West Bromwich Albion will want to break free of their promotion nearly-men title come the end of the current Championship campaign.

The Hawthorns hierarchy certainly went in a bold, fresh direction this summer in attempting to reinvigorate proceedings in the West Midlands, with the appointment of Ryan Mason taking many by surprise, considering Tony Mowbray – who is a tried and tested figure in the EFL – was the Baggies’ previous manager before the 34-year-old took on the reins.

The West Brom novice has shone in spurts since taking on the daunting gig, with four wins already collected from nine second-tier clashes, but a 3-0 loss suffered away at Millwall just before the international break has shoved his inconsistent side down to seventh spot in the early league standings.

Thankfully, Mason does have a lot of quality at his disposal as he tries to pick his team back off the floor after the international break, with both Josh Maja and Isaac Price clear bright sparks in attack.

Maja and Price's start the season

Despite being riddled with injuries most of 2025 to date, Maja is now up and running under Mason when he instinctively fired home this poacher’s effort against Norwich City at the start of the month.

With another 12 league strikes next to the ex-Sunderland centre-forward’s name at the Hawthorns already, it goes without saying really that if West Brom do want to finally break out of the EFL’s elite league, they will need their number nine to be – most importantly – fit, but also firing on all cylinders for the rest of the long campaign.

Price will also be keen to shine alongside the 26-year-old in attack, having already collected four goal contributions this season, with two whirlwind strikes from the number 21 against Wrexham towards the start of the season, clinching a big 3-1 win for the visitors to Wales.

He has since seen his goals and assists dry up, but Mason will believe he can get back to his best, with the Northern Ireland international perhaps picking up goal contributions aplenty again, partnered next to a lethal Maja.

Yet, despite the electric Baggies duo amassing four goals between them this season so far, there is one former West Brom attacker who is actually outscoring both the Nigerian striker and the ex-Everton man, who was allowed to exit the West Midlands giants last year for just £2.25m.

The "shining light" now outscoring Maja & Price

West Brom have had their fair share of promotion near misses in recent years, with the Baggies usually falling just short of what is required of them in the intense lottery of the playoffs.

With Carlos Corberan at the helm, West Brom finished in a respectable fifth position come the end of the gruelling 2023/24 campaign. Despite their best efforts, they would come unstuck in the semi-final stages to eventual playoff winners Southampton, with Brandon Thomas Asante left to rue his luck.

Come the end of that competitive season, Thomas Asante would stick out as West Brom’s top goalscorer, as seen in the left-footed menace bagging 11 goals from 39 outings.

However, there would have still been grumbles surrounding the Ghanaian’s wastefulness that same season, with a whopping 18 big chances also missed, on top of his goal conversion percentage only coming in at 15%.

Therefore, when West Brom were met with a £2.25m bid from Coventry last summer, the Baggies clearly felt they had got the maximum out of their former “shining example”, as he was once labelled by Steve Bruce during the early days of his 78-game stint at the Hawthorns.

They were very much wrong, though, with the “outstanding” Sky Blues marksman – as his new manager Frank Lampard has labelled him – already up to a jaw-dropping eight goal contributions from eight second-tier contests this season, with five of those being clinical goals that have helped bump his side’s overall goal count number in the division to a remarkable 27 strikes.

Clearly, Lampard is the manager Thomas Asante has been dreaming of working with, with the ex-Derby County boss playing him down the wings, too, to devastating effect, as opposed to the isolated figure he sometimes cut at West Brom when lining up regularly as a lone centre-forward presence.

The proof will soon be in the pudding as to whether the red-hot 26-year-old can keep up this sterling form across the full 46-game campaign, as Thomas Asante continues to battle against his former club in the promotion hunt, and both Maja and Price in the goal charts.

West Brom star who has "everything" looks like their new Tom Fellows

Ryan Mason could now have his very own Ryan Fellows in this exciting West Bromwich Albion star.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 7, 2025

One of the most trusted players Manchester City have had under Pep Guardiola over the years was Fernandinho. The Brazilian veteran, who is now 40 years of age, was a stalwart for City, playing 383 games for the club and winning five Premier League titles.

