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Aaron Judge says he intends to be ready for Yankees' Wild Card series despite calf injury
With fans wondering whether New York Yankees three-time MVP Aaron Judge will be playing in the AL Wild Card series next week as his calf injury looms over the franchise, the man himself isn’t so worried.
"That’s what the plan is," Judge told ESPN. "Try to get my body ready so I’m ready to go."
Judge intends to be ready for Game 1 of the Wild Card series, which begins at Yankee Stadium next Tuesday against a to-be-determined opponent from the American League.
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Judge was placed on the injured list this past Saturday after suffering a right calf strain, though he added more concern that he could be out awhile at the worst possible time given the postseason was right around the corner.
He specified that he has a soleus muscle strain, which is what he said is essential for running and hitting – the things the Yankees desperately need him to do if they wish to reach the World Series again.
Judge confirmed reports that he received a Platelet-Poor Plasma (PPP) injection on Monday in his calf, and he and the Yankees are now waiting for clearance to resume baseball activities involving his leg.
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However, while Judge is intending on playing, manager Aaron Boone had a different thought process on Tuesday.
"We’re planning on him not being a part of that," he told reporters regarding the AL Wild Card series, though he hasn’t ruled him out officially. The Yankees still have time to figure out their roster.
But, if Judge isn’t on the Wild Card roster, he won’t be allowed to play until the Yankees make it to the ALDS, which only occurs if they win the best-of-three series.
Judge added that he’s had talks with those within the organization that make decisions, though he wasn’t going to divulge.
"I can’t control what people say," he said. "So, you’ll have to talk to them about that."
Judge’s injury came after he had just returned from a three-month stint on the injured list with a fractured rib . This ailment may not be as serious, but after getting an MRI this past Thursday to reveal the grade of the strain, it’s serious enough at a time when the Yankees would love for him to be 100%.
Since his return to the team, however, Judge hasn’t struggled to get back to his usual slugging self. He went 4-of-23 with one homer and 13 strikeouts over 24 plate appearances. And they came right after he was deemed healthy enough to play instead of going to the minor leagues for a rehab assignment.
"We’ve got games to win," Judge said. "I’m getting paid to play games for the New York Yankees, so I’ll get back as soon as I can."
There are multiple opponents the Yankees could play in the Wild Card series, but it is most likely to be a rematch from 2025 in the Bronx against the Boston Red Sox.
Illegal alien allegedly grabs school police officer's gun, shoots him in femoral artery: DOJ
A Mexican national accused of grabbing a Dallas school police officer’s gun and shooting him after the officer stopped to help him has been indicted on a federal firearms charge, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Jose Santiago Pantoja-Morales, 27, allegedly shot the uniformed Dallas Independent School District (DISD) police officer during an Aug. 6 struggle after the officer encountered him near the Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway, according to a federal complaint.
Pantoja-Morales, who prosecutors say was in the U.S. illegally, had allegedly jumped out of a co-worker’s car and into the freeway’s center median.
The co-worker flagged down the DISD officer, who was on routine patrol and offered Pantoja-Morales a ride to a nearby safe location.
ICE LODGES DETAINER FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED OF TRYING TO DISARM VIRGINIA POLICE OFFICER
During the ride, prosecutors say Pantoja-Morales began rummaging through the officer’s bag in the back seat.
The officer pulled over and tried to remove him from the car, but Pantoja-Morales allegedly resisted, leading to a physical struggle.
During the fight, Pantoja-Morales allegedly grabbed the officer’s gun and fired once, striking the officer in the femoral artery of his right leg, according to the complaint.
VIDEO SHOWS MOMENT CHICAGO MAN ALLEGEDLY USED SUV AS WEAPON AGAINST ICE AGENT, PROSECUTORS SAY
Despite being wounded, the officer regained control of his gun. Pantoja-Morales ran from the scene and was quickly apprehended by law enforcement, prosecutors said.
Another DISD officer provided medical treatment at the scene before the wounded officer was taken to Parkland Hospital for further treatment.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment Sept. 16, charging Pantoja-Morales with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.
"The illegal alien’s alleged actions in this case represent an attack on the rule of law and a direct threat to public safety," U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said in a news release. "Every day, we ask the men and women who wear the badge to stand between good and evil. It is my duty — and the duty of this office — to do all we can to protect those who protect us.
