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Scott Parker will hope he’s in it for the long haul at Burnley as they step back up to the Premier League, after finding his last venture in the top-flight to be short-lived with AFC Bournemouth.

The 44-year-old would only last four top-flight contests with the Cherries during the 2022/23 season before being handed his abrupt marching orders, with a horrific 9-0 loss suffered at the hands of Liverpool during his final game not helping his cause whatsoever.

He returns to the elite division with a point to prove, therefore, having just successfully guided the Clarets up to the big time by collecting 100 points, with a defensive solidity on show that was nowhere to be found at Anfield.

However, bit by bit, the defence that only leaked 16 league goals last season is being picked off, with Maxime Esteve perhaps the next to leave Turf Moor behind after CJ Egan-Riley’s distressing contract situation.

The latest on Esteve's Burnley future

Annoyingly, Egan-Riley – who shone brightly next to Esteve last season – looks set to exit Lancashire for good, amidst interest in his services from RC Strasbourg and West Ham United.

The imposing Frenchman, meanwhile, also has his fair share of Premier League admirers, with Crystal Palace and Everton recently named as onlookers keen on adding the 23-year-old to their rosters, alongside ex-Clarets boss Vincent Kompany also keeping tabs on him from the Bayern Munich dug-out.

This would be a huge blow to Burnley’s confidence if they were to lose their in-demand number five, considering Esteve is just fresh off a campaign that saw him average an unerring 91% pass accuracy per Championship clash, alongside also showing off his brute strength with 3.6 duels won per match too.

But, the Clarets might now have a dream replacement for the ex-Montpellier titan up their sleeve, with the target in question already well-versed in how to battle and fight amid a Premier League relegation scrap.

The £12m "warrior" who'd be the dream Esteve replacement

After all, Esteve has struggled in the demanding top-flight in the past, away from his name currently generating a buzz, with zero clean sheets coming his way for Burnley from 16 league appearances during their relegation season.

On the contrary, the Clarets’ new defensive target – as has been reported by the Irish Sun – in Dara O’Shea at least exited this campaign just gone with his head held high, with the Republic of Ireland international even winning Ipswich Town’s Player of the Season accolade for his valiant efforts at the back, despite the Tractor Boys slipping straight back down to the second-tier.

On top of that, O’Shea was also a popular figure when he last donned claret and blue – away from deserting the Clarets after relegation – with the Dublin-born titan even amassing three goals and four assists in league action during the 2023/24 season at Turf Moor, alongside averaging an imposing 5.5 duels won on average.

Again, however, all of his heroic efforts were for nothing as relegation was ultimately served up. But, the £12m defender will hope to buck that ongoing trend if he does relocate back to Lancashire shortly, amidst interest also coming in for his services from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds United.

Games played

35

46

Goals scored

0

1

Assists

2

0

Touches*

58.9

78.0

Accurate passes*

34.0 (79%)

60.5 (91%)

Ball recoveries*

3.1

3.7

Clearances*

6.2

5.0

Total duels won*

5.4

3.6

His most recent stint with Ipswich shows off how he could be a dream Esteve replacement, with the table above displaying his similarities to the Bundesliga-linked defender, as seen in both centre-backs being unfazed by having the ball at their feet, away from completing their gritty defensive basics.

Parker will just pray that he can land O’Shea over other rivals, especially if Esteve does heartbreakingly seek out pastures new, with the Irishman also being labelled as a “warrior” by former West Bromwich Albion manager Valerien Ismael for his full-blooded displays.

The under pressure 44-year-old will need everyone singing off the same hymn sheet defensively if his team stands any chance at survival, with a familiar face in O’Shea rejoining potentially working wonders.

Burnley could sign dream Egan-Riley replacement in "outstanding" £25m star

Burnley would soon forget about CJ Egan-Riley leaving Turf Moor behind if they signed this outstanding replacement.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 5, 2025

Looking towards the summer transfer window, Manchester United have now reportedly been offered the chance to sign a serial winner represented by the same agency as Patrick Dorgu.

Man Utd's summer plan taking shape

Whilst step one of Manchester United’s transfer plan will be to win the Europa League later this month and confirm their shock place in next season’s Champions League, they simply need to invest no matter the outcome against Tottenham Hotspur. Ahead of his first full season in charge, Ruben Amorim will have the chance to prove doubters wrong, but will finally need players who suit his system to do exactly that.

