標籤: Worst

Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway marks the midpoint of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season. With 12 points worth of NASCAR stats to analyze, now is the perfect time to give out some awards at this stage of the season.

Let’s take a look at our midseason NASCAR awards ahead of the Coca-Cola 600.

Best Driver: Tyler Reddick

Who else will receive this honor besides Tyler Reddick? Has the No. 45 team had any luck this season? Definitely. What can’t be denied is the results and how Redick consistently finds a way to finish at the front of the field. He starts (6.6 average starting position, first in the Cup Series) as strong as he finishes (5.7 average finishing position), and he has finished in the top five in 66.7 percent of his races with a top 10 finish in 75 percent of his races. With a 129-point lead at the end of May, Reddick seemed destined to win the regular season title.

Best Team: Joe Gibbs Racing

23XI Racing needs a little consideration here, but Joe Gibbs Racing has clearly been the best team in NASCAR so far. Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs have both won this season, and JGR is the only team with two drivers in the top six points leaders. Additionally, Hamlin (624) and teammate Christopher Bell (325) are first and third in laps, with Tye in 11th (78). While it’s been a relatively quiet season for Chase Briscoe in his first year with JGR, the driver of the No. 19 car ranks eighth in average finishing position (13.0) over the last six races with three top-10 finishes.

Biggest Surprise: Ty Gibbs

Ty Gibbs remains one of the least popular drivers in NASCAR, and during the year a lot of questions were asked about whether he would prove if he was really meant to drive the No. 54 car. Let us tell you that the results of this season speak volumes about the improvements made by the 23-year-old player. In 2025, Gibbs had five top-fives, 10 top-10s and recorded an average finishing position of 17.86. Through 12 races this season, he already has six top-five finishes and is on pace to break his career high (eight) in the Cup Series. Similarly, he has finished in the top-10 eight times and will look to surpass his previous season’s best points tally (12 in 2024). Additionally, Gibbs recorded his first Cup Series win, capping a seven-week stretch of top-10 finishes, which has dramatically improved his average finishing position in the Cup to the sixth-best mark (13.8).

Biggest Disappointment: Joey Logano

A year ago we would have put Kyle Busch on this list, but he avoids it this season because of how low the expectation level has now reached for Richard Childress Racing and the No. 8 team. So, Joey Logano is left as the biggest disappointment in the NASCAR Cup Series this season. Logano has had the same number of top-10 DNFs this season (three) with an average finishing position (22.417), which ranks 26th in the Cup Series, behind AJ Allmendinger (19.5), Zane Smith (19.9) and Erik Jones (20.0). Since Darlington, Logano’s average finishing position is 26.5, and he is third at Martinsville and seventh at Bristol. Logano has no chance to challenge for the championship this year, and the best-case scenario might be him finishing outside the top-10 in The Chase.

Best Pit Crew: No. 20 Team

A lot has gone wrong for Christopher Bell this season, some of which is out of his control. JGR and Bell are feeling pretty good right now about how amazing the No. 20 pit crew is. NASCAR.com rated them as the No. 1 pit crew entering the All-Star Race, and the numbers support it. Bell’s pit crew has the second-fastest average pit stop of the season (10.52 seconds), with the fastest average pit stop of the season (8.92 seconds). Additionally, according to PitCrewRank.com, only nine of 47 pit stops have taken 11.6 seconds or longer, tying the No. 20 crew for first in PCR (1,072).

Worst Pit Crew: No. 8 Team

Kyle Busch’s winning streak in the Cup Series has reached triple digits. The future Hall of Famer deserves much of the blame for what happened, with his struggle to adjust to the Next Gen car and his anger playing a role in the conflicts that led him to perform better. What can’t be ignored is how poorly the No. 8 pit crew has performed this season. Busch’s pit crew ranked 35th in PCR with a 12.22 average pit time. While Bell only required pit stops of 11.6-plus seconds 19.2 percent of the time, the No. 8 team required 12-plus seconds in 17 of 49 qualifying pit stops, or 34.7 percent of the time. We wouldn’t predict Busch winning a Cup race in the near future.

