Browsing: decline

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

SHOW SUMMARY:In this week’s Flagship Flashback episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast from ten years ago (12-8-2015), PWTorch editor Wade Keller and ProWrestling.net head honcho Jason Powell took calls and vent with callers once again over the decline of Monday Night Raw, the wretched final segment with Sheamus and Roman Reigns, the ridiculous USA Network commercials with Reigns and Wyatt Family, and more with a ton of caller interaction and no shortage of passionate rants.

Then in the previously VIP-exclusive Aftershow, they continued their discussion on Raw including whether Roman Reigns would even be good at being a heel if he turned, plus email questions from listeners.

FREE VERSION:AUDIO LINK

AD-FREE VIP VERSION:ÂVIP AUDIO LINK

NOT VIP? NO PROBLEM… CLICK HERE FOR VIP SIGN UP INFO

OTHER LINKS…

Or support us on Patreon…

–

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel…

–

–

Emails…

wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com

kellerwade@gmail.com

pwtorch@gmail.com

Source link

SAN JOSE, CA — When the Los Angeles Kings acquired Andrei Kuzmenko at last seasonâ€s deadline, he helped transform an offensively barren roster into one of the leagueâ€s most dangerous even-strength teams down the stretch and the most lethal power play in the postseason.

But the NHL is an unforgiving ecosystem, and few players have felt that turbulence more than Kuzmenko. In his short time in North America, he has already been cycled through multiple systems, coaches, and lineup roles. What once looked like an instant fit in Los Angeles has quickly shifted into uncertainty.

Advertisement

Last yearâ€s chemistry with Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe was undeniable in that 20 game burst, but it has completely evaporated to start 2025–26. After seven points in his first 13 games as a plus three, Kuzmenkoâ€s momentum stalled. His usage cratered with a 7:32 showing in Montreal and a 7:50 game in Pittsburgh, followed by three straight scratches. He has not registered a point in five games and now sits at seven points in 18 games as a minus one.

When Kuzmenko is rolling, he is a surplus scorer who can flirt with 30 goals. When he is not, he becomes a liability for a team that is desperate for middle-six production. That volatility is precisely why the Kings offered only a one-year extension. The risk and reward are written directly into his stat line.

To be a true top six forward in the modern NHL, players must contribute on both sides of the puck. Kuzmenkoâ€s defensive game remains the gap in his profile, much like fellow countryman Ilya Kovalchuk. KHL imports tend to arrive as finished products. This is who he is. The question is whether that “finished product†aligns with a forechecking, pressure driven, board play oriented Kings identity. Right now, it often does not.

Advertisement

To his credit, Kuzmenko had strong moments against a resurgent Sharks team, especially on the power play where his scoring instincts still flash. At five on five, he logged the eighth most minutes among forwards, reflecting that “just outside the mark†tweener status. Not quite top six at even strength, but elevated into that tier through special teams usage. His underlying numbers were respectable with chances even at four to four and shots seven to six against, but not truly impactful.

And that is the story. Kuzmenko is noticeable and polarizing almost entirely because of the power play. If not for an outstanding performance by Yaroslav Askarov, the Kings likely would have converted on one of their man advantages, with Kuzmenko heavily involved. But this league does not reward hypotheticals. Production is king, and this King needs to produce.

His one year, 4.3 million dollar contract looks more and more like a temporary solution. Either he finds his touch again or he becomes a natural trade piece if Los Angeles looks to add another forward. The front office will not hesitate to exchange volatility for reliability.

There is still a useful player inside Kuzmenko. Maybe he becomes a specialty weapon. Maybe a sheltered offensive winger who boosts the power play. But just like any professional looking for the next pay grade, the output must match the price.

Advertisement

So far, it has not. And unless his scoring returns, this may be his final season in Los Angeles.

Source link

Infielder Justin Turner became a free agent Thursday after the Chicago Cubs declined a $10 million mutual option.

Turner will receive a $2 million buyout as part of a contract that included a $4 million salary this year.

A corner infielder who turns 41 on Nov. 23, Turner hit .219 with three homers and 18 RBIs in 80 games.

Turner is a two-time All-Star and was a 2020 World Series champion with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has a .283 career average with 201 homers and 832 RBIs in 17 major league seasons with the Baltimore Orioles (2009-10), New York Mets (2010-13), Dodgers (2014-22), Boston Red Sox (2023), Toronto Blue Jays (2024), Seattle Mariners (2024) and Cubs.

