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Surging Phillies send Zack Wheeler to face road-weary Blue Jays

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Jul 1, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) throws a pitch during the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesJul 1, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) throws a pitch during the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays will play three road games in three days in three cities this week, capped by the opener of a series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday.

Toronto wrapped up a series victory in Houston on Wednesday, posting a 5-4, 10-inning win over the Astros before flying to Chicago for a makeup game of an earlier rainout. The Blue Jays gave up two runs in the ninth and one in the 11th to absorb a 3-2 defeat to the Cubs, spoiling a seven-inning gem by ace Dylan Cease.

The Blue Jays will try to bounce back as they venture to Philadelphia to begin a three-game set with the Phillies. Yet, while Toronto manager John Schneider noted that the Thursday defeat stung, he clearly hasn’t lost any faith in the defending American League champions.

“The guys are playing their (butts) off,” said Schneider, whose team has not lost back-to-back games since a four-game skid from July 19-22.

Alejandro Kirk went 4-for-5 with an RBI on Thursday, while Andres Gimenez contributed three hits out of the No. 9 hole. As a team, the Blue Jays went 1-for-19 with runners in scoring position.

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“You want to get the offense going,” Schneider said. “You want to either get some timely hits or add some slug, like we’ve talked about a lot. The other phases of the game, I like what they’re doing. I like the way they’re competing, and you got to brush this off, leave it here and go on to Philly.”

The Phillies are coming off a series victory over the visiting Washington Nationals, as they took three of four in this week’s set, highlighted by a 7-3 triumph on Thursday. The Phillies hit eight doubles — two by Bryson Stott — and finished with 16 hits in the emphatic victory, their fifth in the past six games.

“It was nice to see the guys swing the bats tonight, up and down. Everybody with the contributions,” Philadelphia interim manager Don Mattingly said.

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Luis Arraez delivered an RBI double in the first inning. He has driven in at least one run in each of his first three games since joining the Phillies from the San Francisco Giants in a trade-deadline deal.

“His skill set and his tools are going to play really well in our lineup,” Philadelphia slugger Kyle Schwarber said.

The Phillies hope that Zack Wheeler (10-2, 2.49 ERA) can carry the momentum into the Friday outing. The veteran right-hander has pitched only five combined innings in his last two starts. After allowing five runs in a then-season-low three frames against the Miami Marlins on July 27, Wheeler was pulled after two innings Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles when the game went into a rain delay.

“Felt good,” Wheeler said after the rain-shortened outing. “Felt better than the other day (against Miami).”

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Wheeler has started eight times against Toronto in his career, going 1-2 with a 3.60 ERA. He faced the Blue Jays on June 9 and yielded one run in six innings in a no-decision.

Jose Soriano (9-6, 3.29 ERA) will take the ball for his Blue Jays debut after being acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels earlier in the week. The 27-year-old right-hander is coming off a strong July in which he posted a 2.74 ERA in four starts for the Angels.

In his most recent outing, Soriano gave up just an unearned run in five innings during a 4-3 win over the Giants on Sunday.

“He’s having a great year,” Schneider said of Soriano, who is 1-0 with a 4.70 ERA in two career games (one start) against the Phillies.

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–Field Level Media

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22-Year-Old Australian Pacer Picks 8 Wickets To Bundle Out Bangladesh For 54 Runs In Warm-Up Match

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Bangladesh suffered a major setback ahead of their Test series against Australia after they were dismissed for just 54 in their second innings, handing the Cricket Australia XI an innings-and-38-run victory in a three-day warm-up game on Saturday. Left-arm pacer Campbell Thompson was the chief destroyer for the hosts, finishing with 8/25 as Bangladesh’s batting collapsed in just 17 overs on the third morning. Bangladesh had resumed their second innings with two wickets already down and needed to produce a strong response after conceding a 92-run first-innings lead. However, they failed to withstand the CA XI attack and were bowled out before lunch. Tanzid Hasan was the only Bangladesh batter to cross the 10-run mark, scoring 22.