RELATED: Insiders reveal which team Kyle Busch could race for in 2027

Most Improved Driver: Carson Hocevar

Carson Hocevar is the next superstar NASCAR has been waiting for. The 23-year-old’s first career Cup Series win at Talladega and the celebration that followed was perhaps the best moment of the Cup Series this season. What’s really different with the driver of the No. 77 car is how he’s channeling his aggression and racing smarter, which results in more consistency in the end. Hocevar (14.6) currently leads William Byron (16.0), Kyle Larson (17.3), Chase Briscoe (17.5) and Christopher Bell (17.8) in average finishing position. He’s already set career highs for top-fives (three), and he’ll break personal bests for top-10s (nine) and laps led (131) in just a few weeks. Keep in mind, Hocevar is having all this success while overcoming bottom 10 pit crews.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

A new report suggests that Joel Embiid’s worst nightmare will come true as New York Knicks fans are set to come to Xfinity Mobile Arena for Games 3 and 4 of their series against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Yes, the Knicks haven’t won an NBA championship since the early 70s. And since that time, they have faced many difficult seasons. However, despite the poor treatment their fan base has endured over the past 40 years, there are no better, more loyal fans than Knicks fans – and they travel.

New York is one of the few teams where fans of the franchise can be found in almost every city, and in some places, they take over the field. Cities like Washington, DC, Miami, Atlanta and Philadelphia can be like second homes for Knicks players. That’s why Joel Embiid implored Sixers fans not to allow the NYC Fanatics to take over their home arena as they did during the playoffs two years ago.

Data shows huge number of tickets sold from New York for Games 3 and 4 of Knicks vs. 76ers

Well, it seems his appeal for domestic support didn’t work. According to third-party ticket seller TickPick, 59% of tickets purchased on their site for Game 3 have come from New York and New Jersey, while 22% have come from Pennsylvania. The data for Game 4 is even worse, with 66% coming from New York and New Jersey.

It should be noted that there is a large number of 76ers fans in New Jersey as Philadelphia is on the border of NJ and PA. Plus, it’s not strange to think that there are Philly fans in Gotham. However, it can also be said that the Knicks have a good number of fans in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Spectators won’t really know whether Knicks fans will take over Xfinity Mobile Arena for Games 3 and 4 until Friday and Sunday. However, based on these numbers, past history, and the 76ers being down 2-0 in the series, it doesn’t bode well for Embiid and his teammates this week.

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

To the dismay of Miami Dolphins fans, new starting quarterback Malik Willis has joined the list of worst MLB first pitch tosses of all time.

On the surface, throwing the first pitch in an MLB game should be pretty easy. This is something that many Americans were able to do easily as children. But this can be a panic-inducing situation. Not just because television cameras and thousands of people in the stadium are watching it. No, many people are now afraid of the terrible throw going viral.

However, generally, some of the worst first pitch throws fans have seen come from celebrities who did not become famous for their athletic prowess. Often, athletes are better prepared for the spotlight of the moment and are reliable at throwing a solid first pitch. Especially if they come from sports where they throw balls for a living.

That’s why it looked like Dolphins free agent Malik Willis would accomplish that goal by throwing out the first pitch before the Miami Marlins’ game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday. Well, he didn’t and joined 50 Cent, Conor McGregor, and Darth Vader for the worst first pitches of all time.

Not only did he not hit the target, but he dispatched it just as McGregor had embarrassingly done in a Chicago Cubs game five years earlier. For a player who is being paid $67.5 million for the next three years, Dolphins fans should be a little concerned about the guy who will be their starting QB in 2026.

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

Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, most analysts predicted that the Minnesota Vikings would select Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman with the 18th overall selection in the first round. Of course, the Vikings did not perform as expected, instead selecting Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks in the first round.

The Vikings did not address the safety position until the third round, and they selected nine players overall, the most since 2022. Nevertheless, many analysts felt that Minnesota’s first selection was a reach, given that Banks had multiple foot surgeries and was limited to only three games last season.

Banks was projected as a second-round selection, but the Vikings feel he has the talent to be worthy of a first-round selection. If healthy, they may be right.

Still others, prefer athleticDan Brugler feels like the Vikings had one of the worst draft classes in the NFL this year, finishing 29th out of 32 teams.

• DT Caleb Banks – 18th overall
• LB Jake Golde – 51st overall
• DT Domonique Orange – 82nd overall
• OT Caleb Tiernan – 97th overall
• S. Jacobe Thomas – 98th overall
• FB/TE Max Bredesen – 159th overall
• CB Charles Demings – 163rd overall
• RB Demand Claiborne – 198th overall
• IOL Gavin Gerhart – 235th overall

However, it was not all bad. Brugler said that Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golde was his “favorite choice”, believing he had a chance to make an immediate impact in the Vikings’ Brian Flores-led defense.