Editor’s Picks

Also on Thursday, Chicago agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Colin Rea on a one-year, $6.5 million contract. Rea, 35, went 11-7 with a 3.95 ERA and one save in 32 games (27 starts) with the Cubs last season, his second stint in Chicago along with the 2020 season.

Rea’s new contract includes a $5.5 million salary for 2026 and a $7.5 million club option for 2027 with a $1 million buyout. His expiring contract paid $4.25 million and included a $6 million club option for 2026 with a $750,000 buyout.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source link

Closer Pete Fairbanks will hit free agency after the Tampa Bay Rays declined their $11 million option on him Thursday.

The decision was among several announced by the Rays on Thursday, with the team also exercising 2026 club options for infielders Brandon Lowe and Taylor Walls.

Fairbanks, who turns 32 in December, will be one of the top relievers available in a market soft with high-leverage options. As the primary closer for the Rays over the past four seasons, he has saved 83 games and posted a 2.83 ERA, striking out 332 and walking 103 in 265.1 innings.

Editor’s Picks

2 Related

With a fastball that sits at 97 mph, a well-above-average slider and a cutter that was added midseason in 2025 and graded out as an elite pitch, Fairbanks is expected to draw multiyear interest in a free agent market soft with relief options.

After the top reliever on the market, right-hander Edwin Diaz, Fairbanks slots in strongly in the second tier, with right-handers Devin Williams, Robert Suarez, Ryan Helsley and Tyler Rogers. Others with multiple years of closing experience include left-hander Taylor Rogers and right-handers Kyle Finnegan, Raisel Iglesias, Emilio Pagan, Kenley Jansen and David Robertson. Relievers expected to draw interest from teams include right-handers Brad Keller and Luke Weaver, plus left-handers Steven Matz and Caleb Ferguson.

While Tampa Bay valued Fairbanks, its payroll going into the 2026 season is unlikely to climb, and the Rays chose to pay the $1 million buyout on the deal rather than devote a significant portion of its payroll to a relief pitcher with a strong relief corps returning.

Fairbanks’ best full season came in 2023, when he struck out 13.5 batters per nine innings and had greater than an 11-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. With questions about his durability present after never throwing more than 45.1 innings in a season, Fairbanks booked a career-best 60.1 innings in 2025 and logged a career-high 27 saves.

Source link

• 

  Jorge CastilloNov 5, 2025, 11:49 AM ET

  Close

  ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the Washington Wizards from 2014 to 2016 and the Washington Nationals from 2016 to 2018 for The Washington Post before covering the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB for the Los Angeles Times from 2018 to 2024.

The New York Yankees made contract decisions on two relievers for the 2026 season, exercising left-hander Tim Hill’s $3 million club option and declining right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga’s $5 million club option, the team announced Wednesday.

Hill, 35, has been a steady contributor for the Yankees since signing with the team in June of 2024, posting a 2.68 ERA in 105 games across his two seasons in New York.

Editor’s Picks

1 Related

A groundball specialist with a funky sidearm delivery, Hill’s 70 relief appearances in 2025 led the Yankees and were tied for ninth among left-handers across the majors. No other left-hander made more than 17 relief appearances for New York. He finished second among all qualified relievers with a 64.8% groundball rate while his 13.8% strikeout rate ranked 48th out of the 48 qualifiers.

Loaisiga, whose career has been marred by injuries in recent seasons, signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the club option for 2026 last offseason after missing nearly the entire 2024 campaign following surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

He returned to the Yankees’ bullpen in May and struggled across 30 appearances before missing the season’s final two months with a flexor strain. The 30-year-old Nicaraguan posted a 4.25 ERA across his 29â…” innings. He has pitched in just 50 games over the past three seasons.

Loaisiga joins Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Ryan Yarbrough, and Paul Blackburn as Yankees pitchers to reach free agency this week.

Source link

Pakistan’s Babar Azam (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed) Once hailed as Pakistanâ€s modern batting genius, Babar Azam is fast running out of excuses. The right-handerâ€s struggles continued in Faisalabad, where he scored just 7 runs in the first ODI against South Africa — extending his century drought to 80 international innings. For a player who was once compared to Virat Kohli, Babarâ€s recent record paints a worrying picture. Since his last international hundred — against Nepal in the 2023 Asia Cup — he has failed to cross three figures even once across formats. In his last 30 ODI innings, Babar has managed only 945 runs at an average of 35.00 and a strike rate of 78.55, with a highest score of just 78. Despite these underwhelming numbers, surprisingly Babar still sits fourth in the ICC ODI batting rankings. His inability to deliver match-winning knocks in recent months has sparked debate among fans and critics alike about whether he still deserves to be called Pakistanâ€s premier batter. The Faisalabad crowd, eager to see their hometown hero rediscover his touch, was left disappointed as he fell cheaply once again. While Pakistan went on to clinch a two-wicket win in a tense finish, thanks to Naseem Shahâ€s final-over single, Babarâ€s failure overshadowed much of the post-match celebrations. South Africa, batting first, posted 263 courtesy of Quinton de Kock (63) and debutant Lhuan-dre Pretorius (57). Pakistanâ€s bowlers, led by Abrar Ahmed (3-53) and Naseem Shah (3-40), did the job, but their captainâ€s batting continues to be a major concern. With two matches left in the series, pressure is mounting on Babar Azam. Unless he finds a way to end this alarming run, Pakistanâ€s supposed batting king might soon find his crown slipping.

