The first semi-final stage of the NBA In-Season Tournament has been determined. The Los Angeles Lakers will face off against the New Orleans Pelicans in the West semifinal game, while the Milwaukee Bucks will take on the Indiana Pacers in the East semifinal on Thursday in Las Vegas. The winner of each semi-final matchup will advance to the final, which will be held on Saturday, Dec. 9, in Las Vegas.

According to the Sports Business Journal and CBS Sports’ Brad Botkin, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is pleased with the outcome of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament so far, noting fan interest, and player and coach engagement. Silver is said to be particularly proud of the early-season ratings the tournament has garnered and how the NBA is showcasing its best efforts while negotiating a new media rights deal. Forbes recently showed ratings are working in the NBA’s favor.

Botkin stated, ‘The crowds are enthusiastic, and the players are fully committed, given the 500k payout per player that comes with it.’ The tournament winners will receive the first NBA In-Season Tournament trophy and a prize of $500,000 allocated to each player on the team.

In-Season Tournament MVP odds

Along with a new NBA In-Season Tournament trophy that has been introduced, a Most Valuable Player trophy will also be awarded to a player on the overall winning team who delivered the best performance in both Group Play and the Knockout Rounds. Here are the current odds according to BetMGM of who could win the first In-Season Tournament MVP award.

LeBron James, +400Damian Lillard, +400Giannis Antetokounmpo, +425Brandon Ingram, +425Tyrese Haliburton, +425

As for winning team, the Bucks are favorites to take it all (+165) with the Lakers just behind (+225).

Indiana Pacers vs. Milwaukee Bucks lines, betting odds

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Spread favorite: Bucks (-5.5)Moneyline: Bucks (-200); Pacers (+165)Total: 257.5 points

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Los Angeles Lakers lines, betting odds

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Spread favorite: Lakers (-2.5)Moneyline: Lakers (-130); Pelicans (+105)Total: 231.5 points

How to watch the NBA In-Season Tournament Semifinals 

The East Semifinal game between the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks will start at 5:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. The game will be played at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Similarly, the West Semifinal game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Lakers will begin at 9:00 p.m. ET on TNT. The game will also be played at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale on the condition of anonymity because the signing wasn’t yet official.

The left-hander joins the National League champions’ rotation that already features Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, forming a formidable front three in Phoenix.

The Tigers had signed Rodriguez to a five-year, $77 million deal before the 2022 season, the same winter that Detroit added shortstop Javier Baez for $140 million. He pitched quite well for the Tigers (3.58 ERA in 43 starts), but missed half of his first season in Detroit.

Rodriguez debuted for the Red Sox as a 22-year-old in 2015 and spent years with the club, compiling a 4.16 ERA in 159 games. Rodriguez helped Boston win the World Seres in 2018, making seven appearances in the postseason.

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He sat out the shortened 2020 season, getting diagnosed with myocarditis following a COVID-19 positive.

Behind Gallen, Kelly and now Rodriguez, right-hander Brandon Pfaadt is expected to be a regular in the rotation after impressing (3.27 ERA in five starts) as a rookie during Arizona’s run to the World Series.

How quickly things can change – it’s true in life, and it’s especially true of the ever-shifting NFL playoff picture.

Just last week, we explored teams on the postseason’s fringes – declaring Jake Browning’s Cincinnati Bengals dead in the water while touting the New Orleans Saints’ viability as either a wild card or NFC South champions (both paths, ahem, still – sort of – intact by the way).

Let’s flip that and now inspect the clubs that are just hanging on – those in wild-card positions and the South division leaders in each conference – and assess how much staying power they seem to have with five weeks to go in the regular season.

One of them, the Pittsburgh Steelers, play Thursday – four days after (temporarily) losing their starting quarterback in a weather-interrupted upset loss to the last-place Arizona Cardinals. Head coach Mike Tomlin deemed the performance ‘subpar,’ a ‘horrible day at the office’ and ‘JV football.’

Now his team must get past the lowly New England Patriots to maintain course ahead of far more challenging matchups.

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‘Good ballclubs, you don’t lose two in a row. And we damn sure can’t lose to two two-win teams,’ veteran Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson said during his ‘All Things Covered’ podcast.

‘The margin of error is very small.’

A sentiment that applies to most of these Super Bowl hopefuls, several in immediate danger of morphing from possible contenders to definite pretenders.

So who’s a lock to play into mid-January? Who’s going to drop like a rock? Let’s rank these eight squads from safest to sketchiest:

1. Dallas Cowboys (9-3)

They’re currently parked as the No. 1 wild card in the NFC. But let’s not linger too long on a crew that could be atop the NFC East – and might have even clinched a playoff berth – by this time next week. No club is scoring at a more prolific rate (32.3 points per game), thanks in large part to MVP-caliber QB Dak Prescott but also a defense that contributes touchdowns of its own. But we’re going to acknowledge the haters, too, and they’ll correctly point out that “America’s Team” doesn’t currently own a victory against a team with a winning record and faces the toughest remaining schedule (based on opponents’ winning percentages) of anyone in the NFC, starting with Sunday night’s visit from the division-leading Philadelphia Eagles.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4)

Perhaps a bit questionable to include the AFC South leaders here, especially considering a win in overtime on Monday night would have propelled them atop the conference standings? Maybe. But QB Trevor Lawrence’s high ankle sprain is an obvious concern, even if he manages to play in Week 14. Yet it’s also overshadowing the loss of WR Christian Kirk (core muscle injury) while masking how poorly Jacksonville’s defense played against the Browning-led Bengals, surrendering 34 points and a season-high 491 yards. The schedule on the way out is manageable, but the Jags better avoid any banana peels with the Houston Texans and Indianapolis both just one game back – though having a season sweep of the Colts in hand certainly helps.

