On Thursday, New York Mets fans got several big updates regarding several top players who are currently dealing with injuries.

On Wednesday night, Mets fans gave their frustrated fans a reason to smile when rookies AJ Ewing and Carson Benz played key roles in New York’s come-from-behind victory over the Detroit Tigers in extra innings. Yet before his 10th inning celebration, top star Juan Soto fouled a ball off his ankle and had to be removed from the game in the 7th inning.

He was clearly in pain, and Mets fans feared that their already disappointing season could go into some dark places if Soto was sidelined for weeks or months. However, on Wednesday night the team revealed that X-rays were negative and he was listed as day-to-day.

Well, manager Carlos Mendoza gave an update on Thursday, and it’s great news for Mets fans as the $765 million man will be in the lineup for their game against the Tigers today.

Francisco Lindor’s calf is improving, but NY Mets return remains unclear

Yet Soto’s injury isn’t the only injury to a key player this week. During the Mets’ win on Tuesday, catcher Francisco Alvarez injured his right knee on a swing. It was discovered that he had a torn meniscus and he was placed on the injured list.

According to Mendoza (via MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo), Alvarez had surgery Thursday morning, and the club expects him to be sidelined for the majority of the original eight-week recovery diagnosis. That would put the catcher on track to return in mid-July.

There was also another big injury update from the Mets captain. Team leader Francisco Lindor has been sidelined since April 22 with a calf strain. Mendoza claimed the shortstop is “showing signs of recovery” after a recent MRI. However, he is not close to participating in baseball activities.

So the timeline for the return is unclear, but some previous estimates have suggested a mid-June return is possible.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Jake Paul has once again thrust himself into the center of the boxing spotlight after claiming he was ready to make $200 million for a fight against Canelo Alvarez. The statement comes just days after the YouTuber-turned-boxer openly questioned whether he would ever return to the ring after suffering a serious injury during his loss to Anthony Joshua.

Paul suffered a knockout loss in December and was later diagnosed with a double jaw fracture, a broken tooth and required multiple surgeries. Despite those concerns, Paul now says negotiations with Alvarez are moving forward.

The sudden change has brought renewed attention to the long-rumored Jake Paul vs. Canelo Alvarez fight, one of the biggest crossover matchups in boxing. Questions still remain about Paul’s recovery and whether this fight can realistically happen in the near future.

Jake Paul vs. Canelo Alvarez fight talks return after injury update

Jake Paul recently appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show to talk about the damage he suffered after losing to Anthony Joshua. Paul admitted that he had thought about retirement while recovering from the knockout loss.

Paul discussed his future in boxing, saying, “We’ll see what my doctors say.”

Due to the injury there is uncertainty as to whether Paul will continue to fight.

Despite this, Paul later posted a video on the Better Instagram account directly calling out Canelo Alvarez.

Paul said, “Canelo, I have $200 million for you, easy money. Jake vs. Canelo, let’s make it happen.”

He also described the potential fight as the biggest potential fight in boxing.

He said, “This is what the fans have been waiting for. This is probably the biggest fight to happen in boxing.”

The renewed talk of a Jake Paul vs. Canelo Alvarez fight gained immediate attention because of the timing. Paul recently spoke about the physical and mental impact of recovering from his injury.

Canelo Alvarez focuses on major boxing bouts

The idea of ​​a Jake Paul vs. Canelo Alvarez fight is not new. Earlier in 2025, reports claimed that discussions between the two parties had advanced towards a possible Cinco de Mayo event. Some outlets also suggested that a deal was close to completion before negotiations ultimately failed.

Scheduling issues, disagreements on the broadcast stage, and Alvarez’s commitments to other opponents reportedly prevented the fight from happening.

Alvarez remains one of boxing’s biggest stars and continues to focus on championship level opponents. The Mexican champion has recently been linked to a possible fight against Christian Mbili later this year.

A move towards a Jake Paul vs. Canelo Alvarez fight would attract significant global attention due to the financial value of the event. Paul claimed that private discussions had already taken place.

“Canelo said his phone was off. So, we’re going to make it happen,” Paul said.

He continued to push the proposed purse amount, saying, “I have $200 million. I think that will be the next fight. Sign the contract, Canelo.”

Jake Paul’s injury concerns still cloud Canelo Alvarez’s fight plans

Despite the latest claims, there is still uncertainty about Paul’s health. Medical experts have noted that recovery from a double jaw fracture can take a long time, especially after surgery. Some reports suggest that the return to full competition may not occur until 2027.

Paul has built a reputation for organizing major boxing events and generating large paydays through crossover bouts. That history has helped draw attention to the claims for the latest Jake Paul vs. Canelo Alvarez fight.

