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Wicketkeeper-batter hits 132 off 89 balls as hosts scrape to victory with one wicket to spare

ECB Reporters Network30-Jun-2025Somerset wicketkeeper-batter Thomas Rew scored a sensational 131 to break the record for the fastest century for England Under-19s and propel his country to a dramatic one-wicket win in this second one-day international against India at Northampton.Rew reached three figures off just 73 balls, beating Ben Foakes’ 79-ball ton against New Zealand in 2012. In all, Rew faced 89 balls in a display of brutal hitting and deft strokeplay, smashing 16 fours and six huge sixes.England captain Rew shared a stand of 123 in 21 overs with Lancashire’s Rocky Flintoff (39) but a clatter of late wickets left England nine down, needing seven off the final over. Middlesex’s Seb Morgan held his nerve to hit a boundary to seal the win with three balls to spare as England levelled the five-match series 1-1.With the ball, Surrey seamer Alex French took 4 for 71, while Leicestershire’s Alex Green and Worcestershire’s Jack Home each claimed three wickets as India were bowled out for 290 in exactly 49 overs.All of England’s seamers were guilty of spraying the ball, contributing an extra 26 runs in wides towards India’s eventual total. But after 14-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi (45) set the tone up top with Vihaan Malhotra (49), England pegged India back to 171 for 5. A quickfire sixth-wicket partnership of 78 in 12 overs between Rahul Kumar and Kanishk Chouhan reinvigorated the innings, allowing India to set a competitive total before French wrapped up the tail. RS Ambrish took the bulk of the wickets for India, finishing with figures of 4 for 80.England had elected to field and while French conceded six wides in his opening over, his first legal ball proved effective, knocking over Ayush Mhatre’s off stump.Suryavanshi set the early pace with two sixes off French, contributing the lion’s share of a stand of 67 in 10 overs. After Suryavanshi hooked Home for his third six over fine leg, though, Morgan took a well-judged boundary catch as the batter attempted to upper cut.Maulyarajsinh Chavda played his first shot in anger over extra cover off Home as he mounted a 50-run stand with Malhotra in 11 overs. Chavda attacked Green’s pace, but the Leicestershire quick sent his off stump flying when he attempted a big booming drive.Malhotra, who played some pleasant drives, then shared a stand worth 44 with Abhigyan Kundu before Malhotra top-edged Home to deep square leg. Kundu departed two overs later, caught at backward point, flashing outside off stump against Green.Kumar and Chouhan pressed the accelerator, taking the score to 249 before Home picked up his third wicket, Kumar heaving into the leg side where Joe Moores took a good catch. Then when Chouhan flat-batted Green down the wicket, he was well caught by Morgan, French nipping in to claim the last three wickets, all to catches in the outfield.England lost opener Ben Dawkins early, caught behind when he flashed outside off stump against Yudhajit Guha, while Ben Mayes hit a speedy 27 before cutting Ambrish straight to point. England lost a third wicket nine balls later as Isaac Mohammed prodded outside off stump and was caught low at slip off Ambrish to leave England 47 for 3 in the 12th over.Flintoff led the rebuilding initially, powering Ambrish over mid-on and punching him straight down the pitch. But Rew soon warmed up, taking consecutive boundaries off Chauhan, then driving him through cover to bring up the 50 partnership off 70 balls.Rew dismissively pulled a half-tracker from Mohammed Enaan for six, but after 25 overs England were 112 for 3 and behind the run rate. Needing to accelerate, Rew took the attack to Suryavanshi, swinging him over deep midwicket for six and four as England started to close in on the requirement.Rew motored on, blazing consecutive sixes over deep midwicket off Enaan, but lost Flintoff when he cut too close to his body, keeper Kundu taking a sharp catch.The runs kept flowing as Rew swung Chauhan away leg side for another six before celebrating his century, and then plundered 22 off one over from Ambrish, taking England past 200 before powering another six over midwicket and consecutive boundaries over the covers. But his valiant innings ended when he was caught in the deep off Patel, attempting another big leg-side shot, leaving England needing 61 more off 10.2 overs.They lost a sixth wicket next over when Guha had Moores caught at deep square leg. Ralphie Albert played some shots, but pulled Ambrish to midwicket, while Patel comprehensively bowled Home three balls later.With nerves jangling, Green and Morgan took 14 off Ambrish’s penultimate over, while Morgan hooked Guha for six, leaving England needing 12 from the last two overs. Green holed out at deep midwicket off the first delivery from Ambrish in the 49th over, but with seven needed off the final over, Morgan finished the game with elan.

