Pete Alonso is continuing his ride with the New York Mets after signing a two-year, $54 million extension that will keep him anchoring first base and the heart of the order. He'll be paramount to the Mets' success as they hope to build on a run that took them to the National League Championship Series last season. So it was a major reason for concern when Alonso suffered an injury during practice on Thursday.
SNY cameras caught the aftermath of Alonso taking a ball to the face during drills.
Thankfully for player and organization, Alonso was able to get back on his feet relatively quickly and leave the field on his own power. He returned to the field later to continue the club's preseason work.
Alonso has been an iron man since breaking through with New York in 2019, missing only 24 regular season games. In 2024 he suited up for all 162 regular season and 13 playoff contests.
The first baseman has made four All-Star trips during his six Major League Baseball seasons and coming off a year in which he blasted 34 home runs.
Third-placed NSW needed to win to have any hope of reaching the final
AAP15-Mar-2025
Jordan Silk raises his bat in his 100th Sheffield Shield match•Getty Images
Jordan Silk struck an unbeaten 94 to give Tasmania the first-day honours in their pink-ball Sheffield Shield clash with NSW at Bellerive Oval.Silk (94 not out off 186), Tim Ward (64 off 158), Caleb Jewell (45) and Jake Doran (39) all chipped in to lift Tasmania to 309 for 7 before rain brought the opening day to an early finish.Third-placed NSW entered the match knowing they needed to win to have any hope of reaching the final, which will be hosted by South Australia.The strong first-innings total by Tasmania means NSW have plenty of work ahead of them to get a positive result.Tasmania slipped to 44 for 2 after Jake Weatherald (nine) was caught a slip and Nivethan Radhakrishnan (10) was trapped lbw by Ben Dwarshuis.But a 65-run stand between Ward and Jewell, followed by a 82-run stand between Ward and Silk put Tasmania into a strong position.Silk has the chance to post his 12th first-class century when play resumes on Sunday.Tasmania sit in last spot on the table and are no hope of reaching the final.But it’s all on the line for NSW, who must beat Tasmania and then rely on second-placed Queensland failing to get a win against ladder leaders South Australia.South Australia went to stumps on day one at a dominant 359 for 4 against Queensland, giving NSW even more incentive to turn the tables on Tasmania when play resumes.The match also represents another opportunity for NSW opener Sam Konstas to put his name up in lights ahead of Australia’s Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s in June.Konstas made a stunning Test debut against India in the Boxing Day Test, but his topsy-turvy form of late has been a big talking point.The 19-year-old rebounded with an important half-century in last week’s Shield draw with WA at the WACA, and his performance against Tasmania will be highly scrutinised as Australia’s selectors mull over who should partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order.
Tim Southee, New Zealand’s legendary seam bowler, has announced that he will retire from Test cricket on his home ground in Hamilton next month, at the conclusion of England’s tour of New Zealand.Southee, 35, has claimed 385 Test wickets in 104 appearances to date, second among New Zealanders behind Sir Richard Hadlee (431), and is set to bring his career full circle, having debuted against England as a 19-year-old in Napier in March 2008. He will, however, make himself available for the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June if New Zealand qualify.He recently played a key role in New Zealand’s historic 3-0 series win in India, the first by a visiting team since 2012-13. Though he claimed just three wickets across the first two Tests, these included India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, as they were bowled out for 46 in the series opener, and their top-scorer, Sarfaraz Khan, for 150 to the second innings.Southee had handed the Test captaincy over to Tom Latham prior to that series, and has yet to decide whether he wants to continue his white-ball career into New Zealand’s post-Christmas tour to Sri Lanka.”Representing New Zealand was all I ever dreamed of growing up,” Southee said in his retirement announcement. “To play for the Black Caps for 18 years has been the greatest honour and privilege, but the time feels right to now step away from the game that has given so much to me.”Test cricket holds a special place in my heart, so to be able to play such a big series against the same opponent my Test career began against all those years ago, and on three grounds that are incredibly special to me, seems the perfect way to end my time in the Black Cap.Getty Images
