Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco was found criminally responsible for the sexual and psychological abuse of a minor, a judge in the Dominican Republic ruled Monday, but he will not serve a sentence. Franco was given a judicial pardon because he was both a defendant and a victim of extortion in the case.

Franco was convicted of sexual abuse in a Dominican court last June and received a two-year suspended sentence. An appeals court reversed the decision, which led to Franco standing trial in front of a new panel of judges. Full sentencing will take place June 16. Even though he was pardoned, the conviction and sentence will still appear on Franco’s record.

“When we have the full sentence in hand, we will give you more details,” Franco’s lawyer, Teodosio Jáquez, told the Associated Press. “He was exempted from punishment and we think that’s fine, but we need to have the sentence in hand.”

In January 2024, prosecutors delivered roughly 600 pages of evidence alleging that Franco had a relationship with a 14-year-old girl for four months. He was also accused of providing the girl’s mother with cash payments and a car in exchange for her consenting to the relationship. The girl’s mother received a 10-year prison sentence.

Now that the criminal proceedings in the Dominican Republic are complete, Franco will be investigated by MLB and will face a suspension under the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. Criminal charges or a conviction are not required for discipline under the domestic violence policy.

“We are aware of today’s verdict in the Wander Franco trial and will conclude our investigation at the appropriate time,” MLB said in a statement.

The longest suspension under the league’s domestic violence policy is the 324-game ban given to Trevor Bauer in April 2022, after multiple women accused him of sexual abuse. Bauer’s suspension was later reduced to 194 games on appeal.

Franco last played a game for the Rays on Aug. 12, 2023. He was on administrative leave from that day through July 10, 2024, when charges were filed. At that point, he was placed on the restricted list. Franco has not been paid nor received service time while on the restricted list. This is Year 5 of the 11-year, $182 million contract extension he signed in November 2021.

Now 25, Franco was once one of the brightest young stars in the game. He finished third in the 2021 AL Rookie of the Year voting despite playing only 70 games, and he was an All-Star in 2022.   

Scotland and Ireland own the conversation, and for good reason. St. Andrews, Muirfield, Royal County Down, Royal Portrush and Ballybunion are as good as advertised — possibly better. The difficulty is that everyone knows it. Tee times open 18 months in advance, and the most coveted are gone within hours. A trip that once felt like a rite of passage now requires the planning of a military operation.

The answer is hiding in plain sight. England. Crazy? Stay with me.

London may be the greatest golf city in the world. Melbourne is in the conversation, but no other city comes close. Within 45 minutes of Heathrow are four courses on GOLF’s World Top 100 list, and unlike New York, Chicago or San Fran, where golf of this caliber sits behind private gates, every one is open to the visiting golfer.

On the outskirts of the capital, the Surrey Sandbelt takes five days to play. Settle in and the courses — Sunningdale Old and New, St. George’s Hill, Swinley Forest — are 30 minutes apart. The least celebrated of those is ranked No. 57 on our World list. Walton Heath (Old) sits within an hour, and its sibling New Course rewards those who squeeze it into their itinerary. Six world-class rounds, well within reach of the airport. For the golfer with time to spare, the three W’s —Worplesdon, Woking and West Hill — are must-plays too.

For those traveling as a couple, Central London has it all. The hotels are among the finest anywhere. The restaurant scene has long since earned its place among the world’s best. Globally renowned art galleries, shopping, theater and live sports abound. A non-golfing partner will not be kept wanting while you play England’s best.

Two hours from London, the Southeast coast will reset your preconceptions about English golf. Royal St. George’s, Royal Cinque Ports and Prince’s sit side by side on linksland that belongs in the same conversation as any in the British Isles. Add Rye and, for many, the Southeast becomes the whole reason for the trip.

The South may have the glamour, but it doesn’t have all the golf. Four hours north of London, Royal Liverpool, Royal Lytham and Royal Birkdale need no introduction. Hillside, Wallasey and Formby complete a stretch that would be celebrated the world over were it located almost anywhere else.

