It's been eight years, but the Houston Astros can't rid themselves from their sign-stealing scandal that swept across baseball.

The Astros mashed the Los Angeles Dodgers 18–1 on Friday at Dodger Stadium, tagging starter Ben Casparius for six runs on nine hits in three innings—and blowing up reliever Noah Davis's ERA with 10 runs in 1 1/3 innings of work.

In the third inning of that offensive masterclass, Astros rookie Cam Smith hammered a double off the wall in center field. At the time, the Astros led 4–1 and had been raking against Casparius all afternoon. SportsNet LA analyst Orel Hershiser couldn't help himself but mention the trash-banging scandal of 2017.

"I don't want to open an old wound," Hershiser said. "But in some ways, they're swinging at these breaking balls like they know what is coming."

Hershiser, of course, is referencing the Astros' scandal during their championship season in 2017 when the team was found to have illegally used video cameras to steal signs from opponents during games. Houston used a camera in center field to view the sign from the opposing catcher, and a player or team staffer would give an audio cue—like banging a trash can—to tell the batter which pitch was coming next.

Only two players remain on the Astros from that '17 squad—Jose Altuve and right-handed pitcher Lance McCullers Jr.

Since the news story broke in 2019 about Houston's cheating scandal, MLB has cracked down on video usage in dugouts. But the scars from that incident remain, especially among the Dodgers faithful, who watched their team lose the 2017 World Series to the Astros in seven games.

A series against India could be memorable for a power-packed middle order, two returning quicks, and a windfall for the board

Firdose Moonda07-Nov-2024South Africa’s fairly short but full home international summer starts this week with a four-match T20I series against India, which has at least two strong but incorrect narratives around it.The first is the most obvious: that this is a rematch of the World Cup final, and South Africa have the opportunity to exact revenge. Yawn. A bilateral series with a slightly different squad will never have the same significance as a World Cup final, so before you even start entertaining thoughts of that, stop. What happened in June, happened and India are world champions. That means South Africa know the magnitude of their task.Related

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Jansen, Coetzee set to make T20I return against India

Stage set for another Abhishek-Samson audition

The second is that this will provide preparation for the 2026 T20 World Cup, which is 15 months away. As South Africa themselves proved after being blanked 3-0 by West Indies either side of this year’s World Cup, form doesn’t count for that much at a big tournament. It’s more about momentum and luck. So scratch that too and simply enjoy this for what it is: cricket for cricket’s sake and, at best, a chance to deepen talent pools.These are some of the things South Africa will be looking for in the series.The return of middle-order muscleHeinrich Klaasen and David Miller are both playing their first internationals since the T20 World Cup and will bring much-needed stability to South Africa’s line-up. In their absence, across five T20Is, South Africa found themselves on scores like 42 for 5 against West Indies and lost 9 for 61 against Ireland. They also did not manage to find a consistent big hitter at Nos.5 or 6. They did, however, see an uptick in performance from Tristan Stubbs, who scored his second half-century in the format, and first since the first time he batted in a T20I game in 2022. Now imagine all three of them in form. With a middle order of Stubbs, Klaasen and Miller, the big hits may be even bigger.What did Jansen and Coetzee gain from their conditioning break?The series will mark the international comebacks of the first two players to be put on extended leave by Cricket South Africa (CSA), which has recognised the need for players to work on their conditioning without match-day pressures. Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee had shoulder and hip problems to fix but also spent time on their fitness, and the results, according to captain Aiden Markram, could be dangerous for opposition batters.”It’s been exciting to see lots of energy, pace on the ball, and they are hitting the bat really hard, if I’m speaking from a batter that’s facing them point of view,” Markram said. “They just look really excited to get back on the park and I’m sure they’ll bring lots of energy and excitement.”Gerald Coetzee is back after a conditioning break•ICC/Getty ImagesMihlali Mpongwana and/or Andile Simelane to debut – but are the only ones not auditioningThe two uncapped allrounders in the squad have been around the national team over the last few months and may get a game, but ironically, they’re not the ones with a side-point to prove. That’s every other member of the South Africa squad, who, apart from Klaasen who was retained from Sunrisers Hyderabad, will be at the IPL auction.The fact that they are playing against the IPL host country means South Africa’s players have the perfect opportunity to put their names up in lights and catch the franchise owners’ eyes, and they know it. “We’re fortunate that we’re playing a series against them pretty much just before the auction happens,” Markram said. “That would be the bonus of doing well, firstly, collectively and then for the individuals that put their hands up. I don’t think it’s your motivation to do well. I think it’s the bonus that potentially could follow.”Nqaba Peter and the spin succession plan In what has been a breakthrough year for legspinner Nqaba Peter, he now has the opportunity to establish himself as a regular in the national T20I side. Peter has been preferred over left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin and wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi for this series, which provides some indication of CSA’s future planning, especially for a World Cup in the subcontinent. Shamsi opted out of a national contract last month but remains available for selection and white-ball coach Rob Walter explained his absence as part of a plan to see what other, lesser known players can offer. “Giving Nqaba Peter an opportunity to play was a priority,” Walter said.Expect to see Markram turning his own arm over as well as South Africa seek out as many bowling options as possible.Millions in broadcast fees And now to the main reason for this series taking place: CSA’s bank balance. Without being too crude about it, it cannot be ignored that the fees from hosting India are significant and believed to be around R150 million (USD 8.5 million) for a T20I match. That’s a much higher amount than the profits from CSA’s shareholding of the SA20, which is the next biggest money-maker and brought in R54 million last year (USD 3.02 million). In an otherwise loss-making season – South Africa host Sri Lanka and Pakistan, both of whom do not command massive revenues – should ensure CSA have a third successive profitable year.The benefits down the chain are also apparent. Johannesburg’s Wanderers Stadium, which does not host a Test for the second summer in succession, has one of the four fixtures. The other three are in Durban, Gqeberha and Centurion, and big crowds are expected at all four venues. While this doesn’t spread the game to some of the country’s other stadia, it ensures four of the big five (Newlands doesn’t get a game this time), have the highest-profile games.