Brugler said fifth-round cornerback Charles Demings could “surprise” during his NFL career, adding that the prospect “leaves everything he has on the field.” Overall, Brugler felt Demings was a “worthy bet” for the fifth round.

Although he’s certainly a fan of Gould and Demings, Brugler clearly didn’t think much of the Vikings’ draft class as a whole.

RELATED: 4 Minnesota Vikings WR targets after the 2026 NFL Draft

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

liverpoolThe 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday evening didn’t just affect the scoreboard. In France, the post-match verdict was predictably brutal.

Several Liverpool players were given very low ratings by L’EquipeEven got a star slammed with 2/10.

Here’s how the French press analyzed a night not to forget for Arne Slott’s side.

Low ratings for many Liverpool stars

In first place is goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who is given a score of 5/10. Even though much of what he did was not unconventional or beautiful, it has been described as ‘effective’.

The newspaper argues that this was certainly an improvement on his sometimes erratic, and sometimes dangerous, delivery with his legs.

Jeremy Frimpong has a worse ranking. He got a score of 3/10 after a ‘complete off day’ in which he made ‘many technical errors’. Defensively, he was not much better, lapses in coverage were frequent but not fatal.

Milos Kerkez also gets a 3/10 score from the newspaper. They describe him as the ‘weak link’ in Liverpool’s defense who was clearly targeted by the Parisians.

Virgil van Dijk is next with a 5/10 rating. When it comes to the defender, L’Equipe say he is ‘far away’ from the world-class defender he once was.

However, they insist their performance was nothing to be embarrassed about.

Four for Szoboszlai

Dominic Szoboszlai is next with 4/10. L’Equipe say he ‘failed to live up to his potential’ as Liverpool’s best player this season.

Although he covered a lot of ground, saw a lot of the ball and performed well in some moments, his offensive impact was ‘non-existent’. They speculate that this is why Arne Slott later moved him to right-back.

Ryan Gravenburch gets a 5/10. He showed ‘a lot of carelessness’ in the first half and repeatedly let the ball go. He ‘transformed’ after the break and instigated several Liverpool attacks, but that revival came too late.

Florian Wirtz and Alexis McAllister are each given 4/10. Despite making a defensive contribution the German was described as ‘grossly inadequate’. Meanwhile, Mac Allister ‘made little impact’ on the game and was ‘found unwanted’ in the build-up to Ousmane Dembele’s opener.

Salah is the best, Isaac is the worst

Meanwhile, Mo Salah gets a 6/10 rating. He didn’t get everything right, but he received ‘undeniable credit’ for his persistent efforts to bring about change.

One such was a wicked cross with his first touch, while there was another through ball for Kerkes which the full-back could not take advantage of.

For Alexander Isaacs it is more painful to read. L’Equipe say he ‘completely disappeared’ from the game after the early start, missing good chances and managing only five touches. It gets 2/10. His replacement, Kodi Gakpo gets a 5/10 despite being ‘ultimately ineffective’.

More pain for Arne Slott

Arne Slott is no exception. He is given a score of 3/10, mainly for his ‘losing gamble’ of starting Isaac in the game.

The failure to use Mo Salah from the start also ‘raises questions’ as his impact on the game was almost immediate as a substitute.

They used Joe Gomez, who came on at half-time and was removed in the 67^th The minutes, too, were ‘not particularly convincing’.

As far as L’Equipe is concerned, the Dutchman did not give the impression that he has put his team in the best possible position to succeed.

After missing the playoffs, Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach knew he had to upgrade head coach Andy Reid’s roster this offseason. When free agency began, the Chiefs wasted no time in making an upgrade. Some also felt that the Chiefs made one of the best signings of the year. Not everyone agrees.

Recently, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport actually called Kenneth Walker III one of the worst free agency signings of the NFL’s offseason. His reasoning? Largely because the 25-year-old running back has yet to consistently prove he can handle a heavy workload.

“Throughout his four-year career, Walker has battled serious injuries,” Davenport wrote. “Last year was the first time he played all 17 games. While the 2022 second-round pick has posted two 1,000-yard seasons, he’s never had 230 carries in a season. He’s never played 600 snaps in a season. Walker is being paid like a bell-cow at running back. But to date, he hasn’t shown he can truly be one.”

The Chiefs signed Walker to a three-year contract worth more than $43 million this offseason. He is now the fourth-highest paid tailback in the NFL, just behind future Hall of Famer Derrick Henry, and just ahead of Breece Hall, who is set to play the season on the franchise tag.

