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Every baseball season it seems one star struggles mightily out of the gate to start the season, and this year that star is Boston Red Sox designated hitter Rafael Devers.

The three-time All-Star has 27 at-bats to his name this season—and in those at-bats he has three hits against 16 strikeouts. By Baseball Reference's measurements, he's siphoned off nearly 1% of his WAR.

As Red Sox fans cross their fingers Devers will come around, longtime MLB first baseman Albert Pujols offered perspective on the star's struggles on Friday afternoon.

"He's gonna be okay," Pujols said. "You can blame the start of the season for that move, but I don't believe it's just that."

Pujols, along with panelists Bob Costas and Brian Kenny, speculated that Devers may be adjusting to uncertainty around his position. The addition of third baseman Alex Bregman and the arrival of second base superprospect Kristian Campbell have thrown Boston's infield into mild disarray.

"I think he was hurt about it, Devers is still a young guy," Pujols said. "I think he needs to understand that it's not about the player, it's about the organization."

Neymar has reportedly suffered another injury setback as his bid to be part of Brazil's 2026 World Cup squad hangs in the balance. The 33-year-old had recently returned from a hamstring injury and just when he was settling in to playing again for Santos, the former Barcelona star is now set to miss their crucial clash with Internacional because of a new issue.

Hype over Neymar move wearing off

There was a huge sense of excitement when news circulated that Neymar could return to his boyhood club at the start of 2025 following the cancellation of his Al-Hilal contract. Sure enough, the ex-Paris Saint-Germain star was unveiled by the Brazilian giants in late January, with the attacker eager to regain top form and get himself back into the international picture. While a return of seven goals and three assists in 25 matches in all competitions does not make for bad reading, Neymar has repeatedly been out injured. That has coincided with the veteran missing many games, with Santos currently hovering just above the relegation zone. Now, BeIN Sports are reporting that he has been dealing with knee discomfort throughout the week and therefore he will miss Monday's clash with fellow strugglers Internacional in a battle between 17th and 15th in Brasileiro Serie A, respectively. They add that there is no structural damage but Neymar's pain has been enough to sideline him and raise concern within the club. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportQuestion marks over Neymar's Santos future

Neymar's contract at Santos expires at the end of this year, meaning he could be a free agent in early 2026, with a World Cup half a year away. So far, there has been no contract breakthrough, although club president Marcelo Teixeira appears confident a deal can be struck. 

He said earlier this month: "Neymar's project is the 2026 World Cup. If there's consensus, he will extend. There is great trust between him and the club, and I believe we'll find a solution at the right moment."

However, there is no guarantee he will stay, but a move to rivals, Fluminense, has been ruled out by club president Mario Bittencourt.

He tweeted: "Regarding Neymar, I clarify that there has been no recent contact between Fluminense and the player, or his staff. Fluminense has immense respect for Santos and, obviously, the club and the player are 100% dedicated to winning the remaining games in the Brazilian Championship."

Ancelotti not giving up on Neymar

Despite not picking him in recent Brazil squads, former Real Madrid manager and current Selecao boss Carlo Ancelotti has issued an ultimatum to Neymar: Stay fit and perform well, and you may go to the 2026 World Cup.

He said just under a fortnight ago: "Neymar is on the list of players who can go to the World Cup. He has six months to make the final list. Neymar has recovered, but he needs to show performance. When the Brazilian league ends, he’ll have some vacation time, and then he must show his quality and physical condition again."

The former AC Milan boss also offered some words of advice for the Brazilian great in his bid to play at next year's iconic tournament in North America. 

"The truth is that soccer today asks for many things, not just talent. Also physical condition, intensity. hopefully Neymar can be at his best level," Ancelotti said. "He needs to play more centrally, not as a winger. Wingers in today’s soccer are players you need to help also defensively. When you play a little bit more inside the defensive work is much less than if you play as a winger."

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GettyWhat comes next for Neymar and Santos?

A Neymar-less Santos travel to Internacional on Monday night, hoping to ease their relegation fears. They sit one place and three points above the drop zone ahead of their final four fixtures of the season. After this encounter, they take on Sport Recife, Juventude RS, and Cruzeiro as they attempt to maintain their top-flight status. Whether Neymar will play a part in that remains to be seen.

