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Don Mattingly finally reached the World Series this year as the Blue Jays bench coach, as the Yankees great had never reached the Fall Classic during his playing years as a coach until this season.

However, the World Series ended in heartbreak for Toronto’s players, fans and Mattingly as the Dodgers beat them in a thrilling Game 7 to take home the trophy. Since that game on Saturday, Mattingly has decided to move on from the Blue Jays, but has no intention of retiring from baseball, ’s Jon Heyman reported on Thursday. Heyman noted that the two sides part on “excellent” terms and that there appears to be no animosity.

Mattingly is open to exploring new opportunities in the MLB coaching landscape. We’ll see where, and if, he lands with a franchise this offseason.

One of the positions he’s open to is a return to managing. Right now, only the Rockies and Padres still have open manager roles. He previously managed the Dodgers from 2011 to ’15, and the Marlins from 2016 to ’22. He landed in Toronto as a bench coach under John Schneider after his tenure in Miami. He made the playoffs four times as a manager, but never reached the World Series.

أعلن الاتحاد المصري لكرة السلة برئاسة عمرو مصيلحي، موعد ومكان إقامة بطولتي السوبر المصري لكرة السلة للرجال والسيدات.

ومن المقرر أن تقام بطولة كأس السوبر المصري – سيدات بين فريقي الأهلي وسبورتنج، يوم 21 ديسمبر الجاري على صالة الدكتور حسن مصطفى بمدينة السادس من أكتوبر، في تمام الساعة السادسة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة.

طالع|خاص | تطور جديد بشأن مراسم تتويج الأهلي بدوري المرتبط لكرة السلة

بينما تقرر إقامة مباراة كأس السوبر المصري – رجال يوم 27 ديسمبر الجاري والتي تجمع الأهلي بطل الدوري والاتحاد بطل كأس مصر.

وتقام مباراة سوبر الرجال على صالة هيئة قناة السويس بمدينة االإسماعيلية، في تمام الساعة السادسة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة.

The Yankees made a move to fortify their pitching staff Thursday, signing veteran righty Paul Blackburn to a major league deal, per a team announcement.

Blackburn, 31, was designated for assignment by the Mets earlier this month, and has made seven pitching appearances, including four starts, in 2025. He struggled during his time with the Mets, leading to his release. This season, he owns a 6.85 ERA with 18 strikeouts and 18 earned runs in 23 2/3 innings.

The right-hander was an All-Star as recently as 2022, when he pitched for the Athletics. That year, Blackburn had a 4.28 ERA with 89 strikeouts and 30 walks across 21 outings.

In a corresponding move after signing and activating Blackburn to the active roster, the Yankees optioned right-handed pitcher Allan Winans to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Blackburn is in his ninth MLB season, and the Yankees will be the third team he's played for in his career. He's made a total of 93 appearances and 86 starts in the league, and owns a 4.96 ERA.

Blackburn will likely pitch out of the bullpen in the Bronx, and he'll join a bullpen consisting of Luke Weaver, David Bednar, Camilo Doval, Mark Leiter Jr., Tim Hill and Yerry De los Santos.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is once again forced into playing without a natural striking option following Viktor Gyokeres’ injury, and while the early signs have been fairly positive that it’s nothing too serious, supporters could have reason to be slightly worried.

Gyokeres is currently undergoing scans on the problem as the north Londoners await results of more definitive testing.

The Sweden international, who was left out of Graham Potter’s national team squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Switzerland and Slovenia this month, missed Arsenal’s 3-0 win away to Slavia Prague in the Champions League on Tuesday after being hauled off against Burnley last weekend.

Mikel Merino, who has scored 11 goals in all competitions this calendar year, deputised as a makeshift number nine once again to great effect as the Spaniard’s brace helped to clinch all three points in the Czech Republic.

However, Arteta won’t want to rely on Merino for an overly extensive period as he did last season, despite the midfielder’s excellent performances up top, as Arsenal’s manager has been adamant that Gyokeres makes his side even more unpredictable.

This injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for Gyokeres personally, as the £55 million summer signing was just hitting a good run of form with three goals in his last three games — just after the centre-forward went seven matches without scoring in all competitions.

Arsenal 5-0 Leeds United

8.84

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

7.97

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

7.68

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

6.69

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

6.68

via WhoScored

The former Sporting CP star, according to insider Hand of Arsenal and other reliable sources this week, is expected back in time for Arsenal’s crunch North London derby clash against Tottenham near the end of this month — which will come as music to the ears of fans.