Nevertheless, there has been no official confirmation that a contract exists or that funding has been formally secured for the fight. Álvarez also focuses on title defenses and legacy fights within professional boxing.

For now, the Jake Paul vs. Canelo Alvarez fight remains only a possibility. But Paul’s latest comments have put the matchup back at the center of the boxing conversation, despite serious injury concerns about his future.

Dogley Wilberforce is a boxing writer for SportsNaught, covering fight news, fighter reactions and major bouts in the sport… More about Dogley Wilberforce

The Houston Astros have faced some tough situations recently. After finishing in first place at the beginning of the year, they are now in last place in the American League West with a 10–18 record. Despite a ridiculously good offense, their pitching has repeatedly lost them games.

In fact, their offense has been one of the best (if not the best). Best) in MLB. The club ranked sixth in home runs (35), fifth in batting average (.259), fourth in RBI (136), slugging percentage (.436) and OPS (.782), and third in on-base percentage (.346). It is a historic disappointment for Astros fans that such a good offense has barely managed 10 wins across the board.

But the crown jewel of that Houston offense – the one hope that fans can cling to – has been the performance of Yordan Alvarez. And, oh my god, has it been good.

Picture painted by metrics

Alvarez has had a great start to 2026. The 28-year-old slugger is in bad form, leading MLB in home runs with 11 through 28 games. In fact, Alvarez leads MLB in every important hitting statistic (expect second place in slugging percentage) with a .353/.464/.755 slash line and an earth-shattering 1.219 OPS.

The craziest part? Expected metrics are even better. His xwOBA (.556), xBA (.381) and xSLG (.871) are all in the 100th percentile of MLB hitters. This means Alvarez is performing worse than he should and is still the best offensive player in the league. Nobody can do what he is doing now.

Batting run value is a Statcast metric that specifies the run impact on each pitch, hit or plate appearance based on its outcome. A positive number indicates production above average while a negative number would indicate production below average. This is the total for the entire season.

For context, in 2022 when New York Yankee Aaron Judge broke the American League record for home runs with 62, he had a stellar +90 BRV. Alvarez is on pace to have a +118 BRV.

the ever present question of stability

Like most things in life, baseball is a game that more than anything else asks whether something is sustainable. In most cases, the answer is no. And the same thing is true here also to a great extent. Alvarez probably won’t keep up these ridiculous statistics.

Perhaps.

That being said, if he accomplishes what he’s on pace to do: 224 hits, 64 home runs and 150 RBI. Needless to mention, Alvarez is on pace for 139 walks (both intentional and not). Those are historical numbers. Apart from the fact that Álvarez would hold the American League home run record, no player in all of MLB history has ever had a stat line like this.

You’ll notice I didn’t answer the stability question. The main reason for this is to prevent the dream of being an offensive powerhouse like Alvarez from ending. It would be incredible to see a player lose like that, especially with how young he is. It’s easy to forget that the slugger is only 28 years old.

Whether or not he finishes the season with Houston is another question entirely. He has already been the subject of trade rumors with the San Diego Padres (a club searching for a high-impact bat) and, although the Astros would be crazy to trade him, the club is not looking so attractive. Started the year last in the AL West with a 10–18 record.

Who knows what the future holds for Alvarez? It’s impossible to predict the future — especially in baseball — but the Houston slugger certainly looks formidable to start the 2026 season. No matter how this ends up, Alvarez will be fun to watch.

It’s the same story, this time louder. David Benavidez is not holding back, and his latest comments aimed at Canelo Alvarez are easily his most direct to date. In a recent interview, the undefeated contender didn’t dance around it. He questioned Canelo’s desire to fight him and made it clear that he still viewed that matchup as unfinished business.

“He’s scared, he has no balls. That’s the thing. I give Canelo total respect… but I was the #1 contender in two weight classes for a long time.”

That tension has been building for years. Benavidez, now 30-0 with 24 knockouts, has consistently topped the super middleweight division. At one point, he held the WBC interim title and sat as a mandatory challenger, yet the fight never came to fruition.

“He’s shown he doesn’t want to fight me. It’s a real shame because it’s a fight everyone wants to see.”

David Benavidez vs. Canelo Alvarez: A fight that never came together

On paper this was the fight. Two Mexican stars. Same division. High stakes. Huge interest from fans.

But boxing rarely goes according to script.

Canelo Alvarez, now 35, has built his career around big names and calculated moves. He became a four-division world champion and one of the biggest pay-per-view draws in the sport. Nevertheless, Benavidez believes that despite earning his position he was constantly ignored.

The situation changed even further last year after Canelo lost his undisputed super middleweight title to Terence Crawford. That loss changed the division and, in some ways, changed the urgency of the Benavidez fight.