The new Amrabat: Amorim must axe 4/10 Man Utd man who lost the ball 15x

Manchester United booked their place in the Europa League final last night, setting up a clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

6 ByEthan Lamb May 9, 2025

If recent rumours are anything to go by then it will, indeed, be a busy summer for the Red Devils on both the incomings and departures front. Already, players like Antony and Marcus Rashford could be heading for the exit door as the start of a hefty clear-out at Old Trafford, which Amorim will be desperate to see end with plenty of fresh faces.

Meanwhile, on the incomings front, names such as Ronald Araujo and Yann Bisseck have threatened to steal the headlines as of late. Two defenders who squared off in one of the best Champions League semi-finals in recent memory, as Inter Milan came out on top to win 7-6 on aggregate, both would undoubtedly improve the current Manchester United backline.

Amorim is well aware of the need for improvement too, having told reporters in the build-up to his side’s Europa League semi-final victory over Athletic Bilbao: “For me, in that moment and you look at Premier League, we are the worst team since I arrived in terms of results. That is my idea. In the end of the season, we can be the worst team in Premier League history with a European title.”

However, despite that admission, the lure of Old Trafford remains there to exploit amid reports that Manchester United have now been offered the chance to sign a serial winner.

Man Utd offered chance to sign Kingsley Coman

According to Caught Offside, Manchester United have now been offered the chance to sign Kingsley Coman from Bayern Munich this summer by the winger’s agent. The Frenchman’s representatives have been knocking on doors around European football hoping to seal a move this summer, with Old Trafford seemingly among those.

A serial winner having won league titles at Bayern, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus as well as the Champions League in Bavaria, Coman may not be at the peak of his powers but he would help change the mentality in the Manchester United dressing room.

What’s more, a deal could be made easier by the fact that Coman is represented by the same agency as Patrick Dorgu, who completed a move to Old Trafford in January. With contact already established and a relationship already built between both parties, the Red Devils have an ideal opportunity.

Dubbed a player who has “incredible talent” by former Bayern manager and current Barcelona boss Hansi Flick, Coman could yet rediscover his most clinical form at Manchester United this summer.

Chelsea are now willing to make a £20m offer for a “genius” attacker, but there could be competition for his signature from Manchester United, according to a report.

Blues set to bolster attacking options after Ipswich draw

The burden of scoring goals and creating chances has largely fallen on Cole Palmer this season, with the attacking midfielder amassing 21 goal contributions in all competitions, by far the highest number of any player in the squad.

It has been another impressive season for Palmer, but the overreliance on the England international means the Blues can struggle when he isn’t firing on all cylinders, having now lost four Premier League games in 2025, while also stumbling to a 2-2 draw against Ipswich Town.

As such, Enzo Maresca is keen to bolster his attacking options this summer, with a new winger of interest, and David Ornstein has revealed that Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens is set to be one of the targets, having been on the shortlist since January.

Chelsea submit £30m bid for "extraordinary" maestro who's keen on PL move

The Blues have tested the waters with an opening bid for a midfielder.

ByDominic Lund Apr 13, 2025

The west Londoners have also entered the race for AC Milan star Rafael Leao, but the Portugal international will not come cheap, given that he has been valued at £150m by the Italian club in the past.

Consequently, it could make sense for Chelsea to pursue a cheaper alternative, and a report from Spain has now revealed they are willing to make a £20m bid for Lyon’s Rayan Cherki, with the attacking midfielder seriously impressing in Ligue 1 this season.

The £20m price tag is no issue for the Blues, who have been monitoring Cherki’s performances closely this season, but there could be competition for his signature, with Man United also willing to make an offer.

There is a belief the 21-year-old would be a great addition to Maresca’s squad, and previous reports have revealed Lyon could be willing to cash-in this summer, given that they need to raise funds.

