Dec 8, 2025

Erling Haaland has given a candid response to Norway’s daunting World Cup draw, admitting on social media that he faces a brutal challenge in what supporters are already calling the tournament’s 'group of death'. Next summer’s World Cup will be the largest ever staged, expanding to 48 teams across 12 groups as FIFA introduces a round of 32 for the first time. Yet even within a broadened field, one Group I stands out for its sheer competitiveness.

• Haaland set to clash with Mbappe

  France, Senegal, Norway and the winner of FIFA play-off 2 – one of Bolivia, Suriname or Iraq – have been drawn together. The draw immediately triggered excitement among fans because it finally delivers a long-awaited showdown between Haaland and Kylian Mbappe on the sport’s biggest stage. The Norwegian is heading towards his first World Cup with Norway in fine form, whereas Mbappe, now spearheading Real Madrid’s forward line, continues to produce the kind of numbers that will define a generation of footballing legends. Mbappe already has the ultimate international accolade, having lifted the trophy in 2018 and dazzling again in the 2022 final. Haaland, on the other hand, has been forced to watch from afar as Norway repeatedly missed out, until now.

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• A battle between two extraordinary strikers

  Haaland was ruthless in qualifying, scoring 16 goals in eight games to haul Norway into their first World Cup since 1998. No player on any continent scored more. For a country whose footballing hopes have long rested on promise without fulfilment, Haaland’s numbers were simply historic. Mbappe’s own statistics this season are equally formidable. He has scored 16 times in 15 league matches for Real Madrid and is only two goals away from becoming France’s all-time leading scorer at just 26. Haaland is already Norway’s record marksman and an incredible 22 goals clear of the next highest on his country’s list. At club level, he has 15 goals in 14 appearances for City in the English topflight. 

  He shared his initial reaction on Instagram shortly after the draw was finalised and wrote: "France and Senegal, that’s tough [laughing emoji]. What do you guys think?"

• Deschamps welcomes the Haaland–Mbapps spectacle

  France manager Didier Deschamps was keen to embrace the drama of the inevitable duel. "It will be a great duel," he told reporters. "Both teams have lots of other big names, but of course Kylian and Haaland are two players recognised around the world and they will be two of the contenders to be the top scorer."

  Deschamps was quick to highlight not only the Haaland–Mbappe spectacle but also the renewed significance of France facing Senegal, a flashback to one of the most dramatic opening nights in World Cup history. In 2002, Papa Bouba Diop stunned the world by scoring the winner against the reigning champions, setting in motion a disastrous tournament for Les Bleus as they departed without a single victory.

  "Every World Cup has its own story and we need to make sure this one is as beautiful as possible," added Deschamps. "Of course, as France we have a status and there is a lot of expectation around us, but we need to show respect and humility from the beginning. Before thinking about what is at the top of the mountain, we will need to work our way up gradually and the first steps are difficult."

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  When can England face France?

  Given France were among the top four seeds, an eventual meeting with England could only happen in the latter stages of the tournament. England themselves face a challenging route, having been drawn alongside Croatia, Ghana and Panama.

  "We have Croatia and Ghana, two regulars in World Cups, and we have Panama," England manager Thomas Tuchel explained. "I don’t know much about Panama, but we will know everything about them when the tournament starts. For me personally, even in the Champions League, you have to focus on the group – the group is always the most difficult, and we want to escape, and we want to win the group. It’s a tough one."

  Every World Cup fixture will be announced on Saturday evening. 

As every team finished the first half of its schedule last week, and as we head toward the All-Star Game next week, it’s time to take a step back and examine the biggest stories of the first half:

1. 3 x 30 home runs

Cal Raleigh (35), Aaron Judge (33) and Shohei Ohtani (30) have hit 30 home runs before the All-Star break with historic starts. It’s only the fifth time that has happened, the first time since 2019. Judge and Ohtani are the standard-bearers of the sport and the MVP front-runners once again. If they win again, they will have won seven of the last 10 MVPs, reminiscent of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird winning six of seven NBA MVPs in the 1980s.

2. The Cubs are out of hibernation

The Cubs haven’t won a playoff game in eight years. They started 51–35 for the first time since their 2016 championship team and they are an exciting team to watch with their combination of speed and power. They reached 100 homers and 100 steals in 84 games. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only two teams reached 100–100 faster: the 1995 Reds (84 games) and 2009 Rays (77 games).

