Browsing: winter

Former AEW World Champion Aiming For “Winter Return” From Injury

A new report from Fightful Selecthas provided an update on the recovery of former AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland and his potential timeline for a return to the ring. Strickland has been sidelined since August after undergoing a planned surgery to repair a torn meniscus, an injury he had reportedly been working with since his time in WWE.

The latest word from inside AEW is that Strickland’s rehabilitation is on track, and he could be ready for a “winter return” if his recovery continues to go smoothly. This timeline would see him back on AEW programming in time for the company’s major winter events, such as Full Gear in November or Worlds End in December.

Strickland’s last match was an unsuccessful challenge for the AEW Unified Championship against Kazuchika Okada at the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view on August 24. Following that match, he was written off television to have the much-needed surgery. During his time off, Swerve has not been idle.

He has been actively focusing on his music career, recently posting a photo from a recording studio with legendary Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon. The post was captioned, “Cooking up with the Chef Raekwon. Beats by Profit The Producer.â€

The news of his potential winter return comes at a crucial time for AEW, which is currently dealing with several injuries to other top stars like Kota Ibushi and Will Ospreay. AEW President Tony Khan recently commented on Strickland’s status during the WrestleDream media call, stating that he expects Swerve to be back “relatively soon” and that his injury does not have a long-term outlook.

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Baseball

Milwaukee Brewers 2025 offseason preview: After being swept in the NLCS, what’s ahead for Milwaukee this winter?

2025 season: 97-65, first in NL Central, eliminated in the NLCS

With the Brewers swept by the Dodgers in the NLCS, let’s take a look at the season that was in Milwaukee, the questions the team must address this winter and the early outlook for next year.

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Things that went right

Thanks to a memorable hot streak in the summer, the Brewers ran away with first place in the National League. From July 6 to Aug. 16, they went 29-4, which included a 14-game winning streak to start August. When play started July 6, the Brewers sat four games behind the Cubs in the NL Central. But when their game ended on Aug. 16, they were nine games ahead of Chicago. During that stretch, they led the NL with a 3.13 ERA and scored 219 runs, 44 more than any other NL team.

The Brewers finished third in baseball in runs scored through a true team effort. Christian Yelich bounced back from an injury-impacted 2024 season to play in 150 games and lead the team in homers and RBI. Many of the other key contributors, especially during the summer, were surprising. Andrew Vaughn joined the organization via trade on June 13. After a few weeks in the minors, he debuted July 7 and logged a 1.051 OPS from that date to Aug. 15. The success of Isaac Collins was even more surprising. The 28-year-old opened the season as a reserve player who had amassed 17 career at-bats. But he became a regular in May and logged a .779 OPS the rest of the way. Collins manned premium lineup spots for many second-half games. Sal Frelick and Brice Turang were also steady contributors who reached base at a high rate and wreaked havoc on the basepaths with their speed.

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The rotation was every bit as good as the lineup and finished second in baseball with a 3.58 ERA. Freddy Peralta was the teamâ€s workhorse. He threw 176 2/3 innings, and even though he wonâ€t seriously challenge for the NL Cy Young, he should get a few votes. Quinn Priester arrived in a minor trade with the Red Sox in April and wound up using a heavy groundball lean and improved strikeout rate to log a 3.32 ERA over 157 1/3 innings. Jose Quintana signed a one-year deal on March 5 and gave the team a 3.96 ERA over 131 2/3 innings. Prized prospect Jacob Misiorowski also delivered some dazzling starts, as did veteran Brandon Woodruff, who logged a 3.20 ERA after returning July 6 from 2023 shoulder surgery.

Last but not least, the bullpen was outstanding as well. Trevor Megill was among the most reliable closers until he was sidelined by a flexor strain in late August. Meanwhile, setup men Abner Uribe, Jared Koenig, Grant Anderson and Nick Mears all posted strong ratios while making more than 62 appearances each.

