TORONTO — After he threw a three-up, three-down inning on Sunday, pounding the zone and pitching as well as he could’ve imagined in his final spring outing, Spencer Miles went home and packed his bags.
He wasn’t sure what he was packing for. Could be frigid Toronto, where winter’s last grasp is proving stubborn. Could be sunny San Francisco, where one only requires long sleeves at night. It could’ve been any of 28 other MLB markets if Miles, in camp with the Blue Jays as a Rule 5 pick selected from the Giants, didn’t crack Toronto’s opening day roster and ended up on waivers.
It wasn’t until Monday morning, after he’d hauled his stuff to Toronto’s player development complex, when the Blue Jays told him they were putting off their decision for another 48 hours and that he’d be flying with them to Toronto. It was good news to receive, in a way. Miles hadn’t been ruled out. But it didn’t exactly ease his nerves.
“It’s a little easier to sleep now,” Miles said Thursday, a day after learning he’d done the improbable and made the opening-day roster of the defending American League champions. “I was falling asleep well. And then I’d wake up at about five in the morning to go pee and I just could not fall back asleep. My mind was racing. Like, ‘When are they going to give me this news?’”
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Wednesday, it turned out, as Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker pulled Miles away from a fresh plate of food in the Blue Jays clubhouse to join him in manager John Schneider’s office.
They started talking about MLB’s first game of the season that night in San Francisco between the New York Yankees and Miles’ old club, the Giants. Schneider asked Miles if he enjoyed pitching on the mound at Oracle Park. Miles told him he couldn’t say — he’d never pitched there. A trip to the Arizona Fall League last October and Grapefruit League games this spring were his first time pitching above A-ball.
Well, Schneider said, maybe he should try it out. But since the Giants were playing that night, there simply wasn’t enough time to get Miles on a plane to the west coast for first pitch. So, might as well stick around in Toronto to be in a Blue Jays uniform on Opening Night.
“My food got cold but I think that’s all right,” Miles says. “We’ll take cold food for hearing the news that you’re going to make your big-league debut.”
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It’s not easy being a Rule 5 pick. Either you make a big-league roster or return to your original organization. While other pitchers in camp are working on their arsenals and shaking off a long winter’s rust, you’re auditioning for a job every time out. And Miles carried the weight of that on his shoulders, particularly after his first three outings of spring when he walked four, allowed hard contact and made a throwing error trying to start a double play at second base.
But a strong afternoon striking out the side against the Tigers two-and-a-half weeks ago gave him confidence, which he rolled forward into his next two appearances, both stretching multiple innings as the Blue Jays tested his endurance. Before his final outing on Sunday, with no indication which way the Blue Jays were leaning, Miles sat at his locker and prayed quietly for good results.
“I was asking Him to take the wheel on it, take the pressure off my shoulders, let me just go use the gifts He’s given me,” Miles says. “Because I’ve got a good right arm, good fastball. I got all the stuff. I just have to take a deep breath and really commit and execute each pitch.”
Miles certainly has a good arm, which let him throw 98 in multiple outings this spring. But what separates him from the many other hard-throwers crowding bullpens league-wide is his ability to utilize three different fastball shapes.
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His four-seamer backspins up in the zone with natural arm-side movement. His two-seamer accentuates that run, tailing 17 inches in towards a right-handed hitter. And his slower cutter darts the opposite direction, featuring just enough glove-side movement to separate it from the other two fastballs that bore to his right.
Meanwhile, Miles’ best out pitch is his 80-m.p.h. high-spin curveball which moves on two planes, cutting a foot to his glove side while dropping over 50 inches on its way to the plate. The only other pitchers in Blue Jays camp with as much movement on their curveballs this spring were Lazaro Estrada, Eric Lauer, and Max Scherzer.
But those three all throw theirs in the low-to-mid 70’s, giving the pitch ample time to break. Miles throws his much harder but still achieves similar movement, which is what makes it so effective. Hitters have less time to recognize it and adjust.
“It’s a good pitch — it’s so high spin that it’s got a little second gear to it in terms of bite,” Miles says. “I feel like I can use it in any count. Early as a little get-me-over to steal a strike; late for swing-and-miss and put-away. I can go at a righty’s shoulder, pop it in the zone, kneecap guys. I can do a lot of things with it.”