Journalist explains why he's worried for Viktor Gyokeres at Arsenal

That being said, Arteta has still admitted that he’s quite concerned, potentially suggesting the aforementioned timeframe isn’t set in stone as Gyokeres awaits further test results.

Taking this into account, journalist Charles Watts has told Sports Mole that he’s still “worried” about Gyokeres’ condition and Arsenal face a “massive blow” if it is indeed hamstring-related.

Once Gyokeres does return to full fitness, which Arteta hopes will be in time for Tottenham, it is also imperative that the striker isn’t rushed back unnecessarily.

His readiness to be thrust straight back into action will be key and Arsenal won’t be keen on taking any chances, especially after their plethora of attacking injuries lately.

أشاد خوسيه ماريا جوتي، أسطورة نادي ريال مدريد، بقدرات موهبة الفريق، موضحًا أنه مختلف عن بقية اللاعبين في اللوس بلانكوس.

ويمتلك ريال مدريد في الوقت الحالي، تشكيلة بها العديد من العناصر الشابة ومن بين أبرزها أردا جولر.

ويرى جوتي في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “تليجراف”، أن جولر لاعب قادر على صناعة الفارق مع ريال مدريد بشكل دائم.

وقال جوتي: ”أراه يبلي بلاءً حسنًا، إنه لاعب مختلف عن أي لاعب آخر في ريال مدريد، هناك العديد من اللاعبين بنفس مستواه، يتمتعون بجودة عالية ولياقة بدنية رائعة لكن بدون التمريرة الحاسمة التي يمتلكها، إنه الوحيد الذي يتمتع بتلك الميزة الخاصة، تلك القدرة على الوصول إلى مناطق التسجيل وتسجيل الأهداف، تشابي سيضع ثقته فيه وسيكون موسمًا رائعًا له”.

وتحدث جوتي كذلك عن مدرب ريال مدريد، تشابي ألونسو، حيث أضاف: ”عندما وصل تشابي، قال إنه سيلعب بطرق مختلفة، بثلاثة مدافعين أو بأربعة مدافعين، أو 4-3-3، هذه هي قدرة المدرب العظيم على التكيف مع الفريق الرائع الذي يملكه، في المباريات القليلة الأولى كان يراقب كل لاعب وقد بدأ يتكيف، لا أعرف إن كانت آخر مباراة للفريق هي التشكيلة الأساسية المثالية، أو النظام المثالي، لكنها نجحت بشكل رائع في سان ماميس”.

وعن المقارنة بين تشكيلة ريال مدريد الحالية وجالاكتيكوس الفريق في عصر جوتي أجاب لاعب خط الوسط السابق: ”فريق ريال مدريد هذا أكثر تكاملاً من فريق الجالاكتيكوس، لقد أحدث الجالاكتيكوس ضجة كبيرة، لكنهم لم يفوزوا بكل ما كان ينبغي عليهم تحقيقه، آمل أن يحقق ريال مدريد هذا الإنجازات المهمة”.

وعن المقارنة بين نجم ريال مدريد الحالي، كيليان مبابي، وأسطورة الفريق الملكي، كريستيانو رونالدو، أردف جوتي: ”لن يتفوق أحد على كريستيانو رونالدو، إنه لاعب صنع تاريخًا في ريال مدريد وفي كرة القدم بفضل ثبات مستواه، هذا هو أهم شيء لأي لاعب يريد إزاحة كريستيانو وميسي عن عرشهما، اللذين أعتبرهما في نفس المستوى”.

وتابع: ”لا جدوى من خوض عشر مباريات جيدة ثم عدم الظهور في الوقت المناسب، هذان اللاعبان رونالدو وميسي كانا دائمًا على مستوى التوقعات. هذا هو التحدي الذي يواجه مبابي، أو لامين، أو أي شخص آخر يرغب في الاقتراب منهما”.

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وعن اعتماد ريال مدريد بشكل مبالغ فيه على مبابي، استكمل جوتي: ”لا ينبغي أن يكون الأمر كذلك، ريال مدريد يمتلك لاعبين رائعين، فينيسيوس، بيلينجهام، بإمكانهم، بل ينبغي عليهما تسجيل الكثير من الأهداف، صحيح أنهما يساهمان في أداء الفريق لكن لا ينبغي لريال مدريد الاعتماد فقط على أهداف مبابي”.