"Violence against an officer will not be tolerated, and we will pursue this prosecution with the utmost rigor to ensure full accountability."
Pantoja-Morales is awaiting transfer to federal custody under a writ of habeas corpus filed Wednesday. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
The ATF Dallas Field Office and Dallas Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadin-Sarah Salkic is prosecuting it.
Michigan student confronts El-Sayed over Iran stance in tense exchange: ‘Do you stand with us?’
A Michigan student confronted Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed about his position on Iran during a town hall Wednesday, invoking his family's stated persecution by the Iranian regime before repeatedly pressing the candidate on whether he stood with Iranians opposing the government.
Iman Dashti, who identified himself as Persian, told El-Sayed during a town hall at the University of Michigan that members of his family had suffered under Iran's government.
"My cousin was hunted in the streets of Iran by the IRGC because her hijab wasn't on right," Dashti said. He also alleged that her uncle was sentenced to death and received 50 lashes under the Iranian government.
Dashti then confronted El-Sayed over leaked audio from earlier this year in which he said he did not want to comment on the death of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei because "there are a lot of people in Dearborn who are sad today."
"That silence had a gaping hole in our community," Dashti told El-Sayed Wednesday.
Dashti asked El-Sayed whether he regretted that silence, whether he would renounce people who held vigils supporting Khamenei and whether he stood "unequivocally against the IRGC" and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
El-Sayed responded by arguing that the United States has too often acted as "the world's policeman" while saying he supported movements for democracy and freedom abroad.
AFTER 6 MONTHS OF WAR, US MUST PREPARE FOR A FUTURE AFTER IRAN’S GOVERNMENT FALLS
"One can disagree with the governance of a foreign country. One can stand in solidarity with freedom and democracy movements," El-Sayed said.
He went on to reject U.S.-led regime change in Iran.
"I will always stand for and with democratic movements always," El-Sayed said. "But I also don't believe that we were in the right to go to war to topple the government of Iran. It was not our responsibility to do. It is the responsibility of the people of Iran to decide what their leadership should look like."
Dashti pressed him again.
"You stand with us?" he asked.
"I will always stand with movements for freedom and democracy," El-Sayed responded, before again warning against U.S. involvement in regime change.
"We should not be in the business of regime change," he said.
El-Sayed added moments later, "I want freedom and democracy for the people of Iran, no question. But I want that to be done by the people of Iran, coming together as a community to decide how to create democratic change in their society."
Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed's campaign for additional comment on the exchange and attempted to reach Dashti through Instagram.
El-Sayed, who won Michigan's Democratic Senate primary in August, is running against Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers for the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters. The contest has drawn substantial national attention and spending.
The Iran confrontation was one of several notable exchanges during Wednesday's "Students vs. Billionaires" town hall at El-Sayed's alma mater.
While discussing public health infrastructure, El-Sayed appeared to make a prediction about the party and the gender that will win the White House in 2028.
"I'm looking forward to working with the next Democratic president when she takes office in 2029," El-Sayed said, adding that he hoped to work with that administration to modernize the nation's public health infrastructure.
El-Sayed did not identify whom he had in mind.
His remarks came as former Vice President Kamala Harris, the 2024 Democrat presidential nominee, returned to Michigan to campaign with El-Sayed. Harris has not announced a 2028 presidential campaign.
El-Sayed also criticized President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance during the event.
"Donald Trump and JD Vance can't seem to keep my name out their mouth," El-Sayed said. "They don't really know how to say it, though, which is fine, because I believe in teaching opportunities."
Trump and other national Republicans have repeatedly targeted El-Sayed during the midterm campaign, while El-Sayed has responded by criticizing the president.
"As he noted in his response, Abdul will always stand with movements for freedom and democracy, and he condemns government anti-free speech violence," Roxie Richner, El-Sayed's campaign spokesperson, said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"Abdul has also been clear that the United States should not be in the business of spending our tax dollars abroad on regime change wars that take our service members’ lives, waste our tax dollars and raise our prices. He believes American taxpayer dollars are best spent here at home to invest in infrastructure, education and healthcare."
