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Jack Flaherty started Game 2 of the NLDS for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the sixth inning was a bit of a disaster for him.

Flaherty entered the sixth inning trailing 3-1 and immediately hit Fernando Tatis Jr. with a pitch. Jurickson Profar then bunted to put two runners on with zero outs. That's when Manny Machado came to the plate.

Flaherty struck out Machado, who would be the last hitter he faced. He was clearly fired up and pointed towards the dugout and told Machado to, well, sit down. There may have been some swear words in there.

Either way, relief pitcher Anthony Banda entered the game, gave up a single that resulted in another run, and then got two outs to end the inning with the Padres leading 4-1.

Flaherty gave up five hits and four runs in 5 and 1/3 innings. He was also seen at the top of the dugout steps chirping back and forth with Machado who was back out in the field.

Should be fun to monitor this as the series progresses.

Lionel Messi bagged a goal and an assist as Argentina earned a hard-fought 2-0 victory away to Angola. The 2022 World Cup winner is coming towards the end of his illustrious career but the veteran's quality was plain to see as he played an instrumental role in this friendly win on Friday. Both he and Lautaro Martinez scored and turned provider as the Albiceleste marched on once more.

• Argentina spoil Angola's celebrations

  Angola, who were celebrating the 50th anniversary of their independence from Portugal, started brightly, and had it not been for a good stop from goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, the 50,000-strong crowd may have been heard to Argentina and back. 

  The hosts were indebted to their own keeper not long after when Hugo Martinez denied Messi with a smart stop. But the Angola number one did not cover himself in glory in the 44th minute when Martinez fired Messi's neat through ball between the stopper's legs from a tight angle. 

  Inter Miami star Messi went close shortly after the break but the home team were putting up a good fight at The Estádio 11 de Novembro. But the Barcelona legend would not be denied and after Martinez picked up the loose ball, he set up Messi, who buried his shot from 10 yards in the 82nd minute. That ended another year for Argentina, with Lionel Scaloni's side second in the world rankings and already thinking of further glory next summer in north America. 

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  The MVP

  Both Martinez and Messi were, arguably, the standout performers for Argentina as they overcame a stubborn Angola side in their backyard. The duo came away with a goal and an assist but the 38-year-old was, perhaps, the bigger threat throughout the match. On another day, he could have had a hat-trick.

• The big loser

  While Angola gave a good account of themselves, their defending for the goals was a little suspect. For the first, they allowed Martinez to get behind their backline, when they had a good chance to step up, rendering him offside. And for the second, they were all at sea as Martinez found Messi with ease. But Marques was beaten a bit too easily for Argentina's opener, as the ball went through his legs. While this may have been planned, the keeper was hooked at half time and replaced by Neblu.

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  Match rating (out of five): ⭐⭐⭐

Newcastle United have won five of their six matches across all competitions in October, and the latest phase in Eddie Howe’s plan is starting to take shape.

It’s another trip to St. James’ Park for Fulham in December, with Newcastle drawn against the Cottagers for the Carabao Cup quarter-final. Tottenham Hotspur were put to the sword on Wednesday evening, and the cup defence moves forward.

Howe made changes after that weekend win over Fulham, whose grit was spilt open when Bruno Guimaraes struck low and true on 90 minutes to seal a 2-1 win and allow United to make headway in the Premier League.

Sandro Tonali was rested for that one, replacing Lewis Miley after the hour mark. Against Spurs, the Italian took centre stage, and he dominated and dictated and took home the Player of the Match award.

He really is the difference-maker for the Magpies.

Why Sandro Tonali is Newcastle's main man

It wasn’t always this way. After Tonali joined Newcastle from AC Milan for a hefty £55m fee in 2023, he would struggle to adapt to the Premier League climate before being hit with a lengthy ban for betting breaches, cutting his debut campaign short, with just 12 appearances made.

But he bounced back last year, forming an ever-tighter relationship with Guimaraes and Joelinton in the centre of the park. The synergised midfield charged a wonderful winning run of form and carried the Toon toward Wembley and victory in the Carabao Cup final.

Now, Tonali is “the best midfielder in the Premier League”, according to pundit Paul Scholes. Whether this is true is open to debate, but he’s certainly in amongst the pack, and the fans would not see him swapped for any other number six in the business.

