Whilst Benjamin Sesko continues to steal the headlines, Manchester United have now reportedly joined the race alongside Tottenham Hotspur to sign a teenage sensation.
Newcastle take advantage in Sesko race
Although initial reports indicated that Sesko is likely to favour a move to Manchester United this summer, it is now Newcastle United in the driving seat heading towards the forward’s signature. According to reports, the Magpies have taken pole position and have submitted a bid worth £70m to match RB Leipzig’s price tag.
As Sky Sports’ Keith Downie reported, however, there is still a chance for Manchester United if they decide to match or better Newcastle’s offer. Sesko is still open to both projects and, as ever this summer, there’s still every opportunity for a transfer hijack to take place.
Ruben Amorim would certainly welcome the chance to complete his revamped frontline too. So far, both Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have arrived to kick things off, but it’s clear that the addition of a star striker would truly round things off.
Of course, what may not help their pursuit of Sesko or an alternative option is the fact that Rasmus Hojlund is keen to stay and fight for his place rather than leave to fund his replacement.
Rasmus Hojlund
He told reporters after scoring in Man United’s 4-1 victory over Bournemouth in pre-season: “The most important [thing] for me is to keep working hard and stay focused and then we’ll see what happens. My plan is very clear and that is for me to stay and fight for my spot.”
Man Utd now chasing teenage sensation
Whilst it won’t steal the same headlines as Sesko, those at Old Trafford are still chasing one particular incoming. According to Expressen, as relayed by Sport Witness, Manchester United are now racing Tottenham Hotspur to sign Kevin Filling from AIK Fotboll.
The 16-year-old talent has impressed the Premier League duo, who are now looking to secure his signature despite the fact that they will be unable to welcome the forward on an official basis until 2028 when he turns 18.
Unlike in the Sesko saga, however, Manchester United could hold a key advantage thanks to INEOS. The United owners also hold a majority stake in FC Lausanne-Sport and they want to sign Filling then send him on loan to the Swedish club.
Most important deal since Bruno: Man Utd make enquiry for "world-class" gem
Manchester United are set to make another key move within this summer’s transfer window.
1 ByEthan Lamb Aug 2, 2025
In one swift move, INEOS could land a deal that benefits two of their clubs, with those at Old Trafford eventually reaping the rewards by welcoming a player who’s full of potential.
Filling is also a player who has already made his mark on senior football. The teenage gem enjoyed a dream debut for AIK in the Allsvenskan league, scoring in his first game to once again showcase his talent to the likes of Manchester United and Spurs.
The security assessment became necessary because of the political turmoil in Bangladesh in July-August
ESPNcricinfo staff30-Sep-2024
The last time South Africa and Bangladesh faced each other in a Test series was in 2022•AFP/Getty Images
South Africa’s two-Test series in Bangladesh will be played on schedule, with CSA okaying the tour following a security assessment by its experts. The first Test will be played from October 21-25 in Dhaka, and the second in Chattogram from October 29 to November 2.A CSA statement on Monday said that it had given the tour the go-ahead after “an in-loco inspection” on the part of the board’s operations manager, team security manager, safety and security consultant, and a representative of the South African Cricketers’ Association, who submitted their recommendations to the board after visiting Bangladesh last week.South Africa will reach Dhaka on October 16. The squad for the series is expected later on Monday.Bangladesh vs South Africa
Oct 21-25: 1st Test, Dhaka Oct 29 to Nov 2: 2nd Test, Chattogram
South Africa’s concerns about the security situation in Bangladesh were because of the anti-government protests in the country in July-August, which led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, and, later, the women’s T20 World Cup moving out of the country to the UAE.CSA sources had told ESPNcricinfo earlier this month that they had been told the situation in Bangladesh had “settled”, but the tour wouldn’t go on if any risks were identified in the security assessments.South Africa only have six Test matches left in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle. They have already played six games, having won two, lost three, and drawn one. They are currently sixth on the points table, and need to win at least five of their remaining games to have a chance of qualifying for next year’s final at Lord’s. All six of their series in this cycle have been limited to two Tests, as CSA prioritised the launch of the SA20, their domestic T20 franchise competition, and cost-cutting.The last time South Africa and Bangladesh had faced each other in a Test series was in South Africa in March-April 2022. South Africa’s white-ball squads are currently in the UAE to take on Ireland.