3. The Tigers are the best team in the AL

Nine previous Tigers teams started 57–34. Six of them won the pennant. All of them won at least 89 games. Over its past 162 games, Detroit is 100–62. It ranks fifth in MLB in runs per game and third in ERA.

4. A whole lot of nuthin’

We are on a pace for 366 shutouts, which would break the record of 359 set in the Dead Ball Era days of Walter Johnson and Grover Alexander in 1912. O.K., I get it. There are more games now. Only eight of the 204 shutouts this year are complete games by the starter. But pitchers rule.

5. Major markets

Of the top 10 teams in playoff position, seven teams come from the top seven North American markets by population figures, according to the Census Bureau and Canada population sources. They are, 1) the New York Yankees and New York Mets, 2) Los Angeles Dodgers, 3) Chicago Cubs, 5) Houston Astros, 6) Toronto Blue Jays and 7) Philadelphia Phillies. 

6. Blown out elbows (cont’d)

Since spring training, 18 major league pitchers have torn the UCL ligament in their throwing elbow. The list includes Cy Young Award winners Corbin Burnes and Gerrit Cole. Those undergoing Tommy John surgery mostly are getting younger. 

Ten of the 18 pitchers this year in need of Tommy John surgery are between 22 and 29 years old. The attrition of pitchers once was due to poor mechanics and overuse. Both factors have been mitigated over time. Now velocity is the main culprit. Pitchers aren’t wearing out. They are blowing out as they chase velocity at a young age, as happened to Jackson Jobe, 22, (just 286 pro innings, average fastball velocity 96.5 mph) and AJ Smith-Shawver (311.1 IP, 95.6).

This season, MLB already has paid $350 million to pitchers who can’t pitch.

The Blue Jays' Game 7 win in the ALCS on Monday night confirmed one thing: Shohei Ohtani is, in fact, headed to Toronto.

The Dodgers will face the Blue Jays in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night in what's expected to be a thrilling postseason battle between the NL and AL champs. On one side, the Dodgers trounced the Brewers in the NLCS and enter the World Series as heavy favorites to claim their second straight title. On the other, the Blue Jays downed the Mariners thanks to George Springer's three-run homer in Game 7 and punched their ticket to their first Fall Classic since 1993.

While both teams are aiming to make some history this October, what's in the past doesn't always stay in the past. Ahead of the Dodgers–Blue Jays series, a notorious tweet from MLB Network's Jon Morosi about Ohtani flying to Toronto during 2023 free agency has recirculated on social media and elicited many (perhaps too many) jokes.

Before Ohtani signed his then-record-breaking contract with the Dodgers in December '23, the two-way star was linked to the Blue Jays, who were considered very serious contenders in the Ohtani sweepstakes and reportedly went to great lengths to try to recruit him. Ohtani ended up picking the Dodgers, but not before Morosi shared a now-infamous post about Ohtani being "en route to Toronto" that in turn sparked a hilarious bit of plane-tracking chaos.

With Ohtani now boarding a plane for Toronto for Game 1 at Rogers Centre, MLB fans couldn't resist making the same joke:

Four Lads Had A Dream have named their “biggest fear” at Rangers after another disappointing result in Europe this week.

Rangers fans want Thelwell and Stewart out

Gers supporters will have been hoping for a new manager bounce from Danny Rohl on Thursday, but instead, another woeful performance saw their team lose 3-0 away to Brann in the Europa League.

The pressure is building on sporting director Kevin Thelwell and CEO Patrick Stewart coming under fire, with Heart & Hand Podcast’s David Edgar calling for them to be relieved of their duties.

It is a sorry situation at Rangers, with Rohl coming in with so much to deal with, and Ally McCoist calling this his nadir as a fan on Friday.

“Last night is probably as depressed as I have been during this whole debacle, because I actually feel for the manager.I don’t know what he is going to do. He might improve them in terms of a little bit of organisation – set plays, you can do all that, bits and pieces, but I do not think there is anywhere near the level of improvement in that team that will even be required to get them up the league domestically, to tell you the gospel truth.”

"Biggest fear" at Rangers revealed

Writing on X, Four Lads Had A Dream claimed that Andrew Cavenagh is also a huge issue alongside Thelwell and Stewart at Rangers, due to him being blinded by the current problems surrounding them.

