Joe Kelly, a baseball player with a 13-year career, announced he is done playing after his latest appearance on a podcast. Kelly, who dislikes the term "retiring," has played for several teams, including winning World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Key Facts
Joe Kelly played 13 seasons in Major League Baseball.
He announced he is done playing on the "Baseball Isn't Boring" podcast.
Kelly dislikes the term "retiring" for athletes.
He was part of World Series-winning teams with the Red Sox in 2018 and Dodgers in 2020 and 2024.
In his career, he played 485 games and had a 3.98 ERA with 767 strikeouts.
He made his MLB debut for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012.
Kelly became a full-time reliever and key player in the Red Sox bullpen from 2014-2018.
He also played for the Chicago White Sox briefly in 2022 and 2023.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are considering trading their star infielder Ketel Marte. The Cincinnati Reds are seen as a potential team to trade with, as they need to improve their second base position and have players they could offer in return.
Key Facts
The Arizona Diamondbacks might trade Ketel Marte, a top second baseman.
Almost every baseball team could benefit from having Marte.
The Cincinnati Reds need an upgrade at second base and could be a trade partner.
The Reds have pitchers like Andrew Abbott and Rhett Lowder they could offer in a trade.
Abbott had an All-Star season, making him a strong candidate for a trade.
The Reds tend not to make big trades, which might be an issue in this case.
The New York Yankees signed Nick Torres, an outfielder who had an MVP season in the Mexican League with the Algodoneros Unión Laguna. Torres was initially drafted by the San Diego Padres and has been playing in Mexico since 2019. The Yankees might use him if they do not secure Cody Bellinger for their team.
Key Facts
The Yankees signed Nick Torres from the Mexican League.
Torres played for the Algodoneros Unión Laguna team.
He was originally drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2014.
Torres never made it to the Major Leagues with the Padres.
He moved to play in independent and international leagues by 2018.
Over five seasons in Mexico, he has a .343 batting average with 82 home runs.
Last season, Torres hit 27 home runs and had 79 RBIs, earning the MVP award.
The Houston Astros are considering signing Isiah Kiner-Falefa, a utility infielder, as a free agent. Kiner-Falefa played for the Toronto Blue Jays and has experience in multiple infield positions. The Astros need more infield depth due to recurring injuries among their players.
Key Facts
The Toronto Blue Jays lost in Game 7 of the World Series.
The Houston Astros could use another infielder for the next season.
Fox Sports suggested that the Astros should try to sign Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
Kiner-Falefa played infield for the Blue Jays and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
He has played in 15 of the Blue Jays’ 18 postseason games in 2025.
Kiner-Falefa is known for playing three different infield positions.
He had a .631 OPS (on-base plus slugging) during the regular season.
The Astros have successfully used utility players in the past.
The article discusses a special offer from Underdog for new players during NFL Week 17. By placing a $5 entry on any game, participants receive a guaranteed $75 bonus. The article highlights several key NFL games and explains how to claim the offer.
Key Facts
New players can use the Underdog promo code NEWSWEEK to get a $75 bonus by making a $5 play.
The $5 play can be on any NFL Week 17 game, regardless of the outcome.
Highlighted games include Jaguars vs. Colts, Seahawks vs. Panthers, Eagles vs. Bills, Giants vs. Raiders, and Bears vs. 49ers.
To qualify for the bonus, players must make picks for 2-8 players on at least two teams.
Underdog offers a choice between max and flex payout options.
The max payout requires all picks to be correct for the highest win.
A flex payout allows partial wins even if not all picks are correct.
Users must register and enter the promo code to receive the bonus.
Manchester United defender Ayden Heaven, who is eligible to play for Ghana because of his grandparent, has decided to continue playing for England. He recently recovered from an ankle injury and has shown strong performances in recent games.
Key Facts
Ayden Heaven is a defender for Manchester United and is 19 years old.
Heaven is eligible to play for Ghana through his grandparent but chooses to play for England.
Ghana and England are in the same group for the World Cup next summer.
Heaven joined Manchester United from Arsenal in February.
He suffered an ankle injury in October while playing for England's Under-20 team.
Heaven returned to play for Manchester United, performing well in recent matches.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim praised Heaven's improved performance and training.
The Houston Texans won against the Los Angeles Chargers, securing a spot in the NFL play-offs for a third year in a row. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens beat the Green Bay Packers to keep their play-off hopes alive, with Derrick Henry breaking records with his performance.
Key Facts
The Houston Texans beat the Los Angeles Chargers with a score of 20-16.
The win ensures the Texans have a spot in the NFL play-offs for the third consecutive year.
CJ Stroud from the Texans threw two important touchdown passes early in the game.
The Chargers, despite losing, are already in the play-offs and their loss confirmed the Denver Broncos as AFC West champions.
Derrick Henry of the Ravens ran for 216 yards and four touchdowns against the Packers.
