Sports
The Bailey trade isn’t the start of a Giants rebuild, at least not in the traditional sense
Patrick Bailey, once the present and future of the San Francisco Giants, was traded for a prospect and the mere concept of a prospect who will join the organization in a couple of months. Ryan Walker is back with Triple-A Sacramento, a sign that the era of patience and/or mollycoddling is over. Even after a series win against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Giants are eight games under .500 and have the worst run differential in baseball. Nothing has gone according to plan. Nothing has really come close.
Considering all of the above, it’s not surprising that the word “rebuild” is in the ether. It’s popping up in group chats and talk radio, subreddits and general conversation. A team can’t lose like the Giants have been losing, trade their starting catcher, demote a veteran and not expect the word to come up. It’s a reasonable mental progression to make.
And then, on Sunday, you saw a flash from a mirror universe where the Giants weren’t cursed. They didn’t just look like a normal team, but a fun team. More than that, it was the team you were told to expect. It was a starting pitcher (Tyler Mahle) who looked both electric and entirely hittable from pitch to pitch. It was a bullpen that makes you twitch, just like you were worried about. Yet it was also a team with enough pluck, grit and derring-do (and enough offensive firepower) that it was able to come back and outscore the other team.
When the collective roster piled onto the field in the post-walk-off scrum, it was easy to temporarily forget all of the misery from the previous weeks. A gaggle of happy baseball lads dancing around the infield like goobers on a Sunday afternoon will do that. It was a team that got breaks, but also made breaks, and some of its lineup cornerstones are showing signs of getting hot. Rafael Devers hit two doubles. Heliot Ramos hit an absolute bomb into Andres Galarraga territory. Willy Adames picked up three hits, including the game-tying hit in the tenth.
That’s a description of events that would have read like the most boring speculative fiction to a Giants fan in March. Yeah, of course those guys will have a couple of games where everything clicks. What, you’ve never watched a normal, healthy lineup before?
This hasn’t been a normal, healthy lineup, even if it does a great impression of one when it’s at its best. So it’s easy to be taken in when it scratches and claws and scores just enough to win, like it did Sunday. Don’t forget that the Pirates scored first on a walk that maybe could have been framed into a called strike, followed by a stolen base and an error that allowed the runner to go to third.
This isn’t to pick on Jesus Rodriguez specifically — he did win the danged game, after all — but it’s a reminder that the Giants are embarking on a new era, and it’s one that will come with tradeoffs and learning lessons, steps forward and steps backward. They’re going to have a lot of rookies catching over the next few months, and the hiccups will be noticeable.
That sounds like the be-patient pragmatism of someone discussing a rebuild. Except look around the roster. This isn’t a team built for 2028. This is a team built for now. These are guys who made All-Star teams and appeared on MVP ballots recently. They hit home runs and they caught the ball and threw the ball and caught the ball when it was thrown to them. It was right over there, I promise.
More than that, though, is that this is a core that’s making a lot of money for a long time, and it’s producing like players who should be in danger of losing their roster spots. At least, a lot of them have been, on and off, even though several are showing signs of snapping out of it. (Devers is hitting .333 in May, with two homers and four doubles, for example.) These are not easy players to trade, for the most part.
I’m not going to play pocket GM and pretend I know how much money or prospect payola would have to change hands for each of the players in question. Just know that it’s not as simple as the Giants trading a veteran and receiving a prospect or three. It almost takes an owner screaming yeee-haww and firing six-shooters into the air, but those owners (and managers) are sorely missed these days.
That ends the discussion, and it’s why the Giants are so far from a rebuild that people who only read the first paragraph skipped straight to the comments to yell at me. This is the Giants’ team for a while. They’re going to stick with them for longer than a month. They’re going to stick with them longer than two months. And I’ll tell you what roughly two-thirds of the 2027 Opening Day projected lineup is going to look like: a lot like the one that’s going to face the Los Angeles Dodgers this week.
Veterans like Ryan Walker will need to earn their roster spots. (Charles LeClaire / Imagn Images)
They’re going to make changes, and they’re going to make unpopular decisions. They might resort to an honest-to-goodness benching or two if things continue like this. But there’s no rebuilding with this core. There’s only reloading, and we’ll see how much enthusiasm ownership has for that after this early-season disaster.
Here’s a quick thought experiment, though. Let’s say it’s possible for the Giants to rebuild in the standard sense — prospects in, veterans out. Don’t worry about the details. It’s possible, and it’s practical. It’s done, poof. What kind of roster do the Giants build?