Against Tottenham, Tonali ran the show, effortlessly good as he defended and attacked and guided the flow of the contest where he pleased.

So energetic and enterprising in his central berth, Tonali covered so much ground against Thomas Frank’s side, and it was his whipped delivery that found Fabian Schar’s head in the box and set the home side on their way.

Newcastle have hit the jackpot with this Serie A star, and, while the season is still young, they appear to have done it again.

Newcastle's new version of Tonali

Newcastle are well-stocked across the field. Tonali is the superstar in the centre, but Guimaraes is too, and Howe has recrafted a frontline with talents like Nick Woltemade, who scored against Spurs and has the potential to be one of the best forwards in the country.

But there was a need to reinforce the St. James’ Park defensive line, too, and Malick Thiaw was chosen to join the project this summer, following the footsteps of his former teammate Tonali at AC Milan.

Eyebrows were raised when Newcastle signed Thiaw in a £35m deal this summer. A talented defender, the German international had suffered regular injury setbacks in Milan, never starting more than 19 Serie A games in any one of his three campaigns.

But he has long been regarded as a “monster in the air” by the likes of journalist Martino Puccio, and he has developed one of the most underrated passing games from any centre-back across Europe.

Now, having started Newcastle’s past five Premier League fixtures and having excelled once again in the Carabao Cup against Tottenham, it’s safe to say Howe has got bang for his buck.

Against the Lilywhites, it was an all-encompassing performance, one that has only reaffirmed his quality and potential inside this squad. Marvelling at the display, Sky Sports’ Keith Downie hailed the player as being “an incredible piece of business” for the club.

Thiaw’s teething problems have been far less painful. Upon arrival, it was clear Newcastle had landed a progressive centre-half with qualities to advance Howe’s vision. As per data-driven platform FBref, the German ranks among the top 9% of defenders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 18% for progressive passes per 90.

He is, quite simply, a cut above, and the Chronicle Live handed the ace an 8/10 match rating after he was done with Tottenham, remarking that he didn’t put a foot wrong.

In truth, that score could have been higher still. Not only commanding defensively, Thiaw also got stuck in from an attacking standpoint, winning the ball and adding to the attack ahead of Woltemade’s second-half strike.

In the Premier League, in fact, Sofascore record that Tonali has won 71% of his duels so far this season, completing 88% of his passes and recovering four balls on average each match.

There’s a long way still to go this season, but Newcastle’s two Milan-schooled talents are shaping up to be two of the key components in a campaign which promises so much for the outfit.

Given that we can reasonably expect Thiaw to polish and refine his skillset over the coming months, there’s a sense that United might even have landed one of Europe’s most talented in their position. And in that, he might soon sit alongside Tonali.

Not just Joelinton: Newcastle's "true legend" may now be on borrowed time

Newcastle may well part ways with this Howe mainstay at the end of the campaign.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 29, 2025

After a year outside of Major League Baseball, first baseman and designated hitter Trey Mancini appears ready to take another crack at a return.

Mancini is signing a minor-league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to a Friday afternoon report from Jeff Passan of ESPN.

The 32-year-old has not played in the big leagues since 2023, when he slashed .234/.299/.336 with four home runs and 28 RBIs in 79 games for the Chicago Cubs.

Mancini remains best known for his association with the Baltimore Orioles, for whom he played from 2016 to '22. He slugged 35 home runs and drove in 97 runs for the Orioles in 2019, providing one of the lone bright spots on a 54-108 team.

In 2020, Mancini was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer—an illness that cost him that season. He returned in 2021 with a 21-home run campaign that won him the American League's Comeback Player of the Year award. He later won a World Series with the Houston Astros after an Aug. 2022 trade.

The Diamondbacks are scheduled to open their season on March 27 against the Cubs.

Arne Slot has been warned that a defeat to Nottingham Forest "would make things tricky" for him at the Liverpool dugout, but a potential return for Jurgen Klopp has been ruled out. The reigning Premier League champions, who only weeks ago appeared to have rediscovered their rhythm with statement victories over Aston Villa and Real Madrid, were humbled at the Etihad in Pep Guardiola’s 1,000th match in management.