Of course, a lot of that success came under City’s legendary manager, Guardiola. The Brazilian played 244 games under his tutelage, skippering the side on multiple occasions and even chipping in with 12 goals and 17 assists.

Towards the end of his time at the Etihad Stadium, Fernandinho saw a drastic change in his position.

Fernandinho’s change of position at Man City

Of course, for much of his career, Fernandinho was a midfielder. In a City shirt, the former City captain tended to operate as a number six, although he did play in more advanced roles.

With that being said, 232 games came at the base of the midfield.

However, Guardiola did alter his role in the side, with the 53-cap Brazil star becoming a centre-back. That coincided with an injury for Aymeric Laporte, with City needing a dependable man at the back in his absence. In total, Fernandinho played 45 times there for City, becoming a trusted figure at the back.

Back in 2020, he spoke to Sky Sports about converting to a centre-back. He explained that “it was a little bit strange adapting” to his new role at first, due to the space in behind the back line, but eventually he “was able to do it.”

He gave a lot the credit to Guardiola for his impressive transition from midfield to defence.

He said the Spaniard “gives you the information you need about the opponent and of course about yourself,” which certainly assisted the move to defence.

Fernandinho is not the only City star who has benefited from Guardiola’s close man-management, especially when it comes to operating in a new position.

Pep’s modern-day Fernandinho

One of the real standout things about Guardiola as a manager is how adaptable he is. That could be flexibility during a game, switching up his system and showing great innovation, or asking a player to operate in a new position.

Well, someone who has reaped the benefit of that sort of adaptability is Matheus Nunes. The Portuguese international is a midfielder by trade, like Fernandinho. However, he has played plenty of times at right-back under Guardiola.

He has truly played everywhere in a City shirt, having just reached a century of games. In the 101 appearances he has made so far, 27 of those have come at right-back, more than anywhere else.

Nunes has been more productive there than in any other position on the pitch, too. He’s scored twice and assisted five from right-sided full-back. He offers a real threat, making runs into the penalty box, as this strike against Burnley earlier in the season showed.

The Portugal international, who has 16 caps for his nation, is a player whom Guardiola thinks highly of. Back in 2023, City’s manager described him as “one of the best players in the world,” which is huge praise indeed.

Well, the stats certainly show just how good a full-back Nunes has turned into. Last season, he was among the best attacking full-backs in the Premier League, for example, averaging 1.24 key passes per 90 minutes, which ranked him in the top 25% of Premier League full-backs.

Key passes

1.24

75th

Passes into penalty area

1.4

90th

Assists

0.32

99th

Progressive carries

3.39

94th

Long passes completion %

65.4%

93rd

This is surely a move that you can put down as a success. Guardiola has certainly reinvented Nunes’ career with the positional change, making him a formidable right-back who can offer another presence in midfield and a goal threat.

Guardiola has a knack for successfully converting players’ positions, be it in a time of need or for a tactical shift, just as he did with Fernandinho. Nunes is certainly the latest success story.

Man City ace is "the best in the world" & Pep's finest signing since Haaland

The Manchester City star could be Pep Guardiola’s best signing since Erling Haaland.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 20, 2025

Rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler put the Yankees on his back on Thursday night, pitching eight shutout innings against the rival—and his hometown—Red Sox to help New York advance to the American League Division Series for a second consecutive season.

Over eight frames, the 24-year-old allowed just five hits, no walks, and struck out 12 Boston batters on 107 pitches—and also made some pretty impressive MLB history in the process.

As relayed by ESPN's Jeff Passan on X (formerly Twitter), Schlittler is the first pitcher in baseball history to go eight innings with no walks and 12 strikeouts in a postseason game.

Factor in that it was the rookie's first-ever postseason appearance, against the team he grew up rooting for—Schlittler is a Walpole, Mass. native—and it made the night that much more special.

MLB World Reacts to Cam Schlittler's Dominant Performance vs. Red Sox

The MLB reacted justly to Schlittler's incredible performance against the Red Sox on Thursday night. Here's a look at some of the best posts across X (formerly Twitter):

The Yankees will now take on the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS. Game 1 from Rogers Centre is set for Saturday, Oct. 4 at 4:08 p.m. ET.