انتهت مباريات الجولة الثالثة والأخيرة من المجموعة الأولى لمنافسات بطولة كأس العرب 2025، التي تضم منتخبات قطر وفلسطين وتونس وسوريا.

واجه منتخب قطر أمام تونس على ملعب استاد البيت، حقق منتخب نسور قرطاج الفوز بنتيجة 3-0، ليصل إلي النقطة رقم 4 ويكتفي بالتواجد في المركز الثالث للمجموعة ويودع منافسات بطولة كأس العرب من دور المجموعات.

وفي المباراة الثانية لنفس المجموعة، حسم التعادل السلبي نتيجة مباراة فلسطين ضد نظيره سوريا، التي أقيمت على ملعب استاد المدينة التعليمية، ليتأهلا سويًا إلي دور ربع النهائي من بطولة كأس العرب 2025.

واحتل منتخبا فلسطين وسوريا المركزين الأول والثاني على الترتيب برصيد 5 نقاط، من فوز وتعادلين لكل منهما خلال الـ 3 جولات بدور المجموعات لبطولة كأس العرب.

وجاءت نتائج الجولتين الأولى والثانية على النحو التالي:

منتخب فلسطين فاز في لقاء الجولة الأولى أمام قطر 1-0، وتعادل في الجولة الثانية 2-2 مع تونس.

بينما منتخب سوريا فاز على تونس في الجولة الأولى 1-0، وتعادل مع قطر في الجولة الثانية 1-1.

طالع | المنتخبات المتأهلة إلى دور الـ8 من كأس العرب 2025 ترتيب المجموعة الأولى من كأس العرب 2025

1- فلسطين، 5 نقاط (تأهل إلي دور ربع النهائي).

2- سوريا، 5 نقاط (تأهل إلي دور ربع النهائي).

3- تونس، 4 نقاط (ودع بطولة كأس العرب).

4- قطر، نقطة (ودع بطولة كأس العرب).

The Los Angeles Dodgers have dealt with myriad injuries in 2025, with their pitching staff losing multiple members to the injured list throughout the season.

With the likes of Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, Tony Gonsolin, Tyler Glasnow and other starters currently shelved with various injuries, the Dodgers are set to receive a much-needed boost just ahead of the All-Star break.

Dave Roberts told reporters Monday that Glasnow is expected to return this week and is currently slated to start Wednesday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Glasnow hasn't pitched since April 27 after landing on the 15-day IL with a shoulder injury. He was later transferred to the 60-day IL. The 31-year-old has made five starts for the team this season and has pitched a total of 18 innings. He owns a 4.50 ERA with 23 strikeouts and 11 walks.

