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As Brandon Woodruff took the mound for the Brewers on Wednesday, he faced a different kind of pressure than on a typical start. Not the heat of building on the league's best record or their division lead over the Cubs, but the opportunity to win hundreds of thousands of free burgers for the people of Wisconsin from the chain George Webb.

George Webb, the founder of the beloved Wisconsin restaurant chain, would famously predict back when Milwaukee only had a minor league team that it would win 12 straight games, and was believed to have declared that if the local team won 12 consecutive games, they would give away free burgers. His son, Jim Webb, would later make the deal official in 1970.

The Brewers came to close to winning free burgers earlier this season when they had an 11-game winning streak from July 6 to July 21, but lost the 12th game 1–0 to the Mariners. They have won free burgers for fans twice, in 1987 and 2018.

With a third opportunity to win free burgers on the line, Woodruff delivered. The two-time All-Star pitched four scoreless innings as Milwaukee got off to a 6–0 lead. The Pirates made things interesting after Woodruff exited, putting up five runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but the Brewers offense responded with six more runs and won 12–5.

“It's awesome. I was telling my wife last night I was more nervous, I wanted to win the burgers for everybody in the stands, including myself," Woodruff told reporters after the game. "It was fun, it's a cool thing. You could tell the energy around today on a day game was a little bit more than usual. Seriously, I wanted to win those burgers bad.”

The Brewers and the fans can celebrate with their free burgers, which will be given out on a date the restaurant plans to announce on Thursday. They can also celebrate a team that not just came through on the free burgers, but holds a league-best 76–44 record as the final month of the season approaches. No team is playing better than the Brewers, who can set their sights on going after their first World Series title.

Newcastle United have bounced back from Alexander Isak’s troubling departure this summer with ease.

Banking Eddie Howe’s Toon an eye-watering £125m when ditching Tyneside for Liverpool, it’s clear that Isak wasn’t cut out for the pressures of such an expensive move straight away, with only one goal coming his way at Anfield to date.

On the contrary, Nick Woltemade – who entered the building in a last-ditch summer move for £69m – has looked ready-made for the pressures of being Newcastle’s main marksman from minute one of his arrival, with the goalscoring prowess he became known for in the Bundesliga immediately following him to English shores.

Woltemade's fantastic start at Newcastle

Often, it takes a goalscoring machine from a European league plenty of time to settle into their groove when getting used to what is expected of them in the Premier League.

In Woltemade’s case, however, the goals have just continued to flow, with the 6-foot-6 menace joining Howe’s ranks off the back of a blistering 17-goal season on the books of Stuttgart.

In total, Woltemade already has five goals next to his name from just ten Newcastle appearances, with journalist Zach Lowy’s previous billing of the Bremen-born striker as being a “ridiculous” finisher of chances clear for all to see at St James’ Park.

Indeed, the 23-year-old’s four-goal tally in the Premier League alone means his goalscoring frequency in the daunting division sits at every 120 minutes, as the number 27 goes about trying to immortalise himself in the Newcastle hall-of-fame as one of their most devastatingly effective centre-forwards.

It will, of course, take a superhuman effort from Woltemade to ever reach Alan Shearer’s venomous levels in front of goal, with a record-breaking 260 Premier League strikes next to the Magpies icon’s name.

But, he could be on his way to becoming even more clinical if he lines up with this Newcastle assist king more often, with the pair ready to cause widespread havoc together to push their side further up the early league standings.

The Newcastle star who can make Woltemade even better

It’s safe to say that the Germany international is blessed with who he has around him in the attacking positions on Tyneside, with Anthony Gordon capable of bursting into life at a moment’s notice as one of Howe’s many livewires down the left wing, having accumulated 24 assists to date at Newcastle.

Yet, despite this impressive track record, it’s actually Jacob Murphy who might well be the attacking teammate that can take Woltemade to new heights, despite often being thought of as an under-the-radar “unsung hero” at the Premier League giants, according to journalist Scott Wilson.

Games played

10

Minutes played

752

Goals scored

1

Assists

3

It’s clear from taking one glance at the table above that Murphy is the sort of presence that excels when he’s made to feed off scraps, with just 752 minutes of action handed to him this season, resulting in the 30-year-old attacker still being able to pick up a standout four goal contributions.