“We are in a really bad position, every game is a lottery & sadly not in our favour. Ally summed it up, we look like a team of young kids. He was also spot on when he said recruitment was horrendous. I fear more ‘nights/afternoons’ like tonight, which was painfully embarrassing.

“The spotlight continues to shine on the running of the club, those that have overseen this position and those heading up recruitment on and off the pitch taking us here. Yes Patrick and Kevin that means you. The biggest fear, Andrew Cavanagh is so entrenched he doesn’t see it either. “That’s wider than tonight. But tonight is in indication of exactly where they have taken us.”

Each Rangers fan will have their own person in mind when it comes to who is most to blame for the ongoing woes at Ibrox, but Cavenagh is clearly doing an unsatisfactory job as chairman.

Worse than Antman: Rohl must drop Rangers flop who's "nowhere near ready"

Glasgow Rangers manager Danny Rohl should drop this flop who was even worse than Oliver Antman.

By
Dan Emery

Oct 24, 2025

Some would like to see him depart, as well as Thelwell and Stewart, allowing the Gers to start from fresh, and it is hard to argue his corner right now.

Trey Yesavage made his postseason debut on Sunday against the Yankees. The 22-year-old righty came into the game with just three MLB starts on his résumé and dominated the top-scoring regular season offense in baseball in Toronto's 13-7 Game 2 win.

Yesavage, who has an incredibly cool name on top of a nasty arsenal, showed very early in the game that he was not going to be intimidated or thrown off his game by anything New York did and lived up to his name in the process.

In the very first at-bat of the game, Yesavage jumped out to a 1-2 count against Yankees leadoff hitter Trent Grisham who hit 34 home runs this season. Grisham took his time getting back in the box for the fourth pitch of the at-bat and Yesavage did not move. With the ball in his hand inside his glove he stood on the mound like a statue while he waited for Grisham to step to the plate.

Once Grisham was ready Yesavage delivered an 85-mph splitter that made Grisham whiff.

Yesavage finished with 11 strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays offense did the rest and Toronto now leads the series 2–0.

Manchester United are now making a strong move to sign Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra in the January transfer window, with a £44m January bid planned.

Signing a new midfielder is of key significance to Man United, not least because speculation surrounding Kobbie Mainoo’s future at Old Trafford continues to build, with it recently being revealed the England international is in talks to leave this winter.

That is despite the fact Ruben Amorim has made it clear he wants to keep hold of the youngster, saying: “I want Kobbie to stay, and he needs to fight for his place. We need Kobbie. That is not going to change.”

However, Amorim has been extremely reluctant to give Mainoo a consistent run in the team, with the 20-year-old featuring for just 138 minutes across seven Premier League appearances this season, having failed to dislodge Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes in the starting XI.

With the academy graduate now in advanced talks over a move to Napoli, the Red Devils have now set out to bring in a new central midfielder in the January transfer window.

Man Utd making strong move to sign Javi Guerra

According to a report from Spain, Man United are now making a strong move to sign Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra in the January transfer window, and INEOS clearly mean business, with a €50m (£44m) offer being plotted.

Guerra, who has a €100m (£88m) release clause in his contract, could be available for a much lower fee this winter, given his inconsistent performances for Valencia this season, and United are now weighing up a winter approach.

However, there are several obstacles to overcome, with the Spanish club currently reluctant to sanction a departure, while Amorim would also have to offer the central midfielder regular game time in order to lure him to Old Trafford.

The Red Devils are determined to get a deal over the line, and it is clear to see why, with the Spaniard impressing for Valencia over a sustained period of time, having received high praise from scout Jacek Kulig during the 2023-24 campaign.

The 22-year-old has remained a key player for the Spanish side this season, making 12 La Liga appearances, during which time he’s amassed two assists, although some of the maestro’s most recent performances suggest it would be a gamble for United to pursue a deal.

Indeed, as pointed out in the report, Guerra hasn’t been at his best as of late, receiving a 6.2 SofaScore match rating in Valencia’s 2-0 home defeat against Villarreal last month, which led to him being dropped for the following match against Real Madrid.

As such, it may be a wise idea for Man United to target a midfielder who has already proven himself in the Premier League, and a club-record bid for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson is now being prepared…

How much Man Utd are willing to spend on Carlos Baleba

How much Man Utd are ready to spend on Carlos Baleba with new talks now open

What a signing he could be for the Red Devils.