The Royals were able to get a huge 4-2 win over the Yankees on Monday night to even their series as it shifts to Kansas City for the next two games.

The Royals did all their damage in the fourth inning, scoring all four runs against Yankees starter Carlos Rodon. They were then able to hold off the Yankees the rest of the way to secure the victory.

One of the biggest plays came in the bottom of the eighth inning when the Royals were able to end it by turning a clutch double play on a ball hit to short by Giancarlo Stanton.

Bob Costas has been working this series for TBS and his call of this big play left a lot to be desired:

Stanton has battled some injuries but it felt like that call should have been a little more fired up while commending the Royals for making it happen.

Fans were not impressed:

Celtic are eyeing a potential move for England Under-21s manager Lee Carsley as their next boss, as they look to find the perfect replacement for Brendan Rodgers at Parkhead.

Rodgers’ second spell in charge of the Hoops went out in a whimper, following an underwhelming start to the season in the Scottish Premiership, with Martin O’Neill placed in interim charge.

While the Irishman has seemingly only come in for a short spell as manager, taking charge until the right permanent appointment is made, a new report has claimed that he would be willing to take the job until the end of the season.

Victory at home to Rangers on Sunday afternoon would not only be a massive step in the right direction for Celtic, but could even persuade those high up at the club that O’Neill is the right man to continue for longer than originally expected.

That’s not to say that other potential candidates aren’t being mentioned, however, with Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna backed to be Rodgers’ successor, and Club Brugge head coach Nicky Hayen also seen as an option.

Lee Carsley linked with Celtic job

Now, 67 Hail Hail claim that Celtic are eyeing Carsley to be their next manager, with the Hoops “long-term admirers” of him, meaning he could “be in contention” to come in.

That said, the former Republic of Ireland international “isn’t a frontrunner for the job”, so at this stage, others feel more likely to take charge at Parkhead.

Carsley would be an interesting choice for Celtic if they did go down that route, with Roy Keane heaping praise on him during his brief stint as England’s interim boss before Thomas Tuchel came in.

Perhaps the biggest risk in Celtic appointing Carsley is the fact that he is yet to manage at club level, with his only roles coming with England, including his current Under-21s role.

England Under-21s

2025-present

11

2.27

England (interim)

2024

6

2.50

England Under-21s

2021-2024

29

2.41

England Under-20s

2020-2021

1

3.00

For that reason, bringing him in would be a gamble at a point when a safe pair of hands is required to steady the ship after a frustrating end to Rodgers’ reign.

Postecoglou 2.0: Celtic looking at hiring "box-office" McKenna alternative

With Ange Postecoglou unlikely to return to Celtic, should the Hoops appoint a “box office” title-winning manager instead of Kieran McKenna?

ByBen Gray Nov 1, 2025

Carsley may be desperate to prove his worth in the club game, though, and if he impresses Celtic’s bosses more than the rest, they need to be trusted.