3. Green Bay Packers (6-6)

A touch overconfident in a team that just moved into the NFC’s seventh seed? Perhaps. But plenty to consider here. HC Matt LaFleur is the best December coach in NFL history (16-0 record). After upsetting the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night, the Pack now proceed with the league’s easiest remaining schedule, a docket that includes the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants and Chicago Bears. But little should spark more confidence in the Lambeau faithful than the club’s recent play – including a three-game winning streak over the Los Angeles Chargers, NFC North-leading Detroit Lions and, then, the reigning Super Bowl champions. And nothing has been more encouraging than the play of first-year QB1 Jordan Love, who suddenly seems to be settling nicely into the Green Bay quarterbacking lineage, completing 69% of his passes for 857 yards and eight TDs (116.9 passer rating) during the current heater. And if injured CB Jaire Alexander and RB Aaron Jones get back into the lineup? Gravy. It sure appears the Packers will remain hot – and will have to in light of their precarious position.

4. Atlanta Falcons (6-6)

The NFC South front-runners are perched at .500, one game ahead of the Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, though a 3-0 divisional record makes Atlanta a bit more secure at the moment. And only the Packers have an easier slate of games to play than the Falcons – Indianapolis the lone opponent they’re scheduled to face that doesn’t have a losing record. Beat the Bucs and Panthers the next two weeks, and Atlanta will be awfully close to locking up the fourth seed. Yet it’s unwise to elevate expectations for this club – or anyone in the division – too much, even though all but Carolina are also viable as wild cards.

5. Indianapolis Colts (7-5)

Like the Pack, they’re also presently at the bottom of their conference’s postseason ladder. And Indy is trying to advance on the arm of fill-in QB Gardner Minshew II and RB2 Zack Moss – though All-Pro Jonathan Taylor could return soon-ish from thumb surgery. But opportunism and efficiency could be what gets the Colts through. They’ve forced nine turnovers during their AFC-best four-game winning streak. And despite the personnel issues on offense, rookie HC Shane Steichen has this team ranked eighth in the league in scoring (25 ppg) – Indy failing to post at least 20 points just once this season. With the Steelers and Texans among teams they have yet to face, the Colts do have a prime chance to write their own ticket.

6. Cleveland Browns (7-5)

A Week 7 win at Indianapolis has them one rung above the Colts in the AFC standings, and a top-ranked defense will continue to make Cleveland formidable even amid its ongoing quarterback carousel. But the Browns are 1-2 since Deshaun Watson was officially lost for the remainder of the year following shoulder surgery, a factor likely to continue limiting the team’s ceiling.

7. Minnesota Vikings (6-6)

A two-game losing streak has jeopardized their outlook, the Vikes now in a wild-card scrap with Green Bay, the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks – all of those clubs also hovering at 6-6. Among teams currently projected to make the playoffs, only the Baltimore Ravens and Cowboys have a tougher schedule than Minnesota, which draws Detroit twice and the surging Packers once. But it certainly shouldn’t hurt to get All-Pro WR Justin Jefferson back from the hamstring injury that’s kept him out since he was hurt in Week 5 – though it remains to be seen how quickly he can establish chemistry with new QB Joshua Dobbs.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5)

They’ve walked a tightrope all season – and that was before QB Kenny Pickett’s ankle surgery. And it’s not as if the second-year passer had been setting the league on fire – far from it – though early returns following the dismissal of OC Matt Canada had been positive, something you can’t say about QB2 Mitchell Trubisky’s relief appearances. S Minkah Fitzpatrick returned from a hamstring injury Sunday only to break his hand – something he plans to play through but a setback likely to limit his impact as a playmaker. The Steelers are currently the AFC’s fifth seed, but the tiebreaker formula is what keeps them ahead of Cleveland, Indianapolis and Houston, those teams all 7-5, too. Pittsburgh has still scored the fifth-fewest points in the league and, star-laden as the defense is, it’s giving up a lot of yards. Never wise to assume anything in the NFL. But even if you grant the Steelers a win Thursday over New England, Pittsburgh must finish with three of four on the road with trips to Indy, Seattle and Baltimore – venues where more “JV football” simply ain’t gonna meet Tomlin’s standard.

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.

The New York Yankees returned to their Evil Empire form after acquiring star outfielder Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres on Dec. 6.

With the additions of Soto, Alex Verdugo, and Trent Grisham, the Yankees have revamped their outfield in one offseason, which was arguably the weakest part of their offense last year. Despite their outfielders playing so poorly, the Yankees still managed an 82-80 record and were in the thick of the playoff race for most of the season. So, the question on everyone’s minds now is: ‘Can the Yankees win the 2024 World Series?’

What are the Yankees World Series odds now?

As of the afternoon of Dec. 7, the Yankees have +900 odds to win the World Series, nearly halved from their odds before the Soto trade.

Those odds are tied for third in MLB with the Houston Astros. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers (+800) and Atlanta Braves (+650) have better odds at the moment.

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Despite winning the AL East a season ago, playing with a youthful core, and having one of the best farm systems in the league, the Baltimore Orioles are being given surprisingly low +1600 odds.

For perspective, the Yankees opened up at +1600 odds at the start of the offseason. The Rays and Blue Jays also have +1600 odds as well, while the Red Sox have the lowest odds of the division (+3000) – still the 13th-best odds in the league though.

What are the Yankees’ odds of winning the AL pennant?

When was the last time the Yankees won the World Series?

The last time the Yankees won the World Series was 2009, a 4-2 series victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. The Yankees have reached the playoffs ten times since then, but have not won an AL pennant in that time.