While there is no doubt that Walker adds more talent to the Kansas City backfield that saw Isiah Pacheco sign in free agency with the Lions, time will tell if he lives up to his contract with the Chiefs. Still, if his addition helps the Chiefs become one of the NFL’s best teams capable of winning a Super Bowl, chances are they’ll feel like Walker is worth every penny.

RELATED: 2026 NFL mock draft: Trades that captured the first round of the NFL draft

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta has insisted that despite recent injury problems, he has not given up on his dreams of playing for France again.

Le Figaro Sport Report The Crystal Palace striker’s comments today after making a goalscoring return in the Conference League this week.

The 28-year-old scored from the spot in the 3-0 win over Fiorentina in the quarter-final first leg. It was his first goal in three months after an injury nightmare.

ac milan transfer disaster

He was close to a move to AC Milan in the January transfer window. A deal was agreed with Crystal Palace, before the Italian side withdrew at the last minute.

They discovered a problem with the striker’s knee, which required surgery to repair. This caused them to pull out of the deal and Jean-Philippe Mateta returned to Crystal Palace disappointed.

He has since undergone surgery and has spent the last three months recovering from the problem. Due to this, his international future before the World Cup is in doubt. He made his debut for France in October and has scored in his last two matches since then.

His form for Crystal Palace had him ready for the World Cup. This is now in doubt, but he insists he has not given up.

“It has been a very strange period, but you adapt,” he told Canal+. He also said that he has “worked hard” and “has been rewarded.”

Asked about the national team, he said, “It’s on my mind. That’s the only reason I don’t give up.”

france competition

The problem for the Crystal Palace striker is the intense competition for places in France’s forward line. He is competing with some of Europe’s elite for a spot at the World Cup this summer.

Their absence this year has already dropped them down the pecking order, and they now need a strong end to the season to climb back up the ladder.

Crystal Palace will certainly be hoping he can do so. A strong finish from them could benefit both sides massively.

Although it’s still relatively early in the 2026 NFL offseason, most of the biggest activities surrounding the National Football League that we’ll see this year have already happened. The 2026 NFL Draft will certainly offer some surprises of its own, but right now we’re looking back at some of the biggest shocking moves made so far.

Let’s take a look at our list of the worst NFL offseason moves so far in 2026.

indianapolis colts extension daniel jones

Placing the transition tag ($37.833 million) on quarterback Daniel Jones instead of the franchise tag ($43.895 million) was a smart move by the Indianapolis Colts. Jones is just a few months removed from surgery to repair a torn Achilles, and in a market where Kyler Murray (on a veteran’s minimum deal) and Malik Willis were available, quarterback-needy teams were basically going to overlook Jones on the open market. Indianapolis took a position of leverage and caved in, signing Jones to a two-year contract worth $88 million, which includes $50 million guaranteed at signing. This is a dual-threat quarterback whose game depends largely on his athleticism – which may never be the same after this injury. Let’s also keep in mind that he had a 6-5 TD-INT ratio, 84.2 passer rating and 1-4 record in his final five games of the 2025 season. Instead, a general manager in the hot seat was allowed to put even more money and proverbial chips on bad bets.

RELATED: NFL teams look ready to tank in 2026

The Cleveland Browns wildly overpaid Zion Johnson

This happens when you need to bring in a whole new offensive line in an offseason and you spend as much time as possible. The Cleveland Browns gave the largest annual average value ($16.5 million) to a guard in NFL free agency, signing Zion Johnson to a three-year deal with $32.39 million guaranteed upon signing. Except Johnson wasn’t the best defender on the open market. David Edwards, Elijah Vera-Tucker and Isaac Seumalo are all much-improved players and were the last two players signed after Cleveland reached a deal with Johnson. What is Cleveland getting in return for its $49.5 million investment? One of the worst starters on the Los Angeles Chargers offensive line over the past two seasons, a guard who is well below average in pass protection. What’s strange is that this deal is the second-worst contract given to an offensive lineman this offseason, which is the deal the Browns signed Elgton Jenkins to.

RELATED: Early winners, losers from the first week of NFL free agency

Las Vegas Raiders sign Kwati Pay

First of all, we can no longer ignore the added context of Max Crosby returning to the Las Vegas Raiders after the Baltimore Ravens backed out of the trade. Las Vegas is now paying two edge rushers averaging $51 million per season: one who may have some long-term concerns about his surgically repaired knee, and the other who is coming off an age-27 season where he tallied just 4 sacks in 721 defensive snaps. Crosby is still an All-Pro when healthy, but Drinks is actually more of a run defender who moves past the tackles a bit when attempting to rush the passer. The contract he got, $48 million over three years, looks even worse now that Crosby’s contract is back on the books.