وعن إمكانية تحطيم مبابي لأرقام رونالدو القياسية، استطرد: ”سيحدث هذا مهما حدث، نحن نشهد نسخة مذهلة من مبابي، إنه يفوق مستوى بقية لاعبي الفريق، بفضله يفوز ريال مدريد بالمباريات وهذا يجعله قائدًا للفريق، يجب على كيليان أن يواصل هذا النهج ليضم المزيد من اللاعبين ويشهد تتويج ريال مدريد بالدوري”.

وعن حادثة الكلاسيكو بين فينيسيوس وألونسو، قال جوتي: ”لا يقلقني الأمر، لاعبو كرة القدم دائمًا ما يرغبون في اللعب وعندما يستبدلون ينزعجون، هذا أمر مفهوم والمدرب يعلم ذلك، لكن هذا لمصلحة اللاعب”.

وأضاف: ”كثيرًا ما ننتقد عدد المباريات التي يخوضها اللاعبون خلال العام، المهم ليس أن يكونوا في قمة مستواهم الآن، بل أن يكونوا في قمة مستواهم عند المنافسة على الألقاب، يسعى تشابي جاهدًا لضمان أن يكون كل لاعب في قمة مستواه في اللحظات الحاسمة، عندما يكون الفريق في قمة المنافسة”.

وعن ما إذا كان ألونسو قد تعامل بشكل جيد مع تصرف فينيسيوس في الكلاسيكو، اختتم جوتي حديثه: ”الأمر لا يتعلق بالحزم أو اللين بل بالتصرف الصحيح، في كثير من الأحيان عليك أن ترفع يدك لأن اللاعب يطلب منك ذلك، أو لأن اللحظة مناسبة، وعندما يتعين عليك أن تكون صارمًا عليك أن تكون كذلك”.

وأتم: ”تشابي يعرف كيف يتعامل مع كلا الموقفين، عندما حدث ما حدث مع برشلونة كان لديه ذلك اللين ليواصل ثقته به، فهو يعلم أن فينيسيوس لاعب مهم لريال مدريد”.

What a difference seven months makes.

Just minutes into his career as a Yankee back in April, Devin Williams experienced the fanbase's impatience firsthand, as he heard boos while he navigated some self-inflicted traffic on the basepaths to notch his first save with New York on Opening Day. But despite a topsy-turvy first year in pinstripes, Williams is now at his best when it matters most—and when the fans care the most—in the postseason.

So, after Williams worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings in the Yankees' thrilling comeback victory Tuesday, the fans rewarded his efforts with a sound he likely thought he wouldn't be hearing for awhile back in the throes of his troublesome April: a standing ovation.

After the game, Williams was asked what it meant to hear the cheers from the Yankees fanbase.

"Yeah it's awesome," Williams said. "It's nice to feel appreciated sometimes. That was definitely a lot better than what I've heard for much of the year."

From April until the end of August, Williams, who pitched to a 4.99 ERA, looked nothing like the two-time All-Star and National League Reliever of the Year that he is. But since allowing four earned runs to the Astros in a Sept. 3 loss, Williams has been lights-out.

He hasn't surrendered an earned run during that span while recording a sparkling 35.3% strikeout rate compared to a 5.9% walk rate. His signature pitch, the changeup nicknamed the Airbender, has returned to its usual unhittable form.

"My mindset's never changed throughout this whole year," Williams said. "I just kept showing up and now I'm getting the results I want right now."

Following his mid-season arrival at Manchester City, Nico Gonzalez went through the strange experience of being hailed as an oven-ready replacement for Rodri during his first week at the Etihad Stadium, only to then be ignored by Pep Guardiola during the most important stretch of the campaign. Any fears, however, that he would become an expensive flop have since disappeared, with Gonzalez having stepped back in to anchor City's resurgence as they emerge as Arsenal’s main rivals in the Premier League title race.

The midfielder, who is known just as Nico to his team-mates even though he has a namesake in the squad in Nico O’Reilly, looked like a luxury signing when he arrived from Porto for £50 million ($65m) on transfer deadline day back in February 3. The son of Deportivo La Coruna legend Fran and a Barcelona academy graduate, Gonzalez arrived as a barely disguised stand-in for Rodri while the Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder continued his recovery from an ACL injury.

Guardiola did not try to hide it, hailing the new signing as ‘Mini-Rodri’ after an excellent Premier League debut against Newcastle in which he towered above everyone else in midfield and laid the platform for fellow January addition Omar Marmoush to shine in a crushing 4-0 win. It has not been an entirely smooth ride since, but in the last couple of months Gonzalez has developed into one of City’s most important players as they prepare to face the Magpies again on Saturday.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Big presence

  Although he was raised in Barcelona’s La Masia academy and raised by one of Spain’s most technical footballers in his father, Guardiola appeared to value Gonzalez’s physical attributes the most when he first watched him up close. 

