How Yuki Udagawa’s steely nerves quieted Koshien’s raucous crowd

The noise was at deafening levels at Koshien Stadium during the late stages of Game 3 in this Japan Series.

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Offensive explosion moves Rangers to cusp of World Series title

The Texas Rangers exploded for back-to-back five-run innings, turning a Halloween Game 4 of the World Series into a nightmare for the Arizona Diamondbacks and their fans Tuesday night.

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Bridging the Gulf: How the World Cup is key to Saudi revamp

Standing on the verge of hosting the World Cup is an undeniable win for oil power Saudi Arabia as it pushes to reshape its economy and shake off its questionable image, analysts say.

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Rangers bounce back to down Diamondbacks and lead World Series

Corey Seager smashed a two-run homer as the Texas Rangers bounced back to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 on Monday and take a 2-1 lead in the World Series.

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Messi wins record eighth Ballon d'Or for best player in the world

Argentina captain Lionel Messi won a record eighth Ballon d'Or for the best player in the world on Monday, beating Norway's UEFA player of the year and treble winner Erling Haaland of Manchester City to the prestigious prize.

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Nadeshiko Japan beat Uzbekistan 2-0 in Olympic qualifying

Moeka Minami and Remina Chiba slotted early goals as Japan eased to a 2-0 victory away to Uzbekistan in Olympic women's football qualifying Sunday.

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World Cup defeat 'puts fire in belly' of All Black Savea for 2027

New Zealand No. 8 Ardie Savea said on Sunday that losing the Rugby World Cup final gives him extra motivation for the next edition of the tournament in 2027.

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After Game 1 loss, is this the end for Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Japan?

Yoshinobu Yamamoto emerged from the Orix Buffaloes’ clubhouse over an hour after Game 1 of the Japan Series and strode through the center of a pack of reporters watching his every move. The star pitcher then stopped to share a brief greeting and smile with a friend before hopping into a black car and riding off into the night.

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Diamondbacks rout Rangers to pull level in World Series

Arizona pitcher Merrill Kelly struck out nine and scattered three hits over seven innings to spark the Diamondbacks to a 9-1 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday and level the World Series.

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Siya Kolisi happy to escape 'dark place' for World Cup glory

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said New Zealand had taken his side to a "dark place" in the Rugby World Cup final, but praised his South Africa side for finding a way to win a record fourth title.

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Springboks hold off 14-man All Blacks to win World Cup

South Africa produced a magnificent defensive display to edge 14-man New Zealand 12-11 in an arm-wrestle of a Rugby World Cup final on Saturday and win the Webb Ellis Cup for a record fourth time.

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Tigers take bite out of Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Japan Series opener

The opening game of the Japan Series was playing out like the pitcher’s duel everyone expected with a pair of aces on the mound recording out after out.

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Adolis Garcia's blast lifts Rangers in World Series opener

Adolis Garcia etched his name into the record books in grand style.

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'It's real': Diamondbacks ready to silence critics, says Lovullo

The Arizona Diamondbacks are ready to show they are the real deal after an improbable run to the World Series, manager Torey Lovullo said on Thursday as the team prepares to face the Texas Rangers on the road in Friday's Game 1.

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Watarai and Takeuchi most sought-after players in NPB draft

Corporate league outfielder Ryuki Watarai and college pitcher Natsuki Takeuchi were the most sought-after players in Nippon Professional Baseball's new-player entry draft on Thursday, when both players were named by three teams each as their top choice.

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Ukrainian wrestler aims to make impact in Japan's world of sumo

A 19-year-old wrestler who fled the war in Ukraine will take a step toward fulfilling his sumo dream next month in Fukuoka.

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Itakura to undergo ankle surgery, casting doubt on Japan games

Borussia Monchengladbach and Japan defender Ko Itakura will undergo surgery for an injured ankle and will be sidelined for several weeks, the Bundesliga club said on Thursday, making him doubtful for his country's upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

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Kyogo Furuhashi scores as Celtic and Atletico play to draw

Japan forward Kyogo Furuhashi scored in a second straight Champions League match and Daizen Maeda had an assist as Celtic drew 2-2 at home against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday to earn its first point after three games in Group E.

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Takakeisho heads to Kyushu Basho with yokozuna promotion in sight

Ozeki Takakeisho could be promoted to yokozuna at the end of next month.

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All-Kansai Japan Series offers new chance to remember foreign aces

This season’s Japan Series will be an exclusively Kansai affair between the Hanshin Tigers and Orix Buffaloes.