BIrmingham Phoenix were spun out for their lowest total in the women’s competition
ECB Media06-Aug-2024Northern Superchargers solidified their place in the top three of The Hundred women’s competition table with another dominant win, this time away at Birmingham Phoenix.Superchargers drew level on points with second-placed Oval Invincibles, as they bowled out Phoenix for just 54 runs, the lowest score ever in The Hundred women’s competition. It comes just days after Superchargers dismissed Invincibles for 64 at The Kia Oval, the previous lowest in the competition.Northern Superchargers won the toss and chose to bat in what was set to be a crucial clash, with just one point separating the sides in the table.The in-form Phoenix captain Ellyse Perry got the home side off to a flyer, taking a wicket with her third delivery of the opening set, getting her opposite skipper Holly Armitage out first ball.That brought the dangerous Phoebe Litchfield to the crease, but again Perry was more than good enough with the ball to get her caught behind in her second set. Perry would finish with Phoenix’s leading figures 2 for 13.Annabel Sutherland and Alice Davidson-Richards rebuilt the innings, taking the visitors from 25 for 3 to 68 for 3 before Emily Arlott got Sutherland out with 40 balls left in the innings.Davidson-Richards remained there stoically till the end, top-scoring for Superchargers and finishing not out on 49 off 42. Davidson-Richards’ knock took the Leeds-based team to 115 for 5 from their 100 balls, a competitive total on what looked to be a tricky wicket to bat on.Phoenix struggled from the start in their reply as they fell to 14 for 4 losing key batters in opener Sterre Kalis, skipper Perry, England wicket-keeper Amy Jones and Indian international Richa Ghosh with very few runs on the board.Superchargers were lively in the field, taking any chances that came their way – Kate Cross taking perhaps the pick of the catches on the long-off boundary.Their bowlers shared the wickets around as five of their attack picked up dismissals. Linsey Smith and Georgia Wareham, the pick of the team in purple’s bowlers both with 3 for 12, Smith taking two wickets in two balls towards the end of the innings.Meerkat Match Hero Davidson-Richards said: “I didn’t actually feel that good out there when I was batting, it was a difficult pitch to bat on, as you can see from it being such a low-scoring game, but we are delighted to have got over the line. I was trying to work out how to build an innings and find the gaps where the boundaries could come from.”We are looking forward to playing top of the table Welsh fire away from home in a massive game next up.”
Despite losing their last five games of the regular Championship season, Sunderland are Premier League-bound once more after Wembley produced yet more drama in a play-off final.
Tommy Watson would break Sheffield United hearts right at the death to hand his hometown club a passage up to the big time, but all these jubilant celebrations will soon be met by the crashing fear of realism as Sunderland attempt to stay afloat in such a brutal division.
Already, however, the Wearside high-flyers have been active in the transfer market to try and boost their young squad, with Enzo Le Fee about to pen a permanent Stadium of Light contract.
Away from the standout loanee joining for good, there are a whole host of other rumours involving incomings that will please fans of Regis Le Bris’ underdogs.
Sunderland's growing list of transfer targets
Amazingly, Le Fee might not be the only statement addition in the centre of the park this summer.
The rumour mill continues to churn out the wild possibility of Jordan Henderson returning to his hometown roots, whilst another flashy buy in the midfield department could soon come in the form of Manchester United winger Amad Diallo.
Yet, away from Henderson and Amad’s names being tentatively linked, Sunderland could look to improve defensively this summer by shopping in Le Bris’s native France.
As per a new report from the Daily Mirror, that has been relayed by the Sunderland Echo, the AS Monaco ace is being looked at by the Black Cats as part of an ambitious summer rebuild, meaning the old guard in the building might be moved to one side for the likes of Singo to shine.
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Indeed, any move for the £20m-rated defender could prove to be an upgrade on long-serving hero, Luke O’Nien.
How Singo compares to O'Nien
O’Nien’s appearance at the final whistle at Wembley tells you all you need to know about his warrior-like character as the veteran defender celebrated with his arm in a noticeable sling.
Whilst that grit and determination might well be of value to the Black Cats in such a demanding league, the strong 30-year-old could soon take a back seat for a fresh body to arrive in the form of Singo.