Notts gain vital first-innings advantage before Matthew Fisher’s second five-for keeps Surrey in touch

Vithushan Ehantharajah16-Sep-2025Nottinghamshire 231 and 219 for 8 (Patterson-White 58, Fisher 5-57) lead Surrey 173 (Burns 47, James 3-35, Tongue 3-43) by 277 runsThe 2025 Division One season has been a scrappy affair. Sparse on real, top-tier quality, in part because of a wayward schedule. Even here at the Kia Oval, the home of the defending champions, it has been far from vintage. Nevertheless, 80,484 people have come through the gates this summer. Around 41,000 of them Surrey members wanting to vibe with a historic four-peat push.On Tuesday, however, for the first time this season, those of the brown cap persuasion had to confront the idea that, maybe, this might be a County Championship title too far. Worse still, the team that may take it from them were doing it on their patch.Nottinghamshire were trailing by a point coming into this penultimate round, and then four after being rolled for 231 in their first innings. But by stumps on day two, after 17 wickets had fallen, they were very much in front. They will start Wednesday on 219 for 8, 277 ahead, meaning Surrey will need the highest score of the match to win, on a pitch playing tricks off the straight. Nottinghamshire, having had the better of the first two days, are on the cusp of inflicting Surrey’s first home defeat since June 2023, and stealing a march on their title rivals into the final round.They have Lyndon James to thank for that. The allrounder, having the best season of his career, blew the match wide open in the morning session, taking 3 for 35 and then provided 47 vital runs. He was robbed of the honour of seeing out the day by Matthew Fisher, trimming him off for a for his second five-wicket haul in the match. Fisher’s 5 for 61 on day one – his first five-for for Surrey – gave his new county control. And when they relinquished it, dismissed for 173 in their own first innings, the 27-year-old dug deeper with five more and a maiden 10-wicket haul. He wrestled the game back Surrey’s way, at one point possessing figures of 4 for 11 from 3.3 overs, with Nottinghamshire reeling on 53 for 5, just 111 in front.But back came James to the fore, initially with a 36-run stand with Kyle Verreynne before finding an effective cruising speed with Liam Patterson-White for a collective 91 for the seventh wicket. Patterson-White, having brought up his third fifty-plus score of the season in 63 deliveries, looked on course to return on day three only to fall as Dan Worrall’s third victim shortly after 6pm with the close in sight.After a sedate start to day two, the match seemed to accelerate all of a sudden, almost as if it suddenly tipped over the peak of a roller coaster, which was when Surrey were cruising on a steady ascent. From 101 for 1, nine wickets were lost for 72 in 19.4 deliveries, a collapse triggered by a nine-over spell of unrelenting class from James.The 26-year-old’s 3 for 35 at the Vauxhall End began with the removal of nightwatcher Tom Lawes – chipping to cover to end a stand of 59 with skipper Rory Burns – before using a lacquer-less, 30-something-overs-old Dukes ball in tandem with Brett Hutton to send Nottinghamshire into lunch with the home top six accounted for.A lifter that left Ben Foakes was followed by something a little fuller, shaping away. Foakes, now sitting a little more on the back foot, reached and edged through to Verreyne. That ended up being the third dismissal for just 17 in 37 deliveries, sandwiching Hutton’s vital wicket of Burns on 47, moving one into his front shin.A leading edge gave Dan Lawrence a three-ball duck, and when Ollie Pope skewed a poorly judged drive to second slip, James had his third – the fifth dismissal in 48 deliveries. Emerging after lunch on 141 for 6, the heavies were brought on – Josh Tongue and Dillon Pennington – to feast on what remained.By now, batters were casting anxious glances at the pitch, particularly the off-stump channel that, as ever, was a productive area to plough. That ramped up when Worrall got one to scuttle into Ben Slater’s off stump. And it was in this area that Fisher got to work, angling a couple off the seam to dismiss visiting captain Haseeb Hameed and Joe Clarke leg before.Left-hander Freddie McCann was done similarly from around the wicket, and when Jack Haynes inside-edged onto his stumps, Fisher had seen off one of the top order in each of his first four overs.Perhaps Nottinghamshire were guilty of being a little too passive early on. But James and Patterson-White learned, and when the latter pulled Lawes to midwicket for six on the shorter side, there was a subtle shift in mood.Maybe even a template for Surrey to follow, who themselves were a little shy with the bat. Though they finished the day with renewed enthusiasm having seen off both James and Patterson-White in the space of 3.1 overs, the target that will eventually come there way will require the very best of them. Something that has not been seen thus far.