"Genius" Cherki could be fantastic signing for Chelsea

The Frenchman’s performances this season indicate a £20m deal could be an absolute steal, having amassed an extraordinary 11 goals and 18 assists in 38 matches for Lyon, which places him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders for assists per 90 over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Assists

0.64 (99th percentile)

Shot-creating actions

6.94 (99th percentile)

Progressive passes

9.27 (99th percentile)

Journalist Julien Laurens has been a long-term admirer of the Lyon star, having lauded him as a “genius” in the past, and his performances this season indicate he could be ready to make a move to one of Europe’s top clubs.

The signing of Cherki would go some way to providing support for Palmer, who largely carries the burden of creating chances at the moment, and the young Frenchman’s availability for an extremely low fee is an added bonus for Chelsea.

Also, who was the fastest bowler to 300 Test wickets by time?

Steven Lynch29-Oct-2024New Zealand have just won a Test series in India. Have they ever done that before, and how often have India been whitewashed at home? asked Michael O’Sullivan from New Zealand

New Zealand had never previously won any of their 12 Test series in India, and indeed had won only two previous Tests there – in Nagpur in October 1969, and in Mumbai in November 1988. That first win enabled them to draw the series 1-1, and a two-match rubber in 2003-04 was drawn 0-0; India won the other ten. New Zealand have done much better at home, winning six series (and ten Tests overall).India might have lost the series after their defeat in Pune, but there’s still another Test to come so it’s too early to talk about a whitewash. The only time they have ever lost every match of a series (more than one Test) at home was in 1999-2000, when South Africa won both matches. They did lose three-match series 2-0 to England in 1933-34 (the first Tests in India), Australia in 1956-57 and West Indies in 1966-67. As this list shows, India have lost three matches in five longer series at home, which included 3-0 defeats to West Indies in 1958-59 (five Tests) and 1983-84 (six).I saw that Kagiso Rabada was the fastest to reach 300 Test wickets in terms of balls bowled, but who got there fastest by time? asked Andy Johnson from England

You’re right that Kagiso Rabada was the fastest to reach 300 Test wickets by balls bowled – he got there when he dismissed Mushfiqur Rahim during South Africa’s recent Test against Bangladesh in Mirpur. That wicket came with Rabada’s 11,817th legal delivery in a Test, 132.3 overs quicker than Waqar Younis (12,602), who himself was three balls quicker than Dale Steyn.The fastest in terms of time was Shane Warne, who got there in six years and three days from his debut against India in Sydney in January 1992. R Ashwin ran Warne close, reaching 300 in November 2017, six years and 21 days after his debut. Rabada played his first Test in November 2015, so is well down this particular list, in 15th place.Was Zimbabwe’s 344 the other day a T20 international record? asked Burton Mugambwa from Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe ran up 344 for 4 in their match against Gambia in Nairobi last week, during the African qualifying tournament for the next T20 World Cup. It was not only the highest in a T20 international, but the biggest in any senior men’s T20 match, beating Nepal’s 314 for 3 against Mongolia in the Asian Games in Hangzhou (China) in September 2023. As mentioned two weeks ago in this column, there have been higher totals in women’s T20 internationals.Zimbabwe won by 290 runs, another record for men’s T20s, beating Nepal’s 273 in the match mentioned above. Argentina’s women won successive games against Chile in October 2023 by 364, 281 and 311 runs.Sikandar Raza reached his century – Zimbabwe’s first in T20s – against Gambia in just 33 balls, putting him joint-second in men’s T20 internationals behind Sahil Chauhan’s 27-ball onslaught for Estonia against Cyprus in Episkopi in June 2024. That’s also the fastest in all men’s T20 matches.Sydney Barnes’ 189 wickets came in just 27 Tests, an average of seven wickets a Test•PA PhotosPrabath Jayasuriya currently has 97 wickets in 16 Tests – that’s more than six a match. Has anyone else had a higher average? asked Nishantha de Silva from Sri Lanka

Slow left-armer Prabath Jayasuriya currently averages 6.06 wickets per Test, a rate he’ll have to sustain for a long time to stay ahead of Muthiah Muralidaran, who took 800 wickets in his 133-Test career, at the rate of 6.01 per match.Leading the way is the great England bowler Sydney Barnes, who took 189 wickets in just 27 Tests, an average of exactly seven per match. Among those who took 50 or more Test wickets, the only others above six are three 19th-century bowlers in Jack Ferris (6.77 wickets per Test), Tom Richardson (6.28) and George Lohmann (6.22). Lohmann is the only man to have more wickets after 16 Tests (101) than Jayasuriya’s 97.The only other current bowler who averages more than five wickets per Test is R Ashwin, who stood at 5.12 per match after the second Test against New Zealand in Pune.Saim Ayub opened the batting and the bowling in Rawalpindi. How often has this happened in a Test? asked Abdul Hameed Majeed from Pakistan