After all, whilst O’Nien can play both as a right-back or as a centre-back like Singo, it’s clear from the numbers below that the 23-year-old target is more accustomed to being a Premier League-level defender for Sunderland right now, over the long-standing Wearside servant.
Games played
27
48
Goals scored
1
3
Assists
2
1
Touches*
65.9
73.5
Accurate passes*
45.1 (87%)
52.7 (87%)
Big chances created
3
1
Ball recoveries*
5.1
3.4
Clearances*
4.0
3.9
Total duels won*
4.7
3.9
Clean sheets
7
16
Indeed, Singo has already shown he can cut it with the top dogs in Ligue 1 when amassing one goal and two assists when lining up either in the heart of defence or down the right flank last season.
But, away from solely offering Sunderland a new expansive option out from the back, he also possesses that same hunger and drive to battle like O’Nien, with the “monster” Ivorian – as he’s been labelled by football analyst Ben Mattinson – actually bettering his ex-Wycombe Wanderers counterpart in terms of clearances, ball recoveries and duels won throughout last season, even when plying his trade in a top league.
Also capable of pulling off an audacious flick like this one, everything is pointing in the direction that landing the “freak athlete” – as he’s been further noted by Mattinson – would be a worthwhile addition for Le Bris’ men ahead of Premier League action finally returning, with a sprinkle here and there of quality giving the Black Cats a hopeful fighting chance at survival.
Sunderland could soon sign their next Amad in "unplayable" EFL star
Sunderland could finally win their next Amad Diallo with this tricky attacker.
With Leeds United looking to solve their biggest problem this summer, one transfer target is now reportedly ready to quit his current Premier League club in favour of a move to Elland Road.
Leeds' goalkeeper problem
After winning the Championship title and sealing automatic promotion to the Premier League, Leeds still have one major problem to address this summer. And that comes courtesy of Ilian Meslier. The shot-stopper is at the centre of Leeds’ greatest weakness and very nearly derailed his side’s promotion until Daniel Farke ruthlessly replaced him with second-choice Karl Darlow.
Leeds enquire over signing £40m Champions League winner in club-record deal
He could be a major upgrade.
2 ByTom Cunningham May 9, 2025
However, the current No 2 is far from a permanent solution ahead of the Whites’ return to the Premier League, and the 49ers seem to be well aware of that.
Already, a number of Meslier replacements have been mentioned as the summer transfer window approaches, and Leeds will have to narrow their shortlist down if they are to finally solve their goalkeeper problem.
Two names mentioned have been Caoimhin Kelleher and Djordje Petrovic in recent reports. Both goalkeepers have endured excellent seasons, with Kelleher often called in to replace an injured Alisson Becker at Liverpool as they secured the Premier League title, and Chelsea loanee Petrovic providing some standout numbers on loan at Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.
Both would be instant upgrades on Meslier, whose mistakes came around more and more often at Leeds throughout the campaign. They were mistakes that went unpunished eventually, but mistakes that could ultimately cost the Yorkshire side their Premier League place if repeated next season.
After dropping his goalkeeper for Darlow in April, Farke told reporters: “Obviously he was involved in both [Swansea] goals in the last game, and it was a shame because after the penalty save he was on his way to being man of the match.
“So it was clear we had to make a decision. And we had to make it early in the week, because in that position the players need clarity, and Karl [Darlow] needs the time to prepare.”
Leeds receive Sam Johnstone boost
Meanwhile, if it’s not to be Petrovic or Kelleher this summer, then those at Elland Road could reportedly turn towards another Premier League option.
According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Sam Johnstone is now ready to quit Wolverhampton Wanderers to join Leeds this summer.
The experienced shot-stopper has often found himself behind Jose Sa in the pecking order in the Midlands and could now leave the club just one summer after arriving. Wolves’ No 2 could quickly become Leeds’ No 1 as a result, with the 49ers already thought to be plotting a move to sign the former West Bromwich Albion man.
Previously praised for a “sensational” save by Gary Lineker, Johnstone will be desperate to regain a starting place away from Wolves this summer and replacing Meslier would hand him the chance to do exactly that.
At 32 years old, however, there may be some concerns around Elland Road over the goalkeeper’s ability to become a long-term solution to their biggest problem ahead of a vital Premier League campaign.