The Yankees have won their division just twice in the last ten seasons as well. In all fairness though, the team has not finished under .500 in a season since 1992. You would think that would be call for celebration, but expectations are incredibly high for this franchise year-in, year-out. Those expectations will only be elevated with the addition of Soto. As great as this trade was, the only thing that matters is October.

The San Diego Padres hoped the acquisition of All-Star outfielder Juan Soto at the 2022 trade deadline would push them over the top in their quest for the franchise’s first World Series title.

And with two full seasons before Soto could become a free agent, they paid a premium to get him.

But after an exciting run to the 2022 NLCS, the Padres fell flat last season and, in a major cost-cutting move, sent Soto to the New York Yankees on Wednesday in another blockbuster trade.

Was their original gamble worth it? And were they able to salvage at least some value out of the deal, even if they weren’t able to win a World Series with Soto?

What did the Padres get for Juan Soto?

As the Padres attempt to rebuild their roster, they had a distinct need for pitching − especially after losing NL Cy Young award winner Blake Snell and closer Josh Hader to free agency. The Soto trade addresses that need.

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Starting pitcher Michael King. After beginning last season in the Yankee bullpen, King moved into the rotation for nine late-season starts. He posted an impressive 2.23 ERA in 40 ⅓ innings as a starter (2.75 in 104 ⅔ overall). The 28-year-old righty projects as the Padres’ No. 3 starter behind Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish.Swingman Jhony Brito. The right-hander, 25, also pulled double-duty with the Yanks last season, but seemed to be more effective out of the bullpen (1.43 ERA in 37 ⅔ IP vs. 6.32 ERA in 52 ⅔ IP as a starter).Pitching prospect Drew Thorpe. Pehaps the key to the deal, Thorpe, 23, was one of the better pitchers in the minors last season. He had a 2.52 ERA and struck out 182 batters over 139 ⅓ innings at High-A and Double-A. He’ll likely start the year at Class AAA El Paso.Reliever Randy Vasquez. The 24-year-old righty had a 2.87 ERA in 37 ⅔ innings with the Yankees last season, including five starts.Catcher Kyle Higashioka. A very good defender behind the plate, Higashioka, 33, will likely share catching duties with Luis Campusano.Some salary relief by also sending outfielder Trent Grisham (who is likely to earn more than $4 million in his second year of arbitration) to the Yankees.

What the Padres gave up to get Juan Soto

San Diego had to part with four top prospects in August 2022 in order to land Soto and veteran first baseman Josh Bell from Washington. Yet he hit a disappointing .236 with six home runs in 228 plate appearances for them down the stretch.

Still, Soto’s presence helped the Padres win a pair of playoff series (including an upset of the division champion Los Angeles Dodgers) before they fell to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS.

For that one playoff appearance, here’s who the Padres traded away:

Shortstop CJ Abrams. In his age-22 season, Abrams hit .245 with 18 home runs and 47 stolen bases for the Nationals in 2023. He improved his OPS by over 100 points from his rookie season and looks like the Nats’ long-term answer at short.Starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore. The left-hander, 24, has battled injury issues, but also looks like a foundation piece for the Nationals’ future. He tossed 136 ⅓ innings over 27 starts last season, going 7-10 with a 4.42 ERA. Gore was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft and still retains that high upside, despite the command issues he’s displayed so far in the majors.Outfield prospect Robert Hassell. The most advanced of the minor leaguers Washington received in the deal, Hassell, 22, broke a bone in his hand in the 2022 Arizona Fall League and saw his prospect status dimmed when he hit just .221/.324/.321 at Class A and AA this past season. He’s currently the team’s No. 8 prospect, according to MLB.com.Outfield prospect James Wood. The raw 6-6, 240-pounder has rapidly climbed the prospect ranks to reach Class AA last season before turning 21. He hit .262/.360/.520 over two minor league levels. He’s currently the team’s No. 2 prospect.Pitching prospect Jarlin Susana. The hard-throwing right-hander doesn’t turn 20 until March. He had a 5.14 ERA with 62 strikeouts and 40 walks in 63 innings at Class AA Fredericksburg (Va.) last season. He’s currently the team’s No. 12 prospect.First baseman Luke Voit. The veteran finished the season with Washington and played in 22 games last year with the Mets.

What grade do the Padres get for their Juan Soto trades?

Looking at the amount of talent they gave up compared to what they received, the Padres get an overall grade of C-minus.

Of course, the team’s financial landscape has certainly changed over the past 17 months with the death of principal owner Peter Seidler and their broadcast rights payments significantly reduced. Without those factors, it’s possible the Padres might have attempted to make another playoff push with Soto before he’s set to become a free agent at the end of the 2024 season.

With Soto, the Padres missed the playoffs last year — which significantly impacts their grade.

Forced to get what they could for Soto, the Padres addressed their greatest need — getting at least two pitchers who will be part of their opening day roster. In addition, they landed a top pitching prospect with a fairly high upside who could reach the majors by 2025, if not sooner.

It was a bore that ended with a bang. And now that Juan Soto is a New York Yankee, baseball’s winter meetings largely served their purpose: To pave the way for what should be a wild week or two of player movement.

Soto’s trade from the San Diego Padres to the Yankees, finalized late Wednesday night, culminated roughly a week’s worth of negotiations and settled the second-most significant piece of offseason business.

Shohei Ohtani – you’re up.

The greatest free agent in baseball history was not seen in Nashville, even as a jumpy media corps and ravenous fans made sure he was plenty heard. He’ll get his half-billion dollars soon enough.