Celtic manager search takes twist as O'Neill makes decision about interim role

The hosts were stuck on their own surface, posting 109 for 7 which was overhauled with 17 balls to spare

ECB Media24-Aug-2025Birmingham Phoenix 113 for 3 (Duckett 49*, Clarke 40) beat Manchester Originals 109 for 7 (Klaasen 34, Livingstone 2-11) by seven wicketsBirmingham Phoenix produced a polished display to thrash Manchester Originals by seven wickets at Emirates Old Trafford and move up to fourth in the table.The Phoenix have struggled for consistency in the tournament, and their defeat to Welsh Fire on Friday evening ended any hope of qualifying for the knockout phase, but a disciplined performance in the field and a clinical partnership of 72 from 45 balls between Ben Duckett (49 not out from 38) and Joe Clarke (40 from 21) delivered a consolation victory.Set just 110 to win, Will Smeed nicked off to Sonny Baker for 13 but it was plain sailing thereafter, Clarke announcing his arrival with three consecutive boundaries off his Nottinghamshire teammate Josh Tongue before dispatching Ish Sodhi for a slog-swept six.Duckett had been more circumspect but came to the party by taking 14 off Sodhi’s second set and the Phoenix wasted no time in racing to their target, Tongue’s dismissals of Clarke and Liam Livingstone only delaying the inevitable as victory was secured with 17 balls to spare.Earlier, the Originals had made a positive start after winning the toss and electing to bat. Phil Salt (31 from 20) hit Adam Milne for a six and a four in the second set, and belted two maximums off Trent Boult in the third, but Liam Patterson-White got the breakthrough when he clean bowled Ben McKinney for 2 with an arm ball and the hosts badly lost their way when Salt followed, caught at long-on by Duckett off Jacob Bethell.Jos Buttler came and went for 5, trapped lbw by the excellent Livingstone (2 for 11), and wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, with Heinrich Klaasen (34 from 35) unable to fully unleash his range of shots on a slow surface that played into the hands of the Phoenix spinners.The South African was eventually caught in the deep off Chris Wood (2-11) in the penultimate set and the Originals could only muster 109-7, ultimately slipping to a fifth defeat in seven, bottom of the table on net run rate, as their formidable batting line-up again failed to fire.Clarke, named the Meerkat Match Hero, said: “I feel in good rhythm and have good confidence, so it was nice to contribute to a win.”The pitch had been used a few times so it was slightly on the slower side. I felt like once the seamers were on I could inject pace into it and it helped having Ben at the other end who could knock it around and run hard.On the partnership with Duckett, he added: “We wanted to stick to our strengths. He’s a very good player of spin, he hits gas really well, and it was about limiting dot balls. We’ve played cricket together for a long, long time, so it’s nice to be out there in the middle with him.”

Tottenham and Bayern Munich are in talks to activate the Premier League team's option to buy Joao Palhinha amid the midfielder's bright start since joining on loan from the Bundesliga side. The English side are negotiating to lower the purchase clause in his contract, which is currently set at around €30 million. Palhinha had moved to Bayern from English club Fulham in the summer of 2024 for a fee of €56m, but failed to get up and running in his solitary season in Germany.

Palhinha's failed move to Bayern

According to Nicolo Schira, Tottenham have already reached an agreement on personal terms with Palhinha for a contract running until 2029. 

According to German outlet , the London club have now entered negotiations with the German champions over a potential transfer, with the aim of reducing the €30m (£25m/$33m) fee initially set in the loan agreement. It remains uncertain whether Bayern would accept a lower offer or if Tottenham intend to finalise the deal in the upcoming winter transfer window or wait until the summer. 

The Portuguese international, who joined Bayern from Fulham in the summer of 2024 for around €56m (£47m/$61m), was initially seen as an ideal partner for Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka. However, he struggled to establish himself in the squad and failed to meet expectations. Palhinha made just 25 appearances in all competitions, with only 10 starts, and his transfer is now regarded as one of Bayern’s more disappointing investments in recent years. After just one season, he was loaned to Tottenham as Bayern sought to cut their losses, with the loan fee reportedly around €5m.

Palhinha reflected on his difficult spell at Bayern, admitting that injuries limited his chances to prove himself. “Last season wasn’t easy for me, especially when I got injured with the national team. I was out longer than expected. Afterwards, I didn’t get the opportunities I think I deserved," he said.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportPalhinha's new lease of life at Tottenham

Under Thomas Frank, Palhinha has rediscovered his best form, thriving in his natural role and becoming a key player for Tottenham this season. The Portuguese midfielder has made 18 appearances and scored four goals, including a crucial strike against Manchester City. His influence has been central to Tottenham’s push for a top-four finish, with the club currently just one point behind Sunderland in fourth place. Palhinha has also played a vital role in the Champions League, helping Spurs move closer to automatic qualification for the round of 16.

