Tag Futebol

For the first time in the MLB, Shohei Ohtani pitched against former Angels teammate Mike Trout. More than two years after Ohtani struck out Trout to win the World Baseball Classic for Japan in 2023, he took the mound to face Trout again.

Ohtani hit a leadoff triple in the top of the first inning to help the Dodgers take an early 3–0 lead. He then took the mound and struck out Angels' leadoff Zach Neto before Trout came up to the plate.

The at-bat began with a nod of acknowledgement from both Ohtani and Trout. Ohtani then threw two strikes against Trout on four-seam fastballs, reaching as high as 98 miles per hour. With a 3–2 count, Ohtani delivered the final strike on a sweeper, one Trout didn't even swing on.

Trout, who said "He won Round 1" after Ohtani struck him out during the WBC, was simply left smiling after Ohtani took Round 2 this time.

Ohtani played alongside Trout on the Angels from 2018 to '23 before signing with the Dodgers in free agency in late 2023. Ohtani made his return to pitching earlier this season after suffering a torn UCL in 2023, and has now taken the mound for the first time against his former team.

After not allowing a run in the first inning, Ohtani did up two runs in the second—including a solo home run from Taylor Ward and a sacrifice fly from Luis Rengifo that drove in Yoán Moncada. The Dodgersadded two runs in the fourth, and lead the Angels 5–2 through three and a half innings as they look to claim their first game of the series.

Leeds United are back in action in the Premier League this weekend for the last time before the last international break of 2025 as they face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

The Whites were beaten 3-0 by Brighton & Hove Albion on their travels last time out in the top-flight, in what was the latest in a string of dismal away performances.

Matches

5

Wins

1

Draws

0

Losses

4

Goals scored

3

Goals conceded

12

Points

3

League rank

17th

As you can see in the table above, Daniel Farke’s side have struggled badly on the road in the Premier League so far this season, with three points from five matches.

Their only win away from Elland Road came against Wolverhampton Wanderers, who have no wins, two draws, and eight defeats in their ten matches home and away this term.

Leeds will, therefore, need to step up and improve on the majority of their performances away from home in the division if they want to pick up any points against the Tricky Trees on Sunday.

Nottingham Forest, who are currently managed by Sean Dyche, have plenty of talented players who could cause the Whites problems if they are not at their best.

The Forest players Leeds have to be wary of

The Europa League outfit have a plethora of expensive attacking players who could test Lucas Perri in the Leeds goal if they get past the likes of Joe Rodon and Jaka Bijol.

Dan Ndoye, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Igor Jesus, Morgan Gibbs-White, Omari Hutchinson, Taiwo Awoniyi, Elliot Anderson, the list goes on. Dyche has so many talented players at his disposal.

Hutchinson cost £37.5m, Anderson cost £35m, and Ndoye cost £34m. That is just a taste of the kind of spending power that they have been able to flex in recent seasons to build an exciting squad.

Igor Jesus – 5

Morgan Gibbs-White – 3

Chris Wood – 3

Dan Ndoye – 1

Morgan Gibbs-White – 2

Ryan Yates – 1

Dan Ndoye – 2

Elliot Anderson – 1

Callum Hudson-Odoi – 1

Douglas Luiz – 1

Neco Williams – 1

Omari Hutchinson – 1

Nicolo Savona – 1

As you can see in the table above, Leeds will need to be wary of Jesus and Gibbs-White, in particular, whilst former Whites centre-forward Chris Wood is currently out through injury.

Gibbs-White has provided quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Tricky Trees in all competitions this season, after a return of seven goals and eight assists in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.

The England international did, however, miss a penalty in Forest’s 0-0 draw with Sturm Graz in the Europa League on Thursday night, which could knock his confidence ahead of their clash with Leeds on Sunday.

Whilst the Championship champions need to be wary of the former Wolves star, Farke could unleash his own version of Gibbs-White by dropping Ao Tanaka from the starting line-up.