In a storied career, Southee will be remembered as New Zealand’s most prolific bowler in international cricket, with 770 wickets across formats to date, ahead of Daniel Vettori (696). No other bowler in international cricket has matched his feat of reaching 300 Test wickets, 200 ODI wickets and 100 T20I wickets.His career-best performance of 7 for 33 came in the ODI format, a famous display against England at Wellington in the 2015 World Cup, which helped to propel his side to the first of two consecutive appearances in the World Cup final. And though New Zealand missed out on both occasions, agonisingly so in 2019, Southee was instrumental in their long-awaited slice of ICC silverware. At Southampton in June 2021, he claimed second-innings figures of 4 for 48 in their World Test Championship final victory over India.He will also be remembered for his improbable batting prowess, with a total of 93 Test sixes to date – second only to Brendon McCullum among New Zealanders, and by a distance the highest ratio of sixes for any player with more than 2000 Test runs to his name. Nine of those came in his maiden Test in 2008, when he struck 77 not out in the fourth innings, still his highest score in Tests.”I’ll always be so grateful to my family, friends, coaches, our fans and everyone involved in the game who has supported me and my career over the years,” he added. “It’s been an amazing ride and I wouldn’t change a thing.”Gary Stead, the New Zealand head coach, said: “Tim’s durability and resilience has been outstanding. He’s an incredibly tough competitor who gets himself up for big occasions and is rarely injured. Tim cares deeply about the team, its reputation and performances, and he will be missed within the Black Caps environment. He now deserves some time with his family and I’m sure he will reflect very positively in years to come about his impact and achievements in the game.”Southee indicated he would remain available for domestic and franchise cricket.
Leicestershire tail wags to breach 400 before bowlers forced to toil in the field
ECB Reporters Network23-Aug-2024
Ben Charlesworth cuts firmly during his century•Getty Images
Ben Charlesworth led the way with 105 not out as Gloucestershire produced a determined fightback on the second day of the Vitality County Championship Second Division game with Leicestershire at Bristol.The 23-year-old left hander notched his second first-class century off 164 balls, with 14 fours and three sixes, in a Gloucestershire first-innings total that had reached 227 for 3 by the time bad light ended play seven overs early. James Bracey was unbeaten on 34.Leicestershire had posted 402 all out in their first innings from an overnight 291 for 7. Liam Trevaskis contributed 50 and Tom Scriven 60 off 84 balls, while Zaman Akhter finished with 3 for 110.There was bright sunshine over the Seat Unique Stadium for most of the day, but also a blustery wind. Leicestershire added 14 to their overnight total before Ben Green, back on loan from Somerset, was bowled for ten by Akhter off an inside edge and pad.By the time the second new ball was taken, Leicestershire were 319 for 8. It had barely any effect as Trevaskis went to fifty off 108 balls, with six fours, helped by Scriven in a taking the score to 381with a ninth-wicket stand of 76.Offspinner Ollie Price ended it by having Trevaskis caught in the covers to earn a third bowling bonus point. But Scriven wasn’t finished and completed a half-century of 78 balls, with his seventh boundary, stroked through extra cover off Price.It was largely due to Scriven’s efforts that Leicestershire took a fourth batting point. He brought up 400 with a pulled four off Akhter and was clearly looking to hit out when lofting a catch to long-on off Price to complete the innings.Lunch had been delayed for the fall of the final wicket and Gloucestershire began their reply at the start of the afternoon session. Soon the Leicestershire seamers were finding the pitch as unresponsive as their Gloucestershire counterparts had done as Charlesworth and Cameron Bancroft put together a half-century opening stand in 13 overs.Charlesworth top-edged a pull shot for six off Josh Hull, but it was one of few false shots as both he and Bancroft settled in to play some delightful strokes. Bancroft was particularly strong through the leg side and it was a surprise when the Australian edged an attempted cover drive off Scriven to second slip and departed for 39.At 68 for 1, Price joined Charlesworth and made only six before getting a thin edge to an attempted pull shot off Hull and feathering through to wicketkeeper Peter Handscomb. Charlesworth was unbeaten on 42 when tea was taken at 4pm with Gloucestershire 102 for 2.The tall allrounder soon moved to his half-century at the start of the final session with a flashing square cut boundary off Scriven. He had faced 96 deliveries and hit seven fours and a six, rarely looking in the slightest trouble.Fellow left-hander Hammond was also producing some swashbuckling shots as the pair took the score past 150 in the 39th over. They had added 65 in 16.2 overs when Green made an important breakthrough, nipping one back off the seam to pin Hammond lbw for 29.Charlesworth had a moment of anxiety on 77 when surviving a loud shout for a catch behind off Scriven. But there were to be no nervous nineties for him as two mighty blows cleared the ropes in the same over from left-arm spinner Trevaskis and took him to three figures.It was a hugely impressive ton from a young player long earmarked for a big future. Bracey leant typically solid support, but with rain forecast for tomorrow morning it may take a supreme effort from one of the teams to force a decisive result on such a bat-friendly surface.
