INEOS are now reportedly prepared to spend more than £100m to sign Raphinha from Barcelona under one circumstance at Manchester United in 2026.

The Red Devils owners have not been afraid to spend big on transfer fees in the last six months, despite their cost-saving measures off the pitch. Sir Jim Ratcliffe continues to back Ruben Amorim, who has shown signs that he could yet turn things around at Old Trafford, and that could yet result in further much-needed reinforcements.

INEOS have already seen the majority of their summer signings settle into life at Old Trafford, with Bryan Mbeumo even picking up the Premier League’s Player of the Month award for October to match Amorim’s Manager of the Month achievement. The former Brentford forward scored three goals and assisted one other to earn the award.

After watching Mbeumo pick up the award and claiming the Manager of the Month prize himself, Amorim told reporters: “The credit is not mine, the credit is for my players. They did really well, and our goal is to win the next one because it means we win football matches.”

The former Sporting CP boss, more than anyone, will be well aware that there’s still a long way to go, however, and INEOS must still back the Red Devils in the transfer market.

Forget Mbeumo: "Phenomenal" Man Utd star was the real player of the month

Bryan Mbeumo has won the Premier League Player of the Month, but one other Manchester United star may feel hard done by.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 7, 2025

On that front, those at Old Trafford have already been linked with 2026 moves for the likes of Elliot Anderson and Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic. Anderson would be a particularly impressive signing, given how he’s starred in a struggling Nottingham Forest side as of late, whilst Vlahovic would undoubtedly add depth to Amorim’s frontline.

Neither of those players would be as impressive as Raphinha though, who has scored twice against Man United throughout his career.

Man Utd prepared to spend over £100m on Raphinha

According to reports in Spain, INEOS are now prepared to spend €120m (£105m) to sign Raphinha if Man United qualify for the Champions League this season. Qualification for the competition would hand the Red Devils further financial freedom and the ability to attract stars such as the Barcelona winger.

The Brazilian would instantly become Man United’s record signing at £105m, finally dethroning the £89m fee that they paid to sign eventual flop Paul Pogba in 2016.

Unlike the Frenchman, Raphinha may well prove to be worth every penny after becoming one of the best wingers in the world at Barcelona and finishing fifth in the 2025 Ballon d’Or.

Whether a club-record bid would be enough to lure Barcelona into a sale is the big question. Manager Hansi Flick should be desperate to keep hold of his winger, having told reporters last season: “He has good dynamics with the ball and he has had an extraordinary match. His offensive and defensive dynamics, and his good technique, are something special. I have never had a player like him and he helps us a lot.”

Forget Cunha & Mbeumo: "Explosive" Man Utd star is coded for the Fergie era

Wolverhampton Wanderers are looking to make a splash in the January transfer market and could sign a Premier League ace who loves playing against the Old Gold.

Wolves’ defensive and attacking problems Edwards needs to fix

The task facing new Wolves manager Rob Edwards is a big one after his return to Molineux involved club chiefs paying Middlesbrough around £3m in compensation.

Edwards, a former Old Gold defender, will need to shore up the Wolves defence, with no other Premier League side conceding more than Wolves so far after 11 games (25).

Meanwhile, at the other end of the pitch, Edwards’ new side have also struggled to finish chances.

Still without a win and on two points from a possible 33, Wolves have scored just seven league goals, again a division low, and have failed to find the net in six of their 11 top-flight fixtures.

Fosun are looking to back Edwards in the January transfer market, and it appears as if Wolves are eyeing a new goalkeeper to rival both Jose Sa and Sam Johnstone.

Wolves and Edwards keen to sign "aggressive" £90,000-p/w Premier League flop

He’s cost £1m for every appearance made so far.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 14, 2025

A loan-to-buy bid for Lazio goalkeeper Christos Mandas is thought to be in the pipeline, whereas an offer is also in for Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Garcia.

Wolves eyeing move to sign Everton winger Dwight McNeil

Now, according to reports from Football Insider, Wolves are also looking to sign Everton winger Dwight McNeil when the winter market opens.

It is suggested that both loan and permanent offers will be explored for the Toffees ace, whereas Man City midfielder Kalvin Phillips is another target for Edwards and Wolves chiefs.

McNeil made the move to Everton from Burnley for £20m back in 2022, and during his Premier League career, has enjoyed playing against Wolves for both the Clarets and the Toffees.