Playing alongside Pape Sarr in a 4-2-3-1 system, Palhinha provides defensive balance while allowing Sarr to advance forward. A commanding presence in midfield, he dominates central areas, contributes effectively at both ends of the pitch, and plays a key part in Tottenham’s pressing structure. His consistency and tactical intelligence have cemented his place among the Premier League’s standout midfielders this season.

Bayern's wonderful start to the season

Vincent Kompany’s Bayern have been in outstanding form this season despite losing key players such as Palhinha, Leroy Sane and Kingsley Coman, as well as missing out on transfer targets like Nick Woltemade and Nico Williams. Under Kompany’s leadership, Bayern remain unbeaten across all competitions, recording 16 wins and one draw, a testament to the team’s adaptability and tactical evolution. The Belgian coach has implemented a new playing style centred around the squad’s collective strength, perseverance, and sacrifice rather than individual brilliance. This philosophy has revitalised Bayern’s performances, bringing balance and intensity to their game. The system has particularly benefited Harry Kane, who continues to score freely, and Konrad Laimer, who has flourished in midfield. Koln coach Lukas Kwasniok has praised Bayern’s transformation under Kompany, suggesting they look like genuine contenders for a treble this season given their consistency and team unity.

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Getty Images SportPalhinha hopes Tottenham form leads to strong World Cup

Kompany will use the international break to reflect on Bayern’s impressive win against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and use that performance as motivation for his players to continue working toward the treble.

Meanwhile, Palhinha will hope that Bayern and Tottenham can reach an agreement over his future. With his form back to its best, the midfielder will aim to maintain his performances for the rest of the season to secure a place in Portugal’s 2026 World Cup squad.

Roki Sasaki addressed the elephant in the room while getting officially introduced as the Los Angeles Dodgers' latest star free-agent signing on Wednesday.

Sasaki, a 23-year-old right-handed pitcher from Japan, arrived to MLB as an amateur international free agent, meaning his first contract will include six years of club control and a rookie salary in 2025. That allowed every MLB team to be in the mix to sign Sasaki, but like so many other star free agents the past few years, Sasaki chose to sign with the defending World Series champions.

Sasaki was asked Wednesday about his decision to pick the Dodgers over his offers from other teams—a move that disgruntled many in the MLB world as Los Angeles added another high-profile star while many teams continue to sit on the bench in free agency.

"I think the No. 1 thing that stood out was the stability of the front office," Sasaki said Wednesday through a translator. "I had the opportunity to speak with a lot of teams, and they had a lot of appealing features. But overall, when I looked at the general consensus, I thought that the Dodgers were at the top."

About 20 MLB teams reached out to Sasaki back in December in hopes of luring him to its city. He reportedly met with at least eight teams in person in Los Angeles—the Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants.

Teams were eliminated by Sasaki until it was down to three finalists: the Dodgers, Padres and Blue Jays. Sasaki opted to follow in the footsteps of Blake Snell, Teoscar Hernandez, Michael Conforto and Hyeseong Kim this offseason and choose the Dodgers above other offers.

"As I transition to the major leagues, I am deeply honored that many teams reached out to me with such enthusiasm, especially considering I haven't achieved much in Japan," Sasaki said. "I'm truly grateful to all the team officials who took the time to meet with me through this process.

"Every organization helped me in its own way, and it was an incredibly difficult decision to choose just one. … I am fully aware that there are many different opinions out there, but now that I have decided to come [to Los Angeles], I want to move forward with the belief that the decision I made is the best one."

Sasaki now joins the Dodgers' loaded starting rotation featuring fellow Japanese stars in Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani, as well as Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May.

