Paratici's new 'major priority' as Frank looks to avoid fatal Ange mistake at Tottenham

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank is in danger of repeating a fatal Ange Postecoglou mistake as new co-sporting director Fabio Paratici looks to spare his blushes.

Thomas Frank given clear Tottenham issues to solve as unbeaten streak ends

Last Sunday, Unai Emery’s Aston Villa stole all three points from a Spurs side who seriously lacked cutting edge in the final third.

The Lilywhites looked to be in dreamland when midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur opened the scoring with just five minutes on the clock, but they failed to press their advantage and allowed Villa a route back into the game.

Wonder strikes from Morgan Rogers, who is reportedly on Tottenham’s radar as a transfer target, and Emiliano Buendia ended Spurs’ brief unbeaten streak that was largely down to the grit and resilience of their defence.

It took two deflected efforts from Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus to hand the north Londoners a scrappy 2-1 win at Leeds just prior to the international break, while Frank’s men only just managed to escape from Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League with a draw after late drama.

The same can be said for their previous Premier League home game against bottom side Wolves, with summer signing Joao Palhinha’s side-footed screamer in added time ultimately sparing their blushes against inferior opposition.

While there is a case to be made that Spurs have displayed a solidarity which was largely absent from Postecoglou’s final season in charge, concerns surround their lack of creative spark.

Matches

12

Wins

6

Draws

3

Losses

3

Points

18

Points per game

1.75

Summer signing Xavi Simons has also been criticised for his lack of goal involvement since joining from RB Leipzig, in a deal which could cost Tottenham a whopping £125 million if he stays for the length of his potential seven-year contract (Paul O’Keefe).

James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski remain out for Spurs too, as Frank looks to solve their central creativity problem, but that is something new director Paratici could assist with.

Paratici, after months of reports linking him with a return to N17, was confirmed as the club’s co-sporting director last week, and he’ll be working alongside Johan Lange as the pair take on the same title with two different roles.

Lange is responsible for the data-driven recruitment side of things, including scouting, while Paratici is Tottenham’s ‘dealmaker’, who’ll be tasked with getting big-money signings over the line (Michael Bridge).

Paratici's new 'major priority' as Frank looks to avoid fatal Ange mistake at Tottenham

As relayed by TEAMtalk, signing a “difference-maker” in the engine room, one who can link defence to attack, is rapidly becoming a “major priority” for Paratici at Tottenham.

Man United’s Kobbie Mainoo, Rangers star Nicolas Raskin and Crystal Palace sensation Adam Wharton are apparently three options on their radar ahead of 2026, with Frank looking not to repeat one of his predecessors’ fatal errors.

So far, Bentancur and Joao Palhinha have impressed individually since the start of this season, especially the latter, who’s been their star man since joining from Bayern Munich on loan with a £26 million option to buy.

However, the pair arguably struggle to influence the creative side of things as deep-lying, tough-tackling anchors — even if they did link up for Tottenham’s opener against Villa.

Much like how Postecoglou often deployed one of Yves Bissouma or Pape Sarr with Bentancur last term, Frank appears to be replicating that ineffective mistake with Palhinha and the latter this time around.

It is a tough conundrum for Frank to solve, as Palhinha is essentially undroppable right now, and Bentancur has equally proved his worth at times. However, as a pairing, they may not offer enough going forward.

Raskin is in the final two years of his contract and reports suggest that Rangers could sell him for around £20-25 million in January, so the Belgian could be an option to partner Palhinha in Frank’s midfield.

Mainoo, whose deal also expires in 2027, could well entertain a January move considering his lack of game time under Ruben Amorim and the World Cup looming next year.

In any case, Paratici is growing increasingly keen on signing another creator for Tottenham’s midfield, and it will be interesting to see whether Frank himself tinkers the team in-house or urges the board to solve this problem through a winter transfer.

Pep now personally contacts Deco over Man City deal for £28k-p/w Barcelona gem

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has now contacted Barcelona sporting director Deco over a deal for a “real gem”, it has been revealed.

Man City maintain pressure on Arsenal with victory over Everton

Man City rose to second in the Premier League courtesy of their 2-0 victory at home against Everton at the weekend, with talisman Erling Haaland continuing his fantastic start to the season by scoring a brace.

