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It’s been a confusing month or so for Chelsea fans.

One week, the Blues are beating Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur, and then the next, they’re losing to Sunderland or dropping points against Qarabağ.

However, while Enzo Maresca’s side are far from consistent at the moment, it is full of sensational talent.

In fact, there is at least one player who feels destined to become one of the best in the world, alongside Cole Palmer.

Chelsea's world-class stars

While it doesn’t feel like it at the moment, Chelsea are blessed with several players who could become some of the very best in the world in their position, if they aren’t already there.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

For example, while Moises Caicedo had a slow start to life in West London, he is now one of, if not the best six, in the Premier League.

The Ecuadorian is a monster when it comes to winning the ball back, has an underrated range of passing and can score his fair share of bangers.

Another star who is arguably the best in his position in the league is Reece James.

The Cobham gem is no longer suffering from injury after injury and, as a result, has been able to show the full extent of his exceptional ability on a consistent basis.

For example, in addition to being rock solid at the back, he is a genuine attacking threat due to both his impressive passing range and ball-striking ability.

Finally, while he’s out injured at the moment, Palmer is without doubt on his way to becoming one of the best players in the world.

He is the one who makes the Blues’ attack click, and in just 101 appearances for the club has already racked up a tally of 45 goals and 29 assists.

With all that said, there is another young Chelsea star who looks like he could be following in Palmer’s footsteps.

The Chelsea star on track to be one of the best in the world

While there are several exciting youngsters at Chelsea, like Jorrel Hato, Jamie Gittens, and even Alejandro Garnacho, the one who seems destined for the very top is, of course, Estevao.

The highly promising Brazilian gem was signed by Chelsea last year, but due to regulations surrounding players under 18, he was unable to join the club until this season.

However, it looks like that extra year in his homeland has done him the world of good, as so far this season, he has looked every bit the “future Ballon d’Or winner” respected analyst Ben Mattinson described him as.

For example, he was arguably the Blues’ most exciting player in pre-season and injected some real life into the side when he came on in the season opener against Crystal Palace.

Then, when Palmer picked up an injury ahead of the West Ham game, Maresaca handed the youngster his first competitive start, and he looked incredible.

The Franca-born gem was running rings around the East Londoners and even picked up his first assist after a mazy run.

Amazingly, his first goal for the club came in that incredible 2-1 win over Liverpool last month.

He then quickly followed that up with a goal against Ajax in the Champions League and another against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the League Cup.

As if he hadn’t already made his mark on the team, he then scored his second UCL goal against Qarabağ.

In doing so, he became the first South American 18 or under to score in consecutive Champions League matches.

Ultimately, while it is still so early in his career, it certainly feels like Estevao is on the same trajectory as Palmer and will soon join him as one of the best players in the world.

Big-money Chelsea flop is fast becoming their new Danny Drinkwater

Chelsea have a new Danny Drinkwater on their books.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 7, 2025

Manchester City are being “left in the dark” when it comes to a final ruling in their long-running Financial Fair Play (FFP) saga. With at least 115 charges hanging over the Premier League heavyweights, a verdict was “definitely expected by now”. No decision has been revealed, though, and that is keeping everybody guessing on what could be an explosive outcome.

• Man City FFP case: Timeline as saga drags on

  City were made aware of the charges being brought against them in February 2023, with an investigation being carried out into dealings at the Etihad Stadium between 2009 and 2018, An independent commission heard the case in September 2024, with that process running through to December. The panel is considering what happens next, with the footballing world being left on tenterhooks.

  Stefan Borson, a former financial adviser to City, has told of the protracted saga – which appears to have no end in sight: “It looks to me as if they really have very little control of the process from the panel. They didn’t put in place the sorts of deadlines that maybe they should have done.

  “That’s left them very much in the dark as to when the decision is coming, and in that scenario, you have just got to carry on the business because what can you do? You can’t just sit around pausing everything. You have to make decisions, make progress and go about your business, so that’s what they’re doing.”

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  Verdict delay: Why has no ruling been delivered?

