Losing Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona in the summer of 2022 was a bitter blow for Bayern Munich. The Pole had scored 344 goals in just 375 appearances for the club, after all. Replacing him was never going to be easy, but it ended up taking Bayern more than a year to find a worthy successor, as Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting rather unsurprisingly didn't exactly prove himself up to the task.

It's funny to think about it now, but there were those that questioned the decision to sign Harry Kane to belatedly fill the considerable hole left by Lewandowski in the Bayern attack. Club legend Lothar Matthaus felt that the €100 million signing from Tottenham, who had just turned 30, was "too old and too expensive". Now, though, the German says he doesn't "see a better striker in the world".

It, therefore, shouldn't come as that much of a shock to learn that Barcelona have come to the same conclusion as Bayern two years ago: that there isn't a better Lewandowski replacement on the market right now than Kane.

Getty Images SportHaaland too costly

Back in 2023, it was rumoured that part of the reason why Lewandowski wanted out of the Allianz Arena was Bayern's alleged attempt to convince Erling Haaland to move to Munich rather than Manchester that same summer. Lewandowski insisted that Norwegian No.9 had absolutely nothing to do with his desire to swap Bavaria for Barcelona, but it's nonetheless amusing to read reports that Blaugrana president Joan Laporta is 'obsessed' with signing Haaland.

It's obviously not going to happen – at least not yet. It's going to take at least another year for lever-pulling Laporta to balance the Blaugrana's books – let alone put them back in a position to sign the most valuable players on the planet. With a little more creative accounting, though, Barca could well be in a position to land Kane at the end of the season.

According to , the England captain has a €65m (£57m/$76m) buyout clause in his contract that can be activated next summer provided the striker notifies Bayern of his desire to leave by the end of January. The Bundesliga champions are, however, reportedly relaxed about the situation for the simple fact that Kane is currently content, on and off the field at the Allianz Arena.

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From a purely sporting perspective, things certainly couldn't be going any better for Kane and his club. Unbeaten Bayern have made a record-breaking start to their 2025-26 campaign and are presently top of both the Bundesliga and the Champions League. Kane is the principal reason why, having scored an utterly ludicrous 24 goals in just 18 appearances in all competitions – more than any other player in Europe's 'Big Five' leagues.

The man himself may have had understandable misgivings about the size of Vincent Kompany's squad at the start of the season – but they've made light of the absence of Jamal Musiala through injury thanks to the exciting emergence of 17-year-old sensation Lennart Karl, Luis Diaz's incredible impact since joining from Liverpool and Michael Olise elevating his game to an even higher level after a wonderful debut season in Germany.

The net result is that Bayern are the best team in Europe at the moment – as they underlined by maintaining their 100 percent in the Champions League with a mightily impressive 2-1 victory over titleholders Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes during which they showcased both their attacking prowess and defensive diligence.

Getty Images SportSettled in Munich

Crucially, Kane's family are also loving life right now – and not just because he's enjoying the most prolific spell of his stellar career.

When he first made the move from his native London to Munich, there were external concerns over how Kane and his family would deal with the change of city, country and culture. However, Kane has repeatedly brought up just how "comfortable" he, his wife Kate and their children feel in Germany, where they are reportedly afforded more privacy than they were back in England.

"The way the people here welcomed us was extraordinary," the striker said earlier this year. "It touched us deeply as a family – not just me, but all of us. We love it. We truly appreciate every second."

In that context, one cannot but take Kane at his word when he says that he's even open to extending a contract that expires in 2027.

"We can certainly talk about that," he said in September. "I have almost two years left, so it's not like I'm in the final year of my contract and anyone is panicking. I'm fine. The club is fine. I think they're happy with me, and I'm happy with them. Those discussions can take place."

He doubled down on that when directly questioned about the Barcelona links ahead of his return to north London with Bayern on Wednesday when they face Arsenal in the Champions League, telling : "I haven't had any contact with anyone, nobody has contacted me. I feel very comfortable in the current situation, even though we haven't yet discussed my situation with Bayern. There’s no rush. I'm really happy in Munich. You can see that in the way I'm playing. If there’s contact, then we'll see. But I'm not thinking about the new season yet. First up is the World Cup in the summer. And it’s very unlikely that anything will change after this season."