Henry's performance set an NFL record for his seventh career 200-yard game.
The Ravens' win keeps their chance of entering the play-offs alive.
The Packers' loss means they will enter the play-offs as the seventh seed from the NFC.
The Indiana Hoosiers football team expects to lose their quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, as he is likely to enter the NFL draft. The team is looking to replace him, with Josh Hoover from TCU being a strong candidate. Coach Curt Cignetti has several options in the transfer portal for replacing the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback.
Key Facts
Fernando Mendoza is likely to leave Indiana Hoosiers for the NFL draft.
Mendoza could be picked in the top 10 of the draft if he enters this year.
Mendoza will not return because he risks competing against stronger candidates next year.
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti plans to use the transfer portal to find a new quarterback.
Josh Hoover from TCU is a potential replacement for Mendoza at Indiana.
Hoover is noted for his experience, having started 31 games and throwing 71 touchdowns.
Indiana is aiming to continue their success after winning the Big Ten title.
Travis Head, an Australian cricketer, reached out to England's Ben Duckett after a video surfaced online showing Duckett allegedly drunk. England's cricket team faced scrutiny over reports of excessive drinking during a break in the Ashes series. Despite the controversy, Head expressed understanding and noted that such behavior is not unusual.
Key Facts
Travis Head is an Australian cricket player.
Ben Duckett is a player on the England cricket team.
A video appeared on social media allegedly showing Duckett drunk, but the BBC has not verified it.
England's cricket team was reported to have been drinking excessively between Ashes Tests.
The break and incidents occurred in Noosa, a beach town in Australia.
England was losing 2-0 in the Ashes series at the time of the incidents.
Head contacted Duckett to ensure he was doing alright amid the controversy.
Head noted that players sometimes engage in similar behavior on tours and expressed that it wasn't a major issue.
The Texas Longhorns football team plans to strengthen their offense by potentially adding Caleb Hawkins, a leading scorer in college football, through the transfer portal. Hawkins, from North Texas, led the country in rushing touchdowns last year and could help Texas in their pursuit of the College Football Playoff in 2026.
Key Facts
The Texas Longhorns are looking to improve their team for the 2026 season.
They are interested in Caleb Hawkins, who was the national leader in rushing touchdowns with 23 in 2025.
Hawkins is a freshman from North Texas and has gained 1,236 rushing yards and 345 receiving yards last season.
Texas needs to fill gaps in their offense due to losing several players, including their top running back.
The transfer portal opens on January 2, 2026, allowing players to switch teams.
Oklahoma State could also be interested in Hawkins, partly because his former coach is there.
The Longhorns are aiming to reach the College Football Playoff with quarterback Arch Manning.
Aryna Sabalenka, the women's world number one, will play against Nick Kyrgios in a "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match on December 28. The match will be a best-of-three sets event with special rules to balance the players' physical differences. The event aims to entertain and draw attention to women’s tennis.
Key Facts
Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios will play an exhibition match on December 28.
The match will be shown live on BBC One.
Sabalenka is ranked as the women's world number one and won the US Open in 2025.
Special rules include each player having only one serve and Sabalenka's court being 9% smaller.
Kyrgios has previously admitted to assault and has made controversial comments.
The match is intended to entertain and possibly attract a new audience to tennis.
Concerns exist about whether the match might impact perceptions of women's tennis.
Kyrgios has returned to the sport after significant injuries and time away.
The Green Bay Packers lost to the Baltimore Ravens with a score of 41-24. The game results and recent team performance have raised questions about the future of Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. Some fans and insiders speculate changes might occur if the team's performance does not improve.
Key Facts
The Packers lost to the Ravens, scoring 24 points against Ravens' 41 points.
Derrick Henry from the Ravens ran 36 times for 216 yards and scored four touchdowns.
The Packers have a current season record of 9-6-1.
Matt LaFleur has been successful in the regular season with a 76-39-1 record as head coach.
LaFleur's success in the playoffs has been limited, with no Super Bowl appearances.
There is speculation about LaFleur's future with the Packers if they lose in the first playoff round.
The Packers' next game will be against the Minnesota Vikings.
England defeated Australia in a cricket match at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) that ended in two days. The match finished early because the pitch had more grass than usual, leading to many wickets falling quickly. This unexpected result is costly for Cricket Australia in terms of revenue.
Key Facts
The match ended in two days, with England beating Australia with four wickets remaining.
Thirty-six wickets fell in just six sessions due to the pitch conditions.
The early finish may result in a loss of about 10 million Australian dollars for Cricket Australia.
MCG curator Matthew Page was surprised by how the pitch played out and aims to improve in future.
Historically, this is the first Ashes series since 1896 with two matches finishing in two days.
The Melbourne pitch in the 2017 Ashes was also criticized for being too easy for batters, resulting in few wickets.
Cricket Australia considered alternative events for the planned third day to satisfy ticket-holders and broadcasters, but these did not proceed.