"It wasn't a priority to me if there was or was not a Japanese player on a team as I was looking at all the teams," Sasaki said. "Being able to play with Ohtani and Yamamoto—both exceptional players—I'm really looking forward to playing with them, and not just them, but the rest of the team that is incredible as well."

Chelsea have built a squad full of brilliant players over the last few years, with the injured Cole Palmer being the jewel in their crown.

The former Manchester City prospect joined the club over two years ago and, since then, has been nothing short of world-class.

In 101 appearances, the Englishman has racked up a monstrous tally of 45 goals and 29 assists.

So, fans should be delighted about reports linking Chelsea to an international star who could be another Palmer-type signing for them.

Chelsea target their next Palmer

Even though the transfer window is still over a month away, Chelsea have already been linked with a host of potentially game-changing signings.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The likes of Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Atlético Madrid’s Julian Alvarez are just some of the names touted for a move to Stamford Bridge.

Yet, while they’re both incredible players, it would be hard to describe them as Palmer-like, which isn’t the case with Marcus Rashford.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Chelsea are interested in signing the England international next summer.

The report has revealed that, while Barcelona are happy with how the 27-year-old is performing on loan this season and have a €30m buy option – £26m – they are also still considering whether he’d be worth the financial outlay, given the club’s position on that front.

Moreover, as the Spanish side have been deliberating on the matter, the report claims that the Blues have already been in contact with the player’s camp, and want to make him a key part of their attack next year.

It’s unclear how much Manchester United would charge the West Londoners, but given their desire to move him on, it could be in the region of his Transfermarkt valuation of €40m, or about £35m.

It could be a complicated deal to get over the line, but given Rashford’s ability and form, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as he could be another Palmer.

Why Rashford would be another Palmer

Now, while there certainly are some differences between the two players, such as their ages, there are still several reasons why Rashford could be another Palmer-type signing for Chelsea.

For example, and this is the most important of them all, while he has had a few down seasons since he broke onto the scene, the 28-year-old has also had more than a few in which he’s been practically unplayable.

In the 22/23 season, before the wheels well and truly fell off at Old Trafford, the Manchester-born monster racked up an utterly sensational tally of 30 goals and 12 assists in 56 games.

A couple of years before that, he scored 21 goals and provided 18 assists in 57 games, and his overall tally of 216 goal involvements in 426 games for the Red Devils is genuinely astounding.

Moreover, he is currently showing that he can reproduce such numbers in another league entirely: in 16 appearances for Barca, totalling 1134 minutes, he’s scored six goals and provided nine assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.06 games, or every 70.87 minutes.

Appearances

16

Starts

13

Minutes

1134′

Goals

6

Assists

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.93

Minutes per Goal Involvement

70.87′

In other words, the dynamic attacker, whom content creator Neal Gardner dubbed one of “the best in the world”, is someone who could have a similar game-changing impact on Enzo Maresca’s side as Palmer has.

Furthermore, it would also be another instance of the West Londoners pouncing on an incredible English player no longer wanted by one of the Manchester clubs.

Finally, just like Pensioners’ talismanic number ten, the 68-capped international is almost certainly going to be heading to the World Cup with England in the summer and will likely play a key role for Thomas Tuchel.

Ultimately, while it might be a complicated transfer to get over the line, Chelsea should do what they can to sign Rashford in the summer, as he could be another Palmer.

Chelsea have signed an "alien of a talent" who could usurp Estevao & Palmer

The incredible talent could become a bigger star for Chelsea than Estevao and Palmer.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 19, 2025

“There will be more miracles going forward,” Abhishek Sharma says of the India T20I team

Shashank Kishore29-Sep-2025India opener Abhishek Sharma is happy he took the stairs and not the elevator to the national team like some of his 2018 Under-19 World Cup team-mates – Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw, for example – had, saying he wouldn’t have “learned some things” if that had been the case.”There have been ups and downs,” Abhishek said at the end of the Asia Cup, where he was the Player of the Tournament. “Some players get in easily. Some come in after some difficulty. But I feel this [domestic grind] was necessary. If I had made it quicker as a [national team] player, I wouldn’t have learned some things.”While Shaw was fast-tracked to the national team, making his Test debut in 2018 itself, Gill broke through in early 2019. For Abhishek, the turning point came only after the pandemic, in 2021, by which time he had refined his game. With Yuvraj Singh’s guidance, he transformed from a middle-order finisher and part-time left-arm spinner into an opener with an enhanced power-hitting game.Related