Chalkboard

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

The Japan international started the 3-0 defeat to Brighton last time out and should be dropped to allow German central midfielder Anton Stach to return to the side, to provide a threat at the top end of the pitch.

Why Leeds should drop Ao Tanaka for Anton Stach

Per Sofascore, the Japanese midfielder did not register a single shot, key pass, or ‘big chance’ created against Brighton, which shows that he did not have any positive impact in the final third.

On top of his failure to provide quality in possession, Tanaka also failed to win a single tackle and only won one duel in 61 minutes on the pitch for the Whites, as he offered little to the side as a defensive or physical presence.

The former Fortuna Düsseldorf star has no goals, no assists, and no ‘big chances’ created in eight appearances and four starts in the Premier League this season, per Sofascore, which does not suggest that he is likely to cause Forest too many problems on Sunday.

Stach, on the other hand, has shown that he can provide moments of quality at the top end of the pitch that can win points for his side, when he is at his best.

In fact, the summer signing from Hoffenheim scored in the club’s only away win in the Premier League this season, with a stunning free-kick against Wolves in the Midlands.

Stach also came off the bench against Brighton and won four of his four duels and completed both of his attempted dribbles, per Sofascore, in just 30 minutes on the pitch, which suggests that he may be ready to come back into the starting line-up after such a bright cameo.

The towering central midfielder may not be a diminutive style of playmaker like Gibbs-White, but their respective performances this season suggest that he can be Leeds United’s own version of the Forest star.

Appearances

9

10

xG

0.88

1.90

Goals

1

1

Big chances missed

1

2

Key passes per game

1.6

1.1

Big chances created

2

2

Assists

1

1

Dribbles completed per game

0.7

0.6

As you can see in the table above, the Whites star has been even more creative than Gibbs-White, with 0.5 more key passes per game, whilst scoring as many goals from less xG in the Premier League.

Stach, who was once hailed as “underrated” by writer Bence Bocsák, and Gibbs-White are both midfield players who can make an impact in the final third as scorers and creators, which is why they are difference-makers for their respective teams.

Tanaka, unfortunately, has yet to prove that he can be a difference-maker at Premier League level, with no goal contributions this season, which is why he should be the man to drop out of the XI to bring the German back into the side to face Forest this weekend.

Farke can get DCL firing by ditching Aaronson for "unstoppable" Leeds star

Daniel Farke can finally get Dominic Calvert-Lewin firing at Leeds United by unleashing this speedy winger.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 6, 2025

Hopefully, if Stach returns to the team, he can shine and outperform Gibbs-White to help the Whites to their second win on the road in the division this term.

MLB announced the finalists for its award races after the 2025 season officially concluded on Saturday, with the Dodgers winning their second consecutive World Series title.

Members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, who vote for the league’s annual awards, narrowed down the list of finalists for each honor to three players. Those players were revealed by MLB on Monday, and the official awards will begin getting announced later this week, concluding with the reveal of the league MVPs on Nov. 13.

Let’s take a look at who is in contention for each award, as well as a brief look at the numbers they put up in 2025.

AL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year

Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics – 5.4 bWAR, 1.002 OPS, 36 HR, 86 RBIs
Roman Anthony, OF, Red Sox – 3.1 bWAR, .859 OPS, 8 HR, 32 RBIs
Jacob Wilson, SS, Athletics – 2.9 bWAR, .800 OPS, 151 hits

NL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year

Drake Baldwin, C, Braves – 3.3 bWAR, .810 OPS, 19 HR, 80 RBIs
Caleb Durbin, 3B, Brewers – 2.9 bWAR, .721 OPS, 18 SB
Cade Horton, RHP, Cubs – 2.0 bWAR, 118.0 IP, 97 K, 2.67 ERA

AL Manager of the Year Award

John Schneider, Blue Jays – (94–68, won AL East)
Stephen Vogt, Guardians – (88–74, won AL Central)
Dan Wilson, Mariners – (90–72, won AL West)