• Liverpool’s crisis deepens after Etihad setback

  Liverpool offered little resistance in a 3-0 defeat marked by Erling Haaland’s opener, scored moments after he missed a penalty, followed by long-range strikes from Nico Gonzalez and Jeremy Doku. Virgil van Dijk did have the ball in the net at 1-0, but the goal was controversially ruled out after VAR determined Andy Robertson, who was offside, had made an "obvious action" that impacted play. Liverpool failed to register a shot on target until the 75th minute. Slot, meanwhile, endured chants of "sacked in the morning" from City supporters as his team slumped to a seventh defeat in ten matches across all competitions. After 11 league games, Liverpool sit eighth, eight points behind leaders Arsenal.

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  Forest encounter critical to Slot's future

  Former Everton, Sunderland and Scotland midfielder Don Hutchison has warned that Slot will be under pressure if Liverpool further drop points against Forest. 

  In an interview with Slot said: "I think a defeat against Forest would make things a little bit tricky, to be fair, for Slot. You can't sugarcoat it. They've got a run of games now, Liverpool, where they play a good amount of teams in the bottom half. So this is the period where you can put a run of wins together, and if you do, you get Liverpool back into the top two or three. If they don't then he starts to become a man under pressure, because it's time now to have the plan and to show everyone the plan, about how you get all your big boys into the same team."

  He added that Liverpool’s issues are no longer just form-related, but structural.

  "We're all trying to guess on what system and what permutation and what individuals you go for," he said. "Slot is a very good manager and he's got to solve it. So to answer your question he would be under pressure, but I'm still pretty confident in him."

• Klopp's return not on the cards

  With pressure building, bookmakers have inevitably drifted towards familiar names. Leading the speculative odds at 4/1 is the man Slot replaced, Jurgen Klopp. But Hutchinson has been quick to dismiss the idea. 

  "No, I don't see it. I think Jurgen's got more about him," he said. "I even think if that was the conversation, I think Jurgen would say to Liverpool to be patient on Slot, to give the guy time. I think Jurgen's that type of guy where it's not all about him. Jurgen's very honest.  He wants to do what's best for himself and Liverpool for sure. So he would probably say to the board, stay patient, stay with Arne Slot. There's no one out there at the minute from the list of managers that would be available who would make it worth firing Slot."

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  Mixed injury news as Forest clash nears

  Slot confirmed a blend of encouraging and worrying updates ahead of Saturday’s clash with Forest. Alisson Becker is fully fit after recovering from a hamstring injury and is expected to return in goal. However, Conor Bradley and Florian Wirtz have both suffered muscle injuries since returning from international duty. Bradley is expected to miss around three weeks, while Wirtz’s absence should be shorter, but he remains unavailable. Jeremie Frimpong is still out with a hamstring problem, leaving Liverpool thin at right-back. 

  Speaking on Wirtz and Bradley's injury situations, Slot said: "Both muscle issues. I don't expect Conor to be part of the next 22 days. Maybe he returns towards the end of that period unless a miracle happens. Florian should be back sooner, it depends how things go but it should not be too long.

  "Jeremie is out for a similar timeframe and probably will not be available for the next two or three weeks either. It will be interesting to see who plays at right back. Curtis Jones filled in there last season and Joe Gomez has played there as well, but he has only completed 90 minutes in 2025, so asking to play seven times in 22 days is a risk."

  However, Alexander Isak is fit again after a stop-start beginning to life at Anfield following his club-record transfer from Newcastle.

After six matches in charge, Danny Röhl is already starting to figure out which members of the Rangers squad he can trust, and which he cannot.

So far, the German has won all three Premiership matches in charge, most recently demolishing Dundee 3-0 at Dens, looking to keep that streak going when bottom of the table Livingston visit Ibrox on Saturday.

However, the Gers remain rooted to the foot of the Europa League standings, yet to pick up a single point at the mid-way mark of the league phase, and were dumped out of the League Cup semi-finals by Celtic, underlining that there is still plenty of work for Röhl to do.

Having seemingly decided that one of the Light Blues’ many summer signings is not for him, should the German head coach give a “big talent” a chance to stake a claim?

Joe Rothwell's start to life at Rangers

Sporting director Kevin Thelwell has come under serious scrutiny from supporters, given the club’s expensive but underwhelming summer recruitment, with Joe Rothwell among the least popular additions.