Thompson, a 22-year-old South Australian who had played only one first-class match before this game, took the first five wickets to fall in the second innings after beginning the damage late on the previous day.

Off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli briefly interrupted Thompson’s run by taking a wicket, adding to the six wickets he had claimed in Bangladesh’s first innings.

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Thompson then returned to finish the job. He dismissed Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto for a duck after trapping him lbw and ended the match by taking the final two wickets with successive deliveries.

“Sometimes you get lucky. It fell my way today, which was nice. It’s always a good experience and opportunity to come and play against a Test side a few days out from a series. Then to play alongside experienced Aussie guys as well, like Kurtis Patterson and Corey Rocchiccioli and stuff like that. So, just involving myself around these guys has been awesome,” Thompson said after the match.

The CA XI had earlier posted 355 in their first innings, with opener Sam Wyllie leading the way with 130. Kurtis Patterson contributed 53, while Doran scored 76. Hasan Mahmud was Bangladesh’s most successful bowler with 4/42.

Bangladesh managed 263 in their first innings, largely because of an unbeaten 109 from Mehidy Hasan Miraz. The visitors had struggled at the top of the order before Mehidy’s innings helped them reach a competitive total.

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Rocchiccioli claimed 6/83 in that innings, while Thompson’s second-innings burst ensured Bangladesh could not force the CA XI to bat again.

For Bangladesh, the defeat comes at an important stage of their preparations. They now have four days to regroup before facing Australia in the first Test.

The series will be Bangladesh’s first Test tour of Australia in 23 years, with the visitors set to face a formidable pace attack featuring Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. Bangladesh will need a significant improvement with the bat after their collapse in Darwin if they are to compete against Australia’s Test attack.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Eagles’ Lane Johnson says he will likely retire after 2026 season

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One of the best offensive tackles in recent NFL history is likely to hang up his spikes after the 2026 season. Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson told reporters Saturday that the upcoming season will likely be his last in the NFL. Johnson missed a few practices in recent days for personal reasons and told reporters that he feels the pull of off-field responsibilities. Johnson also said he felt it was important to go public with his retirement plan, “to put [his] mind at ease,” per the Philadelphia Inquirer.

“Looking like this is probably, potentially going to be, probably my last year, just because I had gotten to that point of those priorities away from football are starting to merge,” Johnson said, according to The Athletic. “Not that I don’t enjoy (it) — I love everything about this game and preparing for it — but that’s where I’m at in my career. Looking forward to this year, playing the best I can, stay healthy, and that’s about it.”  

Johnson is a 13-year veteran who has made six Pro Bowls, two All-Pro First Teams and three All-Pro Second Teams. He’s also a two-time Super Bowl champion, having won with the Eagles in both 2017 and 2024. 

He’s still widely considered one of the small handful of best offensive linemen in the NFL, even at age 36. He checked in ninth in the recent CBS Sports poll, which ranked the top 10 players at every position, and he ranked even higher (third) in ESPN’s annual poll of league executives and coaches. 

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His impact on Philadelphia’s offense is dramatic, as the Eagles have experienced a huge drop-off in efficiency with Johnson off the field both in recent seasons and throughout his decorated career. The Eagles have averaged 0.04 EPA per play with Johnson on the field since 2013, and -0.05 EPA per play with him on the sidelines, according to TruMedia. That’s equivalent to the difference between the third-best offense in the NFL during that time and the 27th-best. 

