The A's have had a knack for bringing in guys with command issues and giving them a shot to have success. It's not very often that those players were top-100 prospects as recently as the previous season.That is the situation the A's could find themselves in with right-hander Tink Hence, who was designated for assignment by the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday. Hence was a second-round selection in the 2020 MLB Draft, and was a consensus top-100 prospect from 2023-25, reaching as high as No. 38 according to Baseball Prospectus before the 2025 campaign.When the A's were looking to trade Sean Murphy after the 2022 season, Hence was a prospect that was put in a lot of hypothetical trade packages. He's had the talent for a while, but he's still looking to make it click.The 23-year-old has been sidelined by injuries, including a lat strain, chest tightness, and shoulder problems. He was only able to accumulate 21 innings last season, half of which came in Double-A, though he made eight starts and held a 2.95 ERA. Up until this season, when he'd been healthy, he'd been productive.This season he has racked up 20 innings and holds a 6.64 ERA while pitching in Triple-A Memphis for the first time. He's also been largely pitching in relief, making 19 appearances with three outings serving as the opener.His strikeout rate which has hit above 30% a number of times in his minor-league journey has slumped to 20.2% this season out of the bullpen, while his walk rate has been an unsustainable 18.2%.Given that he's already been DFA'd, there will be teams clamoring for their own shot and making things click with Hence. He's still young, and certainly has the skills to succeed. There is some risk involved here, because an acquiring team will likely be bidding against other clubs for Hence, but for the A's, that risk is worth it.He represents the kind of post-hype, high-upside arm that the club needs more of in the farm system. While the injuries are a concern, Hence's two option years (2026, 2027) do create some time for the A's to try him as a starting pitcher again. By 2028, he'd be out of options, forcing a decision on his future with the club.Hence's circle change is his best weapon, and helps him achieve a 45.6% ground-ball rate. Kade Morris (56.1%), Joel Kuhnel (48.8%), and J.T. Ginn (46.8%) are the only pitchers with the A's this season with a higher ground ball rate.They could have him start in Midland, get settled, then move up to Las Vegas for the real test. If things don't go well, then he could go back to relief work, where the A's could also use some help.For the A's, Hence represents a calculated bet on a pitcher who still has time to deliver on his prospect pedigree. The window for him is narrow, but at 23 with at least a pair of high-end offerings, the righty has the stuff to be another reclamation success story.

The Washington Huskieswomen's basketball team has an opportunity this season to reach heights the program hasn't seen since guard Kelsey Plum was with the program.While Plum was in the Pacific Northwest, the Huskies made the NCAA tournament multiple times and made their first (and only) Final Four appearance in 2016.Plum was not only the best player on Washington during that stretch, but was one of the best players in the nation during that stretch. She was a several-time all-conference selection and was a consensus All-American in 2017. The same season, she was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year and the Associated Press Player of the Year.Plum parlayed that success into being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft, and has been one of the most recognizable and well-decorated players in the Association since.In her nine years in WNBA with the San Antonio Stars/Las Vegas Aces and Los Angeles Sparks, Plum is a two-time champion (2022-23), five-time All-Star (2022-26), one-time Sixth Player of the Year (2021) and one-time All-WNBA first-team selection ('22).The one accolade that has eluded the former Husky in her career has been a regular season MVP. In the first half of the season, it seemed like Plum had a chance to obtain that trophy.In 12 games this season, Plum has averaged 23.9 points per game on 52.7% shooting from the floor (38.3% shooting from 3-point range). She's also averaged 6.4 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals per contest while turning the ball over just 3.2 times on average.Kelsey Plum tonight 25 points 4 assists 9/16 FG pic.twitter.com/wLcbbThM4B Womens Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) May 14, 2026Plum's MVP-caliber season has been derailed by a soft tissue injury in her leg. She missed the last 11 games for the Sparks due to the ailment and was unable to participate in the All-Star Game on July 25. Los Angeles went 2-9 in the 11 games Plum missed.It's been reported for several days by various sources that the New York Liberty, Atlanta Dream and Phoenix Mercury were interested in acquiring the five-time All-Star.Per a report on "X" from ESPN insiders Shams Charania and Kendra Andrews, the Mercury won out on the Plum sweepstakes and acquired Plum from Los Angeles in return for second-year guard Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round WNBA draft pick and a 2028 second-round draft pick.Despite Plum's injury, it might not be soon before Plum makes her debut in a Phoenix uniform. Per a report on "X" from ESPN'sAlexa Philippou, Plum was expected to play on a minute restriction for the Sparks if she wasn't dealt by the trade deadline Sunday.