Games

12

Wins

5

Draws

4

Losses

3

Goals

1

Assists

6

The left-footed winger has registered multiple assists against the Old Gold, and his ability from set pieces even saw him compared to Arsenal star Declan Rice by pundit Chris Sutton.

However, McNeil has fallen out of favour on Merseyside under David Moyes this season following the arrival of Jack Grealish, playing just 51 minutes of Premier League football in 2025/26.

Therefore, a move to the Midlands could make sense for all involved, and by the looks of things, it will be one to watch over the coming months.

£55m spent & Hackney signs: Dream Wolves XI Edwards can build in January

Newcastle United’s win over Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League on Wednesday evening was much-needed, but Eddie Howe knows his side have not yet responded to the bitter Premier League defeat at West Ham United last weekend.

Now, they have the opportunity to do that against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium. This is a tough match, with Keith Andrews’ side rallying after a difficult summer transfer window and defying a few by easing away from the relegation pack so far this season.

The Bees have lost just one of their five home fixtures in the Premier League this term, a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City, and, alarmingly, United have not won away from St. James’ Park, losing three in a row in the top flight. They do, however, have a strong recent record against the Londoners.

24/25

Premier League (H)

2-1 win

24/25

Carabao Cup (H)

3-1 win

24/25

Premier League (A)

4-2 loss

23/24

Premier League (A)

4-2 win

23/24

Premier League (H)

1-0 win

With the November international break looming large, this is the perfect opportunity for the Toon to prove they have what it takes to establish consistency both on Tyneside and on the road.

However, they will have to do this without Anthony Gordon, who has been ruled out after injuring his hip in midweek.

The latest on Anthony Gordon's fitness

Gordon has not been in great form for a while. Across his past 19 Premier League outings, the England international has failed to score or assist a goal.

But the 24-year-old is still one of the most talented wingers in the country, and he will be missed against a resilient Brentford outfit.

Howe intimated in his pre-match press conference that Gordon will be unavailable, having suffered a recurrence of the hip injury that has plagued him this year after about an hour of action in the Champions League.

Of course, we can’t ignore the frustrating watch that preceded the setback. Chronicle Live gave Gordon a 5/10 match rating and commented that he didn’t look right down the left channel.

Gordon will be sidelined for this one, but Howe may well have considered replacing him anyway after a tough spell.

Harvey Barnes is the most likely candidate to move onto the left wing, but there’s an even more left-field option that the manager may want to consider, especially after Joelinton found form in the centre of the park several days ago.

Howe can unleash Gordon replacement in new role

Newcastle have enough resources available to find that elusive away win without Gordon in the mix. But it will require a big performance, with players stepping up and kick-starting their season.

Among these is Jacob Ramsey, who joined Newcastle from Aston Villa for £39m plus £4m in add-ons this summer. The Boyhood Villa fan has struggled with injuries over the past few years, but he was a popular and talented figure in the Midlands, and there’s a sense from Newcastle’s rivals that they have lost a potential superstar.

Fitness issues have plagued him at the start of his career in a new setting, and because of this, Ramsey has only featured seven times across all competitions, with just one start in the Premier League.

It was a dour day in the capital for Newcastle last weekend, but Ramsey showed something of his quality when entering the fray after the interval, with Sofascore recording that he completed two dribbles, made three recoveries and won four of six duels throughout the second half.

Given the robustness of Newcastle’s central engine room, it would be foolish to unleash Ramsey in the ten berth against tough-tackling Brentford. However, he has the dribbling ability and creativity to service Woltemade from the left, leaving Howe to pick one of Barnes or Jacob Murphy to play from the right flank.

The former Villan played like a man with a desire to nail down a starting spot at the London Stadium, and while his efforts were to no avail, his commitment cannot be questioned.

This is a versatile playmaker whose skills could damage the home side from the wing. When played out wide, Ramsey has historically had something of a penchant for an evenly spread output.

Left midfield

70

12 (12)

Central midfield

67

11 (4)

Attacking midfield

59

17 (10)

Left wing

8

1 (2)

Right midfield

4

0 (0)

Centre-forward

2

2 (0)

Hailed as a “monster” of an attacking midfielder by analyst Ryan McKeown, Ramsey’s pace, fluid movement and impressive athleticism – when at full fitness – now need to be channelled into something prolific. Howe signed the player with a vision in his mind, and now he must put that plan into action.

After all, despite a tough year on the Englishman’s part, he has shown his quality through his underlying data, with FBref revealing he ranks among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past yerar for pass completion, the top 9% for tackles and the top 6% for success rate when taking on opponents per 90.