Having missed more than two months, getting a start in before the All-Star break will be beneficial for Glasnow, who will get a chance to rest up during the break before being stretched out in the second half of the season. It's not clear what workload is expected for Glasnow in Wednesday's start, but the Dodgers will likely exercise caution with the veteran pitcher in his first outing back from the IL.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are struggling, which is a statement that hasn't been written much in the last decade.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Dodgers fell to the Milwaukee Brewers in extra innings, extending their current losing streak to six games. While that doesn't seem like a lot, it is for L.A. The Dodgers are now in the midst of their longest losing streak since April of 2019. Oddly enough, two of the losses in that streak came against the Brewers.

On Wednesday, it appeared as if L.A. was finally going to break the streak. Closer Tanner Scott was on the mound in the bottom of the ninth inning with a 2-1 lead. He surrendered three singles, allowing Milwaukee to tie the game. After the Dodgers came up empty in the top of the 10th, the Brewers scored the winning run on a Jackson Chourio single in their half of the inning. That completed a sweep, the second in a row the defending World Series champions have suffered.

During the current streak, the Dodgers have only scored 10 runs, and have a run differential of -34.

Despite losing six in a row, the Dodgers still have the best record in the National League, and remain 18 games over .500. They'll be fine.

That said, there are cracks in the team's seemingly impenetrable armor. Injuries have been a major issue all season. Tyler Glasnow returned to the mound on Wednesday for the first time since late April. He tossed five shutout innings, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out five. It was a good first step back. The team also has Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki still out, though Snell is set to begin a rehab assignment and may be moving towards a return.

Perhaps most concerning for the Dodgers has been the offensive drop-off from Mookie Betts this season. Through 86 games this season, Betts is slashing .246/.316/.286. All three numbers would be career-worsts. His OPS of .702 is 161 points lower than his performance from the 2024 season.

Luckily for the Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith and Andy Pages are all having excellent seasons to make up for Betts's drop off.

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O duelo entre Nova Iguaçu e Vasco, pelo jogo de volta da semifinal do Campeonato Carioca, já tem local definido. A Federação de Futebol do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Ferj) oficializou, na tarde desta quarta-feira (13), o Estádio Raulino de Oliveira, em Volta Redonda, como palco da partida de domingo, às 16h (de Brasília).

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Mandante, o Nova Iguaçu havia solicitado ao consórcio administrado por Flamengo e Fluminense para levar a partida para o Maracanã. No entanto, não houve resposta por parte dos administradores do estádio, e a Ferj aguardou “até o limite máximo operacional” para dar um veredito.

No jogo de ida, disputada no Maracanã, Nova Iguaçu e Vasco empataram em 1 a 1. Xandinho abriu o placar para o Laranjão, e Lucas Pitón deixou tudo igual para o Cruz-Maltino. Para o duelo decisivo, a equipe da Baixada Fluminense tem a vantagem do empate para alcançar a grande final, por ter se classificado à frente do Gigante na Taça Ganabara.

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➡️ Autor de gol sobre o Vasco, Xandinho comenta momento do Nova Iguaçu: ‘Coragem sempre’

Confira a nota da Ferj sobre o local de Nova Iguaçu x Vasco:

A Federação de Futebol do Estado do Rio de Janeiro aguardou até o limite máximo operacional a indicação do estádio para a realização da semifinal Nova Iguaçu x Vasco.
O Laranjão da Baixada, clube mandante, indicou o Estádio Raulino de Oliveira.

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Campeonato CariocaNova IguaçuVasco

West Ham are plotting to sign a new striker in the January transfer window amid concerns surrounding Niclas Füllkrug and Callum Wilson, with the former recently sidelined yet again.

Niclas Füllkrug injury confirmed in blow for West Ham

Fullkrug missed both of Germany’s World Cup qualifying wins against Luxembourg and Northern Ireland, and manager Julian Nagelsmann confirmed exactly why.

In what is a major blow for new manager Nuno Espírito Santo, Fullkrug finds himself back on the treatment table, having torn a muscle bundle in his thigh, with a report by Kicker suggesting he faces “several weeks” on the sidelines.