When Celtic return to action on 22 November for a rare Saturday night extravaganza against St Mirren, who will be sat in the away dugout in Paisley?

Well, interim manager Martin O’Neill has done a pretty good job since being parachuted in following Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation, winning both Premiership matches 4-0, with goals from Johnny Kenny, Kieran Tierney, Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels downing Kilmarnock on Sunday.

​​​​​​Now, as we head into an international break, the Celtic board are surely intensifying their search for a permanent head coach, with last Thursday’s 3-1 Europa League hammering at the hands of Midtjylland perhaps underlining O’Neill’s shortcomings.

So, which of the leading candidates for the Parkhead hot seat should they prioritise appointing?

What Wilfried Nancy would bring to Celtic

In recent days, the surprise, left-field candidate who has emerged for the Celtic job is Wilfried Nancy.

The 48-year-old’s entire coaching career, to date, has come in North America, his first managerial role coming in 2021, succeeding Thierry Henry as CF Montréal head coach.

With the Impact, who are one of the lowest spending teams in Major League Soccer, Nancy miraculously led them to second in the Eastern Conference in 2022, thereby third in the overall standings, having also won the Canadian Championship the year before.

Manager Focus

However, he has seriously made a name for himself since joining Columbus Crew.

Since swapping Québec for Ohio, Nancy has enjoyed huge success in charge of the Black and Gold, winning MLS Cup in his first season and then Leagues Cup in 2024, also leading the Crew to their first-ever CONCACAF Champions Cup Final, ousting two Mexican juggernauts en route, ultimately beaten 3-0 by Pachuca in the final.

At the weekend, Columbus’ 2025 campaign came to an end, dumped out of the MLS play-offs by Hell is Real rivals FC Cincinnati, which may mean Nancy is more available now than he would have been a week ago.

This though should not denigrate what Nancy has achieved in Columbus.

Joe Lowery believes he is the most talented coach in MLS history, describing the Crew’s “patient possession” play as “so much fun to watch”, but does this mean the Frenchman would succeed in Glasgow?

Well, the step from Major League Soccer to top-level European football is massive.

Other coaches such as Gerhard Struber, Jaap Stam, Raphaël Wicky, Bob Bradley and Patrick Vieira, who have made the jump, have often struggled to make their mark at the top level, meaning it is impossible to tell if the 2024 coach of the year would fare any better.

So, who knows, appointing Nancy would certainly be a massive risk, so is there another manager already operating at the top level in Europe the Celts should chase first?

Who should be Celtic's first choice to replace Martin O'Neill

Given the current economic climate in European football, it is increasingly difficult for clubs outside Europe’s big five leagues to compete, a reality Celtic supporters experience every season, despite the fact their side have won 13 of the last 14 Premiership titles.

Well, a club who have continued to punch above their weight are Bodø/Glimt, hence why, as reported by Sky Sports, Celtic’s managerial shortlist features Kjetil Knutsen, with the report outlining that he still remains among their lengthy list of targets.

The 57-year-old has been in charge of the Yellow Horde since 2018, when they were still a second-tier outfit, but has transformed them into Norway’s dominant force.

Bodø/Glimt, who had never won the league before, have picked up four of the last five Eliteserien titles, including setting the league’s single-season points record of 81.

With two matches remaining of this campaign, which concludes on 30 November, they are second, one point below Viking, who are seeking their first title since 1991, but the race will go down to the wire.

This domestic domination has given Bødo/Glimt a platform on which to shine in Europe, which is where their most eye-catching results have come.

2021/22

Conference League

Quarter-finals

2022/23

Europa League

Group stages

2023/24

Conference League

Knockout stages

2024/25

Europa League

Semi-finals

2025/26

Champions League

League phase

As the table documents, Bodø/Glimt have been European regulars over the last five seasons, most notably reaching the Conference League quarter-finals and last season’s Europa League semi-finals, before qualifying for the Champions League proper for the first time ever earlier this year, smashing Sturm Graz in the play-off round.