Offspinner Saim Ayub took the new ball for Pakistan in the third Test against England in Rawalpindi – a one-over spell before Noman Ali returned! He’d earlier opened the batting, and became the 70th man to do both in the same Test. There are now 154 instances in all, and two Indian allrounders lead the way: Manoj Prabhakar did it no fewer than 22 times, and ML Jaisimha 13. Next come Pakistan’s Mudassar Nazar (nine times) and Abid Ali of India (six).The most recent instance before Saim Ayub was by Solomon Mire, for Zimbabwe against West Indies in Bulawayo late in 2017; the previous year Dilruwan Perera did it for Sri Lanka against Australia in Colombo. Perhaps the most surprising name on the list is another Indian, Budhi Kunderan, against England at Edgbaston in July 1967 – he was usually a wicketkeeper!Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Australia hope Starc and Green’s return to the XI will “bridge the difference” between them and India

Alex Malcolm21-Feb-2023Australia face an uphill battle trying to find lower-order runs in the third Test in Indore and it may shape their selection.Australia are still picking up the pieces from their second-innings collapse on Sunday in Delhi where they lost 8 for 28 in 74 balls to concede a 2-0 series lead to India. India’s lower-order batting, meanwhile, has been one of the major differences between the two sides in the series so far.But the visitors did have India 139 for 7 on the second day before Axar Patel and R Ashwin added 114 for the eighth wicket to ensure India did not concede a first-innings deficit.Related

• Agar returns home from India to play Sheffield Shield and Marsh Cup

• India's cheat code: lower-order muscle

• Death by a thousand sweeps a window into Australia's soul

• Cummins returns home due to family health issue

• McDonald: Batters wilted under 'perceived pressure'

Similarly in the first Test in Nagpur India were 240 for 7, leading by just 63 before Ravindra Jadeja, Axar and Mohammed Shami added 160 for the last three wickets to hand the home side an insurmountable lead of 223.By contrast, Australia were 162 for 6 in the first innings in Nagpur to be all out for 177. They were 227 for 6 in the first innings in Delhi only to be bowled out for 263. Peter Handscomb was set at the other end on both occasions but was unable to garner any support from Australia’s bowlers.Australia batting coach Michael Di Venuto admitted it is difficult to help inexperienced spinners Todd Murphy and Matthew Kuhnemann find a way to contribute with the bat in Indian conditions when even Steven Smith is having trouble handling Ashwin and Jadeja.”That’s a hard one especially when two guys are brand new to Test cricket and coming in there,” Di Venuto said. “Nathan [Lyon] has shown some good resolve. It’s encouraging. Potentially changes. Potentially Starcy [Mitchell Starc] comes in who’s done well with the bat here in the past. That adds a little bit more depth to the batting. Patty [Cummins] showed in the first innings a good method of defence and attack, so it is there. The younger ones, that’s a work in progress. That’s a big learning curve for them with the bat and the ball.”There is a clear gap in talent with the bat between Australia’s and India’s bowlers. Axar Patel averages nearly 34 in first-class cricket and 31.80 in Test cricket, while Ashwin is batting at No. 9 in this current India team with five Test centuries to his name. Coach Andrew McDonald noted India’s depth of batting.”They bat right through to nine, and that’s the reality,” McDonald said on Monday. “On the flip side to that, we’ve got to make sure we bridge that difference with our lower order as well. That’s been a clear distinct difference in the two Test matches so far, where you get a team five down and suddenly they creep out. They got 400 in that first game in Nagpur, it wasn’t a 400 wicket.”By contrast, Australia have had Cummins batting at No. 8 with a Test average of just 15.93. Intriguingly, after 17 Tests of their respective careers, Cummins had a higher Test average (20.95) than Jadeja (20.62). Jadeja has become a world-class allrounder, fulfilling his Test batting potential having scored 12 first-class centuries overall, including three triples, while Cummins has regressed.

