The San Diego Padres are expected to come under new ownership soon.

On Saturday, the MLB franchise reached an agreement to sell a controlling interest in the team to an investor group led by Puerto Rican businessman José E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones.

The family of late owner Peter Seidler, which makes up the Padres’ current ownership group, confirmed the deal. The decision to offload the team comes three years after Seidler’s death. John Seidler has served as the Padres’ chairman since his brother died.

The deal will not become official until it receives league approval. Last month, it was revealed that the Padres have a valuation of $3.9 billion. Although a sale price was not specified in the announcement, given the valuation, the transaction is expected to set a record for the highest price paid for an MLB franchise, surpassing Steve Cohen’s 2020 acquisition of the New York Mets for $2.42 billion.

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San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado, left, acknowledges the crowd after hitting a single, his 2000th career hit, during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Monday, July 7, 2025, in San Diego.  (AP Photo/Orlando Ramirez)

Other members of the investor group were not named. In a joint statement, Jones and Feliciano “a unifying force” in San Diego and committed to building on the franchise’s foundation.

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“The Padres are more than a baseball team; they are a unifying force in San Diego, rooted in community, connection and belonging. As life and business partners, and as a family, we are honored to lead this next chapter together. We have worked hard for everything we have achieved, and we have built it together. We see that same spirit in this team and its fans, and we know what it takes to win. We are committed to showing up, listening and earning the trust of this community while building on the strong foundation established by the Seidler family.”

The group added that its commitment encompasses both on-field success and meaningful community impact.

A general view of Petco Park during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the San Diego Padres on March 26, 2026, in San Diego, California. (Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

“This is about more than baseball — it’s about boosting the pride, energy, and connection that define the Padres, investing in community, deepening belonging and ensuring this team remains accessible and endures for generations. We are all in — with the goal of bringing a World Series championship to San Diego.”

Peter Seidler joined the Padres’ ownership group in 2012 when John Moores sold the team for $800 million to a group headed by Ron Fowler. Seidler took over and immediately endeared himself to San Diego’s fans with his aggressive financial backing of general manager A.J. Preller.

The Padres have been a hot ticket for several years as San Diego’s only team in the four biggest North American sports leagues, ranking second in the MLB in attendance last season.

San Diego Padres players stand for the national anthem before Opening Day against the Detroit Tigers at Petco Park in San Diego, California, on March 26, 2026. (Meg McLaughlin/The San Diego Union-Tribune)

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The Padres are off to a strong start, sitting second in the NL West at 19-13 entering Sunday afternoon’s finale of a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox. The team has made the playoffs in four of the past six seasons.

Feliciano is on track to become the second Latino owner in baseball, joining Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ulster welcome Exeter Chiefs to the Kingspan Stadium on Saturday evening (5:30pm) with a place in the EPCR Challenge Cup final on the line—and the bookmakers have them slight favourites at -2.

It’s a tight spread for a knockout game, but the team news from Richie Murphy suggests Ulster are going all-in to get the job done on home soil.

Big Guns Return at the Right Time

There are 14 changes from last week’s URC outing, which tells you everything about where Ulster’s focus has been. This is close to full strength—and it shows.

Captain Iain Henderson returns to lead the side, partnering Cormac Izuchukwu in the second row. More importantly, the back row gets a serious lift with the return of Nick Timoney from injury, alongside David McCann and Juarno Augustus.

That trio gives Ulster real bite at the breakdown and ball-carrying power—something they’ve lacked at times this season.

Up front, Tom Stewart anchors the front row between Sam Crean and Tom O’Toole. It’s a solid unit, but it will need to stand up physically against a typically abrasive Exeter pack.

Midfield Power and Back Three Threat

Ulster’s strength arguably lies in their midfield. Stuart McCloskey is back pulling the strings at 12, bringing his usual mix of direct running and distribution. Alongside him, Jude Postlethwaite continues to grow into the role at 13.

Out wide, Jacob Stockdale returns on the left, with Zac Ward—Ulster’s leading try-scorer this season—on the right. Add in Michael Lowry at 15, and there’s plenty of attacking spark if Ulster can get quick ball.

The half-back pairing of Nathan Doak and Jack Murphy will be key. Doak’s control and kicking game, in particular, could decide whether Ulster play this in the right areas.

Bench Impact Could Be Decisive

Murphy has gone with a 5:3 split on the bench, signalling a clear intent to win the physical battle late on.

Eric O’Sullivan and Tom McAllister provide fresh legs in the front row, while Bryn Ward adds energy in the back row.

In the backs, Jake Flannery and Ethan McIlroy offer versatility and attacking threat if the game opens up.

In tight knockout matches, that depth often proves the difference—and Ulster look well covered.

The Betting Angle: Is -2 Too Low?

A -2 handicap is about as tight as it gets. It’s essentially asking one question: do Ulster win the match?

Given the return of key players, home advantage, and Exeter’s patchy away form, the line looks slightly on the conservative side.

That said, semi-finals are rarely straightforward. Exeter will bring physicality, set-piece pressure, and enough experience to keep this close if Ulster don’t start well.

The biggest risk for Ulster is discipline and game management. If they give Exeter territory or easy points, this turns into a dogfight quickly.

Verdict

Ulster have named a team capable of winning this—and more importantly, one built for knockout rugby.

With Henderson leading, Timoney back, and McCloskey carrying in midfield, they should have enough control and power to edge it.

It won’t be pretty, and it won’t be comfortable—but it doesn’t need to be.

Prediction: Ulster to cover -2
Suggested Score: Ulster 24–18 Exeter Chiefs

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Joshua is set for the biggest payday of his career for the fight with Fury but the latter’s promoter, Frank Warren, has said the bout fight will not happen if Joshua loses to Prenga.