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Victor Wembanyama scores 15 in NBA debut with Spurs

French prodigy Victor Wembanyama scored 15 points in his much-anticipated NBA debut on but Luka Doncic's triple-double spoiled his night as the Dallas Mavericks beat the San Antonio Spurs 126-119 on Wednesday night.

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World Rugby changes open pathway for smaller nations

It has been a long time coming, and it will be a long time until its benefits are felt, but rugby's administrators seem to have finally found a way to untie the Gordian Knot that has seen the game forever hopelessly biased toward its traditional powers.

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'Butterflies' for Victor Wembanyama ahead of NBA debut

French teenager Victor Wembanyama admitted to having "butterflies" as he prepares to make his regular season NBA debut for the San Antonio Spurs.

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Saudi gamer prince announces Esports World Cup

Saudi Arabia said on Monday it would organize an Esports World Cup starting next year, the latest boost to a sector Riyadh hopes will create tens of thousands of local jobs.

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Victor Wembanyama set to take center stage when NBA season tips off

Victor Wembanyama will launch his bid to lead the San Antonio Spurs back to prominence, while the defending champion Denver Nuggets will be hoping to start a dynasty as the NBA season tips off on Tuesday.

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Rangers beat Astros to force Game 7 in ALCS

Adolis Garcia smashed a grand slam and the Texas Rangers beat the defending champion Houston Astros 9-2 on Sunday to force a winner-take-all showdown in the American League Championship Series.

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LIV Golf heads into offseason full of uncertainty

India's Anirban Lahiri fired a seven-under-par 65 to lead Bryson DeChambeau's Crushers to the LIV Golf Team Championship on Sunday, as the Saudi-backed series entered an offseason of uncertainty.

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Dominant Max Verstappen earns 50th career win

Newly minted three-time world champion Max Verstappen completed a hat trick of Texas victories when he claimed the 50th win of his career in a tense and strategic United States Grand Prix on Sunday.

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Max Verstappen beats Louis Hamilton to Austin sprint race victory

Red Bull's triple Formula One world champion Max Verstappen won a U.S. Grand Prix sprint race from pole position on Saturday after an early challenge from Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton.

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Handre Pollard's late penalty sends Springboks into RWC final

Replacement flyhalf Handre Pollard kicked a last-gasp penalty as South Africa somehow found a way to get past a dominant England on Saturday and claim a 16-15 victory that sent it into a World Cup final against fellow three-time champion New Zealand.

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Hiroki Kokubo promoted from farm team post to manage Hawks

Hiroki Kokubo was named as the new manager of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks on Saturday, as their former star slugger was promoted from managing the Pacific League club's farm team.

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Shintaro Mochizuki's breakout run ends in Japan Open semifinals

World No. 215 Shintaro Mochizuki's impressive run at the Japan Open tennis championships ended Saturday in a straight-sets semifinal defeat to 50th-ranked Russian Aslan Karatsev.

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Vissel thrashes Antlers with Daiju Sasaki brace to maintain J1 lead

A brace by Daiju Sasaki and a Haruya Ide header shortly before halftime gave Vissel Kobe a commanding 3-1 win over Kashima Antlers on Saturday, as the team continued its seemingly unassailable march towards its first-ever J. League first-division title.

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Astros dominate Rangers on road to pull even in ALCS

The Houston Astros have tormented the Texas Rangers in Texas' home ballpark this season by averaging nine runs in their nine meetings there.

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Tigers close in on Japan Series berth after walk-off victory

The Hanshin Tigers moved to within one win or one tie of their first Japan Series berth in nine years when Seiya Kinami's ninth-inning single drove in the winning run in a 2-1 victory over the Hiroshima Carp in Game 2 of the Central League Climax Series Final Stage on Thursday.

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Wild-card Shintaro Mochizuki upsets Taylor Fritz at Japan Open

Defending champion Taylor Fritz said he could not cope with an "incredible" turnaround from world No. 215 Shintaro Mochizuki as he crashed out of the Japan Open in a stunning second-round loss on Thursday.

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Max Verstappen keeping foot on gas with more milestones in sight

Max Verstappen will be racing for pride, points and records this weekend at the United States Grand Prix, as his rivals compete for positional prize money behind the newly crowned champion.

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Cristian Javier shines again as Astros beat Rangers in Game 3

The Houston Astros felt they were in a must-win scenario Wednesday night, and had the right man on the mound to deal with it.