Now, with Canelo Alvarez planning a comeback later this year and reportedly knocking out both Benavidez and Dmitry Bivol, that long-awaited clash is looking less likely than ever.

Benavidez moves forward but doesn’t let go

This is where things get interesting. Benavidez isn’t waiting any longer, calling out Canelo Alvarez still.

He is going up.

The 28-year-old is set to face Gilberto Ramirez at cruiserweight on May 2, a serious step up to a heavier and more dangerous division. It’s not just a fight to stay busy, either. Ramirez holds the major titles, and a win would immediately legitimize Benavidez at 200 pounds.

Benavidez even claimed that he tried to make the Canelo fight a financial success, saying that he had offered $150 million which went nowhere. Whether those numbers hold up or not, it shows just how far he was willing to go to secure the fight.

Still the tone did not change.

“I have 100% confidence in myself and my skills. If he says he’s the baddest man on the planet, why not give the fans what they want to see?”

the window might be closing

At this point, it seems like one of those feuds that remains more in debate than reality.

Benavidez is moving to a different weight class. Canelo Alvarez is choosing his path carefully. The time that once made this fight right is beginning to slip away.

Promoters know this. The fans definitely feel it.

And if Benavidez wins at cruiserweight, the conversation could completely change. He will no longer pursue Canelo. He might be making something new.

Still, this rivalry won’t be completely over until both fighters battle it out. Too much history. Too much conversation. And honestly, a lot of people still want to see it happen.

Dogley Wilberforce is a boxing writer for SportsNaught, covering fight news, fighter reactions and major bouts in the sport… More about Dogley Wilberforce

本·沙洛姆仍然相信小克里斯·尤班克將有機會面對卡內洛·阿爾瓦雷斯。

去年，小尤班克 (Eubank Jr) 和阿爾瓦雷斯 (Alvarez) 有望展開一場 168 磅世界冠軍爭奪戰。

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但兩人都遭遇了各自的失敗，小尤班克在與康納·本的複賽中被淘汰，墨西哥人將冠軍頭銜輸給了特倫斯·克勞福德。

這位英國人還受到健康問題的困擾，從他在醫院接受治療的視頻中可以看出，他在與本的兩次戰鬥中接受了治療。

這最初讓他的未來陷入了懷疑，但隨後有消息透露，這位 36 歲的拳擊手的目標是在完全康復後重返超中量級拳擊比賽。

在關於小尤班克未來的最新消息中，他的發起人沙洛姆認為，與墨西哥人的攤牌仍然存在。

他解釋說：“他本來會 [fought Canelo if he beat Benn]。

“拳擊的運作方式很有趣，但如果他擊敗了康納·本，那場比賽就注定了。

“所以，輸掉比賽是一件大事，但我仍然相信戰鬥將會發生。我真的相信。我認為這是一場 [good fight]。

“你永遠不知道，你永遠不知道。它可能會起作用 [as next fight]。我們專注於下一場戰鬥。

2025 年對於卡內洛·阿爾瓦雷斯 (Canelo Alvarez) 的遺產來說並不是偉大的一年，但對於他的銀行餘額來說卻是偉大的一年。

這位墨西哥巨星去年的收入高達 1.37 億美元，在 Sportico 收入最高的運動員排行榜上名列第二。

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只有阿爾納賽爾的克里斯蒂亞諾·羅納爾多（2.6 億美元）創造了更多的收入，而萊昂內爾·梅西（1.3 億美元）、勒布朗·詹姆斯（1.287 億美元）和卡里姆·本澤馬（1.15 億美元）都被阿爾瓦雷斯的天文數字收入擊敗。

阿爾瓦雷斯的 1.25 億美元現金直接來自他的拳擊錢包，另外還注入了 1200 萬美元的代言資金。

阿爾瓦雷斯去年參加了兩次拳擊比賽，取得一勝一負。

這位 35 歲的選手在一場低輸出比賽中一致判定擊敗威廉·斯卡爾 (William Scull)，拉開了 2025 年的序幕，創下了 12 回合比賽中出拳次數最少的紀錄。

隨後，他在九月與特倫斯·克勞福德進行了一場超級大戰，但他在積分上令人信服地輸掉了這場比賽。

一些報導稱阿爾瓦雷斯在 Netflix 與克勞福德的對決中獲得了高達 1.5 億美元的報酬，但從 Sportico 的數據來看，這些數字是不正確的。

2025 年收入最高的運動員中還有哪些拳擊手？

阿爾瓦雷斯並不是唯一進入 Sportico 前 100 名的拳擊手。

克勞福德與洛杉磯道奇隊投手布萊克·斯內爾一起排名第 21 位。