  Borson added on the challenges now being faced when it comes to delivering a verdict in the middle of a season, with City expected to contest any sanctions that they disagree with – dragging a distracting episode on even further: “I do think it’s going to be very complicated timing wise to be putting the decision out during the season.

  “Also, if you look at it from a timing perspective, you start to put it out in December, we all know that the world slows down mid-December. People go into Christmas mode. And again, this does not feel like something that can be thrown into that mix.

  “I mean, ordinarily you would definitely have expected it to be out by now. You definitely would have expected it to be before the end of the year. If it doesn’t come in this international break, then honestly, I don’t know. I don’t think there’s any clear understanding as to why it would not be out by now.”

• Explosive outcome: Another storm is expected

  Premier League and European outfits are eager to know where they and City stand, so that long-term plans can be drawn up. Experts concede that the final outcome is likely to whip up another storm one way or another.

  An insider has previously told : “Everyone just wants a verdict now and some certainty over what comes next. It’s gone very quiet and because it’s been going on for so long it’s almost been forgotten about but all hell could break loose when it lands.”

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  Possible sanctions: What could happen to Man City?

  Various potential punishments for City have been speculated on over the course of the last two-and-a-half years. They range from points deductions and fines to transfer embargoes and expulsion from the top-flight of English football.

  City have maintained their innocence throughout, with the Blues adamant that they have done nothing wrong. It has been a case of business as usual at the Etihad across several transfer windows and trophy bids.

  Pep Guardiola admitted back in the spring that he considered a verdict in the FFP case to be imminent, but those claims proved to be unfounded. A matter of months later and City are still waiting to be made aware of their fate.

  The most severe penalties are expected to be avoided, with there little chance of City being dumped into the EFL, but they could be stung with sanctions that make sustaining a title challenge in 2025-26 difficult – as they sit second in the Premier League table at present – or limit their ability to spend big again in upcoming recruitment markets.

Many Americans are interested in learning other languages, but have no idea where to begin outside the confines of Duolingo or similar programs.

Roberto Campos—an Cuban outfielder in the Detroit Tigers' farm system—is here to help. On Friday, in an interview with Jason Beck for MLB.com, Campos disclosed that he used American popular music to teach him English—namely, Taylor Swift.

“Thanks, Taylor Swift,” he said. “She’s incredible.”

Beck wrote that Campos's learning regimen included speaking English with teammates in the clubhouse and watching action movies with subtitles as well.

“My first year, I wasn’t able to speak English. That was so hard for me,” the Havana native said. “My second year was more relaxed because I can be fluent in English.”

Campos, 21, slashed .272/.342/.425 with 10 home runs and 66 RBIs in 2024 for the High-A West Michigan Whitecaps of the Midwest League.

The lesson for Anglophone Americans looking to sharpen their Spanish or French: Bad Bunny and Stromae await you.

Winning the Premier League title is easier said than done, but defending that crown is then another challenge entirely. It makes Pep Guardiola’s and Sir Alex Ferguson’s consecutive title wins in Manchester that much more impressive and exposes the level that Arne Slot looks incredibly unlikely to reach at Liverpool this season.

The Reds spent over £400m in the summer, breaking their transfer record twice. It seemed as though the Premier League title could only be destined for Merseyside, but the reality is that Liverpool are on course to endure one of the worst defences in Premier League history.

Although others have recovered to end the season strongly in the past, the Reds look destined to enter the history books among nine other previous champions.

20 Best Strikers in Premier League History Ranked

Where does Erling Haaland rank?

By
Charlie Smith

May 8, 2025

Ranking factors:

• League finish – how far the champions fell after securing the title the season prior.
• Club context – The context of the champions’ situation, such as injury issues and other deciding factors.

10

Arsenal 2004/05

From invincible to 12 points behind winners Chelsea, Arsenal failed to follow up their historic campaign a season prior in the 2004/05 season, as Jose Mourinho arrived in style at Stamford Bridge. Whilst it was always going to be difficult to follow the Invincibles, the Gunners would have been disappointed with their blunt title fight.