For now, let’s break down the winners and losers from three-ish days in Music City:

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Winners

Yankees

They’ll certainly sell some tickets. Juan Soto and Aaron Judge hitting back-to-back is punishing just to think about. A healthy Giancarlo Stanton rounding out that power trio would be the most visually imposing middle of the order of almost anyone’s lifetime.

And if Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the fabulous pitcher from Japan, is next to join the crew, it’s already an absurdly fantastic winter.

Yet the Yankees will still be looking over their shoulder, hoping their usual potholes don’t swallow them up.

As great as Soto and Yamamoto are, contention in the American League East and the playoffs still probably relies on the health and effectiveness of left-hander Carlos Rodon. Michael King, shipped to San Diego in the package, was going to be a huge part of the pitching staff, either in rotation or in what’s now a sketchier bullpen, although market reinforcements are available. Ohtani may well end up in the division with the Toronto Blue Jays, meaning the Yankees are playing for third place on paper by Opening Day.

And the Yankees will likely have a Soto-sized hole in the lineup by next year, simply because he’s a free agent. But hey, they spent a lot of money and won some headlines and GM Brian Cashman’s job is probably safe for another decade, regardless of the statistical likelihood that October delivers yet another crushing blow.

Shohei Ohtani

Sure, maybe the two-way superstar spent the week as the protagonist in a remake of The Man Who Wasn’t There. But Ohtani didn’t have to show up in Opryland to make an impact.

And there were enough smoke signals to indicate he’s going to do just fine.

The man inspired subterfuge from the Toronto Blue Jays, who refused to reveal GM Ross Atkins’ location, placing him in front of a plain white wall for a Zoom call after a likely meeting with Ohtani. (You think fans are being held hostage by this saga? Imagine Atkins).

He inspired a rare jolt of honesty from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (more on that in a bit), and some righteous indignation from Cubs GM Jed Hoyer, who refused to believe Chicago was on the periphery of the chase.

In short: Meetings have been held. Desire is high. The industry is perched in anticipation. The man is going to get well north of $500 million, it seems, all without having to step inside a sprawling biodome of kitsch on the outskirts of Nashville.

Pretty good week!

Dave Roberts

Faced with yet another cloak-and-dagger inquiry on Ohtani, the Dodgers manager stared into the whirring recording devices and waiting transcriptionists and channeled his inner Robert DeNiro as Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver.

Here is a man who would not take it anymore.

Scandal!

Sure, it might have run a bit afoul of Ohtani’s desire for total privacy in this free agent pursuit, but surely Roberts and Ohtani and agent Nez Balelo long ago realized that that private jet had already left the tarmac. And we’re pretty sure the privacy they prefer has to do with offers on the table and dollar amounts and length of deal, and not whether Ohtani had the chicken or the steak.

We’re even more certain that the world knowing that Ohtani got a private glimpse of the San Gabriel Mountains from the top of the park at Dodger Stadium on Friday won’t deter him if the Dodgers offer him all of Chavez Ravine and most of Echo Park.

So, good on Roberts for rallying to restore sanity.

Blake Snell

His name scarcely came up in Music City, but let’s be real: All but one of the handful teams in hot pursuit of Yamamoto – the Yankees, Mets, Giants, Red Sox and Blue Jays among them – are going to walk away empty-handed. Almost all those teams are facing varying degrees of desperation to improve. And their mere presence in the Yamamoto and/or Ohtani sweepstakes shows they’ve got a lot of money to burn.

In short, it’s a great time to be the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner.

Losers

Juan Soto

Oh, it’s going to be fun, for sure. Even if Soto has to endure the odious and absurd questions of Whether He Can Perform in New York – it’s Juan Soto, for god’s sake – the man was largely built for that place.

But it’s also not an ideal situation for a player going into his walk year.

Soto is anything but a dead pull hitter, so the much-celebrated right field kiddie wall is not necessarily well-suited for him.  While constant interleague play has taken away some of the mystery from competing in a new league, it’s still going to be an adjustment for a career-long National League guy.

And while it’s been obvious for ages that Soto will test free agency, going to his third team in two years will invigorate another round of whether he’d stay in his latest home long term.

Soto will be fine, of course. His generational on-base skills and power will not go away, and this time next year, will probably join Ohtani as the only players to cross the half-billion dollar contract threshold. But hopping right into a World Series-or-die situation as a rental isn’t ideal.

Mariners

This space would usually be reserved for a gentle chiding of GM Jerry Dipoto’s manic maneuverings that may or may not have improved the club. But today, we pause to commiserate with the Mariners’ apparently new fiscal reality.

With a chunk of ownership in their own regional sports network, they looked invulnerable to the RSN carnage changing the game’s landscape. But that equity stake took a beating when Comcast opted to move Root Sports Northwest to a higher tier of its cable packages – costing subscribers an extra $20 a month.

That will cost the club millions of dollars in passive revenue from cable viewers who simply want, say, Fox News and HGTV and not Julio Rodriguez.

With that, Dipoto can be applauded for dealing lefty Marco Gonzales and shedding one of his more moderate mistakes, the long-term deal signed by Evan White, to give Seattle some flexibility. It’s just a drag that it’s come to that for an otherwise invigorated franchise.

Athletics

For the past two seasons, the A’s baseball operations department has managed to keep their business separate from that of ownership, which ordered a strip-mining of the roster while plotting an escape from Oakland. Yet now that their departure to Las Vegas is now very much, absolutely, no-doubt probably going to happen, it’s much harder to keep up the façade.

A’s GM David Forst told reporters that it’s challenging to get free agents to consider even a two-year contract, knowing that the club faces vagabond status come 2025. Manager Mark Kotsay acknowledged their 112-loss 2023 season “was challenging. Not just for myself or my staff, but for the players. I don’t see that changing.”