He would even get the ball rolling for his team last time out against Fulham when he finished under pressure to seal a one-goal lead, with more starts surely coming his way, having been labelled as being “in the form of his life” after his lively afternoon against the Cottagers by Newcastle-based blog Mouth of the Tyne.

But, away from his assured nature to fire this fierce effort past Bernd Leno last time out, it’s also his ability to be an effective partner for a lethal striker that will be music to Woltemade’s ears as he attempts to become even deadlier in England.

A large portion of Isak’s 62 goals in Newcastle black and white would come about off the back of a Murphy assist – 11 to be exact – with the German, therefore, hopeful of reaching this tally, and even eclipsing it, knowing he has the “outstanding” number 23, as he was once labelled by ex-Toon forward Craig Bellamy, next to him supplying him with chances galore.

With Anthony Elanga also in reserve, Woltemade should not find it tricky whatsoever in his bid to become the next Shearer-shaped talisman, having already scored four in his first six league games for the Magpies.

For comparison, Shearer’s start to 1996/97 saw him score three times from his first six top-flight appearances for the Tynesiders – albeit while then reaching seven from just his first ten league outings.

Woltemade is then on the right track, with a new fan favourite having emerged at St James’.

Move over Woltemade: Howe has unearthed a new “game-changer” at Newcastle

Newcastle United have unearthed a new game-changer, and it’s not Nick Woltemade.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 26, 2025

Suspended Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk is in line for a surprise return to action next month after not featuring for over a year, according to reports.

Mykhailo Mudryk banned for positive drugs test

Mudryk’s absence from Chelsea’s first-team setup has now exceeded twelve months, with the Ukrainian international last appearing competitively on November 28 last year before his career ground to a dramatic halt.

The 24-year-old tested positive for meldonium, a performance-enhancing substance prohibited under anti-doping regulations.

Following confirmation of his B sample analysis in June, the FA formally charged Mudryk, leaving him facing a potential ban ranging between two and four years if found guilty.

Throughout the ordeal, Mudryk has maintained complete innocence, and even voluntarily undertook a lie detector test which supported his version of events.

Ukrainian sports journalists have theorised that contaminated stem cell treatment administered during international duty may explain the adverse finding, suggesting the injection originated from cattle previously exposed to meldonium.

Chelsea sanctioned the record £88.5 million transfer from Shakhtar in January 2023, initially viewing him as a transformative attacking signing after hijacking Arsenal’s deal.

However, his Stamford Bridge career proved underwhelming even before the suspension materialised, with inconsistent performances failing to justify the enormous investment.

The club reassigned his prestigious number ten shirt to Cole Palmer following Mudryk’s suspension, signalling their acceptance of a prolonged absence.

Chelsea also reinforced their attacking options by striking deals for Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens in the summer, further blocking any potential pathway back into Enzo Maresca’s plans.

Estevao 2.0: Chelsea looking to sign "one of South America's biggest jewels"

Chelsea could pick up their next Estevao.

ByKelan Sarson 4 days ago

Reports have suggested that, once Mudryk is eligible to play again, Chelsea could allow the forward to join sister club Strasbourg on loan in a bid to reignite his career.

Mykhailo Mudryk in line for January return as Sevilla eye Chelsea loan deal

Now, according to journalist JM Villalba and Canal Sur Radio, that eligibility could be as early as next month.

Speaking to the Spanish broadcaster, Villalba has reported that Mudryk will be able to play again after January 17, and this has piqued interest from La Liga side Sevilla.

The club are considering a deal for Mudryk once he comes back midway through next month, which is a surprise when factoring in how very little we’ve heard about the winger’s return timeline.

If Mudryk is indeed eligible for a January renaissance, BlueCo should certainly green-light a temporary move away for him.

He quite simply needs game time and renewed confidence following the lengthy layoff, controversy and serious drop down Maresca’s pecking order, with the Spanish top flight potentially providing that needed reintroduction to competitive action.

That being said, it should be a dry loan with no option or obligation to buy, with Chelsea poised to make a key decision about Mudryk’s long-term future.

He still has six years remaining on his current contract, giving the Blues plenty of time to do so.