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So, how does a guy with this much arm talent make it to Toronto as a Rule 5 pick? It began in Columbia, Mo., where Miles grew up only minutes from University of Missouri’s campus.
He was wiry and athletic, playing both ways at Rock Bridge High School where he hit .429 as a senior. But as a 150-pound 18-year-old who couldn’t hit 90 on the radar gun, Miles’ college interest was limited. He had two offers from smaller NAIA schools — one to play baseball, the other to play basketball. But for Miles, it was baseball at a big school or bust. So, he enrolled at Missouri academically to stay close to home.
The Tigers baseball program took him as a walk-on in 2019, which felt like an accomplishment in and of itself. Particularly after growing up at Missouri games watching his brother, John, who pitched for the school from 2012 through 2015. While he didn’t throw a pitch for Missouri that fall, Miles made the most of his newfound exposure to a college-level strength and nutrition program, putting on considerable muscle for the first time in his life. By the time he left Missouri, Miles had added 40 pounds to his frame and 10 m.p.h. behind his fastball.
Hitting 97 as a junior got him noticed despite shaky results in games, and the Giants took a flier in the fourth round of the 2022 draft, signing Miles under slot as part of a strategy to select and sign first-round talent Carson Whisenhunt — the top-100 prospect made his MLB debut with the Giants last season — in the second.
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It was a flier. Miles was known for trying to out-stuff college hitters rather than out-think them, which often led to a hefty price being paid for leaving too many pitches over the heart of the plate. The Giants viewed him as a starter but knew it would be a longer-term project to help Miles gain more pitchability and learn how to maximize his arsenal through sequencing and approach.
“I was ready to attack all of that. I’m a super late bloomer developmentally so I was really excited to get my feet wet,” Miles says. “Definitely didn’t expect to spend most of my time injured.”
When Miles was a high school junior, he played through a stress fracture in his lower back that stubbornly refused to close. He underwent a procedure that year to insert a screw into the problematic facet joint and apply bone growth to encourage healing. And after pitching with it over the four years following, Miles figured his back issues were behind him.
But after he was drafted by the Giants in 2022, Miles took his first extended off-season break from baseball since high school. And as the theory goes, that de-load period gave his spine time to properly respond and adapt to all the load and stress it had been under the prior four years. His problem was no longer that the bone wouldn’t grow — now it was growing too much.
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As he ramped up for his first full professional season in 2023, something didn’t feel right. It was hard to access velocity; even harder to recover between mound sessions. A series of CT scans and MRIs revealed a bone blockage at the facet joint Miles had repaired — he refers to the unwanted mass as “a doorstop” — which necessitated a second surgery to shave down the growth and create more space for his back to extend and rotate.
That cost him all of 2023. Back on a mound at Giants camp the next year, everything felt fine until Miles pitched a bullpen and could barely throw the following day. An MRI revealed a flexor strain, which Miles originally tried to treat conservatively with rehab and a platelet-rich plasma injection. But only five outings into his rookieball season, as his symptoms worsened with each outing, a date with an orthopedist beckoned. And Tommy John surgery ended his season.
A year-and-a-half later, Miles finally returned to competition at the Arizona Fall League healthy and eager to get his career back on the rails. That’s where the Blue Jays gained interest in him as he struck out 32 per cent of the hitters he faced while walking only one across four starts and a relief appearance. At the Rule 5 draft two months later, he became a Blue Jay. And at Rogers Centre Friday night, he’ll become a big-leaguer.
It’s been a lot to process. It isn’t every day a 25-year-old with 14.2 professional innings and a 6.27 college ERA cracks an opening-day roster. And the pressure Miles pitched through all spring isn’t going away. As a Rule 5 pick, he must remain in the majors for the entire season. On a win-now team such as the Blue Jays, it isn’t as easy to stomach a run of bad outings as it would be for a less competitive club.
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But that’s the story of his time in this game. A skinny kid who can’t crack 90 walks on at an SEC school, gets hit around, gets hurt, gets hurt again, reaches his mid-20’s without pitching above A-ball, and is plucked from obscurity onto a big-league mound. Nothing about it is probable. So, why would his first Opening Day be?
“I have two surgeries and no innings to show for it. It’s a little surreal. I don’t think it’s fully hit yet that I’m going to be a major leaguer,” he says. “But I know the stuff’s there. I’ve just got to go out there, take a deep breath in between each pitch, drive the ball to where we want it, and let everything unfold as it will.”