READ MORE: Fantasy football winners, losers from NFL free agency

Dallas Cowboys give up fourth down for Rashaan Gary

Did the entire Dallas Cowboys front office go on a company retreat without access to the outside world a week ago? Rashaan Gary made it clear with his farewell post on social media that he will be released by the Green Bay Packers; Everyone around the league knew it was coming. Instead of waiting, Jerry Jones traded a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft to the Packers to get Gary off the team’s hands. As AcmePackingCompany.com’s Justice Mosqueda detailed in late December, Gary was the least productive starting edge rusher in the NFL last season. He was a non-factor following Micah Parsons’ injury, and had minimal appearances in the weeks before Parsons suffered an ACL tear. Dallas burned a fourth-round pick on an overrated pass rusher it could have signed.

Read more: The worst contracts from the first day of NFL free agency

Los Angeles Rams proved too aggressive on Trent McDuffie

We understand the Los Angeles Rams are doing everything they can, which means Les Snead is doing everything he can to try to win a second Super Bowl with Matthew Stafford next season. It also became clear the moment Los Angeles traded the 29th overall pick and a third-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft that a contract extension was coming for Trent McDuffie. Problem? This gave McDuffie’s camp all the leverage in negotiations and was used to execute a deal that makes him the highest-paid corner in NFL history ($31 million AAV). Except, McDuffie isn’t in that upper echelon of corners. He has historically struggled against big-bodied wide receivers and is coming off a career-worst season, allowing a 95.5 passer rating in coverage. That’s why the Kansas City Chiefs were willing to move on from him. Over time, we believe the Rams will realize they were too aggressive with this move.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

What is the worst contract in MLB? Major League Baseball teams aren’t as careless with their spending these days, so we aren’t seeing many contracts that prove disastrous just a few years into the deal. However, there is still no shortage of bad contracts in the league.

Let’s take a look at our list of the worst MLB contracts right now, going position by position, before Opening Day.

Catcher: Kibert Ruiz, Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals acquired catcher Kibert Ruiz as part of a package of prospects including Josiah Gray in a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers for Trey Turner and Max Scherzer. He looked promising after hitting .743 OPS and had a .257 batting average and .685 OPS in his first full season with the club. In March 2023, Washington signed Ruiz to an eight-year contract worth $50 million. After showing more promise in 2023 (.717 OPS), Ruiz has been one of the least productive catchers in baseball over the past two seasons. As of 2024-25, he ranks 33rd among qualified catchers in fWAR (-1.0), 30th in OPS (.618), and 48th in catcher framing runs (-12) over that two-season span. While Ruiz’s average annual value ($6.25 million) ranks 15th among catchers, the Nationals still owe him $36.875 million over the next five seasons.

RELATED: Best MLB Catchers 2026

First base: Christian Walker, Houston Astros

We praised the Houston Astros for their signing of Christian Walker a year ago. He most recently came off of three seasons with 281 RBI, 95 home runs and a .813 OPS, along with .242 runs batted in and 11.3 bWAR. It all fell apart in his age-34 season. Walker posted career lows in batting average (.238) and OBP (.297) throughout the season, as his OPS dropped to .717 and his strikeout rate (27.3 percent) was second among first basemen along with the fourth-lowest walk rate (6.3 percent). For good measure, they also had the second-worst defensive runs saved (-7). He is still owed $40 million for the next two seasons. We, along with the Astros, were wrong.

RELATED: Best MLB First Basemen 2026

Second base: Marcus Semien, New York Mets

How stretched has second base become in MLB? Marcus Semien is both a top-10 player at the position and also has the worst contract among his peers. Acquired by the New York Mets this winter, Semien is coming off a campaign where he won his second Gold Glove Award and ranked in the 92nd percentile for range (7 outs on average). The positives end there. In his age-34 season, Semien ranked in the 8th percentile of Baseball Savant for bat speed (68.4 mph) and the 17th percentile for hard-hit rate (35 percent). These numbers explain his .686 OPS and .234 batting average over the last two seasons. Still owed a total of $72 million over the next three seasons, this contract could look even worse if Father Time begins to take away his fielding ability.