NL Manager of the Year Award

Terry Francona, Reds – (83–79, 3rd in NL Central)
Pat Murphy, Brewers – (97–65, won NL Central)
Rob Thomson, Phillies – (96–66, won NL East)

AL Cy Young Award

Hunter Brown, RHP, Astros – 6.1 bWAR, 2.43 ERA, 206 K, 185.1 IP
Garrett Crochet, LHP, Red Sox – 6.3 bWAR, 2.59 ERA, 255 K, 205.1 IP
Tarik Skubal – LHP, Tigers – 6.6 bWAR, 2.21 ERA, 241 K, 195.1 IP

NL Cy Young Award

Cristopher Sánchez, LHP, Phillies – 8.0 bWAR, 2.50 ERA, 212 K, 202 IP
Paul Skenes, RHP, Pirates – 7.6 bWAR, 1.97 ERA, 216 K, 187.2 IP
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RHP, Dodgers – 5.0 bWAR, 2.49 ERA, 201 K, 173.2 IP

AL MVP Award

Aaron Judge, OF, Yankees – 9.7 bWAR, 1.144 OPS, 53 HR, 114 RBIs
Cal Raleigh, C, Mariners – 7.3 bWAR, .948 OPS, 60 HR, 125 RBIs
Jose Ramirez, 3B, Guardians – 5.8 bWAR, .863 OPS, 30 HR, 85 RBIs, 44 SB

NL MVP Award

Shohei Ohtani, DH/RHP, Dodgers – 7.7 bWAR, 1.014 OPS, 55 HR, 2.87 ERA, 62 K, 47 IP
Kyle Schwarber, DH, Phillies – 4.7 bWAR, .928 OPS, 56 HR, 132 RBIs
Juan Soto, RF, Mets – 6.2 bWAR, .921 OPS, 43 HR, 105 RBI, 38 SB

The official award announcements will trickle out starting next week. On Nov. 6–7, the Silver Slugger award winners will be revealed, followed by the Platinum Glove winners on Nov. 7. Then, Rookie of the Year awards are announced on Nov. 10, and Manager of the Year awards are revealed on Nov. 11. Finally, the Cy Young winners will be named on Nov. 12, and MVPs are officially announced on Nov. 13.

شهد الوسط الرياضي المصري حالة من الحزن والاستنفار بعد وفاة اللاعب الناشئ يوسف محمد، سبّاح نادي الزهور، أثناء مشاركته في منافسات بطولة الجمهورية للسباحة.

وفتحت وزارة الشباب والرياضة برئاسة الدكتور أشرف صبحي تحقيقًا عاجلًا للوقوف على ملابسات الوفاة، بعدما تعرّض اللاعب لحالة إغماء مفاجئة داخل مجمع حمامات السباحة بإستاد القاهرة الدولي، خلال سباقات بطولة الجمهورية تحت 12 سنة، ورغم نقله سريعًا إلى أحد المستشفيات القريبة، إلا أن محاولات إنعاشه لم تُكلل بالنجاح.

مجلس إدارة الاتحاد المصري للسباحة برئاسة المهندس ياسر إدريس نعى اللاعب، معربًا عن بالغ حزنه لرحيل أحد عناصر البطولة الواعدين، ومؤكدًا أن الواقعة جاءت رغم تطبيق المعايير الطبية المعتادة خلال المنافسات.

طالع أيضًا | وزارة الرياضة تحسم الجدل بشأن استقالة مجلس إدارة الزمالك

وكشف مصدر خاص لـ بطولات أن الوزارة خاطبت اتحاد السباحة رسميًا، مطالبةً بتقرير تفصيلي يوضح الظروف الكاملة للحادث، والإجراءات التي اتُّخذت أثناء إسعاف اللاعب، وما إذا كانت هناك أي تقصيرات أو عوامل محتملة أثرت في سرعة إنقاذه.

ومن جانبه، أعلن الاتحاد المصري للسباحة الحداد لمدة 3 أيام على روح اللاعب الراحل، مع تقديم التعازي لأسرته وناديه.

