Category Uncategorized

The MLB postseason field is set and the race for the Commissioner's Trophy officially begins on Sept. 30. The analytics age has leveled the playing field a bit in baseball, giving smaller market teams a chance to gain an edge over their richer counterparts. But richer teams, such as the Dodgers, still reign supreme at the top of MLB's hierarchy. That said, this year's playoff field is seemingly as wide open as ever.

So, let's check in on how each team measures up in terms of payroll. Which playoff team has the msot expensive roster? The least?

Ranking Every MLB Playoff Team by Payroll

Team

Payroll

Los Angeles Dodgers

$350.3 million

New York Yankees

$300.1 million

Philadelphia Phillies

$290.2 million

Toronto Blue Jays

$255.3 million

San Diego Padres

$216.8 million

Chicago Cubs

$211.9 million

Boston Red Sox

$200.9 million

Seattle Mariners

$164.5 million

Detroit Tigers

$157.5 million

Milwaukee Brewers

$121.6 million

Cincinnati Reds

$119.5 million

Cleveland Guardians

$100.3 million

Where did past World Series winners rank in terms of payroll?

Year

Winner

Payroll Rank

2024

Dodgers

3rd

2023

Rangers

4th

2022

Astros

8th

2021

Braves

10th

2020

Dodgers

1st

2019

Nationals

7th

2018

Red Sox

1st

2017

Astros

17th

2016

Cubs

5th

2015

Royals

13th

As you can see, just two of the last 10 World Series winners ranked outside the top-10 in terms of total payroll.

When was the last time a small-market team won the World Series?

While no one would consider the Astros, who went on to enjoy a dynastic run in the 2010s and 2020s, an underdog, the club was technically the last low budget team to win the World Series (cheating controversy aside), given its small payroll in comparison to the rest of the league. Similarly, the Royals made it to the World Series in 2014 but lost with just a $98.5 million payroll, then captured a championship the following season with the 13th-ranked payroll. But the greatest example of all, and perhaps one of the biggest upsets in World Series history, was the 2003 Florida Marlins. The Marlins, who had the 25th-ranked payroll at $49.0 million, toppled the mighty Yankees, who had baseball's highest payroll at $157.2 million.

There have also been instances of small-market teams making a valiant run to the World Series, only to fall just short. The 2006 Tigers (14th-ranked payroll), the 2007 Rockies (25th), the 2008 Rays (29th) and 2010 Rangers (27th) are all such examples.

So, while having an expensive, talent-laden roster certainly is a big factor in winning the World Series—especially in recent history—it's not the only factor. In baseball, sometimes, the have-nots can surprise the haves.

Acting captain hails togetherness of club as they secure another notable success after years of fallow fortunes

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay11-Sep-2025Ian Holland, Leicestershire’s acting captain, says the club will celebrate their achievement of returning to the top flight of the County Championship for the first time in 22 years, but have already set their sights on cementing top spot and sealing their first piece of red-ball silverware in more than a quarter of a century.Holland was at the crease, on 27 not out, when Leicestershire shook hands on a rain-affected draw with Gloucestershire at Grace Road on Thursday. The result put them more than 50 points clear of Derbyshire and Middlesex in third and fourth place – two teams that had earlier played out their own stalemate at Lord’s – thereby guaranteeing Leicestershire at least a top-two finish. Glamorgan, 25 points behind them in second place, are their only remaining rivals for the second division crown.”There’s a lot of emotion, excitement, relief in the dressing-room,” Holland told the ECB Reporters Network. “We’re savouring this moment to get promoted, but it’s not a full celebration just yet because now we want to win the trophy as champions.”But, yeah, to be promoted is a great achievement for this club. It’s a credit to the people in the club that have turned it around over a period of time.”The result comes just two years after Leicestershire’s remarkable victory over Hampshire in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup final – their first List A trophy since 1985 – and continues a steady uptick in the team’s fortunes from the dark days of the mid-2010s, when they had habitually finished bottom of the Championship table, including a near three-year run between September 2012 and June 2015 when they didn’t win a single first-class fixture.”This today isn’t just a six-month thing, it’s been a few years in the making,” Holland said, as he paid tribute to Claude Henderson, the club’s director of cricket, as well as the coaching staff and Sean Jarvis, the outgoing chief executive who oversaw the upswing in fortunes since joining from Huddersfield Town FC in 2020.”The players have been able to go out and play the way we have this year because things are right,” Holland added. “It’s a great feeling. When I first met Claude and [head coach] Alfonso (Thomas), I got a sense of the trajectory that the club was moving in, and that was really attractive. I was always optimistic that we would get promoted at some stage, but I think it’s probably happened a little bit quicker than we thought.”If you’d asked me at the start of the season, are we going to get promoted this year? I wouldn’t have put my house on it, but it’s been great that things have clicked and we’ve played the cricket we have. Getting those wins early on gave us a really good head start, which has paid dividends.”Related