Defeat against Manchester United ended their unbeaten run and from there, their cloak of invincibility evaporated. Arsene Wenger’s side won one of their next five games, leaving Chelsea to take full advantage.

9

Man Utd 2003/04

Man Utd can be forgiven for being up against the Invincibles in the 2003/04 campaign, but it’s still a season that didn’t meet the incredibly high expectations set by Ferguson. The Red Devils slipped to third place, despite leading the title race in early January.

After defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers, United didn’t recover and allowed Arsenal to take full control on their way to a historic title win. To make matters worse, those at Old Trafford also fell behind Chelsea in the same season.

8

Liverpool 2020/21

The 2020/21 season saw Liverpool’s Anfield superpower handed its very own Kryptonite, as the world came to a standstill courtesy of the Covid-19 pandemic. There were fears that the Reds wouldn’t even get the chance to end a dominant title win the season before, but football soon resumed and they ended their wait for glory, albeit in an empty stadium.

A season later, anything that could go wrong did for Jurgen Klopp as injuries piled up and Liverpool were left with a centre-back partnership of Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips. It was touch and go whether they’d secure a top four finish, but Alisson Becker’s stunning header against West Bromwich Albion ensured that Liverpool ended a nightmare campaign in glorious fashion.

7

Chelsea 2017/18

The first season under Antonio Conte is one to remember for most clubs, but what tends to happen next is anything but memorable. The Italian arrived at Stamford Bridge in the 2016/17 campaign and secured the English crown after changing to a back three and reviving Victor Moses into an excellent wing-back.

One season later, however, and a public fall-out with Diego Costa sparked the start of Chelsea’s downfall. The Blues looked a shadow of the champions that they became a season prior and were beaten 3-0 by Bournemouth and 4-1 by Watford, before Conte lost his job at the end of the campaign.

6

Man Utd 2013/14

Over 10 years ago, Man United last entered a Premier League campaign as defending champions. And that’s where their problems commenced. In their first campaign without Ferguson, the Red Devils finished as low as seventh as David Moyes lasted until April before facing the sack.

At the time, the Scot took much of the blame, but United’s problems didn’t end when they sacked him. In fact, in the last decade, things have only become worse and worse for the Red Devils, who finished as low as 15th under Ruben Amorim last season.

5

Blackburn Rovers 1995/96

Like Man United in 2013, Blackburn Rovers went from lifting the Premier League title in the 95/96 campaign to finishing as low as seventh one season later. Blackburn, again like United, lost their manager at the end of their title-winning campaign, with Sir Kenny Dalglish choosing to resign off the back of success.

As a result, the champions struggled under Ray Harford and dropped to as low as 17th at one stage, before a revival in the second-half of the season took them up to seventh. It was a season to forget and not enough to keep hold of Alan Shearer, who netted 31 goals before heading to Newcastle United.

4

Leicester City 2016/17

It was back to reality for Leicester City in the 2016/17 season after they pulled off the miracle of all miracles one year prior. From shock champions, the Foxes found themselves attempting to avoid relegation, as Claudio Ranieri lost his job and the late Craig Shakespeare was left to pick up the pieces.

The champions still sat 17th by the time that February arrived, before Shakespeare picked up five straight wins to take Leicester to a 12th-place finish. Statistically, it is the worst title defence in Premier League history, but the context of their squad and just how great a shock their title win was in itself matters here.

3

Leeds United 92/93

Although Leeds United were technically not defending the Premier League title, the 1992/93 season was the first campaign of the rebranding and they entered it as English champions. After winning three of their first 10 games, the Whites’ title defence was all but over and the departure of Eric Cantona to Man United in January all but confirmed that.

By the end of the campaign, a Leeds side who lost their best player finished as low as 17th, with United taking full advantage to begin an incredible run under Ferguson.

2

Liverpool 2025/26

No one could have predicted the season that Liverpool are having. The Reds won their opening five games, albeit by utilising stoppage-time in dramatic fashion more than once, and looked on course to defend their crown when it all clicked. But then it never did click.