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Getty Images SportEdging towards the exit

There's no denying, though, that Kane would give serious consideration to a serious bid from Barca, who, for all of their financial troubles, retain an almost mythical status even among elite-level footballers. There are few more attractive destinations on the planet, and what No.9 wouldn't want to play in the same forward line as Lamine Yamal? All things considered, Kane would find an offer from Barca very difficult to turn down, particularly if they resolve their registration problems in 2026.

It's also clear that the Blaugrana are going to have to replace Lewandowski sooner rather than later. The Poland international is still scoring goals – no Barca player has scored more in La Liga this season (eight) – but he's 37 now and he's had three muscular issues since April, suggesting that his body is starting to betray him.

It certainly feels significant that talks have yet to begin over a new deal for Lewandowski, who will be out of contract at the end of the current campaign and free to talk to other clubs from January 1.

When asked about his next move while on Poland duty last week, Lewandowski admitted to reporters, "I still don’t know the answer. That’s why I’m not in a hurry. I’m at peace with myself, and that is the most important thing. Even if, for example, the club contacted me now, I still wouldn’t answer that question, because I also have to feel what’s best for me. But, for now, I’m calm, I’m not in a hurry and, at the moment, I don’t expect anything else."

Lancashire were dismissed for 284 in their first innings, a deficit of nine

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay09-Sep-2025

Kent lead Lancashire by 105 after reaching 96 without loss at stumps in their second innings of the Rothesay County Championship match at Canterbury.Lancashire were dismissed for 284 in their first innings, a deficit of nine, Matt Quinn taking 4 for 43 and Matt Parkinson 4 for 93.Luke Wells hit 80 and although the visitors slumped to 195 for 8, Tom Hartley bailed them out with a 64, after he’d been dropped twice.Kent’s openers Jaydn Denly and Ben Dawkins responded with an aggressive and unbroken partnership and the hosts will be the happier of the two sides at the end of the second day.Lancashire were 19 without loss overnight and after yesterday’s collision with Ben Compton, Tawanda Muyeye developed delayed concussion symptoms. He was replaced by Joe Denly, in line with ECB protocols, although as a like-for-like replacement he wasn’t allowed to bowl. Compton himself hurt his wrist and was unable to field, or open.Kent were buoyed by two early wickets. Quinn struck in the fifth over of the morning, getting Keaton Jennings caught at first slip by Ben Dawkins for 17 and Josh Bohannon went for a fifth-ball duck, edging Joey Evison to Dawkins, who caught him at the second attempt.Although the ball regularly beat the bat, Wells and Marcus Harris put on 82 for the third wicket, Parkinson breaking the partnership when the latter charged at him and was stumped by Harry Finch for 32, leaving Lancs on 118 for 3 at lunch.The visitors regained the momentum until Matty Hurst played on to Quinn and was bowled for 24. Parkinson then had Wells caught behind.Quinn caught and bowled Michael Jones for 4, then got George Balderson lbw for 11.When Parkinson had Tom Bailey caught by Jaydn Denly at first slip for 3, Lancs were eight down and still 98 behind, but Hartley was dropped twice off Parkinson, by Finch and Mo Rizvi, and alongside Will Williams he steered Lancashire to 254 for 8 at tea.The deficit was down to 33 when Williams was lbw to Jaydn Denly, for 26, but Hartley responded by smearing Parkinson for six over midwicket to bring up his 50 and the visitors were almost level when he hit Parkinson down Ekansh Singh’s throat.With Compton absent, Jaydn Denly and Dawkins immediately went on the attack. The former pulled Hartley for six over midwicket and passed fifty with an elegant reverse-sweep off Wells, shortly before stumps.Dawkins survived a loud appeal in the final over, as Bailey bowled a tricky over of off-spin.

MatériaMais Notícias

O atacante Luiz Henrique desembarcou na noite deste domingo (4) no aeroporto do Galeão para se apresentar ao Botafogo para A temporada 2024.

RelacionadasBotafogoLateral do Getafe chega para assinar com BotafogoBotafogo04/02/2024BotafogoTiago Nunes critica postura do time no empate do Botafogo com o Nova Iguaçu: ‘Deveria ter maturidade maior’Botafogo03/02/2024

– Ainda não caiu minha ficha. Um moleque que saiu do nada agora está sendo o jogador mais caro do futebol brasileiro. Isso é um orgulho para mim e para a minha família. Agora é continuar trabalhando firme e fazer de tudo para ajudar o Botafogo – disse Luiz Henrique, que chegou ao Rio de Janeiro acompanhado pela família.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Fogão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Botafogo

Contratação mais cara da história do futebol brasileiro (20 milhões de euros, mais de R$ 106 milhões), o jogador já está regularizado e pode ser relacionado pelo técnico Tiago Nunes para no clássico contra o Flamengo, quarta-feira (7), no Maracanã, pela 7ª rodada do Campeonato Carioca.

O atacante que estava no Bétis, da Espanha, acordou com equipe carioca que poderá deixar o Alvinegro rumo ao Lyon, clube francês que pertence ao dono da SAF do Botafogo, no meio de 2024 ou começo de 2025.

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LH na área! 🔥⚽️

O atacante Luiz Henrique desembarcou, na noite deste domingo, no Rio de Janeiro para reforçar a família alvinegra! Vamos pra cima, mlk! 💪🏾🌟 #VamosBOTAFOGO pic.twitter.com/105PAfak3j

— Botafogo F.R. (@Botafogo) February 5, 2024

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While they haven’t been perfect, Arsenal have been far and away the best team in the Premier League this season.

Mikel Arteta’s side are sitting four points clear of second place, and while the attack is yet to click fully, the rest of the team have been exceptional.

One of the standout stars, as was the case last year and the season before that, has been Declan Rice.

The England international has been a difference maker on more than one occasion so far, and so fans should be delighted about reports linking Arsenal to someone who could be another Rice-type signing.

Arsenal target another Declan Rice

There are a few stars in contention for Arsenal’s Player of the Season thus far, and Rice is undoubtedly one of them.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

On top of becoming even more of an attacking threat in that left-eight position he moved into last season, the former West Ham United captain has shown more of that defensive steel he was famous for, dropping into a double pivot on several occasions with Martin Zubimendi.

So with the Englishman thriving in all phases of play, it’s not a surprise to see Arsenal moving for another player of his ilk, an international star in the making: Adam Wharton.

At least that is according to a recent report from Spain, which claims the Gunners are one of several sides keen to sign the Crystal Palace star.

The report has revealed that, alongside the North Londoners, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United are racing to sign the 21-year-old, while Real Madrid are also keeping tabs on the situation.

However, on top of beating out the competition, the Gunners will have to stump up around £100m to tempt the Eagles into selling the jewel in their crown.

With all that said, Wharton’s immense ability and potential make him a player worth pushing the boat out for, particularly after an impressive first start for his country during November’s international break.

Why Wharton would be another Rice for Arsenal

Described as “the best U21 player in the Prem” by one analyst, if Arsenal were to bring Wharton to the Emirates in January, it would be another example of them poaching a highly rated central midfielder from another Premier League side.

Moreover, they would once again be taking a non-big six London-based outfit’s best English central midfielder.

Finally, it would be the second time within a three-year period that the North Londoners spend north of £100m to do so.

Now, beyond what would make the deals so similar, what makes the Palace ace analogous to the former West Ham star?

Well, like his older compatriot was at the time of his move, the 21-year-old ace is very highly rated, with former Sky Sports employee Matthew Stanger labelling him a “generational talent” and one CONCACAF B certified coach dubbing him “the best deep-lying English midfielder since Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick.”

While that is indeed supreme praise, it’s easy to see where it has come from, as much like the 72-capped England star, he is capable of doing more than just sitting deep and shielding the back four.

For example, FBref ranks him in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for expected assisted goals, the top 4% for key passes, the top 5% for through balls, the top 10% for shot-creating actions, and more, all per 90 minutes.

Additionally, he has already won three senior caps for the Three Lions, and played a pivotal role in the Eagles winning the FA Cup last season – the first major honour in their history.

Ultimately, it is still early in his career, but Wharton looks to be a superstar in the making, and under someone like Arteta, could develop into another Rice-type monster.

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By
Ben Gray

Nov 16, 2025

أثار فيليب ديالو، رئيس الاتحاد الفرنسي لكرة القدم، الجدل حول تدريب زين الدين زيدان لمنتخب فرنسا الأول لكرة القدم بعد اقتراب ديديه ديشامب من الرحيل عقب كأس العالم 2026 المقبل.

ولم يُدرب زين الدين زيدان أي فريق أو منتخب منذ رحيله عن تدريب فريق ريال مدريد في نهاية موسم 2020/2021.

وأصبح رحيل ديشامب مؤكدًا عن منتخب فرنسا بعد كأس العالم 2026 المقبل مهما كانت النتائج، بعد مسيرة استمرت 14 عامًا حقق فيها كأس العالم 2018 ودوري الأمم الأوروبية 2021 والوصول إلى نهائي نسخة قطر 2022.

كان زيدان قد أوضح أنه يرغب في العودة للتدريب مجددًا وقد كشف بأن هذا سوف يحدث قريبًا، ولذلك ربطت عدة تقارير أن وجهته المقبلة ستكون منتخب فرنسا،(للمزيد من التفاصيل اضغط هنا).

وفي مقابلة مع صحيفة “ليكيب” الفرنسية، أكد ديالو: “الأمر ليس إثارة جدل أو حالة من التشويق، الأمر ببساطة يتعلق بالاحترام للطاقم الحالي، ديدييه وطاقمه التدريبي يتولون القيادة منذ 14 عامًا ولا أريد صُنع أشياء تعيق تجهيزات كأس العالم”.

وعما سيكون زيدان هو المدرب المقبل لمنتخب فرنسا أجاب: “سنرى في يوليو، الكثير من الأمور غير المتوقعة يمكن أن تحدث ومع ذلك، وقد علقت على ذلك بالفعل أشعر بإعجاب واحترام كبير لزيدان سواء لمساهمته في كرة القدم الفرنسية أو لمسيرته كمدرب لكن كل شيء يحدث في الوقت المناسب، في الوقت الحالي، دعونا نستعد لكأس العالم”.

وفيما يتعلق بإمكانية لقاء زيدان للتفاوض على اتفاق بين الطرفين، أتم قائلًا: “في الوقت الحال أنا متمسك بما قُلت، نحن نركز على التحضير لكأس العالم وكل شيء سيحدث في الوقت المناسب”.

Sussex fight back after being bowled out for 122 but face stiff chase in fourth innings

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay09-Sep-2025Hampshire took a firm grip of their Championship match against Sussex on the second day at Hove. In a low-scoring game they took a first innings lead of 104 after Sussex were bowled out for 122, losing their last seven wickets for 79.Hampshire then recovered from 89 for 7 to 173 in their second knock, with James Fuller top-scoring with 49. That set Sussex 278 and at the close they had reached 37 for the loss of Daniel Hughes. Eighteen wickets fell in the day, after 13 had gone down in the first. The losing team here will take just three points, and could be dragged into the relegation argument, but rain is forecast for the second half of the match.Sussex resumed on a precarious 42 for 3 and were almost immediately in deeper trouble. With the third ball of the morning nightwatch Sean Hunt was trapped in front of his stumps by Kyle Abbott.It was 60 for 5 six overs later when Hughes, only half-forward to a delivery from Abbott which nipped back off the seam, was also lbw. Hughes had spent 87 balls compiling 21, as if to prove that even determined application was not enough to overcome the challenging pitch. Abbott’s opening spell was 5-2-4-2. Hampshire supporters are delighted that the 38-year-old has signed a one-year extension to his contract.Tom Alsop and captain John Simpson added 31 for the sixth wicket in nine overs, slowly building hope in the Sussex supporters that their side could get somewhere near the Hampshire total.But at 91 Simpson got an edge to one down the leg side from the slow left-armer Bjorn Fortuin and Ben Brown, moving alertly to his right, took a smart catch. Jack Carson brought up the hundred in the 44th over when he swung Fortuin to leg for four. But he was bowled through the gate by a sharp nip-backer from Abbott; 104 for 7.It didn’t get any better. It was 115 for 8 when Fynn Hudson-Prentice, playing back when he should have been forward, was bowled by Fortuin for 7. Robinson made a premeditated slog-sweep to his first delivery and was lbw and the last wicket fell two overs later when Alsop, hitting out, was caught at deep midwicket for 39. So former Hampshire player Alsop had top-scored for Sussex just as former Sussex player Brown had made Hampshire’s best score the day before.When Hampshire batted again Fletcha Middleton had his off stump plucked out by Jaydev Unadkat in the second over and two balls later Nick Gubbins, trying to avoid a delivery from the same bowler, only succeeded in playing on. Robinson switched to the sea end and immediately uprooted Ali Orr’s off stump; 31 for three in the 12th.James Coles came on and after five overs the spinner’s figures read 5-1-15-4. Toby Albert was lbw, Tom Prest saw one turn past his bat and knock back his off-stump, Fortuin was caught down the leg side and Brown, after another vital innings of 30, scooped his attempted sweep up into the air. But the tail, led by Fuller, wagged to put Hampshire on top.

With only nine Premier League wins under his belt as a manager in the top flight, it’s fair to say Daniel Farke has his work cut out for him right now to arrest the current Leeds United slide.

With four defeats from their last five league clashes, Leeds now sit just one point above the depressing relegation zone, as Sean Dyche’s equally relegation-troubled Nottingham Forest sucked the Whites deeper into the relegation pit by beating them 3-1 at the City Ground before the international break.

Yet, despite the West Yorkshire outfit hanging on for their lives, and Farke’s wretched record in the top division, it appears as if the ex-Norwich City boss will be kept on, for the time being at least.

Surely, though, if the results continue in their gloomy downward trajectory, the plug will have to be pulled.

But, until then, the under-pressure German has some big decisions to grapple with to try and save his job in the long run.

Decisions Farke needs to make to save his job at Leeds

Sack season is also in full swing now in the Premier League, with bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers getting rid of Vitor Pereira recently, after extending a vote of confidence his way.

Farke will hope he doesn’t follow Pereira in being the next managerial casualty, with the German now facing the decision to make a number of changes to his regular starting lineup.

One of those includes dropping the likes of Brenden Aaronson if he is to remain in the Elland Road dug-out moving forward.

Unfortunately, Farke does appear to be staunchly loyal to certain members of his camp, even when they’re obviously falling below their expected standards, with Aaronson selected now by the German a high 59 times, to hit-and-miss results.

Only one of his ten goals for the West Yorkshire giants under Farke has fallen in the Premier League, and with both Daniel James and Wilfried Gnonto waiting in reserve, switching out the ex-Union Berlin playmaker for either the Welshman or Italian could seriously boost the relegation-threatened side in attack.

Farke might also help the wins to start flowing if he selects Lukas Nmecha as his sole striker more often, heading into crunch games this November and December, with the ex-Wolfsburg striker stylishly putting away a goal against Forest, which is his second for the club already, despite only amassing 279 minutes of total league action.

The German will also know he needs to change up his defence, with Jaka Bijol receiving plenty of pelters for his recent performances.

However, Farke didn’t exactly help out his tiring defence at the City Ground.

Bielsa signing must be given the boot by Farke

Another compelling argument to get rid of Aaronson from the first team picture, away from his hot-and-cold reputation, is the fact that he’s a remaining relic of the dismal 2022/23 squad that was relegated to the Championship.

The only other dire member of that team that featured against Dyche’s hosts was Jack Harrison, who is somehow still getting minutes under Farke, many years on from his Leeds peak.

25/26

11

0

22/23

40

6 + 10

21/22

38

10 + 2

20/21

37

8 + 8

19/20

49

6 + 8

18/19

42

4 + 4

Indeed, looking at the data above, it’s clear that the former Manchester City youth product was a dependable first-teamer many moons ago at Elland Road, with an impressive collection of 66 combined goals and assists for the Whites.

Leeds managerial great Marcelo Bielsa even once hailed Harrison as a “big influence” during his heyday down the left channel.

But, right now, the 28-year-old needs to be put out of his misery, on his subdued return to the Whites first team fold, after a two-season-long loan stay at Everton.

Last time out versus Forest, when strangely placed into the side at left-back, Harrison would clatter into a Forest shirt late on, clumsily, to gift Elliot Anderson his game-clinching penalty.

Moreover, away from that moment of stupidity, the below-par number 20 still manages to pocket a steep £90k-per-week salary at the Premier League newcomers, despite having no goals or assists to shout about this season from 11 forgettable outings.

Recent reports have also suggested that Harrison could be sold in January if Leeds can win themselves some more reinforcements in attack.

Still, if Farke wants to send out a message that he isn’t going to stand by and watch standards slip, he will try to offload the shoddy winger in the transfer window, anyway, as he attempts everything in his power to keep his precarious position.

He's got a "bit of Bielsa": Leeds could sack Farke for "mental" 4-3-3 coach

A Bielsa-style change of manager could keep Leeds in the Premier League

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 12, 2025

Manchester United are now making a strong move to sign Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra in the January transfer window, with a £44m January bid planned.

Signing a new midfielder is of key significance to Man United, not least because speculation surrounding Kobbie Mainoo’s future at Old Trafford continues to build, with it recently being revealed the England international is in talks to leave this winter.

That is despite the fact Ruben Amorim has made it clear he wants to keep hold of the youngster, saying: “I want Kobbie to stay, and he needs to fight for his place. We need Kobbie. That is not going to change.”

However, Amorim has been extremely reluctant to give Mainoo a consistent run in the team, with the 20-year-old featuring for just 138 minutes across seven Premier League appearances this season, having failed to dislodge Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes in the starting XI.

With the academy graduate now in advanced talks over a move to Napoli, the Red Devils have now set out to bring in a new central midfielder in the January transfer window.

Man Utd making strong move to sign Javi Guerra

According to a report from Spain, Man United are now making a strong move to sign Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra in the January transfer window, and INEOS clearly mean business, with a €50m (£44m) offer being plotted.

Guerra, who has a €100m (£88m) release clause in his contract, could be available for a much lower fee this winter, given his inconsistent performances for Valencia this season, and United are now weighing up a winter approach.

However, there are several obstacles to overcome, with the Spanish club currently reluctant to sanction a departure, while Amorim would also have to offer the central midfielder regular game time in order to lure him to Old Trafford.

The Red Devils are determined to get a deal over the line, and it is clear to see why, with the Spaniard impressing for Valencia over a sustained period of time, having received high praise from scout Jacek Kulig during the 2023-24 campaign.

The 22-year-old has remained a key player for the Spanish side this season, making 12 La Liga appearances, during which time he’s amassed two assists, although some of the maestro’s most recent performances suggest it would be a gamble for United to pursue a deal.

Indeed, as pointed out in the report, Guerra hasn’t been at his best as of late, receiving a 6.2 SofaScore match rating in Valencia’s 2-0 home defeat against Villarreal last month, which led to him being dropped for the following match against Real Madrid.

As such, it may be a wise idea for Man United to target a midfielder who has already proven himself in the Premier League, and a club-record bid for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson is now being prepared…

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What a signing he could be for the Red Devils.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Nov 4, 2025

The Colorado Rockies just finished one of the worst months in MLB history, ending April with a 4–24 record. Through 30 games, they are 5–25, and their fans have had to endure an utterly ridiculous spell of terrible play.

Colorado has actually been worse than the historically poor 2024 Chicago White Sox were through 30 games. The 121-loss White Sox were one of the worst teams in baseball history, and the Rockies are one game behind their pace, as Chicago was 6–24 after 30 games last year.

If you think things look bad on the surface, well, a deep dive into the numbers makes things even worse. Once you take a look under the hood, you start to wonder how the Rockies even stumbled into five wins.

Here's a look at some of those statistics through the end of April.

0 — Number of winning streaks by the 2025 Rockies. They have yet to win consecutive games.

1 — Wins on the road. They are 1–14 away from the not-so-friendly confines of Coors Field. They're only 4-11 at home.

2 — Wins by rookie starting pitcher Chase Dollander. He leads the team. Dollander also left his victorious start on Wednesday after 5 2/3 innings with a broken fingernail, so even when things go right, they go wrong.

3 —The number of six-plus game losing streaks the Rockies have had through April. They dropped six in a row from March 30-April 5, eight in a row from April 11-20, and eight in a row again from April 22-April 29.

4 — The team's win total in April. While it isn't the worst April in MLB history (that belongs to the 1988 Baltimore Orioles, who were 1–22), it is worse than the 2024 Chicago White Sox, who were 6–21 in April.

-77 — The Rockies' run differential. It's the worst in baseball by 26 runs. The rest of the National League West is a combined +94.

.211 — Colorado's team batting average through 30 games, tied for the worst in MLB with the White Sox. As a reminder, the Rockies play home games on a mile-high launching pad.

.350 — The Rockies' team slugging percentage, which ranks 26th in MLB.

.632 — The Rockies' team OPS, which is third-worst in MLB. Again, these are Coors Field-aided numbers. The team's road OPS is .539, which is the worst in baseball.

26 — Home runs Colorado has hit, which ranks 22nd in MLB.

312 — Team strikeouts, the most in MLB entering Thursday, 16 more than the New York Yankees (296), who have played one more game.

6.53 — ERA of Colorado's starting pitchers, by far the worst in MLB. Ryan Feltner's ERA of 4.75 is the among Rockies starters.

1.69 — WHIP of Rockies starting pitchers, also by far the worst in MLB.

.326 — Opponents' batting average against Rockies starters. Again, the worst in MLB. Overall, opponents are hitting .292 off the team's staff.

.424 — OPS of top prospect and former No. 9 overall pick Zac Veen. He was sent down to Triple-A after 12 games.

43 — Strikeouts by third baseman Ryan McMahon, the most in MLB. He has two more than teammate Michael Toglia (41), who is second.

-0.1 — McMahon's WAR, meaning he’s performing below replacement level. His OPS is .508. He was an All-Star in 2024.

0.6 — WAR of catcher Hunter Goodman, which is by far the best for a position player on the team. Just for the sake of reference, the Dodgers have seven regulars with a higher WAR than Goodman. Fernando Tatis Jr. has already produced 2.4 WAR, four times higher than anyone on the Rockies.

108 Million — The amount of dollars left on the final four years of Kris Bryant's onerous contract. The former NL MVP is slashing .154/.195/.205 with no home runs and one RBI in 11 games. He is currently on the injured list for the ninth time since he signed with the Rockies in 2022. Bryant’s seven-year, $182 million deal has become one of the worst contracts in MLB history.

18 — Farm system ranking by MLB Pipeline, which shows only two players among the top 100 prospects. Not much help appears to be on the way.

What we're seeing in Colorado is the result of years of mismanagement. The Rockies can't even tank well, because after missing the playoffs for six years in a row and heading to their third-straight 100-plus loss season, they don't even have a deep crop of good prospects to show for it.

Denver is a great market, and other franchises there have been wildly successful over the past decade. The Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche have each won championships since 2022. The Rockies have a .374 winning percentage in that time. Since advancing to the 2007 World Series, they’ve played in nine playoff games, losing seven.

The team that plays at the highest altitude in baseball has sunk the lowest, and the blame lies with the team's ownership and management.

The San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners announced Friday that they teamed up to create the Vedder Cup for their annual series, a trophy named after Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder, who spent his adolescence in San Diego and grew to fame in Seattle.

The trophy will, of course, be awarded to the team who wins the most games each year in their season series. But if there is a tie in wins, it goes to a couple of creative tiebreakers.

If the season series ends in a tie, the team with a greater run differential will claim the Vedder Cup. But if that is also a tie, it goes to the second tiebreaker that references Vedder's initials "EV."

"If the clubs share an even run differential in the season series, the team with the highest exit velocity recorded on a hit will win the Vedder Cup," the Mariners' website reads, mentioning that "EV" is both Vedder's initials and the acronym for exit velocity.

The Mariners and Padres are scheduled to play six games against each other this season—a three-game series at Petco Park in San Diego from May 16-18 and another three-game set at T-Mobile Park in Seattle from Aug. 25-27.

May the "Better Man" win.