Why Astros placed Cristian Javier on IL before MLB postseason originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Right-hander Cristian Javier is not the same caliber pitcher he used to be.

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Still, the Houston Astros would have preferred to have him as a bullpen option during the postseason.

Unfortunately for the AL West club, they may not have the opportunity to use Javier as a bulk reliever.

According to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome, the Astros placed Javier on the 15-day IL with a Grade 2 right groin strain.

In a corresponding move, the Astros selected lefty Josh Hendrickson to replace Javier on the Major League roster.

Javier exited his most recent start on Tuesday after just two innings. He struck out two and walked two on 45 pitches in a 7-0 win against the Seattle Mariners.

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Overall, Javier has posted a 5.14 ERA with a 1.460 WHIP while averaging 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings in 17 appearances.

MORE: Kyle Schwarber and Colson Montgomery are in a race for MLB history no one wants to make

He came out of the bullpen for five of those outings.

This will be Javier’s second trip to the injured list this season, as he missed most of the first half of the year while dealing with a shoulder strain.

The Astros and Texas Rangers have an identical 78-80 record, but Houston holds the tiebreaker in the race for the AL West title.

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International football returns with Wales back in the top tier of the Nations League and facing a difficult test in their A4 group opener against 2025 winners Portugal.

Craig Bellamy’s side missed out on the World Cup after heartbreak in a penalty shootout defeat in their play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but their reward for winning League B in 2024 is a return to the top of the Nations League, where they face Cristiano Ronaldo and co.

Lionel Messi may have retired from international football but his Portuguese counterpart is still going, and has been called up to the Nations League squad despite criticism of some poor performances during the World Cup and a widely held belief that the team would be better served by younger, fitter players.

Former head coach Roberto Martinez was lambasted for failing to drop him but new manager Jorge Jesus has also kept faith with the 41-year-old, who stands 21 shy of his target of 1000 goals and will be eyeing this fixture as a chance to inch closer to that milestone.

Here’s everything you need to know.

When is Portugal v Wales?

Portugal host Wales at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon on Saturday 26 September, with kick-off at 7.45pm BST.

How can I watch it?

Viewers in the UK can watch the game on BBC iPlayer and BBC One Wales.

Team news

Wales’ uphill task has been made even harder by a series of injuries to key players. Harry Wilson withdrew with a quad injury with Joe Rodon and Dylan Lawlor not even in the original squad due to injuries, while Nathan Broadhead and keeper Karl Darlow have also withdrawn. Portugal have no injury concerns to report.

Predicted line-ups

Portugal XI: Costa; Cancelo, Dias, Veiga, Mendes; Vitinha, J Neves; Neto, Fernandes, Felix; Ronaldo

Wales XI: Ward; N Williams, Cabango, Norrington-Davies, Dasilva; Ampadu, J James; Brooks, Thomas, Johnson; D James

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The Netherlands and Germany begin life under new managers as Xavi and Jurgen Klopp take charge of their first games as high-profile hires of national teams.

Klopp made his return to management as the successor to Julian Nagelsmann after a difficult World Cup for Germany, but has already vowed to quite if he is treated unfairly as he seeks an improvement in the side’s fortunes.

Xavi, meanwhile, emerged as a surprise choice for the Dutch following Ronald Koeman’s resignation, with Arne Slot among those to have held talks over the role before the former midfielder’s appointment.

A World Cup winner nonetheless brings plenty of clout to the role and both he and Klopp will see this encounter as a chance to lay down a marker as they begin their tenures in the Nations League.

Here’s everything you need to know.

When is Netherlands v Germany?

The Nations League Group A2 clash is due to kick off at 7.45pm BST on Thursday 24 September at the Johann Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam.

How can I watch it?

Viewers in the UK can watch the match on Prime Video, costing £2.49 on pay-per-view.

Team news

Donyell Malen and Justin Kluivert have withdrawn from the Netherlands squad due to injury, with Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt among those already absent. Memphis Depay, the nation’s leading goalscorer, was a high-profile omission from Xavi’s first group, but captain Virgil van Dijk is back for more after talks over his future with the new manager.

Jurgen Klopp has taken the novel approach of splitting his squad for his opening games in charge, with a 44-player group cut to 24 for this game. Florian Wirtz and Nick Woltemade are among those not involved here, while Philipp Treu could make his debut having impressed at right-back for Freiburg.

Possible line-ups

Netherlands XI: Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; Koopmeiners, Gravenberch, Reijnders; Summerville, Gakpo; Brobbey.

Germany XI: Ter Stegen; Treu, Tah, Schlotterbeck, Brown; Kimmich, Nmecha; Karl, Musiala, Schade; Havertz.