وتنتظر الأوساط الرياضية نتائج التحقيقات الرسمية لمعرفة حقيقة ما حدث، وضمان اتخاذ الإجراءات اللازمة لمنع تكرار مثل هذه الحوادث، خصوصًا في البطولات التي تضم لاعبين صغار السن.

Lionel Messi has sent another “we’ll be back” message to Barcelona after being crowned the “most beloved player” in the club’s history. The Argentine superstar has been awarded that honour following a supporter vote. He feels proud to have received such a title, given the calibre of talent that he was up against, and remains determined to head back to Catalunya at some stage.

• Messi's Barcelona record: Goals & major trophies

  Messi was recently in that part of the world when taking in a secret visit to Camp Nou, as that iconic venue prepares to throw open its doors again following a stunning redevelopment project.

  Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi became a global icon when gracing that turf – registering 672 goals through 778 appearances. He won 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns with the Blaugrana – helping him to become the most decorated player in history.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  GOAT status: Messi fends off Cruyff & Ronaldinho

  He has now been named the GOAT by Barca fans – fending off competition from the likes of Johan Cruyff, Ronaldinho, Xavi and Andres Iniesta. Messi said when being presented with that prize by : “This award is very special because of what it represents and where it comes from. We've been through a lot together, both good and not so good, but that's normal because not everything in a career is perfect. This is my home, my place, and my people.”

• Homecoming: Messi & Antonela intend to live in Barcelona again

  Messi remains untouchable in the eyes of many Barcelona followers, even those of the younger generation that did not get to see much of him before an emotional farewell was taken in when heading to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

  There is seemingly no end to that sporting love affair, despite the South American forward now plying his trade thousands of miles away in MLS with Inter Miami. Paths will cross again at some point.

  Messi reiterated when discussing his future plans, having already admitted that he and wife Antonela intend to set up camp again in Barcelona once his playing days are over: “Obviously, I'm going to come back. I'm going to be at the stadium like any other fan, following the team, the club, and being just another supporter. For now, I'll be here [Miami] for a few more years, most likely, but we'll return to Barcelona because, as I've always said, it's my place, my home. We miss it a lot, so we'll be back there.”

  Messi added on his unbreakable connection with Barcelona, having been shown a video in which supporters thanked him for his contribution to the collective cause: “The truth is, we’ve been through so much together, good and not so good, which is normal in a career of so many years; not everything is rosy, and you go through difficult times. But well, it’s my home, my place, my people. I would have liked to spend my whole career there without having to go to another club. And… and, well, to have only played there in Europe.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  Playing return: Loan from MLS considered to be unlikely

  He went on to say of heading to PSG when it became apparent that Barca did not have the funds to put a new contract in place: “Unfortunately, things turned out differently, but I'll always have lifelong memories of all the moments we shared. And, well, I'm grateful for that. It's been a long time since I've been to Barcelona, since I've been to the stadium. I had to leave the club without fans because of the pandemic, so it was an unusual year too. And, well, many beautiful memories, so thank you very much to all the people of Barcelona. And, obviously, I also have a very special affection for everyone there.”

  Talk of Messi making a playing return to Barcelona has been quietened for now, with a stunning loan agreement during the MLS off-season considered to be unlikely. He has committed to a new three-year deal in South Florida that will take him through 2028. At 38 years of age, he is expected to form part of Argentina’s World Cup title defence in the summer of 2026.

Manchester United have been in contact over the 2026 signing of a “supertalent” ahead of Premier League rivals Liverpool.

Man Utd’s midfield search after update on Casemiro contract

The Red Devils and Ruben Amorim look set to be on the hunt for a midfield refresh in the New Year, with Casemiro’s contract set to expire in 2026.

The Red Devils hold an option to extend the Brazilian’s stay by an additional year, but that may not happen, with Amorim and INEOS seemingly clashing behind the scenes in regards to Casemiro.

Amorim thinks he is still needed at Old Trafford, whereas executives are asking for a wage cut instead of triggering the extension option until 2027, something which Casemiro, the top earner at Man Utd, is unlikely to accept.

