As Tadej Pogacar gingerly stepped into the waiting ambulance, a funereal hush descended on the peloton. His teammmates rolled forlornly over the finish line together like soldiers mourning a fallen commander; new race leader Enric Mas refused to don the red jersey out of respect for the patron.
But cycling waits for no-one and by the next day the general classification battle ignited in earnest. Stage nine’s full-throttle racing between the top names set the tone for how this Vuelta a Espana will play out, with four men poised to capitalise on Pogacar’s untimely exit.
Pogacar’s crash made a mockery of the many, many confident declarations of his victory (including this writer’s), so predicting who will now win the most open grand tour in years feels something of a fool’s errand. But here goes: barring a miraculous late comeback from someone further down the standings, one of Mas, Primoz Roglic, Felix Gall or Oscar Onley will be wearing red in two weeks’ time. (It goes without saying that that is depending on all of them avoiding Pogacar’s misfortune, too.)
As of the first rest day Mas sits 1’18” ahead of four-time champion Roglic, with Gall a further 21 seconds back. In provisional fourth sits Britain’s Onley, 2’20” behind Mas and 41 seconds behind Gall.
Of the quartet, Roglic is the only one with the experience of winning a grand tour; having won in Spain a record-equalling four times, he is at home here and his guile and race-craft will be a huge advantage. In the Slovenian’s ‘cons’ column: he is 36, five years older than Mas, and certainly not in peak Rogla form.
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Mas is in unknown territory; this is the first time he has ever worn the leader’s jersey at a grand tour. As a Spaniard riding for a Spanish team, and having just secured Movistar’s first stage win at the Vuelta in five years, the pressure on his shoulders is huge. With three previous second-placed finishes on his palmares, he wants this the most – but with that comes the danger of taking too much risk to achieve it.
He played his cards brilliantly on stage nine, powering away with Onley for company in the last 3km and holding off the Scot for victory. “Now I understand Tadej – the jersey gives you wings,” the 31-year-old said afterwards. “This morning I was as excited as a little boy.” He will have to keep that excitement in check in order to change the narrative surrounding him; Mas is a perennial top-10 finisher at grand tours but has always cracked at some point.
Pogacar won three stages before his nasty crash on stage eight (Reuters)
Onley may be the biggest unknown: at 23 he is comparatively inexperienced, with this just his third grand tour and first as Netcompany-Ineos’ leader. He rode an astonishingly mature race to finish fourth at the Tour de France last year, playing a patient game, and has picked and chosen his moments so far this Vuelta, sticking with Mas on stage nine but unable to overhaul him in the sprint. He was fourth on stage four despite having been, in his words, “up all night on the toilet”; now he seems to have recovered from that complaint he is hugely dangerous on the toughest terrain.
Gall has the strongest team in the race on paper and is an excellent climber in incredible form. His Decathlon CMA CGM squad showed the most willingness to take the fight to Pogacar and are likely to try to control the majority of this race – albeit with many eyebrows raised at their strategy and propensity to burn their matches, seemingly with no gain. Lidl-Trek’s assistant sports director Maxime Monfort rather summed it up after stage eight: “Decathlon… sometimes they do some strange things.”
With no outfit as strong as UAE Team Emirates XRG, this race is going to be difficult to control in the model we have become used to since the ‘Sky train’ years, leaving the destiny of the red jersey to be decided most likely on moments of individual brilliance or collapse. There is plenty of road left for both. The first challenge is how the riders will manage the blistering heat of Andalusia, with even Pogacar caught out without adequate fuel late on stage six, in slightly more temperate climes.
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Primoz Roglic has the most to gain from stage 18’s time trial (AP)
There are four major summit finishes to come: stage 12 will take the riders 2,000m above sea level, another challenge to go with the punishing gradients; stage 14 is another mountainous test before three back-to-back stages to decide the race.
Stage 18’s individual time trial will have been circled by each of the main four; Mas and Gall will need to take time out of Roglic on every summit finish to compensate for how comprehensively the Slovenian will beat them against the clock. That’s followed by two more gruelling, long mountain stages, with stage 20 taking in three category-one climbs. Stage 21’s inaugural summit of the hors-categorie Collado del Alguacil could rip up the GC entirely, in the manner of Simon Yates’ long-range assault on the penultimate stage of the 2024 Giro.