Now, the impetus is on building up match fluidity and avoiding another injury setback. Should Ramsey succeed in this, he might even come to pile pressure on Gordon for a place on the left flank.

Newcastle have options as they prepare to take on Brentford at the Gtech, and after signing a talent such as Ramsey for a hefty fee this summer, surely this is the perfect time for him to announce himself in the Premier League under Howe’s wing.

PIF's "massive overpay" is quickly becoming the new Almiron at Newcastle

Newcastle have struggled to get the best out of this star this season.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 7, 2025

The allrounder suffered the injury while fielding in the match against Oman

Shashank Kishore19-Sep-2025

Axar Patel could be a doubt for India’s Super Four match against Pakistan on Sunday after hurting his head while fielding during the Group A fixture against Oman in Abu Dhabi.Running around from mid-off to intercept a skier from Hammad Mirza in the 15th over of Oman’s chase, Axar juggled the chance and put it down, losing his balance in the process and hitting his head against the turf. He was seen clutching his head and the side of his neck while being ushered off the field by the physio. He did not return to the field for the remainder of Oman’s chase.Axar only bowled one over in the innings, conceding four runs, with India employing eight bowlers on their way to a 21-run win.Related

India, Pakistan will look to put off-field issues aside in Super Fours clash

While T Dilip, India’s fielding coach, suggested at his post-match press conference that Axar was “fine”, the short turnaround between matches could prove a challenge. India have less than 48 hours to take the field for the match against Pakistan in Dubai.Axar was among the many India middle-order batters who had a decent hit against Oman. Coming in at No. 5, he struck a 13-ball 26, dominating a quickfire 45-run stand for the fourth wicket with Sanju Samson, who top-scored with 56 in India’s 188 for 8.If Axar is ruled out of the Pakistan game, India may not be able to revert to the three-spinner combination they have used in all their Dubai matches so far, unless they fly in a reinforcement. Varun Chakravarthy, who was rested for the Oman match with India playing an extra seamer, and Kuldeep Yadav are the two specialist spinners in the squad.The two other like-for-like options India can summon if required are Riyan Parag and Washington Sundar, who are both part of their reserves’ list.

Virgil Van Dijk has lambasted his Liverpool teammates for their defensive record. The reigning Premier League champions have now conceded 20 goals in 11 league games this season after their chastening 3-0 home defeat against Nottingham Forest earlier today. The Dutchman said the Reds are conceding "too many easy goals" and called on the whole team to take responsibility for their defensive woes.

Liverpool fall to Nottingham Forest at Anfield

Liverpool's woeful run of form continued in their first game back from international duty. The Reds fell behind to a controversial Murillo goal in the 33rd minute at Anfield. The VAR ruled that Dan Ndoye did not interfere with Alisson's line of sight, as the Brazillian centre back drove home after Liverpool failed to clear their lines from a corner. 

The Reds were given some respite when Igor Jesus' strike was mysteriously ruled out moments later for handball, despite the replay apparently showing the ball did not touch the striker's hand. Despite that let-off, the hosts struggled to gain a foothold against Sean Dyche's side. Forest completed a famous victory through a 46th minute effort from Nicolo Savona, and a 78th minute goal from Morgan Gibbs-White. 

That sorry collapse prompted Van Dijk to call out his teammates. Liverpool's captain slammed his peers for their propensity to concede from set pieces, and called on the whole team to take more responsibility for the team's defensive record. The 33-year-old also refused to blame the referee's decision for their defeat, while also sending a message to the Liverpool fans. Many of those in attendance at Anfield left the game early as their side struggled again. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportVan Dijk's post-game comments after Nottingham Forest defeat

Van Dijk said: "We concede too many easy goals. They scored obviously from a set piece again. You can ask if he was in front of Alisson, but it counted, so we're 1-0 down. We were not good in terms of battles, challenges, the fight, too rushed. It's a very difficult situation at the moment.

"There was nervousness after we conceded, but not before. We tried to rush things and that's human when you're in a difficult moment. We cleared the ones before and in the end, we'te in a very difficult moment. We don't get out of it by just speaking about it. It will take a lot of hard work.

"It's a problem. Everyone in the team has to take responsibility as well. Football is a team and everyone has to take responsibility. We have to digest this and take it on the chin. We need to work harder. We have to keep going.