The Norwegian, who is regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, is likely to be key to City’s chances of winning the Premier League title, with the win against the Toffees ensuring they remain three points behind league leaders Arsenal.

Gary Neville has expressed concern about the Blues’ defensive vulnerabilities, but Gianluigi Donnarumma has received plenty of plaudits since his arrival, while Nico O’Reilly has continued to impress, assisting Haaland’s opening goal on Saturday afternoon.

However, according to a report from E-Noticies, Guardiola is worried by his lack of options at left-back, having been forced to improvise by giving O’Reilly the nod in that area of the pitch.

As such, the Man City boss has now made direct contact with Barcelona sporting director Deco over a move for Alejandro Balde, who Pep has been keen on for quite some time, having tried to get a deal done back in 2023.

The City manager believes Balde, who rakes in around £28k-a-week, would be an ideal fit in his system, given his speed, ability to break the lines and tactical astuteness.

That said, it could be difficult to get a deal done, given that the 22-year-old has expressed no intention of leaving the Camp Nou, with the La Liga club viewing him as an essential part of their project going forward.

Man City eye South American star who may follow in Julian Alvarez's footsteps

The Citizens could follow a familiar trend in their latest pursuit.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Oct 19, 2025

"Real gem" Balde could be solid option for Man City

The Spaniard has been a regular first-team player at Barcelona for quite some time, receiving high praise from scout Jacek Kulig for his attacking contributions during the 2022-23 campaign.

The left-back is also very comfortable in possession of the ball, as showcased by the fact he ranks in the 97th percentile for pass-completion rate per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Those qualities could make Balde ideal for Man City, but there are some doubts over whether he would be a necessary signing, given the start O’Reilly has made to the campaign, with Guardiola praising the young Englishman after his Golden Boy nomination.

Internautas criticam nível do clássico entre Flamengo e Botafogo: 'Assustador'

MatériaMais Notícias

Os torcedores criticaram o nível do jogo entre Flamengo e Botafogo nas redes sociais. Para muitos, o clássico está sendo “assustador” e de dar sono. Confira as reações abaixo.

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خبير لغة جسد يحلل تصرفات محمد صلاح بعد مباراة ليفربول وبرايتون وإمكانية رحيله

حلل أحد خبراء لغة الجسد تصرفات النجم المصري محمد صلاح بعد مباراة ليفربول وبرايتون، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، مشيرًا إلى أن الأمر بدا كمشهد وداع.

وشارك محمد صلاح كبديل في مباراة ليفربول وبرايتون أمس السبت، بعد تصريحاته المثيرة للجدل التي أعقبت مباراة فريقه أمام ليدز يونايتد في الجولة الماضية للدوري الإنجليزي.

صلاح أثار الضجة خلال الأسبوع الماضي حين صرح أن ليفربول يبدو وكأنه تخلى عنه، وأن علاقته بالمدرب سلوت منقطعة، وذلك بسبب جلوسه بديلاً لثلاث مباريات متتالية في البريميرليج، وعلى إثر ذلك تم استبعاده من المباراة أمام إنتر ميلان.

ويعتقد دارين ستانتون، خبير لغة الجسد، أن هذه التصرفات تشير إلى أن محمد صلاح قد يغادر ليفربول قريبًا، وفقًا لتقرير صحيفة “ميرور”.

وفي المباراة أمام برايتون، ساهم صلاح بتمريرة حاسمة في الفوز 2-0، وبدا متأثرًا في نهاية المباراة، حيث حيّا الجماهير في جميع أنحاء ملعب آنفيلد، وكان من آخر اللاعبين الذين غادروا أرض الملعب.

اقرأ أيضًا | كيف برر محمد صلاح تصريحاته النارية في غرفة ملابس ليفربول؟

ويعتقد دارين ستانتون، خبير لغة الجسد، أن هذه التصرفات تشير إلى احتمال رحيل صلاح عن ليفربول قريبًا، وفقًا لتقرير صحيفة “ميرور”.

وقال ستانتون: “بدا محمد صلاح متأثرًا للغاية بعد مباراة برايتون، أعتقد أن الأمر كان أشبه برثاء له، بصراحة، لا أعتقد أننا سنراه مجددًا”.

وتابع ستانتون: “كانت الدموع تملأ عينيه وهو يصفق مع الجماهير، لذا أعتقد أن هذه كانت أغنيته الأخيرة، وداعه الأخير”.