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Things that went wrong

Things went awfully well for the Brewers in 2025 until they ran into a brick wall against the Dodgers in the NLCS. They mustered only one run per game in the four-game series, and their pitchers were no match for L.A.’s offense. It probably didn’t help that the Brewers needed five games to defeat the Chicago Cubs in the NLDS, as they went up 2-0 in that series but then lost two games at Wrigley Field to push it to Game 5. It all added up to a Brewers team that looked both overmatched and exhausted against the Dodgers juggernaut.

In the regular season, Joey Ortiz deserves credit for playing excellent defense, but he struggled mightily at the plate, as his year-over-year OPS dropped by 133 points to .593. He was the only notable disappointment among the lineup regulars.

The success of the Brewers’ rotation is even more impressive when factoring in that three arms who were expected to be mainstays made almost no contributions. Tobias Myers opened the season on the IL due to an oblique injury and made multiple trips to Triple-A. He wound up logging just 50 2/3 innings. Aaron Civale struggled to meet modest expectations for a fifth starter. He missed nearly two months due to a left hamstring strain and was traded to the White Sox for Vaughn in the middle of June. Nestor Cortes endured an even more frustrating start to the season. The former Yankee was shelled for eight runs in two-plus innings by his ex-teammates in his Brewers debut, and he made just one more start before going on the IL due to an elbow strain, and he had not returned to the active roster when he was traded to the Padres at the deadline.

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Offseason outlook

Milwaukeeâ€s front office has built a reputation as one of the smartest in baseball, and it has created a roster that is well-equipped for sustained success.

In 2025, William Contreras got off to a slow start before playing great in the second half. He will return at catcher and in the heart of the lineup. Vaughn and Caleb Durbin will play first and third base, respectively, while Turang and Ortiz will turn double plays in the middle of the diamond.

All of the key players in the outfield are under contract for 2026 and beyond. Frelick will return as the right fielder, and he can play center when needed. Jackson Chourio is a budding star in center, though his progress after a breakout 2024 campaign was much less than expected. Collins will get a chance to build off his breakout season as the left fielder, while Blake Perkins and Brandon Lockridge, who was acquired in the trade for Cortes, are the top reserve options. Yelich will be the regular DH while occasionally making appearances in left field.

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The Brewers are also in great shape in the rotation. Peralta has one more year on his contract and will be the ace of the staff again in 2026. Quintana is heading to free agency, and Woodruff, who has a mutual option on his contract, will likely join him. But Milwaukee has plenty of other options, including Misiorowski, Priester, Chad Patrick and Logan Henderson. Robert Gasser will join the competition when he returns in spring training from 2024 Tommy John surgery.

The relief corps is yet another area that is well-stocked for 2026. Megill will return as the closer, and key setup men Uribe, Anderson, Koenig and Mears remain under team control. All five of these relievers will remain Brewers beyond 2026.

Prospects on the horizon

Although the Brewers have one of the best farm systems in baseball, most of their top prospects are scheduled to arrive in the majors in 2027 or later.

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Henderson is the organizationâ€s top pitching prospect. He looked great in limited opportunities in Milwaukee this year before an elbow injury caused him to be placed on the IL. He could be one of the best starters in the National League as soon as next season.

Catcher Jeferson Quero is the other prospect who will soon be ready to debut. The native Venezuelan might have reached the majors already if not for injuries that caused him to miss nearly all of 2024 and part of 2025. Still, Quero has reached Triple-A and would form an excellent tandem with Contreras.

The jewel of the Brewers†farm system is Jesús Made, who is viewed as a top-10 prospect in baseball by some publications. Made is just 18 years old and wonâ€t debut for at least a couple of years, but when he arrives, Milwaukee fans will be treated to someone who can do it all. Made has strong contact skills, improving power and elite base-stealing ability. He is a natural shortstop who can also play second or third. Made could arrive at the same time as Luis Peña, another 18-year-old infielder with terrific bat skills and impressive wheels.

Goals for 2026

Even after a discouraging end to the team’s playoff run, the Brewers should be one of the top squads in baseball for the next few seasons. This is an organization that thrives thanks in part to a strong scouting department, which can be seen in its effective trades and smart signings. And the Brewers do it all while having a smaller payroll than the average MLB team. It should be a quiet offseason in Milwaukee, as nearly every roster spot is already spoken for and splashy free-agent signings arenâ€t the norm for this club.