Kranti Goud picked up 3 for 20 to continue her rapid rise with India’s ODI side

Shashank Kishore05-Oct-20254:12

Goud, Deepti, Ghosh make it two from two for India

Kranti Goud, 22, was informed of her India debut at the R Premadasa Stadium in May 2025. She had largely been picked as an apprentice, with India waiting on two senior players – Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar, both injured and in rehab.It was an unremarkable debut, for figures of 5-0-22-0. But among the many things she did right was hitting Chamari Athapaththu, a ferocious puller of the cricket ball, on her ribs. That tiny moment, lost amid Smriti Mandhana’s century and Sneh Rana’s four-for, encouraged India’s selectors to take a punt on her for the England tour.When she picked up a six-for in Durham, hooping the ball and leaving England’s top order gasping en route to an impressive series victory, it was fairly evident Goud had sealed her World Cup spot, irrespective of whether the injured senior pacers returned. Renuka has, Vastrakar hasn’t, but Goud has made herself undroppable after just two outings.Related

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Bugs halt play between India and Pakistan in Colombo

A week after she opened the 2025 World Cup with 1 for 41 in India’s win over Sri Lanka, Goud stung Pakistan’s top order in a fiery new-ball spell. She finished with 3 for 20 in India’s 88-run win in Colombo, one that her neighbourhood watched on a giant LED screen they’d installed back in Ghuwara, a town in rural Madhya Pradesh.”The talk is about focusing on line and length only,” Goud said after winning the Player-of-the-Match award. “I haven’t thought of doing much extra. Variations like bouncer or slower balls, those depend on the situation. The coaches told me to pull my lengths back a little based on the conditions and surface, that’s what I did.”It wasn’t merely Goud listening to her coaches that did the trick. She also got the captain to give her the fields she wanted most times. In the 12th over, with the ball losing some of its shine, Harmanpreet Kaur pulled out Deepti Sharma from the slips, only for Goud to wheel her back to where she’d been.The result? Aliya Riyaz was defeated by late movement to get a healthy edge through to Deepti at second slip. A jubilant Goud immediately turned to her captain, who ran towards her to acknowledge her contribution.”The ball was swinging early on, I couldn’t understand what was happening,” Goud said with a chuckle when asked about her first spell. “One ball came in a long way. Then when the ball was old, Harman wanted to take the slip off, but I said, ‘no didi, let’s keep the slip for this over.'”I had that feeling from within that I could get a wicket, and I got it off the first ball. They found it tough to play our pacers. Because the ball was moving in and out, that’s why I had a lengthy first spell.”Goud bowled six unchanged overs with the new ball. The other small contribution she made to India’s win was her crucial lower-order runs with Richa Ghosh. Coming in with India 226 for 8, the ninth-wicket pair added 21 to haul India to 247.Goud’s contribution was 8 off 4 balls, including two fours: a cover drive off her first ball, against left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal, and then a boundary off Diana Baig when she got inside the line to help a short delivery past short fine leg.”Richa told me, if there’s a ball to be hit, go for it. But if you’re not able to, just give me a single,” Goud said. “Because only a few overs were left, we needed to score as many as we could. First ball itself was hittable, so I hit a four. Then she told me, play like this only. The second [boundary] was a short ball, so I went for it. Look forward to playing well like this.”Goud would perhaps acknowledge tougher tests await, but the stage on Sunday wasn’t to be scoffed at, even if India did come in with a 11-0 record over Pakistan in women’s ODIs. With the men’s Asia Cup having been played in an environment far from the bonhomie the teams have shown in the past, the focus was on the women’s game to see if some of the hostilities would spill over. It didn’t, even though the teams didn’t shake hands before or after the match.But the off-field noise was far from Goud’s mind. “I wasn’t thinking of India-Pakistan or other things,” she said. “My duty is to bowl, and I was doing just that.”

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As tratativas entre São Paulo e o lateral Welington para renovação do jogador seguem sem desfecho. Ele tem vínculo com o Tricolor até o fim de 2024 e, a partir de julho, pode assinar pré-contrato com qualquer equipe, mudando de time no próximo ano.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! São Paulo no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Tricolor

➡️ Seus R$ 100 podem se transformar em R$ 1300 se o São Paulo vencer a Copa do Brasil: aposte no título do Tricolor!