As ever this is a climber’s Vuelta, but the TT will be hugely significant too. What may yet prove most significant of all is the psychological challenge that grand tour racing presents.
All four of these riders have a wholly unexpected chance to win the Vuelta, chances that looked more microscopic with every attack Pogacar put in. For Gall, Mas and Onley, success would make their careers; for Roglic, it would provide the sweetest of endings. Pogacar’s absence has blown the entire race up. Now it is a case of who can hold their nerve.
Allan has signed a contract at the Etihad until 2031.
Allan hasn’t featured for the Brazil national team at any level but City have seen potential in the wideman
He mainly plays on the right and is an effective dribbler while also a willing worker in defence
After completing his move, Allan said: “This is a surreal moment for me. Manchester City, with everything they have won over the past 15 years, are one of the most attractive clubs in the world for players. To be able to sit here today and say I have joined them is the proudest moment of my life. I love Palmeiras and always will – but the decision to come to City was an easy one. I want to be the best footballer I can be and the conversations I’ve had with the people at City so far has convinced me there isn’t a better place for me to fulfil my ambitions. I want to promise the Manchester City fans I will give absolutely everything to make the most of this opportunity. Now the hard work begins. I will give 100% in training and make the best case possible to the manager I should be playing. My intention is to help City continue winning trophies. If I can do that, it would be a dream come true.”
Director of Football Hugo Viana added: “Allan is a really exciting player, and we think he will be a big addition to the squad. He has shown throughout his short career so far that he will fight to be the best he can be. Coming to Manchester and taking on the challenge of being a City player is another example of that. We watched his progress in Brazil and saw a player that thrives in the big moments and works hard for the team with a superb attitude. Everyone is very happy that he has joined us and we look forward to seeing him grow with City.”
Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to his celebrated career with the Argentina national team.Messi confirmed his decision in an emotional statement, saying he had spent considerable time thinking about his future since Argentina’s latest final. The Argentina captain said the decision was painful but that he believed the time had come to step away.“After all this time since the final, and after thinking about it a lot, I want to tell everyone that I’m retiring from the national team…“It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep inside, but I understand that this is the right moment.“I swear I always gave everything, not only in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too. I always fought and gave everything for this shirt, to bring you happiness and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football.”
‘I don’t have anything more to give’
Messi said he understood that his time with Argentina was coming to an end and acknowledged the emergence of a new generation of players.“There isn’t much time left, and different chapters are coming to an end. This is one that hurts me a lot. I love, I loved, and I will always love being part of the national team. I gave everything I had, and I don’t have anything more to give.“Also, there are great young players coming through who deserve to be here.”The 39-year-old also thanked Argentina supporters for their backing throughout his two decades with the national side, saying he would now support the team from outside.“Thank you for all the love during these 20 years. I’m going to miss hearing you from the inside. Now I’ll be one of you, always supporting from the outside, in the good times and even more in the bad ones.”Messi also paid tribute to his family, coaches, teammates and directors who accompanied him throughout his international career.“Thank you to my family for always being there and for being with me throughout this beautiful but difficult journey. Thank you to every coach, teammate and director I had the chance to share it with. I take with me unforgettable memories and moments.”
‘I leave with peace and pride’
Messi said he was leaving international football with a sense of fulfilment after achieving moments he and his teammates had once dreamed of.“I leave with peace and pride, knowing that together with my teammates we gave you moments we once dreamed of. It was crazy to experience all of this with you. I love you!“Thank you God for making me Argentine.“Vamos Argentina!”Messi revealed that he had originally written the statement on July 21, two days after the final, but said events involving his father had reinforced his decision.“I wrote these words on July 21, two days after the final. Today, after what happened with my dad, I’m even more convinced of this decision than before.”