It’s easy to assume they’d go with some of an “Oops! All rookies!” roster that would be as entertaining as it would be maddening, but that’s not always realistic or helpful. There are player options to consider and 40-man roster spots. There are arbitration clocks and organizational depth considerations, Rule 5 worries and other tomfoolery. There would be more than a smattering of players like Christian Koss and Will Brennan — not exactly veterans, but definitely not prospects. Not the first players you would think of in a rebuild, although baseball has definitely come up with stranger surprises.
These players would be in the rotation and the bullpen. They’d be on the bench and in the lineup. You wouldn’t expect them to be a huge part of the 2030 Giants, but they’d be keeping a spot warm for prospects who don’t need to be rushed. This would be especially true for this team, considering its best prospects are mostly teenagers or still with Low-A San Jose.
And while these players are there, they would have to fight to keep their jobs, sure, but maybe a couple of them would surprise you. Maybe they don’t just fill a spot, but they exceed expectations. Maybe everyone wants them around for the long term. The prospects will slot perfectly around these productive veterans in this best-case scenario.
Here’s the twist: I just described the 2026 Giants. Sure, the veteran players are making a lot more money than the Koss/Brennan types I was using as an example, but they’re filling the same role. They’re here to win in a best-case scenario, but they’re clearly going to have to produce if they’re going to fend off younger challengers. The bar is going to be much higher for a Willy Adames to lose his job than a generic place-holding minor-league free agent, of course, but there’s nobody close enough to the majors to make the distinction meaningful.
You don’t need the point belabored too much, but the rotation has a similar feel. The Giants wouldn’t just build a rotation out of rookies. They’d have a veteran or two, even if they tear the rotation down to the studs. They’d be possible trade chips at the deadline, or just inning-absorbing sponges to keep young arms fresh. They’d also have to pitch for their lives to keep younger pitchers away. That’s what’s happening with the roster right now. Adrian Houser isn’t in direct competition with Trevor McDonald, but he’s not not in direct competition with him over the next couple of weeks.
Around these veterans — mostly players with several years of good baseball and one recent month of really, really bad baseball — there are youngsters and rookies, players like McDonald, Bryce Eldridge and Rodriguez. They’ll come up or be sent down, depending on their performance or the various needs of the roster, and some of them might even force their way onto the Opening Day foul lines next season, slam-dunk roster decisions that make the offseason even easier.
This is it. This is the rebuild. Except it’s not a rebuild. It’s just the future of Giants baseball, for better or for worse, and, boy, can they lay the “for worse” part on thick when they’re in the mood. There are going to be prospects and veterans, and there are going to be increasingly impatient people in the front office, who are also fighting for their lives, who are in communication with the manager and coaches, who are also fighting for their lives. Everyone understands the losses need to go away, and everyone understands that the unpopular clubhouse decisions will continue until production (and morale 🥳) improves.
And if all these baseball players remember how to baseball like they baseballed in the past, maybe the production and morale will take off again. When they win, they really look like they’re having a blast. Look at them cheesing for the cameras before flying to Los Angeles:
SFGiants
Off to Los Angeles
— SF Giants Bot (@giantbot.bsky.social) May 10, 2026 at 8:31 PM
This is a team that wants to have fun. It wants you to have fun watching it play. And when the rookies arrive — and a few of them have already — they’ll get folded into this wacky goal of “winning” and “having fun,” which the Giants accomplished Sunday.
The rebuild is already here. It’s just called “please, anyone, help us win baseball games now and in the future,” and veterans and rookies alike are going to be thrown at the problem. That sounds a lot like whatever hypothetical rebuild you could possibly come up with. They’re just hoping (and possibly a little desperate) for more series wins to follow. You’re already looking at the future of Giants baseball. Whatever you’re calling it, well, that’s up to you.
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Sports
The NFL returns to the UK more committed than ever to international growth after Rio and Melbourne games – but is a European team possible? | NFL News
The NFL returns to the United Kingdom this weekend with the first of three London games to be played in the month of October.
We’ll see the Indianapolis Colts take on the Washington Commanders at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday and the following week we will welcome back the Jacksonville Jaguars as they clash with the Philadelphia Eagles at the same venue.
The trio of games will end at Wembley Stadium on October 18 with the Jags taking on their division rivals in the AFC South in the Houston Texans.
The NFL continues its commitment to the UK but it’s clear they are looking more globally than ever before. By the end of this 2026 season we will have seen nine regular season games played internationally and the NFL is growing braver.