These are performances Celtic can only dream of, considering the Hoops have not won a European knockout tie since 2004, one of their numerous defeats coming at the hands of Bodø/Glimt in February 2022, Knutsen’s team demolishing Postecoglou’s side 5-1 on aggregate.

The Norwegian champions have also enjoyed noteworthy victories over Roma, Beşiktaş​​​​​​​, Crvena zvezda, Porto, Olympiacos and Lazio, while they have lost only seven of their last 38 European home matches, winning 29 of them, making Aspmyra the fortress that Celtic Park yearns to become once more.

Looking at Knutsen specifically, across his 351 matches in charge, he has always deployed an attacking 4-3-3, with width provided by adventurous full-backs, allowing wingers, including current star Jens Petter Hauge, to drift inside and score goals.

Former Norway international Jan Åge Fjørtoft praised Knutsen’s “clear philosophy” and “attractive” style of play, forecasting that he is destined to land one of the biggest jobs in European football.

So, as Celtic aspire to be as competitive on the continent as Bodø/Glimt have become, Knutsen would be a statement appointment, surely one an entire divided fan base could get behind.

Nancy has his own credentials, but it is Knutsen who might just be the ideal pick.

117 touches, 96% passing: Celtic star just had his best game all season

Celtic demolished Kilmarnock 4-0 in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday, and one of Martin O’Neill’s players enjoyed their best game of the season.

ByBen Gray Nov 9, 2025

Manchester United supporters have for so long been used to countless levels of success and trophies – often having the bragging rights over the supporters of their rivals.

However, over recent years, the Red Devils faithful have often been disappointed, with only a handful of FA Cups and Carabao Cups to show for their efforts.

The club have also gone an unthinkable 12 years without a Premier League triumph, with no manager able to win the title since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.

Ruben Amorim is the latest manager to try his luck at Old Trafford, with the hierarchy already handing the 40-year-old over £200m worth of additions since his arrival 12 months ago.

However, despite his spending spree in the summer transfer window, he could be about to be handed another significant backing from the board to aid his quest for success in the role.

United’s hunt for a new midfielder in the January window

The recent additions may have massively improved the options in the final third, but neglected the central midfield department, which desperately needs addressing in the winter.

Jobe Bellingham has been one name mentioned with a potential move to Old Trafford in recent weeks, after failing to nail down his side in Borussia Dortmund’s starting eleven.

The 20-year-old has started just two Bundesliga games in 2025/26, which could see the Englishman being tempted to return to his homeland to reignite his once-promising career.

However, he’s not the only player currently in their sights, with Nottingham Forest sensation Elliot Anderson another midfielder the Red Devils hierarchy are targeting.

According to one Spanish outlet, Amorim’s side are currently preparing a bid in the region of £100m for the England international – a deal that would be a club-record, surpassing the fee paid for Paul Pogba.

The report also states that the hierarchy have been closely monitoring the 23-year-old in recent months and are preparing a move before his value soars further amid his recent international success.

Why United’s latest target would be perfect for Bruno

Bruno Fernandes has for so long been a shining light within the United ranks, but he’s had to take on a new responsibility within the first-team side in recent weeks.

As a result of the big-money additions in the final third, he’s had to drop into a slightly deeper number eight role – a position which is a slightly unfamiliar one to him.

Given his previous attacking midfield role, the 31-year-old still likes to get forward and impress – as seen by his tally of four chances created against Forest – the most of any player on the pitch.

However, if Bruno is to continue to do so during Amorim’s spell, he desperately needs a deep-lying option alongside him to regain possession and allow him to reach the heights he achieved last season.

Casemiro has recently partnered the Portuguese international, but at 33, he’s coming to the back end of his career – with a long-term replacement needed in January.

Anderson could provide Amorim with just that, with the 23-year-old having the talents to be an immediate fan-favourite whilst having the potential to improve further in the years ahead.

He’s developed into an elite-level number six in 2025/26, with the Englishman ranking at the top of 13 different categories for all midfielders in the Premier League this season.

Numbers such as 2.6 tackles won and 7.7 duels won per 90 showcase his ball-winning capabilities, which have led to one commentator labelling him as “world-class.”