“Plans certainly weren’t wrong. Our plans were good. Guys under pressure moved away from their plans of what worked and you pay the consequence in this country.”Michael Di Venuto

That gap in talent was part of the reason Ashton Agar was so heavily considered as Australia’s second or third spinner, given he has three first-class hundreds, a Test 98, and averages 28.32 with the bat in first-class cricket. But it is understood he was struggling so much with the ball in training, having taken just 20 wickets in his last 12 first-class games at a cost of 63.45 and a strike rate of 131, that he and the selectors mutually decided he was not in the right place to play in Australia’s four-man attack. The selectors are currently considering whether to fly him home to play some domestic cricket in Australia.Starc’s return from injury would bolster Australia’s batting at No. 8 but it may come at the expense of the third spinner unless Cummins is unable to play given his personal situation.”We need to find runs,” McDonald admitted. “We knew that before we came away, that runs is always the biggest challenge in India. We felt like we’d be able to take 20 wickets but how we find runs is really important. So do we bat a little deeper? Mitchell Starc coming in, he’s had some good success with the bat, albeit he’s a lower-order player. He got 99 in Mohali and 62 in Pune on a spinning wicket as well, so does he come into calculations? Do we play two quicks? All those conversations are happening but the bottom line is we do need to find runs, and that’s our big question.”Cameron Green will return in Indore which will balance the side even more. That could also open the door for Australia to do something radical and play eight batters if they had confidence in taking 20 wickets with playing just three specialist bowlers, Green and Travis Head as support. But that option would probably only be considered if an extreme spinning pitch is presented in Indore.Ultimately Australia’s top order needs to do the heavy lifting with the bat. Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden, who is working as commentator on this series, has offered his support and expertise to the Australian team but it remains to be seen whether any players will reach out.Di Venuto believes Australia’s batters aren’t trusting the methods and plans that they have been working on.”Plans certainly weren’t wrong. Our plans were good,” Di Venuto said. “But if people go away from their plans they get in trouble as we saw. I think if we look back at the position we were in at 2 for 85, executing our plans very well in that second innings and ahead of the game and the wheels fell off after that.”Guys under pressure moved away from their plans of what worked and you pay the consequence in this country.”Batting, it’s a pretty simple analogy I think, you’ve got to swim between the flags in this country. If you go outside the flags and your game plan you are going to get in trouble.”Each individual has got their own method which we think can work. But if you’re coming over here and you’re not a sweeper and you’re trying to sweep, that’s not going to work. I think we have some good examples of that and saw that.”

Stats highlights from a special Boxing Day bonanza between New Zealand and Pakistan

Gaurav Sundararaman30-Dec-2020 4218 Days between Test Centuries for Fawad Alam. The last one he scored was way back in 2009 when he hit 168 on Test debut against Sri Lanka while opening the innings. Since then Alam has played just six Tests having made a comeback in 2020. Only Warren Bardsley (5093) and Mushtaq Ali (4544) have a longer gap between two Test centuries. Alam’s century is also the only one by a Pakistan batsman in the fourth innings of a Test in New Zealand.ESPNcricinfo Ltd 9 Batsmen who have played more than 250 deliveries in the fourth innings after coming in to bat at No. 5 or below. Only five faced have more than the 269 that Alam did. The last player to achieve this feat was Moeen Ali against Sri Lanka in Leeds. Only six players have achieved this in New Zealand and just two since the turn of the century. 380 Balls faced by Alam and Mohammad Rizwan during their 165-run partnership – the second-longest stand for Pakistan in Tests where ball details are available. The highest is still Shan Masood and Younis Khan’s 400 deliveries faced against Sri Lanka in 2015. 3 Partnerships that have added more runs than Rizwan and Alam’s 165 in the fourth innings for the fifth wicket In Tests. The pair of Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes and AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis added 169 and 205 respectively against India in 2018 and 2013 respectively. This is also the second-highest stand by a Pakistan pair away from home in the fourth innings and the fourth-highest by any pair in New Zealand. 123.3 Overs faced by Pakistan in the fourth innings of this Test. Only four times has a team survived more overs in New Zealand. Pakistan have played more overs only on three other occasions in their Test history. Only once did they manage to draw the game though. 16 Unbeaten Tests for New Zealand at home. Their last loss came in 2017 against South Africa while their last loss against an Asian team was way back in 2011 against Pakistan in Hamilton.ESPNcricinfo Ltd 9 Instances in Test cricket where five bowlers took exactly two wickets each in a Test innings. The first such instance took place in 1883 while the second happened almost a hundred years later in 1981. 3 Bowlers to have taken 300 Test wickets for New Zealand. Tim Southee joined Daniel Vettori and Sir Richard Hadlee on the list during this Test. Southee reached this landmark in 76 Tests – second-fastest for New Zealand behind Hadlee who got there in 61 Tests.