MatériaMais Notícias

Richarlison está de volta à Seleção Brasileira. O atacante do Tottenham concedeu entrevista coletiva nesta terça-feira (19), em Londres, na Inglaterra, onde o Brasil enfrenta os donos da casa no próximo sábado (23). Nesta semana, a comissão técnica da Amarelinha voltou a contar com uma psicóloga após 10 anos, e o jogador falou sobre como cuidar da saúde mental o ajudou a sair da má fase e até salvar sua vida.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

– Minha fala foi muito importante até para o pessoal da Seleção. Quando cheguei aqui já vi a psicóloga, nunca teve isso antes aqui. Foi importante. E o carinho que recebi das pessoas, a gente sabe o preconceito que tem quando a pessoa fala que está procurando ajuda, eu mesmo tinha esse preconceito, graças a Deus não tenho mais – declarou Richarlison.

– Como jogador da Seleção, que tem voz ativa, falo para as pessoas procurar mesmo porque ajuda. Posso falar porque salvou minha vida. Salvou minha vida de uma hora para a outra, estava no fundo do poço mesmo, sabe? É importante a seleção ter um psicólogo para ajudar os atletas. Só a gente sabe a pressão que sofre, não só dentro, mas também fora de campo. Eu mesmo sofri mais fora de campo. É importante ter um psicólogo perto da gente – completou o atacante.

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➡️ Seleção Brasileira sofre desvalorização e é a quarta mais valiosa da data Fifa; veja ranking

Após a Copa do Mundo de 2022, Richarlison não viveu seu melhor momento no futebol e foi muito criticado pelas atuações durante a maior parte de 2023, tanto por clube quanto por Seleção. Além disso, o atacante rompeu com o empresário Renato Velasco, que o acompanhava desde o início da carreira.

– Meu maior problema naquele momento não era dentro de campo, era fora de campo, pessoas que estavam ao redor e acabaram me decepcionando. Mesmo morando na minha casa há sete anos, essa foi minha maior decepção. Graças a Deus, já passou. Estou vivendo um lindo momento e quero construir minha história de novo – afirmou o centroavante.

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O Pombo ficou fora da última convocação da Seleção Brasileira, ainda com Fernando Diniz, para partidas contra Colômbia e Argentina, em novembro do ano passado. De volta à equipe, o atacante se disse mais forte mentalmente e fisicamente, após ter lidado com lesões e cirurgia.

– Eu passei meses de dificuldade por dores no meu púbis, muitos aqui na seleção viram, eu nem conseguia chutar a bola para o gol direito. Graças a Deus eu fiz essa operação, operei os dois lados do púbis, hoje me sinto 100%, voltei voando na Premier League, ajudando meu clube. Meses atrás, quando não fui convocado para a Seleção, falei numa entrevista que voltaria para a Seleção, trabalhei muito durante esses dias, hoje estou aqui feliz e consegui dar a volta por cima.

Confira outras declarações de Richarlison na entrevista coletiva da Seleção Brasileira:

– Como todos podem ver na minha rede social, nas minhas fotos só pode comentar quem é próximo de mim. Depois da Copa a perseguição veio muito. Hoje quem pode comentar nas minhas fotos e me mandar mensagem é quem eu quero. A perseguição foi muita, isso acaba afetando. A gente é ser humano, vê as coisas, vê a maldade no olhar das pessoas. Chegou um ponto em que até o professor Tite veio me chamar no avião e veio falar comigo. Antes de ir para a Copa no Catar, ele me chamou no avião e falou: “não precisa se preocupar com as críticas, você é meu camisa 9 e eu confio em você.” Isso foi fundamental para eu chegar na Copa confiante, com liberdade, só tenho a agradecer ao Tite, foi o cara que confiou em mim, mesmo com as pessoas vindo criticar, rebatê-lo. Eu via em todas as coletivas e zonas mistas as pessoas procurando um camisa 9. O Tite me deu total confiança, acreditou em mim e eu acreditei nele, tanto que fui o camisa 9 dele na Copa.