Conference play begins in the Big 12 this week.

The league had a moderately respectable nonconference season. It can arguably be described as its best since expansion in 2024.

That opens the door to the possibility of an at-large bid to the Playoff.

But now the real fun begins.

Conference games in the Big 12 tend to be one-possession games. The parity in the league makes every contest a toss-up. The spreads reflect that.

The oddsmakers are predicting three of the five conference games to be within one score.

In this column, I preview all of the regional games (plus one noteworthy matchup) along with a feature on West Virginia.

Let’s dive in.

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Featured Team: West Virginia

Oklahoma State at West Virginia

Saturday, September 26
4:00 PM PT, FS1

West Virginia might be back. The Mountaineers beat a ranked Virginia team and are 3-0.

Too many people cast off Rich Rodriguez. Mention his name in a positive light over the past few years, and the internet trolls would come out of their caves.

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Now what can they say? His system has always been, and will always be, dependent on the quarterback. A good enough QB can lead a Rich Rod-coached team to 10 wins.

Michael Hawkins Jr. appears to be the right fit. Rodriguez also has a capable backup in Scotty Fox Jr., a potentially critical piece over a long season.

This is the most optimism WVU’s had in years. But the same thing can be said of Oklahoma State. The Cowboys shocked the world when they beat Oregon.

The Pokes followed it up with a convincing win over Murray State. The atmosphere in Morgantown is going to be electric. This is what college football is all about.

Miller covers College Basketball and College Football as well as Formula 1 racing as a Senior Writer and Assistant Editor for SuperWest Sports.

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With all due respect to Arch Manning, Dante Moore and so many other celebrated quarterbacks throughout the college football landscape, the most impressive player at the position through the first month of the season has been Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss. 

In guiding the Rebels to a 3-0 start while completing 70% of his passes for 924 yards and seven touchdowns (as well as rushing for 64 yards and two more scores), Chambliss has catapulted ahead of his peers to emerge as the current favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. While some of the other QBs of the 2027 class have fizzled under the brightest lights, Chambliss has consistently excelled, turning skeptics of his pro prospects into believers. 

But there are undoubtedly still doubters. And it boils down to two factors:

His size (he’s listed at 6-foot-0) and his age (he recently turned 24).

There are five categories I’ve long used to scout quarterbacks: accuracy, anticipation, arm talent, athleticism and attitude. I call them the five A’s of quarterback evaluation. 

After diving into the 2026 tape, I broke down and graded Chambliss in each category. 

Whether it be analysts, NFL scouts, coaches or fans, it never ceases to amaze me how often folks fall for a quarterback with brilliant athletic tools but subpar accuracy. 

Plain and simple, accuracy is the single most important element when evaluating a QB. The ball needs to hit receivers in stride to help them create after the catch. Spin rate, velocity and touch are also important, but not as critical as being able to thread the needle from various distances and trajectories. 

Fortunately for Chambliss, this is one of his many strengths. 

The super senior routinely fires lasers while flat-footed in the pocket. Even better, he might be even more accurate on the move, as this strike shows. 

This isn’t to suggest that Chambliss is automatic. During the early part of last season, his first at Ole Miss following four at Division II Ferris State, too many of his deep balls had a tendency to float. Chambliss is good but not great at layering passes between the second and third levels of the defense. Throwing the ball with enough loft to lift it over linebackers and drop it in front of the safeties is critical in today’s NFL, and it will be a departure from the relatively simple offense he’s running with the Rebels. 

Grade: B+

Pardon the cliché, but the game just seems to come so easily for Chambliss. He’s a natural with impressive instincts and poise and he can improvise. 

He has enough arm strength (more on this later) to zip the ball past defenders after his receivers have gained clearance, but he’s at his best when anticipating their breaks and starting his delivery before they’ve made their final cut to get open. 

I think this is clearest when Chambliss surveys the field from a clean pocket. He shows impressive field vision — especially for a shorter quarterback — efficiently working through his progressions and speeding up his release when needed. 

Again, there were some worrisome throws early in his time at Ole Miss in which he either stared down his primary read or failed to account for multiple defenders. And while he was not intercepted by Miami in the Fiesta Bowl last season, he got away with some questionable decisions. 

Grade: B+

There is no getting around it: At the highest level, quarterbacks sometimes just have to sling it past defenders. The openings can be so minuscule that big-time velocity is required. 

Chambliss has that type of arm strength. While the breakaway speed by his teammate, Deuce Alexander, is also worth noting on the play below, the throw is an absolute dart. 