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 07: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers reacts to his strikeout for the 900th of his career in the first inning against Luke Keaschall #15 of the Minnesota Twins (not pictured) at Target Field on April 07, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) GettyThe Chicago Cubs fell short in their long-shot bid to land Tarik Skubal ahead of the MLB trade deadline, but they could be ready to move quickly onto the next group of targets.Skubal is headed to Los Angeles after the Dodgers reportedly reached a deal with the Detroit Tigers for the ace. Though the Cubs were seen as contenders, the Dodgers emerged as the frontrunner on Saturday and put together the pieces to finalize the deal.Cubs Have Next Pitching Targets in Mind After Tarik Skubal TradeWith just over two days left until the MLB trade deadline, the Cubs could be ready to shift quickly.Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reported late on Saturday that the Cubs aimed to add multiple pitchers.By Mondays trade deadline, the Chicago Cubs intend to acquire multiple pitchers, aiming to reinforce the staff as a whole for a potential World Series run, the report noted. This snapshot is based on information from team and league sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to candidly discuss the state of an evolving market.At the time the report was published, just hours before the Dodgers finalized the Skubal trade, the report noted that the Cubs were still in the running to land him.Although the sky-high price and fierce competition from organizations with better farm systems may ultimately force them to pivot in another direction, the Cubs still have not ruled out Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, the American Leagues Cy Young Award winner for the past two seasons, the report noted.But the report noted that the Cubs already had their next step planned out, focusing on boosting their bullpen with a few targets in mind.If the Cubs dont splurge on the rotation, they could go big with a bullpen addition or two Adrian Morejon, Luke Weaver and Jeff Hoffman are among the names under consideration that moves the needle, the report noted.Like HEAVY's content?Be sure to follow us.This article was originally published on HEAVYThe post Cubs Trade Rumors: Next Steps Revealed After Tarik Skubal Trade appeared first on HEAVY.

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Germany midfielder Nadiem Amiri has ended transfer speculation by committing to current club Mainz."A lot has been written over the past days. I really had many offers. But I decided together with my family that I am definitely staying here," Amiri said at a fan event on Saturday night at their pre-season training camp in Austria.Amiri, 29, has been at Mainz since 2024 and interest in him gained momentum after he scored 12 goals in the past Bundesliga season. He has a contract until 2028.Amiri has 13 caps and came on twice as a substitute at the recent World Cup where Germany went out in the last 32.Mainz start the season on August 23 with a German Cup match at fifth-tier Krieschow. Their first Bundesliga match is six days later against promoted Paderborn.

It was a busy day in Ashburn on Saturday. The Washington Commanders were back on the practice field for their third day of training camp, and it was also the NFL's "Back Together Weekend." Fans were in attendance for the first time, and the energy was at an all-time high. Washington president Mark Clouse introduced two Pro Football Hall of Famers to the fans, John Riggins and Darrell Green, before the Commanders took the practice field. However, general manager Adam Peters and his staff were also busy. The Commanders worked out 10 players on Saturday. Here's the list:QB E.J. WarnerC Gus HartwigC Trey HillG Joe MichalskiTE Chris MyarickTE Donald ParhamTE John StephensDB Eli RicksDB Kary VincentDB Dee WilliamsWho are the most noticeable names here? Let's start with Warner. He started 41 collegiate games between Temple, Rice and Fresno State. He's also the son of two-time NFL MVP and Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner. Hill and Hartwig are interesting names due to Washington's concerns at center. Hill played at the University of Georgia, where he started several games. He has spent time with four NFL teams and was most recently waived by the Tennessee Titans. Hartwig played at Purdue, the alma mater of Washington offensive coordinator David Blough, and went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft. He spent his rookie season with the New York Jets and was waived in May. Parham has been in the NFL since 2019, when he spent part of the offseason with Washington, including a stint on the practice squad. He has 67 career receptions and 11 touchdowns all with the Chargers from 2020-23. Ricks is a former five-star recruit who began his college career at LSU before finishing at Alabama. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023 as an undrafted free agent and was waived last season. Most notably, he played for defensive coordinator Daronte Jones at LSU in 2021, when Jones was the Tigers' defensive coordinator. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders work out 10 players, including son of NFL legend