The 30-year-old defensive midfielder arrived from Bournemouth for around £400k to plenty of excitement, with Joe Donnohue describing him as “assured, energetic and accomplished”, while Kai Watson asserted that he would be a “very smart signing” given that he’s an “excellent passer and progresser of the ball, exactly what this Rangers midfield needs”.

However, this has certainly not been the case, with the Englishman putting in numerous sluggish and slow performances during the early weeks of the season when the team were massively struggling under Russell Martin.

During August’s 1-1 draw at St Mirren, speaking on Sky Sports commentary, Neil McCann noted that Rothwell looked completely “cooked”, while Kenny Macintyre of BBC Sportsound agreed, exclaiming that “Joe Rothwell… has looked knackered in every game”.

Well, even at this early stage of his tenure, Röhl has seemingly been unimpressed, with Rothwell starting the German’s first match in charge, the 3-0 drubbing in Bergen, but not doing so again since, an unused substitute for all three Premiership matches, as well as the most recent Europa League game against Roma.

So, with Rothwell not in Röhl’s plans, Mohamed Diomandé alongside Nicolas Raskin is the first-choice midfield pairing, which is strong, but that duo cannot play every minute of every game, so should the new manager give his “big talent” an opportunity?

Rangers youngster who deserves more opportunities

A young player Rangers supporters were excited about not so long ago is Bailey Rice, but he might as well be added to Interpol’s missing persons list this season.

After jumping ship from Motherwell’s academy, he made his senior debut at Almondvale against Livingston in February 2023, thereby becoming the second-youngest player to feature for Rangers post-World War II.

As the table documents, only Derek Ferguson, against Queen of the South in 1983, debuted for Rangers at a younger age but, at the age of 16 years and 137 days, Rice is the youngest player to feature for the club in a league match.

After arriving on the scene, the teenager started to see regular minutes under Philippe Clement and then Barry Ferguson during the second half of last season, introduced at half time against Manchester United at Old Trafford, before starting the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club, albeit his big night was curtailed early due to a nasty head injury sustained during a collision with striker Maroan Sannadi.

At that point, he was earning rave reviews, with former Rangers right-back Alan Hutton, speaking on Premier Sports, stating that the youngster was “more than capable” of establishing himself in the first team, adding that he’s “ready for the next step”.

However, this season, since starting a League Cup tie against third-tier Alloa Athletic in August, hooked at half time, Rice has not been seen, an unused substitute for all four Europa League matches, with 12-man benches allowed by UEFA, but yet to feature in a Premiership matchday squad.

The Rangers Journal believe that Rice’s contractual situation is to blame, given that he will be a free agent next summer, hence why the club don’t want to invest time into him, but this isn’t going to convince him to sign a new contract, thereby leaving the player at a crossroads.

Thus, it appears as though the teenager will depart Ibrox next June, but there is still time to salvage his Rangers career, if Röhl is able to prove there is a pathway for him into the first time.

With senior defensive midfield options continuing to fail to impress, namely Rothwell, Rice certainly deserves an opportunity to showcase his obvious talent, bringing to an end this stand-off that is not benefiting anyone.

Well, Blair Malloy has reported on Friday that Rice is currently injured, so his return will have to wait a little while, but he should be seen donning a light blue jersey again soon.

Thelwell can upgrade on Souttar by signing £8m defender for Rangers

With Danny Röhl in need of defensive reinforcements, could Rangers sign an “aggressive” £8m-valued star better than John Souttar and Nasser Djiga?

By
Ben Gray

Nov 20, 2025

The San Diego Padres topped the Detroit Tigers 2-0 on Tuesday and, in the process, did something no MLB team has ever done.

San Diego shut the Tigers out behind seven immaculate frames from Nick Pivetta and two clean innings from relievers Jason Adam and Robert Suarez. It continued a pattern of dominance from the team's pitching staff. It was the seventh shutout of the season for the Padres, and they became the first team in major league history to total seven shutouts in March/April.

The Friars are now tied with MLB's best record at 17-7. Their seven shutouts are tied for the most ever through 24 games, and the last team to accomplish the feat was the 1992 Atlanta Braves. That pitching staff wasn't bad; it featured Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Steve Avery, and Charlie Leibrandt.