The tee sheets are open, the courses are in magnificent shape and the golfer who makes the trip to England leaves asking the same question: What took me so long?

Book your 2027 (and beyond) dream trip with 8AM Golf by contacting discovery@8amtravel.com.

A billionaire Saudi government official claimed in October last year that Manchester United were at an advanced stage of completing a deal to sell to a new investor

Turki Alalshikh is reportedly interested in Derby County after claiming last year that Manchester United were “at an advanced stage of completing a deal to sell to a new investor”.

Alalshikh, 44, called it “the best news” he heard that day, before adding: “I hope he’s better than the previous owners.” The billionaire clarified a day later: “I am not the investor, nor are they from my nation.

“I’m posting this as a fan who wishes the deal to happen, though it might not necessarily happen.” He described the “potential sale” as an “advanced negotiation phase with a new investor”.

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The Telegraph now reports that Derby have conducted extensive discussions with Alalshikh about potentially backing the Championship side. However, the publication notes that the extent of the Saudi billionaire’s involvement remains uncertain.

The Independent Football Regulator is said to be conducting due diligence on the Saudi government official before approving any transaction. Alalshikh holds a ministerial position advising the Royal Court and heads the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), which oversees the nation’s entertainment industry.

CEO Today outlined in a profile published last year that his wealth exceeded £2billion as of 2024. However, it seems unlikely that he would assume a comparable position to the one he currently holds at the GEA.

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Clowes is understood to plan to remain Derby chairman under any arrangement, even if he no longer holds a majority shareholding in the club. Alalshikh previously owned Egyptian Premier League club Pyramids and only relinquished Spanish second-tier outfit Almeria last summer after six years at the helm.

Months after that sale, Alalshikh dismissed reports connecting him with Bristol City last September. He said on X: “It is not true that I will buy Bristol City FC.”

Their chief executive, Tom Rawcliffe, however, confirmed weeks later that the club had conversations with Alalshikh. The Robins, like Derby, are receptive to investment as they seek promotion to the Premier League.

Following speculation about a potential interest in the Rams, apparently sparked by supporters noticing that Alalshikh had followed several fan accounts on X, he addressed those rumours on social media. He posted: “Derby,” followed by the person shrugging emoji.

It comes nearly a year after offloading Almeria to a Saudi investment group. The transaction occurred just weeks before he co-founded boxing promotion company Zuffa Boxing alongside UFC chief executive Dana White.

The billionaire’s ties to boxing stretch back almost three years, beginning with Tyson Fury’s bout against Francis Ngannou in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia had already played host to Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight title rematches with both Andy Ruiz Jr and Oleksandr Usyk.

Alalshikh has subsequently arranged several other marquee contests, including the undisputed heavyweight title bout between Fury and Usyk. Now operating through Zuffa, he remains active in staging events throughout the United Kingdom and the United States.

The top-seeded Carolina Hurricanes take on the third-seeded Montreal Canadiens in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference finals best-of-seven series on Monday night. Carolina is coming off a 3-2 overtime win on Saturday to tie the series at 1-1. The Hurricanes (53-22-7), who finished the regular season with 113 points, are looking to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2005-06. The Canadiens (48-24-10), who finished the regular season with 106 points, are looking to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2020-21.

Face-off from Bell Centre in Montreal is set for 8 p.m. ET. Carolina is the -140 favorite (risk $140 to win $100) in the latest Hurricanes vs. Canadiens odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total goals scored is 5.5. Before making any Canadiens vs. Hurricanes picks, check out the NHL predictions and betting advice for Hurricanes vs. Canadiens from the SportsLine Projection Model.

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The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NHL game 10,000 times. The model entered the second week of the conference final round of the 2026 NHL playoffs with a +668 return on top-rated money-line NHL picks. Anyone following its NHL betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen strong returns.  