O São Paulo está interessado em mantê-lo, mas Welington não tem aceitado as propostas apresentadas. O lateral ainda analisa as ofertas tricolores.

Segundo revelações do ex-técnico e hoje coordenador de futebol do clube, Muricy Ramalho, há expectativas para avanços nas conversas. Se as tratativas não forem acordadas, forma com que a negociação atualmente se encontra, o Tricolor corre risco de perder o atleta sem obter ganhos financeiros.

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➡️ Welington “sumiu” com Carpini no São Paulo; entenda

– Já fizemos muitas reuniões, a cada vez nos aproximamos, mas têm coisas que não são fáceis. Já fizemos várias propostas, a gente quer ficar com ele. A lesão dele não foi tão séria. Ele está com a proposta na mão e está analisando. A gente precisa saber o que vai acontecer. Não há condição de sair agora, seria até dezembro no mínimo, mas a gente espera que dê tudo certo nas próximas conversas – disse, em entrevista à “TNT Sports”.

➡️ Meio-campista do São Paulo passará por cirurgia após lesão grave

A lesão que Muricy se referiu aconteceu após empate com o Palmeiras, pela quarta rodada do Brasileirão. Welington realizou exames de imagem no São Paulo, que diagnosticaram uma contusão ligamentar no tornozelo direito.

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O camisa 6, que foi substituído no clássico, já iniciou o processo de recuperação com os fisioterapeutas. Titular da lateral esquerda, em 2024 ele soma 19 partidas.

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São Paulo

England allrounder thriving after being picked to produce moments of brilliance

Cameron Ponsonby15-Nov-2024In the seminal cult classic , characters Joey and Chandler buy a pet duck for their flat. They don’t really know what they want to do with said duck, or how exactly they’re going to look after it, but they know they like it.Jamie Overton is England’s pet duck. They have no idea what they want from him, or how they’re going to take care of him, but they like him. And for now that’s enough.Overton is an exceptionally modern cricketer. A career-long bowling allrounder with a hulking 6ft 5in frame, a series of stress fractures (and move to Surrey) has seen the balance of his worth shift.Related

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For the past five seasons in the T20 Blast, his batting strike rate has never dipped below 167. In 2020 and 2022, it was above 180. During last season’s Hundred, he made 83 not out off 30 balls against a bowling attack containing England team-mates Reece Topley, Adil Rashid and Brydon Carse.Mixed in with an ability to bowl heavy-length seamers and catch flies, he has become an increasingly attractive option on the franchise market.”Last year at the Adelaide Strikers, I spoke to one of the analysts halfway through the tournament and he was like, ‘yeah, we didn’t really pick you for your bowling’,” he says.”I’m just enjoying the ride really. If you said to me five years ago I’d be playing for England just as a batter, I’d have been like yeah, whatever.”Until a month ago, Jamie Overton had only ever played once for England (you’re thinking of his brother, Craig): a Test in 2022 against New Zealand where he made 97 with the bat from No. 8 in one of the early Bazball miracles. But stress fractures in 2023 and 2024 hit pause on a promising start to his international career.Overton’s stress fractures didn’t require surgery, but did require a change in lifestyle. In an attempt to “get everything right” and lessen the load going through his back when bowling, he has lost 10kg through a combination of cycling and moving on to prepped meals.”I’ve always eaten pretty well, but the quantity was always a bit too much,” he said to warm nods of agreement from all round the world.Counterintuitively though, his time away from bowling saw his stock rise as he was able to further prove his worth with the bat. Overton’s worth with the ball was known, but with the bat it wasn’t – and over the past two seasons, he has played as a specialist batter for Surrey in T20 cricket.