When Freddie Freeman takes the field on Friday night for Game 1 of the World Series, it will feel like he's playing in one of his homes away from home at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. While Freeman's job with the Dodgers in their quest to capture back-to-back championships will be front and center on his mind, playing baseball in Canada, in which he holds dual citizenship along with the United States, will be special for both he and his family.

"Yeah my dad is obviously going to head out there tomorrow as well," Freeman said Tuesday. "So it's going to be pretty special. And I'm not so sure the Canadian fans, Blue Jays fans, will be cheering for me this time around like it was in the World Baseball Classic the last couple of times. But it is special."

Freeman played for Canada in both the 2017 and 2023 World Baseball Classics, changing his representation to Canada through his citizenship from his parents. Freeman's return to Toronto will also be an emotional one, given that he'll be returning to the city where his mother grew up. She died after being diagnosed with melanoma when he was just 10 years old.

"Both my parents are born and raised in Canada, especially in the providence of Ontario—my mom from the Toronto area. My dad from Windsor," Freeman continued. "So, it is special. Everytime I go there, you just have this feeling inside that you feel just a little bit closer to my mom. So I'm looking forward to it."

And even though Freeman will be playing against the Blue Jays, he's still excited about what the team has accomplished thus far, given his Canadian roots.

"I mean, that’s special,’" Freeman said. "When you have a whole country that you know is behind one team, that’s pretty amazing. And then, obviously, what they’ve done. They’ve invested in their team, into that stadium, the visiting clubhouse, they’ve put a lot into the Toronto Blue Jays.

"So to just see the city come together, and get to experience so much jubilation that they had going to the World Series for the first time in 30-plus years, you know it’s an exciting time. And being from Canada, it’s pretty cool."

Both the Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres have dropped back-to-back games, but they are playing well overall this season heading into Tuesday’s matchup.

Seattle still leads the AL West, and the Padres — despite moving Juan Soto and losing Blake Snell this offseason — are second in the NL West. 

The Mariners are favored in this matchup, likely because they have Logan Gilbert (2.91 ERA) on the mound. 

However, Seattle has been significantly better at home (30-18) than on the road (19-25), which makes this matchup a little more interesting. 

Let’s dive into the odds, probable pitchers, and a best bet for this interleague matchup on Tuesday night. 

Mariners vs. Padres Odds, Run Line and Total

Run Line 

Mariners -1.5 (+120)Padres +1.5 (-142)

Moneyline

Mariners: -135Padres: +114

Total

8 (Over -108/Under -112)

Mariners vs. Padres Probable PitchersMariners: Logan Gilbert (5-5, 2.91 ERA)Padres: Adam Mazur (1-2, 7.52 ERA)Mariners vs. Padres How to WatchDate: Tuesday, July 9Time: 9:40 p.m. ESTVenue: Petco ParkHow to Watch (TV): Root Sports NorthwestMariners record: 49-43Padres record: 49-45Mariners vs. Padres Key Players to WatchSeattle Mariners

Logan Gilbert: Gilbert has been the definition of consistent this season, allowing three or fewer earned runs in 15 of his 18 starts. While the Mariners are just 10-8 when he’s on the bump, the righty has kept them in just about every game in 2024 while striking out 8.3 batters per nine innings. out  He’ll look to keep that rolling on Tuesday night. 

