Posts

Posted on

Australia back injured stars as squad for T20 World Cup revealed

  • Cummins, Hazlewood and David named for India and Sri Lanka event

  • Matt Kuhnemann included in spin-heavy 15-player team

Matthew Kuhnemann is in line for a World Cup debut after being included as the biggest surprise selection in Australia’s squad for the T20 World Cup.

As expected, Australia have named superstar pacemen Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, as well as swashbuckling Tim David, despite injury concerns.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon reportedly agrees to restructure final year of his $245 million contract

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Anthony Rendon has agreed to restructure the final year of his $245 million, seven-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday night.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Angels hadn’t announced any developments with Rendon, who didn’t play last season following hip surgery.

The team and Rendon have amended the deal to restructure the remaining $38 million owed to the third baseman in 2026, presumably spreading the money over time.

Rendon is still on the roster and continuing to rehab at home in Houston, but his horrendous tenure with the Angels could be over.

Rendon’s massive free-agent contract has paid almost no dividends for the Halos. The former Washington Nationals standout has been injured for the majority of the past five seasons and has played just 257 games in an Angels uniform, batting .242 with 22 homers, 125 RBIs and a .717 OPS.

If Rendon doesn’t play in 2026, he will have appeared in only about a quarter of the Angels’ total games during his seven seasons with the team.

Rendon led the majors in RBIs, earned an All-Star selection and won a World Series ring in 2019 to cap an outstanding four-year stretch for Washington. After playing fairly well for Los Angeles during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he was nowhere close to that player in the ensuing four years with the Angels, who haven’t made the playoffs or had a winning record during his tenure.

Rendon dealt with injuries to his groin, his left knee, his left hamstring, his left shin, his oblique muscles, his lower back, both wrists and both hips during the past five years.

Rendon also alienated Angels fans with public comments in which he appeared to say he doesn’t like baseball, although he attempted to clarify his connection to the game as a business relationship that isn’t as important as his family or his religion. Rendon had previously criticized the length of games and excitement level of baseball, saying he doesn’t watch the sport.

Luis Rengifo and Yoán Moncada largely played third base last season for the Angels. Both are currently free agents.

Rendon’s deal might top the long list of high-priced player acquisitions that have worked out terribly for the Angels during owner Arte Moreno’s tenure, including the signings of Gary Matthews Jr., Josh Hamilton and Zack Cozart and unsuccessful trades for Vernon Wells and Justin Upton.

Posted on

Steven Samkos nets 600th goal as Nashville Predators roll past Vegas Golden Knights

After falling behind early, the Nashville Predators scored four unanswered goals to sail past the Vegas Golden Knights, 4-2, on Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena. 

Among the comeback efforts, Steven Stamkos scored off a one-time shot on the power play for his 600th career goal. He joins Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby as the only three active NHL players with 600 career goals. 

On the season, Stamkos has 26 points (18 goals, eight assists) in 39 games. In the month of December, Stamkos has 14 points (11 goals, five assists) in 16 games. 

Nick Perbix netted his third goal of the season to get the Predators on the board, 2-1. Stamkos' one-time shot tied the game. Reid Schaefer gave Nashville their first lead of the game, tipping in a shot from Brady Skjei. 

Michael Bunting tipped in a shot from Nick Blankenburg on the power play to add insurance. It was Bunting's 10th of the year. 

Justus Annunen picked up his third win of the season and second straight, making 29 saves on 31 shots. 

With the win, Nashville moves to fourth place in the Central Division with 40 points and continues to chase down the San Jose Sharks for the final Wild Card spot, who defeated the Minnesota Wild in a shootout and now have 43 points. 

The Predators have a quick turnaround, facing the Kraken in Seattle on Thursday at 9 p.m. CST. 

Posted on

In 2026, The Goal For The Sabres Couldn't Be Clearer: It's Playoffs-Or-Bust For Buffalo

Rasmus Dahlin (Jeff Curry, USA TODAY Images)

As the calendar year 2025 comes to a close, the Buffalo Sabres are riding high on a nine-game win streak as they were set to take on the Dallas Stars in Dallas for a New Year's Eve game. But regardless of how that game turns out, the Sabres have given new GM Jarmo Kekalainen quite the conundrum – does he use Buffalo’s trade assets to bulk up and push for a playoff spot, or does he focus on the long-term and find a way to get better beyond this season?

We think the answer to that question is crystal clear: If we were running the Sabres, we’d be looking to get over the hump this season and end the Sabres’ Stanley Cup playoff drought at 14 years. 

While it does make sense to trade with the long haul in mind, Buffalo desperately needs the psychological boost that a playoff appearance would bring to the franchise and its long-suffering fan base. And given that Kekalainen will have approximately $8.73-million to play with by this year’s March 6 trade deadline, he’ll be wasting it if he holds onto it or spends it on a longer-term asset.

Brace Yourselves, Sabres Fans: One Way Or Another, 2026 Will Be A Fascinating, Feast-Or-Famine Year For BuffaloBrace Yourselves, Sabres Fans: One Way Or Another, 2026 Will Be A Fascinating, Feast-Or-Famine Year For BuffaloPlayoffs or bust: The Buffalo Sabres face a stark 2026 – either they make a thrilling, successful Stanley Cup playoff push, or they continue a decade-and-a-half-long playoff drought and management blows up their roster. It's going to make for compelling Sabres hockey.

Now, maybe there’s a way Kekalainen can address both his team’s short-and-long-term needs via trades this season. But if there’s going to be a priority for Buffalo, it has to be on the here and now. Kekalainen needs to send a message to his players, and that message has to be that they need to seize the day and rise further up the Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division standings. 

As it stands at the moment, the Sabres are just one standings point behind the back-to-back Cup-champion Florida Panthers, and Buffalo has one game in hand on Florida. Imagine what it would mean for the Sabres to be the team that pushed the Panthers out of a playoff position. That alone would make Buffalo fans giddy with glee. 

But now imagine the other side of that competitive coin – imagine the crushing blow that would come if the Sabres finished one or two points out of a post-season spot. It would be another devastating chapter for a franchise that has had far too many of them.

Here's Why Sabres' Next Stretch Could Decide Whether Buffalo Makes Or Misses The Playoffs Here's Why Sabres' Next Stretch Could Decide Whether Buffalo Makes Or Misses The Playoffs The Buffalo Sabres' Stanley Cup playoff hopes hinge on a brutal upcoming schedule. Can they survive facing top NHL contenders after their current winning streak ends?

Sabres fans may differ with our perspective, and that’s OK. There’s a case to be made that this organization has to focus on where it will be a year or two from now. But we think Kekalainen has to prioritize this season, because right now, there’s no question this Buffalo team is in dire need of something tangibly positive. And Sabres supporters aren’t going to get that if their team falls short of the playoffs. 

In 2026, the goal for Buffalo couldn’t be clearer. It’s playoffs-or-bust for the Sabres, and Kekalainen has to do everything in his power to get them to hockey’s biggest tournament this spring.