وأردف: “أعتقد أنه رغم عدم وجود إجراءات رسمية، إلا أنه يعلم في قرارة نفسه أنه لن يكون في ذلك الموقف ولن يمشي على تلك الأرضية مرة أخرى، لذا أعتقد أنه سيرحل ولن يعود”.

وأشار: “كانت تعابير صلاح حزينة ومحبطة، لأنه من الواضح أن الأمور لم تسر على ما يرام، كان حزينًا للغاية، متأثرًا بشدة، والدموع تملأ عينيه، وظهرت على وجهه تعابير حزن دقيقة”.

Bill Simmons’s Red Sox Tweets Timeline Captures Rollercoaster Second Half of Season

The Boston Red Sox are back in the hunt for the postseason for the first time since 2021 and it's gotten Bill Simmons back into baseball. After a 30-35 start and a big shift in vibes following the Rafael Devers trade, Simmons has been tweeting more frequently about his favorite baseball team.

Unfortunately, that has often led to immediate consequences for the team on the field. Almost as if his being happy about the team on social media has resulted in some sort of jinx. Here's a quick recap of how things have been going for the team as he has posted through the second half of the season.

The Bill Simmons Boston Red Sox Second Half Tweets Timeline

July 18

The Red Sox had won their last 10 games before the All-Star break and are just a game behind the New York Yankees in the AL East standings. (Both teams trail the Blue Jays) The day the season resumed Simmons tweeted that he was excited about the team. They lost to the Cubs that afternoon.

July 21

Boston suffers a "new dumbest loss of the season" in a bizare walk-off loss to the Phillies. They're now two games behind New York.

July 22

Boston loses for the fourth time in five games. "Was way more fun when the Red Sox were playing the sh—- NL teams."

July 28

The Red Sox had just won two games against the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, but there's chatter about a lockout. just as "MLB is getting its mojo back."

August 1

Boston has won three straight, but they didn't do anything at the trade deadline. Simmons hopes "the Red Sox owners get explosive diarrhea this weekend."

August 5

The Yankees drop their fifth straight game. The Red Sox win their seventh straight. Boston now has a 3.5-game lead over New York and are three games behind the Blue Jays. Doctor Bill (his father) is very excited about . After sending this tweet the Red Sox would drop four of their next five games. Meanwhile, the Yankees have won eight of their last 11 since this tweet.

August 9

The Red Sox had won 10 of 12 games and Roman Anthony hit a double in the ninth inning against the Padres to tie the game 4-4. Simmons hit send shortly before the Padres scored in the 10th to win the game. They have dropped seven of 10 games since he tweeted this:

August 11

Roman Anthony hits a two-run home run in the seventh inning to bring the Red Sox within one of the Astros. After an all-caps "WE ARE ALL LIVING IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE" tweet no one else scores in the game and the Astros win 7-6.

August 17

The Red Sox took a 3-1 lead into the eighth inning and lost 5-3 to the Miami Marlins. It's the "Worst Red Sox loss in awhile!"

August 19

The Orioles, who can "f— off," beat the Red Sox 4-3 in 11 innings. It is the Red Sox's third straight loss.

Meanwhile, Aaron Judge returned to the Yankees lineup and hit one of the team's nine home runs against the Rays as New York won their fourth straight game. New York is now back ahead of Boston in the standings.

Shades of Kante: 8/10 Chelsea man had his "best performance" yet vs Burnley

Are the glory days heading back to Stamford Bridge?

Having enjoyed so much success during the two decades of Roman Abramovich’s ownership, Chelsea supporters cannot help but hark back to the past and hope that current players can replicate those from then.

While they may never see a player as good in their position as Petr Čech, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard or Dider Drogba ever again, did an up-and-coming Chelsea youngster put in a display reminiscent of a Chelsea superstar from more recent times against Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday?

N'Golo Kanté's Premier League legacy

Given how widespread football and football coverage is in the modern era, it is very rare that any player can be truly described as completely unique.

However, N’Golo Kanté certainly falls into this category, considering we’ve not seen the like before or since.

He was a key figure in Leicester City’s title triumph against all odds a decade ago, before winning another Premier League title, the FA Cup and Champions League with Chelsea, as well as the World Cup with France.

