Mets 2025 first-half report card: Star power carrying Amazin's in tight NL East race
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A Mets team that just over a month ago appeared capable of rolling through the NL East lost its mojo.
Lack of production with runners in scoring position and injuries have been the biggest factors in a 10-18 nosedive that began on June 13.
Even so, the Mets will begin the post-All Star break on Friday only a half-game behind the first place Phillies in the NL East.
Before we resume the pennant races, a look at the Mets' pre-All Star break grades.
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25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Linney opens Carlisle United account in victory over AFC Fylde
AFC Fylde 0 Carlisle United 2: Regan Linney opened his Carlisle account and Luke Armstrong was also on target in a pre-season win at AFC Fylde. The forwards both struck in the first half as Mark Hughes' side claimed their first victory of the summer. Armstrong drilled United in front on 12 minutes before summer signing Linney fired his first Blues goal on the half-hour mark. Sub Georgie Kelly came close to a third while Gabe Breeze made some good saves to keep a clean sheet at the other end. Carlisle were more impressive in the first half than the second at Mill Farm with forwards Armstrong and ex-Altrincham man Linney to the fore, while teenage defender Hayden Atkinson impressed at the back. Hughes gave his outfield starters an hour before making ten substitutions, with keeper Breeze playing the full game and Josh Grant making his first Blues appearance. United's line-up for the game at Mill Farm included two summer signings in Linney and David Ajiboye, while youth team defender Atkinson got a start alongside Terell Thomas in defence. Kelly was in the squad for the first time in pre-season while new boy Josh Grant was also on the bench. Not involved again, though, were Morgan Feeney and Jordan Jones, with Stephen Wearne among other absentees. Latest signing Bevis Mugabi was with the squad at Fylde but not involved in the game. Bevis Mugabi watches his new team-mates at Fylde (Image: Ben Holmes) National League North side Fylde were captained by ex-Carlisle defender Corey Whelan, with a host of trialists in the home squad. Thomas captained United, who started well, with an attacking trio of Linney, Armstrong and Ajiboye on the front foot and the Blues backed by a strong and vocal travelling support at Mill Farm. Linney had an early chance when Josh Williams and Ajiboye combined to send Armstrong down the right, the striker taking on Corey Whelan before crossing low, and home keeper Zac Jones saving Linney's first-time finish as the summer signing cut in front of his man. Carlisle's bright start continued and, after Jack Morris's positive run for Fylde was denied, United scored. First, United forced a mistake from the home defence before Williams' throw was glanced inside by Ajiboye to Armstrong, who showed strength and determination to get away from his man and shoot low across keeper Jones and in off the far post. Luke Armstrong drills home the opener (Image: Ben Holmes) It was an impressive opening to Armstrong's pre-season account. Carlisle had some defending to do as Fylde played some neat football, but United survived a number of crosses and set-pieces. United then grew back into things as an attacking force, with Linney denied at the near post by Jones before doubling the Blues' lead on the half-hour. Elliot Embleton fed Linney with a lovely cross-field ball, with Linney then controlling, running at the defence and eventually driving it low into the net. Regan Linney scored United's second (Image: Ben Holmes) Carlisle almost ambushed Fylde for another soon afterwards, Ajiboye onside as a lofted ball found him, but Lincoln McFayden getting back to deny him. Callum Whelan then saw a shot blocked as United continued to test their hosts, but Fylde almost got one back when Ethan Mitchell's shot was tipped wide by Breeze before half-time. While Hughes made no changes at the break, Fylde boss Craig Mahon made five, with four more trialists introduced for the second half. Teenage defender Atkinson did well to see off a dangerous home attack early in the second half, and Breeze then superbly denied a trialist home sub, leaping to tip over a goalbound shot after the hosts had won it back from Williams as Carlisle tried to play out. Hughes then changes United's entire outfield line-up on the hour mark, with Josh Grant on for his first appearance among the ten changes, and Kelly on for his first summer outing. Junior Luamba almost created something on the counter-attack after another Breeze save, and then Kelly headed an Archie Davies free-kick just wide. At the other end, Breeze showed sharp reflexes to deny Fylde's trialist sub frontman when he looked set to score at the near post. Freddie O'Donoghue almost pounced on a slip from Fylde's sub trialist keeper late on, before Cedwyn Scott was hurt in a challenge and had to go off three minutes from time, youngster Atkinson coming back on. AFC Fylde: Jones (Trialist 46), Mitchell (Trialist 61), Corey Whelan (Hailwood 61), McFayden (Trialist 61), Wilson (Jackson 61), Morris (Holder 61), Trialist (Trialist 46), Ormerod (Mohammed 46), Trialist (Trialist 46), O'Kane, Meadowcroft (Trialist 46). Not used: Hailwood, Holder, Jackson, Mohammed, Trialist. Booked: Trialist. United: Breeze, Williams (Davies 61), Harper (Murray 61), Thomas (Hayden 61), Atkinson (Ellis 61), Callum Whelan (Lowes 61), Robson (Grant 61), Embleton (O'Donoghue 61), Ajiboye (Scott 61, Atkinson 88), Linney (Kelly 61), Armstrong (Luamba 61). Not used: Lewis. Goals: Armstrong 12, Linney 30. Ref: John Mulligan. Crowd: 1,077.