Now, the model has simulated Hurricanes vs. Canadiens 10,000 times and just revealed its coveted NHL picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NHL odds and trends for Canadiens vs. Hurricanes:

Top Canadiens vs. Hurricanes predictions

After 10,000 simulations of Hurricanes vs. Canadiens, SportsLine’s model is going Over on the total (5.5). The Over has hit in four of the past six head-to-head matchups. The Over has also hit in five of the past 10 Montreal games, including one push. The Over has also hit in 13 of the last 21 Carolina games when playing against a team that has won over 55% of their games.

The SportsLine model is projecting Carolina’s Seth Jarvis to score .39 goals and .42 assists, while goaltender Frederik Andersen will make 21.6 saves and allow 2.78 goals. Montreal’s Cole Caufield is projected to score .51 goals and .41 assists. Goalie Jakub Dobes will make 25.0 saves and allow 2.78 goals. It also projects 5.9 combined goals between the teams, making the Over the value play. See the model’s Hurricanes vs. Canadiens predictions at SportsLine.

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How to make Hurricanes vs. Canadiens picks 

After simulating each shift of Canadiens vs. Hurricanes 10,000 times, the model also says one side of the money line has all the value. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s NHL picks. 

So who wins Canadiens vs. Hurricanes, and which side of the money line has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Hurricanes vs. Canadiens spread to back, all from the model that has returned $668 on top-rated NHL picks, and find out.

The Minnesota Vikings have plenty of running backs, so much so that trading for one might be perceived as strange. But down in Arizona, Trey Benson is buried on the Cardinals’ depth chart, desperately needing a fresh start.

Benson’s buried role in Arizona could give Minnesota a low-cost chance to add fresh backfield upside.

His stock is at its lowest, and Minnesota should inquire about his asking price via trade.

Arizona’s Silly Depth Chart Could Open the Door for Minnesota. Again.

A late-rounder might drag the deal over the finish line.

Benson on the Trade Block?

CardinalsWire‘s Jess Root wrote earlier this month, “When the Arizona Cardinals drafted running back Jeremiyah Love third overall in the 2026 NFL draft last month, the running back room changed and shifted projections for the final roster. A player the Cardinals once were counting on as a key cog in their offense is now a trade candidate: RB Trey Benson, trade candidate.”

“Benson, a former third-round pick who many believed could turn into a starter, is coming off his second straight year that ended with an injury. He has top-end speed. He has averaged 5.4 yards per attempt in his career. He has good size. He has value and upside. As the season approaches, he might be able to be dealt for a late Day 3 pick.”

For context, here’s the Cardinals’ RB room as of late May:

• Jeremiyah Love
• Tyler Allgeier
• James Conner
• Trey Benson
• Bam Knight
• Corey Kiner

Too many. Benson could benefit from a geographical cure.

The History on Benson

In 2024, coming out of the draft, Carolina Panthers halfback Jonathon Brooks and Benson were the two main RB names to watch — for fantasy football and real-life. To date, injuries have plagued both men’s careers to the point that 2026 feels like a make-or-break year.

Benson is in a particularly rough spot because he’s essentially guaranteed to get no action in the Cardinals’ offense. They have Love, Allgeier, and Conner for those jobs — proven commodities.

Still, Benson is 6’0″ and 220 pounds, an ideal size for a workhorse running back. He’s banked 92 rushing attempts in two seasons, compiling 451 yards on the ground, a touchdown, in addition to 19 receptions. In a career that emphatically has not taken off — he’s missed 50% of all games since 2024 — Benson still averages 4.9 yards per carry. Some team, even if the Vikings are not interested, must take a flyer on him. A man with roughly 5 yards per rushing attempt should not be squandered as an RB4 of the lowly Cardinals’ depth chart.

In that regard, this is a golden opportunity. The Vikings can return to the wishing well of poor Arizona decision-making that might propel their season with Murray at the helm. Try it twice.

Last Word on Sports‘ David Latham noted on Benson last week, “Benson has no clear path to the field. LaFleur didn’t draft him, which means he’s likely the third or fourth running back on the depth chart.”