"Everyone is disappointed, like they should be, because losing at home to Nottingham Forest is, in my eyes, very bad. That's the least I can say about it. Those goals we conceded are far too easy and we all have to look in the mirror. I've been at this club so long now and we've been through adversity. We will bounce back but it doesn't happen overnight. I'm not a quitter and we will keep going.

"I can't decide what the supporters are doing if they leave early. I know the fans have been through thick and thin with us. They will be there with us when we come out of this because we will come out of this."

Liverpool's defensive woes in numbers

Liverpool's propensity to concede from set pieces will certainly be of concern to Arne Slot's coaching staff. The Reds have now allowed nine goals from dead ball situations in the 2025/26 Premier League season. According to Opta Stats, that is the third worst record in England's top tier. 

Van Dijk's side are conceding 1.81 goals-per-game this season. During their title winning exploits last season, the Reds conceded just 41 times in 38 games. 

In their past six games in all competitions, Liverpool have conceded three goals on four occasions. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPCan Liverpool sure up their leaky defence?

When Liverpool followed up their 20th league title with a summer spending spree headlined by a bevvy of attacking talent, most prognosticators had them as favourites to defend their crown. However, there were murmurs of discontent at the club's lack of resources in the centre of defence. Their failed pursuit of Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi looks more and more catastrophic with each passing game. While the Reds are set to re-kindle their interest in the England international, a packed schedule ahead of the January transfer window means the Reds will have to remedy their struggles with the resources they have in house. If they can't, it could heap even more pressure on Slot, just months after he lifted the Premier League trophy in his debut season in the English top-flight. 

تحدث بيب جوارديولا مدرب مانشستر سيتي عن مباراة نيوكاسل يونايتد غداً على ملعب سانت جيمس بارك في الجولة الثانية عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وقال بيب عن لقاء نيوكاسل يونايتد في تصريحات نشرتها “مانشستر إيفنينج نيوز”: “إنه فريق من الطراز الأول، فريق يلعب في دوري أبطال أوروبا، نحن مستعدون”.

وسُئل جوارديولا عن دوناروما: “لدينا حارسان رائعان، دوناروما وجيمس، لقد أعجبت كثيراً بتطور ترافورد منذ مغادرته أكاديميتنا، دوناروما قلت عنه سابقاً عندما تبدأ في اللعب في سن السابعة عشرة مع ميلان، فهذا لأنك مميز، جميع اللاعبين تأهلوا لكأس العالم ونأمل أن يتمكن دوناروما من تحقيق ذلك، إذا تعلمت من التجارب السابقة فإنك ستكتسب خبرة أكبر، لكن هذا لا يعني أنك ستقدم أداء جيداً دائماً”.

وذكر بيب عن سباق اللقب: “الحقيقة أن فريقنا قوي كآرسنال في المواسم الماضية، أشعر أنهم لن يضيعوا الكثير من النقاط وإذا ابتعدوا كثيراً سيكون الأمر صعباً، نحن في نوفمبر ولا شيء في نوفمبر يُحسم، ما يحدث يكون في فبراير أو مارس، توخوا الحذر، الآن وبعد انتهاء فترة التوقف الدولي سنلتقي في مباريات حتى مارس، والآن يبدأ الموسم الحقيقي، الفوز غداً سيكون خطوة مهمة لنا”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. تقارير: مانشستر سيتي يستعد لتجديد عقد لاعبه المتألق.. والشك يحيط بـ جوارديولا

وكشف بيب عن تطورات جديدة بشأن رودري: “الجميع في حالة بدنية جيدة باستثناء كوفاسيتش ورودري، رودري يتقدم بخطوات جيدة، مرت ثلاثة أسابيع تقريباً منذ أن عاد للملاعب، يعلم أنه بحاجة لوقت كافي للتعافي بشكل جيد نفسياً وجسدياً مما عانى منه لكي يكون مستواه ثابتاً من الآن حتى نهاية الموسم”.

وأثنى بيب على برناردو سيلفا: “الأفضل، من بين الأفضل، يقدم لنا ويقدم لنفسه شيئاً لا يقتصر على الإحصائيات بل على أشياء أخرى مثل عقليته، هو بلا شك أحد أفضل اللاعبين الذين دربتهم في مسيرتي”.

وعبر بيب عن سعادته بسبب أوريلي: “أنا سعيد من أجله وآمل أن يستمر، أن يبقى متواضعاً، أحيانا يكون هناك مستقر في ذلك العمر الذي يصل فيه اللاعب لأعلى مستوى، أنا سعيد من أجل الأكاديمية وكل من عمل مع أوريلي منذ صغره، وكل من ساهم في تطويره، إنه لشرف عظيم”.