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
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Match Report: Manchester United 0-0 Leeds United
Manchester United were held to a goalless draw with Leeds United at the Friends Arena in Solna, Sweden to kick off their pre-season tour. Fielding two entirely different teams in each half, Man United manager Ruben Amorim learned a harsh truth, namely that his first-half lineup appeared far more confident on the ball, thereby controlling the game better and allowing the Leeds attack far less leeway. Clearly, he has plenty of work still to do on the training pitch with a large portion of his squad. First half Two minutes in, Leeds almost caught Man United off guard with a close-range shot that Noussair Mazraoui did well to head out of danger. Matheus Cunha looked sharp on his United debut, using some fancy footwork to dribble past Ethan Ampadu and win a free-kick due to a subsequent foul. While both Cunha and fellow debutante Diego Leon appeared energetic, the team looked fairly lethargic for much of the first half-hour, showing a slow attacking tempo. About 30 minutes in, United looked threatening as Chido Obi dribbled to the edge of the box to force a save from the goalkeeper. It was a decent pass Five minutes later, Toby Collyer found Amad Diallo on the right, whose shot drifted wide. Three minutes from the break, Chido Obi crafted a decent scoring opportunity, receiving the ball within the box and swivelling to shoot. Unfortunately, his shot drifted inches wide of the post. The youngster exhibited great awareness throughout the first half. Just after the 45-minute mark, Casemiro made an intelligent cross from the right side of the box. His cross was deflected onto the crossbar, with the referee blowing the half-time whistle seconds later. While it was a slow-paced start to the match, Cunha, Leon, and Obi all looked sharp from the outset, providing some optimism at the start of United's pre-season tour. Second half United took to the field with an entirely fresh lineup in the second half, thereby enabling as many players to get time on the pitch as possible. Ruben Amorim's men looked firmly in control during the opening minutes of the second half, although they didn't yet appear threatening in the final third. In the 55th minute, Leeds launched a sporadic attack, with Jayden Bogle taking a blistering shot from close range that Tom Heaton superbly saved. The subsequent corner was threatening, with Ao Tanaka blasting his shot wide. Near the hour mark, Rasmus Hojlund received the ball on the edge of the box, attempting a back-heeled pass which was cut out. While the Dane was brought down in the box, no foul was given. Leeds then countered, with Heaton doing well to stop the attack in its tracks. The referee then blew the whistle for offside. Just minutes later, Leeds were at it again, with Largie Ramazani taking a shot from the left that Heaton did well to block with a diving save. The goalkeeper was enjoying a fantastic performance. In the 74th minute, Harry Maguire was replaced by Tyler Fredericson. Straight after the restart, Ramazani was at it again, cutting into the box from the left flank. Yet again, Heaton was on high alert, catching his shot. 13 minutes from time, United sparked to life, attacking with intent to win a corner. Mount's cross was subsequently caught by an alert goalkeeper. With 10 minutes to play, Jack Fletcher came on for Bendito Mantato. Patrick Dorgu was brought down in the box, triggering calls for a penalty from the crowd. The wing-back refused to give up, however, returning to his feet and taking a blistering shot to force a save by the keeper at the near post. Three minutes from time, United came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock. A United corner resulted in a goalmouth scramble, with Mainoo heading the ball into the frame of the goal. Ayden Heaven did well to pounce on the rebound, with the goalkeeper denying his effort barely inches away from the goal line. At the end of three minutes of added time, the referee blew the full-time whistle. While there were signs of promise from several United stars, it's clear that Amorim has plenty of work to do to get his team into the swing of things ahead of next season. Starting XI: Bayindir, Mazraoui, De Ligt, Fernandes, Cunha, Amad, Casemiro, Shaw, Leon, Obi, Collyer Subs: Heaton, Dalot, Heaven, Maguire, Dorgu, Mainoo, Mantano, Mount, Ugarte, Hojlund, Yoro Follow us on Bluesky: @
Fox News
27 minutes ago