By
Henry Jackson

Nov 4, 2025

He beat them with wrong’uns, length, dip, pace, and more to finish with 4-0-15-0

Karthik Krishnaswamy25-May-20221:46

Hardik: I relax and let Rashid do his magic

He took no wickets, and conceded no fours or sixes, so the chances are that highlights packages of Tuesday night’s Qualifier at Eden Gardens will include no footage of Rashid Khan bowling.But if you were there, and you watched him bowl, you’ll remember it for a long, long time.You’ll remember this ball to Jos Buttler in the ninth over of Rajasthan Royals’ innings. A legbreak that pitched on middle stump – or thereabouts – and beat the outside edge as Buttler prodded hurriedly from deep in his crease.Related

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Watching from the media box, it briefly seemed as if Buttler was bowled, but what initially looked like the bails lighting up turned out to be the metallic finish of Wriddhiman Saha’s keeping gloves glittering under the floodlights.Illusions upon illusions.It’s possible that Buttler had failed to pick the legbreak out of the hand and played for the wrong’un – a common enough occurrence against Rashid. But before that, he had been done for length, his feet immobilised by Rashid’s vicious overspin. The ball had dipped and landed significantly shorter than expected, and Buttler’s front foot, having shaped to stride forward, had ended up going nowhere.Against other wristspinners, batters can occasionally adjust when they are beaten in the air, and shift onto the back foot. At Rashid’s pace, it’s next to impossible.This was the second time in a row that Rashid had beaten Buttler’s outside edge. Then, in his next over, he turned a quick, fizzing wrong’un past the outside edge of the left-hand batter Devdutt Padikkal, for symmetry’s sake. Again, the batter’s feet were hypnotised into immobility.Ten other bowlers bowled on Tuesday night and finished with a combined economy rate of 10.23. Rashid bowled four overs and conceded just 15 runs. That’s 3.75 per over. While doing this, he was also beating the bat for fun.At his post-match press conference, Hardik Pandya, Gujarat Titans’ captain, put it simply when asked about Rashid’s impact. “When I give him the ball, I just relax and let him do his magic.”Rashid Khan conceded just 15 runs in his four overs•BCCIMagic, yes, but there’s more to it.When Rashid finishes a match with an absurdly low economy rate, it can sometimes feel as if batters give him too much respect. That they play into his hands in the effort to deny him wickets. But respect, in cricket as everywhere else, must be earned.Through the first half of Tuesday night’s match, this Eden Gardens pitch was grippy and two-paced, and with Rashid turning the ball both ways at pace, it was always going to be difficult to go after him unless he erred in length. Rashid simply refused to do that. When he wasn’t beating the bat, he was landing the ball on that typical Rashid length – slightly short of a traditional spinners’ good length, which makes both the lofted hit down the ground and the sweep risky propositions – while targeting the stumps or following the batters’ premeditated movements to deny them room.He was willing to let them take singles to his deep fielders via punches down the ground or clips and jabs to the square sweepers. If they wanted any more than that, they were going to have to take risks.Royals’ batters refused to do this, and you could see why. They had only six genuine batters, notwithstanding the contributions R Ashwin has made this season. Buttler was struggling for fluency, and was perhaps setting himself up for a tame dismissal if he decided to go after Rashid on this surface. And on this day, the outcome of seeing out Rashid’s overs was having both Buttler and Shimron Hetmyer at the crease when the last four overs began.Hetmyer didn’t last too long, but Buttler shrugged off his scratchy start, capitalised on a couple of lucky breaks, and tore into the fast bowlers at the finish. Having been on 39 off 38 at the end of the 16th over, he ransacked 50 off his last 18 balls.Royals finished with 188, and their captain Sanju Samson maintained at the post-match presentation that it was an excellent effort given how the pitch behaved in the first half of the match. That dew made conditions easier to bat in during the chase was beyond Royals’ control.It still came down to Titans needing 16 off the last over. How many more might they have needed had Rashid Khan not done his thing?

Major League Baseball’s winter meetings are underway, which means rumors are flying and deals are likely to be struck.

On Monday, plenty of reports made the rounds as teams attempted to get a jump on the offseason and best position themselves for 2026. Here are all the latest rumors we’re hearing as the winter meetings heat up.

Nationals listening on CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore

The Nationals have a new head of baseball operations, and he’s looking to reshape the franchise to his liking. Paul Tobobi is MLB’s youngest president of baseball ops, and the long-time Red Sox scouting director and assistant general manager is not wasting any time. Turning Washington around likely means moving on from two young All-Stars.