And just to add insult to misery, the team ended up with the fourth pick in the draft lottery, even as it lost six more games than the next-worst team. Crapped out, you might say.

Only a select few players in Major League Baseball history can be definitively identified as the face of their franchise.

After spending all 21 seasons of his Hall of Fame career in Kansas City, George Brett is certainly qualifies for the Royals.

‘With us, he was THE guy,” former teammate Willie Wilson said. “The bigger the situation, it’s like the more fun he was having.’

Brett’s tendency to breathe fire yet still manage to stay cool under pressure is explored in-depth in the new documentary “Brett” that premieres on MLB Network this Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.

Here are some of the top takeaways from the 90-minute feature:

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Brett’s competitiveness was legendary

The documentary features interviews with teammates, opponents and Brett himself – with his intensity on and off the field being a central theme.

‘We knew that George took the game extremely seriously because we’ve seen him in action a few times when he wasn’t the happiest guy in the world,’ recalls Milwaukee Brewers Hall of Famer Robin Yount in a bit of an understatement.

Yet the 13-time All-Star and three-time batting champion also knew how to enjoy playing the game.

‘There are some players who do not want to be at home plate with the game on the line. George reveled in it, embraced it, loved it. And usually delivered,’ said longtime Royals radio announcer Denny Matthews.

‘I always thought of myself as a clutch player,’ Brett admits. ‘The more nervous I was, the more clutch I was.’

Brett’s complicated relationship with his dad

The competitive fire burned inside Brett from a young age, which the film explains originated in his rocky relationship with his father.

A military veteran, Jack Brett and his wife raised four sons. The oldest, Ken, went on to play 14 seasons in the major leagues as a pitcher.

As the youngest, George endured constant criticism from his father.

‘I was intimidated by him my whole life,’ Brett says. ‘I couldn’t do anything right.’

Even after being named AL MVP in 1980 and nearly hitting .400, he struggled for Jack’s approval. After the season, he recalled the first thing his father said to him: “If you woulda taken better care of yourself you would’ve gotten five more hits.’

Bad blood with the Yankees

The Royals faced off against the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series four times in a five-year span from 1976-80.

That led to some strong feelings – on both sides.

‘The rivalry was sportsman hate,’ said star outfielder Reggie Jackson, whose Yankees won each of the first three ALCS matchups.

‘I was in baseball 49 years as a player and a coach. I’ve never seen intenseness like those two teams played. And we both knew it,’ said former Royals catcher Jamie Quirk.

The intensity boiled over in Game 5 of the 1977 ALCS when Brett hit a booming triple in his first at-bat and barreled into third base ahead of a tag attempt by the Yankees’ Graig Nettles.

‘I slid late and my momentum took me over the bag,” Brett recalled. “As I came up, I kinda pushed Graig. He took offense to it and he just kicks me in the mouth with his left foot. I was like what the hell was that? And I just get up and I throw a haymaker at him.’

Both benches emptied and a brawl ensued. But no one was ejected.

An interesting coda: Despite the bad blood, Brett says Yankee catcher Thurman Munson jumped on top of him in the scrum … to protect him.

“I’ll never forget this: ‘He said, ‘George, it’s Thurman. I got you covered. No one’s gonna take any potshots at ya.’

“How cool was that?’

Brett’s untimely bout with hemorrhoids

The Royals finally broke through against the Yankees, beating them in the 1980 ALCS to advance to the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

But Brett wasn’t completely healthy, having developed a bad case of hemorrhoids on the eve of the Series opener.

He tried to play but couldn’t make it through Game 2, eventually being replaced at third base by Dave Chalk.

After undergoing emergency surgery, Brett was back on the field for Game 3 in Kansas City, famously telling NBC sportscaster Bryant Gumbel, ‘My problem’s behind me now.’

In his first at-bat of the game, Brett hit a home run − becoming the first player in Kansas City Royals history to homer in a World Series game.

K.C. ended up losing the series to Mike Schmidt, Pete Rose, Steve Carlton and the Phillies. But Brett and the Royals would eventually get that elusive World Series title when they defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games in 1985.

The ‘Pine Tar Game’

Perhaps the most iconic moment of Brett’s 21-year MLB career came not during a playoff game, but a midseason contest against … who else? The Yankees.

On July 24, 1983, Brett stepped to the plate at Yankee Stadium with a runner on first base and the Royals trailing by a run with two outs in the top of the ninth.

On the mound was Yankees closer Goose Gossage, who three years earlier gave up a memorable three-run homer to Brett in Game 5 of the ALCS.

Gossage was as menacing as any pitcher of his day, but Brett wasn’t intimidated.

‘Goose was the kind of guy I liked to face in that situation,’ he said.

Looking for a pitch on the inner half of the plate, Brett launched a high drive into the right field seats to put the Royals ahead by a run. But Yankee manager Billy Martin had noticed Brett – who famously never used batting gloves when he hit – had a significant amount of pine tar on the bat to help him with his grip.

Citing a little-known rule, Martin accused Brett of using an illegal bat. And after a lengthy discussion among the umpires, Brett was called out to end the game.

Brett erupted like never before.

‘I thought I kinda walked out there and then I’d seen the video of it after it happened and my arms are going crazy …” he recalled.

The Royals appealed and following a court order, the game was resumed 25 days later. The Royals finished off a 4-3 win by holding the Yankees scoreless in the bottom of the ninth.

But Brett wasn’t in the ballpark since he was ejected for his tirade. He was at an Italian restaurant near LaGuardia airport watching the outcome ‘on a little black and white TV behind the bar.’

Arsenal is currently in the top spot on the English Premier League table with 36 points and the Gunners are hoping to extend their lead by three points as they travel to Villa Park to take on Aston Villa, who is currently sitting at the third spot with 32 points.

Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have won four straight matches, but Aston Villa is also performing well, having stunned Manchester City 1-0 in their 14th English Premier League home win. Aston Villa’s Leon Bailey secured the win over Man City with a deflected shot in the 74th minute, continuing Unai Emery’s best season with Villa in years. Aston Villa are just two points behind second-place Liverpool on the EPL table.

Here are the must-see games for Matchday 16.

Liverpool vs. Crystal Palace

Liverpool is expected to be the favorite as they face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, the Reds have won the last seven EPL matches. Crystal Palace is currently placed in 14th position and are struggling to score goals in the English Premier League. 

Crystal Palace’s recent performance has been disappointing as they have only managed to secure a point in their last four Premier League fixtures. Ahead of the match with Liverpool, Crystal Palace is facing injury concerns with key players. Cheick Doucoure has suffered an Achilles injury, which means he may be out for the rest of the season. Eberechi Eze is also unavailable as he is still recovering from his ankle injury. 

During their recent 2-0 loss to Bournemouth, left-back Tyrick Mitchell left the match before halftime due to a hip injury. It is still unclear whether he will be fit to play against Liverpool.

Liverpool kicks off against Crystal Palace on Saturday, December 9, at 7:30 p.m., ET, on NBC Sports.

Premier League predictions: Liverpool vs. Crystal Palace

Pickswise: Liverpool win

Staff writes: ‘Liverpool are just 2 points behind league leaders Arsenal and could go top of the table, at least for a few hours, with a win at Selhurst Park. They have posted 10 wins from 15 games and have shown signs of improvement on the road recently, having followed their disciplined 1-1 tie away to Manchester City with a 2-0 win against Sheffield United on Wednesday. The resolute win over the Blades will have been warmly welcomed by Reds fans following the frenetic 4-3 win over Fulham beforehand, and they can record another low-scoring win in this one.’

Livescore: Back Liverpool to win

Staff writes: ‘Liverpool have not been great on the road this season, winning just three league games away from Anfield, and it would be a surprise if they stuck more than a couple of goals past a Palace side who generally defend well. But the Reds should have enough quality in their ranks to see them edge to victory and keep pace in the Premier League title race.’

Yahoo Sports: Liverpool to win, 3-0

Staff writes: ‘There has been very little for Palace fans to get excited about – they have won just once at Selhurst Park this season. Liverpool on the other hand look strong at both ends of the pitch, and another lunchtime kick-off looks to be the biggest obstacle to them picking up another three points. That should not be a problem though, with Liverpool fancied to pile the misery on Hodgson and Palace.’

Premier League predictions: Manchester City vs. Luton Town

Manchester City fell 1-0 to Aston Villa on Wednesday and have lost the last four of their Premier League matches. To get back on track, the Reds need a win against Luton Town on Sunday. 

Despite missing key players like Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku, Manchester City will have Rodri and Jack Grealish back in the squad for the Luton Town match. 

Luton Town recently played a mid-week EPL match against Arsenal, giving the Gunners a run for the top spot in a 4-3 thriller. Luton Town is currently in the 18th spot of the EPL table with 9 points.

Manchester City kicks off against Luton Town on Sunday, December 10 at 9:00 a.m., ET on Peacock.

Premier League predictions: Manchester City vs. Luton Town

Soccernews: Manchester City to win 5-0

Staff write: ‘Luton Town showed against Arsenal that they are not easy pushovers. They are likely to put up a fight against Manchester City. However, it is hard to see anything but an easy win for Pep Guardiola’s side. It would be the shock of the season if Luton won against City.’

Yahoo: Man City to win 3-1

Staff writes: ‘It is simply too hard to bet against a team who have won three Premier League titles in a row, even despite the issues (relatively speaking) that currently beset them.’

English Premier League Table 2023-24

The 28th edition of MLS Cup will be held Saturday, Dec. 9, when the Columbus Crew take on Los Angeles FC (4 p.m. ET on FOX and MLS Season Pass).

From D.C. United’s win in the inaugural MLS Cup in 1996, to Los Angeles FC’s epic win in the 2022 title game, here’s a ranking of all 27 Major League Soccer championship games.

27. 2008: Columbus Crew over New York Red Bulls, 3-1

This is the only MLS Cup appearance ever for NYRB (previously the MetroStars), and they were no match for the Crew. League MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto assisted on all three goals in the rout.

26. 1998: Chicago Fire over D.C. United, 2-0

The Fire halted D.C. United’s quest to win the first three titles in league history with a comfortable dispatching of the league’s dominant team at the time. Chicago scored twice in the first half to cruise to the first (and still only) championship won by an MLS expansion team.

25. 1999: D.C. United over Los Angeles Galaxy, 2-0

After winning the first two MLS Cups, D.C. United fell to the expansion Chicago Fire in the championship game in 1998. The team was back in the title game in 1999, and cruised to a pedestrian win.

24. 2010: Colorado Rapids over FC Dallas, 2-1

The last of the neutral-site MLS Cups is a somewhat forgettable affair. Neither team was really expected to be there. Colorado prevailed on a game-winning own goal in extra time, set up by Rapids striker Macoumba Kandji, who injured himself on the play. 

23. 2004: D.C. United over Kansas City Wizards, 3-2

Freddy Adu was a mega-hyped 15-year-old MLS rookie and came on as a second-half sub in the last of four MLS Cup wins for D.C. United. Despite being up a man for more than 30 minutes of play, KC found the equalizing goal to be particularly elusive. 