As a team, San Diego enters Wednesday's action second in MLB in ERA (2.77) and third in WHIP. Their relief corps has been stellar, posting an MLB-best ERA (1.43) that is more than a full run better than the second-place New York Mets (2.47).

Pivetta has been outstanding so far and is looking like the bargain of the offseason. The Padres waited out the market and signed the 32-year-old righty to a four-year, $55 million contract in mid-February. He has delivered so far.

After his win on Tuesday, Pivetta is 4-1, with a 1.20 ERA, a 0.77 WHIP and 30 strikeouts against seven walks in 30 innings. In five games he has already generated 1.4 WAR.

So far this season, the Padres are proving pitching wins games.

One of Sheffield’s own is now in the running to buy Sheffield Wednesday, according to reports, after taking a key step ahead of the December 5 deadline.

Sheffield United merger rejected

The Owls have reportedly set a soft deadline of December 5 to find a new owner and narrow their search down. So far, they’ve not been short on candidates. Several potential buyers have shown proof of funds worth £50m and some have even been shown around the club’s facilities.

The biggest headline so far has arrived courtesy of Sheffield United, however. Wednesday’s rivals reportedly enquired about buying the club and were keen to merge the two Steel City rivals together in controversial fashion.

Unsurprisingly, any talks of that merger taking place have been shut down almost as quickly as they started gathering pace. Sheffield Wednesday, like many others, are keen to keep the derby alive and kicking instead, which is set to see them turn to other candidates.

Just who wins the bidding war is the big question. Former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley is reportedly among the interested parties, as is John McEvoy.

Many were quick to criticise Ashley at Newcastle in the past, but it’s worth noting that he cleared all of the Magpies’ debt. Financially speaking, he would arguably be a wise option.

Alas, it’s not just Ashley in the running. New names are now beginning to emerge and that includes Sheffield’s own Ryan Howsam. The Staysure founder has been based in Dubai in recent years, but could yet return to his home town to save his local club.

Who is Sheffield Wednesday takeover candidate Ryan Howsam?

So, is Howsam the man for the job? His impressive portfolio, which includes Avanti, PayingTooMuch, The Rock Group and several digital travel investments, certainly suggests that he’s got the funds to complete a takeover, but it would be his first venture into football.

The prospective owner has reportedly been given access to the club’s data in a key step towards potentially buying the club. He also recently told This is Money when asked about a return to England: “I would come back to the UK in a heartbeat if the environment was right.”

Sheffield Wednesday now braced for imminent "concrete" takeover bid

Things are looking up for the Owls.

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 14, 2025

It would be fairly fitting for a Sheffield-born candidate to complete the takeover, but administrators would need to ignore their hearts and ensure that Howsam is the right man for the job.

Compared to someone like Ashley, Howsam is far from experienced in the world of football and the Owls simply need to steady the ship. It must also be noted that it may yet be neither of those options who emerge as frontrunners to buy the club.

With time ticking by before the December 5 deadline, Sheffield Wednesday must assess every possible option before making their final decision.

Mike Ashley position clear as Sheffield Wednesday takeover reaches final candidates

Former Manchester United, Newcastle, and Tottenham Hotspur striker Louis Saha has warned Lamine Yamal that he won't match the legacy of Lionel Messi because he doesn't have the same "obsession" with football as Cristiano Ronaldo. The Barcelona youngster has often been in the spotlight for the wrong reasons this season, with Saha the latest to fear that his potential could be wasted.

• Lamine listless as Barca slump to defeat at Chelsea

  Yamal lost his duel against Spanish national team-mate Marc Cucurella comprehensively on Tuesday evening at Stamford Bridge, with the left-back keeping his word. "I'll try to make things as difficult as possible for him," the left-back joked in September when talking about the matchup. 

  Even with his steady return of goals and assists, there’s been a subtle – but unmistakable – dip in the influence Yamal exerts on games this season. Granted, his performances have been affected after being diagnosed with pubalgia, with has prevented the 2025 Ballon d'Or runner-up from gaining the necessary rhythm. 

  However, over the past four months, he has made headlines for the wrong reasons more often than the right ones. He received severe backlash for his wild 18th birthday bash in July. Then, he accused eternal rivals Real Madrid of stealing and complaining.