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Looking to next year, winning the NL Central wonâ€t be a given, as the Cubs figure to be contenders, the Reds are on the rise, and the Cardinals are usually in the mix. Still, Milwaukee is the gold standard in this group and will be heavy favorite to win a fourth straight division title.

Fantasy focus

Although he wasnâ€t the teamâ€s top player in 2025, Chourio is the man who will attract the most attention from fantasy managers. He should be selected in Round 3 of many drafts. Peralta, Contreras, Turang and Yelich will all come off draft boards in Rounds 5-9, as will Misiorowski, who could boost his draft stock with a strong spring. After all, there are few hurlers who can match his strikeout upside.

Megill will be valued as a top-10 closer, and Priester will be a popular pick in the range of Round 12. Frelick will be drafted in a similar range by those who are looking for a source of runs, batting average and steals. Collins and Vaughn will be popular late-round picks for managers hoping the pair can extend their 2025 success across a full season.

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New MLB, Winter Ball Deal Opens Door For More Players To Participate


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(Photo via Getty Images)

Winter ball began Wednesday in the Mexican Pacific League, Dominican Winter League and Venezuela. Those leagues did so with a new agreement in place with MLB that should open the door for more affiliated players to participate.

Over the weekend, MLB, the MLBPA and the Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe (which includes the Dominican Republicâ€s LIDOM, Puerto Ricoâ€s LBPRC, Venezuelaâ€s LVBP and Mexicoâ€s Mexican Pacific League) agreed to extend the Winter League Agreement through the 2027 season. The extension runs until July 31, 2027, with provisions covering minor league players lasting through July 31, 2028.

The new agreement reduces the number of players MLB teams can prohibit from playing winter ball without citing an injury, and it tightens the criteria MLB teams can use to cite extreme fatigue as a reason for prohibiting a player from participating.

The agreement also adjusts the way disputes are handled between MLB and winter ball teams, and adds a new deadline for MLB teams to submit which players are prohibited from winter ball because of injuries, extreme fatigue or other exempt statuses.

“The four winter leagues expressed their satisfaction with the content of the new clauses and officially informed MLB, through the Caribbean Baseball Commissioner, Mr. Juan Francisco Puello Herrera, of their agreement to proceed with the corresponding administrative procedures,” the CBPDC said in a statement.

The agreements could make up to 60 more players per organization eligible to play winter ball.

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Baseball

Watch top prospects in Arizona Fall League, winter ball 2025

Tune into the Arizona Fall League and the Dominican Winter League (LIDOM) to watch some of baseball’s brightest young stars. You can see MLB’s top prospects in action, with AFL matchups streaming for free on both MLB.com (here and on the AFL site) and MLB.TV. LIDOM games are included as part of MLB.TV’s Postseason Package, which is available for $29.99.

Surprise @ Mesa, 9:30 p.m. ET
One feel-good story of the Fall League’s first week was Mesa backup Owen Ayers (CHC), who hit .455 during the opening week of play. He boosts a Solar Sox lineup that also features speedster Starlyn Caba (MIA No. 5) against Surprise, a lineup anchored by Blake Mitchell (MLB No. 62/KC No. 2).

Glendale @ Peoria, 4:30 p.m. ET
Probables: Alex Amalfi (TOR) vs. Carson Montgomery (SD)

Salt River @ Scottsdale, 4:30 p.m. ET
It’s a battle of bat-first prospects as Kevin McGonigle (DET No. 1) — the game’s No. 2 overall prospect and the highest-ranked prospect to play in the AFL since Vladimir Guerrero Jr. — leads the Scorpions against slugger Charlie Condon (COL No. 2/MLB No. 61) and the Rafters. Starting pitchers Brandon Neely (BOS, Salt River) and Sean Paul Liñan (WSH No. 14) will try to keep the ball from flying between these two lineups.