Photo by Carl Recine/Getty ImagesUEFA was reportedly eyeing Qatars Nasser Al-Khelaifi to be their preferred potential replacement for Gianni Infantino as FIFA President, but it likely wont happen.The house Infantino built at FIFA appears to be crumbling after his failed attempt at selling private stakes in the FIFA World Cup led to condemnation from multiple major confederations, mainly UEFA.UEFA was reportedly eyeing PSG President and chairman of beIN Media as a rival to Infantino for the seat of FIFA President, but those plans have likely been scuppered.Qatars endorsement of Gianni Infantino likely rules out UEFAs preferred replacementAmid various national football associations speaking up against Infantino, as the Presidents closest aides started resigning, the Qatar FA has stated its support for Infantino, welcoming the decision to withdraw his privatization plans while reiterating its support for Infantino.UEFA is reportedly looking to oust Infantino from his position with a no-confidence motion months before the March 2027 elections.Infantino has strong blocs of support across FIFAs member states, so there would be few credible people who could replace Infantino and appease the global bloc.If the Qatar FA released a statement of support for Infantino at such a time, its clear theyre still behind the incumbent President.Photo by Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty ImagesAl-Khelaifi is the chairman of the beIN Media Group and Qatar Sports Investments, both state-funded organizations, and is a minister in the Qatari government.While Qatar could decide to support one of its own for the position of FIFA President, its statement of support for Infantino essentially rules out Al-Khelaifi as a threat to Infantinos seat.If UEFA succeeds in ousting Infantino from power, Al-Khelaifi could rise into the power vacuum.But he likely wont stand as a challenger in a FIFA election and wont play a part in helping Infantinos removal from power.Read more:Alexi Lalas gives new nickname to English soccer team as they close in on another MLS signingDonald Trump asked whether he spoke to Infantino about plans to sell stake in World CupTom Holland says supporting Tottenham Hotspur probably the worst decision Ive ever made

Liverpool boss full of praise for youthful stars on US pre-season tourAndoni Iraolas Liverpool USA Tour Verdict: Evolution, Young Players and Backroom ImpactLiverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has had a straightforward assessment of the clubs pre-season work in the United States. So far, he likes what he has seen, and more importantly, he likes what it is starting to become.There have been wins over Sunderland, 4-2, and Wrexham, 1-0, with one more fixture against Leeds United in Chicago to close the trip. Results in pre-season only matter up to a point. What matters more is whether the coach is getting through to the group, whether the group can absorb the ideas quickly, and whether the younger players can be trusted when the serious football starts.On that front, Iraolas verdict was clear. The USA camp has been, in his words, really, really useful. That is the key line because it gets to the point of pre-season. This is not about box-ticking, nor is it about pretending friendlies tell you everything. It is about time, repetition, habits and understanding.As Iraola explained, Obviously, you spend a lot of time with the players, with the staff, you get all the information you can. That has value for a new head coach walking into a club that needs clarity, structure and a fresh football identity before the 2026-27 campaign begins.Photo: IMAGOLiverpool pre-season shows signs of evolutionIraola used one word that matters more than any other at this stage, evolution. He said, I think there is also an evolution, it has to be. We start to understand each other better, what we need to do. Every game, I hope we can get closer and closer and put ourselves in a position where the few players that still are not here start to train also, they are helped by the others.That is practical management talk. He is describing the early phase of installing a system. The shape, pressing triggers, distances between units and reactions in transition do not become automatic overnight. They need drilling, they need repetition and they need buy-in from players who understand what is being asked of them.That is why this Liverpool USA tour matters. It gives Iraola long training days, meetings, recovery sessions and game situations. It also gives him a look at who processes information quickly and who still needs guidance. By the time the Premier League season opens, the expectation will be that Liverpool are already far sharper than they were at the start of this process.Young players give Iraola a real selection problemIf there has been one major positive from the trip, Iraola did not hesitate. Probably the performance of the young players, he said. That matters because managers often praise Academy talent in broad terms. Iraola went further and made it specific.His judgment was that Liverpools youngsters have performed really well against Premier League opposition, very good players winning duels, helping us also in the collective idea. That is the important bit. This is not praise based on enthusiasm or energy alone. He is talking about output in competitive moments, physical competitiveness and tactical discipline within the team structure.He then added, I think it probably has been the best, I wouldnt say surprise but at least the confirmation. Again, blunt and useful. He expected something, and what he has seen has confirmed the level is real.That now leaves Liverpool with decisions to make. Some players will drop back to the U21s. Some will leave on loan. Some, according