1

Casemiro

£350,000

£18,200,000

2

Bruno Fernandes

£300,000

£15,600,000

3

Matthijs de Ligt

£195,000

£10,140,000

4

Harry Maguire

£190,000

£9,880,000

5

Matheus Cunha

£180,000

£9,360,000

United arguably need midfield additions even if Casemiro remains in Manchester, especially with Kobbie Mainoo down the pecking order and Manuel Ugarte likewise falling out of favour under Amorim.

Man Utd chief makes contact for Smit

According to CaughtOffside, Man Utd have made their first move to sign AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit.

Christopher Vivell, United’s director of recruitment, is the one who has reached out over an Old Trafford move, with the Red Devils looking to get ahead of Liverpool in the race for the £25m midfielder.

“Everyone at AZ is aware that Smit is likely to attract offers, and they’re open now to letting him go for the right price next summer.

“£25m is the figure I’m hearing, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a deal ends up initially being agreed in January to then go through in the summer.

“Christopher Vivell has been internally discussing Smit for some time now, and he’s also contacted the player to sound him out about a move.”

Hailed as a “supertalent” in the past by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Smit has already reached 50 senior appearances for AZ Alkmaar and is catching the eye in the Netherlands.

Former Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman has even compared the 19-year-old to Pedri, who is arguably the best midfielder in the world right now.

“I almost regret mentioning his name again [Pedri], but he’s a guy who plays in the same position. The way he turns away from his opponent, the way he scans the area, his two-footedness… I saw that in Pedri too. If he gets half his career, we’ll be very happy in the Netherlands.”

Forget Anderson: Man Utd in talks to sign "world's most underrated footballer"

Manchester United appear to making huge moves in their pursuit for a new midfielder in January.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 20, 2025

Capable of playing in defensive or advanced midfield alongside his regular box-to-box role, Smit looks like he’ll be one to watch in 2026.

Man Utd now very keen on signing "amazing" midfielder likened to N'Golo Kante

When Manchester United meet Everton on Monday it will be exactly one year since Ruben Amorim took charge of his first game against Ipswich Town. It has been a highly eventful and not always happy 12 months featuring explosions of anger, fall-outs with players and many defeats. Many people, including the man himself, thought he might not even end up completing a year in the job.

But Amorim is still here and he feels far more equipped to succeed than when he arrived. There are some signs he is succeeding, albeit at a slow pace. When he arrived United were 14th in the Premier League table, on 11 points from nine games, with four defeats and a goal difference of -3. 

They ended the campaign in an even worse position, slumping to 15th with 42 points and a goal difference of -10. They lost 18 matches, 14 of them on the Portuguese's watch. They are in a better position now, sitting much higher up the table with 18 points after 11 games and a goal difference of plus one. They have lost three matches but are unbeaten in their last five, their longest spell without a league loss since February 2024.

According to Opta, United's 12-game rolling points-per-game average dropped to 0.83 at two stages last season after Amorim had taken charge, the lowest it had been since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. Amorim then managed to outdo himself early in this campaign when that average dropped to 0.75, almost half the amount it was when Erik ten Hag was sacked. But now their rolling points-per-game average is at 1.75, the highest it has been since December 2023.

Performances have also improved. According to Opta, United's non-penalty expected goals (xG) per game has increased by 20 percent, from 1.24 under Amorim last season to 1.48 this term. United are therefore both defending and attacking better than before. The improvements show that the club's hierarchy, above all co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, were right to keep their faith in their manager and resist sacking him at the lowest points of last season, as well as in September following the defeat at Brentford, when the most important pundits on English television were saying enough was enough. 

Now Amorim needs to build on the momentum and start to pay Ratcliffe back by delivering irrefutable, and not incremental, evidence that the team are improving and that he can take them back to where they belong…

GettyRuthless approach

Five out of the 16 players that appeared in Amorim's first game at Ipswich one year ago are no longer at the club. While Amorim had little say in Jonny Evans retiring or Christian Eriksen leaving when his contract expired, he had a big say in the departures of Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Andre Onana.