RELATED: Best MLB Second Basemen 2026

Third base: Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves

In August 2022, the Atlanta Braves signed All-Star third baseman Austin Riley to a 10-year contract extension worth $212 million. It seemed like a pretty fair deal at the time, as he had just played in his first All-Star Game and was coming off a campaign with 33 home runs, 107 RBIs and a .898 OPS. He rewarded the organization for the long-term investment by having a .281 batting average, .861 OPS, 37 home runs and 6.0 bWAR in 2023. Things have gotten worse since then. Riley’s batting average (.281 to .256) and OPS (.861 to .783) both declined, and his strikeout rate increased. It got even worse last season, as evidenced by his lowest OPS (.737) in an entire season since becoming the starter. Riley ranks 12th among third basemen in fWAR (4.1) and 12th in OPS (.760) over the past two seasons. While this still makes him an above-average third baseman statistically, he has the fifth-highest AAV ($21.2 million) and the Braves have guaranteed him $154 million over the next seven seasons.

RELATED: Best MLB Third Basemen 2026

Shortstop: Xander Bogaerts, San Diego Padres

It didn’t take long for Xander Bogaerts’ contract to go sour. The San Diego Padres signed him to an 11-year, $280 million contract through December 2022. Over his last five seasons with the Boston Red Sox, Bogaerts posted a .300 batting average with an .880 OPS and he averaged 4.6 bWAR per season. Over the past two years, San Diego’s shortstop has a .263 batting average with a .705 OPS and 3.2 bWAR. Heading into his age-33 season, Bogaerts is still owed more than $204 million over the next eight seasons. The Padres are stuck on his contract until 2033, when Bogaerts will be 40, because no one is taking it.

RELATED: Best MLB Shortstops 2026

Outfield: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels

No one will feel bad for the Los Angeles Angels for having one of the worst MLB contracts in 2026. This isn’t just because it’s something they’re used to. This organization failed to build a playoff team around one of the best baseball players of our era; Mike Trout has not made the playoffs since 2014 and this was his only postseason appearance in his major-league career. Sadly, years of injuries took a serious toll on the future Hall of Famer. Trout has played in just 241 games over the last three seasons, and has a .827 OPS with a .242 batting average over that span. He’s still a very good hitter, as we saw last season with a .797 OPS and 26 home runs in 456 at-bats. Unfortunately, Trout can only really function as a designated hitter now and is years away from the caliber of player we saw from 2012-19 (1.009 OPS). Heading into the 2026 season, Trout is owed just over $185 million ($37.116 million AAV) over the next five years.

RELATED: Best MLB Center Fielders 2026; Best left fielder in MLB 2026;Best MLB Right Fielders 2026

Designated Hitter: Kris Bryant, Colorado Rockies

After a three-year period with a .446 winning percentage, the Colorado Rockies decided to sign Kris Bryant to a seven-year contract worth $182 million. This was a head-scratcher at the time as he was entering his 30s and coming off a two-year span with just a .796 OPS. It turned out to be worse than even the biggest skeptics had thought. Due to injuries, Bryant played only 170 games in his four seasons with the Rockies. The former NL MVP has managed to compile a .244 batting average with a .695 OPS, 17 home runs and 61 RBI during that span. Bryant’s body is breaking down and he may have to retire at some point, but it’s hard to walk away from that when he’s still owed $81 million for the next three seasons.

RELATED: Best Designated Hitter 2026

Starting Pitcher: Jose Berrios, Toronto Blue Jays

There were a few candidates at this spot — among them Eduardo Rodriguez and Yu Darvish — but the criteria of long-term money are the difference-makers when comparing the worst contracts in Major League Baseball. Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios, a two-time All-Star selection with the Minnesota Twins, is no longer at anywhere near the level he used to be. He has posted a 4.14 ERA with a 1.26 WHIP in 720 innings over the last four seasons. Most recently, he is coming off a two-year period where he had the sixth-worst WHIP (1.22) among starters who pitched over 350 innings. Given his performance last season – a 4.17 ERA and 1.3 WHIP – it’s hard to imagine any scenario where he would decline his player option next winter. That means Toronto will have to pay him $67 million over the next three seasons, while getting back-end starter production in return.

RELATED: Best MLB Pitchers 2026

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Carlos Soler joins West Ham from Paris Saint-Germain for the 2024/25 season. The move was covered extensively sports witnessAs soon as the player arrived at the London club on loan from the French capital.

The Spaniard left the Premier League side at the end of the campaign. Later, he joined Real Sociedad on a permanent deal and is having a much better time there.

He has played 21 times in La Liga, scoring three times and assisting twice, and has operated more impressively.

while solar seemed Happy With the West Ham thing, he has offered a different perspective on magic.