• Leicestershire celebrate promotion after 22 years in exile

Holland namechecked Rehan Ahmed, who is currently away on England duty, as one of the stars of their campaign. After initially stepping up as an auxiliary opener, he struck five hundreds in ten appearances, while also claiming 23 wickets at 19.00 with his legspin – 13 of which came in a statement victory against Derbyshire in July.”There have been contributions from everybody. Rehan has got five hundreds, which is amazing, but so many people have stood up. I think just the consistency with the way we’ve played sums up our group.”The club captain Pete Handscomb, who is now back in Australia preparing for his Sheffield Shield campaign with Victoria, was another key contributor to Leicestershire’s season. “He’s been amazing with the way he’s captained the team and the group,” Holland said. “His calmness around the group has been incredible.”Leicestershire were made to battle in their title-seizing contest against Gloucestershire. They conceded a first-innings deficit of 140 despite a century for Shan Masood, but after being set a stiff fourth-innings target of 316, the week’s heavy rain reduced any prospect of a tense finish to the match.”In this game, it’s a real credit to the guys the way we fought back after getting behind the game early on day one,” Holland said. “There were a few niggly moments, but we were able to keep coming back, and just to get the points we needed to get promoted was a great result.”We faced a long chase today if we were to win the game. You can’t go out and go after it gung-ho, but I think you still want to have that positive intent, which we did, to take the game deep, and then whatever happens, happens. It was a good performance today to not be five, six, seven wickets down at the close. To do it the way we did was nice.”There will be a celebration, a few beers tonight. But we want to go on and win the trophy now, that’s very important to us.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Torcida organizada do Flamengo criou um bandeirão em homenagem à goleada de 6 a 1 sobre o Vasco, no último domingo (2), no Maracanã, pela sétima rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. Tal vitória foi a maior do Rubro-Negro Carioca em cima do time cruz maltino na história.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Tudo sobre o Mengão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Flamengo

Além do Bandeirão carregar as cores do Flamengo, o mesmo ostenta um trocadilho, representando o mês de junho, com o número 06 por extenso. A arte também leva o desenho de cada um dos seis jogadores que marcaram (Everton Cebolinha, Pedro, David Luiz, Arrascaeta, Bruno Henrique e Gabigol) e o minuto de cada gol.

As referências e brincadeiras não param por aí. Abaixo dos jogadores está escrita a frase “O abandono parte 2”, que é uma clara alusão à goleada de 4 a 1 no ano passado, quando o Flamengo aplicou quatro gols no primeiro tempo, e os torcedores do Vasco foram vistos deixando o estádio ainda no intervalo. O mesmo fato aconteceu no 6 a 1 da semana passada.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

No último sábado, no Flamengo x Vasco pela final da Copa Rio Sub-17, a bandeira foi levada por torcedores à Gávea. O técnico Filipe Luís comandou a equipe na vitória por 2 a 1 e garantiu a vantagem do empate no jogo da volta da competição. O bandeirão deve fazer sua estreia no Maracanã na partida contra o Grêmio na próxima quinta, às 20h (Brasília), pela oitava rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

Tudo sobre

FlamengoFutebol Nacional

يستعد فريق مانشستر سيتي، بقيادة المدرب بيب جوارديولا، لخوض مباراة مساء يوم الثلاثاء في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ضد خصمه فريق فولهام.

ويستضيف ملعب “كرافن كوتيج” مباراة فريقي مانشستر سيتي وفولهام، في خضم منافسات الجولة الرابعة عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2025/26.

ويحتل مانشستر سيتي المركز الثاني في جدول الدوري الإنجليزي، في الوقت الحالي، برصيد 25 نقطة، في حين أن فولهام لديه 17 نقطة ويحتل المركز الخامس عشر.