2013 0.08 0.08
2014 0.00 0.00 0.00
2015 -0.04 -0.04
2016 0.06 -0.08 0.14
2017 0.06 -0.09 0.15
2018 0.02 0.01 0.01
2019 0.03 -0.01 0.04
2020 -0.11 -0.10 -0.01
2021 0.06 0.03 0.03
2022 0.10 -0.12 0.22
2023 0.06 -0.05 0.11
2024 0.10 0.00 0.10
2025 0.05 -0.04 0.09
All 0.04 -0.05 0.09

Given his resume, Johnson is a potential future Hall-of-Famer. Our Bryan DeArdo recently named him the most likely Eagle to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, for example. If Johnson can put together one last season at an extremely high level, as we should expect given his recent track record, it would only improve his chances.

The Eagles, meanwhile, were seemingly prepared for this to be Johnson’s last NFL season, having drafted a potential successor in the third round in former Miami Hurricanes tackle Markel Bell. The monster-sized Bell (6-foot-9, 345 pounds) would give Philadelphia one of the largest tackle duos in the NFL, though he obviously will have big shoes to fill in the event that Johnson decides to step away after the 2026 campaign.

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The Hundred 2026 results: Nat Sciver-Brunt & Beth Mooney hit half-centuries as Trent Rockets beat MI London

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The Hundred women’s competition, The Oval

MI London 121-5 (100 balls): Chathli 31 (27); Bates 3-13

Trent Rockets 125-1 (82 balls): Sciver-Brunt 67* (36); Norris 1-26

Trent Rockets won by nine wickets

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Nat Sciver-Brunt made a stylish unbeaten 67 as Trent Rockets booked their spot in the knockout stage of The Hundred with an emphatic nine-wicket win over MI London.

Sciver-Brunt hit nine fours and one six in her knock off 36 balls, which helped the Rockets chase down 122 for victory at The Oval.

It was the England captain’s first 50 in this year’s tournament and her 11th in The Hundred overall.

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Sciver-Brunt shared a tournament record second-wicket stand of 118 with Australian Beth Mooney, who finished on 54 not out off 44 balls, as the Rockets breezed past the target with 18 balls to spare.

Victory for the Rockets puts them four points above second-placed Southern Brave, who face Manchester Super Giants later in the day.

The Rockets face Brave in their final group match in a game which could well decide who progresses directly to the final.

Earlier, Samantha Bates had taken 3-13 to help restrict MI to a modest 121-5.

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Bates had the dangerous Hayley Matthews lbw for 10 early on then the left-arm spinner claimed two wickets in two balls to leave MI struggling at 49-4.

Bates trapped top scorer Kira Chathli lbw for 31 before Nicola Carey was stumped next ball following a smart piece of glovework by Beth Mooney.

The 30-year-old Aussie thought she had a hat-trick when Alice Monaghan was given out lbw, only for the decision to be overturned on review with the ball sliding down leg.

Monaghan and Chinelle Henry led the fightback – both players finishing unbeaten on 27 off 21 balls – as they helped MI recover to post a respectable if not especially challenging total as Rockets cruised to victory with plenty to spare.

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PH’s semifinal hopes end in loss to Malaysia

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The Philippine men's football team Jarvey Gayoso during the match vs Thailand in the 2026 Asean Hyundai Cup at New Clark City Athletics Stadium in Capas, Tarlac.

The Philippine men’s football team’s Jarvey Gayoso during the match vs Thailand in the 2026 Asean Hyundai Cup at New Clark City Athletics Stadium in Capas, Tarlac. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine men’s football team officially missed out on a semifinals berth in the Asean Hyundai Cup after being handed a 1-0 defeat by Malaysia on Saturday at Kuala Lumpur Stadium.

Slim hopes of qualifying to the semis immediately vanished when G. Pavithran scored a header in the 16th minute that spelled the difference as Malaysia progressed into the last four of the prestigious Southeast Asian competition.

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Malaysia will join Group B winner Thailand, defending champion Vietnam and fellow Group A side Singapore in the semis that features all former winners of the competition.

Coach Carles Cuadrat’s side finished the campaign in fourth place with three points on one win and three defeats, missing out on a semis berth which the Philippines did in the last edition back in 2024.