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Abhishek ended the Asia Cup as the top run-getter – 314 in seven innings, including a run of three straight half-centuries leading into the final. Pathum Nissanka was a distant second, with 261 runs.Abhishek’s robust powerplay approach, and his takedown of Shaheen Shah Afridi in successive games against Pakistan, earned him a lot of plaudits, which he attributed to the freedom given to him by the team management. This run of form more or less guarantees him a spot as India’s first-choice opener as they build towards their T20 World Cup title defence.”Since the time I have been in the [national] team, I have not felt is a pressure match. We prepared for every match in the same way,” he said. “Surya [Suryakumar Yadav] and GG [Gautam Gambhir] have given me confidence. When you want to play a high-risk game, failures do come. But the way they handled me, I am able to play like this because of that.”Abhishek stressed that the template of aggressive batting he had adopted was something the entire team had bought into, and would look to carry forward.”It is very important to get such support from the team,” he said. “We have been wanting to play this brand of cricket with intent from the start. Irrespective of the opposition, we will continue playing like this.”I’ve had more time to work on a few things. So I’ve worked a lot on those things. I feel this is the start for the team. There will be more miracles going forward.”

Como coach Cesc Fabregas believes that Argentine midfielder Nico Paz should not be restricted, describing him as an incredible talent. The former Barcelona and Arsenal midfielder compared Paz to a magician on the pitch, saying he can pull a trick out of his hat at any moment, which is why he should never be “caged”.

Paz's entry into Serie A and his explosion

Paz has quickly become one of Serie A’s brightest young stars since joining from Real Madrid in 2024 for a fee of €6 million (£5.2m/$6.9m). In his debut campaign, he delivered eight goals and six assists, earning the award for the league’s best young player. His impact has only grown stronger this season, where he has already contributed four goals and four assists, showing remarkable consistency and maturity for his age.

A major reason for his rise has been his seamless fit in Fabregas’ system. Fabregas has given him the freedom to dictate the tempo, find pockets of space, and drive the team forward, allowing Paz’s intelligence and technical quality to shine. The coach has even placed him in the “Lionel Messi category” in terms of how opponents react, noting that rival teams do everything they can to stop him from receiving the ball. Paz is now beginning to show that he can be a worthy successor to Messi in the national team as their primary creative force.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesFabregas' praise for Paz

In an interview with , Como coach Fabregas praised Paz, saying the young midfielder does incredible things on the pitch, saying: “Nico does incredible things. He is a footballer capable of pulling a trick out of his hat at any moment.”

Fabregas also highlighted Paz’s versatility and unpredictable nature, explaining that his ability to attempt and execute crazy ideas makes him difficult to contain. For this reason, Fabregas believes Paz should not be restricted this season, adding: “He does crazy things that are unpredictable, which is why he should not be caged.”

Inter's interest in Paz and Madrid's buy back clause

Inter are preparing to make a major statement in the upcoming transfer window by submitting a €58 million (£49m/$63m) bid for Paz. The club view the young midfielder as a long-term partner for Lautaro Martinez and believe his creativity and versatility would strengthen their attack for years to come. However, Inter face a significant obstacle in Madrid. The Spanish giants hold a buy back clause on Paz, reportedly valued at €8 million in 2025, €9 million in 2026 and €10 million in 2027. This contractual leverage gives Madrid the power to either block the move or bring the player back at a fraction of Inter’s proposed offer, complicating the Nerazzurri’s ambitious pursuit.