ويأمل مانشستر سيتي تحقيق الفوز في مباراة اليوم من أجل مواصلة الضغط على آرسنال، صاحب المركز الأول برصيد 30 نقطة. موعد مباراة مانشستر سيتي وفولهام اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 9:30 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 10:30 بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة مانشستر سيتي وفولهام اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 2. معلق مباراة مانشستر سيتي وفولهام اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

سيعلق محمد بركات على أحداث مباراة اليوم.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا

MatériaMais Notícias

O ex-jogador do Flamengo, Léo Moura, contou que fez de tudo para que seu filho fosse rubro-negro. Confira no player acima, o trecho da entrevista exclusiva ao Lance!.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasGrêmioCom um a menos, Grêmio vence o Estudiantes e ‘respira’ na LibertadoresGrêmio23/04/2024BotafogoSenador faz duras declarações após reunião secreta com Textor, dono do Botafogo; confiraBotafogo23/04/2024BotafogoSenador faz pedido inusitado a John Textor, dono do Botafogo; vejaBotafogo23/04/2024

➡️Mengão vai subir a montanha! Aposte R$100 no Lance! Betting e ganhe R$300 para vitória do Flamengo sobre o Bolívar-BOL

➡️ Tudo sobre o Mengão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Flamengo

– Eu fiz de tudo que você possa imaginar. Eu fiz de tudo para que ele fosse rubro-negro, porque aqui em casa todo mundo é. Não tem ninguém na família que é (tricolor), fora o padrinho, que foi um dos responsáveis por isso. Não tem ninguém que é tricolor. Já fui em jogos. Levei ele no CT, na sala do Dorival. Falei: “Me ajuda”. A gente foi conversando e ele entendendo ali. Fomos em vários jogos, mas eu não via nele aquela vibração. Aí eu falei: “Vou ter que respeitar”.

– Pode ser (se visse jogando pelo Flamengo).

Tudo sobre

FlamengoFutebol NacionalLéo Moura

تمكن فريق الزمالك، من تسجيل الهدف الأول في مرمى كايزر تشيفز الجنوب إفريقي، في دور المجموعات من بطولة الكونفدرالية الإفريقية. 

ويواجه فريق الزمالك نظيره فريق كايزر تشيفز في الثالثة عصر اليوم، في الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات من بطولة الكونفدرالية الإفريقية. 

طالع.. بدلاء الزمالك أمام كايزر تشيفز في كأس الكونفدرالية.. عدي الدباغ يُجاور بنتايج

ويقع الزمالك في المجموعة في الكونفدرالية رفقة أندية كايزر تشيفز والمصري وزيسكو يونايتد الزامبي. 

ونجح سيف الدين الجزيري في تسجيل الهدف الأول في مرمى كايزر تشيفز، في الدقيقة الثالثة من عمر الشوط الأول بعد عرضية من بيزيرا من ركلة حلاة مباشرة تصدى لها حارس كايزر تشيفز ونجح في متابعتها سيف الجزيري مسجلا الهدف الأول. 

وتشير النتيجة إلى تقدم الزمالك على فريق كايزر تشيفز بهدف دون رد، في دور المجموعات من بطولة الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.  هدف الزمالك في مرمى كايزر تشيفز 

Trolling is a part of sports. Oftentimes, it's the athletes doing it, but every so often, a celebrity will join in on the fun in the name of supporting their favorite team. That's what Canadian rapper Drake did when he playfully trolled Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani in the midst of a thrilling, back-and-forth World Series that was eventually won by Los Angeles in seven games.

Only, the Dodgers didn't see Drake's social media posts as playful trolling. As Dodgers Game 7 hero Miguel Rojas told TMZ in an interview, Los Angeles perceived the Canadian rapper's online jabs at Ohtani to be disrespectful.

Rojas says Drake trolling Ohtani 'didn't go unnoticed'

"… That [Drake's trolling] doesn't go unnoticed," Rojas said. "When you kind of disrespect—a little bit—the best player in the game. Not understanding the quality of the person and what the guy has done for baseball. … You don’t have to do that, man.”

What did Drake post about Ohtani?

Drake decided to have a little social media fun at the Dodgers‘ expense following the Blue Jays‘ Game 5 victory—in which Toronto starter Trey Yesavage dominated Los Angeles‘s lineup. The Canadian rapper took to Instagram and trolled Ohtani, who went 0-for-4 with a strikeout against Yesavage.

Rojas credited Yesavage for his superb pitching, but noted that in the Dodgers‘s eyes, Drake didn't have to go there and troll Ohtani. The Dodgers infielder, who hit a game-tying home run in the ninth inning of Game 7, explained that Drake's trolling is what prompted teammate Kiké Hernández to take a shot at the rapper during the team's victory celebration.

Kiké Hernández fires back at Drake after Dodgers‘ World Series win

Hernández, during his speech at the Dodgers‘ World Series parade, couldn't resist taking a not-so-subtle jab right back at Drake, referencing one of Drake's songs, "Big Rings."