West Ham’s results in the Premier League so far
Sunderland 3-0 West Ham
West Ham 1-5 Chelsea
Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham
West Ham 0-3 Tottenham
West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace
Everton 1-1 West Ham
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

The 32-year-old’s London Stadium stay has been marred by repeated fitness issues, with Fullkrug missing 28 games for West Ham and Germany combined last season as his physical problems continue.

It’s becoming crystal clear that Nuno cannot rely on the ex-Borussia Dortmund hitman to lead his line, and the Portuguese has precious few alternatives bar another injury-prone star in Callum Wilson and unproven youngster Callum Marshall.

The importance of signing a proven, reliable goalscorer cannot be understated, with West Ham also among the Premier League’s lowest scoring sides thus far as the Hammers yearn for attacking creativity.

Man United’s Joshua Zirkzee has been repeatedly linked with a move to West Ham already in the build up to January, and despite failing to establish himself as a key man under Ruben Amorim this term, he could be a good option.

The arrivals of Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha at Old Trafford have heightened competition for places, but Zirkzee was called a potential “elite” number nine in the making during his impressive spell at Bologna, so perhaps he simply needs consistent minutes to reach those heights once again.

A more ambitious option could be Juventus star Dušan Vlahović, considering he’s out of contract in 2026 and could potentially move for a cut-price fee in January.

That being said, West Ham could face stiff competition from the likes of Spurs and Chelsea for Vlahovic, while it is debatable whether the Serie A star would choose to join a side who appear likely to be battling relegation.

West Ham's striker "plan" for January involving Lucas Paqueta

In any case, no matter their desired target, it is believed that West Ham have every intention of bringing in a centre-forward when the window reopens.

That is according to journalist Dean Jones, who also reports that star £150,000-per-week midfielder Lucas Paqueta won’t be going anywhere in January despite reports, as West Ham want any new striker to feed off the Brazilian’s creativity through the middle.

The 28-year-old was subject to an offer from Aston Villa in the summer, but decided to stay at West Ham after the club stuck by him through his spot-fixing allegations.

Taking this into account, Paqueta will be itching to repay the faith with some vital performances under Nuno.

However, the East Londoners also have to make a key decision about Paqueta’s long-term future pretty soon, considering his deal expires in under two years.

New West Ham boss Nuno Espírito Santo is continuing to assess his best squad as the Hammers look to swerve a relegation dogfight.

Nuno raises eyebrows with West Ham team to play Brentford

Nuno attracted plenty of criticism after fielding what was a bizarre starting line-up last time out against Brentford.

The Portuguese seriously tinkered with his side, playing Olly Scarles and Kyle Walker-Peters on their opposite full-back sides and going with the largely static midfield duo of Tomas Soucek and Andy Irving.

Despite speculation that highly-rated young striker Callum Marshall – who scored for fun in West Ham’s youth setup and got into double figures on loan at Huddersfield last season – was due to start, Nuno instead went with Lucas Paqueta as a false nine.

By all accounts, his experiment was a disaster.

West Ham failed to lay a glove on Brentford throughout a dire 90 minutes where Keith Andrews’s side strolled to a 2-0 victory at the London Stadium, and the home side were lucky the scoreline wasn’t more embarrassing.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Tony Cottee slammed Nuno’s “awful” West Ham team selection to play Brentford, and he wasn’t the only one.

It will be interesting to see how the former Nottingham Forest boss sets his team up to play Leeds at Elland Road tonight, but there are a couple of players who definitely won’t be taking part.

Almost immediately after replacing Graham Potter, Nuno axed vice-captain James Ward-Prowse from the matchday squad, and the Englishman hasn’t featured since.

The 30-year-old, who is believed to be one free-kick goal away from matching David Beckham’s all-time Premier League record of 18, isn’t fancied at all by Nuno and reports suggest that Ward-Prowse is likely to leave West Ham in January.

Niclas Füllkrug, George Earthy and Konstantinos Mavropanos will also miss West Ham’s trip to Leeds through injury.

Meanwhile, as per insider ExWHUemployee, Nuno is unlikely to start summer signing Callum Wilson.

ExWHUemployee shares real reason why Nuno is snubbing Callum Wilson

Writing via his Patreon, Ex has responded to claims that West Ham are hesitant to play the Englishman due to a high appearance fee.