After breaking their transfer record twice to sign Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, Liverpool have been a shadow of the champions that they became. Truth be told, they’ve looked like a squad still in mourning for their teammate, Diogo Jota.

Mentally, Liverpool look entirely drained. Physically, they’ve been outmatched. The effect of Jota’s passing is undeniable, but Slot must find a tactical solution to steady the ship before his side, who sit 12th after 12 games, make unwanted history.

1

Chelsea 2015/16

The return of Jose Mourinho restored Chelsea’s glory in the 2014/15 season, but things were far from special one season later. The legendary manager started the season by arguing with physio Eva Carneiro, who eventually won a £5m settlement, and things only got worse from there.

After nine losses in 16 games, Mournho was sacked by the Blues and replaced by Guus Hiddink. The caretaker manager finally got Eden Hazard firing on all cylinders again to win the famous ‘Battle of the Bridge’ and end Tottenham Hotspur’s title hopes, yet it was not enough to restore Chelsea’s pride. They ended the campaign in 10th.

Who is to blame for Alexander Isak's form at Liverpool?

U.S. international Brian White sent a timely reminder of his quality, powering the Vancouver Whitecaps to their first MLS Cup final with a first-half brace. His early impact guided a commanding 3-1 win over San Diego FC, a match effectively settled before halftime as Jesper Sørensen’s side overwhelmed Mikey Varas’ team and added an own goal via Pablo Sisniega.

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  What happened

  Vancouver struck first through White, who finished from close range on the right side of the box after a pass from Andrés Cubas. Moments later, the lead doubled via a Pablo Sisniega own goal, and before halftime White struck again – a low, composed finish inside the left post assisted by Ali Ahmed – making it 3-0.

  In the second half, Mexico international Hirving Lozano pulled one back for San Diego with a right-footed curler from outside the box after an assist from Anders Dreyer. But any hopes of a late push disappeared when Sisniega was shown a red card in the 79th minute.

  Thomas Muller started and played 60 minutes but was largely quiet, finishing with zero shots and 82 percent passing.

  Vancouver will now face Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami next Saturday in a highly anticipated showdown between two clubs making their first appearance in MLS Cup. San Diego, an expansion side in their inaugural season, can hold their heads high after a run to the Western Conference finals – an impressive debut year.

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  The MVP

  Brian White was the clear standout, striking twice in the first half to send Vancouver to the MLS Cup final. The USMNT forward now has 18 goals this season, reinforcing his status as one of Sørensen’s key players. He heads into next weekend’s final in top form as the Whitecaps look to pull off an upset against Messi and Inter Miami.

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  The big loser

  Mikey Varas will face criticism for choosing not to start Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano in San Diego’s most important match of the season. The Mexican star didn’t enter until the team trailed 3-0, though he scored their lone goal after coming on.

  The tactical approach also fell short. Playing at home, San Diego were outplayed and effectively eliminated within the first half – a disappointing ending to an otherwise historic inaugural season.

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• Match rating (out of five): ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cole Young, a fast-rising infield prospect in the Seattle Mariners organization, played in the Futures Game in Texas last season as part of baseball's All-Star festivities. Less than a year later he's found himself with the big club, getting the callup for the Mariners' May 31 tilt against the the Minnesota Twins. The move paid immediate dividends as Young drove in the game-winning run in the 11th inning with a chopper to first base.

It was a magical moment for the young player as he realized the culmination of a dream. But an even better highlight from the weekend may be the phone call he shared with his parents to give them the good news that he was moving from Tacoma to Seattle and competing on the sport's biggest stage.

The Mariners released video of that emotional call and it's awesome.

This is the good stuff. Every single time we see one of these it's impossible not to think about the long journey from Little League to the big leagues and how much time and energy these player's entire families put into the realization of a dream. At one point Young says he's going to cry but he honestly keeps it together pretty well in front of the cameras. He says he was surprised by the opportunity and was minding his own business in the dugout when he got the update.

"I had no idea," he said. "That was so surprising."