“Running back is an injury-prone position, but it’s hard to envision Arizona keeping him around with all the depth ahead of him. While they won’t cut him, they could try to trade him to a team that still believes in his natural abilities.”

The Trade Price

This is the fun part. Benson is buried. Like buried-buried. Thirty-one general managers know that Benson is not a hot commodity; he’s staring up at Love, Allgeier, and Conner on a depth chart.

It won’t take much to acquire Benson. For example, if Arizona got cute and requested a 3rd- or 4th-Rounder for his services, every suitor would decline, and the Cardinals would be stuck with Benson on their roster — doing nothing.

For the Cardinals, it’s wiser team-building to nab a 5th-, 6th-, or 7th-Round pick for Benson, knowing the RB room already has too many cooks in the kitchen. Arizona has no leverage; they tipped their hand this offseason by welcoming Love and Allgeier.

Quite realistically and reasonably, Minnesota could ship a 6th-Round pick to Arizona for Benson and call it good. They can turn around and put his 5 yards per carry to work in an offense that desperately must fix its rushing efficiency.

Two More Years of Team Control

The final cool perk? Trading for Benson would welcome an affordable asset for two more seasons. Benson’s rookie contract runs out after the 2027 season, at which point he’d hit free agency. Meanwhile, the Vikings’ main running back, Aaron Jones, is old. He may not be with the club in 2027. If the front office already knows that, adding Benson can prepare for the Jones afterlife.

Trade for Benson and incorporate him into the 2026 offense, with upside of becoming an RB1 candidate in 2027 and 2028.

He’ll turn 24 in July. Go get him.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

The 2025-26 Premier League season delivered another unforgettable campaign packed with thrilling encounters, tactical battles, standout individual performances and dramatic storylines across the table. From title races to European qualification battles, the season showcased the very best of English football.

At the centre of it all were Arsenal, who finally ended their long wait for Premier League glory under manager Mikel Arteta. The Gunners secured their first league title in 22 years after producing a remarkably consistent campaign built on defensive solidity, intelligent set-piece routines and big-match composure.

Arsenal wrapped up the title with a game remaining and finished thier season with 85 points from 38 matches, recording 26 wins, seven draws and only five defeats. They beat Crystal Palace in thier final fixture by 2-1 at Selhurst Park to celebrate the historic achievement in style.

Premier League Player of the Season: Bruno Fernandes

The Manchester United captain produced one of the finest campaigns of his career to win the Premier League Player of the Season award. Fernandes combined creativity, leadership and consistency throughout the season, helping United remain firmly in the race for Champions League qualification.

Golden Boot winner: Erling Haaland

Despite Manchester City falling short in the title race, Haaland once again demonstrated why he remains one of the world’s most feared strikers. The Norwegian forward claimed the Premier League Golden Boot after scoring 27 goals in 35 appearances.

His movement, physicality and clinical finishing allowed him to comfortably finish ahead of Brentford striker Igor Thiago, who scored 22 goals during an impressive campaign.

Golden Glove winner: David Raya

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya played a massive role in the club’s title-winning campaign by securing his third consecutive Premier League Golden Glove award.

The Spanish shot-stopper kept 19 clean sheets in 38 matches, providing calmness and reliability behind Arsenal’s disciplined defensive setup. Raya’s consistency throughout the season was one of the foundations of the Gunners’ success.

Young Player of the Season: Nico O’Reilly

Manchester City youngster Nico O’Reilly enjoyed a breakthrough season that established him as one of the brightest young talents in English football.

Capable of operating both defensively and in advanced attacking roles, the academy graduate contributed five goals and three assists in 34 league appearances. His versatility, maturity and technical quality earned widespread praise and helped him secure the Young Player of the Season award.

Tottenham back in for Savinho, Yan Diomande tops Liverpool‘s list of Mohamed Salah replacements, Barcelona keen to make Marcus Rashford move permanent and Arsenal to swoop for Julian Alvarez.