Burnley are now in a transfer battle with Leeds United as they both want to sign a “unique” Ipswich Town star, according to a recent report.
Burnley begin transfer plans as they eye midfield reinforcements
The Clarets only confirmed their promotion to the Premier League on Monday evening, but already Scott Parker and club chiefs are working on transfer business ahead of the summer transfer window opening.
Burnley want to sign Fulham ace who previously won promotion under Parker
Burnley are now looking to sign a player who has worked with their manager before.
ByBrett Worthington Apr 24, 2025
It’s been claimed by EFL pundit Lee Hendrie that Jonjo Shelvey will likely not be at Turf Moor next season. The midfielder’s contract expires at the end of the campaign, and it is likely that he will not be offered a new deal, according to Hendrie.
That might be because Burnley already have his replacement in mind, as according to Give Me Sport, the Clarets are now interested in signing Harrison Reed from Fulham, a player who Parker knows well from his time working at Craven Cottage.
Fulham midfielder Harrison Reed.
Fulham are said to be looking to strengthen their midfield this summer, and Reed could be allowed to leave should they receive the right offer. This has alerted Burnley, who are looking to strike a deal as the Clarets try to bring Premier League experience to their team.
Burnley in transfer battle for Ipswich star Hirst
But it is not just the midfield that the Clarets are looking to strengthen, as according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Burnley are interested in signing George Hirst from Ipswich this summer.
O’Rourke states that as well as the Lancashire side holding an interest in Hirst, Championship rivals Leeds are also keen on securing a deal for the striker, as the Tractor Boys look set to return to the second tier in English football.
However, while both sides can offer Premier League football, Ipswich are not willing to let Hirst just leave, as O’Rourke states that the Tractor Boys are desperately looking to tie the striker down to a new contract to ward off the interest, with Liam Delap expected to leave Portman Road this summer.
Hirst currently earns £27,500 a week at Ipswich, so the interested parties may have to stump up a significant increase to better whatever his current employers are offering.
Apps
76
Goals
18
Assists
11
The 26-year-old, who has been dubbed “unique” by Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna, has had to be very patient this season, starting just three of the 21 Premier League games he’s played. Hirst has scored two goals in the process, his latest coming in the 4-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest in March.
The Scotland international is still under contract until 2027, so Ipswich still have time on their hands, but Burnley and Leeds can both offer the forward another chance of playing in the Premier League, and this may be too hard for Hirst to turn down.
“You gain experience from being in those situations, knowing that the game is never done”
Matt Roller23-Jun-2024A perfect record of six wins from six might suggest that the T20 World Cup has been as easy as a stroll along a Caribbean beach for South Africa. But the nature of those wins tells a very different story: two nervy run chases on dicey pitches in New York, and a combined margin of victory of 30 runs across their last four matches while batting first.”We like making them tight,” Tristan Stubbs told ESPNcricinfo, sipping on a cold beer in the South African dugout after they snuck past England at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia. “Winning’s a habit and we’ve been on a roll, winning the tight games. You can never go wrong with that.”It’s nice to keep the scoreboard going in terms of wins. Personally, on the field, I think ‘surely we can’t do this again?’ and then we keep winning the tight ones. It’s always better to win the tight ones [than one-sided games]… You gain experience from being in those situations, knowing that the game is never done.”Related
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It has belied the national stereotype of South African cricket of struggling under pressure, and should set them up well for a potential semi-final or final. Their bowlers have had more match practice bowling at the death than any other team at this World Cup: against England, they conceded 17 runs in the final three overs with a solitary boundary.It may just be the type of random pattern that T20 can throw up but Stubbs believes there is more to it than that. For the past two years, South Africa’s squad have regularly played high-stakes cricket in their franchise league, the SA20, and Stubbs is one of four – along with Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen and Ottniel Baartman – to win back-to-back titles with Sunrisers Eastern Cape.”It helps to play in all the different comps,” Stubbs said. “You play in a lot more knockout games. Nothing compares to a World Cup, but there is the pressure of knockout cricket. We never win comfortably [at SEC]: we always seem to have four runs here, last over there. I wouldn’t say it’s nice to get used to it, but it’s nice to win in those close games.”Tristan