Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino faces a significant injury crisis ahead of the Premier League London derby against Arsenal on Tuesday at the Emirates Stadium. Top scorer Cole Palmer is set to miss out through illness, while Malo Gusto and Ben Chilwell are being assessed for knee injuries. Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Lesley Ugochukwu, Christopher Nkunku, Romeo Lavia, Robert Sanchez, and Levi Colwill are also unavailable for the Blues.
Coming into Monday’s series opener between the Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals, the two teams appear to be moving in opposite directions. Diamondbacks starter Brandon Pfaadt has shown signs of improvement, while Cardinals starter Lance Lynn has been performing above his expected metrics. Looking at the underlying numbers, Pfaadt’s 3.57 xFIP and increasing ground ball and strikeout rates suggest he should improve on his 5.32 ERA. Lynn, on the other hand, has benefited from a low .241 BABIP and an unsustainably high strand rate, which could lead to regression. Overall, the Diamondbacks have a slight edge offensively with a higher wRC+, better plate discipline, and a more potent xSLG. Defensively, the Diamondbacks were one of the best teams in the league last season and are expected to be better than the Cardinals in that regard in 2023. With Arizona holding several advantages not reflected in the current betting prices, the Diamondbacks offer value on the moneyline.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are seeking to address their wide receiver position through the draft, focusing on players with leadership potential after trading away Diontae Johnson. George Pickens has shown talent but has faced attitude and effort issues, which the team hopes he will improve upon in 2024.
Cody Williams, the younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder’s Jalen Williams, has declared for the NBA draft and is projected as a lottery pick. The 6-foot-8 forward earned Pac-12 All-Freshman Team honors this season. Williams, considered a high-ceiling prospect due to his size and versatility, is likely to be a top-10 pick. His strong performance this season helped elevate Colorado to the NCAA Tournament. Colorado will face challenges filling the void left by Williams’ departure, but they have a promising prospect in incoming recruit, Andrew Crawford.
Jurrien Timber, Arsenal’s big-money summer signing, made a remarkable comeback from injury with a stunning goal in the U21 side’s match against Blackburn. After eight months on the sidelines with a knee injury, the Dutch defender picked up the ball on the left flank, turned his defender, and unleashed a brilliant right-footed effort that curled into the top corner just eight minutes into the match. Fans lauded Timber for his goal and expressed their eagerness to see him return to the first team. Timber was taken off at half-time but almost doubled his tally with another powerful effort that flew just wide. Mikel Arteta will assess Timber’s fitness ahead of Arsenal’s upcoming matches.
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is facing a potential NFL ban following his involvement in a high-speed multi-car crash in Dallas. Rice, who emerged as a key offensive weapon for the Chiefs in their Super Bowl-winning season, faces charges of aggravated assault and collision involving serious bodily harm. His prospects for the 2024 season remain uncertain, with veteran Marquise Brown likely to fill in as his replacement. Rice’s alleged involvement in the crash, where he and another driver were racing at speeds exceeding 110 mph, has raised concerns about his future with the team.
Rajasthan Royals outplayed Mumbai Indians in every department, securing a convincing 9-wicket victory to complete the double over their rivals. Led by Sandeep’s five-wicket haul and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s century, the Royals dominated the match from start to finish.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter suggests the Rams may draft Bo Nix, son of former Auburn quarterback Patrick Nix, as a potential successor to Matthew Stafford. While the Rams’ focus should be on a defensive lineman to replace Aaron Donald, Nix could still fall to them in the second round according to Pro Football Focus’s mock draft. Los Angeles offers Nix a talented receiving corps and Sean McVay, a proven quarterback developer.
In a bizarre turn of events, MMA star Kafele Mensah lost his fight against Josh Spatz by technical knockout (TKO) after vomiting in the octagon. During an amateur preliminary light heavyweight bout in Nebraska, Mensah initially showed promise but suddenly appeared dazed and vomited blue substances, leading to the referee stopping the fight.
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch has made it clear that he does not want to discuss contract negotiations with All-Pro wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk in public. Despite trade speculation spurred by Aiyuk’s agent, Lynch has reiterated the team’s desire to retain the star receiver. Lynch confirmed receiving trade calls for Aiyuk and that the wideout has not reported for the start of the 49ers’ offseason workout program. However, he emphasized that he does not expect a trade offer to sway the team’s stance during the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday.