Dono da SAF do Botafogo, John Textor foi denunciado ao Supremo Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva (STJD) por não apresentar as supostas provas de manipulação de resultados no futebol brasileiro que diz possuir. O empresário norte-americano será julgado no dia 15 de abril, na primeira comissão disciplinar do tribunal.
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A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!
Textor foi enquadrado em dois artigos do código brasileiro de justiça desportiva. Caso seja condenado, o mandatário pode ser suspenso de suas atividades e terá que pagar uma multa.
1ª Infração – Artigo 220-A, inciso I: Deixar de colaborar com os órgãos da Justiça Desportiva e com as demais autoridades desportivas na apuração de irregularidades ou infrações disciplinares. Pena: multa de R$ 100 a R$ 100 mil, com fixação de prazo para cumprimento da obrigação. 2ª Infração – Artigo 223: Deixar de cumprir ou retardar o cumprimento de decisão, resolução, transação disciplinar desportiva ou determinação da Justiça Desportiva. Pena: multa de R$ 100 a R$ 100 mil. Parágrafo único. Quando o infrator for pessoa natural, a pena será de suspensão automática até que se cumpra a decisão, resolução ou determinação, além de suspensão por noventa a trezentos e sessenta dias e, na reincidência, eliminação.
ENTENDA A ORIGEM DA ACUSAÇÃO DE JOHN TEXTOR
John Textor, no início do mês passado, revelou em entrevista que possui provas de que existiram manipulações em partidas do Campeonato Brasileiro dos últimos três anos – 2021 até 2023. Para analisar o caso, o Supremo Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva (STJD) abriu um inquérito para apurar as afirmações do mandatário.
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José Perdiz de Jesus, presidente do STJD, estipulou dois prazos para Textor enviar as supostas provas. No entanto, o empresário não apresentou o material e alegou que o tribunal não tinha a competição necessária para avaliar o caso.
Portanto, os integrantes do tribunal deliberaram que o norte-americano deveria ser alvo de julgamento, que está marcado para o dia 15 de abril.
Aston Villa are now seriously considering a January move for an “incredible” striker, who has been in fantastic form this season.
Villa looking to sign new striker this winter
It is becoming increasingly clear that Villa want to bring in a new centre-forward in the upcoming transfer window, having identified a number of targets over the past week or so, namely Brentford’s Igor Thiago, Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee and Bologna’s Santiago Castro.
Target
League goals in 2025-26
Igor Thiago
11
Joshua Zirkzee
1
Santiago Castro
4
On the face of it, pursuing a move for Thiago would appear to make the most sense, given that the Brazilian has emerged as one of the best strikers in the Premier League this season, with only Manchester City star Erling Haaland scoring more goals.
However, Aston Villa have now joined the race for another striker who has been prolific in front of goal so far this season, according to a report from Spain, which states they are seriously considering a January move for Strasbourg star Joaquin Panichelli.
Unai Emery’s side are said to be closely monitoring the striker, and hold a genuine interest, off the back of Panichelli impressing in the first half of the Ligue 1 season, with Chelsea and West Ham United also joining the race for his signature.
With the Argentinian’s contract not due to expire until 2027, the French club should be in a strong negotiating position, which complicates a deal, and finalising a move in the January transfer window could be difficult.
Panichelli has made "incredible" start in Ligue 1
Given that Ollie Watkins has just three Premier League goals to his name this season, Emery could do with bringing in a more prolific striker next month, and the Cordoba-born marksman has regularly been amongst the goals for Strasbourg, scoring ten times in all competitions.
Scout Jacek Kulig has also praised the former CD Mirandes man for the start he’s made to life at the Ligue 1 side, having only arrived at Strasbourg from the Spanish side in the summer.
The one-time Argentina international is the second-highest scorer in Ligue 1, behind only Mason Greenwood, and at 23-years-old, he is at the right age to be a long-term replacement for Watkins.