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Brewers vs. Cubs: Chicago +1.5 (-182)
The Brewers are once again looking like they’ll have the best record in baseball but they’ll need to fend off a potential late push from the Cubs beginning Monday. This is a four-game series which could change the complexion of the NL Central standings substantially, but the Cubs are in a bit of a funk after starting August on a tear. Chicago is just 3-7 in its last 10 games while Milwaukee is 7-3 over the same span. The Brewers are giving the ball to Kyle Harrison (10-3, 2.79 ERA) on Monday and the Cubs counter with Clay Holmes (5-6, 2.26 ERA). The SportsLine model has the Cubs covering the run line in 64% of simulations.
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Manchester City are pushing to complete a deal for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez before the transfer window shuts on Tuesday.
Manchester City’s transfer window has had a very different feel to it this year. In recent years, we have become accustomed to the Blues getting their business done early and avoiding late drama where possible. This year, that has gone out of the window.
In fairness to City, not all of it was their fault. Talks to hire Enzo Maresca rumbled on much longer than anybody expected they would. Plus, the World Cup meant many stars delayed making decisions on their futures until after the tournament. However, the fact remains that City are now scrambling in the final hours to complete their business.
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With Rodri, Nico Gonzalez, Tijjani Reijnders and Bernardo Silva all having left the Etihad Stadium, City were always going to need to sign more than just Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi. The player they have identified to be their third midfield addition is Enzo Fernandez. Chelsea’s midfielder has been on City’s radar for several weeks but the deal is going down to the wire.
Some City fans are questioning why the club are looking to bring Fernandez to the Etihad. However, you only have to listen to what Maresca has said in the past about the 25-year-old to appreciate why he wants to reunite with his former player.
“He behaved as a leader and he is doing top, fantastic,” Maresca said in February 2025. “For sure Enzo has taken a step forward in that sense. He is showing how good a leader he is, how good he is on the ball, how good he is off the ball and we are delighted with him.”
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A few months later during Chelsea’s successful Club World Cup campaign, Maresca said: “I am very pleased with Enzo especially because, first of all, he is a nice and polite boy, and then with us since we started he has been working very well in every aspect on and off the pitch. This season he struggled a bit at the beginning to understand the way we want to play but (since) then he is doing fantastic also in terms of numbers, goals and assists.
“This is what I want from attacking players – I have said many times that I prefer to have attacking players with 10-12 goals each than just one striker with 40 goals. His contribution has been top and I am sure it will be even better next season.”
Not only is Fernandez a player who knows Maresca’s system and has flourished under his management previously, he is also an established leader. The World Cup winner was one of the senior heads in the dressing room at Stamford Bridge and was clearly vital to Maresca’s plans.
In Cardiff earlier this month, Maresca spoke of having three leaders in his team: Ruben Dias, Erling Haaland and Rodri. The following week, he lost Rodri to Barcelona, leaving him with just two.
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Marc Guehi and Gianluigi Donnarumma have leadership experience, but you are never at a loss with another strong character in the dressing room. The thing is, adding that quality costs money and with time running out in the transfer window, City are not in a position to be dismissive of Chelsea’s asking price.
It has been a tough summer for Maresca. There has been a lot of turnover in the squad and the Italian has had to respond to that. If City can pull off a move for Fernandez before 11pm on Tuesday, they will at least end the window by signing a player Maresca trusts to improve this team.
That is why City are going all out for Fernandez. He ticks the Maresca box, the midfield box and the leadership box.
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Rashid Latif has taken a swipe at the Mohsin Naqvi-led Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after the team’s Test series loss to England. Speaking to Geo TV, Latif launched a scathing attack on Naqvi, the PCB, the team management and the selectors, calling them the worst group to serve Pakistan cricket since its foundation more than seven decades ago. His remarks came after Pakistan slumped to a 194-run defeat against England in the Lord’s Test, conceding the three-match series with one game still to play.
While many have blamed the team for the loss, Latif insisted that the bigger issue lies with the PCB leadership, the team management and the selectors.
“Everyone is talking about the Pakistan team, and how it is the worst touring team in the last 50 years. But nobody is speaking about how the current board is the worst in the last 70 years. Nobody is talking about the worst selection committee and coaches,” said Latif.