Mar 26, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Nathan Church (27) leaps at the wall and robs a home run from Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Ryan Vilade (not pictured) during the fifth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Alec Burleson capped an eight-run sixth inning with a two-run homer to help the St. Louis Cardinals rally for a 9-7 victory against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays in the season opener for both teams on Thursday afternoon.
Burleson’s home run came after the Rays had scored six runs in the top half of the sixth to take a 7-1 lead.
Burleson had three hits, scored twice and drove in two runs. Nathan Church had three hits, drove in two and robbed a home run in left field, Victor Scott II also had three hits and JJ Wetherholt homered in his major league debut for St. Louis.
Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore allowed one run and seven hits in five innings.
Jonathan Aranda homered and singled while Yandy Diaz, Ben Williamson and Nick Fortes each had three hits and one run and Jonny DeLuca added two hits and two RBIs for Tampa Bay.
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Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen also allowed one run over five innings, scattering four hits and one walk.
Wetherholt, the seventh overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, led off the third in his second MLB at-bat and blasted a 425-foot homer to center on an 0-2 pitch to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.
Church leaped to rob Ryan Vilade of a home run for the second out in the fifth, but Aranda came up next and cleared the fence in right-center field to tie it 1-1.
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Liberatore departed and the Rays loaded the bases with one out in the sixth. Justin Bruihl surrendered a pinch-hit RBI single to left by Chandler Simpson to give Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead.
After a sacrifice fly by Aranda, Williamson drove in another run with an infield single to extend the lead to 4-1. DeLuca then rolled a full-count grounder up the middle with the bases loaded, scoring two more runs.
Fortes came up for the second time in the inning and beat out another slow roller to score Williamson for a 7-1 lead.
Nolan Gorman cut it to 7-3 in the bottom half of the sixth with a groundball single up the middle that scored two.
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Jordan Walker doubled over the head of center fielder Cedric Mullins, bringing up Church, who lined an opposite-field two-run single to left to cut it to 7-5.
With the bases still loaded and nobody out, Wetherholt lifted a sacrifice fly to deep right to cut it to 7-6.
After Ivan Herrera tacked on another sacrifice fly to tie it 7-7, Burleson stepped up and blasted a two-run homer to deep right to put St. Louis in front.
JoJo Romero, Riley O’Brien and Ryne Stanek combined to blank Tampa Bay over the final three innings.
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – MARCH 26: Coco Gauff of the United States celebrates after defeating Karolina Muchova of Czechia during their semi final match on day 10 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 26, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
Coco Gauff ran through Karolina Muchova 6–1, 6–1 at the Miami Open 2026 to reach her first final in Miami.
After a week of long, good matches, Gauff produced her most straightforward performance when it mattered most.
She’s now: 6–0 against Muchova, into her first Miami Open final and into her 6th WTA 1000 final.
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She came into this tournament off an injury and a retirement at Indian Wells. No expectations. Just trying to feel good on court again.
Now she’s in the final.
After the match, she said:
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“I’m super excited to be in the final of this tournament.” “Like I’ve said the whole week, I didn’t expect to be here . I’m really happy.” “I’ve just been trying to find the joy in the sport.” “Through the battles I was having fun.”“It’s nice to get through in 2 sets today.”
She becomes the youngest American woman to reach the Miami final since Serena Williams (2003) and will move up to World No. 3, overtaking Iga Swiatek.
Boxing art collector Ingo Wegerich explores the stories behind iconic fight artwork, drawing on his extensive private collection. This piece centres on Anthony Joshua’s redemption win over Andy Ruiz Jr.
Following the tragic accident on December 29, 2025, on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State, Nigeria – in which two close friends and team members of Anthony Joshua, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, lost their lives – there has been a period of quiet around the two-time unified heavyweight champion.
As attention turns back to ‘AJ’s next move, we revisit one of the defining moments of his career – and the artwork that captured it.
The Fight
The rematch between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr. on December 7, 2019, in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, was an event of extremes – sporting, financial and logistical.
Six months earlier, late-replacement Andy Ruiz Jr. had stunned the boxing world at Madison Square Garden, knocking Joshua down four times in seven rounds to claim the WBC, WBA, IBF and IBO titles. Comparisons to Mike Tyson’s defeat by Buster Douglas were inevitable.