Chances of replicating that feat began to dwindle when the Filipinos were handed a 4-1 defeat by Myanmar in the opener at New Clark City Athletics Stadium in Capas, Tarlac.

They bagged their only win of the Asean Championship against Laos, 4-1, where they made up for conceding an early opener in Vientiane.

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Tuesday saw the Philippines lose 1-0 to Thailand after conceding a goal in the 84th, putting the squad in a difficult situation.

Before the match, the Pinoy squad needed to win by at least six goals, coupled with a Myanmar loss to Thailand, to reach the semis.

Myanmar bowed to Thailand, 2-0, in Bangko during Saturday’s other Group B match.

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Brighton sends Facundo Buonanotte on loan to Spanish club Elche

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ELCHE, Spain — Brighton midfielder Facundo Buonanotte will play for Spanish team Elche this season in what is the Argentine playmaker’s fourth loan spell since joining the Premier League club in January 2023.

The 21-year-old Buonanotte, who signed with Brighton from Rosario Central, was loaned to Leicester for the 2024-25 season and split last season between Chelsea and Leeds.

Buonanotte played regularly for Leicester but had trouble getting minutes at both Chelsea and Leeds.

“Facundo is a talented young player who has continued to develop since joining the club,” Brighton sporting director Mike Cave said in the team’s announcement late Friday. “This loan gives him the opportunity to play regular football in one of Europe’s top leagues.”

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Elche finished 15th in La Liga last season.

“We believe this move will provide an excellent environment for him to gain further experience, and we’ll continue to monitor his progress closely throughout the season,” Cave said.

Buonanotte made his Argentina senior team debut in 2023 against Indonesia and played again for La Albiceleste in 2024 against El Salvador. He wasn’t part of the World Cup squad.

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Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund Prediction and Betting Tips

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This Sunday sees Premier League champions Arsenal involved in what has become a pre-season staple – the Emirates Cup – as they take on Borussia Dortmund.

This game is Arsenal’s fourth pre-season fixture, but it will be their first in front of their home fans, so they will no doubt want to win.

So can they do it, or will Bundesliga stalwarts Dortmund leave them stunned?


Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

  • Arsenal have faced Borussia Dortmund on eight occasions previously, all in the UEFA Champions League. Interestingly, they’ve only ever lost at home to them once, in the 2013-14 season.
  • Arsenal saw their unbeaten run in pre-season ended last week, as they were surprisingly beaten 1-3 by La Liga side Real Betis in Dublin. Given the Arsenal side contained players such as Viktor Gyokeres, Piero Hincapie and new signing Christos Tzolis, this was a very disappointing result for Mikel Arteta’s men.
  • Borussia Dortmund have also seen mixed results in their pre-season campaign, beating Rot-Weiss Oberhausen and losing to Fortuna Dusseldorf at home in Germany before losing to Cerezo Osaka and beating FC Tokyo on a tour of Japan.
  • Arsenal are slowly seeing their key players return from holiday now, and this game should see them be able to call upon Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes. It will, however, likely be too early for new signing Bruno Guimaraes.
  • Borussia Dortmund may be able to hand a debut to new signing Konstantinos Karetsas in this match, while England u21 international Jobe Bellingham could also be involved in his home country.


Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund Prediction

Arsenal undoubtedly looked undercooked in their recent loss to Real Betis, but given the amount of key players they still have missing – including Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Martin Zubimendi – it was hardly surprising.

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With a bit more time on the training pitch, though, we should expect them to be sharper here. And while Borussia Dortmund are a good side, finishing 2nd in the Bundesliga last season, they are not quite as strong as the Gunners, who will want to make a mark in their return to the Emirates.

Therefore, the prediction is a home win.

Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Borussia Dortmund


Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund Betting Tips

Tip 1: Result – Arsenal to win.

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Tip 2: Arsenal to keep a clean sheet – Yes.

Tip 3: Game to feature fewer than 2.5 goals – Yes.