“It gives you massive confidence. I was chatting to him before the series, and he was just like, ‘we back you’. Just go out and do what you do”Jamie Overton on Rob Key’s support

Such was Overton’s jump in value that before the second of his stress fractures earlier this year, he was set to be a bolter for the T20 World Cup squad, with Rob Key liking what he saw.”It gives you massive confidence,” Overton said of Key’s support. “I was chatting to him before the series, and he was just like, ‘we back you’. Just go out and do what you do.”Such is England’s keenness on Overton, he debuted in ODI cricket at No. 8 and didn’t bowl. In part, his absence with the ball on that occasion was due to England’s meagre total of 209, but in the second T20 played at Barbados, which was just one day after the first, Overton was picked as a specialist No. 8 with no intention to bowl him.”It felt a little bit like I shouldn’t be there,” Overton said of his sometimes unique space in the team. “But then I think they’re looking at the big picture. They see me bowling and batting at eight. So it’s trying to get me in that role.”During the Hundred last year, Overton’s ability to clear the ropes meant his team-mates started jokingly referring to him as Dre Russ. Overton isn’t sure who started that one, but after his dipping slower ball to dismiss Romario Shepherd in the third T20I, his England team-mates have started referring to him as another West Indian legend: DJ Bravo.”They’re some of the best T20 players in the world,” Overton says of the comparisons. “So if you can do anything that’s near their ability, then I’m over the moon.”The ball that got Shepherd out was the result of time spent with Surrey coach Neil Killeen, who Overton had been working with on bowling several different offcutters and in particular trying to bowl them slower. By his own admission, he isn’t able to bowl a legcutter, so the goal is to have as many different styles of offcutter in his armoury to make up for it.In the space of a month, Overton has leapfrogged from outside the international circle, to a wildcard, joker selection where England think they have something special.T20s are often won by moments of individual brilliance. A flurry of wickets or sixes, or an amazing catch at slip in the powerplay or long-on at the death. Overton ticks all those boxes. Ultimately, no-one knows how the Overton adventure will end, but they do know it’ll be fun to watch along the way.

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A VaideBet, patrocinadora máster do Corinthians, se pronunciou oficialmente quanto às recentes polêmicas envolvendo o contrato da empresa de apostas esportivas com o Timão. 

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Na nota, a VaideBet reitera ter falado apenas com Alex Cassundé para chegar no Corinthians. Ele é o dona da Rede Social Media Design LTDA, que recebeu R$25,2 milhões do clube pela intermediação do negócio. A VaideBet monitora os próximos passos e não descarta rescindir o contrato com o Corinthians. 

➡️ Siga o Lance! Corinthians no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Timão

Veja na íntegra o comunicado emitido pela VaideBet, patrocinadora do Corinthians

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários de todos os jogos do Brasileirão

“A VaideBet informa que tem acompanhado atentamente as publicações e manifestações envolvendo o comissionamento do contrato de patrocínio ao Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, e que desde o mês de abril tem solicitado esclarecimentos sobre o caso. 

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Durante as últimas semanas, a VaideBet pediu informações ao Corinthians em ocasiões variadas e realizou reunião presencial na sede do clube no dia 8 de maio, além de ter enviado um comunicado à diretoria na última segunda-feira (20). 

Desde o primeiro momento, a VaideBet foi contatada por um agente intermediário sobre a possibilidade de se firmar um acordo para patrocínio master do Corinthians e foi conduzida pelo referido interveniente até a diretoria do clube para o início das negociações. Nunca houve contato com qualquer outra empresa a respeito da negociação para o acordo de patrocínio.

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A VaideBet observa com atenção os desdobramentos do atual cenário e avalia os próximos passos.”

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CorinthiansVaideBet

The series between the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants has been absolute mayhem, and if anything, has served as the perfect precursor to the upcoming 2025 NFL season.

After tempers flared resulting in a benches-clearing brawl during Tuesday's game, Wednesday night featured a different type of fireworks. During the fifth inning, Hunter Goodman hit a single through the infield and Tyler Freeman attempted to score from second.

The throw from the outfield was a bit up the line, and Giants catcher Patrick Bailey found himself right in the middle of the base path as he attempted to catch the ball. Unfortunately for him, Tyler Freeman didn't hit the brakes one bit, and he steamrolled right through Bailey, at the expense of both players.

Freeman, clearly in some pain, slowly reached out and touched home plate after the collision, before trainers from both teams rushed onto the field to tend to their players.

Freeman was ruled safe at the plate and Heliot Ramos was charged with a throwing error for his poor throw to the plate.

Both Bailey and Freeman were able to remain in the game after being checked out by trainers.