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The rematch, titled Clash on the Dunes, was not only the first heavyweight world championship staged in Saudi Arabia, but also an early marker of what has since become a new boxing Mecca.
The event came with an extraordinary financial package. Joshua reportedly earned between $60 million and $85 million, while Ruiz earned between $10 million and $13 million. The Diriyah Arena – an open-air stadium in the desert – was constructed in just six weeks and held 15,000 spectators.
At the weigh-in, the contrast was clear. Ruiz tipped the scales at 283.7lbs, more than 15lbs heavier than in the first fight, prompting suggestions he had celebrated too long. Joshua, by contrast, came in at 237¾lbs – over 10lbs lighter than before.
Inside the ring, the fight was controlled and clinical. Joshua dictated the distance, stayed disciplined, and scored consistently behind his jab and footwork. Ruiz struggled to close the gap or land anything meaningful.
More importantly, Joshua had answered every question with a tactical masterclass.
The Artwork
Boxing News marked Clash on the Dunes with a striking painted cover in vibrant shades of yellow, gold and brown, depicting both fighters in action. The artwork was created by Hall of Fame artist Richard T. Slone.
Image credit: Richard T. Slone
The colour palette carries symbolic weight. Yellow, often associated with tension and inner unrest, reflects the nervous energy before the fight. Gold represents ambition, wealth and grandeur, while also evoking the Saudi setting. The tones collectively mirror desert sand – a deliberate reference to the event’s title. Brown adds a sense of tradition and timelessness.
The painting was completed before the fight, which explains why it does not reflect the eventual physical disparity between the fighters. In Slone’s depiction, Joshua appears compact and powerful, almost gladiatorial, with sharply defined musculature.
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Both fighters are captured mid-exchange. Their expressions convey focus and intensity. Joshua’s eyes are closed, suggesting deep concentration, while his punch appears to drive through Ruiz with force and intent. Ruiz, mouth open, embodies exertion and determination.
The word “Destroyer” is visible on Ruiz’s shorts – a nod to his nickname, earned through his aggressive, high-output style.
The Roman numeral “II” references the rematch, but also symbolises Joshua’s attempt to rebuild after defeat — mentally as much as physically. The loss had shaken his identity as champion. Here, he appears composed, focused and resolute.
Slone’s brushwork is expressive and energetic. Through colour, movement and symbolism, he transforms a sporting moment into visual history with psychological depth.
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The Artist
Richard T. Slone, a British-born artist now based in Las Vegas, is widely regarded as one of boxing’s foremost painters.
A former protégé of Joe Frazier and a member of the famed Kronk Gym, Slone has served as the official artist of the International Boxing Hall of Fame since 1996.
He has been commissioned for some of the sport’s biggest events, including Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao, Mayweather vs Canelo Alvarez, Canelo vs Gennadiy Golovkin, and most recently Canelo vs Terence Crawford.
His work has featured on numerous Ring Magazine and Boxing News covers, capturing the drama and emotion of boxing at the highest level.
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Personal Note
I have a personal connection to this painting. I not only own it, but was also present at the fight in Saudi Arabia.
At the time, the experience felt like an adventure. The outdoor weigh-in was sparsely attended compared to other major events, and much of the atmosphere centred around the fighters’ hotel – intense, but intimate.
Shortly before the fight, light rain began to fall. It reminded me of The Rumble in the Jungle, where a heavy downpour followed shortly after the bout.
It’s a trip I will never forget – and this painting remains a vivid reminder of that experience.
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Artwork Details
Ruiz Jr. vs Joshua II Original, 2019 Richard T. Slone Acrylic on canvas 36″ × 40″
England’s Paul Waring shot a seven-under 63 to lead after the first round of the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
The 41-year-old, who is playing on a medical exemption and was a late entry to the field was five under at the turn and his bogey-free round was his lowest ever on the PGA Tour.
Waring, who has only made six cuts from 26 events on the PGA Tour, is one shot clear of former US Open champion Gary Woodland, while Sam Burns, Tom Hoge, and Michael Brennan are two shots behind at five under.
Englishman Marco Penge is a stroke further back at four under alongside his compatriot Matt Wallace.
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World number Scottie Scheffler is not competing due to the imminent birth of his second child, while Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is also missing as he prepares to defend his Masters crown in April.