Mesa @ Surprise, 9:30 p.m. ET
Probables: TBD vs. Daniel Espino (CLE No. 29)

Peoria @ Mesa, 4:30 p.m. ET
Probables: Luis De León (BAL No. 21) vs. TBD

Surprise @ Salt River, 9:30 p.m. ET
Probables: Trenton Denholm (CLE) vs. Jack Mahoney (COL)

Glendale @ Scottsdale, 9:30 p.m ET
The Fall League’s top-ranked lefty — White Sox prospect Hagen Smith (MLB No. 88/CWS No. 5) — takes the hill for Glendale, which has two sidelined Top 100 prospects Josue De Paula (No. 13/LAD No. 1) and Braden Montgomery (No. 35/CWS No. 1) on its roster. Smith faces a Scottsdale team featuring Walker Janek (HOU No. 4) and Seaver King (WSH No. 7), both of whom enjoyed a big opening week at the dish.

Peoria @ Salt River, 4:30 p.m. ET
Probables: Maikel Miralles (SD) vs. David Hagaman (AZ No. 15)

Glendale @ Surprise, 4:30 p.m. ET
Desert Dogs left-hander Chen-Wei Lin (STL No. 16) logged two scoreless innings in his Fall League debut, though he’ll look to tighten up his command while displaying the stuff that allowed him to rack up four strikeouts in his first outing. Surprise counters with Top 100 prospect Blake Mitchell (MLB No. 62/KC No. 2).

Scottsdale @ Mesa, 9:30 p.m. ET
Probables: Anderson Brito (HOU No. 7) vs. TBD

Mesa @ Glendale, 3:30 p.m. ETTBD vs. TBD

Salt River @ Peoria, 6:30 p.m. ET
Probables: Brandon Dufault (LAA) vs. Rhett Lowder (CIN No. 1/MLB No. 80)
Trying to put an injury-plagued 2025 campaign behind him, Lowder will look to build off his strong AFL last week in a rematch with the Rafters. The right-hander threw 21 of his 23 pitches for strikes, struck out two and did not allow a run during two scoreless frames for the Javelinas. Salt River will look for an offensive spark from Charlie Condon (COL No. 2/MLB No. 61).

Surprise @ Scottsdale, 9:30 p.m. ET
Probables: Eiberson Castellano (PHI No. 24) vs. James Hicks (HOU No. 26)

Salt River @ Glendale, 4:30 p.m. ET
Probables: Luis Perales (BOS No. 9) vs. TBD

Mesa @ Peoria, 4:30 p.m. ET
Probables: TBD vs. Ryan Hawks (SEA)

Surprise @ Scottsdale, 8:00 p.m. ET
Probables: Jose Corniell (TEX No. 3) vs. Jake Bennett (WSH No. 10)

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Football

Premier League 2025/26 winter ball variation leaked

Back in June, the PUMA “Lights” ball – the officialPremier League winter ballfor the 2025/26 season – leaked online, revealing a bold volt yellow gradient that fades into a rich yellow base, accented by vivid dark purple and pink graphics.

Built on the same Orbita 3 model as the home ball, “Lights†boasts a 12-panel construction that ensures perfectly balanced weight distribution. Its larger, deeper seams enhance aerodynamics, delivering superior performance even in the harshest winter weather.

Now, images of a striking orange version have emerged, also based on the “Lights†design.

PUMA’s “Lights” balls. / Footy Headlines

Crafted specifically for snowy conditions – rare but tricky when they do occur – the orange variant shares the same bold pattern and cutting-edge features, promising top visibility on frosty pitches.

Set for an official unveiling in October 2025 ahead of the Premier Leagueâ€s winter fixtures, these winter balls mark a significant moment. PUMA will become only the third manufacturer ever trusted with Premier League match balls, following Mitreâ€s original eight-season run and Nikeâ€s iconic 25 years.

Alongside these two winter balls, the collection features the sleek white, purple, and pink “Orbita Ultimate PL†home ball, creating a vibrant and innovative lineup thatâ€s guaranteed to catch the eye all season long.

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