The club signed Wilson on a free transfer from Newcastle, and reports at the time stated that the majority of his West Ham earnings would come through a ‘pay as you play’ agreement, where as much as 90 per cent of his salary could depend on appearances made.

This has led to murmurs that West Ham aren’t playing Wilson to save cash, but Ex has refuted this.

It is actually believed that Nuno simply doesn’t fancy Wilson at West Ham, making the need for a new centre-forward in January all the more pressing.

Nuno definitely cannot play Paqueta up top again following a pretty lacklustre display against Brentford, where he lost possession a seismic 23 times.

The Brazilian is far better utilised playing in midfield where he can influence the game with his creativity, so Nuno will likely go with either Marshall or Jarrod Bowen as a makeshift striker.

This being said, West Ham legend Tony Gale is convinced that Nuno needs to play Wilson as the number nine.

MatériaMais Notícias

Conhecido como Clássico dos Milhões, o confronto entre Vasco e Flamengo já tem data, horário e local marcado. Disputado pela sétima rodada do Brasileirão, o encontro acontecerá no sábado (18), às 21h, no Maracanã, com 50% de torcida e renda para cada uma das equipes. A torcida do Gigante da Colina ocupará o lado sul do estádio, com os Rubro-negros ficando do lado norte. O Vasco será responsável pela comercialização dos ingressos.

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Iniciativa já aconteceu em 2023

Em 2023, Vasco e Flamengo já fizeram a mesma configuração. No primeiro turno, também com mando do Cruz-maltino, o Rubro-Negro venceu por 4 a 1. Na segunda parte da competição, o Flamengo venceu de novo, mas por 1 a 0.

A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

O Vasco não pode jogar em São Januário, porque um laudo da Polícia Militar proíbe, desde o ano passado, que clássicos regionais sejam disputados lá. Por causa da final da Libertadores no Maracanã em 2023, o clube conseguiu autorização excepcional para enfrentar o Botafogo em seu estádio.

continua após a publicidadeVasco tentou o mesmo acordo com o Fluminense, mas não conseguiu

A falta de acordo entre o Vasco e o Fluminense para o jogo da 3ª rodada resultou na impossibilidade de o Vasco ter 50% de sua torcida no Maracanã. Como mandante do clássico do primeiro turno, o Flu teve direito a 90% da carga dos ingressos – e o mesmo ocorrerá a favor dos vascaínos no segundo turno. A discordância surgiu porque ambas as equipes desejam ficar no lado Sul do estádio, setor que o Tricolor afirmou que utilizará mesmo como visitante.

Briga entre Flamengo, Fluminense e Vasco pelo Maracanã perto do fim

A briga entre a dupla Flamengo e Fluminense e o Vasco da Gama pelo controle do Maracanã chega ao fim nesta quarta-feira (8). O Governo do Estado do Rio de Janeiro irá abrir as propostas financeiras dos consórcios Fla-Flu e Maracanã Para Todos (Vasco e WTorre) e revelar quem conseguiu a maior ponutação no processo de licitação, que já dura oito meses. Veja os detalhes!

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BrasileirãoFlamengoMaracanãVasco

أتم مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك، برئاسة حسين لبيب، اتفاقه مع صفقة جديدة لتدعيم صفوف فريق السلة “رجال” خلال الفترة القادمة.

وأفاد مصدر لـ بطولات: “الزمالك أتم اتفاقه مع اللاعب الأمريكي كلينتوني إيرلي لتدعيم صفوف فريق السلة”.

وأشار إلي أن الزمالك سجل اللاعب في قائمة الفريق باتحاد كرة السلة وفي انتظار وصول البطاقة الدولية للاعب لقيده بشكل نهائي.

ومن جانب آخر، كان الزمالك قد أعلن عن تجديد التعاقد مع لاعبه خالد عبد الناصر، لمدة موسمين وذلك ضمن خطة مجلس إدارة الزمالك للحفاظ على العناصر الأساسية للفريق، وتعزيز الاستقرار الفني.

طالع | الزمالك يوقع عقوبة على ثنائي السلة

ويسعي الزمالك لتدعيم صفوفه على مستوي كل الفرق للمنافسة بقوة على البطولات المحلية والقارية خلال الموسم الحالي.