Wasn’t that all a little inevitable? Time and again, this Manchester United side proceeds to fluff their lines, having failed to take advantage of the chance to move fifth in the Premier League following Thursday’s draw with West Ham United.

Much like a week ago in the dismal defeat to ten-man Everton, there was a real lack of energy and urgency about the hosts at Old Trafford this time around, with Ruben Amorim’s side merely letting the game drift for much of the first half.

Even after Diogo Dalot had nudged the home side ahead just before the hour mark, there was a distinct lack of a killer instinct, with Amorim’s raft of pragmatic changes ultimately backfiring in the closing stages.

Up against a team firmly in the relegation mix, the Red Devils – after failing to push for a second – were served up arguably what they deserved, with Soungouto Magassa poking home for his first goal for the Hammers to draw things level.

Despite two late attempts from skipper Bruno Fernandes, there was to be no stirring finale in front of the Stretford End, with the stop-start nature of United’s campaign showing no sign of ending.

Man Utd's worst performers vs West Ham

Two moments of quality aside in Sunday’s narrow win over Crystal Palace, it’s fair to say that it’s not been a good week for United’s captain, with Fernandes again rather erratic on Thursday evening.

He may, as usual, have been in the thick of the action with six total shots and five key passes registered, but the Portuguese notably regressed as the game progressed, squandering the ball meekly far too frequently.

Indeed, the 31-year-old lost the ball 22 times in all, as per Sofascore, while his delivery from wide areas was also unusually off the mark, having successfully completed just two of his eight attempted crosses.

The former Sporting CP star wasn’t alone in struggling on a difficult, turgid night for the hosts, however, with surprise inclusion Ayden Heaven hooked at the break, following a shaky first Premier League start of the season up against the experienced Callum Wilson.

Far more will have been expected of those operating at the opposite end of the pitch for United too, with the returning Matheus Cunha somewhat anonymous in his number ten berth, before being withdrawn late on, while Joshua Zirkzee failed to build on his weekend heroics after producing another limp showing through the middle.

Rounding off that trio was emerging talisman, Bryan Mbeumo, with the usually dynamic winger putting in arguably his worst performance for the club to date, following his £71m switch from Brentford.

Man Utd star produced his worst performance under Amorim

Right from the off, during the opening weekend defeat to Arsenal, Mbeumo has provided the spark in United’s attacking ranks, netting six times already across league and cup, including in key away performances against both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The Premier League’s Player of the Month for October has been riding high even amid a turbulent season for the club, although – with AFCON looming – his form appears to have stagnated, having failed to record a goal or assist in each of his last three outings.

That may be a case of a lack of service, although the Cameroonian was hardly able to create much for himself either on Thursday evening, registering just one key pass and attempting just two shots in all – albeit while forcing Alphonse Areola into a sprawling, clawing save early on.

The 26-year-old, like many of his teammates, was particularly ineffective as the game developed, looking weary late on as he failed to make things stick after moving into a central role, following the withdrawal of both Cunha and Zirkzee.

Like Fernandes, the left-footer regularly squandered potential openings after losing the ball on 15 occasions from just 52 touches, while failing to win a single aerial duel up against a physical visiting backline.

Such has been his impact in recent months, Mbeumo has set a high bar and raised expectation levels regarding his performances, although this was certainly not him at his best.

Typically the outlet for United when the going gets tough, the one-time Troyes man appeared to go missing late on, looking leggy and lethargic as Amorim’s men allowed the visitors back into the game.

With just over a week to go until the £150k-per-week star is set to head to international duty, Amorim needs him to find his best level again.

Let’s face it, while Mbeumo may have looked distinctly off it last night, even on his worst day, he still appears United’s biggest attacking threat.

Bad news for Mainoo: INEOS readying £30m Man Utd offer to sign "monster" CM

There appears to only be one outcome in the future of Kobbie Mainoo at Manchester United.

1

By
Robbie Walls

Dec 4, 2025

Liverpool legend John Arne Riise has identified the man he considers to be the “perfect” successor to Mohamed Salah at Liverpool. An imminent transfer away from Anfield for the Egyptian superstar is being mooted on the back of his recent explosive outburst. Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo is among those considered to be registering on the Reds’ recruitment radar.