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FIFA official urges nations to fully support women's soccer

National soccer associations need to properly support their women's teams so they can perform at their best,

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J. League to support idea of starting season in August

The J. League said Wednesday it will push ahead with the idea of starting its soccer season in August, instead of February as it does now, a move that would bring it into line with top competitions in Europe.

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Buffaloes rally past Marines in PLCS final stage opener

Kotaro Kurebayashi drove in three runs to back Yoshinobu Yamamoto as the Orix Buffaloes rallied to beat the Chiba Lotte Marines 8-5 in Game 1 of the Pacific League Climax Series Final Stage Wednesday.

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Harry Kane scores twice as England beats Italy to qualify for Euros

Harry Kane scored a brace as a Jude Bellingham-inspired England came from behind to beat reigning champion Italy 3-1 and march into the Euro 2024 finals in a Group C qualifier at Wembley on Tuesday.

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NFL wants to clear a path to Olympics for players

The Super Bowl may be the National Football League's ultimate prize, but the NFL said on Tuesday it wants to see their players on the Olympic stage going for gold after flag football was added to the program for the Los Angeles 2028 Games.

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Patrick Mahomes and Rory McIlroy join investors in F1's Alpine

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and golfer Rory McIlroy have joined a cast of top athletes in investing in the Renault-owned Alpine Formula One team.

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Kyogo Furuhashi, Junya Ito score as Samurai Blue ease past Tunisia

Kyogo Furuhashi scored at his old hunting ground and Junya Ito joined him on the scoresheet as Japan beat Tunisia 2-0 on Tuesday for its sixth straight win in international friendlies.

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Kenyan marathon runner Titus Ekiru hit with 10-year doping ban

Kenyan marathon runner Titus Ekiru has been slapped with a 10-year ban for doping and trying to obstruct the investigation, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said Monday.

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Sliding events at 2026 Winter Olympics to be held outside Italy

Sliding events at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics will be staged outside Italy following the failure to build a new track in Cortina, it was announced Monday.

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Marines advance to PLCS final stage with walk-off win

Hisanori Yasuda hit a walk-off double in the 10th inning as the Chiba Lotte Marines advanced to the final stage of the Pacific League Climax Series playoffs with a dramatic 4-3 come-from-behind victory over the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks on Monday.

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Carp finish off BayStars to set up clash with Tigers

The Hiroshima Carp defeated the DeNA BayStars 4-2 on Sunday to sweep their best-of-three Central League Climax Series' first stage in two games to set up a clash with the CL champion Hanshin Tigers.

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Iwasaki earns first career win at Japan Open

Aguri Iwasaki earned his first career domestic tour title Sunday, winning the Japan Open golf championship by two strokes.

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Sebastian Coe says IOC made 'only decision' in banning Russia

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said Saturday the International Olympic Committee had made the "only decision left open to them" in suspending Russia's national Olympic body for violating the territorial integrity of Ukraine's membership.

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All Blacks end Johnny Sexton's career with more World Cup woe for Ireland

Three-time champion New Zealand inflicted more World Cup heartbreak on Ireland on Saturday, beating them 28-24 to bring a bitterly disappointing end to Irish captain Johnny Sexton's stellar career.

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Sanfrecce outlasts Albirex for WE League Cup title

Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina captured the 2023 WE League Cup on Saturday, earning the club’s first silverware in a penalty shootout win over Albirex Niigata after 120 minutes of intense but scoreless action.

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Chiefs hold off Broncos to improve to 5-1

Patrick Mahomes passed for 306 yards and one touchdown and the Kansas City Chiefs used a strong defensive performance on Thursday night to earn a 19-8 victory over the visiting Denver Broncos.

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Toshiaki Imae among candidates to become Eagles' next manager

Tohoku Rakuten Eagles hitting coach Toshiaki Imae is among the candidates being considered for the club's next manager, team sources said Friday.

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Third-place squads face long road to Japan Series

Congratulations DeNA BayStars and Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks fans, your teams finished the NPB marathon in third place and qualified for the postseason.

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South Africa benefiting from Siya Kolisi's leadership at World Cup

The most vivid image from the 2019 Rugby World Cup is that of a triumphant Siya Kolisi, the first black player to captain South Africa in a test, lifting the Webb Ellis trophy after the Springboks' 32-12 win over England in Yokohama.

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IOC bans Russian Olympic Committee over annexed Ukrainian territories

The Russian Olympic Committee was banned with immediate effect on Thursday for recognizing regional organizations from four territories annexed from Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee said.