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Caitlin Clark's Fever teammate Kelsey Mitchell weighs in on fan treatment of Angel Reese
Indiana Fever player Kelsey Mitchell spoke about the perceived treatment of Chicago Sky star Angel Reese by fans. While speaking to reporters at the WNBA All-Star game, a reporter asked Mitchell her thoughts on the "negativity" directed toward Reese, "as a Black woman." "I think it's important to make sure that we keep it less about color and more about just human to human," Mitchell answered. "I think if you just have decency and common decency about what we do as women on the floor, you know that Angel Reese is a bad woman on and off the floor. And we as women have to represent that." When asked what Mitchell would say to the fans who direct negativity at Reese, Mitchell said, "God bless you." "I hope your spirit is in heal a stage to where you don't have to make these comments cuz it's really bashful. Um we as women. We come on here and we try to compete and connect and use hoop to, you know, express ourselves," Mitchell said. "Like it's not always going to go our way and the people that bet on us and the people the nasty comments that we get about the people we do and don't play with, it's like it's disrespectful to what we trying to do, like give us the benefit of the doubt and I hope that people see us as humans." Reese is one of the league's more popular and polarizing players, and has built a passionate following largely on her ongoing rivalry with phenom Caitlin Clark dating back to their college days. Clark's and Reese's rookie season in 2024 saw the league break multiple viewership and attendance records, particularly due to games featuring Clark and the Indiana Fever. Reese was criticized for a gesture at the end of the 2023 NCAA women's basketball championship game where she pointed to her ring finger to taunt Clark after Reese's team won. The moment boosted Reese's public profile and incited polarizing attention, with many of Clark fans hurling criticisms at Reese online. However, one instance of alleged mistreatment of Reese was investigated and not substantiated. After a reported incident of fan harassment against Reese during the Fever and Sky's first game of the season on May 17, the WNBA launched an investigation into the matter. But the league announced 10 days later that the allegations of "hateful comments" were "not substantiated." "We appreciate the swift and thorough process undertaken by the WNBA to investigate these allegations, which were not substantiated," the Fever said in a statement. "At Gainbridge Fieldhouse, we are committed to providing the best possible basketball experience for players and fans where hate speech has absolutely no place. Indiana is home to the world's greatest fans, and we look forward to an exciting season of Fever basketball." Added the WNBA, "Based on information gathered to date, including from relevant fans, team and arena staff, as well as audio and video review of the game, we have not substantiated [the report]. The WNBA is committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for everyone and will continue to be vigilant in enforcing our fan code of conduct." U.S. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind, called on the WNBA and the Fever to apologize to Fever fans after that investigation found no evidence. "(Reese) accused the Indiana Fever fan base of being racists. They investigated it. They said those accusations were false. The least that she could do is apologize to our great state and the fans that show up at these games and say, 'I'm sorry, I was wrong.' Obviously, she's not going to do that," Banks said Tuesday during an appearance on OutKick's "Don't @ Me with Dan Dakich." "Those are awful accusations. They weren't true. The fans weren't shouting racial slurs towards Angel Reese or opposing players. I mean, where is Caitlin Clark? Where is the Indiana Fever? Where is the WNBA saying that that investigation? There shouldn't have been an investigation. The allegations were false. Where's the apology? It's disappointing." It is unclear whether Reese notified the WNBA to prompt the investigation. Sky head coach Tyler Marsh found out about the reports "when everyone else did." However, Reese has said in the past that Fever and Iowa fans have been racist toward her. "It's so demeaning to our state and to the fan base to go through something like that. The least they can do is apologize to the fans," Banks added. "That's the kind of garbage that gets thrown around all the time." Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