Latif also blamed Mohsin Naqvi’s leadership for Pakistan’s prolonged run of poor results. Naqvi also serves as Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Interior.
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“If you combine these issues, you will get the answer to your question. You will know who has ruined this team. Now you are losing consistently. This is the worst cricket board, that’s a fact,” he added.
Placed at the bottom of the points table in the World Test Championship, Pakistan lost the opening Test to England by an innings and 103 runs at Leeds and the second Test at Lord’s by 194 runs.
This was their 10th loss in their last 11 away Tests.
The Babar Azam-led side will look to lift themselves from their ongoing slump and secure a consolation win along with important WTC points in the Edgbaston Test, which starts on September 9.
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Neeraj Chopra Wins Silver, Yashvir Singh Bronze As India Seal Double Podium In CWG Javelin
Liverpool have just tied off their summer-long saga and completed the signing of Bradley Barcola – but they appear far from done this window.
While a new goalkeeper is on the verge of being secured in Lucca Brughmans, the Reds are said to be after another winger, with Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh and Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr very much in the conversation after having bids rejected for the pair.
And now, Liverpool are ready to rival Everton for the signature of Stuttgart winger Jamie Leweling, according to Sky Sports Germany.
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The 25-year-old Germany international, who featured once at this summer’s World Cup, is also linked with Italian club Roma.
(Getty)
Will Castle31 August 2026 15:19
Harry Maguire delighted with Marcus Rashford’s return after ‘rough ride’ at Manchester United
Rashford made his first start for United for 20 months in Sunday’s 5-2 win over Ipswich after first being dropped by former manager Ruben Amorim and then loaned out to Aston Villa and Barcelona.
Maguire said Rashford has made a positive impression since his return, explaining: “It’s been really good since he came in. He’s trained really well and us as players, if Marcus wants to be here and wants to work and wants to improve and wants to help the team, of course, we’re willing to have him in the squad.
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“He’s a great talent. You’ve seen that he’s always a threat. I think [against Ipswich], he was a threat constantly, and I think he could still do a lot more and I think he’ll say that he can do more. I think if we keep him fit, we keep him happy, he keeps driven, keeps hungry, and he is a great asset to have.”
Flo Clifford31 August 2026 15:03
Liverpool agree deal for new goalkeeper – but he won’t arrive just yet
The 6ft 7in teenager is set to come to Anfield next summer and will be loaned back to Genk for the rest of this season.
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Brughmans, a Belgium Under-19 goalkeeper, will join for an initial fee well below the £28m price that had been mooted.
Richard Jolly31 August 2026 14:45
Bradley Barcola’s Liverpool number revealed – and the reason behind it
Bradley Barcola has completed his move to Liverpool – where he will wear the No 29 shirt.
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The France international winger arrives on a five-year deal for an initial fee of £106m, which could rise to £123m, but could have taken the vacant No 11 shirt left by Mohamed Salah.
Instead, Barcola will continue wearing the No 29 shirt be played in at Paris Saint-Germain, which in itself was inspired by ‘The Journey’ mode from the Fifa video game series.
The 23-year-old Barcola previously revealed that he chose to wear No 29 at PSG because it was the number worn by Alex Hunter, the fictional striker players can guide from academy prospect to global star.
(PA Archive)
Jamie Braidwood31 August 2026 14:31
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Why Bradley Barcola should be the ‘perfect’ fit for Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool
Ahead of the French forward completing his move, Richard Jolly explained why Bradley Barcola could be a perfect fit for Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool.
Harry Latham-Coyle31 August 2026 14:17
Bradley Barcola’s first words as a Liverpool player
“It’s a great pride to be able to play for Liverpool. I’m very happy.
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“It took a long time but I’m really happy today to be able to play for Liverpool and all I want is to be on the pitch and be able to play.
“I hope to achieve very big things. First of all, winning the Premier League – it’s one of my biggest dreams in my life.
“It is to do that and to stay in this team in the long term – that’s why I signed a long contract – and I hope I can do it.
“I had the chance to play twice in this stadium and I saw the atmosphere and how the fans were behind the Liverpool players.