to Iraola, are already pushing for a genuine role in the senior squad. Theyve shown me that they have the level, they can give us quality minutes, a good level in training and Im sure some of them will stay with us, yes.There is no need to overcomplicate it. If a young player can help you in training, hold the level tactically and physically, and contribute proper minutes across a season, he stays in the picture. Liverpool have clearly had several do exactly that on this trip.Backroom staff already shaping the new Liverpool setupIraola also made a point of highlighting the coaching staff around him, and he did so in practical terms. Shaun Cooper and Tommy Elphick are familiar faces from his previous work, and he values them because they understand both the game and the environment.Yes, for me, Tommy and Shaun are very valuable because they have been English players, theyve played in the Premier League, the Championship, League One; they understand the culture, they understand what the players are thinking. There is no mystery there. Coaches with dressing-room credibility and knowledge of the domestic game can save time for a head coach.He also made clear why continuity matters. They have seen all the process during these three years where weve been evolving, weve been adding different things. That means they know the methods, the demands and the language of the coaching model. In a new environment, that matters.Iraola was equally candid about the role assistants play behind the scenes. I think they are sometimes in more touch with the players than me because always with the manager there is a little bit of more distance, I think the players are more comfortable sometimes with the assistants. That is honest, and it is true in most dressing rooms. A good assistant does more than deliver drills. He reads mood, filters problems and keeps communication moving.On Elphicks personal connection to the club, Iraola offered a line that tells you plenty, Tommy, I tell him, he is living his dream. He added that Elphick had opportunities elsewhere but he couldnt miss this because hes been a big Liverpool fan.Alejandro Rosalen adds experience and energyThere was also praise for new goalkeeping coach Alejandro Rosalen, whose appointment came through a club-led process. Iraola was direct about that too. I didnt know him personally, weve gone through a process led from the club, from the goalkeeping department, and weve decided he was the right guy.Rosalen arrives with a serious background, including years in Italy and top-level experience. Iraola pointed to that immediately, saying, He has loads of experience, a lot of years at Fiorentina, a lot years in Napoli with some of the best coaches. Hes won the [Serie A title].Experience counts, but so does personality. Iraola stressed that side as well, Ive loved the personality once I could meet him and interview him. I liked a lot of the things. He brings good energy. I think hes going to be a good help for our keepers. Hes doing really well, yes.That is where Liverpool stand after this phase of pre-season. Iraola sees progress. He sees young players who can contribute. He sees assistants who understand the job, and a goalkeeping coach who brings pedigree and energy. It is still July work for an August target, but there is a shape forming now. For Liverpool, that is the point of the tour, and for Iraola, it has already delivered something useful, a clearer picture of what his team can become.

Chelsea table new bid for Rayo Vallecano defender Pep ChavarriaChelsea have stepped up their pursuit of Rayo Vallecano defender Pep Chavarria by submitting an improved offer, according to Fabrizio Romano.The Blues have struggled to finalise a deal for the 28-year-old despite weeks of negotiations, but talks are once again progressing between the two clubs.Chelsea have identified Chavarria as their preferred target to replace Marc Cucurella, who joined Real Madrid earlier this summer.The move for the Spanish full-back is reportedly spearheaded by manager Xabi Alonso. Chelsea had initially offered around 15 million to get the deal done but were turned down by Vallecano.The numbers involved in their improved proposal are being kept under wraps, but the Blues are somewhat confident of reaching an agreement with the Spanish club.Chavarria reportedly has a 42.4m release clause in his contract and Vallecano have been adamant that they will not sanction a deal unless it is triggered.The Spaniards current contract runs until 2030, so Vallecano have enough leverage to stand their ground.Despite that firm stance, Chelsea have no plans to activate the clause and are instead hoping to negotiate a lower fee. Both clubs are still in contact in the hope of finding common ground.Chavarria has spent much of his career in Spains second division before establishing himself in La Liga.But Vallecano are convinced his performances place him among the leagues most effective full-backs.He made 44 appearances across all competitions for Vallecano last season, notching a goal and three assists. However, his underlying numbers are also impressive.Chavarria helped to keep nine clean sheets and created five big chances as a full-back.He also averaged 1.6 tackles, 4.3 ball recoveries, and 2.6 clearances per 90 minutes, while winning 55% of his ground duels.Chelsea are eager to bring Chavarria to the Premier League and have already agreed personal terms with the Spanish full-back.He is reportedly excited at the chance to play in the Premier League and work under Alonso at Chelsea.