– Falei isso porque sei meu potencial, sei como é vestir a camisa da Seleção, nunca deixei de sonhar para conquistar meus objetivos. Foi um momento em que eu estava passando por dificuldades, mas nunca deixei me abalar. Sabia que meu momento era difícil no clube e na Seleção, mas decidi trabalhar calado, recebendo críticas, mas sempre trabalhando. A cirurgia deu certo, voltei antes do esperado, trabalhei firme e hoje estou colhendo os frutos. Sou um cara trabalhador, quando venho para a Seleção dou minha vida, sei como é vestir a camisa da Seleção, o peso que carrego.

– Muitas pessoas viram uma arrogância (falar que era o dono da camisa 9), mas não fui na maldade, eu falei porque naquele momento eu era um dos artilheiros do ciclo, eu e o Neymar, e estava confiante. É claro que não estava vivendo um grande momento, talvez minha fala foi pesada porque eu não estava vivendo um grande momento, pesou para mim e as pessoas acharam arrogante. Faz parte do futebol, hoje estou de volta, espero fazer o meu melhor possível, é muito bom estar nesse começo de ciclo do professor Dorival. Espero ajudá-lo e também toda a Seleção.

– Não me arrependo de nada, ao mesmo tempo quando fui para as Olimpíadas eu vesti a camisa 10, dei conta do recado e ninguém falou nada. Não me arrependo de nada. Aqui na Seleção eu jogo com qualquer camisa, já joguei com a 21, a 7… para mim, não interessa a camisa, o que importa é estar em campo honrando a camisa, é o que vou buscar fazer sempre.

– Eu fico muito feliz de estar alcançando essa marca (50 jogos) com a camisa da Seleção, poucos jogadores tem números tão expressivos. Eu acho que tenho 20 gols fora as Olimpíadas. É uma marca expressiva, mas não quero parar por aqui, quero mais. Próxima marca são os 100 jogos e por aí vai. Estou muito feliz, espero continuar assim, evoluindo com essa camisa e conquistando vários títulos, que é importante.

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RicharlisonSeleção Brasileira

Houston Astros pitcher Luis Garcia will make his long-awaited return to the starting rotation on Monday, according to multiple reports. Garcia is set to be activated from the 60-day IL for Monday's game against the Angels in what will be his first start since 2023.

Garcia underwent Tommy John surgery in May of 2023 and has since been enduring a lengthy recovery process. More than two years later, he's finally set to rejoin the rotation in Houston, and he'll hope to contribute to the team's playoff push as they look to fend off the Mariners and Rangers in the AL West.

Garcia, 28, last pitched a full season in 2022. That year, he made 28 starts and threw 157 1/3 innings, with a 3.72 ERA and 157 strikeouts. He had a 3.48 ERA in 30 appearances the year prior.

Garcia was hopeful of returning in 2024, but he experienced soreness in his elbow, which delayed his return. He had another setback in 2025, which prevented him from returning earlier in the season. After completing a rehab assignment, he has been given the green light to return to the mound in Houston.

He'll likely need some time to stretch out before pitching deep into games, but he could wind up being a valuable late-season addition for Houston as the calendar turns to September.

انتهى الشوط الأول بين ريال مدريد ومانشستر سيتي بتقدم الأخير بهدفين لهدف في إطار منافسات مرحلة الدوري لدوري أبطال أوروبا.

وسجل ريال مدريد الهدف الأول عن طريق البرازيلي رودريجو بتسديدة رائعة من داخل منطقة الجزاء في الدقيقة 28.

وتعادل نيكو أوريلي لصالح مانشستر سيتي في الدقيقة 35 بعد خطأ من تيبو كورتوا والذي سقطت الكرة من يده بعد رأسية من الكرواتي جوسكو جفارديول.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فيديو | في 8 دقائق.. أوريلي يتعادل لـ مانشستر سيتي أمام ريال مدريد وهالاند يسجل الثاني

وفي الدقيقة 42 احتسب الحكم ركلة جزاء لصالح النرويجي هالاند بعد خطأ من الألماني روديجر لينفذها النرويجي بنجاح في شباك البلجيكي.

وصرح الخبير التحكيمي بيريز بورول لصحيفة “الماركا” تعليقاً على هذا القرار من الحكم توربان بعد مراجعة تقنية الفار: “لقد أمسك روديجر هالاند ومنعه من التسديد”.

وأكد بورول في برنامج على “رادو ماركا”: “القرار صحيح من الحكم الفرنسي”.