Aston Villa could launch attack to sign £44m striker who's outscoring Watkins
The Villans are looking to bring in a new centre-forward.
ByDominic Lund Dec 8, 2025
That said, with Panichelli tied down to a long-term contract and yet to prove himself in one of Europe’s top leagues over a sustained time period, it may be worth Villa continuing to monitor him, ahead of potentially launching a move next summer.
Manchester United are fighting to bring a talented Premier League star to Old Trafford and may face a straight shootout with Manchester City and Arsenal for his services.
Ruben Amorim looks ahead to Crystal Palace vs Man Utd
There has been plenty of noise at Old Trafford following Manchester United’s bitter defeat to Everton on Monday night, something supporters will hope can be rectified when their side take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park this Sunday.
More than anything, a lack of penetration going forward led to a subdued atmosphere as proceedings rolled on, albeit Ruben Amorim has now urged his side to improve as they look to get back to winning ways against the Eagles.
He said in his pre-match press conference: “They are a different club (Crystal Palace) and they are doing things better than us so that is quite simple.
“We play in a different way and they are just doing things better than us. They are doing things really well and they play more in transition than us. We have to look at all of these things when we compare our teams but of course, in every position, we can do so much better.”
Shades of McTominay: Man Utd star is now their "most underrated player"
Manchester United now have a player who has certainly gone under the radar over the last couple of months.
ByEthan Lamb Nov 28, 2025
Looking ahead to January, Wolverhampton Wanderers star Andre could answer the Manchester United call for a midfielder, though it would be naive to think that is the only area of the field Amorim wants to bolster ahead of the run-in.
With that in mind, the Red Devils and INEOS have put themselves in a direct fight with the elite to sign an England international who is becoming an interesting commodity in the Premier League.
Man Utd eyeing move for Newcastle's Tino Livramento
According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United are keen on Newcastle United star Tino Livramento, and they could rival both Arsenal and Manchester City to land the England right-back.
The outlet shed some light on the situation, which read: “City would love to sign Livramento in January. That currently looks unlikely, but it could be a major saga next summer, when we can also expect United and Arsenal to come into the conversation.”
Capable of playing in either full-back position, Livramento has made 90 appearances for Newcastle, scoring once and registering three assists in total.
Fresh back from his latest injury setback, he is valued at around the £80 million mark by the Magpies and could be tempted by the possibility of switching clubs, even if he isn’t exactly agitating for a move elsewhere.
Manchester United have begun to improve under Amorim and will hope they stand a fighting chance of completing a deal. Nevertheless, they may need to fend off some stiff competition to land their man, who is coincidentally six matches unbeaten against the Red Devils.
New Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer left his first appearance with his new team and quickly landed on the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his right thumb. He threw just three innings and 45 pitches in his first start as a Blue Jay, surrendering two earned runs on two solo shots.
He received a cortisone shot in the bothersome thumb one day after he was placed on the IL. On Friday, Jays manager John Schneider said Scherzer received a second cortisone injection into a different part of the thumb and te right-hander will try to play catch when he rejoins the team in Houston next week, according to ESPN and the Associated Press.
He initially left the first start on March 29 because of right lat soreness, but after the game said the flare up with his thumb was the culprit. The next day, he landed on the IL due to the thumb issue in his throwing hand.
Scherzer, 40, signed a one-year, $15.5 million deal to join the Blue Jays over the offseason. He battled injuries through his 2024 campaign with the Texas Rangers, making nine starts on the year as he recovered from an offseason back surgery, worked through the thumb issue and then a shoulder injury upon his return to the mound.
The three-time Cy Young winner is in his 18th year in the big leagues, with a career record of 216–112 and a 3.16 ERA.
Saliya Saman, the former Sri Lankan domestic cricketer, has been banned from all cricket for five years. An ICC anti-corruption tribunal found him guilty of breaching the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) anti-corruption code.Related
The ban is backdated to September 13, 2023, when Saman was provisionally suspended, as one of eight people – all associated with the Pune Devils franchise in the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10 tournament – charged with breaching the code. Those eight included the Bangladesh allrounder Nasir Hossain, who in January 2024 was banned for two years after being found guilty of the three charges against him.The charges against Saman relate to three articles of the ECB’s anti-corruption code.