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Breakers grapple with hip-hop’s Olympic moment

The thumping music died to a whisper upon Alien Ness’ request. As the veteran breaker — never "break dancer” — stalked and snaked around the room, his many rings caught the spotlight that illuminated the dance floor.

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Upstart Diamondbacks finish off sweep of Dodgers

Not long after the Arizona Diamondbacks won another postseason series on Wednesday night, it was time to frolic in the Chase Field swimming pool beyond right field, a place where the Diamondbacks have congregated to celebrate clinching victories.

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Eagles closer Yuki Matsui interested in MLB move

Left-handed pitcher Yuki Matsui, who has recorded 236 saves during his career for the Pacific League's Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, is interested in testing the free-agent market this winter, including a possible move to Major League Baseball, a baseball source said Wednesday.

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American women make history at Sumo World Championships in Tokyo

History was made in Tokyo this week when the United States women’s sumo team claimed its first-ever Sumo World Championships medals.

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Kenta Maeda allows a run as Astros clobber Twins to lead ALDS

Kenta Maeda allowed a run over two innings of relief as the Minnesota Twins were battered 9-1 by the Houston Astros in Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Tuesday.

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'We're not monsters,' says Afghanistan coach ahead of WC qualifiers

Afghanistan will begin its first World Cup qualifying campaign since the Taliban's return to power on Thursday, with head coach Abdullah Al-Mutairi looking to push politics aside and let his team focus on beating Mongolia.

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Marines clinch playoffs and eliminate Eagles in do-or-die game

Kazuya Ojima pitched seven shutout innings as the Chiba Lotte Marines clinched a Pacific League Climax Series berth with a 5-0 win Tuesday over the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, who were eliminated from the playoff race at the final hurdle.

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Japanese rugby faces murky future following World Cup exit

The streets of Nantes on Sunday night were a sign of what could have been for Japan. Hordes of Argentinians, decked out in their national colors, gathered on the cobblestones to drink the pubs dry and belt out chants as they celebrated another week at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

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Buffaloes rookie Ryuhei Sotani earns first pro win against Hawks

Orix Buffaloes rookie left-hander Ryuhei Sotani allowed just one hit over six shutout innings to earn his first professional win in a 4-1 victory over potential Pacific League playoff opponents the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks on Monday.

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Hidemasa Morita scores winner as Sporting beats Arouca

Japan midfielder Hidemasa Morita's first goal of the season delivered a 2-1 home win for 10-man Sporting Lisbon against Arouca in the Portuguese Primeira Liga on Sunday.

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Japan shows heart in bittersweet finale at Rugby World Cup

The phrase “do or die” was bandied around a lot in the buildup to Japan’s final Pool D game against Argentina at the Rugby World Cup.

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Buffaloes delay Marines' march into playoffs

Yutaro Sugimoto put a damper on the Chiba Lotte Marines' hopes of clinching a playoff spot Saturday afternoon, when he homered twice in the Orix Buffaloes' 4-1 Pacific League win that left Lotte's postseason plans in limbo.

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'Shigekix' Nakarai dances to Asian Games breaking gold, Olympic spot

Japan's Shigeyuki Nakarai won the men's gold medal battle for breaking, also known as breakdancing, while China's Liu Qingyi claimed women's gold at the Asian Games on Saturday.

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Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo wins La Liga monthly MVP for September

Japan midfielder Takefusa Kubo was named La Liga Player of the Month for September on Friday following a run of outstanding performances for Real Sociedad.

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Brave Blossoms braced for climactic showdown against Argentina

There is a buzz about this one. You can just feel it. At the prematch news conferences, in the Loire Valley air, atop the crenelated battlements of the Chateau des ducs de Bretagne, and along the cobblestone streets of Nantes’ Centre-Ville.

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Team Japan defies crowd to top North Korea for Asian Games soccer gold

Team Japan was booed but kept its cool in an "interesting" atmosphere to beat North Korea 4-1 and retain the Asian Games women's soccer crown on Friday.

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Japan coach Joseph makes just one change for Argentina showdown

Japan made a single change for their crucial Rugby World Cup Pool D fixture against Argentina in Nantes on Sunday as Siosaia Fifita comes onto the left-wing for the key clash, where victory will seal a quarterfinal place.

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Dragons release Cuban pitcher Yariel Rodriguez

The Chunichi Dragons made Yariel Rodriguez a free agent Friday after the Cuban right-hander went the whole season without playing, having left the club with no prior notice.

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Lewis Hamiton says 'phenomenal' Max Verstappen raised bar in F1

Lewis Hamilton praised rival Max Verstappen for “raising the bar” this season and added his voice to those who support the American Andretti team’s bid to enter Formula One.