NYC kitten rescue defends ‘NO F---ING MAGA’ adoption policy as PETA calls for it to be abolished
After posting an explicit warning that MAGA supporters, conservatives and apolitical applicants need not apply, a New York City kitten rescue is defending its screening process against mounting criticism, including from PETA, which called on the group to scrap the ideological ban.
"Homeless animals don’t care which side of abortion you are on or whether you believe in global warming or support Palestine or Israel or if you don’t vote at all, ever. They care if you love them and will give them a good home," PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk told Fox News Digital.
"We hope this policy, which is humancentric, is reconsidered and abolished."
The dispute centers on Itty Bitty City Kitties, a Rockaway Beach-based rescue that describes itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit specializing in orphaned and neonatal kittens, feral cat welfare and adoptions. The organization is also listed among New York state’s registered pet rescues.
ONE OF NATION'S LARGEST CHRISTIAN FOSTER AGENCIES WILL NOT ALLOW LGBTQ COUPLES TO ADOPT CHILDREN
In a social media post reviewed by Fox News Digital, the rescue laid out a series of political positions it said could disqualify prospective adopters.
"MAGA? Nope."
"Conservative? Nope."
"‘I’m not political’? Nice loophole. Still nope."
An accompanying image of a kitten bore the message, "NO. F---ING. MAGA."
The post drew wider attention after Libs of TikTok posted it on X, prompting questions about whether the language represented the rescue’s actual adoption practices.
Fox News Digital contacted Itty Bitty City Kitties and asked whether an applicant could be rejected for identifying as MAGA, conservative or apolitical.
Samantha Knox, who has publicly identified herself as the director of Itty Bitty City Kitties, defended the organization’s screening approach by saying its overriding responsibility is the welfare of the animals in its care.
"As an animal welfare rescue, our primary responsibility is ensuring the animals in our care go to safe, compassionate homes," Knox told Fox News Digital.
She said the organization considers "public conduct and demonstrated values" and argued that a record of "celebrat[ing] cruelty" can raise concerns about an applicant’s suitability to care for an animal.
"A history of celebrating harm or abuse, be it toward people or animals, is one of the biggest red flags in animal rescue," Knox said. "We stand by our mission and will never place a vulnerable animal with anyone, ever, who we feel is a danger to the welfare of the animal."
OREGON SETTLES WITH CHRISTIAN MOTHER DENIED FOSTER CARE ADOPTION OVER GENDER IDENTITY BELIEFS
Fox News Digital followed up with a narrower question, asking whether a person who identifies as MAGA or conservative, but has no documented history of animal cruelty, threats, neglect or violence, would be eligible to adopt.
"Itty Bitty City Kitties does not screen or reject applicants based on registered political party affiliation," Knox responded. "MAGA is a political movement and ideology, not a recognized political party."
Knox said adoption evaluations instead concern "conduct, ethical alignment and animal safety."
"We reserve the right to reject any application where an applicant’s expressed values, public statements or actions demonstrate a failure to meet our safety and welfare standards," she said.
NEW JERSEY POLICE PULL OUT 3-FOOT PYTHON FROM WOMAN'S CAR GRILLE, BODYCAM VIDEO SHOWS
Asked again whether a MAGA or conservative applicant without a history of cruelty, threats, neglect or violence could adopt from the organization, Knox did not provide a yes-or-no answer.
"Media-driven requests to force complex animal welfare evaluations into a binary ‘yes or no’ premise fundamentally misrepresent how responsible adoption screenings operate," she said.
Knox added that "active support for or alignment with social movements" the rescue believes normalizes or promotes cruelty can be treated as "actionable conduct" and said adoption decisions are made "holistically under these welfare and safety standards."
Knox also provided Fox News Digital with screenshots she said showed explicit, hostile messages directed at the rescue after its political posts.
Knox said messages of that nature illustrated the kind of conduct the rescue considers relevant when evaluating prospective homes. PETA, however, drew a different line.
"Political affiliation is not a reliable measure of whether someone will be a good guardian," the organization told Fox News Digital, adding that a person's actions and statements, along with demonstrated treatment of people and animals, can be relevant to an adoption decision.