Such numbers would allow Bruno to operate in his slightly more advanced role, taking the defensive responsibility away from him and reach his peak levels – as seen in 2024/25.

Games played

10

Goals & assists

1

Pass accuracy

87%

Progressive passes

8.9

Passes into final third

8.8

Take-ons completed

2.5

Ball recoveries

8.5

Tackles made

2.6

Duels won

7.7

Anderson has also thrived with the ball at his feet, subsequently registering 8.9 progressive passes and 8.8 passes into the final third per 90 – figures which would hand Bruno the ammunition he needs to create chances in attacking areas.

Other numbers, such as 2.5 take-ons attempted and 8.5 ball recoveries made, further highlight his phenomenal all-round quality – with the younger certainly one of the country’s hottest properties.

A deal for his signature would certainly cost the hierarchy a pretty penny, but it would allow the club to land the deep-lying option they have been craving for many months.

The prospect of Anderson partnering with Bruno at the heart of the side is one for the fanbase to get excited about, with such a duo potentially leading Amorim to new heights during his tenure at Old Trafford.

Not Bruno or Mbeumo: Man Utd star is becoming one of the "best in the world"

Manchester United have already unearthed a new world-class under Ruben Amorim.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 7, 2025

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is hopeful that the new Manchester United stadium will host the Women's World Cup final in 2035. The Red Devils have outlined plans to build a new 100,000-seater stadium worth £2 billion, which is being called the 'Wembley of the North'. United part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is aiming to knock down Old Trafford and build the new venue by 2030.

How will 'Wembley of the North' be funded?

In March 2024, United revealed that blueprints have been drawn up for a new futuristic 100,00-seater stadium, with INEOS chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe aiming to see it become the ‘Wembley of the North’. It has been suggested that the exciting venture, which reportedly comes with a £2 billion ($2.7bn) price tag, could be completed by 2030. '

It is expected that Old Trafford will be demolished so that more land can be acquired to construct the new venue. However, the club will require further assistance from local and national government in order to deliver on their ultimate target, with there being no way that they can finance the project alone. They have been working closely with Trafford Council, as the new stadium will offer benefits to the local community far beyond the matchday experience.

AdvertisementGetty Images NewsMayor hopeful of hosting World Cup final

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who is part of the stadium taskforce, remains hopeful that the dream project will be completed in the next five years and will be fully prepared to host the final of the 2035 Women's Cup. "If we really get it moving, I think there's a fairly high likelihood that we will be hosting the women's FIFA World Cup in 2035," Burnham told podcast The Added Time. "Imagine a final at that new Old Trafford. It would be quite something to aim for, wouldn't it?"

Project yet to be finalised

While the club and the mayor remain ambitious to build the new home for United, at the moment, the design has been paused as they would need additional land around the stadium. A Red Devils spokesperson told last month: "While Manchester United owns a significant portion of land around Old Trafford, it is not all in a single, continuous block. To accommodate the scale of the proposed new stadium – including a canopy – and to avoid disruption to the existing stadium during construction, we are working to secure additional land. We've been engaged in constructive discussions with neighbouring landholders and are optimistic about reaching mutually agreeable terms in the coming months. 

"Early design work has been intentionally paused until we have greater clarity on land assembly and fan requirements. As with other aspects of the project, we encourage fans to treat speculative media reports with caution. We remain excited by the vision set out by Foster + Partners for a new stadium at the heart of a wider regeneration of the Old Trafford area. “We always said this was a conceptual design, with more detailed architectural work to follow. While we remain keen to advance as quickly as possible, the timetable is subject to progress on land assembly and financing, which depends on key stakeholders working together."

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Getty ImagesUnited aiming to regain form

The Red Devils have had a mixed experience in the 2025-26 campaign so far. After spending heavily in the summer transfer window to strengthen their attack, Amorim's side got off to a nightmare start and were struggling in the bottom half of the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup second-round loss against fourth-tier Grimsby Town leading to questions over the manager's position.

However, Amorim's men picked form last month, registering three wins on the trot in the league against Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton. They then played out 2-2 draws with both Nottingham Forest and Tottenham, which has left the club seventh in the league heading into the November international break. They next face Everton on November 24.