At just 5 ft 6 in (168 cms) tall, he possessed seemingly endless amounts of energy, covering every blade of grass match after match, racking up more tackles, blocks, interceptions and distance covered than anyone else to ever grace the Premier League.

Now 34 years old and playing for Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, his unique skillset is underlined by the fact that Didier Deschamps recalled him to his French national team squad last week after a year away, starting against Ukraine at Parc des Princes, still unable to find someone better at being Kanté than Kanté.

Now though, which current Chelsea player put in a Kanté-esque display at Turf Moor?

Chelsea's new N'Golo Kanté

The major talking point ahead of kick off between Burnley and Chelsea on Saturday lunchtime was the fact that Moisés Caicedo was left on the bench.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

With games against Barcelona and Arsenal up next, Enzo Maresca decided to rest his star midfielder, after he had completed 90 minutes in both of Ecuador’s matches during the international break, these friendlies against Canada in Toronto and then New Zealand in Harrison, New Jersey.

This presented Andrey Santos with an opportunity to stake a claim, and he certainly did just that.

The table below documents the Brazilian’s impressive display in Lancashire.

Accurate passes

34

11th

Key passes

1

6th

Defensive actions

12

1st

Clearances

4

3rd

Interceptions

4

1st

Tackles won

3

3rd

Duels contested

10

2nd

Duels won

7

2nd

Ball recoveries

4

1st

Touches

63

6th

SofaScore rating

7.3

3rd

The table emphasises Santos’ excellent display against Burnley, leading the match when it comes to defensive actions, interceptions and ball recoveries, as well as winning seven of his ten duels and putting in three tackles, all Kanté-esque traits.

Matthew Judge of Goal noted that deputising for Caicedo is always an ‘unenviable’ task, but the Brazilian put in an ‘excellent’ display, given that he provided ‘a solid shield’ in front of the Chelsea backline, a key reason why Burnley rarely threatened, awarding him an 8/10 rating.

Meantime, Nizaar Kinsella of BBC Sport asserted that it was Santos’ “best performance to date” for the club.

The 20-year-old joined Chelsea from Vasco da Gama back in January 2023, but did not make his debut for the club until the Club World Cup in June against Espérance Sportive de Tunis.

He spent last season on loan at BlueCo’s other club Strasbourg, impressing all Ligue 1 observers, including Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout, who asserted that he is an “incredible midfielder in the making”.

Well, with massive games against Barcelona and Arsenal up next, was this the game Santos came to the fore and asserted himself as a key figure in this Chelsea team, as Kanté was during an ultra-successful period?

Chelsea have Palmer 2.0 with a "left foot made of gold" & it's not Estevao

The promising talent could be the perfect solution to Chelsea’s Cole Palmer problem.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 22, 2025

Man City have already signed a striker who could wear the 9 after Haaland

In the last few years, there has been a debate raging at Manchester City as to who is the better striker, Sergio Aguero or Erling Haaland.

Well, it is not an easy question to answer, given how long the Argentine striker was successful at City.

In total, Aguero played 390 times for the East Mancunian outfit, and his record speaks volumes about how good he is. The 101-cap Argentina international bagged 260 goals in that time. You consider it ludicrous to go against him in this debate.

Yet, the numbers Haaland is putting up certainly make him better than Aguero in the eyes of many.

Why Haaland is Man City's greatest striker

This is a debate that, at this stage, doesn’t really have a right answer. However, with the trajectory that Haaland is on, it is hard to see him failing to overtake Aguero’s record as City’s all-time top goalscorer.

In just 161 appearances in the famous Sky Blue shirt, the 25-year-old already has 143 goals to his name, as well as 22 assists. He’s averaging a goal involvement in more than every game. That is why Jamie Carragher said Haaland is “the greatest goalscorer to ever play in English football.”

Indeed, his form this season has been astronomical. Already, he’s found the back of the net 19 times in just 15 games. Miraculously, he’s not added to the 11 hat-tricks he has for the club, but has bagged twice in a game six times.

Haaland is a simply ridiculous number nine who can do it all, from excellent link-up play to clinical finishing in the box. His goal against Arsenal is perhaps the best example, with the striker starting the move by tucking the ball round the corner to Tijjani Reijnders, before charging forward and receding the ball again to score.

The Norwegian is incredible, although City don’t have a natural striker as his understudy if he gets injured. If that were the case, the answer might be an academy star who could one day take the number nine shirt after Haaland.