• Exit talk: Salah outburst sparks transfer rumours

  Serious questions are being asked of how much longer Salah will be on Liverpool’s books, with the modern day icon accusing the Premier League champions of throwing him under the bus during what has been a disappointing title defence in 2025-26. He also claims to have seen his working relationship with Arne Slot break down.

  Many have questioned why the 33-year-old forward felt the need to air his grievances in public, despite frustration understandably building on his part during a run of three successive appearances on the substitutes bench. Some have suggested – with Africa Cup of Nations duty fast approaching – that he may have played his last game for the club.

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  Salah successors: Semenyo gets 'perfect' billing

  Salah only signed a two-year contract extension back in April, but speculation is now rife regarding potential candidates to fill his boots on Merseyside. One leading contender is already starring in the English top-flight, with Semenyo proving at Bournemouth – with 13 goals being recorded last season and another six this term – just how destructive he can be.

  Ex-Reds defender Riise told when asked if the 25-year-old Ghana international could be a shrewd addition at Anfield: “I mean he's on fire and he's a tricky player to play against and he would suit Liverpool. Obviously we like to play with wingers taking on players and beating them. We have Cody Gakpo doing that at the moment, but adding Semenyo to that would be perfect.

  “He’s a great type of player that we need to sign if something happens with Salah. But even if Salah stays, we are lacking that typical wide winger at the moment. Regardless of Salah’s future, he’s absolutely a player we should be looking to sign in January if we can.”

• Transfer regrets: Did Liverpool overspend on Wirtz?

  Semenyo is said to have a release clause in his contract that can be triggered at £65 million ($87m) prior to January 10. It remains to be seen whether Liverpool want to spend big again having smashed all kinds of records over the summer.

  They acquired Swedish striker Alexander Isak for £125m ($167m) and German playmaker Florian Wirtz for £116m ($155m). Neither has produced their best for the Reds, with a spark still being sought.

  Quizzed on whether Liverpool will be regretting their decision to invest so heavily in Wirtz, with the 22-year-old looking a shadow of the player that generated so much hype at Bayer Leverkusen, Riise added: “No, I don't think it was a mistake, because you see him playing well in certain games and especially for Germany as well. I think he needs more time to adapt to the English game and obviously I think the pressure has come from the outside because of the price tag and everything.

  “But we've seen glimpses of what he can do and I'm sure we’re going to see more of it during the season. He's a hard-working player but he needs to adapt more quickly to English football, and the physical side of things.

  “Obviously he's going to get the season to prove how good he is and what he can do for the club. But I understand why people are asking if it was a bad signing or a waste of money, because he hasn't performed as people expected when you look at his price tag, and what he's done for Germany and his former club, Bayer Leverkusen. But he's an amazing player and I hope that we find the right position for him and we can use him the right way.”

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  Liverpool vs Brighton: Will Salah be involved?

  Wirtz stepped off the bench in Liverpool’s 1-0 Champions League win over Inter, while Salah missed that trip to San Siro entirely after being dropped from Slot’s squad. Both could be involved in a home date with Brighton on Saturday, with the Reds heading into that game sat tenth in the Premier League table.

Milwaukee Brewers rookie pitcher Jacob Misiorowski made his highly anticipated Major League debut on June 12, throwing five hitless innings against the St. Louis Cardinals. Eight days later he carried a perfect game into the seventh against the Minnesota Twins. It is one of the most impressive opening acts any pitcher has ever put together. And through five starts the righthander has been excellent, posting a 4–1 record with a 2.81 ERA, inflated by a sole misfire against the New York Mets.