  "The presence of Nico helped a lot, the 50-50s. If there are 10 balls. he wins seven of them," the coach said after the Spaniard’s impressive debut against Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium. "He's like a mini-Rodri. It's a big compliment. He's miles away from Rodri, he's the best, but we have the feeling he'll help us in the last part of the season with his presence."

  Guardiola started Gonzalez in City's next five league games, although he couldn’t quite build on his exploits against Newcastle, as the dethroned champions lost to Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, leaving them with a fight on their hands to finish in the top five and qualify for the Champions League.

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• Getty
  

  Bottom of the pile

  Yet in the thick of that battle, Guardiola preferred other options. Gonzalez was an unused substitute for the derby at Manchester United in April and for the crunch game with Aston Villa later that month, which was effectively a shootout for a place in the top-five. In the end, he started just three of the eight matches in the Premier League run-in. 

  Gonzalez, meanwhile, played a grand total of 37 minutes in City's run to the FA Cup final, getting one minute in the semi against Forest and none in the defeat to Crystal Palace at Wembley – and that was despite Mateo Kovacic being out injured. Gonzalez’s situation did not improve at the Club World Cup, where he appeared in just one of City’s four games as Rodri returned to the fold.

  Gonzalez’s lack of playing time led to reports that the player was open to cutting short his stay and leaving in the summer. However, that is understood to not be true, with sources insisting Gonzalez had no interest in leaving. City instead decreased their squad size by offloading Ilkay Gundogan, among others.

• Getty
  

  Seizing his chance

  Gonzalez started the first two games of the new season before retaking his place on the bench at Brighton when Rodri came back in following another injury setback. But with the 29-year-old’s return from knee surgery continuing to be disrupted by a series of niggling issues, Gonzalez got another chance and seized it. 

  He has started nine of City’s last 12 games in all competitions and has arguably been their most important player in the last two months, with the obvious exception of Erling Haaland.

  "It’s not easy sometimes arriving in a new club and playing a different style to maybe playing in the past," Guardiola said of Gonzalez last month. "But we’re really pleased with his behaviour and I’m pretty (sure) he’ll get better and better."

  Gonzalez is far from the first player to need a transition season when getting to grips with Guardiola's methods. Jack Grealish, Josko Gvardiol and even Rodri are just some of the big-money signings who took their time to adapt to City’s way of playing. Gonzalez, though, appears to close to cracking the code within 10 months of first playing under the Catalan coach.

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• Getty
  

  Fundamental

  While Gonzalez fell behind Kovacic, Gundogan and occasionally Bernardo Silva and even Kevin De Bruyne in the holding midfield role last season, he is now only second to Rodri, who last started a game on October 5 and who has only played 60 or more minutes on five occasions this season.

  "Right now, the first option when Rodri cannot play is absolutely Nico Gonzalez," Guardiola said before City’s game against Bournemouth earlier this month. He went on to dominate that match, playing important roles in both of Haaland’s goals by progressing the ball.

  Gonzalez also impressed in City’s 2-0 win over Everton in October and in the Carabao Cup win over Swansea City, brushing off an error that led to the opponents scoring by shepherding City to a comeback win.

  "Now he’s fundamental for us," said Guardiola after City’s win in South Wales. "He’s so young, a lovely guy. I’m really pleased because these types of football players that are incredibly coachable – they deserve the best."

Liverpool’s players were much improved in their 2-0 win at home to Aston Villa, but Dominik Szoboszlai was yet again his team’s star man.

The Reds picked up a vital three points at Anfield on Saturday evening, with Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenberch getting the goals, and Arne Slot was in positive spirits after the game.

“Happy with the result, with the performance and what I saw today, not only from the players but also the support we got from the fans, was what we needed today. Maybe we were a bit more on the lucky side than we’ve been in the last few weeks, where in my opinion we were also unlucky.

“So, the mistake of their goalkeeper and the deflection led to two of our goals. These are the margins we are talking about. I think in other games we’ve created more from open play than we did today. But in football it’s about results, not about the chances you create from open play.”

It was a night where so many Liverpool players found a new gear after poor form, including Mohamed Salah, who scored his 250th Liverpool goal, but it was Szoboszlai who stood out yet again.

Minutes played

90

Tackles won

2/2

Ground duels won

3/6

Recoveries

5

Pass completion rate

93%

Successful dribbles

1/1

Shots on target

2

Szoboszlai now Liverpool's "most important player"

Writing on X after the win over Villa, ESPN journalist Beth Lindop heaped praise on Szoboszlai, even calling him Liverpool’s “most important player” at the moment.