22. 2000: Kansas City Wizards over Chicago Fire, 1-0

This was Tony Meola at his finest. The one-time U.S. national team goalkeeper had a season for the ages in 2000, earning goalkeeper of the year and MVP honors. That run of excellence carried over into MLS Cup, as he offered a clean sheet against the league’s highest-scoring team and was named game MVP.

21. 2016: Seattle Sounders over Toronto FC, 0-0 (Seattle won 5-4 on penalties)

The Sounders won the championship despite not registering a single shot on goal on a frigid evening at Toronto’s BMO Field. Stefan Frei’s save on a Jozy Altidore shot was tremendous, saved the Sounders’ title hopes and is among the greatest plays in MLS Cup history.

20. 1997: D.C. United over Colorado Rapids, 2-1

D.C. United won its second straight MLS Cup against a team that had no business even being in the championship game. But, such is often the nature of the MLS playoffs, which has featured more than its share of randomness over the years.  

19. 2015: Portland Timbers over Columbus Crew, 2-1

This was a weird one. Diego Valeri scored the fastest goal in MLS Cup history 27 seconds into the game after Crew ‘keeper Steve Clark badly botched a back pass. In the seventh minute, Rodney Wallace scored the Timbers’ second goal and that held up as Portland claimed the city’s first major men’s sports championship since the Trail Blazers’ 1977 NBA title.

18. 2007: Houston Dynamo over New England Revolution, 2-1

As the Dynamo won back-to-back titles, the Revs lost MLS Cup for the third consecutive year. Taylor Twellman put the Revs on top in the 20th minute and for a while it appeared as if maybe this would finally be their day. Then, Houston scored twice in a 13-minute span in the second half — with Dwayne De Rosario netting the game-winner.

17. 2011: Los Angeles Galaxy over Houston Dynamo, 1-0

Entering 2011, no team with a ‘designated player’ had won an MLS Cup. That changed in Carson, Calif., when David Beckham, Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan (L.A.’s three designated players) combined for the game’s lone goal.

16. 2005: Los Angeles Galaxy over New England Revolution, 1-0

‘Pando’ Ramirez was a disappointment all season for the Galaxy, but came through when it mattered most when he karate-kicked a shot into the back of the net in extra time for the game winner.

15. 2017: Toronto FC over Seattle Sounders, 2-0

Toronto FC completed the most impressive single season in league history with a thoroughly dominant performance in an MLS Cup rematch against the Seattle Sounders. In doing so, TFC became the first MLS team to pull off the domestic treble, winning the Canadian Championship, Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup in the same season.

14. 2020: Columbus Crew over Seattle Sounders, 3-0

Nearly three years removed from possible extinction, the Crew pulled off a dramatic rise to glory with a dominant performance against the reigning league champions. Lucas Zelarayan — the most expensive signing in team history — saved his best performance for the Crew’s most crucial moment, scoring two goals and assisting on another.

13. 2019: Seattle Sounders over Toronto FC, 3-1

In the third championship showdown between these two teams, Seattle prevailed in the so-called ‘rubber match.’ After a scoreless first half, the Sounders lit up the scoreboard in the second half, building a 3-0 lead before Jozy Altidore finally put TFC on the board with a stoppage-time goal. Attendance at Seattle’s CenturyLink Field was 69,274, making this the second-biggest crowd — behind the 2018 MLS Cup in Atlanta — in league championship history.

12. 2014: Los Angeles Galaxy over New England Revolution, 2-1

This was the ‘first to five’ for both teams. While the Galaxy won their fifth MLS Cup, the Revolution lost their fifth. The game went to extra time after a 79th minute goal by the Revs’ Chris Tierney, but league MVP Robbie Keane scored the winner in the second period of extra time.

11. 2012: Los Angeles Galaxy over Houston Dynamo, 3-1

The Galaxy made sure David Beckham ended his MLS career as a winner. L.A. scored three second-half goals after Houston had taken a 1-0 first-half lead to win back-to-back MLS Cups. 

10. 2009: Real Salt Lake over Los Angeles Galaxy, 1-1 (RSL won 5-4 on penalties)

RSL became the last MLS team to win the Cup after posting a losing record in the regular season, and did so against a Galaxy team that reached its first title game since David Beckham’s much-ballyhooed arrival. Goalkeeper Nick Rimando helped RSL prevail in the penalty shootout, which included an uncharacteristic Landon Donovan miss. The RSL title, it turned out, wasn’t an anomaly. The team emerged as one of the league’s finest, returning to MLS Cup in 2013, only to lose in a penalty shootout.

9. 2021: New York City FC over Portland Timbers, 1-1 (NYCFC won 4-2 on penalties)

NYCFC, playing in its first MLS Cup, won New York’s first major club soccer championship since the Cosmos won Soccer Bowl ‘82. NYCFC prevailed thanks to its veteran goalkeeper, Sean Johnson, who stopped two penalty kicks in the shootout to secure the win. 2021 MLS Golden Boot winner Valentin ‘Taty’ Castellanos opened the scoring late in the first half, and it took until second-half stoppage time for Portland’s Felipe Mora to equalize and send the Providence Park crowd into euphoria.

8. 2006: Houston Dynamo over New England Revolution, 1-1 (Houston won 4-3 on penalties)

For a brief (very brief) moment, it seemed New England would finally claim its long-elusive MLS Cup. Taylor Twellman scored in the 113th minute, only to have Houston’s Brian Ching answer a minute later. That set up a penalty shootout in which Ching netted the clincher. 

7. 2001: San Jose Earthquakes over Los Angeles Galaxy, 2-1

Landon Donovan was just a 19-year-old bleached-blond soccer football wunderkind when he helped lead San Jose to its first MLS Cup title (fun fact: the highlights reveal a lot of bleached-blondness going on in this one). Donovan didn’t disappoint, scoring a game-tying goal. Six minutes into sudden-death overtime, Dwayne De Rosario scored the ‘golden goal’ winner.