Tottenham are rekindling interest in a £60m move for Manchester City and Brazil winger Savinho, 22. (Mail – subscription required), external

Liverpool will prioritise signing a replacement for Mohamed Salah, with RB Leipzig’s 19-year-old Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande, who has a release clause of £86m, their top target. Newcastle and England winger Anthony Gordon, 25, and Paris St-Germain and France forward Bradley Barcola, 23, are also options. (Telegraph – subscription required, external)

Newcastle‘s Gordon is also wanted by Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich who could use 29-year-old Germany goalkeeper Alexander Nubel as a makeweight in any deal for the 25-year-old winger. (Bild – in German, external)

Barcelona will hold fresh talks with Manchester United before the World Cup to try and sign Marcus Rashford, with the Spanish club already agreeing personal terms with the 28-year-old England forward. (Talksport, external)

Chelsea and Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, 25, has emerged as Manchester City‘s top summer transfer target. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Roma are keen on Marseille’s English forward Mason Greenwood, 24, Manchester United‘s 25-year-old Netherlands striker Joshua Zirkzee and West Ham‘s 24-year-old Dutch winger Crysencio Summerville as they gear up for the Champions League next term. (La Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external

Julian Alvarez wants to leave Atletico Madrid with Arsenal set to make an aggressive move for the 26-year-old Argentina forward. (Teamtalk), external

Aston Villa are eyeing a move for Newcastle‘s 28-year-old England winger Harvey Barnes as they prepare for the Champions League next season. (Mail), external

Juventus are closing in on a deal for Liverpool and Brazil goalkeeper Alisson, who has just over 12 months left on his present contract. (Goal Italia – in Italian), external

Liverpool have entered the race to sign 16-year-old German midfield wonderkid Kennet Eichhorn from Hertha Berlin. (Sky Germany), external

Bernardo Silva has held positive talks with Atletico Madrid as the Spanish giants attempt to hijack Juventus’ move for the Manchester City and Portugal midfielder, 31, who is available on a free transfer. (Teamtalk), external

English managers, Scott Parker, 45, who recently left Burnley and Strasbourg’s Gary O’Neil, 43, are of interest to West Ham if they part company with Portuguese boss Nuno Espirito Santo, 52, this summer. (Guardian) , external

AC Milan have approached the representatives of Bournemouth‘s Spanish manager Andoni Iraola, 43, after the Serie A club sacked 58-year-old Italian head coach Massimiliano Allegri. (Sky Sports, external)

Teddy Atlas has pinpointed who he believes to be the next major star to emerge in boxing.

Atlas knows a thing or two about helping to discover major stars, having worked with a young Mike Tyson during the early stages of his career, whilst also training fighters such as Michael Moorer and Tim Bradley.

Along with his training career, Atlas has also become a highly-respected analyst, and so his expert insight into the sport is always taken seriously by boxing fans.

With that in mind, Atlas has revealed who he thinks has what it takes to be one of the next flagship stars of boxing, with newly-crowned WBO super-middleweight champion Hamzah Sheeraz the man in question.

Sheeraz became world champion for the first time on Saturday when he knocked out the unheralded Alem Begic inside two rounds to secure the vacant title at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.

While Atlas was critical of the match-up, he posted on social media to heap praise on Sheeraz and has backed him to have plenty of success.

“The way these organizations put fighters in title bouts is truly ridiculous, but Sheeraz did what he should & got rid of him quickly. He’s the next star in the sport!”

Sheeraz has won 23 of his 24 fights, 19 of those wins by knockout, with his only blemish coming when he was held to a draw against Carlos Adames in their WBC middleweight title fight in February 2025.

Since stepping up to 168lbs, Sheeraz has looked extremely impressive, and could be set for a showdown with Canelo Alvarez in the future, but first the Mexican superstar challenges Christian Mbilli for the WBC super-middleweight title in September.