Injury-hit Rockets fail to fire as best team in tournament history extend their dominant run

Matt Roller31-Aug-2025In this world nothing can be certain, except death, taxes, and Oval Invincibles winning the men’s Hundred. They have topped the group stage to qualify directly for the Lord’s final for three consecutive seasons, and each night has ended with Sam Billings lifting the golden ‘H’ trophy. After two tight finals, this was a demolition job.The Invincibles have relied on continuity as their greatest strength, and three of their usual suspects performed when it mattered: Will Jacks and Jordan Cox added 87 off 55 balls to underpin their total of 168, and the livewire Nathan Sowter derailed the chase with three wickets in his first seven balls. All three have been with them since inception; so too Billings and coach Tom Moody.They joined a select handful of teams to pull off a ‘three-peat’ in short-form leagues, and achieved it without breaking a sweat. If they have not quite lived up to their moniker, then Invincibles’ record across the last three seasons is still remarkable: 21 wins, one tie and only five defeats. In a format designed for unpredictability, they have become a winning machine.In fact, the Invincibles may have been too successful for their own good. The ECB are lining up a squad “reset” next year – in the style of the IPL’s mega-auction – as new investors arrive in the Hundred. It is designed to uphold the ‘any given Sunday’ philosophy at short-form cricket’s core; on any given Sunday in the men’s Hundred, however, the Invincibles are usually winning.Sam Billings parades the trophy after Oval Invincibles’ third Men’s Hundred title•Matt Lewis/ECB via Getty ImagesSowter’s starring momentThe Invincibles’ core is built around England players with international experience, with a single exception. Sowter, a journeyman legspinner, wondered if his professional career was over when Middlesex released him three years ago but has become an unlikely linchpin in the Invincibles attack, and saved his best performance of the season for the biggest stage.The Rockets were 35 for 0 after 30 balls when Sowter came into the attack, with Tom Banton and Joe Root struggling for fluency. Ten balls later, they were 38 for 3: Root holed out to long-on, Rehan Ahmed missed a straight one to depart for second-ball duck, and Banton picked out long-off. Sowter celebrated each wicket with a huge roar, and added an excellent catch at deep backward square leg to his night’s work.Adam Zampa had flown in from Australia specifically for the final – a 20,000-mile round-trip for 20 balls – and finished with typically frugal figures of 1 for 21. But despite the wicket of David Willey, brilliantly stumped by Billings, he was ultimately upstaged by his legspin partner.Jacks, Cox lay foundationsJacks made a statement off the very first ball of the final, crunching Willey through mid-off for four, then slashed the third through the off-side ring to become the first man to score 1,000 runs for the Invincibles. His opening partner Tawanda Muyeye fell after three early boundaries, but his dismissal brought in the tournament’s leading run-scorer in Cox at No. 3.Cox has been in stunning form this month and was soon up and running with two rasping cuts. Jacks had a life on 28, plinking a full toss to midwicket which was deemed a no-ball on height, and was quick to make use of it, reverse-sweeping Rehan for four before launching him into the upper tier of the Grandstand.Cox belted Rehan for six more before toe-ending him behind, but Jacks sensed his chance to put his foot down. He eventually fell for 72 off 41 after another flurry of boundaries and while the Invincibles were uncharacteristically quiet at the death, adding 25 off the last 20, that only served to underline the quality of Jacks and Cox’s strokeplay.Will Jacks produced the defining innings of the final•Matt Lewis/ECB via Getty ImagesRockets misfortuneIs there a plague on the city of Nottingham? Andy Flower’s side have had no luck with injuries. With Adam Hose, Tom Alsop and Max Holden already out, they lost two seamers in the 24 hours before the final: first Sam Cook, who broke a thumb when Dan Lawrence smacked one back at him in the Eliminator; then Lockie Ferguson, whose hamstring went in the warm-ups.Dillon Pennington was called upon to make his debut at 20 minutes’ notice and he struck with his first ball, smiling wryly as Muyeye edged a short, wide one behind. His figures of 1 for 23 from 20 were the Rockets’ best, but their bad luck was not over: George Linde could not complete his allocation after damaging a digit while attempting a return catch off Cox.Marcus Stoinis did his best to keep the chase alive, belting five sixes in his innings of 64 off 38 balls, but the asking rate soared out of the Rockets’ control. They nominally needed 27 to win off the final ball, and Invincibles got their celebratory moment when Saqib Mahmood trapped him lbw to clinch their third straight title.