Man City's in-house number nine after Haaland

Haaland’s injury record isn’t perfect. The striker has missed 26 games since he moved to City, and they don’t really have a natural replacement. Omar Marmoush can lead the line, but he excels in a slightly deeper role, a little like Julian Alvarez did.

Lucky for the Citizens, they might have the perfect striker in the academy in the form of Mahamadou Sangare.

The France U18 centre-forward only moved to the club in the summer from Paris Saint-Germain, but is already excelling in the youth side.

This season across all competitions for the esteemed City academy, Sangare has found the back of the net on nine occasions in just 14 games. That includes three goals in four UEFA Youth League games.

In fact, it was in that competition that Sangare put in his most impressive performance to date. The 18-year-old shone against AS Monaco U19s, bagging a hat-trick and assisting one goal, after creating two chances.

Sangare vs. Monaco U19s

Stat

Number

Touches

35

Opposition half passes completed

14/18

Aerial duels won

5/6

Shots

4

Goals

3

Chances created

2

Assists

1

Stats from Sofascore

One person who has spoken highly of the striker is football scout Antonio Mango. He called Sangare a “prolific” number nine, complementing him on the fact that he was one of the standout PSG youngsters last season. He scored 33 times in 35 games for their U19s.

Well, it certainly seems like City are seeing the quality he can bring to the youth sides. It will be fascinating to see how quickly Sangare’s development continues. He certainly has an eye for goal and will be hoping that he can translate that to senior level.

Of course, the 18-year-old is quite some way from being on Haaland’s level, but with his natural goalscoring instinct, there is no reason why he can’t establish himself in the first team. Perhaps he will even be the natural successor to Haaland’s iconic number nine shirt.

As important as Doku: £50m star just had his best ever game for Man City

Manchester City smashed Liverpool 3-0 in the Premier League on Sunday, Jérémy Doku the star of the show, but another player shone for Pep Guardiola.

1

By
Ben Gray

Nov 10, 2025

Rounding the Bases: MLB Straight Up Picks for Every Game Today (Bet on the Twins' Hot Bats vs. Phillies)

It's a new week which means we have a new slate of MLB games to watch and bet on. The All-Star game is in the rear-view mirror so now it's time for teams to make a push to the playoffs as we enter the second half of the season.

There are 13 games set to take place today and as we always do on Rounding the Bases, I'm going to break down my best bet for every single one of them.

Let's dive into it.

Rays vs. Yankees Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Rays +145

It's hard to justify betting on the Yankees as this big of favorites with Carlos Rodon on the mound. The Yankees starter has a 7.20 ERA over his last eight starts with one of them coming against this Rays lineup on July 9. He gave up five hits, two walks, and four earned runs in 4.0 innings in that start and I expect a similar outing from him today.

I'll gladly back the Rays as underdogs in this one.

Cardinals vs. Pirates Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Pirates -130

Mitch Keller has been quietly having himself a fantastic season, rocking an ERA of 3.46 in his 19 starts. Now he gets to face a Cardinals offense that has been average at best of late. I'll back him and the Pirates to get the job done today.

Mets vs. Marlins Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Mets -145

The Mets rank second in the Majors in OPS dating back to June 1 at .811, while the Marlins rank dead last in that time frame at .631. In my opinion, this bet is a no-brainer.

Tigers vs. Guardians Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Tigers -120

It's surprising to me the Tigers are available at -120 odds when the AL Cy Young favorite, Tarik Skubal, is on the mound. Don't let the Guardians stellar record fool you, they're just 17th in the Majors in OPS dating back to June 1. I'll back Skubal and his 2.41 ERA in this AL Central showdown.

Reds vs. Braves Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Braves -150

Reynaldo Lopez may be the most underrated pitcher in the Majors and his 1.88 ERA should strike fear in the Reds lineup today. There's no doubt the Braves offense is in a bit of a slump of late, but Lopez has the ability to drag them to a win tonight.

Phillies vs. Twins Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Twins -105

The Twins lead all of Major League Baseball in OPS dating back to June 1, with an OPS of .813. The Phillies rank just seventh (.762) in that same time frame. I'll take advantage of the opportunity to wager on Minnesota as a slight home underdog.