It is hard to argue with this assessment, with the Hungarian proving to be one of the biggest positives in an otherwise frustrating season to date.

While so many players around him have floundered, he has consistently reached his best level, providing incredible amounts of energy and showcasing his versatility by excelling in attacking midfield, defensive midfield and at right-back.

On current form, Szoboszlai is undroppable for Liverpool, giving Slot a conundrum when it comes to using the Reds’ second-most expensive signing in history, Florian Wirtz.

The German is still adjusting to life in the Premier League, and with the trio of Szoboszlai, Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister all doing well against Villa, it is hard to find a place for him currently.

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There is the option of playing Wirtz in the left wing in place of Cody Gakpo, but either way, Szoboszlai is a shoo-in for any Liverpool game, and has to be considered one of the first names on Slot’s team sheet.

Best game all season: Liverpool star was even better than Salah & Gravenberch

As Shohei Ohtani gears up to once again represent Team Japan in the 2026 World Baseball Classic to help the country defend its title, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts hopes the reigning National League MVP isn't planning on reprising his role as a two-way player for his home country.

“I don't,” Roberts told reporters on Monday at the winter meetings when asked if he knew if Ohtani would pitch in the WBC. “I'm hoping he doesn't. But I don't know. Shohei is very in tune with his body, but I would say probably, the thought is, he's probably just going to hit, but I really don't know.”

When Ohtani last played in the World Baseball Classic in 2023, it was as a two-way player, and he was his usual impactful self. In seven games, Ohtani posted a robust .435/.606/.739 slash line with one home run, eight RBIs and 10 walks. As a pitcher, Ohtani worked 9 2/3 innings—two games started and one contest in relief—pitching to a 1.86 ERA with 11 strikeouts. Along with then-Angels teammate Mike Trout, Ohtani provided baseball fans with peak theater when he struck out Trout, the tying run for Team USA in the top of the ninth inning, after an epic, six-pitch at-bat.

Unfortunately, later that September, Ohtani was forced to undergo surgery on his throwing elbow—and he would not return to the mound until the 2025 season with the Dodgers, who carefully managed his workload upon his return in June up until the postseason. And for Roberts, the less wear-and-tear on Ohtani's arm the better, especially with the Dodgers eyeing a three-peat in 2026.

Plus, it's not just Ohtani that Roberts is cautious about, but also Ohtani's fellow countrymen Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, each of whom is a good bet to once again represent Team Japan in the WBC come March.

“I think there's no more clarity for us,” Roberts said. “Obviously, it's something that they both are excited about potentially. Obviously, the country of Japan [is] excited. We have to have that conversation. I would like to think that it's going to be a dialogue as far as restrictions and limitations, in the sense of just trying to give them the opportunity.

“But also understand they've come off some stuff, some long seasons, and certainly with Yamamoto and looking out for 2026. But right now, there's no more clarity than we had before.”

The Dodgers are paying the trio of Ohtani, Yamamoto and Sasaki, each of whom played a pivotal role in the club's 2025 title defense, over $1 billion. It's understandable that they'd be cautious with each of their workloads.

Pool play in the WBC begins on March 5.

Wednesday night's game between the Mariners and Blue Jays was a slugfest from start to finish. Ultimately, it was Toronto's offense that had the upper hand, leading the charge for a 13–4 road victory.

In total, there were eight home runs hit between the two teams, which ties the MLB postseason record. Previously, only two playoff games in league history had as many home runs; Game 2 of the 2017 World Series between the Astros and Dodgers, and Game 3 of the 2017 NLDS between the Cardinals and Cubs.

Despite the loss, it was Seattle that struck first on Wednesday night. Julio Rodriguez opened up the scoring with a two-run home run in the first inning. Toronto answered in the third inning when they racked up five runs, including a two-run shot from Andres Giménez. George Springer added a solo shot in the fourth inning and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. did the same in the fifth.

Also homering in the game for the Blue Jays were Alejandro Kirk and Addison Barger, while the Mariners got late home runs from Randy Arozarena and Cal Raleigh, though it wasn't enough to mount a comeback.

Toronto ended the night with a franchise-record 18 hits, the most in a postseason game by any team since 2021, and 37 total bases.

The two teams will meet again Thursday night for Game 4, with the Blue Jays hoping to even up the series at 2–2. First pitch is slated for 8:33 p.m. ET.