Michael A

The St. Louis Cardinals were in the Aaron Nola chase, but eventually fell out of favor as compared to the Phillies and Braves. Where do they turn now?

A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press that free agent right-hander Kenta Maeda and the Detroit Tigers have agreed to a $24 million, two-year contract

In a closely-fought battle and rematch of the 2019 World Cup final, the United States Women's National Team (USWNT) and the Netherlands -- two of the world's top teams -- came to a 1-1 draw on Thursday at the 2023 Women's World Cup.

Veteran safety John Johnson is returning to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday after two seasons in Cleveland

Quinton de Kock hit a brilliant 174, his third century of the World Cup, as South Africa piled up 382-5 against Bangladesh at the Wankhede...

Harry Wilson revealed how the Wales dressing room serenaded David Brooks with “his song” after the Bournemouth forward scored his first international goal since beating cancer. Brooks was diagnosed with stage-two Hodgkin lymphoma in October 2021 while on Wales duty. The 26-year-old announced he was cancer-free in May last year, but it has been a long road back to form and fitness as Brooks’ body took time to recover from the full effects of the disease. So it was no surprise the entire Wales squad wildly celebrated the stoppage time goal that Brooks scored to seal a 2-0 European Championship qualifying victory over Latvia on Monday. It was Brooks’ first Wales goal since scoring the winner in a Nations League tie against the Republic of Ireland in November 2020. “When the news broke that he had his illness we were on camp and it hit us hard,” Wilson said after the Riga success. “He’s a big part of the group. He’s been my room mate for years and it was tough for us all. “To see how strong he’s been through it all, how he’s come back and regained his fitness. He’s had setbacks along the way and picked up a few injuries. “His body was completely shut down for a while and it’s going to happen, but it’s how he’s dealt with those setbacks. “Now he’s fully fit he showed his quality at the end. At that moment in the game a lot of players would have snatched at that chance, but he was so calm to wait for the keeper to go down and just lifted it over him.” Wales supporters are used to belting out the ‘Brooks will tear you apart again’ song to the tune of Joy Division’s ‘Love Will Tear You Apart’ in tribute to him. Wilson said: “The other day when he came on against South Korea the fans must have sang his song for a good 15 to 20 minutes. “They were singing it again at the end when we went to them to show our appreciation. “I think he must have done an interview so he was the last one back in the dressing room. “We had it going as well and I think it shows what a massive member of this group he’s been and how much he’s been missed over the couple of years he’s been out of the squad.” Wales’s win – only their second in 14 games – has put them back in the mix for a top-two spot and automatic qualification while easing the pressure on boss Rob Page. They have drawn level with Armenia on seven points and trail Croatia and Turkey by three. Next month’s visit from group favourites Croatia will be followed by a November double-header away to Armenia and at home to Turkey. Wilson said: “We’ve done well at home in the past against big teams when we’ve got the ‘Red Wall’ behind us. We’ll be looking to do that again. “We know Armenia away is going to be tough, hostile and the pitch might not be great, but you’ve got to deal with that when you go to these places. “We feel it’s back in our hands now and we have to make sure we put on performances like we have done before. “We were all disappointed with how the summer camp went, not just the results (defeats to Armenia and Turkey) but the performances as well. “We couldn’t wait to get back on camp and put right what went wrong in the summer. We put a bit of pressure on ourselves but we never do it the easy way.”

Man Utd manager Erik ten hag expects big things from Rasmus Hojlund in the Champions League against Copenhagen.

Jonny Evans is convinced Manchester United have a “good thing going” under Erik ten Hag despite their shaky start to the season. Things have gone awry after a promising first campaign under the Dutchman, with the Red Devils losing four of their first six matches in all competitions for the first time since 1986. There were some mitigating factors in that poor run but that did not stop the pressure mounting on the Old Trafford giants heading into Saturday evening’s Premier League trip to Burnley. Ten Hag’s troops were far from their best but Bruno Fernandes’ brilliant volley secured a 1-0 win for a side that begin their Carabao Cup defence at home to Crystal Palace on Tuesday. Evans watched February’s Wembley triumph from the stands and is now back at the club he came through at as a boy, with the experienced defender confident about United’s future. “I’ve had some up and down moments at Man United over the years,” said the defender, who won three Premier League titles and a Champions League during his previous spell at the club. “I think you get that if you want to be at the top. You know, it’s going to be very up and down. “You’ve got to be able to deal with setbacks and this club is a fantastic club, always want to be challenging at the top, so it’s all part and parcel of it. “The manager’s got a good thing going here. “I’m a fan of the club so I was able to watch them a lot last year, been at both finals to support. Like I say, I think the manager’s got a good thing going.” Evans made his second appearance of the season and first United start in eight-and-a-half years on Saturday evening. The 35-year-old impressed against Vincent Kompany’s Burnley, scoring a goal that was disallowed before providing an exceptional pass for Fernandes’ volleyed winner. “That was great,” the beaming Northern Irishman said after his 200th United appearance. “I was really looking forward to it all day. “I got the shout yesterday in training that I was going to be starting, so I couldn’t wait for the game, really. “I was more nervous in the pre-season, my first pre-season game, to be honest, playing up in Edinburgh. “I didn’t feel any nerves tonight. I actually felt a lot of excitement going into the game. I couldn’t wait for it and I felt good, I felt ready.” Evans produced an impressive all-round display at Turf Moor, leading captain Fernandes to pass on the man of the match award that he had been handed. The centre-back joked it was just the third of a career he never expected to return to such heights having left Leicester on the back of relegation and an injury-hit campaign. Asked if he ever thought he would get back to this level, Evans immediately responded: “No, definitely not. “It’s not a case of winding down. I think people’s career trajectories kind of end up that way and it’s very difficult for a club when you’re 35 years old to take a chance on you. “I had a lot of injury problems last year as well, so for the club to do that and see the value in me, I’m very grateful to be given the opportunity. “On one side it feels really surreal and then on the other side it just feels completely normal. “It’s quite difficult to get my head around sometimes, but I’m loving it. “For a 35-year-old I suppose to come back in – they wanted me to come back in and provide cover – not many people get to do that. “I know it’s going be a big challenge but hopefully it’s one that I can take on. “I feel like it’s one that was perfect for me at this stage of my career.”