Manchester United believe they can sign Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson for a cut-price fee in 2026.

Man Utd linked with Anderson amid Tuchel praise

Since making the move to the City Ground from Newcastle in 2024, Anderson has gone from strength to strength and is now viewed as one of the best players in the Premier League.

He’s also now a regular on the international stage under Thomas Tuchel, and it looks as if Anderson and Declan Rice will be the Three Lions’ starting midfield duo at the 2026 World Cup.

Tuchel has recently praised Anderson, calling him an elite player. “Anderson is a key player for us at the moment. He is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, that’s why he is with us and starting for us. He is an elite player with the right attitude and a lot of talent.”

Anderson’s displays have caught the eye of Man Utd, who have been heavily linked with a move for the midfielder, however, they aren’t the only Premier League side who are keen.

Former club Newcastle are thought to have an interest in bringing Anderson back to St James’ Park, whereas Chelsea have also been linked. Now, a new update has emerged over a transfer to Old Trafford and the potential fee involved.

Man Utd “confident” of signing Anderson for £60m

According to CaughtOffside, Man Utd think they can sign Anderson for a bargain fee of just £60m, which is £40m less than Forest’s initial £100m valuation that has been mooted in the media.

Anderson being under contract at the City Ground for another three-and-a-half years could complicate matters, so if Man Utd do snap him up for £60m as they feel they can, it may prove to be a shrewd deal.

Latvia 0-5 England

8.14/10

Nottingham Forest 2-3 FC Midtjylland

7.77/10

Real Betis 2-2 Nottingham Forest

7.66/10

England 2-0 Andorra

7.45/10

Nottingham Forest 3-1 Brentford

7.40/10

The 23-year-old also shares the same agency as United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who has actually been linked with the Old Trafford exit.

Casemiro’s contract is also set to expire in 2026, whereas Manuel Ugarte came in for criticism from Amorim after the Europa League final last season.

Man Utd now very keen on signing "amazing" midfielder likened to N'Golo Kante

Ruben Amorim’s side have identified another target in the middle of the park ahead of the January transfer window.

ByDominic Lund Nov 20, 2025

All signs point towards a new marquee midfielder being required, and that could be Anderson if the Red Devils get their way.

Man Utd now racing Arsenal to sign "complete" £45m Bundesliga attacker

Mookie Betts just can't get right, even when fans try to boost him.

For months, Betts has been mired in the worst slump of his career, one in which the numbers he's posting are inexplicable. The Los Angeles Dodgers star can't find his way out of it.

On Monday night, as he stepped into the box for his first at-bat against the St. Louis Cardinals, Dodgers fans gave the eight-time All-Star a sustained ovation in an attempt to give him a boost.

It didn't work.

Betts went 0-for-4 as the Cardinals beat the Dodgers 3-2. The 32-year-old flew out twice, grounded out, and struck out looking as part of the feeble offensive showing from the Dodgers.

The hitless night dropped Betts's batting average to .231, and his on-base percentage fell to .302, he's slugging .355, and his OPS is a woeful .657. All of those numbers are career lows.

We're 103 games into the season, and Betts hasn't looked anything like himself. An ovation from fans didn't help him. We'll see if he can figure it out himself.

MLB's postseason picture is becoming clearer by the day, but a couple division races are still yet to be determined, including, improbably, the race for the American League Central title between the Tigers and Guardians. The Guardians, 15 1/2 games back of the first-place Tigers and fresh off of getting swept in a three-game series by Detroit, had no reason to dream about October baseball as the MLB schedule headed for the All-Star break. But just two months later, Cleveland is in the midst of one of the most impressive comebacks baseball has ever seen in a division race, as the club erased a that entire deficit—which was still 12 1/2 games exactly a month ago—to pull even with the Tigers for a first-place tie in the AL Central in the season's final week.

Should the Guardians ultimately end up taking the Central, it will undoubtedly go down as one of the most impressive comebacks, and, unfortunately for the Tigers, one of the biggest blown division leads in the history of the sport.

Detroit would be joining several teams in the annals of baseball misfortune, as there have been multiple hefty division leads blown since MLB added the divisions back in 1969.