وحول رد فعل بيب جوارديولا على اختيارات روني حول أفضل ثلاثة لاعبين في الدوري الانجليزي بدون وضع اسم هالاند بينهم: “بالتأكيد هو محق، ستختار لاعباً آخر، لا يهم، لقد قال رأيه أنا موافق، إنها ليست مشكلة كبيرة”.

وأثنى بيب على هالاند :”إنه لاعب مذهل هذا الموسم، يحطم جميع الأرقام القياسية الشخصية وفي الدوري الإنجليزي وللنرويج ولمنتخب بلاده، عدد من لاعبي النرويج لم يكونوا قد ولدوا بعد في آخر مشاركة لهم في كأس العالم، يستحق المشاركة في كأس العالم لأنه لاعب كرة قدم عالي المستوى، أنا سعيد جداً من أجله”.

وتحدث بيب عن بداية الموسم الحقيقية الآن بعد انتهاء فترة التوقف: “لا أعرف، بالنسبة لي، أحب التوقف، أحصل على قسط من الراحة، أحب عملي، لكن أحصل على وقت للتنفس، ربما تكون فترة أطول مناسبة أيضاً، نتكيف مع إقامة كأس العالم في الشتاء، مهما كان قرار كبار القادة في عالم كرة القدم، سننفذه”.

واختتم بيب عن برونو جيماريش: “لم يقتصر الأمر على هذا الموسم فحسب، بل لسنوات عديدة، منذ انضمامه إلى ليون، أدركنا أنه لاعب استثنائي، نيوكاسل تعاقد مع لاعب رائع ويتحسن باستمرار ودائماً أكون من أشد المعجبين به”.

The match has been moved to Hobart with the tight schedule meaning it couldn’t be switched into a day game

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Sep-2025Delays with installing new floodlights at Junction Oval in Melbourne have forced the third women’s ODI between Australia and India on March 1 to be moved to Hobart.The game had been due to be the ground’s first floodlit fixture but planning delays and ongoing work that would have impacted spectator access meant Cricket Australia had to move the match to Tasmania, which gives Hobart back-to-back ODIs in the series.With the tight schedule of the series – there is just one day between the second and third ODIs – it wasn’t considered practical to make the Junction Oval fixture into a day game. The MCG, which hosted the day-night Ashes Test last season, won’t be available due to renovation works.”We are disappointed we have had to move this match from Junction Oval and that there will be no women’s international match in Melbourne this season,” Peter Roach, CA’s head of cricket operations and scheduling, said. “We anticipated the Junction Oval lights would be installed several weeks before this fixture and were looking forward to celebrating the first international match under lights at the ground.”Junction Oval will continue to host WBBL matches involving Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades, with all those games daytime fixtures, as well as other domestic cricket as scheduled.The ODIs are part of a multi-format series against India which starts with three T20Is and will finish with a day-night Test at the WACA in Perth.The home international season for Australia’s women has been pushed back to February and March due to the WPL’s move to January and the upcoming ODI World Cup being staged throughout October. It means there will be more than 12 months between their appearances on home soil.”Not having an international fixture in that school holiday period does hurt a little bit, but in saying that, it kind of extends the cricket season, which isn’t completely a bad thing for our sport,” captain Alyssa Healy said earlier this year. “At the back end of the Ashes [last year], I felt like that was really cool to have it at the end of the Border-Gavaskar [Trophy], so hopefully there’s similar sort of momentum this year at the end of the men’s Ashes, that there’s still some more cricket to watch.”

Tottenham Hotspur are in the market for quality attacking reinforcements come January and have now been told how much it will take to land a winger who is thriving in one of Europe’s top-five leagues.

Thomas Frank has had mixed luck with signings since walking through the door in N17, and many would argue that Spurs’ capture of Mohammed Kudus has been their best bit of business so far.

On the flip side, Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani may take a little longer to fully settle at the club after some mixed performances, which is part and parcel of football at the end of the day, and the latter’s been very stop-start due to multiple injury problems.

As January approaches, signings will be necessary for Tottenham to kick on under Frank’s stewardship, and he already appears to have identified some exciting names to help their push for a strong Premier League finish.

Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo is a high-profile Spurs target and may be on his way to N17 amid the Lilywhites’ wish to recruit a new winger as a top priority, rather than a fixed number nine.