Stubbs has been on the right side of many close finishes for Sunrisers East Cape•SA 20Stubbs also had to cope with the burden of a substantial price tag in the SA20, after his R9.2 million sale in the tournament’s initial auction. “The first year I struggled with it, but this year I didn’t let it worry me too much,” he said. “I went with the approach of, I’m just going to enjoy it and not let it weigh me down. That’s when I play my best.”It has been a relatively quiet World Cup for Stubbs though his tournament aggregate – 105 runs in six innings, with a strike rate of 91.30 – reveals little. He started with three grinds from No. 4 in New York – 13 off 28, 33 off 37 and 0 off 5 – and has not been dismissed since South Africa arrived in the Caribbean, with a vital cameo in the one-run win over Nepal.”We’ve played in New York so as a batter, anything else is better than that,” he said. “These wickets in the Caribbean are similar to some of the coastal wickets back home: you’re probably looking at flat fours rather than sixes because you have to really hit it, and the wind’s playing a big factor so you can’t take on the windy side. It’s been a big factor.”It has required a huge adjustment from the IPL, where he hit more sixes (26) than fours (24) and breezed along at a strike rate of 190.90, finishing the tournament as Delhi Capitals’ second-highest scorer. “It’s been completely different,” Stubbs said. “It’s been challenging, even in the Caribbean: the wickets are good up front and then it gets harder through the innings.”Stubbs has relished this World Cup, not least the opportunity to visit new places. “In New York we were a bit out of town but I went into the city twice and it’s amazing: I went to the 9/11 memorial and as a team we went to Times Square. The Caribbean has been awesome. It’s really easy to switch off. The beaches have been so … it’s been beaches, and a couple of rum punches.”But they are also determined to make the most of their chance to win this tournament, with Stubbs a rare exception in a squad filled with players in their early 30s who are at the peaks of their careers. Their next task is to beat West Indies in Antigua on Sunday – though they may not need to, and will know the scenarios by time they play at 8.30pm.”I’m sure it’ll be sold out: watching their games on TV has been awesome, and I think it’ll also be a benefit to us to be playing last. The first goal will be to win, then we’ll go from there. We’ve not got ahead of ourselves and we’ve played each game as it comes… but I think a lot of the guys see it as a great opportunity to try and win the trophy.”
With Phil Salt in the wings, Roy’s vulnerability upfront could threaten his place
Matt Roller29-Jul-2022Five innings, 80 balls, 59 runs. Jason Roy has had a grim summer for England in T20Is and his form is becoming difficult for them to ignore.On Thursday night in Cardiff, he made a torturous 20 off 22 balls while chasing 208 – an innings that damaged England’s chances more than a first-ball duck – before lofting Tabraiz Shamsi to long-off, then beginning a slow trudge back to the dressing room that has become an all-too-familiar sight in the month since his unbeaten hundred in the final Netherlands ODI.Roy has not lacked attacking intent this summer but has struggled badly against the swinging new ball. ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data gives him a ‘control percentage’ of just 58.8, meaning he has played a false shot every 2.4 balls. His job is to play ultra-attacking shots and get England off to a fast start but it is a volatile role: when batters rely heavily on boundaries, their returns diminish alarmingly if the boundaries dry up.Related
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He has endured some difficult moments over the last two-and-a-half years. He did not enjoy the demands of touring life during the pandemic: even more so than most, Roy’s personality does not lend itself to spending days on end confined to a hotel room. Earlier this year, he pulled out of his Gujarat Titans contract ahead of the IPL to spend two months with his family after struggling off the pitch at the PSL.”Things mentally weren’t right with me at the PSL,” he said last month. “I was in a weird place because I was playing good cricket but I wasn’t enjoying myself. I wasn’t happy and it was just a dark time.” Details of a mysterious fine and suspended ban for undisclosed misconduct have still not emerged publicly, though he stressed that it has “not been spoken about” in the dressing room.Jos Buttler, his captain and opening partner, was quick to leap to Roy’s defence in Cardiff. “Every batter in the world goes through periods where you don’t hit the ball as sweetly as you would like to,” he said. “T20 cricket is a bit brutal in that way: it demands that you keep continuing to take risks and keep being brave.”That’s the job for Jason: he’s such an imposing figure and teams are scared to bowl at him. [We’ll] remind him of all the good things he’s done and tell him to trust himself even more.” Chris Jordan, his Surrey captain, went even further. “We back him 250%,” he said. “Don’t be surprised if he comes good on Sunday.”That level of support for Roy is no surprise and England will