Source link

The Giants announced Monday that theyâ€ve declined catcher Tom Murphy’s $4 million team option for 2026. Murphy will receive a $250,000 buyout and is now a free agent.

The Giants hoped Murphy would be able to serve as the ideal right-handed-hitting complement to two-time Gold Glove winner Patrick Bailey, but the 34-year-old veteran couldnâ€t stay healthy after signing a two-year, $8.25 million deal in December 2023.

Murphy appeared in only 13 games in 2024 due to a knee injury and then missed the entire ’25 campaign after hurting his back during Spring Training. He was away from the Giants for virtually the entire year, as he ended up returning to his home in upstate New York to rehab.

Andrew Knizner finished the year as Baileyâ€s backup and will be arbitration-eligible this winter, but he hit only .221 with a .598 OPS and one home run over 33 games. The Giants could try to pursue more catching depth this offseason, though they have another intriguing internal option in Jesus Rodriguez, a 23-year-old Venezuelan who is ranked the clubâ€s No. 15 prospect by MLB Pipeline.

Rodriguez, who came over from the Yankees in the Camilo Doval trade, batted .307 with a .796 OPS and seven home runs in 124 games between Double-A Somerset, Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Triple-A Sacramento this year. The Giants added him to their taxi squad in late September, which gave him an opportunity to be around the big league pitching staff and work with catching coach Alex Burg on refining his skills behind the plate.

Like Knizner, Rodriguez is already on the 40-man roster, so he should have a chance to compete for the No. 2 catching spot during Spring Training.

“All reports were that Jesus is really solid behind the plate,†president of baseball operations Buster Posey said last month. “He does not have a ton of experience behind the plate, but heâ€s a hard worker. Great aptitude from what Iâ€ve been told. Heâ€s a guy weâ€re excited about. But again, weâ€ll remain open to other options.â€

Source link

Maccabi Tel Aviv will decline any tickets offered to their fans for the Europa League match at Villa Park, the Israeli club have said.

The local safety advisory group opted last week to block visiting fans from attending the tie against Aston Villa on 6 November after a risk assessment by West Midlands police, a decision that drew criticism from politicians including the prime minister, Keir Starmer.

There have been calls for the decision to be reversed, but a statement on the Maccabi website on Monday evening read: “The wellbeing and safety of our fans is paramount and, from hard lessons learned, we have taken the decision to decline any allocation offered on behalf of away fans, and our decision should be understood in that context.

“We hope that circumstances will change and look forward to being able to play in Birmingham in a sporting environment in the near future.â€

The statement questioned the motives of those seeking to justify the ban.

“We acknowledge the efforts of the UK government and police to ensure both sets of fans can attend the match safely, and are grateful for the messages of support from across the footballing community and society at large,†said the club. “Our first-team squad consists of Muslims, Christian and Jewish players and our fanbase also crosses the ethnic and religious divide. We have also been working tirelessly to stamp out racism within the more extreme elements of our fanbase.

UK government answers urgent questions on Tel Aviv football derby – video

“It is clear that various entrenched groups seek to malign the Maccabi Tel Aviv fanbase, most of whom have no truck with racism or hooliganism of any kind, and are exploiting isolated incidents for their own social and political ends.

skip past newsletter promotion

Sign up to Football Daily

Kick off your evenings with the Guardian’s take on the world of football

Privacy Notice:Newsletters may contain information about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. If you do not have an account, we will create a guest account for you on theguardian.com to send you this newsletter. You can complete full registration at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

after newsletter promotion

“As a result of the hate-filled falsehoods, a toxic atmosphere has been created, which makes the safety of our fans wishing to attend very much in doubt.â€

Earlier on Monday, the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, said the decision to bar supporters “chooses exclusion†of Jewish people.

Source link