I think London played a big part in that as well by proving time and time again how you can get teams in, get them practising efficiently, get them playing the game and then get them out.
That blueprint has now been taken quite literally to the other side of the world. So this season we’ll see firsts with games already played in Australia and in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. We’ll also see a first this year with a game in Paris, France towards the end of October.
So this NFL train is not slowing down. In fact it’s only going to gather pace. I think we’ll see 10 games played next season and I don’t think we’re very far away from seeing 16 being played internationally every year.
That of course will come once the league negotiates any new deal with the Players Association that takes the regular season up to 18 games from its current 17 right now. So at first glance the league is intent on continuing with its Formula 1 approach. Different teams playing in different markets, growing the fanbase around the entire world and I understand why.
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The Baltimore Ravens had just seven seconds to work with at the start of their drive – which proved to be just long enough to win the game in Brazil against the Dallas Cowboys
I’ve spoken to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell about this in the past and he’s told me that if we play in just one or two markets you only grow the fanbase in one or two markets. If you can play in 10, 11, 12 markets around the world then you’re growing significantly in a number of different countries, so it certainly looks like that’s the plan, but we still hear this talk of international franchises, potentially even a European division and the commissioner himself alluded to that this summer when in Germany.
I think the reason for that is that the NFL just doesn’t want to lose momentum. So they are keeping an open mind. Yes at the moment it’s the Formula 1 approach but if it works well enough in enough countries then does it become something else? Does it become something more substantial in London? Do we have a European division with a team in London, one in Germany, one in Spain, one in France?
When you look at it you can see the groundwork being laid for that.
I think if I were a betting man I wouldn’t necessarily know which way to go. I’ve seen very early on a lot of talk about a franchise, especially in London, then that went away to a degree and we looked at this Formula 1 approach of different teams in different countries.
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Highlights of the Baltimore Ravens at the Dallas Cowboys from Week 3 of the NFL season
But now the commissioner has put the franchise discussion back on the table which to me suggests the league is just focusing at the moment on continuing to grow fan numbers, continuing to grow interest, finding new fans and players through flag football and seeing where it goes in the future.
I don’t think they’re committed to one path or the other and it won’t hurt that we’re using the Formula 1 approach now and then pivot to something else later.
I tell you one thing, the commitment has never been greater among NFL owners and commissioner Roger Goodell to grow the game internationally.
It is one of the biggest things the NFL will be working on now and for many years to come and for us as fans of the game internationally that can only be good news for us.
Watch the 2026 NFL season live on Sky Sports, including every minute of the playoffs and Super Bowl LXI on Sunday February 14, 2027. Get latest Sky Sports deals or stream with no contract on NOW.
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Sports
Joss Buttler says Brendon McCullum’s removal as England Test coach may have boosted Cricket World Cup chances | Cricket News
Jos Buttler believes Brendon McCullum’s removal as Test coach may have boosted England’s World Cup chances, with the New Zealander now “all in” on lifting the trophy next winter.
McCullum was relieved of his red-ball duties in July, with Stephen Fleming eventually named as his successor, but remained in charge of a limited-overs set-up that ended the summer with a record of 11 wins and two defeats.
That included ODI series wins over India and Sri Lanka, raising England’s stock in a format that has seen them decline since they became world champions in 2019.
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McCullum has remained in charge of England’s white-ball teams, alongside specialist mentor Kevin Pietersen
Buttler, who captained the team in their ill-fated 2023 title defence, thinks the split coaching model has allowed McCullum to throw all his energy towards next year’s tournament in southern Africa.
“He’s only got one focus now and that is the white ball,” Buttler said on his For the Love of Cricket podcast.
“It’s not that he couldn’t do everything, because he could, but your time is more spread and you’ve got more to think about with the Test team as well.
“Now he can focus solely on white-ball cricket – T20, yes, but mainly ODI cricket with that World Cup on the horizon. It seems like Baz is naturally all in on, ‘how do I win this World Cup with this team?’
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Buttler said McCullum now has more time to focus on the white-ball format
“I think he can sort of see that World Cup is not that far away. It’s a real target, now his remit has changed from four months ago being in charge of everything to, ‘right, I can really nail down on this’. He’s just got more time and more focus on that.
“ODI cricket for England has not been consistently great for a couple of years, so there’s some nice growth to go on that and this summer’s been a really good start.”
Buttler delivers update on hamstring injury
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Buttler was forced to retire after suffering a hamstring injury during England’s second ODI against Sri Lanka
Buttler is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury and has already been ruled out for the forthcoming tri-series tour of Pakistan.