Rashford has the paradoxical status of scoring the first goal of the Amorim era and then being the first to be hounded out of the club by the manager. The forward was cast aside from the squad on the day of the derby at Manchester City just three weeks after the coach's debut match at Portman Road, never playing for the club again. 

The player's wavering commitment to the team both during matches and off the pitch had been bubbling under the surface for a long time and Ten Hag did not know how to handle the situation properly, giving him lenient punishments for stepping out of line before. Amorim, by contrast, took a ruthless approach to one of United's highest-paid, and their most famous homegrown player of the last decade.

AdvertisementgettyChanging the culture

Amorim cut Garnacho a little more slack after also dropping him for the derby but the tempestuous winger repeatedly defied the manager's authority and was ordered to find a new club after his petulant response to not starting the Europa League final. Amorim also took a no-nonsense approach with Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia (the Dutch defender is now back in the squad) by placing them in the so-called 'bomb squad', forbidding them from training with the first team. 

It may have reduced the players' market value but it also sent out a clear message about who was in charge. Leny Yoro recently praised the manager's approach to the players who tested his authority, declaring: "We cannot build something with bad energy or bad atmosphere or bad characters." 

The revelation from that Amorim singled out Manuel Ugarte for criticism on the same day he told Garnacho he had to leave also demonstrated that he held everyone to the same standard given he had worked with the midfielder at Sporting CP. also revealed that Amorim has made the players give more of their time to signing autographs and posing for photos for fans before and after matches at Old Trafford. Indeed, Amorim has led by example in this respect: he regularly attends to autograph and selfie hunters at the training ground.

Getty Images SportRaising the bar

That might seem like an insignificant detail but it is another reminder of how committed Amorim is to changing the culture of the dressing room and it seems to have worked, with the team looking more cohesive. The job, however, is far from complete. The way the team froze against Grimsby, when Amorim said "the players spoke really loud", was a reminder that they struggle to get up for every single game.

Hojlund and Onana did not show the coach a lack of respect or lack of commitment to Amorim in the same way as Garnacho and Rashford, although he was similarly merciless with the duo, essentially determining that neither player was quite good enough to play for his team. The jury is still out on whether that was the right decision with regards to Hojlund, who has impressed on loan at Napoli while his replacement Benjamin Sesko has struggled to settle into the team and is now injured for at least a month. 

The decision to let Onana join Trabzonspor on loan and sign Senne Lammens, however, looks like a masterstroke, with the Belgian giving United some much-needed peace of mind in goal. Onana's reported eagerness to sign an improved contract after the whole squad saw their salaries cut by missing out on Champions League football, which apparently did not go down well with the coach, further feeds into the sense that Amorim is improving the culture within the team.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPFighting in adversity

A sign that this change in culture is benefitting the team on the pitch can be seen in the amount of late goals United have been scoring this season. They have struck in the 80th minute or later in their last four games, with each goal proving crucial to the final result. Harry Maguire's 84th-minute header against Liverpool saw United snatch a first win at Anfield in 10 seasons and showed their resilience as they could quite easily have caved in when Cody Gakpo had levelled a few minutes earlier. 

The following week Bryan Mbeumo scored in the sixth minute of added time to kill off Brighton's comeback from three goals down, ensuring United won 4-2 rather than swallowing a damaging 3-3 draw. Amad Diallo's wonder-volley in the 80th minute grabbed a draw at Nottingham Forest, as did Matthijs de Ligt's 95th-minute header at Tottenham in the last game. Towards the start of the season, Bruno Fernandes' penalty in the 96th minute gave United victory over Burnley after they had twice surrendered the lead in the second half. 

In total, the late goals have been worth an extra six points from 11 games so far this season, or eight if you count Mbeumo's strike against Brighton as preventing the Seagulls from completing their fightback. In Amorim's 27 league games last term his side scored after the 80th minute in five games, salvaging a total of nine points. "We fight in every adversity," said Amorim after the draw at Tottenham.