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  Yamal warned of wasting his talent

  Saha, a Premier League icon, recently spoke to and warned that Yamal's "talent could be wasted because we are starting to see too many things in the papers about him."

  “I think only PSG or Man City could afford to pay £300m for Lamine Yamal. I still think that if you look at his trajectory, it would be sad to see him go so early for a big move," said Saha.

  “For the sake of the football we love, we want to see him develop in Barcelona, do well for Barcelona and be stable in Barcelona. I'm scared that this talent could be wasted because we are starting to see too many things in the papers about him.

  “That's going to be a sad story because he's such a big talent for the next 15 years and I want to see the best from him so I want to protect this kid. Moving around is not good. I think Neymar left Barcelona for this kind of hype. He wanted to be the one big player at PSG.

  “Neymar is such a waste because I think at Barcelona he will have really enjoyed himself and show that there was a complementary way to play with Messi over the years. Sometimes the management it's not easy to do because you have ego and you can find yourself dragged into something that is not very useful to your game.”

• Yamal won't reach the heights of Messi & Ronaldo, says Saha

  Yamal's meteoric rise to superstardom, all while being only 18, has drawn comparisons to Barcelona legend Messi. Recently, former Netherlands international Wesley Sneijder even claimed that it was "possible" for Yamal to supersede the heights scaled by Messi. However, Saha disagrees, explaining that it's likely he will follow the footsteps of a Neymar rather than a Messi or a Ronaldo.

  “Could Lamine Yamal one day overtake Lionel Messi? It would be good for him but I don't think so," the ex-Manchester United forward opined. "I doubt that he can achieve that because I see Lamine Yamal’s quality as a player but I don't see an obsession where you really focus on your football that Cristiano Ronaldo also has.

  “These guys are absolutely insanely obsessed. Some distractions are already around Yamal, that's not good. I think you’ll find him dragged away from the game like Neymar, who has, for me, maybe better quality.

  “Over the years, I've never seen anything like Neymar. Even if Yamal is incredible, I think Neymar was just at another level but he did not have the best lifestyle and over the years he got injuries and was dragged into things that are not helpful for his career.

  “This is where I'm very scared that Yamal will try to choose the same kind of trajectory. That would be sad for football.”

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  Yamal in it to win it all

  While onlookers and naysayers may try to diminish Yamal's light, the youngster continues to remain a highly ambitious and motivated individual. The Barca academy graduate has laid the gauntlet for himself, targeting a treble of Champions League, World Cup, and the Ballon d'Or. "I want it all. I hope I achieve it all, and as long as we can play, it's possible," he stated to .

  "All the individual titles indicate that it has been a great season for the team. For me, it brings me happiness and pride. Accumulating awards at my age is very positive. I'm going to keep working and fighting to achieve things like this."

Ahead of the Boston Red Sox's series finale against the New York Yankees on Sunday, Red Sox rookie pitcher Hunter Dobbins made a bold claim by stating he'd rather retire before playing for the Yankees.

"This is one that I’ve had circled for a long time," Dobbins told Gabrielle Starr of . "My dad was a diehard Red Sox fan. And I've said it before, that if the Yankees were the last team to give me a contract, I’d retire." 

Fortunately for Dobbins, he was drafted by the Red Sox, making it easy for him to continue his "disdain" for the Yankees. On Sunday, he makes his first career start against the Yankees.

Ahead of the start, Yankees manager Aaron Boone couldn't help but chuckle as he weighed in on Dobbins's comments.

"He's young," Boone said. "I don't know, I don't think it's a dig at our players. It's an interesting comment as a player to make that. I think it's just a comment of his love of his team is all. A little funny."

Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. posted a positive reaction to Dobbins's claim, writing on X: "I think there should be more trash talk in baseball!!! Anyone agrees!?"

Boone did not agree with Chisholm's take either. "Not really … I'm not craving more trash talk," Boone said. "I've gotten my fill from these college regionals and some of the nonsense that I see going on, like, what are we doing? No, I'm not craving that, but it doesn't bother me, either."

In Dobbins's first inning pitching against the Yankees after his "trash talk," he gave up a two-run home run to Aaron Judge, who launched a 436-foot homer to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. Through the first nine starts of his career, Dobbins is 2-1 with a 4.06 ERA and 37 strikeouts.