Wales manager Craig Bellamy says he’s “disappointed” his side couldn’t hold on for victory in their World Cup play-off semi final against Bosnia-Herzegovina, as they conceded an 86th minute equaliser, before going on to lose on penalties after extra time.
The 16-year-old had been on a major rise in trajectory for Manchester United after making seven appearances and finding the net twice. The teenager was part of the U16s side that won the Premier League Shield and has featured for Darren Fletcher’s U18s team throughout this campaign.
Kai is aiming to follow in his father Wayne’s footsteps at Old Trafford. The forward became an icon at United, scoring 253 goals and assisting 143 times in 559 appearances for the club.
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He won a plethora of silverware, including five Premier League titles, one Champions League, a Europa League trophy and plenty of domestic cups.
Kai had been developing well at United this season but a spanner has now been thrown into the works. Here, TheManchester Evening News has all the latest on the teenage superstar.
Kai Rooney confirmed he has sustained an injury that will rule him out for the rest of the season. This will in turn deny the teenager the chance of featuring in the U18s bid for glory in the FA Youth Cup.
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In a sad post on his Instagram story, the 16-year-old wrote: “Disappointed to be out for the rest of the season. Back stronger next pre-season,” alongside a red love heart emoji. The caption was written on top of a black-and-white image of Kai in a United kit during a game.
The United youth side have been finding success with Kai in the squad, as he made his first appearance at Old Trafford in a FA Youth Cup fourth-round win over Derby County. The team will face Crystal Palace in the semi-finals and will face the same opponents at Selhurst Park in the Premier League Cup final.
The U18s are locked in a battle at the top of the league with Manchester City but Kai will now no longer be able to participate in the run-in.
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Support from within
Parents Wayne and Coleen were on hand to support Kai at his final appearance before his injury was confirmed. The 16-year-old helped the U16s to a statement 2-0 win in the Premier League Shield on Tuesday.
The Rooney clan were in attendance to cheer Kai on as Wayne posted a picture of the teenager with a medal around his neck on social media. Youngest brother Cass was also there to take in the victory.
Despite previously banning his famous dad from attending the games as per Coleen, the young star’s mother admitted he is used to handling fame. Speaking to The Times, Coleen said: “He’s lived it from a young age.
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“When we used to go to matches when he was younger and he’d get a lot of people coming up saying, ‘Oh, are you Wayne Rooney’s son?’
“But he is strong-minded and he always has been. I’ve got no worries about the way he deals with it. It’s nice that we know what to expect.
“And we can try to guide him. Obviously, it’s his life, his passion. He can decide what he wants to do. But I think it’s good we’ve got the knowledge.”
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Kai has been enjoying a great year so far in the youth brackets of United’s academy set-up. After scoring for the U18s, the teenager has been offered a scholarship in the youth system and will be able to sign a professional deal next campaign.
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The youngster has also signed with Triple S Sports, an agency that secured a long-term deal with dad Wayne. Other United first-team stars, including Harry Maguire, are among the agency’s clients.
They announced the signing on Instagram with a caption that said: “Delighted to announce the signing of @kairooney.10 to Triple S Sports! We’re excited to begin working with the Manchester United forward as he continues his journey in the game. A bright future ahead.”
The left-winger signed a boot deal with Puma in 2022 when he was just 12 years old, too. However, Kai is not allowed to wear his Puma boots when playing for the U16s due to a longstanding club policy.
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Speaking to the Smith Brothers: Not A Podcast, dad Wayne said: “He’s obviously with Puma but when he plays for the Manchester United U16s, something which I really like is he can’t wear his Puma boots.
“All the academy have to wear the same boots. They do it because there’s people from areas where they can’t afford certain boots so I think it’s really good. But he’s played for the U18s a few times and he can then wear his Puma boots. He’s doing well to be fair to him.”
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What will MS Dhoni‘s role be for Chennai Super Kings? The former captain’s presence is always a confidence booster for the five-time champions. But even his ardent fans would agree that the Dhoni of now is not the same as the Dhoni of five years ago. Dhoni only plays the IPL, and from the videos available on social media, it’s clear that the legendary captain is putting in all the effort to turn up in top shape for Chennai Super Kings. But will he be used as an Impact Player?
Former India and CSK star Ravichandran Ashwin was asked whether he sees MS Dhoni playing all the matches and keeping wickets. Ashwin’s reply was interesting.