San Diego Padres

Jurickson Profar: With Fernando Tatis Jr. on the injured list, even more pressure is on Jurickson Profar (who leads the NL in on-base percentage) to produce for San Diego. The journeyman has found a home in San Fran, hitting .315 with 14 homers and 59 runs batted in during the 2024 season. 

Mariners vs. Padres Prediction and Pick

Even though the Mariners have struggled on the road, there are a few reasons why I like them to pull off the win on Tuesday. 

It starts with Gilbert, who has led the Mariners to a 10-8 record in his starts, with Seattle winning four of his last five outings. 

10-8 isn’t a terrific record, but Gilbert hasn’t allowed more than four runs in a start all season, and he’s only given up more than three in three of 18 starts. 

On the Padres side, there has to be some concern with Mazur on the bump.  

The rookie has made six starts in 2024, getting through five innings on just two occasions and posting a 7.52 ERA. 

On top of that, San Diego has a bullpen ERA of 4.14 in 2024, so there’s no guarantee that it will shut the Mariners down once Mazur exits. 

I’ll take the AL West leader to get back in the win column tonight.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Braga, de Portugal, cofirmou a ida do técnico Artur Jorge ao Botafogo na manhã desta quarta-feira (3). Em comunicado via site oficial, o clube português anunciou a saída do treinador mediante pagamento de multa de dois milhões de euros (R$ 10 milhões).

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O Botafogo chegou a acordo com Artur Jorge na última semana. Na terça-feira (2), o ténico assistiu à partida do Lyon ao lado de John Textor, dono da SAF alvinegra e do clube francês. O português assinará com o Glorioso por duas temporadas.

➡️ Com apenas R$30 no Lance! Betting, você fatura mais de R$85 se J. Santos marcar pelo menos um gol sobre o Junior!

Segundo o “ge”, novo comandante do Alvinegro chega ao Rio de Janeiro nesta quarta-feira (3) e irá acompanhar a estreia do Botafogo na fase de grupos da Libertadores, diante do Junior Barranquilla, da Colômbia. A bola rola às 19h, no Estádio Nilton Santos.

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➡️Tudo sobre o Fogão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Botafogo

Confira, na íntegram, o comunicado oficial do Braga anunciando a ida de Artur Jorge ao Botafogo:

A SC BRAGA – FUTEBOL, S.A.D., confirma a transferência do treinador principal ARTUR JORGE TORRES GOMES ARAÚJO AMORIM para o S.A.F. BOTAFOGO mediante a contrapartida garantida de 2 milhões de euros.
A transferência do treinador não implica para a SC BRAGA – FUTEBOL, S.A.D. encargos com serviços de intermediação.
O novo treinador principal da equipa da SC BRAGA – FUTEBOL, S.A.D. e a respetiva equipa técnica serão anunciados oportunamente.

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Botafogo

Pittsburgh Pirates ace starting pitcher Paul Skenes is no stranger to making baseball history.

This time though, Skenes some of the wrong kind of history, after yet another stellar start for the Pirates on Sunday failed to earn him a win. The 2024 National League Rookie of the Year pitched 7 2/3 innings, striking out seven while walking just one batter and allowing one unearned run in the Pirates' 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

You're probably thinking, the Pirates won, so what's the problem? Well, the problem is that the Pittsburgh lineup managed to scratch just one run across against Phillies lefthander Cristopher Sanchez, meaning that Skenes left the game in the top half of the eighth inning with the game tied; he did not factor into the decision.

On the season, Skenes now has a 1.88 ERA and 92 strikeouts, but an underwhelming 4-6 record to go along with it. There have been 90 instances of a pitcher having a sub-2.10 ERA and 80-plus strikeouts through the first 13 starts of a season in MLB history. Skenes is the only one with a losing record, according to OptaSTATS.

Given the many different metrics available now to evaluate pitchers in the age of analytics, wins and losses don't quite mean as much as they used to. But the fact that Skenes could allow, on average, less than two runs per start and not have a winning record boggles the mind. He has allowed one earned run or fewer in six straight starts. He earned the win in one of those outings and the Pirates are 3-3 in those games.

The Pirates have publicly said they won't trade Skenes, nor do they have plans to. But it's hard not to sometimes wish they would consider it, especially when the Pirates lineup's incompetence consistently lets Skenes down.