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“When I knew about Liverpool’s interest in me, I didn’t ask questions and I knew it was a very big club for me.”
Jamie Braidwood31 August 2026 14:06
Liverpool complete statement signing of Bradley Barcola from PSG
Liverpool have completed the signing of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain in a marquee addition to Andoni Iraola’s squad.
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The French forward arrives on a five-year deal for an initial fee of £106m, which could rise to £123m.
The 23-year-old has been a Liverpool target throughout this summer, and desired a move to Merseyside even while attracting interest from other clubs.
Barcola continues Liverpool’s heavy investment over the past two years, with Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz brought in for more than £100m last summer.
Capped 28 times by France, Barcola was part of the PSG side that won back-to-back Champions League crowns in 2025 and 2026, featuring off the bench in both finals.
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Richard Jolly 31 August 2026 14:00
Copa Independent: Transfer window special!
Have you listened to the latest episode of Copa Independent yet? Our crack team of football writers dug deep into all the moving and shaking of this summer’s wild transfer window, and looked at what it all might mean for the Premier League this season. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts – or right here….
Copa Independent | Transfer window special: £100m dominoes, Villa’s woes and the incoming deadline day frenzy
Harry Latham-Coyle31 August 2026 13:50
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DONE DEAL! Daniel Munoz reunites with Oliver Glasner at Nottingham Forest
A switch of Premier League clubs for Daniel Munoz, a favourite of Oliver Glasner now back with the manager after leaving Crystal Palace for Nottingham Forest.
“I’m really excited because I can see so much talent, Forest is a team with great players, great qualities and great skills on the pitch, I can’t wait to get out there so I can help my new teammates and I think that we’re going to do great things.
“The first thing is that this is a winning club. I think that when this is the expectation, the mentality, both for the management and the technical team, and for the players, this makes it special.”
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Harry Latham-Coyle31 August 2026 13:40
Manchester City complete signing of £32m winger as spending spree continues
Allan Elias said it was surreal and the proudest moment of his life to join Manchester City after completing his £32m move to the FA Cup winners.
The uncapped Brazilian has signed a five-year deal with City, who could pay Palmeiras a further £2m in add-ons.
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The 22-year-old becomes one of the replacements for Savinho and Omar Marmoush, who have gone to Tottenham in deals that could earn City up to £145m, and may be the first of two wingers recruited at the end of the transfer window.
Liverpool finalised the most expensive transfer of the summer window by signing Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain on Monday in a deal worth around £123 million ($166 million).
Liverpool secured its main target of the summer after a monthslong pursuit of a speedy 23-year-old France international who is coming off winning back-to-back Champions League titles with PSG but mainly as an impact substitute, backing up Désiré Doué.
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Now Barcola will expect to be a key part of an expensively assembled Liverpool attack that also includes striker Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, who were signed last summer for £125 million ($170 million) and £116 million ($156 million), respectively.
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Barcola is primarily a left winger so isn’t a like-for-like replacement for Liverpool great Mohamed Salah, who played on the right for nine years before leaving for Trabzonspor to end a trophy-laden spell at Anfield.
The deal will see Liverpool paying £106 million ($143 million) for Barcola, who was part of the France team which lost in the semifinals to Spain at the World Cup this summer, and up to an additional £17 million ($23 million) in potential add-ons. Barcola joined PSG for €45 million ($38.5 million) from Lyon in 2023.
The fee sets a record for a player leaving the French league.
Barcola, a fast and direct winger, joins a team that has gotten off to a sluggish start to the Premier League, with Liverpool needing late goals to salvage draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest in the opening two rounds.
Cody Gakpo and summer signing Víctor Munoz have played on the left wing so far this season. Gakpo reportedly has been a target of Manchester City in the final days of the transfer window.
Liverpool will also play in the Champions League this season.
PSG made a massive profit from Barcola’s sale, but without him, the team has struggled to unsettle its opponents’ defenses, drawing its opening two Ligue 1 matches.
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Known for his explosive pace, acceleration and ability to stretch defences, Barcola was always capable of creating space for the two-time European champions. That quality could be missing for Luis Enrique’s side this season, although wingers Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Doué still provide plenty of quality on the flanks.