West Ham is too chaotic for solar

spoke to the midfielder catalunya brand Regarding his ongoing stay at Real Sociedad. He made it clear that after facing difficulties with the Hammers, he enjoys being a hero at La Real.

He said: “Since my last stint at Valencia I have been as much of a hero as I am now, because at PSG and at West Ham my role was secondary. I was only there for one season, and it coincided with one of the club’s worst seasons.”

Despite this, the Spain international believes that his stints at PSG and West Ham taught him a lot and helped him progress. He is in a better place now.

“But those two experiences have helped me grow, and now I can really enjoy myself. I’m in a great place in my life, and it helps me a lot to show the best version of myself.”

Solar in familiar area

Considering how Real Sociedad is run as a club, it is very similar to how Valencia once was. Working in such a team is nothing new for Soler and perhaps this will help him now.

At West Ham, he played 31 times in the Premier League and contributed two goals. He started most of the games but was used in a variety of positions.

Although the New England Patriots were defeated 29–13 by the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX, it does not put an end to their remarkable season. They improved from 4–13 and last place in the AFC East in 2024 to 14–3 in 2025 and became division champions and conference champions.

The Chicago Bears also moved from worst to first in the NFC North this season, going from 5-12 a year ago to 11-6 this season.

The bottom eight teams in their respective divisions are hoping to have similar success to what the Patriots and Bears achieved. Here is our ranking of the teams that have the best chances of moving from worst to first in their respective divisions next season.

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1. New York Giants (4-13)

The New York Giants have two things in common that propelled the Patriots and Bears from worst to first. They upgraded their head coaching position with the addition of John Harbaugh, and they have a talented quarterback who is entering his second year in Jackson Dart.

Often, quarterbacks make their biggest jumps from one year to the next, and with Malik Nabors coming back from a torn ACL, we should see a huge jump in Dart’s production. In addition to Dart and Nabors, the Giants have talented players such as Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, Dexter Lawrence and Andrew Thomas.

The NFC East is winnable as both the Eagles and Cowboys have taken a step back this season, and the Commanders have a roster that is starting to show their age at certain positions. Big Blue will add an impact player with the fifth overall selection in the draft, giving them the best chance of going from worst to first.

2. New Orleans Saints (6-11)

Although they finished in last place in the NFC South with a 6–11 record, they finished the year strong, winning four of their last five games, including wins over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the division winners, the Carolina Panthers. In his 11 starts, rookie quarterback Tyler Shaw showed steady improvement as the season progressed and had three games with a passer rating over 100.

Head coach Kellen Moore is entering his second year on the job, and he and Shaw will have better command of the team in 2026. The team will likely add an offensive playmaker with the eighth overall selection to help boost their offense, which was ranked 23rd.^third.

The best sign for the Saints’ chances of winning the division is that there is no dominant team in the NFC South, as the other three teams finished 8-9 this season.

3. Detroit Lions (9-8)

The Lions were perhaps the most disappointing team this year as they missed the playoffs after winning the NFC North the previous two seasons. Poor offensive line play, losing safety Brian Branch to a torn Achilles tendon, and losing five of their last eight games ultimately cost them their chance to make the playoffs.

The Lions have two of the best skill position players in the league in Jahmir Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown, but for whatever reason, the team doesn’t live up to expectations. It was clear that losing both of their coordinators played a big role in their regression.

If they replace some pieces on the offensive line and defense, they should contend for the division crown. However, they are in the most competitive division in the NFL as every team in the division had a winning record.

4. Cleveland Browns (5-12)

The Browns are hoping newly minted head coach Todd Monken can help turn the team’s fortunes around. The biggest positive for the Browns is that they have one of the best defenses in the league, led by reigning Defensive Player of the Year and single-season sack king Myles Garrett. The bad news is that they had the 30th ranked passing offense and 31st ranked passing offense.

The Browns have two selections (6 and 24) in the first round.^th Overall), which should result in two immediate impact players. What is good for Cleveland is that the two teams that dominate the division, the Steelers and Ravens, are going through coaching changes as Mike McCarthy is replacing Mike Tomlin, and Jesse Minter is replacing John Harbaugh.

If they can get better quarterback play from Shadure Sanders or whoever will be under center, it wouldn’t be a shock to see them at the top of the AFC North.

5. Tennessee Titans (3-14)

New head coach Robert Saleh has the task of rebuilding a Titans team that has gone 6-28 over the past two seasons. This will be Saleh’s second stint as an NFL head coach, and one thing we know from his background is that the Titans’ defense will be much improved.