“I think Dhoni will have a critical role in supporting this new bowling line-up on the field. What happened last year with MS? I was also there last year. MS wanted to play the last three overs, but the top order did not score much, and he had to come in around the 10th to 12th overs. This time, they have added power in the top order to avoid this. Maybe this time, out of 14 games, he will get to bat higher only in 3-4 games; otherwise, he will only come in at the end. His biggest role will be in keeping, setting the field, and giving a shoulder to Ruturaj. He can be the big brother,” he said on Ash ki Baat.
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“I do not agree that he has to stay on the Impact list. If he is in the squad, he has to play. If he does not want to, he should not play the entire season, that is it. I am not in agreement with him being an Impact Player. He 100 per cent believes he can contribute, and that’s why MS is playing. Otherwise, he is the sort of guy who will not hang around.
“We are seeing his videos. He has been practising for the last three months. ‘Mujhe khelna hai, aap ko jo bhi sochna hai socho’ (I will play, you can think whatever you want). That is the message he is giving. I don’t think he is your top-six batter, but he can play a double role. He can be a compass for Ruturaj. If he wouldn’t be playing, he wouldn’t be practising this hard. I think MS will keep wickets and will bat at No. 7.”
Meanwhile, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra said that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and India icon MS Dhoni cannot play as an Impact Player – and if he does, it is time for the 44-year-old to “hang up his boots.”
A backlit keyboard is part of the gear online video game streamer Jordan Woodruff uses in his Gilbert home.
Jordan Woodruff
Team Yandex and Tundra Esports advanced to the upper-bracket final of the ESL One Birmingham event with victories Thursday in England.
Yandex defeated Team Spirit and Tundra topped Aurora Gaming, both by 2-1 scores, to get one step closer to the grand final. The losing sides are not out of the running yet, but they dropped into the lower bracket of the playoffs and will pick up in the lower-bracket quarterfinals.
The $1 million Dota 2 tournament, featuring 16 teams, will award $750,000 in prize money and $250,000 in club rewards as well as 35,460 ESL Pro Tour points spread among all participants.
The competition began with a group stage, with teams split into two groups of eight. The top two teams from each group advanced to the upper bracket of the playoffs. The third- and fourth-place teams were delegated to the lower-bracket playoffs, with the remaining eight teams eliminated.
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The playoffs will be contested Thursday through Sunday with a double-elimination bracket. All matches are best-of-three except for the grand final, which is best-of-five.
On Thursday, Yandex sandwiched a 50-minute win on red and a 35-minute win on green around a setback to Spirit in 44 minutes on red. Kazakhstan’s Alimzhan “watson” Islambekov led the way with an average kills-deaths-assists ratio of 13.7-2.3-11.3.
Similarly, Tundra opened its match against Aurora with a 36-minute win on green, dropped the next map in 55 minutes on red and bounced back with a clinching 44-minute win on green. Bulgaria’s Bozhidar “bzm” Bogdanov paced Tundra with an average K-D-A of 8.7-2.3-13.7.
The tournament continues Friday with three matches:
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–MOUZ vs. Xtreme Gaming (lower-bracket Round 1)
–Team Falcons vs. PARIVISION (lower-bracket Round 1)
–Team Spirit vs. MOUZ-Xtreme Gaming winner (lower-bracket quarterfinals)
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ESL One Birmingham prize pool (prize money, club reward)
NEW YORK —Paul Skenes stared out toward the mound from the third-base dugout, motionless. Only his fingers moved, scratching beneath his dark, full beard. This was unfamiliar territory.
Thursday was supposed to be his day. Another step in a rise that already included a Cy Young award in 2025 and a World Baseball Classic that pushed him onto an international stage, flexing as the best in the world. He’s the easy favorite to repeat as Cy Young winner this year.
Instead, on Opening Day at Citi Field against the Mets, Skenes failed to get out of the first, yielding five earned runs in just two-thirds of an inning. It matched the most runs he’s allowed in a start and marked the shortest outing of his career. He allowed more runs Thursday than he did in the first inning of all 32 starts combined last year.
“They did a really good job in the moment,” Skenes said after his club’s 11-7 loss. “I don’t know, maybe a little frustrating, but I just got to execute. But they did a good job.”