The Seattle Kraken surprised most of the NHL by hanging near the top of the Pacific Division, making the playoffs and knocking out defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado in the opening round last season

How different did 2013 really look in the life of Fernando Alonso? Driving a competitive car, buoyed by thousands of Spanish supporters, the two-time Formula 1 world champion looked – in eagerness bordering on desperation – to haul in the championship lead of a Red Bull driver out in front. Sound familiar? A decade on, the tune of the day feels decidedly identical. Yet plenty has happened in the 10 years in-between. Alonso has loved, left, and fallen back in love with the sport. Red Bull’s champion-of-the-day back then, Sebastian Vettel, would wrap up the 2013 world title, the last of four crowns. By the end of last year the German, six years younger than Alonso no less, retired and vacated an Aston Martin seat swallowed up by the Spaniard. Now Red Bull’s de facto No 1 is Max Verstappen, who incredibly 10 years ago at 15 years of age was just 18 months away from his F1 debut. Back then, Alonso divebombed his way from fifth on the grid to first at the chequered flag. His 2nd win in Barcelona; his first with Ferrari. The gap to Vettel was closed. But there would be no third title; in fact, from that point on there would be no grand prix wins at all. It remains 32 and counting. Not long after, Alonso departed Ferrari short of the third world championship he should have claimed. A series of near-misses with the Scuderia were followed by ignominy and embarrassment at his second coming with McLaren, amid engine issues in partnership with Honda. The scale of the downwards spiral, coupled with fruitless fighting at the back of the pack, saw Alonso call it a day himself at the end of 2018. Two years out was enough of a break, though. Not even impressive showings in IndyCar and Le Mans competed with the adrenaline-fuelled mayhem of F1. Returning with Alpine – the Renault team where he made his name and won his titles in 2005 and 2006 – Alonso was back in the midfield fight. A first podium in seven years was landed in Qatar in 2021. But as Alpine hesitated on a two-year deal last summer, Aston big boss Lawrence Stroll saw an opportunity to replace one multiple world champion with another. For both parties, and in contrast to so many of Alonso’s team tinkers in the past, it has proved a fruitful move. The Spaniard is third in the championship and has been on the podium in five of six races. Aston have given Alonso joy at long-last. His ecstasy is regularly heard on team radio, with advice to team-mate Lance Stroll not uncommon either. Simply, Alonso has a new lease of life, in what are his swansong years. Which bring us to this weekend and the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. A crowd of 275,000 is expected over the weekend, the majority likely to be sporting the racing green of Aston. A storybook victor is not out of the question, after a missed opportunity last week in Monaco, but Alonso downplayed suggestions his team are in the running. “I don’t think realistically we can fight for the victory, let’s be clear,” he said. “Red Bull have been very dominant all season long and I don’t see any reason why, in Barcelona, they should not aim for a one-two. But let’s see what we can do. “Going into [any] race [in my career], I was fighting for whatever position with the mentality of getting that – the maximum from the cars. “Sometimes it’s P7, sometimes it’s a podium possibility. I know that in Formula 1 it has been a few years already, since Ferrari times, but in endurance I was going into every race winning the race and the world championship so it’s not that long ago.” It is a big weekend, too, for Mercedes. While the Silver Arrows brought in their highly-anticipated upgrade package in Monaco last week, this traditional testing track will bring a true assessment of its powers. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell wait, after a season-and-a-bit of turmoil, with baited breath. Of course, there is no doubting the clear frontrunners. Verstappen was brilliant in Monaco; his last-ditch pole lap setting in motion a win come Sunday. The Dutchman is 39 points clear of team-mate Sergio Perez in the championship and Red Bull will be eyeing another one-two here, matching last year’s result. Their straight-line speed, too, gives them a huge advantage, particularly in light of organisers ditching the unpopular final chicane, meaning cars will hit the main straight at greater pace. But Alonso is in with a shout. Aston have, beyond Mercedes and Ferrari, looked the team capable of bringing the fight to Red Bull. And there is no doubt their protagonist will be desperate to land that long-awaited victory in his homeland. Como 33 has been the phrase of the year, with even national sporting icons like Carlos Alcaraz pitching their support. Alonso claiming No 33, in Spain, would give F1 its moment of the season so far. Read More Monaco showed mesmeric Max Verstappen only has one obstacle to title – and it’s not Sergio Perez Lewis Hamilton warned not to expect instant results from Mercedes upgrade F1 race schedule: What time is the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday? Monaco showed mesmeric Max only has one obstacle to title – and it’s not Sergio Perez Fernando Alonso: Aston Martin ‘will not give up’ in push for F1 triumph Concerns Monaco GP could be ‘left behind’ as Max Verstappen wins ‘boring race’

Deion Sanders and Colorado remain a box office attraction, even though they are reeling on the field