Over 190,000 people attended the first two days, with day three also sold out.
Manchester City made a strategic change at halftime that allowed Tijani Reijnders to play more offensively, helping the team secure a 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest.
Key Facts
Manchester City played against Nottingham Forest.
The final score was Manchester City 2, Nottingham Forest 1.
Tijani Reijnders was central to the change in strategy.
The tactical change happened at halftime.
Alan Shearer analyzed Manchester City's strategic adjustment.
The analysis is part of the "Match of the Day" program.
The content discussed is not available in certain locations.
LSU coach Lane Kiffin discussed his former team, Ole Miss, which won their playoff game against Tulane without him. Ole Miss is now set to play against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Kiffin is focusing on his new role at LSU, aiming to make them strong competitors.
Key Facts
Lane Kiffin is the new head coach of the LSU Tigers.
Ole Miss beat Tulane 41-10 in the College Football Playoff, even though Kiffin left the team.
Kiffin spoke positively about Ole Miss's victory over Tulane.
Ole Miss will play Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day.
Kiffin had a 55-19 record as Ole Miss's head coach.
Kiffin faces the challenge of rebuilding LSU into a contending team.
The Green Bay Packers lost to the Baltimore Ravens and now face uncertainty for their playoff journey. The Packers are set to play away in the first weekend of the playoffs against either Chicago, Philadelphia, or an NFC West team. Malik Willis stood out by performing well for the Packers but had to leave the game with an injury.
Key Facts
The Packers lost to the Ravens in a home game.
Malik Willis played instead of Jordan Love, who had a concussion.
Willis made 288 passing yards and one touchdown but left due to a shoulder injury.
The Packers, now with a 9-6-1 record, must play the first playoff game on the road.
Their playoff opponent could be Chicago, Philadelphia, or an NFC West team.
The Packers will play their final regular season game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Liv Morgan, a WWE wrestler, has returned to the ring after being out for more than six months due to a shoulder injury. She competed in her first match at a WWE live event in Tampa, Florida, where she defeated Lyra Valkyria. Before her injury, Morgan was a WWE Women's Tag Team Champion with Raquel Rodriguez.
Key Facts
Liv Morgan returned to WWE competition at an event in Tampa, Florida.
Morgan had been out for over six months due to a shoulder injury.
Her last match before the injury was on June 16, 2025, against Kairi Sane.
Morgan defeated Lyra Valkyria in her comeback match.
Before her injury, Morgan was part of the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions.
Morgan made a surprise appearance at "WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2025."
In her absence from the ring, she participated in television segments.
Morgan is part of the WWE group called The Judgment Day.
Nigeria advanced to the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations after a 3-2 win against Tunisia. Victor Osimhen and teammates helped secure the victory, but Tunisia made it a close match with two late goals.
Key Facts
Nigeria beat Tunisia 3-2 in the Africa Cup of Nations to reach the knockout stage.
Victor Osimhen, Wilfred Ndidi, and Ademola Lookman scored for Nigeria.
Tunisia scored two late goals through Montassar Talbi and Ali Abdi.
Nigeria has six points, leading Group C; Tunisia has three points.
The match between Nigeria and Tunisia was the seventh AFCON meeting between the teams.
Nigeria led 3-0 at one point before Tunisia's late comeback attempt.
Victor Osimhen's goal opened the score after 44 minutes.
Tunisia scored their second goal from a penalty after a video review confirmed a handball.
The San Francisco 49ers won their game against the Indianapolis Colts with a score of 48-27. During the game, 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir received a fine for a late hit on Colts player Jonathan Taylor. The NFL penalized Lenoir $11,593 for unnecessary roughness.
Key Facts
The 49ers won against the Colts 48-27.
Quarterback Brock Purdy threw five touchdown passes, marking a career high.
Purdy is the first 49ers QB to throw five TDs on "Monday Night Football" and the first since 1995 to achieve this in any game.
Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir received a fine of $11,593 for a late hit against Jonathan Taylor.
The incident occurred in the third quarter after a no-gain run by Taylor.
Lenoir was flagged for unnecessary roughness when he tried to punch the ball loose after the play was over.
Aston Villa won 2-1 against Chelsea, continuing their strong performance in the Premier League. This victory highlights their coach Unai Emery's ability to turn games around, as they have gained the most points from losing positions this season. Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool also won their matches, keeping them in strong positions in the league.
Key Facts
Aston Villa beat Chelsea 2-1 in a Premier League match.
Villa has won 12 out of their last 13 league matches.
Villa has collected 18 points from losing positions this season.
Coach Unai Emery made tactical changes that helped Villa win the match.
Ollie Watkins scored two goals, aiding Villa's comeback.
Arsenal won 2-1 against Brighton to stay on top of the league.
Manchester City won 2-1 against Nottingham Forest.
Arsenal now has 42 points from 18 games, staying ahead of Manchester City, who has 40 points.