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It wasn’t all on Skenes. Center fielder Oneil Cruz misread a Brett Baty line drive, breaking in before it carried over his head. Three runs scored on a bases-clearing triple. Then, on the very next play, Cruz lost a Marcus Semien fly ball in the sun, making it a 5-2 game.
Even so, Skenes didn’t have his best stuff. He lacked command of his seven-pitch mix, walking two and hitting a batter in the nine plate appearances he made it through. He had little feel for his breaking pitches. When he got ahead, he couldn’t put hitters away. The Mets, one of the best lineups in baseball, wouldn’t give in. Wouldn’t chase his mistakes. Seven of the first eight batters reached base.
After 37 pitches in the inning, in the unseasonable warmth of Flushing, manager Don Kelly made the call to remove his ace.
“Paul is a competitor,” Kelly said after the game. “He wants to stay out there and pitch. It’s a really tough thing going to get him in the first inning right there. But at the bottom of it is Paul’s health. When you get up close to 40 pitches in an inning, you’re into dangerous territory with a starting pitcher.”
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The physical danger is one thing. The box score is another: when Skenes isn’t stellar, the Pirates don’t have a chance. Often, even when he is stellar, they still find ways to spoil his starts with a lack of run support.
For all the supposed growth of the Pirates, adding Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn as veterans to the mix, too much of the belief still runs through Skenes. He’s not just their anchor. Not just their stability. He’s their credibility. Their relevance. He’s the reason the most optimistic people in Pittsburgh — and inside that clubhouse — can cling to the idea that this team has a path to the playoffs.
“Paul means a ton to Pittsburgh,” added Kelly. “I mean, he embodies it every single day that he shows up. We talked about a lot too. It’s the days in between his starts that really separate him and make him great. And he lives it out every single day.”
Yet baseball has a way of making even the giants look human, like it did Thursday.
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You felt it when Kelly walked to the mound. You felt it when the collective gasp from the Citi Field crowd cut through the moment, louder than some of the cheers. Because this wasn’t supposed to happen. As much as Mets fans came to see their team, there was something else, too. They came to see the best in the world.
He was supposed to last longer than this. Instead, it unraveled.
“It’s nice to get it out the way,” Skenes said with a smirk.
This is the burden that comes with greatness. He has lived up to every bit of the hype. The learning curve that usually comes with the big leagues never touched him.
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“He’s can’t-miss TV,” said teammate and fellow starter Mitch Keller. “I want to be locked in for everything. He’s so special. You just never know when you’re watching this type of talent. You’re locked in and always watching.”
Thursday offered nothing to lock in on.
Inside the clubhouse, Skenes draped himself in a blue towel. The outing was over. There’s no reason to dwell. Not when you’ve established yourself as the most prominent starter in baseball. Not when it’s only your first start of the season.
“Just got to look at it, kind of pitch by pitch,” he said. “I’ll rewatch it at some point, but I’m not as upset about this, for me personally, as people would probably think.”
NEW DELHI: Team India all-rounder and Mumbai Indians Hardik Pandya once again showed that his impact goes beyond cricket, winning hearts with a thoughtful gesture off the field. During his preparation for the T20 World Cup, Pandya spent long nights training at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, often practising till almost midnight. During that phase, he had made a promise to the groundstaff who supported him tirelessly that he would reward them when he returned.
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Pandya has now kept that promise. The Indian all-rounder on Thursday rewarded the MCA groundstaff at Wankhede, acknowledging their role in helping him train under demanding conditions. His gesture stood out as a reminder of the often-unseen contributions of groundstaff in a cricketer’s journey. By fulfilling his word, Pandya not only showed gratitude but also reinforced his image as someone who values people behind the scenes.This moment comes after a successful period in Pandya’s career, having played a key role in India’s T20 World Cup triumphs. Now a two-time champion, he continues to aim higher. Speaking about his personal life and motivation after the recent T20 World Cup win, the Mumbai Indians captain said, “Jab se Mahieka aayi hai, life mein bas jeet hi jeet hai. (Since Mahieka came into my life, it’s been nothing but wins)”Pandya also made it clear that he is far from done in international cricket. “I have 10 more years left in me, and I want to win 10 more ICC titles. That’s my goal,” he said, highlighting his ambition for the future.From dominating on the field to keeping promises off it, Pandya’s journey reflects both determination and humility. His recent gesture at Wankhede shows that even small acts of appreciation can leave a lasting impact.
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