Or this touchdown strike last weekend against LSU. 

As mentioned earlier, Chambliss put a little too much air under some of his previous deep balls at Ole Miss but this year he’s throwing the ball with greater touch and accuracy. This throw travels nearly 40 yards in the air and is perfectly placed where only his receiver can get it. 

Grade: A-

This is a tricky category when evaluating quarterbacks because scouts are prioritizing pocket mobility, flexibility and the strength to fight through arm tackles rather than the pure explosive athleticism indicated in 40-yard dash times or vertical jumps. 

Chambliss has agility and creativity as a scrambler, but he’s not a dynamic runner warranting comparisons to Lamar Jackson or Kyler Murray. He’s posted impressive rushing totals in his 16 starts at Ole Miss, including 591 yards and 10 scores, but I don’t expect him to wow in pre-draft workouts and wouldn’t be surprised at all if he opts not to run prior to the draft. 

Given his statistics, I was actually a bit disappointed in Chambliss’ pure athleticism. He’s alert and will take yardage when given to him, but I was surprised by how many times he struggled to escape the pocket with backside pursuit often getting home. He’s more elusive than explosive.

Trinidad Chambliss has rushed for nearly 600 yards and 10 touchdowns in his 16 starts. But he’s much more interested in beating opponents with his arm than his legs. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

Granted, some of the best scrambling quarterbacks in the NFL aren’t necessarily elite athletes. No one would call Brock Purdy as athletic as Jackson, for example, but opponents rarely get a clean hit on him, and he’s run for 12 touchdowns over 51 NFL games. Over that same span, Jackson has 13 rushing touchdowns. 

While Chambliss isn’t the most explosive dual-threat quarterback of the 2027 draft, he’s very effective. 

Grade: B-

Certain leadership qualities are expected at the quarterback position. Ideally, quarterbacks have the confident demeanor that can lift the spirits of teammates without becoming an egomaniac. As a former under-recruited prospect who began his college career as a backup at Ferris State, Chambliss should have perspective. 

Since that time, of course, Chambliss won a national championship at Ferris State before transferring to Mississippi, where he’s become a household name while winning 14 of his 16 starts and turning the Rebels into a top-10 program. 

For all of his impressive physical skills, what scouts appreciate most about Chambliss is the fact that the moment doesn’t ever seem too big for him. His championship pedigree and clutch play late in ball games have scouts excited about the impact that he might have on their own NFL teams.

Grade: A

Like with most young quarterbacks, Chambliss can improve his throwing mechanics and decision-making, but he obviously cannot do anything about his height or age. He is undeniably older than scouts would prefer, and his below-average height does show up on tape with Chambliss occasionally missing reads.

While short, the 210-pound Chambliss has a muscular, compact frame and is similar in stature to former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield and 10-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson. Because of their size, some questioned if they would remain healthy in the NFL, despite proving durable at the high school and collegiate levels, as Chambliss has to this point. 

It’s perhaps worth noting that Mayfield and Wilson have combined to miss a grand total of five games to injury over their respective NFL careers — a span that includes 23 seasons and more than 300 contests. Unless medical testing at the Scouting Combine unearths some previously unknown issue with Chambliss, I see no reason why NFL teams should worry about his durability. 

And given how long quarterbacks are playing in today’s NFL, his age also shouldn’t be a huge concern. In fact, I think it should be viewed as a positive: He’ll enter the NFL with more perspective and maturity than most quarterbacks. 

Now, is Chambliss a surefire first-round selection? A lot can change between September and April. 

But if the NFL draft were today, he wouldn’t just be a first-round pick. Chambliss might be the first quarterback to come off the board. 

India In Athletics At Asian Games 2026 LIVE Updates: Seema Kumari has delivered India’s first athletics medal of Asian Games 2026 by winning bronze in the women’s 10,000m final on Thursday. Seema finished with a time of 32:50.05, and bagged the nation’s first medal in the event in 16 years. Earlier, Asha Ilango narrowly missed out on a historic first women’s triple jump medal. She finished with the same best throw as the bronze medalist, but missed out due to a worse second-best attempt. Gurindervir Singh and Animesh Kujur qualified for the men’s 100m semi-finals, with timings of 10.38s and 10.36s respectively. In heptathlon, Pooja and Anamika Aneesh are not in the medal positions, with three more events to go. The quartet of Poovamma MR, Vishal Thennarasu, Vithya Ramraj and Manu TS will compete in the mixed 4x400m relay final. (Asian Games 2026 Day 5 LIVE Updates)

India Athletics LIVE Results, Medal Events And Qualification Updates: