Three weekends remain in the baseball regular season, and only four teams have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.The lowercase "e" denoting that dire reality will only grow as the days tick down, but for now, the long list of teams without that designation signals a handful of tight races. Things look especially interesting across the board in the American League and in the National League wild-card chase.Teams still technically alive in the 2024 hunt are kicking the tires on various 2025 possibilities nonetheless. We'll check in on one such club, the Texas Rangers, as well as a two NL series with playoff interest. Here we go.NEW YORK METS VS. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIESFacing an eight-game division deficit with 16 games to play, the New York Mets aren't likely to catch the Philadelphia Phillies atop the National League East.The Mets will need to at least tread water during this weekend's series in Philly, however, as they look to stay in the NL wild-card hunt. New York sits one game ahead of the Atlanta Braves for the league's last playoff position.Lefty Jose Quintana gets the call for the Mets in the series opener, and while he excelled with missing bats over his past two starts, collecting 12 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings, don't expect that to continue this time. The Phillies, who rank 19th in the majors in strikeouts, have faced Quintana twice this season, fanning five times in nine combined innings while producing five runs and 10 hits.Aaron Nola is set to start for the Phillies. The right-hander threw a four-hit shutout against the Mets in May and should be primed to regroup from his Saturday loss at Miami. Phillies -1.5, +125 (BetMGM) Stake SportsBook Bonus$100,000 Daily RaceSign up now to claimFor help with a gambling problem, call or text the NCPG – (1-800-522-4700) Play nowBet365 SportsBook BonusFirst Bet Safety Net $1000 or Bet $5 & Get $150Sign up now and get the choice of two incredible offers.New Customers Only. Deposit required. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Play nowRead ReviewBet365 SportsBook BonusFirst Bet Safety Net $1000 or Bet $5 & Get $150Sign up now and get the choice of two incredible offers.New Customers Only. Deposit required. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Play nowRead ReviewBet365 SportsBook BonusFirst Bet Safety Net $1000 or Bet $5 & Get $150Sign up now and get the choice of two incredible offers.New Customers Only. Deposit required. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Play nowRead ReviewBet365 SportsBook BonusRegular promotional offers on siteSign up now and claim any of the offers available on siteFor help with a gambling problem, call or text the NCPG – (1-800-522-4700) Play nowRead ReviewBetRivers SportsBook BonusSecond Chance Bonus Bet up to $250Sign up now to claim the bonusFor help with a gambling problem, call or text the NCPG – (1-800-522-4700) Play nowRead ReviewDraftkings SportsBook BonusBet $5 get $150 of Bonus Bets InstantlySign up now to claimFor help with a gambling problem, call or text the NCPG – (1-800-522-4700) Play nowRead ReviewStake.us SportsBook Bonus25,000 SC Weekly RaffleSign up now to claimFor help with a gambling problem, call or text the NCPG – (1-800-522-4700) Play now CHICAGO CUBS VS. COLORADO ROCKIESCubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong shined in his return to his native Southern California this week, going 5-for-11 with four RBIs and excellent outfield defense to help Chicago take a three-game series from the Los Angeles Dodgers.He seemingly has fewer sentimental ties to Denver, where the Cubs play the opener of a weekend set with the Rockies, but that shouldn't preclude Crow-Armstrong from having success in Colorado.PCA hit .370 over the past 15 games as the Cubs keep their faint wild-card hopes intact. He hasn't faced Rockies lefty Austin Gomber before, but he has fared slightly better against southpaws this season, batting .258 compared to .239 against righties.Pete Crow-Armstrong over 1.5 total bases, +105 (BetMGM) Stake SportsBook Bonus$100,000 Daily RaceSign up now to claimFor help with a gambling problem, call or text the NCPG – (1-800-522-4700) Play nowBet365 SportsBook BonusFirst Bet Safety Net $1000 or Bet $5 & Get $150Sign up now and get the choice of two incredible offers.New Customers Only. Deposit required. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Play nowRead ReviewBet365 SportsBook BonusFirst Bet Safety Net $1000 or Bet $5 & Get $150Sign up now and get the choice of two incredible offers.New Customers Only. Deposit required. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Play nowRead ReviewBet365 SportsBook BonusFirst Bet Safety Net $1000 or Bet $5 & Get $150Sign up now and get the choice of two incredible offers.New Customers Only. Deposit required. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. 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SEATTLE MARINERSOne night after Kumar Rocker made his long-anticipated major league debut for Texas, the Rangers will start another righty who recovered from Tommy John surgery.Veteran Jacob deGrom is a two-time Cy Young winner, yes, but he also hasn't started in more than 500 days. Seattle, meanwhile, is expected to recall young righty Emerson Hancock from Triple-A Tacoma to make the start.That's the same Hancock who went 3-4 with a 4.76 ERA in nine starts for the Mariners earlier this year.There is potential to see flashes from deGrom and Hancock, but extended stints from both bullpens also could be in the cards. That should add up to a scoreboard with a few crooked numbers.Over 7 runs, -105 (BetMGM) Stake SportsBook Bonus$100,000 Daily RaceSign up now to claimFor help with a gambling problem, call or text the NCPG – (1-800-522-4700) Play nowBet365 SportsBook BonusFirst Bet Safety Net $1000 or Bet $5 & Get $150Sign up now and get the choice of two incredible offers.New Customers Only. Deposit required. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Play nowRead ReviewBet365 SportsBook BonusFirst Bet Safety Net $1000 or Bet $5 & Get $150Sign up now and get the choice of two incredible offers.New Customers Only. Deposit required. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Play nowRead ReviewBet365 SportsBook BonusFirst Bet Safety Net $1000 or Bet $5 & Get $150Sign up now and get the choice of two incredible offers.New Customers Only. Deposit required. Paid in Bonus Bets. 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Flamengo appointed former Brazil goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni as their new head coach, the Brazilian champions announced on Tuesday.
Ceni – who holds the record for most goals scored by a goalkeeper with 131 – replaces Domenec Torrent at the Campeonato Brasileiro and Copa Libertadores champions, after leaving Fortaleza.
Flamengo turned to Ceni after Torrent was sacked following just three months in charge following a 4-0 rout at the hands of title rivals Atletico Mineiro, having also lost 4-1 to Sao Paulo a week earlier.
The 47-year-old joins a Flamengo side third in the table and only a point adrift of leaders Internacional.
Veja algumas imagens de como foi o primeiro treino do técnico Rogério Ceni no Mengão!
— Flamengo (@Flamengo)
<…
So, 19 games in and the big three are exactly where you would expect them to be in the LaLiga table.
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While Barca remain on top, Real Madrid are now level on points with their rivals after a 3-0 triumph away at Getafe. As for Atletico Madrid, they overcame Levante 2-1 at home to make it four wins on the spin in all competitions, keeping them in touch with the top two ahead of what could be an intriguing battle (after all, Sevilla are level on points with Atleti, too).
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Tuchel is the first Chelsea boss to keep a clean sheet in each of his first two Premier League games in charge since Rafael Benitez in November 2012 following a 2-0 win over Burnley on Sunday.
Having conceded 77 goals in 57 Premier League games under predecessor Frank Lampard, this represents a much-needed tightening of the rearguard at the start of Tuchel s reign.
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On paper, they have the sort of team that would have most players of the FIFA 23 video game drooling, or at least, they did before injuries started to pile up.
Midfield pair Paul Pogba and N Golo Kante, both so crucial to their 2018 success, had already been ruled out, and in the days since head coach Didier Deschamps announced his squad, two more high-profile names have been forced to withdraw.
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Team.
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC)
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The head coach will be without the sidelined Reece James, Ben Chilwell, N Golo Kante and Wesley Fofana, among others, as Chelsea begin the new year at Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
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