So, with 25 innings pitched to his name, he is an All-Star. He'll soon be rubbing shoulders with future Hall of Famers with sparest résumé to share in the game's history. This is a surprising development and there are no shortage of fans and players who downright hate it. Trea Turner and Nick Castellanos made pointed comments about the decision, which left their deserving Phillies teammates Ranger Suarez and Cristopher Sanchez to watch from home. Turner called it a joke and terrible. Castellanos wondered whether MLB is turning into the Savannah Bananas. Columnists everywhere are having a field day ripping the perceived publicity stunt and pleading for a return to meritocracy.

Yet one must ask themselves honestly whether that ever existed. The All-Star Game voting process, which allows fans to select starters, is a popularity contest. Sure, in an ideal world the most deserving are rewarded on reasonable sample size. In practice, that doesn't happen. Fans happen. As someone who loves the Detroit Tigers, it's awesome that Javy Baez is starting in Tuesday night's game. As someone with a sense of fairness, something feels askew.

Life is absolutely too short to worry about All-Star game snubs. Baseball enters this week with the best exhibition in all of sports and will leave with that status. People aren't necessarily wrong to cry foul over this and for their sake one hopes they're too busy doing that to realize Misiorowksi is actually in Atlanta because of his first innings.

At some point perhaps they can take a deep breath and realize that Paul Skenes had thrown 66 1/3 innings before starting for the National League last season, which he'll do again on Tuesday. Skenes was more hyped and clearly dominant and no one's ever going to wonder why he was tasked with being the fifth rookie to ever get the ball first in an ASG. His 11 first-half starts tied the previous record for fewest starts by an All-Star Game starter, set by rookie Mark Fidrych in 1976. Hideo Nomo had been on the mound 13 previous times in 1995. Fernando Valenzuela made 14 starts in his stunning 1981 first half. The Washington Senators' Dave Stenhouse made 15 in 1962.

These All-Star Games turned out to be the apex of Fidrych's and Stenhouse's careers. Valenzuela and Nomo had long and productive careers. It's not super premature to start planning a weekend in Cooperstown around Skenes and pray for no injuries. Point is, with these pitching comets, it's a speculative market. Prior performance does not ensure future results. So how crazy is it that Misiorowski is being given extra credit for barely a tease? Maybe not as wild as one may think when you make a more accurate comparison. Yet that presents what makes the decision strange.

Fidrych talked to the ball and took pictures with Big Bird. Valenzuela owned Los Angeles at 19. Nomo was a great unknown and a peak at a new international market. Dontrelle Willis was appointment television during his rookie year of 2003. Carlos Perez delighted with his intensity and antics for the Montreal Expos in 1995. Those latter two would find themselves in All-Star Game relief duty.

The difference with Misiorowksi, in addition to the service time, is that there hasn't been the same organic buzz or phenomenon growing. Perhaps it's correct to say there hasn't been enough time. All the previous versions of this type of pitcher has spawned a reaction whereas in this case it feels like baseball is doing something proactive.

Like the with "fetch," it's not unfair to say baseball is trying to make Misiorowski happen. That is not the worst thing in the world. They want to spark intrigue among viewers and consumers. He's being treated no differently than a stock that's shown impressive early returns. The great part here is that the stakes are remarkably low. If he looks hittable in the second half, no one will care because it'll be on to the next great injustice. And plenty of other one-time All-Stars have faded out of the public eye as quickly as they came.

Or this could be the greatest thing to ever happen to him. A fun story about clean slates and wide-open futures. Something to care about and someone to root for or against based on perception. Imagine two months ago being told that you would have a strong Jacob Misiorowski opinion. Imagine being confident you have the correct one now, with almost nothing to go on.

Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper was the latest player to vent his frustrations at an umpire after some very questionable calls but somehow he was able to avoid being ejected for his actions on Sunday.

With the Phillies trailing the Angels by six runs, Harper worked a 3–0 count in the bottom of the eighth inning. A pitch that seemed to be out of the strike zone made it a 3–1 count and then a few moments later a similar pitch was called for strike three by Steven Jaschinski.

Instead of earning a walk, Harper headed to the dugout. But before he did that he shrugged his shoulders and waved his hand in disgust at Jaschinski two times.

This is often enough to get you tossed from the game:

The Phillies would go on to lose the game, 8–2.