2.1.1 – Being party to an attempt to fix, contrive or influence improperly matches or aspects of matches in the Abu Dhabi T10 2021.
2.1.3 – Offering a Reward to another Participant in exchange for that player engaging in Corrupt Conduct under the Code.
2.1.4 – Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Code Article 2.1.
In its final order, the three-member tribunal – comprising Nigel Peters KC, Justice Zak Yacoob and chairman Harish Salve KC – held that Saman had sought to recruit a player for the Abu Dhabi T10, offering that the player “would play all the fixtures, in two of those he would agree to do something that is commonly understood as match fixing.”The 39-year-old Saman, an allrounder who has played 101 first-class matches, 77 List A games and 47 T20s, last played a recognised fixture during the SLC Twenty20 Tournament in March 2021.
Celtic’s miserable season continues. On Sunday, Brendan Rodgers’ side suffered their first Premiership defeat of the campaign, losing 2-0 at Dens Park against Dundee, both goals coming in the first half, the second of which was an unfortunate Cameron Carter-Vickers own goal.
This was the Hoops’ first defeat at Dens since 1988, leaving them five points adrift league leaders Hearts, who they face at Tynecastle in a mouthwatering contest next Sunday.
Before then, the Celts are under pressure to get off the mark in the Europa League too, having yielded just one point from their first two matches, welcoming Austrian champions Sturm Graz to Parkhead on Thursday.
Ahead of these two massive fixtures, which Celtic summer signing should be concerned about losing his place in the starting lineup? Well, Yang is certainly one of them.
Why Yang was hooked at half time at Dundee
Among many players who offered very little on Sunday was Yang Hyun-Jun.
With Daizen Maeda sidelined due to a hamstring injury, Yang came into attack, chosen over James Forrest and summer signing Michel-Ange Balikwisha.
Well, the Korea Republic international touched the ball 25 times in the first half, attempting zero dribbles, so Chris Sutton, speaking during Sky Sports’ coverage at half time, asserted “just get him off”, adding that he’d offered absolutely nothing.
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Well, Rodgers must’ve been listening, because Forrest replaced Yang during the interval, bringing to an end his first Premiership start since 23 August.
Meantime, at the other end of the pitch, Liam Scales endured a nightmare afternoon, turned inside and out by Dundee forwards Simon Murray, Cameron Congreve and Joe Westley, who caused the Celtic back-line problems all afternoon.
However, it is neither Scales nor Yang who should be most worried about their starting spot following this catastrophic defeat to Steven Pressley’s side who, lest we forget, were pre-season favourites for relegation.
Celtic star Rodgers must drop
As has been well documented, at the moment the transfer window slammed shut, Celtic did not have a senior centre-forward in their squad, following the sale of Adam Idah to Swansea City.
Thus, Kelechi Iheanacho arrived as a free agent, making a decent start to life in Glasgow in fairness to him, converting penalties against both Kilmarnock and Motherwell, as well as netting against Crvena zvezda in the Europa League.
However, as the table below documents, the Nigerian was completely anonymous in Dundee on Sunday.
Iheanacho vs Dundee
Stats
Iheanacho
Match rank
Shots on target
1
1st
Shots off target
3
1st
Big chances missed
1
1st
Hit woodwork
1
1st
Big chances created
1
4th
Key passes
1
8th
Duels won
1
25th
Touches
20
23rd
Stats via SofaScore
Iheanacho did rank highly for shots, mustering four in total, the most of any player, but this didn’t yield anything, thwacking the woodwork once as well as missing one Opta-defined big chance.
He also won only 50% of his duels while, most concerningly, he touched the ball just 20 times, the same number as Balikwisha, who was introduced in the 64th minute and 15 fewer than ‘keeper Kasper Schmeichel.
Considering Iheanacho played only around 1,300 minutes last season for Middlesbrough and Sevilla, he was always going to need time to get up to speed, and that was certainly apparent at the weekend.
Had Maeda been fit, he would surely have dropped out of the team on Thursday, although youngster Johnny Kenny, who came on at half-time, is talented enough to displace Iheanacho, so may feel he deserves an opportunity.
Thus, with huge games against Sturm Graz, Hearts, Midtjylland and Rangers to come in the next fortnight, the Celts’ may stand a better chance of winning these matches with the Nigerian left in reserve, utilised as an option off the bench.
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