The New York Yankees are adding a veteran pitcher to the organization, having agreed to sign former Los Angeles Dodgers standout Kenta Maeda to a minor-league contract, according to a report from MLB Japan.

Maeda, 37, has spent the past two seasons with the Detroit Tigers, spending time in both MLB and the minor leagues. In 2025, he's made just seven appearances for the Tigers, logging a 7.88 ERA with eight strikeouts and six walks in 8.0 innings. He started 17 games last season and has a 6.09 ERA.

In his prime, Maeda was a reliable mid-rotation starter. In his best season in 2020, when he was with the Minnesota Twins, the Japan native finished as the runner-up for the American League Cy Young, losing out to Shane Bieber. That season, a shortened 60-game campaign due to the outbreak of COVID-19, he had a 2.70 ERA with 80 strikeouts and 10 walks across 66 2/3 innings and 11 starts.

It's not clear if the Yankees intend to bring Maeda to the Bronx, though he figures to start out in the minor leagues for the time being.

Australia’s stand-in captain says bowlers who nibble the ball around can be tough on the current type of pitches

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff13-Nov-20252:17

How important is the first Ashes Test for England?

Steve Smith has hinted England’s pace battery could be the wrong form of attack for the Ashes, believing nibbling seamers would pose a bigger threat on Australia’s lively pitches.England have arrived for the summer with their quickest bowling line-up this century, with almost the entire cartel able to reach in excess of 145kph/90mph.Spearheaded by Mark Wood and Jofra Archer, the tourists also have Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, Brydon Carse as support acts alongside captain Ben Stokes.Related

England's Ashes squad have pace in abundance, but do they have the miles?

England and Australia Ashes squads compared: who comes out on top?

Mark Wood puts 'boring' rehab behind him as he gears up for bowling return

Steven Finn: 'We stood up to Australia in '10-11, this England will have that attitude'

It’s a far cry from England’s usual attack in Australia, with the now-retired James Anderson and Stuart Broad long relying on swing and seam.And despite the hype around England’s quicks, Smith believes the tourists’ timing could be off and a more traditional seamer would be tougher to face on current wickets.”Those sort of nibblers can be quite tricky,” Smith, who will captain Australia in Perth, said. “So they might have got things the wrong way around, if that makes sense, in terms of the pace from previous years.”But obviously they’ve got those guys at their disposal now. They probably weren’t fit, ready or old enough a few years back.”Anderson’s Test career was brought to an end in 2024 when he was given a farewell outing against West Indies and Broad retired during the final Test of the 2023 Ashes.Chris Woakes dislocated his shoulder in the final Test against India in early August which ended his Ashes hopes and he has since retired from international cricket.Steven Smith has been in excellent from ahead of the Ashes•Getty Images

Smith joked this week that Australian wickets were now so green they “have branches hanging off them”.Asked directly if it was easier to face all-out pace than seamers on home decks, Smith indicated that was the case.”If you can do both, that’s a good skill,” Smith said. “But sometimes the slower guys are almost harder to play on those wickets where you have to make the pace.”It’s going to be different. But I think we’ve got plenty of players that play fast bowling well, and it’s going to be a good challenge.”Smith’s comments come after Mitchell Starc warned England that it would not be easy for the quicks to charge in all summer, given the harder surfaces in Australia.Smith will enter the series in form, with scores of 118, 57 and 56 not out in his three Sheffield Shield innings for New South Wales. Fresh off a six-week break in New York ahead of the summer, Smith said almost upon landing back home he would need a few hits to find his rhythm.That form is now undeniable, even if he briefly “lost his hands” while batting for NSW in their 300-run drubbing to Victoria at the SCG.”I felt awful my first 20 runs [on Wednesday],” Smith said. “Lost my hands for a little bit there and then found them back after that, so that was good.”It was more because I was changing bats, trying to figure out which one I like, to be honest. And they all felt a little bit different. I think I’ve settled on one, so it felt good.”But it was nice to just be able to spend some time in the middle, get some rhythm and feel in a good place.”

