Konnor Griffin is with the Pittsburgh Pirates for the long haul.The 19-year-old shortstop agreed to a nine-year, $140 million contract with the Pirates early Wednesday, less than a week after the former first-round pick made his major league debut.The deal, the largest in club history, includes escalators that could raise the total value to $150 million.Griffin's Pittsburgh teammates attended Wednesday's news conference to announce the deal.This week has been amazing, debut week, and then sitting here signing a contract, its been amazing, Griffin said. Its one of the best weeks of my life. ... But itll be even better if we can get a win today.Pirates owner Bob Nutting said the nine-year contract reflects the team's commitment in winning this season and in the future.This is an important step for 2026 as we look at it right now, but obviously this is a long-term commitment, Nutting said. Its a long-term statement of where were headed as an organization, where we are headed with this team. ... This obviously is an unusual and dramatic step for the Pittsburgh Pirates. So Im excited, I hope our fans are excited, I hope the city is excited, I know the organization is excited.When asked why it was important to sign for nine years, Griffin said he sees the Pirates as a winning organization.Im pumped to be a Pirate and be a part of this wonderful clubhouse, Griffin said, looking at his teammates at the back of the room. A lot of great talent back there and coaches and staff. Thank you all for being here to support me. Yall made this transition to the big leagues super easy. And Im just pumped to go compete. The goal is to win. The goal is to win a World Series. And I think we've got a great clubhouse to go do that. Im pump to be part of it.The agreement comes less than 24 hours after general manager Ben Cherington said the ingredients were in place for a long-term pact.The Pirates selected Griffin with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 amateur draft. He sprinted through the team's farm system, hitting .333 with 21 home runs, 94 RBIs and 65 stolen bases. He was one of the final cuts during spring training last month, and his stay at Triple-A Indianapolis was brief.Pittsburgh called Griffin to the majors after just a week, and he has played well through his first handful of games. Griffin laced an RBI-double in his first big-league at bat against Baltimore last Friday, and added a pair of hits, including a two-run single, in a 7-1 win over San Diego on Tuesday night that helped the Pirates to their sixth win in seven games.Griffin, who has said repeatedly he wants to stay in Pittsburgh for as long as possible, has impressed teammates with his maturity and his unique skillset.Reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes called Griffin a big leaguer through and through, though Griffin is doing his best to ignore the attention that has surrounded his arrival for a team that is trying to return to relevance and end a playoff drought that's now over a decade old.Just sticking to being myself, not trying to do too much, Griffin said Tuesday night. "Just let the game tell me the situation. Compete one pitch at a time and let it all happen.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Katie Price's fourth husband Lee Andrews has made quite the bold claim he's apparently bidding to snap up a 55 per cent majority stake in Chelsea Football Club.The Dubai-based businessman, 42, told The Sun: "There's a bit of a verification process and I'll only obtain 55 per cent, obviously for quite a large amount. I can't tell you all the workings and inner parts to my wealth but definitely the money is there."He added: "And they have to accept and they have to verify, but it will be going in. It sounds crazy, it sounds ambitious, but watch this space."Andrews' claims of vast wealth have raised more than a few eyebrows since he burst onto the scene earlier this year.The couple tied the knot in January after knowing each other for just two weeks a whirlwind romance that reportedly left Katie's family blindsided, with her mum said to be "traumatised" by the sudden wedding.Since then, Andrews has boasted about purchasing a 36 million Dubai property for the couple, claiming he paid for it entirely in cash.Katie, however, later confirmed she wouldn't actually be moving to the UAE.His unsubstantiated assertions about his immeasurable fortune have been consistently questioned since the pair's shotgun marriage.To pull off such a deal, Andrews would need to prise control away from Todd Boehly, the American tycoon who led the BlueCo consortium's 4.25 billion takeover of the west London club back in 2022.Boehly's personal wealth is estimated at somewhere between $8.4 billion and $9.3 billion a rather different league to Andrews' claimed annual earnings of 2 million to 5 million from various US investments.Chelsea have endured a turbulent spell under their current ownership, cycling through five managers including now-England boss Thomas Tuchel.The club also posted a staggering 262.4 million pre-tax loss for the 2024/2025 season.Andrews' credibility has taken quite a battering from multiple directions. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lee Andrews (@wesleeeandrews)Cambridge University has stated they've never heard of him, despite claims he held a PhD from the prestigious institution.Katie has since clarified that his doctorate actually comes from Spain, not Cambridge.His ex-fiance Alana Percival, who accepted his proposal just 16 weeks before he married Katie, has branded him a "scammer" and accused him of making false claims about his achievements and wealth.Meanwhile, Andrews has been busy on social media sharing posts about becoming a "future trillionaire" and being part of "the 1%."Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

Leicester City lose their appeal against their six-point deduction for breaching EFL financial rules.

Matteo Berettini hat Daniil Medwedew in der zweiten Runde der Monte Carlo Masters die erste Zu-Null-Niederlage seiner Karriere zugefgt. Der Russe warf aus Frust mehrfach seinen Schlger auf den Court.[mehr]

Kenosha, WI - The Kenosha Kingfish have unveiled their alternate identity for the 2026 season - the Kenosha Keepers. The brand is an ode to our local,... - Northwoods Kenosha Kingfish

Ral Asencio a t rcemment cart pour plusieurs matchs par lvaro Arbeloa en raison d'une brouille avec son entraneur, rapporte Marca. Le dfenseur du Real Madrid a fini par prsenter ses excuses, retrouvant sa place dans le groupe samedi dernier.

BCCI has introduced new IPL 2026 rules restricting substitute players movement. Only the 16 named players can enter the field, while others must stay in the dugout. A maximum of five substitutes can be near the boundary. The move tightens existing rules to reduce on-field crowding and improve discipline, though no official reason has been provided.

The Diamond League track meet in Qatar has been postponed until June, "should conditions allow" amid ongoing uncertainty caused by the war in the Middle East.

Strategic decision-making in the soil conditioners market demands analytical intelligence that maps product segment performance differentiation, application sector procurement dynamics, regional growth differentials, and competitive landscape positioning across the full global scope of a market advancing at 5.9% CAGR from 2025 to 2031. The Soil Conditioners Market...

Jenner has voiced support for the International Olympic Committees expected ban on transgender