Shortstop CJ Abrams and lefty starter MacKenzie Gore are being targeted by multiple teams at the winter meetings. The 25-year-old Abrams is an athletic shortstop coming off his best season, while Gore is a 26-year-old with elite stuff who had a brilliant first half but struggled down the stretch. Both came to the Nationals as part of the trade that sent Juan Soto to the Padres. Gore is under team control through 2027, while Abrams won’t hit free agency until 2029.

In 2025, Abrams slashed .257/.315/.433 with 19 home runs, 60 RBIs, 92 runs scored, 31 stolen bases, and a career-best 3.1 fWAR. He’s not a good defender at short, but could easily move to second base or the outfield. Gore made 30 starts and went 5-15, with a 4.17 ERA, a 1.32 WHIP, and 185 strikeouts against 64 walks in 159 2/3 innings. But in his first 19 starts of the season, he went 4-8 with a 3.02 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, and 138 strikeouts against 35 walks. He faded hard down the stretch, which is something a new team would need to figure out.

Given the weak free agent market for shortstops, Abrams could fetch a significant haul. Meanwhile, Gore, a young lefty with ace stuff, could also net a hefty return. Teams will need to meet Toboni’s high price, but both players can be had.

Royals looking for multiple outfielders

The Royals are canvassing the league for help in the outfield and may need to make a trade to fill out the roster. Kansas City missed the playoffs by five games in 2025, as the team surprised the rest of MLB by staying in the race as late as it did. But the team’s outfield is a bit of a mess.

While Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, and another option like Harrison Bader would all be too expensive for the Royals, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal insists the team is pursuing all options. That could include trading starter Kris Bubic, who is set to make a projected $6 million before hitting free agency after next season. The 28-year-old lefty went 8-7 with a 2.55 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and 116 strikeouts against 39 walks in 116 1/3 innings this season. He could fetch a solid return as a rental.

Rosenthal listed Mike Yastrzemski, Adolis Garcia, Max Kepler, and Mike Tauchman as options in Kansas City’s price range. Jac Caglianone is almost certain to have right field locked down, but the two other spots remain open.

Padres entertaining Nick Pivetta trade

Padres general manager A.J. Preller pulled off a coup last offseason, as he waited out the market before signing Nick Pivetta to a shockingly affordable four-year, $55 million deal. The 32-year-old rewarded the Padres, turning in a career-best season in which he went 13-5 with a 2.87 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, and 190 strikeouts against 50 walks in 181 2/3 innings. That success, and a contract that is jumping to $19 million in 2026 has made Pivetta a trade candidate.

While The Athletic’s Dennis Lin points out that a Pivetta trade isn’t likely, the Padres need multiple starting pitchers and at least one bat. Moving the team’s ace would require a significant return that would improve San Diego at multiple spots, but no one should ever rule out Preller’s appetite for wheeling and dealing.

If Pivetta doesn’t move, San Diego could look to deal second baseman Jake Cronenworth. There aren’t a lot of middle-infield options on the market, and free agents won’t come cheap. The 31-year-old Cronenworth is a steady presence who is under contract for five more years at an affordable $60 million.

As the Padres face a salary crunch and a potential sale, cutting payroll to fill multiple spots makes a lot of sense.

Dodgers looking to get younger

Even the Dodgers have work to do this offseason. While the two-time defending World Series champions will enter 2026 as favorites to win again even if they don’t make a single move this winter, there are areas the team needs to shore up. Most pressing, is the desire to get younger.

Bill Punkett of the reports that L.A.’s president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, says there’s “not as much heavy lifting required” this offseason. But the team does have an aging core. Andy Pages, Dalton Rushing, and Hyeseong Kim were the only three position players under 30 on the Dodgers’ roster in 2025. While Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki give the team younger starters to build around, much of the roster is leaving its prime.

Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith will both be 31 next season, while Freddie Freeman is 36, and Mookie Betts is 33. The team does have a fairly loaded farm system, but outfielders Josue De Paula and Zyhir Hope are both 20 and have some growing to do. Meanwhile, MLB-ready infielder Alex Freeland doesn’t currently have an open spot to fill with Betts, Tommy Edman, and Max Muncy on the roster.

L.A. is expected to be involved in the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes this winter, but they could also opt to use their farm depth to pursue an outfield upgrade. White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. or Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan would fit the bill and make the team a bit younger.