"…Playing the most games in October for this franchise, for this really big team that has a lot of really big rings," Hernández said.

Perhaps the Drake curse lives on?

MatériaMais Notícias

Os senadores estiveram com John Textor, dono da SAF do Botafogo, nesta segunda-feira (22), para a primeira audiência da “CPI da Manipulação dos Jogos”. Os parlamentares deram fortes depoimentos após a reunião secreta com o empresário norte-americano. Confira alguns trechos abaixo.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasBotafogoVeja as respostas de John Textor, dono do Botafogo, na ‘CPI da Manipulação de Jogos’Botafogo22/04/2024BotafogoAssista ao vivo o depoimento de John Textor, dono do Botafogo, na ‘CPI da Manipulação de Jogos’Botafogo22/04/2024Fora de CampoJohn Textor sofre fratura em queda de skate e passa por procedimento cirúrgicoFora de Campo22/04/2024

➡️ Tudo sobre o Fogão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Botafogo

ESPANTO COM FALTA DE ATITUDES DA CBF (SENADOR CARLOS PORTINHO, PL-RJ)
– Ele (Textor) é um mensageiro. A todos aqueles que nos assistem, que tenham denúncias para fazer, que essas denúncias ao menos tenham indícios, e há indícios, elementos técnicos apresentados pelo John Textor, há conteúdo. Me espanta como a CBF, que é a maior responsável pela integridade do futebol do Brasil, não foi a fundo. Como é que o STJD, que tem excelentes advogados contratados como auditores, não foi a fundo nisso. Há elementos técnicos, há conteúdo, há razões para investigar.

– O que o John Textor nos trouxe aqui podem não ser provas concretas, mas não tenho dúvida de que é fundamental que sejam essas investigadas para preservação da integridade e, para aqueles que pensem em fraudar resultados esportivos, desistam. Aqui, se todo ano tiver que abrir uma CPI, vamos estar aqui. Hoje, o que nos traz a inteligência artificial, a tecnologia… Quem resistir à tecnologia será atropelado pela história. Deve ser dado crédito a todo material aqui produzido, como nós daremos.

continua após a publicidade

– Se você (falando em direção a Textor) estiver 100% certo ou 100% errado, já valeu, porque vamos sair dessa CPI com diagnóstico e propostas para melhoria do futebol brasileiro. Aprovamos a Lei das Apostas, mas o Estado ainda não está preparado para combater a manipulação. O que você nos traz é no mínimo um alerta, uma advertência, de que o Governo, a Polícia Federal, o MP e as confederações precisam se preparar rápido, porque há casos de má interpretação da regra do jogo, há casos de edição do VAR, do que é passado na TV e há casos de comportamento de atletas que eu, sozinho, considero um indício.

INDÍCIOS PARA INICIAR INVESTIGAÇÃO (SENADOR JORGE KAJURU, PSB-GO)
– Tivemos conhecimento de diversos indícios, não queremos falar ainda em provas. Indícios importantíssimos, não participamos de mais de uma hora sem conteúdo, pelo contrário, teve conteúdo. Só temos a agradecer a toda a equipe, com gente qualificada, sem fazer acusações, apresentando tudo, com detalhes, com riqueza, mas que consideramos como indícios. Não se tratou apenas do CEO do Botafogo vir aqui só trazer fatos ou indícios envolvendo seu clube, ele falou de outros jogos, mostrou outras imagens. Temos indícios suficientes para investigarmos profundamente e independentemente e chegarmos a conclusão de quem mais queremos nas próximas reuniões.

continua após a publicidade

COBRANÇA À CONFEDERAÇÃO BRASILEIRA DE FUTEBOL (CBF)

SENADOR EDUARDO GIRÃO, NOVO-CE
– Os indícios transcenderam a questão do comportamento dos jogadores, foram também para a questão do VAR, da análise de imagens supostamente negadas e que precisamos entender porque que isso aconteceu, entender o que a CBF tomou de providências em relação ao que vimos, em termos de punição, inclusive. Estamos aqui para proteger o futebol brasileiro e buscar a verdade.

SENADOR JORGE KAJURU, PSB-GO
– Apenas dizer aos jogadores, técnicos, dirigentes, árbitros, enfim, todos os envolvidos que podem ser amanhã investigados ou condenados, que prestem bem atenção nessas duas palavras: inteligência artificial

SENADOR ROMÁRIO (PL-RJ) PARABEZINA TEXTOR PELA CORAGEM
– Parabenizo o sr. John Textor pela coragem de ter vindo aqui e falado o que falou e, principalmente, o que vai fazer nessa chamada reunião secreta. Muitos lá atrás duvidaram e não acreditaram que o senhor teria provas. Inclusive ouvi muitos o chamarem de fanfarrão e mentiroso. Acredito que com sua capacidade e inteligência de demonstrar o que tem será de grande relevância para essa CPI, para o futebol e para o nosso país.