“There is a lot of pressure going into this fight but there’s also a lot of questions to be answered,” said Hearn. “Physically, mentally, fighting again at all and that’s why it’s needed.

“We want the best Anthony Joshua against Tyson Fury. We don’t want a guy that, ‘maybe he should’ve had a warm up fight – he wasn’t quite ready’.

“We want to be 100% ready for that fight and, if he is, he’ll beat him and he’ll knock him out.”

Joshua’s was beaten by Daniel Dubois in his last fight before beating Paul and his last win against a recognised opponent came against Otto Wallin in December 2023.

“100%, I think there is no doubt about that,” said Hearn when asked if Joshua’s fight against Fury would be off he lost to Prenga. “There’s no doubt, and that’s the risk that we take.

“Even before the incident in Nigeria, we were always having this fight. Now he has been through that, we probably need this fight even more, if I’m honest.

“Now don’t get me wrong, the risk of that versus the pot of gold at the end, it is a risky game, especially when you are fighting a guy that not many people know about, has had 20 knockouts in 21 wins and has got absolutely nothing to lose.

“We know it’s dangerous, but if you can’t beat that guy then you don’t really deserve to be in a ring with Tyson Fury.

“I think with AJ that is a fair assessment and he understands that as well.

“It’s not about trying to protect money here – ‘Oh we don’t want to take that fight because if we get beat we won’t get paid the money’.

“We have to look good in that fight because we want to beat Tyson Fury. We’ve got no interest in just turning up and taking the money.”

Nico O’Reilly expects the title race to go to the wire as Manchester City chase Arsenal.

City, trailing the Premier League leaders by six points but with two games in hand, need to win at Everton on Monday to keep the pressure on Mikel Arteta’s side.

Three successive wins — including a crucial victory over Arsenal — have given City a momentum they are determined to maintain.

O’Reilly, who has excelled in left-back and midfield roles this term, said: “We’re confident in ourselves. There are still a few games to go and it could go down to the last game.

“We’re going to try and win every game and score as much as we can. We’re going into every game trying to put a good performance in and win.”

City moved top of the table on goals scored by beating Burnley last time out but FA Cup involvement and the league schedule have since allowed Arsenal to move back in front.

The Gunners now have the advantage of points on the board, but O’Reilly insists that has not affected City’s approach.

The 21-year-old said: “I’m feeling good and positive and ready for the last few weeks. Everyone is feeling good and we’re excited for the last few weeks of the season.”

O’Reilly has been one of the stars of City’s campaign, first establishing himself as a member of the back four before being handed opportunities in his more natural midfield position.

He is among the leading contenders for young player of the year awards, but O’Reilly is focusing only on the immediate task.

“It would be a great achievement but there are still a few games to go and we’ll see what happens,” said O’Reilly, whose form also looks set to earn him an England World Cup spot.

“I just need to knuckle down and keep working hard.

“With all the games and how intense it is, I don’t think there’s much time to reflect yet. I think that’s when we have time off.”

With all of the playoff basketball going on, it seems like I’ve forgotten all about baseball. However, that’s not the case. I’ve still been monitoring it, and we’ve collected some cash on the few bets I’ve put out on the game lately. Today, I have a really strong look at the game between the Reds and Pirates that takes place in Pittsburgh.

The Reds are one of the best teams in baseball, which is not exactly something that I expected to write this season. They made the postseason last year, but considering the lack of moves in the offseason, I just didn’t expect them to be great.

What is probably the most surprising about the Reds is just how good they have been on the road this season. Last year, there wasn’t really any good road team. Those that were above .500, with the exception of the Astros, made the postseason.

A Cincinnati Reds cap with a special logo is seen during a game against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, on July 3, 2021. Cincinnati defeated Chicago 3-2. (Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

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Today, the Reds look to keep that success going with Rhett Lowder on the hill. For the year, Lowder is 3-1 with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. He has made six starts for the year, with exactly half coming at home and on the road. He has an ERA a full run lower on the road than at home, allowing five earned over 17.1 innings. Four of those runs came in one game against the Marlins. The Pirates are hitting just 2-for-11 against Lowder in their careers.

The Pirates are better than they were last year, but not exactly a successful club at the moment. They are hovering around .500 for the season, which is about what they were doing last year. The team still needs to figure out hitting, but they are doing better than last year.

They lost five straight games before this series, losing one to the Brewers and four to the Cardinals. Maybe it was just a bad stretch, or maybe it is a sign of things to come. In those games, they allowed 35 runs and scored 18. That’s an average of seven allowed and 3.6 scored.

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Rhett Lowder pitches against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, on April 26, 2026. (Katie Stratman/Imagn Images)

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Trying to get the Pirates back on track is Carmen Mlodzinski. For the year, he is 1-2 with a 4.13 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. He has been substantially better at home, but most of his opportunities have come on the road. He is pitching to a 1.69 ERA and allowed just two earned runs over 10.2 innings. His lone home start saw him go six scoreless innings and allow two hits and two walks. In his history, he has allowed just three hits in 27 at-bats against the Reds.

We have two starters today who are in better situations for them. Mlodzinski has been better at home, and Lowder better on the road. These are still small sample sizes, but it is a bit encouraging. The way the Pirates have been bleeding runs makes me concerned that the under will be toast. The Reds have been a bit all over the place with scoring and runs allowed.

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski throws a pitch during a game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on April 21, 2026. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)

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In this particular situation, I think it makes the most sense to back the under. Both teams have been playing higher-scoring games right now, but with these two hurlers, we should see fewer runs.

For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024