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Akari Fujinami takes gold at Asian Games to extend win streak to 130

Paris Olympics wrestling gold medal hopeful Akari Fujinami won the women's 53-kg category in style at the Asian Games on Thursday, extending her winning streak to 130 matches.

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Giants prepare to start new era as manager Tatsunori Hara walks away

Tatsunori Hara is leaving — again.

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Yusei Kikuchi stumbles as Twins sweep Blue Jays out of playoffs

Yusei Kikuchi made his first relief appearance of 2023 in a surprise pitching change that proved costly for the Toronto Blue Jays, as they were swept from the American League Wild Card series with a 2-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday.

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Japan earns three bronze medals in athletics at Asian Games

Japan picked up three bronze medals in athletics on Wednesday at the Asian Games — by Roderick Genki Dean in the men's javelin throw, Tomohiro Shinno in the men's high jump and Mariko Morimoto in the women's triple jump.

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FIFA World Cup be held across three continents in 2030

The World Cup will be very different when the 2030 edition rolls around.

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Ventforet secures historic ACL win over Buriram United

After earning their first Asian Champions League point more than 8,000 kilometers away, Ventforet Kofu captured three more much closer to home on Wednesday night.

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Former star shortstop Hirokazu Ibata named to manage Samurai Japan

Hirokazu Ibata, who was named his league's best overall shortstop five times, has been hired to manage Japan's senior men's national baseball team through the 2024 Premier 12 tournament, NPB Enterprise announced Wednesday.

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JSA on right track with new rules to increase pro sumo participation

One of the more exciting rikishi of 2023 has been Hakuoho, a high school and corporate sumo champion, recruited into professional sumo by Miyagino stablemaster (former yokozuna Hakuho).

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Japan legend Luke Thompson hopeful Brave Blossoms can make last 8

Former Japan stalwart Luke Thompson, a veteran of 71 test matches for his adopted country, believes the Brave Blossoms are capable of beating Argentina and reaching their second Rugby World Cup quarterfinals with "a bit of luck" on Sunday.

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Veteran Tsuyoshi Wada leads Hawks past Eagles to brink of playoffs

Veteran starter Tsuyoshi Wada threw 5⅓ shutout innings as the second-place Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks took a big step toward the Pacific League playoffs with a 7-3 win over the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles on Tuesday.

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UEFA introduces new standards framework for women's national teams

UEFA released details of its first-ever minimum standards framework for women's national teams, after consultations with players, coaches and FIFPRO Europe, in an announcement on Monday.

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Death or glory? World Cup anchors changing game of one-day cricket

The Cricket World Cup that gets under way on Thursday will provide a sharp focus for one-day international (ODI) cricket — and a chance to show how the 50-over game has evolved since India last staged the tournament in 2011.

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North and South Korea meet for gold in table tennis women's doubles

Sports and politics should be kept separate. But for North and South Korean athletes, to play an inter-Korean gold medal match is something special — even if they deny it.

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Hideki Kuriyama and Sadaharu Oh hail Shohei Ohtani's home run feat

Japanese baseball luminaries Hideki Kuriyama and Sadaharu Oh on Monday lauded Shohei Ohtani after the Los Angeles Angels star became the first player from the country to lead a U.S. major league in home runs.

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Nishimura ties third as fellow LPGA rookie Ryu wins in Arkansas

Japanese rookie Yuna Nishimura achieved her best LPGA result Sunday at the NW Arkansas Championship, finishing four strokes behind winner Ryu Hae Ran of South Korea in a tie for third.

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Pumas sharpening their claws for Brave Blossoms World Cup clash

Argentina heads into its crunch Pool D game with Japan on Oct. 8 at the Rugby World Cup knowing that a draw could be enough to see it qualify for the quarterfinals.

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North Korean soccer players clash with referee after loss to Japan

North Korea soccer coach Sin Yong Nam defended his players after several clashed with match officials on the pitch after their 2-1 defeat to Japan in the Asian Games quarter-finals in Hangzhou on Sunday.

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Ohtani becomes first Japanese MLB home run champion

Shohei Ohtani has become the first Japanese player to lead a U.S. major league in home runs, capturing the American League title with 44 on Sunday, the last day of the regular season.

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North Korean sets weightlifting world record after four-year absence

North Korea's Ri Song Gum set a staggering world record Saturday as she won gold in the first weightlifting event of the Asian Games in Hangzhou, four years after her last international competition.

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