PSG also reinforced its attack over the summer with the signings of Maghnes Akliouche, Ferran Torres and Mika Godts, helping to offset the loss of depth following Barcola’s departure.
English clubs have spent big this summer – but this is the biggest deal of the lot.
The most expensive previously was Morgan Rogers, who left Aston Villa for Chelsea for $156 million. Next is Elliot Anderson, who joined Man City from Nottingham Forest for $155 million and then it’s Sandro Tonali, who signed for Tottenham for $133 million from Newcastle.
Aug 30, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) bats against the Toronto Blue Jays in the second inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
The Seattle Mariners and host Boston Red Sox will look to generate more offense when the teams open a three-game series on Monday night.
Seattle has been outscored 25-4 during a four-game losing streak. The Mariners were held to one hit — Cal Raleigh’s double with two outs in the fourth inning — during Sunday’s 7-0 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.
“We all need to be better,” Seattle manager Dan Wilson said. “It (was) a tough series. We need to make our improvements. Logan (Gilbert) gave us a chance; just weren’t able to do anything offensively. Bottom line is all of us need to be better.
“We weren’t able to get baserunners and put up any kind of an offensive threat, so it was just kind of a soft game all day.”
Boston is coming off Sunday’s 16-1 loss to the New York Yankees. The Red Sox have dropped four of their last five games and have been limited to three runs in the four losses.
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A controversial call that went against the Red Sox seemed to send them into a tailspin on Sunday.
With a runner at first base in the fifth inning of a scoreless game, New York’s Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a sinking line drive to center field. First base umpire Edwin Moscoso ruled the ball hit the ground before Ceddanne Rafaela could make the catch, and that decision stood following replay review. The Yankees went on to score five runs in the inning.
“From watching it on video, it looks like he caught the ball,” Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said. “Then again, I feel like it’s one of those plays where you’re kind of at the mercy of what they call on the field, which stinks because if they call him out — and I do think he caught the ball — they’re probably going to go to review and gonna be unable to overturn it.
“If they call it a no catch because you can’t see … then we’re at the mercy of what the call on the field is. It’s frustrating.”
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The good news for Boston? Outfielder Roman Anthony and shortstop Trevor Story returned to the lineup Sunday following lengthy absences due to injuries.
Anthony went 2-for-4, including a ground-rule double in his first at-bat. Story went 2-for-3, including a double in the top of the eighth. Anthony had not played since May 4 due to a hand/wrist injury. Story missed more than three months with a sports hernia.
Monday’s probable pitchers are Seattle right-hander George Kirby (9-10, 4.02 ERA) and Boston left-hander Payton Tolle (8-6, 3.09).
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Kirby is 2-1 with a 3.21 ERA in six career starts against the Red Sox. He struck out nine and allowed one run in 7 2/3 innings during his last start, a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday.
Tolle lost his lone career start vs. the Mariners, permitting three runs on six hits in six innings on June 21.
He is 4-0 in his last nine starts, but he settled for a no-decision last Tuesday despite allowing two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings against the Miami Marlins in a game Boston won 7-3 in 11 innings.
It looked like the Brit was well on the way to earning the win and becoming the second youngest world heavyweight champion in history, after knocking down Hrgovic in the second round and continuing to dominate as the action progressed.
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Hrgovic showed a granite chin though and was able to weather the storm throughout the bout, allowing him to defeat his exhausted rival in the ninth round after Itauma had punched himself out and was struggling to stand upright.
The vacant IBF belt was on the line after Usyk had relinquished his unified heavyweight titles earlier this summer, and the Ukrainian has now shared his reaction to what unfolded over the weekend.
Posting on social media, Usyk congratulated Hrgovic on his win, whilst also insisting that Itauma will be able to bounce back from the loss.
“The Itauma vs Hrgovic fight is another reminder of how unpredictable boxing can be. Anything can happen once you step into the ring. Congratulations, Filip on a great victory! Moses, this is not the end. Come back stronger and keep moving forward. Your journey has only just begun!”
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