Saleh hired former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll as the team’s new offensive coordinator and turned around an offense that was ranked 31st.^{scheduled tribe} In the league. Daboll’s top duty will be to help develop quarterback Cam Ward, in the same way he helped develop Josh Allen when he was offensive coordinator with the Bills.

Despite the experienced coaching staff, the Titans lacked talent compared to the rest of the division, which had two playoff teams in the Jaguars and Texans. No matter how much Ward improves in year two, it’s hard to see them breaking ahead of the rest of the AFC South next season.

6. New York Jets (3-14)

The first year of the Aaron Glenn regime was an epic disaster as the defense failed to record an interception for the entire season, and their quarterback situation was as shaky as any team in the league with Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor. The Jets ranked last in passing offense (140.3 yards per game), and right now, it’s anyone’s guess who will be under center in Week 1. Additionally, the Jets’ minus-203-point differential was the worst in the league.

The Jets currently have the second and 16th overall selections in the draft and they have a ton of options they can do with those selections. One positive for the Jets is that the other teams in the division have question marks of their own. Despite making it to Super Bowl LX, the first-place schedule will be tough for the New England Patriots after having one of the easiest schedules in the last quarter of a century. Both the Bills and Dolphins have new first-time NFL head coaches in Joe Brady and Jeff Hafley.

All that being said, it’s highly unlikely the Jets will be able to compete with the Patriots and Bills.

7. Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)

The Raiders have the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, where they are expected to take Heisman Trophy winner and national champion Fernando Mendoza from Indiana. The Raiders have arguably the best tight end in football in Brock Bowers, and rookie running back Ashton Jeanty showed promise despite running behind a poor offensive line.

But other than Bowers and Jeanty, there isn’t much positive going on with the silver and black. crime ended 32^Ra in the league, and the Pro Bowl defensive end has been the subject of trade rumors after the team placed him on IR at the end of 2025.

The biggest reason we don’t see the Raiders go from worst to first with rookie head coach Clint Kubiak is that this division is just too talented. The Broncos were the number one seed in the playoffs, and if Bo Nix had not been injured in a 33–30 divisional round victory over the Buffalo Bills, they probably would have been in the Super Bowl. The Chargers will be better off with Rashawn Slater and Joe Ault at starting tackle and the Chiefs will recover from missing the playoffs for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era when he returns to action. The Raiders will once again look to finish in the basement of the AFC West.

8. Arizona Cardinals (3-14)

It would take a major miracle for the Cardinals to go from worst to first in the NFC West in 2026. Not only did the other three teams, including the defending Super Bowl Champions Seattle Seahawks, make the playoffs, and a case can be made that the Seahawks, Rams, and 49ers are the three best teams in the NFC.

Rookie head coach Mike LaFleur has a lot on his plate as he takes over a team that lost 14 of its last 15 games in 2025, and it is rumored the team may try to move on from quarterback Kyler Murray this offseason. Trey McBride is one of the best tight ends in the NFL, but teams are still waiting for Marvin Harrison Jr. to show the talent he showed in college. This would be the longest shot for the Cardinals to win the NFC West next season and could miss the division for the second year in a row.

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If you’re trying to cut down on caffeine or alcohol (or both), you may have looked at TRIP Drinks in your search for a tasty swap.

There are eight different flavours in total, and you can choose from CBD drinks or Mindful Blend options, which contain a mix of Lion’s Mane mushroom and 120mg magnesium citrate.

TRIP Drinks variety pack 12 x 250ml on Amazon, £15.98 (was £22)

TRIP’s low-sugar, brain-boosting, and refreshing botanical blend has impressed a notable number of celebrity investors, including Joe Jonas, Paul Wesley, and Alessandro Ambrosio.

The Wild Strawberry Mindful Blend is also a TikTok Shop bestseller, so I was curious to taste-test the range for myself.

I was also intrigued to see whether the magnesium blends would help reduce tiredness and fatigue, which is often an issue in the colder and darker months of the year.

Usually costing around £2 per can, these are a good alternative to standard soft drinks, though they are slightly more expensive per can.

You can currently pick up a variety pack of 12 cans, which is reduced from £22 to £12.98 at Amazon (it works out at approx £1.09 per can).

Intrigued to see if they were worth the money, I jumped at the chance to try all eight flavours when TRIP Drinks provided a case of cans for a review. 

Here’s how I found the flavours, from best to worst.