continue to back him for the foreseeable future. Since 2015, England have been hugely reluctant to drop batters from their first-choice side, reasoning that asking them to play in an ultra-attacking manner lends itself to quiet runs of form and that leaving players out, as a result, risks undermining the overriding message to be positive above anything else.Jason Roy’s strength against the back-of-length pace bowling can thrive in Australian conditions during the T20 World Cup•ICC via GettyRoy will have a number of opportunities to prove his form ahead of the World Cup. He will almost certainly keep his place on Sunday and then play eight games for Oval Invincibles in the Hundred leading into a seven-match T20I series in Pakistan and a further three matches in Australia before the main event starts on October 22.But counterintuitively, his resounding success as an attacking opener has created a position where he is no longer indispensable in the way he once was. A generation of opening batters have emulated his style in county cricket and on the franchise circuit, epitomised by Phil Salt who has run the drinks in this series after having been used out of position in his four T20I caps to date.Salt will spend August opening the batting alongisde Buttler for Manchester Originals, an ideal opportunity for him to show England’s captain that he is ready to make the step up. There are other options, too: Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes would all jump at the chance to open the batting; James Vince’s consistency in the BBL suggests he is an ideal fit for Australian conditions; any number of young players could mount a case with a standout season in the Hundred.And yet Roy still has plenty in his favour. While his record in Australia does not show it, he remains one of England’s best players against the sort of back-of-a-length pace bowling that can be expected to thrive in the World Cup. He has always been a selfless player, evidenced by his attempts to swing himself back into form rather than play within himself and prioritise his own runs ahead of the team’s cause.He has been around for a long time but only turned 32 last week: unless he peaked unusually early, there is every chance that he could be part of England’s squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup and beyond. Even if this proves to be the beginning of the end, his legacy is secure after his contribution to their 50-over transformation between 2015 and 2019.Roy has come back from poor form before, most notably after he was left out for the semi-final of the 2017 Champions Trophy, but there is a fine line between trust and blind faith. Now, he needs to show England that they have stayed on the right side of it.
It was a steamy September Sunday night in Cincinnati in 2013, just another game in the inclined treadmill that is a single baseball season that, before you know it, becomes a career. It was Clayton Kershaw’s night to pitch, but there was a problem. His back was killing him.
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly and general manager Ned Colletti did not want him to pitch. Los Angeles had a fat, 11-game lead atop the National League West. Sure, the Dodgers had lost three games in a row. But there was no need to take a chance with the best pitcher in the game.
Remembers Colletti, “He begged me to pitch. We let him go.”
Kershaw grinded through seven innings in the 85-degree heat and left in a 2–2 tie. He threw 104 pitches. He gave up two solo homers to Jay Bruce, the third and final time he allowed two homers to a left-handed hitter in the same game. The Reds walked off the Dodgers, winning 3–2.
The final score or even his pitching line do not matter. What matters from that night is what best defines Kershaw. It was not the parabolic beauty of his curveball, which arrived one day in a spring training game in Vero Beach, Fla., in the same frightening manner of what the military calls an Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon. It was so scary that the great Vin Scully immediately called it, “Public Enemy No. 1.”
It was not that herky-jerky, stop-and-start delivery, in which he mimed a man trying to step over a curbside puddle, only to change his mind midway, then resume the quest.
It wasn’t that backfoot slider that was to right-handed hitters—no matter how many times they read it they still could not figure it out.
It wasn’t the 222–96 record, the three Cy Young Awards, the three strikeout titles, the five ERA titles or the MVP Award.
It was a ferocious, almost maniacal will to compete. Kershaw, one of the great competitors of his generation, is leaving the arena by his own choice, the best way to go out. He announced Thursday that he will retire after this season, literally taking it to the house to be with his wife, Ellen, and their four children, with a fifth due in December. He will take the ball at Dodger Stadium Friday night in what could be his final appearance there, where he became as much of a fixture as the golden light at sunset on the San Gabriels. Nobody ever struck out more batters in any ballpark than Kershaw did at Dodger Stadium (1,645), having surpassed Steve Carlton’s total at the Vet in Philadelphia (1,615) earlier this year.