Biggest Blown Division Leads in MLB History

1978 Boston Red Sox
Division Lead: 14 games over the Yankees as of July 19, 1978

Riding a retooled pitching staff and a productive lineup powered by outfielder Jim Rice's incredible AL MVP campaign, Boston raced out of the gate, winning 34 of its first 40 games at home, stretching its AL East lead past double digits as the George Steinbrenner-Billy Martin Yankees seemingly created more headlines than victories. But things changed as the season entered the dog days of summer. When the chaotic Yankees fell to 14 games back of Boston in mid-July and Martin was fired after he publicly scorned Steinbrenner to reporters, the Yankees potentially winning the division was the last thing on anyone's mind.

But the Bob Lemon-led Bronx Bombers got hot down the stretch and the Red Sox found themselves in the midst of a full-blown collapse, thanks to sloppy defense and the revamped pitching staff being unable to find its first half form. In a four-game series in September now known as "The Boston Massacre," the Yankees traveled to Fenway Park and outscored the error-stricken Red Sox 42–9 to amazingly pull even with Boston for first place. The Red Sox found a second wind down the stretch, resulting in a tie and a one-game playoff, in which Yankees shortstop Bucky Dent hit one of the most famous home runs of all time, becoming a hero in New York and a new curse word in Boston. With a 5–4 win over Boston, New York was, incredibly, postseason-bound, where they would eventually capture the club's second straight championship.

2012 Texas Rangers
Division Lead: 13 Games over the Oakland Athletics entering July 2012

A decade after the "Moneyball" Athletics' magical ride to the postseason, Billy Beane's Athletics caught lightning in a bottle once again in 2012. And the Rangers, just a year removed from consecutive World Series appearances, entered the history books for all the wrong reasons. Texas, boasting a pitching staff led by Yu Darvish and a lineup powered by Josh Hamilton, Adrian Beltre and Ian Kinsler, seemed poised to run away with the AL West for a third straight season. It certainly looked that way in June, with the Athletics sitting at 37–42 and a distant 13 games behind the powerful Rangers.

But in almost reversal of fortunes, Oakland began to pitch better and slug while Texas's bats went quiet and its rotation failed to pitch deep into games. Much like the Yankees-Red Sox race in 1978, the quest for the AL West title came down to the season's final week. Texas, clinging to a four-game lead with six games left to play, split two games against the Angels, then headed to Oakland for a pivotal three-game series. The Athletics won the first two games, tied Texas for the division lead, then overcame a four-run deficit to stun the Rangers—who kicked the ball around the field to the tune of three errors—and clinch the division title.

1995 California Angels
Division Lead: 13 games over the Seattle Mariners on Aug. 2, 1995

The Angels seemed destined for October as the calendar entered August. California, as they were called back then, held a seemingly commanding double-digit lead over the Mariners, who were under .500. Just two weeks later, the Angels still held a 11 1/2-game lead over Seattle. But September was not kind to the Angels, who endured not one, but two nine-game losing streaks in the regular season's final month as the surging Mariners played .700 baseball to pull even with California, resulting in a one-game tiebreaker, which they lost thanks to a complete game gem from Hall of Fame lefthander Randy Johnson. Making the collapse sting even more for Angels fans? The club was in first place for a whopping 129 days but failed to make the postseason.

1973 Chicago Cubs
Division Lead: 12 1/2 games over the Mets on July 8, 1973

Just four years after spending 150 days in first place and ultimately missing the postseason after a second-half swoon, the cursed Cubbies did it again. With a talented roster headlined by Hall of Famers Fergie Jenkins, Ron Santo and Billy Williams, Chicago seemed poised to have a chance at its first World Series appearance in nearly 30 years. The club raced out of the gate to a 47-32 record and a 12 1/2 game lead over the Mets in the NL East. Little did they know it was all downhill from there. All the Cubs had to do to win the division was play .500 ball. Instead, Chicago, complete with an Aug. 14 meltdown from staff ace Fergie Jenkins in which he hurled four bats out of the dugout following a frustrating outing on the mound, completely collapsed in July and August, then barely traded water in September to finish the season an astounding 30-53 after the stellar start. The collapse opened the door for the "ya gotta believe" Mets, who improbably won the division and then advanced to the World Series.