Looking towards in-form Premier League stars may be their preference. Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye is another name wanted by Tottenham, and they have made an approach for the Senegal international, even if he could cost close to £70 million.

Truthfully, Spurs have the financial muscle to acquire top talent, but half the battle may be convincing players that their project has more to offer in the long term than rival clubs.

Competition for new additions in mid-season is usually fierce, though Tottenham have been told in no uncertain circumstances how much it may cost to bring one of their known targets to North London if they decide to press ahead with a move.

Tottenham told how much it will cost to land Takefusa Kubo

According to Pete O’Rourke on Football Insider’s Inside Track, Tottenham target Takefusa Kubo has a £52 million release clause inserted in his Real Sociedad contract, and any bid submitted matching that figure would be enough to enter direct negotiations with the player.

He explained: “He’s been continually linked with the move to the Premier League with Tottenham, Liverpool over the years, Aston Villa as well. Top young player who’s done really well for Real Sociedad. So, it’s no surprise that the top European clubs are looking at the Japanese international as well.

Takefusa Kobe at Real Sociedad – is he worth £52 million?

Appearances

147

Goals

24

Assists

18

“He has got a release clause in his contract, so it would be straightforward if Tottenham wanted to go and sign him in January. £52million, it’s not a cheap deal by any stretch of the imagination. So, that will come into consideration if Tottenham are to firm up their interest in Kubo as well.”

Lauded by Zinedine Zidane for his “very interesting” tendencies as a player, Kubo has emerged as a target amid concerns over whether Everton would be willing to let go of Ndiaye, though it remains to be seen whether Spurs can land either of their targets.

Just 16 games into his career with the New York Mets, Juan Soto has yet to find his power stroke.

Soto, in his first season in Queens after signing a record, $765 million contract with the Mets this offseason, is sporting a career-low .829 OPS and went 13 games without homering until he left the yard in Monday's 5-1 win over the Minnesota Twins.

But Soto is apparently already reflecting on the lack of damage he's done thus far in the Mets' lineup, so much so that he admitted to a difference in how he's being pitched without the protection of two-time American League MVP Aaron Judge batting behind him in an interview with .

"It’s definitely different," Soto told . "I had the best hitter in baseball [Judge] hitting behind me. I was getting more attacked and more pitches in the strike zone, less intentional walks and things like that. I was pitched differently last year."

The numbers certainly seem to back up Soto's assertion that he's not seeing as many hittable pitches. According to Fangraphs, Soto is seeing a career-low 44.6% of his pitches in the strike zone, compared to the 47.2% he saw last season in a career year with the New York Yankees. Soto, MLB's active career leader in on-base percentage, has always been content to take his walks.

But the change in how pitchers have approached him this season has made the ever-patient Soto even more so. He has swung at just 32.7% of the pitches he's seen this season, also a career low.

So, what does it all mean?

So far, it seems like pitchers are intent to let anyone but Soto in the Mets lineup beat them. And it's resulted in a strong start to the season for slugging first baseman Pete Alonso, who, entering play Tuesday, leads the National League with a 1.136 OPS.

Plus, despite his limited power output, Soto has remained a key cog in the Mets lineup. He ranks among baseball's top-10 hitters in walks and runs scored.

The Mets haven't been any worse for the wear because of Soto's power outage either, as they currently sit at 11-5, good for first place in the NL East.

Soto was always going to be under the microscope this season on the heels of signing the biggest contract in North American sports history. And while pitchers are clearly approaching him differently sans Judge, there's reason to believe that this 16-game stretch is more a blip in the radar than a concerning trend.

Freddie Freeman won't be in the lineup against his former team Monday night for the first game of the Los Angeles Dodgers' series against the Atlanta Braves.

Manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Freeman is considered day-to-day after the star first baseman rather bizarrely tweaked his ankle. Roberts indicated that the injury to Freeman's ankle occurred as a result of a "mishap" while he was entering the shower at his home.

The veteran first baseman had offseason surgery on that same ankle, which bothered him throughout much of the Dodgers' World Series run.

With Freeman unavailable, Enrique Hernandez will take over at first base for Monday night's game and is slated to hit seventh in the lineup.

The Braves will be in Los Angeles from March 31 to April 2, so there's still a chance Freeman can take the field against the team he played for throughout the first 12 years of his MLB career.

Through three games this season, Freeman has a 1.083 OPS with two home runs and four RBIs.