He is also a doubt for the November trip to Australia, meaning the team’s most experienced one-day player could miss as many as eight ODIs and a significant chunk of the pre-World Cup preparations.
“I’ve had a scan and I’m waiting to see the specialist. Then we’ll know what the next steps are,” he said.
“The unknown is often the tough part. Any cricketer just wants a physio or a doctor to tell you, ‘on this date you’ll be back playing cricket’. Unfortunately, they can’t do that just yet.”
England vs Sri Lanka white-ball series’ results
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Sports
Man City Premier League charges: Appeal process, punishment hearing and what happens now after guilty verdict | Football News
Manchester City have been found guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules by an independent commission. Sky Sports analyses what could happen next in the inquiry…
What is the appeals process?
Manchester City have confirmed they will appeal the ruling. They have until Friday October 2 to do so.
The appeal – which is permitted under section W of the Premier League rules.- would be heard by a new three-person commission.
Can sanctions be imposed while an appeal is under way?
There will be a separate hearing with the independent commission to determine sanctions. It is unclear when this hearing will take place but, reading between the lines, the Premier League wants this concluded this season.
The Premier League will put forward what they think the punishment should be and City will argue their case. The commission will then go away and decide what the punishment should be.
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Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano refuses to answer questions after the club was found guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules
Would the appeal be the end of the matter?
The appeal would be the end of this part of the process.
City cannot appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). But they could go to the High Court and argue that the process has not been fair and impartial.
There could also be more legal cases, with clubs potentially taking action against City over missing out on trophies and Champions League qualification.
What are the potential punishments?
There are a range of sanctions available to the independent commission which include fines, points deductions and other sporting sanctions – which could be applied this season.
The Premier League do not have set sanctions for financial rule breaches. Clubs decided not to have them because there were fears clubs would break the rules and just take the punishment if they knew what the punishment was going to be.
In February 2025, Richard Masters, the Premier League chief executive, said the league was looking at having a sanctions grid – setting out agreed sanctions for different rules breaches.
Everton were deducted six points on appeal during the 2023/24 season and then two points for profit and sustainability rules (PSR) breaches. Nottingham Forest were deducted four points in the same season.
In the 2008/09 season, Luton were deducted 30 points (10 points for illegal payments to agents and 20 points for exiting administration without a Company Voluntary Arrangement).
In 2021/22 season, Derby were deducted 21 points (12 points for entering administration and nine points for financial irregularities).
How could City be relegated?
Manchester City can only end up in the Championship if they are given a significant enough points penalty which means they go on to be relegated from the PL.
What happens if City are expelled from the Premier League?
Expulsion means they are no longer a Premier League (PL) club. It does NOT mean that they have been relegated.
City will then have to go to The Football Association and apply to rejoin the football pyramid further down.
Then the problem of re-integration lies with The FA and English Football League.
The FA will have a huge part to play in deciding where City play their football next, in this scenario. Where that might be is unknown, and very complicated and political.
Will the Premier League decide to negate all City’s results for this season because it has happened mid-season? It’s something they will have to decide upon.
How would they enter the EFL?
Written into the EFL laws: any new member who joins EFL, has to join at League Two.
The EFL, like the Premier League, is a collective of its member clubs, and so any decision to re-enter Man City at a certain level (any level from the Championship or below) would have to be ratified by a vote of the member clubs.
If it went to a vote, it would be passed or rejected on a simple majority, a vote that involves all 72 EFL clubs.
That was the system for when the Championship play-offs were expanded from 4-6 teams last season – it required a majority of the 72 AND a specific majority of the Championship clubs.
Will clubs in any division be keen for a club of Man City’s power to join their league?
What would happen to the Premier League’s missing place?
It certainly causes problems in terms of numbers in each competition – leaving only 19 clubs in the Premier League. This will almost certainly mean that only two clubs are relegated from the top division that season.
What have Man City said?
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Ben Ransom talks through the statement Manchester City have made in response to the Premier League after it found the club guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of its financial rules
City released a statement stating they are “disappointed and surprised” after the club were found guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules.
“Manchester City is both disappointed and surprised by the opinion of the Premier League commission that has been published today.
“The club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions, relating to this case.
“The club will therefore be relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums.”
Manchester City’s statement refers to a Premier League commission. For clarity, this was an independent commission.
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The NFL returns to the UK more committed than ever to international growth after Rio and Melbourne games – but is a European team possible? | NFL News
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