2007 New York Mets
Division Lead: Seven games over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sept. 13, 2007

While the 2007 Mets' division lead doesn't exacty reach the heights of the previous four on this list, they made the list for a simple reason: their collapse occurred so swiftly and so late in the season. On Sept. 13, the club owned the best record in baseball and was armed with much of the core that had advanced to the doorstep of the World Series the year prior. They had a seven-game lead over the Phillies with 17 games remaining in the regular season. Then, out of nowhere, the Mets collapsed. First, they were painfully swept by the Phillies from Sept. 14–17, then they dropped six of their last seven games to fall out of the playoffs completely. The worst part? New York's fate was sealed in front of its home fans against the then-Florida Marlins in the season's final game.

Honorable mentions: Blown division and wild card leads

2011 Boston Red Sox
Wild Card Lead: Nine games over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sept. 2

1969 Chicago Cubs
Division Lead: Nine games over the Mets on Aug. 16

2011 Atlanta Braves
Wild Card Lead: Seven-and-a-half games over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sept. 1

The rich got richer Tuesday morning when the Dodgers signed Edwin Díaz, the top reliever on the market, to a three-year, $69 million contract. Díaz had opted out of the final two years of his contract with the Mets last month, and though New York reportedly offered him a three-year, $66 million deal to retain his services, Díaz elected to join the two-time defending World Series champions.

Dodgers Swiping Edwin Díaz Fixes Their Biggest Issue

Tom Verducci: Money doesn’t buy championships, but it sure helps to get out from mistakes. After dropping $72 million on closer Tanner Scott in January, a move that has yet to pay dividends, the Dodgers pivoted to the best closer in baseball, Edwin Díaz, at $69 million. Scott, who signed for four years with deferred money, posted a 4.74 ERA and missed the final three postseason rounds on the IL.

Last offseason, the Dodgers dropped $107 million on free agents Scott, Blake Treinen and Kirby Yates, but wound up scrambling to convert Roki Sasaki to closer for the postseason. The Dodgers clinched the past two World Series with a starter coming out of the bullpen: Walker Buehler and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The addition of Díaz ends those days of scrambling to figure out an endgame.

Díaz opted out of two years and $38 million remaining on his five-year, $102-million record contract with the Mets. The Dodgers added one year and $31 million to what he had left on the table, setting a new standard for closers at $23 million per year.

Díaz turns 32 in March and is building a Hall of Fame résumé: 253 saves, three All-Star teams, a strikeout rate of 14.5 per nine innings and remarkable consistency.

Edwin Díaz’s Refusal of Mets’ Offer Should Sting New York

Will Laws: The Mets offered Edwin Díaz a three-year, $66 million contract, according to the ’s Joel Sherman. That’s just $1 million less per year than what the accomplished closer signed for with the Dodgers on Tuesday.

That information certainly paints the picture that Díaz was happy to leave New York for Los Angeles. Considering how early it is in the offseason and Mets owner Steve Cohen’s deep pockets, it’s hard to believe the Mets wouldn’t have matched the Dodgers’ offer.

Three years ago, Díaz re-signed with the Mets on a five-year, $102 million deal—then the richest-ever deal for a reliever. Since then, the Mets have missed the playoffs twice and lost in the NLCS to the Dodgers, who have won the last two World Series.

It’s hard not to take Díaz’s decision as a referendum on how he perceives them as contenders.

Dodgers Once Again Sign the Market’s Top Reliever

Nick Selbe: If at first you don't succeed, spend, spend again. That's apparently the strategy Andrew Friedman & Co. are adopting in addressing their glaring need in the bullpen, signing Díaz to a $69 million deal one winter after giving $72 million to Tanner Scott. Scott was a disappointment in his first year with Los Angeles, leading the league with 10 blown saves and failing to make a single postseason appearance.

The Dodgers will hope Díaz can do what Scott couldn't: make ninth-inning leads a foregone conclusion. The former Met can be erratic year-to-year—he's alternated between ERAs in sub-2.00 range to mid-3.00 or worse over the past eight seasons—but possesses elite swing-and-miss stuff every contender craves in high-leverage situations.

Not many teams would green light spending $141 million for two relief pitchers in consecutive years, but the back-to-back champs aren't like any other organization.