6. 2002: Los Angeles Galaxy over New England Revolution, 1-0

More than 60,000 fans (then an MLS Cup record) packed brand-new Gillette Stadium to witness the final league championship decided by a ‘golden goal’ (starting in 2004, MLS Cups were decided with 30-minute extra-time periods, and if necessary penalty shootouts). Carlos Ruiz scored the winner in the 113th minute, disappointing the large partisan crowd and putting the Revs on a path toward unenviable recognition as MLS’s version of the Buffalo Bills.

5. 2018: Atlanta United FC 2, Portland Timbers 0

It’s tempting to look back at this game as a possible seismic shift for MLS. A team as ambitious as any at the time in the Western Hemisphere won a title in just its second season in front of a MLS Cup-record crowd of 73,019 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It was an absolute spectacle, and Atlanta showed the immense potential of MLS.

4. 2003: San Jose Earthquakes over Chicago Fire, 4-2

Having already won the U.S. Open Cup and Supporters’ Shield, the Fire were going for the treble against the Earthquakes. Pregame hype centered around Landon Donovan (of the Earthquakes) and DaMarcus Beasley (of the Fire), and rightfully so, because the two provided three goals (two by Donovan) in the high-scoring game.

3. 2013: Sporting Kansas City over Real Salt Lake, 1-1 (SKC won 7-6 on penalties)

A wildly entertaining championship clash played in frigid conditions ended in an epic 10-round penalty-kick shootout. Watch Sporting KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen, just watch him. Somehow, Nielsen managed to get the better of his goalkeeping counterpart Nick Rimando in that crazy shootout. This was just a really fun game to watch.

2. 1996: D.C. United over Los Angeles Galaxy, 3-2

A classic Nor’easter at Foxboro helped set a memorable and dramatic backdrop for the league’s inaugural championship game. While at first the team from sunny L.A. thrived, United pulled off a late-game rally from two goals down to force overtime, during which Eddie Pope’s header cemented D.C. as MLS’s first title winners. 

1. Los Angeles FC over Philadelphia Union, 3-3 (LAFC won 3-0 on penalties)

A sporting rarity pitting the regular season’s two best teams was a dramatic confrontation that produced back-and-forth action with plenty of goals, a world-class player delivering in the most crucial moment and an unsung hero giving the game a Hollywood ending befitting of the host city. Tied 2-2 at the end of regulation, extra time produced a plot twist. LAFC went down to 10 men after goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau badly injured his leg while committing a red-card foul on Cory Burke. The Union took a 3-2 lead only to have Welsh star Gareth Bale rescue the game in the 128th minute with the breathtaking equalizer, forcing a penalty kick shootout. LAFC’s backup goalkeeper John McCarthy — a Philadelphia native and former Union player — had been pressed into action after Crépeau’s injury, and stopped two shots in the shootout as LAFC won its first MLS Cup.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. − There have been few signs or hints in Shohei Ohtani’s mysterious free agency tour where he may ultimately choose to play, but perhaps the strongest indication yet that the Los Angeles Dodgers could be the favorites is by the organization’s recent request.

The Dodgers telephoned veteran reliever Joe Kelly this week to ask if he would surrender his uniform No. 17 to Ohtani.

Kelly, who signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Dodgers last week that has yet to be officially announced, informed Dodger officials that he’d be honored to switch uniform numbers for Ohtani. Ohtani has worn No. 17 since signing his first MLB contract in 2017 with the Los Angeles Angels.

The uniform request may mean nothing.

Or it could mean absolutely everything.

HOT STOVE UPDATES: MLB free agency: Ranking and tracking the top players available.

One GM told USA TODAY Sports that the Dodgers would have no reason to request a player to change his uniform number unless they truly believed Ohtani was signing with them.

The Dodgers and Ohtani’s representatives declined comment.

It wasn’t until manager Dave Roberts spoke on Tuesday in his media session that the Dodgers even confirmed they met with Ohtani last Friday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers postponed stadium tours while closing their team store that day to prevent any public sightings of Ohtani.

Ohtani also has recently visited with the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park and the Toronto Blue Jays at their spring training complex in Dunedin, Florida, with team officials refusing to confirm the meetings.

“I would like to be honest, and so we met with Shohei,’’ Roberts said Tuesday. “I don’t feel like lying is something that I do. I was asked a question, and to be forthright in this situation, we kept it quiet. But I think that it’s going to come out at some point that we met.

“So, I don’t think myself or anyone in our organization would want to lie about it.’’

While the Dodgers didn’t publicly say they wanted Roberts to lie, they scolded him for his candidness.

“Clearly,’’ Roberts said, “Shohei’s our top priority.’’

Ohtani and agent Nez Balelo have asked teams for privacy throughout the free agent process, but Roberts dismissed the notion that his comments would be detrimental to the Dodgers’ chances of signing him.

“There’s a respect of privacy, which I think that we’ve done that,’’ Roberts said. “There is a foundational integrity part of it I feel, and not necessarily the gamesmanship part of it, which is still plausible and fair.

“For me, it’s hard to get a pointed question and then to just give a false answer knowingly. So, I don’t think it’s disrespect to anybody in Shohei’s party or on our side. I think that the details are going to be withheld, which I think they should be, but it’s pretty clear he’s a priority for us.’’

Ohtani, who is expected to command the richest contract in North American sports history, exceeding $500 million, could choose the winner of his services within the week.

“At the end of the day,’’ Roberts said, “he’s his own man, and he’s going to do what’s best for himself, where he feels most comfortable.’’

Yes, apparently even wearing his same number.

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