White Sox vs. Rangers Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: White Sox +150

The White Sox offense is bad, but the Rangers offense hasn't been much better. They're 26th in MLB in OPS (.678) dating back to June 1. Erick Fedde (2.99 ERA) of the White Sox has a chance to have a strong performance tonight.

Brewers vs. Cubs Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Cubs +100

Considering these two teams are 18th and 19th in OPS dating back to June 1, I'll go ahead and back the home underdog in what I feel is a coin flip matchup.

Diamondbacks vs. Royals Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Diamondbacks +135

The Royals certainly have the advantage on the mound with Cole Ragans (3.16 ERA) getting the start, but they shouldn't be this big of favorites based on how their offense has been performing. They're 23rd in OPS dating back to June 1 while the Diamondbacks are sixth. Give me Arizona in this interleague showdown.

Red Sox vs. Rockies Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Red Sox -175

The Red Sox will roll with Tanner Houck (2.54 ERA) as their starter today, which is enough to have me not even consider betting on the Rockies.

Astros vs. Athletics Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Athletics +125

The A's offense has been quietly solid lately, ranking 12th in OPS dating back to June 1. They should be able to take advantage of a matchup against Spencer Arrighetti, who has a poor 5.63 ERA on the year.

Angels vs. Mariners Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Angels +145

I will continue to fade the Mariners, whose offense has been one of the worst in baseball lately. They're batting just .212 since June 1 and now they have to face Tyler Anderson and his 2.97 ERA.

Giants vs. Dodgers Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Dodgers -130

It's crazy to say this after winning the Cy Young last season, but you simply can't bet on the Giants at this point when Blake Snell gets the start. His baffling 6.31 ERA makes them one of the most overvalued teams in baseball when he starts.

Blue Jays Posted the Perfect Troll for Never-Ending Tigers-Mariners Game 5

Nobody was happier that Game 5 of the American League Division Series between the Mariners and Tigers went much longer than anyone could have expected than the Blue Jays.

Toronto awaited the winner of Seattle and Detroit in the AL Championship Series with Game 1 slated for Sunday. As Game 5 at T-Mobile Park went deep into extra innings, both sides had to dig into the depth of their bullpens and even return to their starters from earlier in the series.

Seattle finally finished off the Tigers thanks to a hit from Jorge Polanco that drove in J.P. Crawford in the bottom of the 15th for a 3–2 win in one of the wildest playoff games you'll ever see.

The Tigers used eight pitchers compared to seven for the Mariners in 15 innings of their wacky decisive game that turned into one of the 10 longest games in MLB postseason history. Both teams used three of four starters from the series in Game 5. With bullpens and rotations becoming depleted, the Blue Jays’ social account posted the perfect GIF on the team’s X account as their team watched comfortably at home:

Polanco eventually played hero with a walk-off single with the bases loaded, sending the home crowd in Seattle into a frenzy. With the win, the Mariners advanced to the ALCS for the first time in 24 years.

The Blue Jays eliminated the Yankees in four games to finish their ALDS matchup Wednesday. As a result, Toronto got some extra rest and then some considering the 15-inning marathon that the Mariners had to play to close out their own series.

Seattle will now travel to Toronto for Game 1 of the ALCS Sunday evening. Hopefully Cal Raleigh and Co. can get some rest in between celebrations.

Aaron Judge Gave Sad Quote About Losing After Blue Jays Eliminate Yankees in ALDS

The Yankees are right back to where they started following another disappointing postseason finish, as they saw their 2025 campaign end with a whimper in a lifeless Game 4 loss to the Blue Jays.

Yankees slugger Aaron Judge managed to bring their season back from the dead with an electric three-run homer in Game 3, but New York fell short at the plate especially in the late innings during Wednesday's 5-2 defeat.

Judge met with reporters after the game and offered a blunt assessment of why he thought the Yankees lost the series.

"I think once again it comes down to the little things, making the little plays, coming up with the big hit," Judge said. "If you don't do that, give teams extra outs, they're going to capitalize on it. … For us we gotta clean a couple things up and we'll be right back here.

"I liked our chances all year, it was a special group. Just sucks for the guys that might be their last time wearing pinstripes and not getting a chance to have a long run with them and end in a championship. Especially with the fans all year… disappointed we let all those guys down."

Judge and the Yankees now face an offseason filled with looming questions about their roster, one that had the the third-highest opening day payroll in the big leagues but one that ultimately fell short of its lofty championship aspirations.

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