This is Kershaw’s greatest legacy, if not the source of his greatest unspoken pride: he is the toughest pitcher to beat in the 132 years since the mound was set at 60 feet, six inches from home plate. His career winning percentage of .698 is the greatest among all the pitchers who threw more than 1,500 innings in that time.
Hall of Famer Tom Seaver liked to say he was most proud of finishing his career more than 100 games better than .500 (311–205). Kershaw pitched 18 seasons—his start Friday will be career start No. 450—and he still has not lost 100 games.
No one is close to Kershaw when it comes to the most wins without losing 100 games. Behind him is Ron Guidry, with 55 fewer wins, and Sandy Koufax, his spiritual guru in both spin and Dodger blue and white, with 57 fewer wins.
“Sometimes,” Colletti says, “you almost had to protect him from himself. He would go out there in pain. The drive, the quest to always get better, never, ever wavered. I don’t think I ever saw him rest on his laurels, or say, ‘This is good enough.’”
When Kershaw won his first Cy Young Award in 2011, Joe Torre, his first manager, texted him to congratulate him.
“Next year,” Kershaw replied, “I have to be better.”
Kershaw made his debut just after his 20th birthday against the St. Louis Cardinals. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Kershaw debuted for Torre’s Dodgers May 25, 2008, two months after his 20th birthday, in a start against the Cardinals. It was so long ago the Cardinals had no video on Kershaw; just written scouting reports. Skip Schumaker was his first strikeout, fanning on a 95-mph fastball.
“He definitely has good stuff,” Schumaker said then. “And he challenged us. You have to be impressed with what he did.”
Kershaw threw six innings, walked one and struck out seven.
“I thought he had good stuff,” Albert Pujols said. “He came at you pretty much. I think it’s fair to say he can have success at this level.”
His curveball was almost too good. Hitters did not want to swing at it. So, with the help of pitching coach Rick Honeycutt, Kershaw developed a slider to slip between his fastball and curve, in terms of velocity and break. He became a beast with such a fearsome three-pitch mix that he never really needed an off-speed pitch, though his tinkering with a changeup became something of a running gag.
At the height of his prowess, Kershaw put together a seven-year run (2011–17) in the dominant manner, if not the volume, of Koufax: 118–41 with a 2.10 ERA, three Cy Youngs, one MVP and seven straight years in the top five in Cy Young Award voting.
Proper acclaim eluded him because of his postseason record. Through 2019, Kershaw was 9–11 with a 4.43 ERA in 32 games. But what was lost in those numbers was the burden Kershaw carried. Only Andy Pettitte has started more postseason games on three days' rest than Kershaw. Mattingly and Dave Roberts would leave him in games because no one in the bullpen was better than a tiring Kershaw. And too often, as Colletti says, “when he was in trouble, he looked to throw hard, harder and harder.”
Kershaw did have his moments. In the 2016 NLDS, Kershaw beat Max Scherzer in Game 1, pitched two outs into the seventh inning of Game 4 on short rest, and volunteered to close Game 5 just 48 hours and three time zones later. That same year, he started the first postseason shutout at Wrigley Field.
In the 2017 World Series, after a gem in Game 1, he was undone by a ridiculous 13–12 loss at Houston during the height of the Astros’ sign-stealing scheme. He threw 39 sliders that night. The Astros swung and missed at only one of them. Houston pitchers were using multiple signs even with nobody on base. Kershaw was not. He was playing by an old honor code in a den of thieves and paid for it.
When I revisited that night with Kershaw the next spring, he told me, “The only thing that bothers me is the real-time stuff. I’m sure a lot of teams were going up to that line, but once [Houston] started doing it in real time and using technology in real time that’s what separates it.
“I’m sick of people saying that everybody was the same, that everybody was doing it. No. We weren’t all doing that. That was separated from everybody else.”
Kershaw celebrated his first World Series in 2020 after years of disappointments in the postseason. / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
True satisfaction finally came in 2020. The Dodgers won their first World Series since 1988. Kershaw that postseason was 4–1 with a 2.93 ERA in five starts, including 2–0 with a 2.31 ERA in the World Series.