COBRANÇA COMO TORCEDOR (SENADOR DR. HIRAN, PP-RR)
– Quero pedir ao senhor, como botafoguense há mais de 40 anos, que contrate rapidamente dois zagueiros, porque Lucas Halter e Bastos ali estão fazendo a gente sofrer do coração. Por favor, fica um apelo de um botafoguense.

– Quero agradecer a presença do Sr. John Textor nessa audiência. As evidências são muito claras de que precisamos nos aprofundar com muita seriedade nessas investigações. Acho que isso se tornará público no futuro e os jogadores quando virem o que nós vimos ali vão pensar duas vezes antes de arrumarem resultados.

Tudo sobre

BotafogoFutebol NacionalJohn Textor

The game between the Miami Marlins and New York Yankees Friday night had it all.

Grand slams, bullpen collapses, drastic comebacks, players debuting for their new teams after the trade deadline and even major league debuts. And runs—lots of runs. The Yankees took a 9-4 lead into the bottom of the seventh before the Marlins scored six runs on New York's new-look bullpen additions to miraculously come back.

Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe then tied the game in the eighth before New York reclaimed the lead with two runs in the top of the ninth. The Marlins weren't done though, tying the game again in the bottom of the ninth as catcher Agustín Ramírez stepped up to the plate with one out and a runner on third.

He just needed a fly ball to end the game, but ended up doing the opposite of that.

Ramírez sent a chopper straight into the dirt right in front of home plate as Xavier Edwards dashed in from third. Yankees catcher Austin Wells went to field the ball, which left nobody at home covering the plate, allowing Edwards to slide in before Wells could get back for an electric walk-off win.

New Yankees relievers Jake Bird, David Bednar and Camilo Doval gave up nine combined runs in their Yankee debuts, which includes the blown save from Doval in the ninth. A rough start for the new-look pen, but you have to give credit to the Marlins for finding a way to come out on top.

Manchester United are, reportedly, ready to part ways with forward Joshua Zirkzee after an inconsistent stint at Old Trafford.

Impressing across a two-year stint with Bologna in Serie A, helping them qualify for last season’s Champions League, Zirkzee signed for Man United in the 2024 summer transfer window. Getting off to a brilliant start by scoring on his debut against Fulham, Zirkzee has since endured a tough time in the Premier League.

Having become well-known for the brilliance, both on the ball and in his playmaking, he had at Bologna, Zirkzee has struggled to showcase his best form in England.

In his maiden season with the Red Devils, Zirkzee netted just three league goals in 32 appearances. Towards the end of the season, manager Ruben Amorim started sometimes using the 24-year-old as an attacking midfielder in his preferred 3-4-2-1 formation.

Across the 2025/26 campaign, however, Zirkzee has made just four league appearances after 10 matches. In those games, the Dutchman has played less than 90 minutes collectively, something that has sparked rumours about his future at the club.

Zirkzee set to leave Man United

According to James Marshment of TEAMtalk, interest from elsewhere in Zirkzee is “growing” ahead of the January transfer window. Supposedly, as many as nine teams both in the Premier League and around Europe are considering a move for the Dutchman.

Appearances

54

Goals

7

Assists

3

Yellow Cards

4

Zirkzee’s struggles in front of goal may have hampered his chances in the Man United first team anyway, but over the summer the club signed Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo in what was a complete revamp of their attack, pushing Zirkzee further down the pecking order.

The aforementioned trio are now finding form in Manchester. Amorim’s side are on a four-game unbeaten streak in the top flight, having beaten Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion before drawing with Nottingham Forest.

Although Man United would be willing to let Zirkzee leave, it would appear that the Red Devils are not yet ready to take a huge loss like they are with Jadon Sancho. Instead, the club would reportedly prefer to let him leave on loan “with or without an option to buy”, or for a minimum of £35m.

The hope, presumably, is that Zirkzee, who has been called an “absolute imposter” in the past, could find form somewhere else, with that perhaps leading the team who sign him on loan to permanently acquire him for a larger fee. Where Zirkzee ultimately ends up remains to be seen, but it is hard to see a clear path forward for the Dutchman at Old Trafford.

"Monster" is becoming Man United's own Gabriel