The second annual All-MLB Weekend presented by MGM Rewards is taking place in Las Vegas, highlighted by the All-MLB Awards Show on Thursday night . Comedian Roy Wood Jr. is back to host for a second straight year as the program brings current baseball stars and former legends together to celebrate the season and those who exceled. And with an incredible year in the rearview, capped by a spectacular World Series, there's plenty of good vibes.

Wood, a lifelong baseball fan himself, spoke to about hosting the unique event, how the sport helped him find his comedic voice and what he hopes the annual event can become.

Sports Illustrated: What's your personal history with baseball? What's it meant to your life?

Roy Wood Jr.: I started playing Little League like most kids about first grade or so and just never left it. I got cut my freshman year of high school and still stayed on to be an equipment manager for varsity just so I could watch. Just so I could see if Let me watch them and then maybe that will get me better. It did not get me better but it is where I developed my sense of humor.

SI: Why do you say that? Just being in the dugout with the guys or what?

RW: Yeah, you know man, growing up in the 90s heckling was a form of art. I would literally sit and think of angles all day in class. We would then walk to the field that night or that evening and just yell them. So the objective became to make the opposing parents laugh or to get the umpire to break. If you got the umpire to break then that's the same as a standing ovation at Radio City. It had to be really insane. We would talk about your car, your clothes. We would talk about parents. It didn't matter. We were trying to win, so I need you angry at me so you swing at this slider outside.

But also my father did a radio show with Ernie Banks for some years in Chicago in the 70s. Coming home from school and all of that, it was nothing for the Cubs to just be on. And in those days in the South‚ in Birmingham, Cubs and Braves was all you're getting. You can root for whomever else you want but you ain't going to see them until they play the Cubs or the Braves. That became, to a degree, the thing that was always on in the background of my childhood. I just fell in love with the sport. As I got older and started doing standup, I've always just been pretty open with my baseball fandom.

SI: When you're getting to hang out with the players who are the top of the sport, do you go back and think about what it would mean to the kid who was cut in high school or had the game on in the background? How do you go about putting a show on together with guys?

RW: Baseball was the one thing that I could always come back to. Calm. Peace. I use it as a tool to help teach my son how to deal with failure. It's something that we use to grow closer. To be trusted by Major League Baseball to host the night where the best players from that year are honored while the best players from yesteryear are in attendance, I have to pinch myself. Like, I met and had drinks with Fred McGriff. Then turned around and walked on stage and did a joke about him only having 493 home runs and then turned and saw Fred McGriff laughing.

Because these are the people who have brought me so much joy, there's an air of reciprocity in it. I remember owning a Sports Illustrated For Kids in 1989 that had Ken Griffey Jr. on the cover. I'm performing for the men whose batting stances I imitated. Gary Sheffield is going to be there. Everyone was doing that bat flip. Him and Julio Franco, those were my two over-the-head batting stance guys. Baseball, I think separate and apart from a lot of other sports, baseball is a very specific fraternity of people who only deal with folks who get it. I honestly do not feel like this is the type of award show that anyone could do. You have to have a legitimate appreciation for what has been accomplished. And have a little know-how about it. In terms of meaningful gigs that I have hosted, it's top of the list, even more so than the White House Correspondents Dinner. I think the big difference was that this is a night of love, appreciation and revelry. I'm not going to roast everybody and do a bunch of mean jokes. We're going to celebrate.

SI: Athletes aren't together in a big group like this very frequently. This being in the offseason, with the competition in the past, I would imagine you could feel that fraternity you mentioned.

RW: Yeah, and it felt like that last year. Bartolo Colon is hanging out with Ronald Acuna. Where else would you see that unless Colon was at a Mets-Braves game where he's being honored for something. And even then, Ronald's mind is on preparing for the game. It's interesting because this isn't something that's been done often by Major League Baseball. To even attempt something like this and have players agreeing to come out and kick it is cool. If you're going to get Mookie Betts in the room, then make it worthwhile. The fact that Mookie is there and I get to have a quick conversation with him about almost having his left arm ripped off at Yankee Stadiu. There's nowhere else we can sit as a baseball family and reflect and laugh about the season while paying tribute to a lot of players who busted their ass this year.