It seems odd now, as it was for the likes of Peyton Manning and Michael Jordan, to think Kershaw was once thought to be lacking in big moments. The drive was in his heart all along. Torre remembers Kershaw’s first spring training appearance with the Dodgers. They brought him over from the minor league complex. Kershaw was 19.
“It was a night game,” Torre says. “The first pitch he threw, he gives up a home run. I didn’t watch the home run. I watched him and his response. All he did was hold up his glove to the umpire to say, ‘Give me another ball.’ I absolutely loved it. A kid 19 years old pitching with the big club, normally he cringes at giving up a home run. That was impressive to me.
“He had a great confidence in himself. He never backed off anything. That first year I had to call him into my office to send him back to the minors. He could have burned a hole in me with the look on his face. This is where he wanted to be, and he felt he had the ability to be here.
“He’s got that fierceness. I remember how hard he worked on his hitting and his bunting. You trust him. That’s the bottom line. You trust him with your life.”
Many years ago, Braves Hall of Fame executive John Schuerholz gave Colletti a piece of advice: if you want to know about a player, just ask yourself if you can trust that player.
“And I always ask myself, do I trust the player, the person?” Colletti says. “There was never a moment since the day he showed up that I did not trust Clayton Kershaw. Never a moment where I wondered what I was getting from him or if there was more in there. Never.”
Over these 18 seasons, there are so many memorable nights. A no-hitter. World Series wins. Three thousand strikeouts. There are even more nights with less fanfare, like that sweatbox in Cincinnati for a meaningless game, when his effort knew no other level but the maximum.
And there are the many late afternoons at Dodger Stadium, when Kershaw, like Monet heading to the garden in Giverny, would walk alone to the Dodgers’ sun-drenched bullpen in his sleeveless T-shirt and shorts with a baseball and his glove. There he would pantomime his signature delivery over and over, without letting go of the baseball. In these shadow boxing sessions, while saving his arm from the wear and tear of throwing, Kershaw perfected this Rube Goldberg contraption of a delivery. Nobody ever released a baseball from darn near the exact same spot, regardless of the pitch or the inning or the year, than Kershaw. It happened not by accident. It happened in the same way Kershaw became the toughest pitcher to beat in the history of this game: with an iron will that never wavered.
Brandon King dropped; Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph and Jediah Blades sidelined by injuries
ESPNcricinfo staff13-Nov-2025
John Campbell was Jamaica’s leading run-scorer in the Super50 Cup last season•Getty Images
Six years after he last played an ODI, West Indies opener John Campbell has earned a recall for the three-match series against New Zealand starting on Sunday. Fast bowler Johann Layne and seam-bowling allrounder Shamar Springer received their maiden call-ups to the ODI side, while quick Matthew Forde, who returned from a shoulder dislocation for the T20Is against New Zealand, also returned.The trio replaced spinners Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie, and left-arm quick Ramon Simmonds, who was injured, from the squad that played Bangladesh last month. Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph and Jediah Blades also were sidelined by injuries.Campbell replaced fellow opener Brandon King from the Bangladesh series. King returned scores of 44, 0 and 18 in the series West Indies lost 2-1. His T20I form has also tapered off, with four single-digit scores in his last five outings across the Bangladesh and New Zealand series.Campbell was recalled following his strong performances in red-ball cricket, including an impressive century in the second Test against India in Delhi last month. He was Jamaica’s leading run-scorer in the Super50 Cup last season, with 278 runs in seven outings at a strike rate of 102.20. Notably, none of the top ten run-getters in that competition scored at a faster pace.Layne’s call-up follows his Test debut on the tour of India last month. While he has impressed in red-ball cricket, he has only 12 List-A appearances and 13 wickets to show in the format. Against New Zealand, Layne will complete the seam attack that features Jayden Seales and Romario Shepherd apart from Springer, Forde and Justin Greaves.Ackeem Auguste, who made his ODI debut in Bangladesh, kept his spot alongside Keacy Carty and Alick Athanaze in the 15-member squad led by Shai Hope.New Zealand and West Indies play the opening ODI in Christchurch on Sunday followed by the second and third matches in Napier and Hamilton, respectively.West Indies squad for ODIs against New ZealandShai Hope (capt), Alick Athanaze, Ackeem Auguste, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo, Johann Layne, Khary Pierre, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Shamar Springer