أعلن الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم، فيفا، مجموعة منتخب البرازيل في بطولة كأس العالم نسخة 2026، الصيف المقبل، خلال مراسم إقرعة القرعة في مركز “جون كينيدي” مساء يوم الجمعة.

وتستضيف كل من الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، كندا والمكسيك نهائيات النسخة المقبلة من بطولة كأس العالم، في الفترة بين 11 يونيو و19 يوليو.

وتُعد تلك هي النسخة الأولى من بطولة كأس العالم، بعد استحداث نظامها، حيث سيشارك فيها 48 منتخبًا، سيتم تقسيمهم على 12 مجموعة، ويتأهل متصدر ووصيف كل مجموعة إلى دور الـ32، بالإضافة إلى أفضل 8 منتخبات في مركز ثالث.

ويجري الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم، فيفا، في مركز “جون كينيدي” مراسم قرعة النسخة المقبلة من بطولة كأس العالم 2026، حيث تم الكشف عن طبيعة مجموعة منتخب البرازيل (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

وتأهل منتخب البرازيل، بقيادة المدرب كارلو أنشيلوتي، إلى بطولة كأس العالم بعدما تواجد في المركز الخامس في تصفيات قارة أمريكا الجنوبية برصيد 28 نقطة.

وودع منتخب البرازيل نسخة 2022 من كأس العالم، قطر، على يد كرواتيا بركلات الترجيح في دور ربع النهائي. مجموعة منتخب البرازيل في كأس العالم 2026

حسبما تم الإعلان، جاءت مجموعة منتخب البرازيل في بطولة كأس العالم الصيف القادم، على النحو الآتي:

المجموعة الثالثة:

البرازيل

المغرب

اسكتلندا

هايتي

The New York Yankees joined the list of teams to make a big move at the trade deadline in order to fortify their bullpen.

Multiple reports indicate that the Yankees and Pirates agreed to a trade that will send star closer David Bednar to New York in exchange for a package of prospects headlined by the organization's No. 8 ranked prospect, catcher/first baseman Rafael Flores.

Flores is highly regarded, having just recently earned his promotion to Triple A. Now, he'll look to develop into an everyday big league asset in Pittsburgh. Also in the trade is 19-year-old Edgleen Perez, the No. 14 prospect in the Yankees' farm, who also plays catcher and first base. The final component headed to the Pirates is Brian Sanchez, a 21-year-old outfielder currently at Single A.

Let's assess the deal:

Yankees: A-

Based on the way the reliever market has functioned this trade deadline, the Yankees could've been looking at a steeper cost to acquire Bednar than the one they paid. All things considered, it was not an inexpensive acquisition by any means, but it's a good deal for New York based on the state of the market.

Bednar is superb, logging 17 saves on the year to go with a 2.37 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 38 innings. He's surrendered just two runs over the last two months, having been dialed in throughout the summer.

The Yankees' bullpen has been utterly atrocious of late, so bringing in a steady arm like Bednar is a move the team simply couldn't afford to miss out on. They'll part ways with some valued prospects, but Bednar should give them the reliable option in late innings that they've been lacking in their current tandem of Luke Weaver and Devin Williams.

This move was a necessity for the Yankees. It didn't come cheaply, but the market for relief pitching is absurdly high at this point, so no deal for a quality late-innings pitcher would've been easy to pull off. New York gets one of the best relievers in the sport and holds onto all of its top five prospects in the process. Not bad at all.

Pirates: B+

It feels as if the Pirates could've gotten a slightly improved haul for Bednar, though adding two of New York's top 15 prospects is certainly solid for a reliever with only one additional season of control. Bednar had his ups and downs in Pittsburgh but was ultimately and excellent player for the organization. With the team continuing to rebuild, however, it was an obvious time to part with the veteran closer.

It certainly addresses an area of need for the Pirates, who, despite drafting Henry Davis with the No. 1 pick in 2021, are without a single catching prospect inside their top 20, per MLB Pipeline. Now, they get two catchers with bright futures who can eventually make an impact at the top level, while also lining up better with their current timeline.

In a sellers market, the Pirates were able to strengthen their farm, and it's hard to find anything to complain about that. A good deal for both teams, and one that will help the two sides get closer to achieving their goals.