Como President Mirwan Suwarso addressed Paz's transfer situation, explaining that Real Madrid are fully entitled to re-sign him based on the terms agreed in the original deal. He made it clear that the club respects the arrangement and that the player's future remains his own choice. Suwarso said: “I couldn’t care less. It’s a situation we agreed on from the beginning. Real Madrid are allowed to buy him back whenever they want. It’s up to Nico to decide what he wants to do with his future. We are very happy to have him. We like to build a home for him in Como. He chose to stay this season, and we take it day by day. We see how it goes. Does he go back to Madrid next season? Madrid have every right to do that. Will he stay with us? It’s up to him whether he wants it or not.”

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Getty ImagesPaz’s Central Role in Como’s Success This Season

Paz has been central to Como’s impressive campaign, with the club currently sitting seventh and pushing for European qualification. His performances have directly contributed to key results, including a memorable win over Juventus and a hard-fought draw against defending champions Napoli. With Paz in strong form, Fabregas will aim to shape his system around maximising the midfielder’s impact, ensuring he remains the driving force behind Como’s pursuit of a historic finish.

Ballpark food is an event in and of itself—even if there weren't a game happening right in front of you, you could easily busy yourself (and your stomach) for hours, experiencing different cuisines, trying new and exciting drinks and enjoying genuinely quality meals that aren't the typical hot dog and popcorn combo.

But you'll also find some pretty wacky concoctions, too. Things like sandwiches layered in condiments and proteins you'd never think to mix together; savory-sweet combinations that will clog your arteries, but also wow your taste buds; and strange-colored desserts that look radioactive, but are really just delicious.

Indeed, stadiums find new ways to wow each year, which is why we've sought out some of the weirdest, wackiest and just generally delicious-looking ballpark food debuting in the 2025 season to showcase below. To be clear, this isn't new food in stadium, but just some select highlights that, to us, look like either gastronomical home runs or somehow still-delectable culinary fouls.

The TLDR? Goodbye peanuts and cracker jacks, hello cotton candy fries.

Let's dive in:

Chicago White Sox:The Celebration Cake Shake:

Following the success of last season's campfire milkshake, the Chicago White Sox this year are debuting a new "Celebration Cake Shake," which constitutes birthday cake ice cream, pieces of confetti cake, a pinwheel cookie and a maraschino cherry on top. With any luck, it wil encourage the Sox to do something worth celebrating … like winning a game or two.

Colorado Rockies:Dessert Nachos:

Have you ever asked yourself, "What if these cheesy, gooey nachos I'm eating were sweet instead of savory?" If so, today is your lucky day.

Colorado Rockies fans can this year treat themselves to "dessert nachos," fried flour tortillas that have been tossed in cinnamon sugar and topped with powdered sugar and caramel, then served with fresh berries and a side of whipped cream. Curious, but seemingly delightful. Per Aramark Sports, this new add is a "fresh twist" on a "classic favorite" at Coors Field.

Houston Astros:Daddy Mac Dog:

As far as heartburn in a hot dog goes, the Houston Astros seem to have things covered with the new Daddy Mac Dog, a footlong angus beef hot dog topped with chopped brisket, mac and cheese, barbecue sauce and crispy dill pickles. Holy clogged arteries.

Kansas City Royals:

The Kansas City Royals are bringing out a few new and wacky-looking ballpark foods this season, offering fans yet another reason to visit Kauffman Stadium after the team's ALDS appearance last year. And there were two dishes in particular that caught our eye:

Blue Velvet Whoopie Pie:

First, the Blue Velvet whoopie pie, an odd choice for a ballpark but perhaps a practical one, given the ease with which you can snack on it. Bright blue velvet cakes and vanilla filling comprise this off-putting but surely delicious dessert.

The Slugger Dog:

A corn dog in and of itself isn't exactly crazy, but you have to admit—the Slugger doesn't look like your average frank on a stick. Indeed, this beauty is made of chorizo and Manchego cheese that is then dipped in batter and a Cool Ranch Dorito crust and drizzled with avocado aioli.

New York Yankees:

Start spreading the news … you can get tiramisu in a helmet.