Labuschagne’s recall looks certain but debate remains about where in the order he will bat

Andrew McGlashan21-Oct-2025Steven Smith has revealed that Marnus Labuschagne told him before the season that he would be back in the Test side by the start of the Ashes.Though that decision has yet to be rubberstamped by the Australia selectors, Labuschagne is all-but certain to earn a recall having made two Sheffield Shield centuries in two matches – and four hundreds in five innings across the early domestic season – in a prolific return to form after being dropped in the West Indies earlier this year.”I sent him a message a couple of days ago saying how proud I was of him,” Smith said. “He’s just gone back and he’s got his fourth hundred in five hits. It’s a pretty big statement. He said to me at the start of the summer, he goes, ‘I’ll be in that Test team come the first [Ashes] Test’. He’s backed up his words, probably. He’s obviously not selected yet, [but] he’s done a lot of things right.”Related

• Australia's top order: What are the selectors' options?

• Labuschagne makes emphatic Ashes case

• Weatherald makes a statement as Boland primes for Perth

• 'Takes me two hits' – Smith already feels in the Ashes groove

During the first ODI against India, Labuschagne spoke about some of his struggles having come from getting “too deep” into his technique and “trying to be too perfect”, which echoes advice Smith had given him.”We’ve all been there [dropped] at some point in our careers and it’s difficult to hear it,” Smith said. “But I think he knew he probably wasn’t batting as well as he had been over probably four years ago when he was scoring a mountain of runs.”I think my advice to him was ‘stop thinking so technically, just go and play the game; watch the ball and react’. I think he’s been doing that really beautifully and he’s played so nicely.”While Labuschagne’s return looks certain, a significant question remains about where he bats in the order amid the ongoing debate around who opens alongside Usman Khawaja with Sam Konstas’ challenges continuing. Labuschagne was promoted to the top in the World Test Championship final against South Africa and there remains a realistic chance he will be asked to do it again.Steven Smith has been prolific since returning to No. 4•Associated Press

A large part of the final decision may revolve around how many overs the selectors are confident in Cameron Green getting through and whether Beau Webster’s bowling is also required.”He can open, as we saw in the Test championship final,” Smith said. “He can bat three. He’s versatile. We’ll see where it all stands when the team gets picked. I mean, it’s not too different to batting three, to be honest. He could be in first ball. So, it’s essentially the same thing.”I don’t think he needs to change anything if that’s the case. Just play the game, play how he has been, and see the ball hit it, and trust his instincts.”Smith, who had a four-Test stint as opener in early 2024 before returning to No. 4 last season where he averaged 53.27 against India and Sri Lanka, may also become part of the batting-order debate over whether he returns to No. 3.”I’m not too fussed, to be honest,” Smith said. “I’m happy kind of wherever. But, yeah, we’ll see what happens when the team’s picked where we’ll talk to the coaches and Patty [Cummins] and see where everyone fits in best, I suppose, and keep it as simple as that.”Sam Konstas is struggling to retain his Test place•Getty Images

With regards Konstas, who has made 4, 14, 0 and 53 in his four Shield innings of the season having scored a century for Australia A in India last month, Smith said there was a balance to strike for young players between overloading them with advice and allowing them to problem solve.”He’s obviously going through a bit of a period right now where he’s trying to figure out how he wants to play,” he said. “I think at times you’ve got to let these young players figure it out for themselves and find the way that they want to play. I think back to when I was young, I had to figure it out.”There were people that I could speak to, but ultimately you’re the one out in the middle playing. It’s your career and you need to figure out how you want to go about it. He’s so young, he’s got plenty of time to figure out how he wants to go.”From what I’ve seen, he’s got so much time as a batter when he’s facing fast bowling. That’s something you can’t really teach, so that’s a good starting point. Then there’s a few things that he has to obviously work on, but he’s a bright talent as we’ve seen and he’s got a bright future.”