SI: How does prepping for something like this and the writing process compare to the White House Correspondents Dinner?

RW: It's very simple. The Correspondents Dinner is a critique of the people in the room. All-MLB is a celebration of the people in the room. Once you start from that magnetic north, everything that you do after that is all in a celebratory place. It really is about wanting the players to loosen up a bit and also trust me. The job title of comedian carries a lot of preconceived assumptions. To just hold the job title of comedian and host doesn't mean you're going to be trusted out there. To be able to come back Year 2 means I did something right. What I really hope for awards to come is that the players themselves all want to come out and hang out. Let that be their bar after the season. Let it be a proper week of hanging out and playing golf with your buddies. Even if you don't come to the show, just come be in Vegas. See a lot of your friends and treat it like that pizza party at the end of the school year.

SI: Or like that travel ball coach who has his crew under a gazebo in the park, breaking it all down.

RW: Right. That last week at the end of the season when you're at a Golden Corral getting trophies. As it grows I really believe this event is going to be the place for current players and veterans to all sit and just feel the love that they have for each other. Let it be the thing other players see and think they missed out on.

For five games of the 2024 World Series, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and New York Yankees skipper Aaron Boone sat in their respective dugouts and attempted to outmaneuver each other en route to a championship. Roberts won the battle and the war, as the Dodgers secured a World Series title with Wednesday's 7-6 win over the Yankees in the Bronx.

But don't think that the competitiveness between Roberts and Boone had any effect on the respect the two managers have for each other. After the game, the two managers met outside the visitors' clubhouse and shared a long embrace. Chelsea Janes of managed to snap a photo of the wholesome moment.

Roberts, who spoke to the media after the World Series victory, told reporters that Boone had "sought him out."

"Aaron is an absolute professional," Roberts said. "He sought me out. Wanted to congratulate me personally. We have a long history of competing against one another. A mutual respect."

"And I think Aaron's the only one in baseball that can really relate to my job in the sense of, either win a World Series championship or you've failed and you're not doing a good job in the respective markets."

Both Roberts and Boone could teach a course on how to handle winning—and losing—in professional sports. Kudos to both for handling the World Series aftermath with class.

The 49ers finally ended their hunt for a new manager by hiring Danny Rohl earlier this week and they’ve now revealed the criteria that the German met to be handed the Rangers job.

Cavenagh: Rohl knows "winning is the only option"

Welcoming their new manager after a managerial search full of twists and turns, Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh was full of praise for Rohl and told reporters that the German is well aware that “winning is the only option” at Ibrox.

The pressure will be on the 36-year-old from the off, but he represents a young manager full of ambition and full of the style that Russell Martin otherwise lacked in Scotland.

Rohl also admitted his own excitement after taking the job, saying: “I’m really looking forward to being part of this amazing football club. We want to win, we need wins because we want to turn around the position at the moment. I am looking for an ambitious club, a club that is wanting more. This club has everything for all these goals.

“My job is clear. My focus is on my person, what I can bring to this football club. We want to create chances, we want to create goals. We want to defence as a team. We have to win games then we can speak about playing attractive football.”

Secret Rohl talks took place while everyone thought Rangers were after Muscat

This is an intriguing update.

ByHenry Jackson Oct 20, 2025

He may not have been Rangers’ first choice, but Rohl has ticked a number of boxes in his own right at the 49ers have since revealed exactly why they turned towards the former Sheffield Wednesday boss.

49ers reveal how Rohl met Rangers criteria

Speaking candidly to the fans in a meeting this week, Cavenagh, Kevin Thelwell and Patrick Stewart revealed the criteria that Rohl met to land the Rangers job.

They told supporters that they were looking for a manager who could get the Gers back to winning ways right away, win sustainably over time and win in a way that fans will enjoy watching. Rohl ticked every one of those boxes in the interview stage and beat out two other candidates after Muscat and Gerrard dropped out of the race.

With his counter-pressing system, Rohl’s Rangers side should certainly entertain. Whether that’ll be enough to secure victory is the big question and one that fans will get an answer for this Thursday against Brann in the Europa League.