In case you weren't feeling "New York" enough, the Pinstripes will be debuting a quintessentially New York dessert in the Bronx this season: a Yankees helmet filled to the brim with sumptuous tiramisu. Eating an Italian treat out of regalia for the city's most famous team? Yeah, that's got "I Heart N.Y." vibes all over it.

Philadelphia Phillies:S'mores Quesadilla:

Similar to the Rockies' dessert nachos, Phillies fans can this year try out a s'mores quesadilla, a decadent-looking sweet treat that yet again marries two of the best flavors in the world (chocolate and marshmallow).

Regarding composition, there are no big surprises here, outside of the tortilla: Nutella, mini marshmallows and graham cracker crumble inside, with chocolate dipping sauce drizzled on top.

Pittsburgh Pirates:

In addition to the team's new 98-oz popcorn bats, two new dishes had us looking up tickets to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

Polish Cannonball:

First were the "Polish Cannonballs," fried bites of deliciousness that combine three building blocks of Polish food—egg noodles, kielbasa and cabbage— with bacon and cheddar cheese. The perfect concession-style nod to Pittsburgh's Polish scene.

Chipped Ham Empanadas:

No Pittsburgh table is complete without some chipped ham, so the gastronomical geniuses at Aramark Sports created the chipped ham empanada, a dough pocket filled with barbecue ham, cheddar cheese and pickles. Yinz are gonna love this.

San Francisco Giants:Miso Ramen and Shoyu Ramen:

Now, Ramen isn't a crazy meal by any means, but it a somewhat crazy choice for a ballpark. Even so, the San Francisco Giants will be offering two delicious-looking new noodle bowls at Oracle Park this year: the miso ramen bowl—egg noodles, seared tofu, marinated bamboo, roasted corn, carrot, scallion, wood ear mushroom and bean sprouts in a miso broth—and the shoyu ramen bowl—egg noodle, roasted pork, bamboo, bean sprouts, scallion, wood ear mushroom and soy sauce tare.

Both sound truly delectable, if not just slightly difficult to eat from the stands.

Seattle Mariners:Ichi Wings:

Wings are certainly not a wacky food, but given the latest group of slugger inducted into Cooperstown, these particular bites deserved a shoutout.

Meet the "Ichi Wings," developed to honor Mariners legend and 2025 Hall of Fame inductee Ichiro Suzuki. Each piece will be drenched in a sesame glaze that the clubhouse kitchen formulated for the baseball legend specifically.

Lil' Dumpers:

Dumplings at the ballpark? Well, why not? These yummy-looking steamed pork soup dumplings come with sesame and hoisin sauce, and will be served at the Mariners' Walk-Off Market. And yes, the "Lil' Dumpers" name is a reference to Cal Raleigh's "Big Dumper" moniker.

"What Up" Corn Dog:

No, this corn dog is not radioactive; it's just Mariners blue. The "What Up" corn dog is a new Seattle delicacy that's honey-battered with a spicy crunch and served with nacho cheese. Given the color, this is definitely a wacky ballpark food if we've ever seen one.

Texas Rangers:Boomstick Burrito:

Behold, the Boomstick Burrito, a new delicacy for Texas Rangers fans eager to answer the question, "What if I want a burrito I can split with ?" This gargantuan roll-up boasts a 26-inch tortilla that's been filled with rice, beans, taco meat, nacho cheese, pico de gallo, lettuce and sour cream. It's just the latest entrant in the Rangers' "Boomstick" concession series, which has also featured a 24-inch loaded hot dog, a burger, and the "Boomstick Triple-Play," which combines a hot dog, hamburger and nachos.

Toronto Blue Jays:Cotton Candy Fries:

Name two things that don't go together, we'll start: Cotton candy and french fri—oh, wait.

The Toronto Blue Jays have defied the laws of gastronomy with a new creation in which cotton candy sits atop fries that have been drizzled with some sort of blue sauce. Despite our best efforts, we cannot get an accurate report on what that sauce actually is, so someone will just need to try this out and let us know ASAP.

And now that Opening Day 2025 has arrived, you can get right on that. All this and more is waiting at a ballpark near you.