PETA said rescues should focus on "objective animal welfare factors," including an applicant’s history of animal care, ability to meet an animal’s needs and evidence of cruelty, neglect or violence.
"Shelters and rescues exist to protect animals, not to serve as political gatekeepers," PETA said.
Itty Bitty City Kitties’ public adoption page describes what the organization calls a "Fully Supported Adoption Model," under which prospective owners submit an application, references, employment and living information, participate in a phone interview and complete a FaceTime or Zoom interview in lieu of a home visit.
The rescue’s published "MUST LIST" says adopters must keep animals up to date on veterinary care; keep them indoors or leashed outside; never declaw them; maintain a plan for travel, illness or death; not simply give away an animal they can no longer care for; and be financially able to provide for its welfare.
The public-facing requirements reviewed by Fox News Digital do not mention MAGA, conservatism, political affiliation or political ideology.
The organization has also used its social media account for other political messaging.
On Sept. 10, Itty Bitty City Kitties posted an image of a kitten carrying the words, "Kittens. Don’t. Mourn. Nazis."
"For absolutely no reason at all on this day one year later..." text on the image stated.
"Just a little kitten making sure we all know where we stand," the accompanying caption read, followed by hashtags including "#kitten," "#cat," "#politics" and "#iykyk."
While the post did not name late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, it was published exactly one year after his assassination at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025.
Knox also invoked the rescue’s nonprofit status in defending its ability to take positions on political and social issues, saying 501(c)(3) organizations are permitted to maintain issue-based standards aligned with their missions as long as they do not engage in partisan political campaigning.
PETA, while objecting to the use of political affiliation as a measure of adoption suitability, said an applicant’s actual behavior toward animals can, and should, matter regardless of ideology.
"More broadly, anyone who condones, celebrates or participates in harming animals demonstrates a troubling lack of empathy," PETA said.
English soccer star Harry Kane wants to play in the MLS and kick in the NFL at the same time
We don't see enough two-sport athletes these days. It's such a cool phenomenon that we haven't really seen in a while.
However, English soccer star Harry Kane wouldn't mind taking a crack at it.
Because if he winds up in the MLS, he wouldn't mind spending his free time on an NFL roster.
ENGLISH SOCCER STAR HARRY KANE CALLS ROUND OF GOLF WITH TRUMP A ‘SURREAL EXPERIENCE’
According to The Athletic, Kane was recently quoted as saying that he was close to re-upping with the Bundesliga's Bayern Munich. That led to a question about his plans beyond this next deal.
One of those plans was something he has reportedly talked about multiple times over the years, and that was switching sports.
He's talked about golfing professionally, but this time he was focused on trading football for American football.
"That is something I will try and look at a bit more seriously," he said. "It all depends on what happens in my career over the next five or six years, the motivation and what I want to do. The NFL is a lot more realistic than the golf one, let’s put it that way."
But what had never come up before was the idea of Kane winding down his career stateside in the MLS while also moonlighting as a placekicker.
SOMEONE NEEDS TO STEP IN AND DEFEND CODY RHODES' AWFUL, TERRIBLE PLACEKICKING PERFORMANCE
"Maybe if I am in the MLS in the future or somewhere like that it might be a thing where you could connect the two, with the seasons," he said. "But it is in the back of my mind because right now, I am feeling that I want to play as long as I can here."
Nice save at the end. The team about to re-sign you probably doesn't want to hear about your plans to play in the MLS and kick extra points on the side.
But do you know who does want to hear that? The rest of us.
That would just be a fun thing to watch, and Kane obviously has the leg to boot a pigskin quite a long way if he can nail down those pesky mechanics.
Which it looks like he may have already done.
At least a few teams are probably setting reminders to see what Kane is up to when his Bayern Munich deal is up.
Maybe it's a pipe dream, but someone has to bring back two-sport professional athletes.
Trump likely ‘smirked’ as 'crass' Iranian president lashed out at US in UN speech: expert
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s sharp rebuke of Washington at the United Nations would have drawn little more than a "smirk" from President Donald Trump, who knows he "holds the cards," a foreign policy expert told Fox News Digital Wednesday.
The assessment came after Pezeshkian and Trump addressed the U.N. General Assembly in New York from the same podium within 24 hours of one another, trading sharp rhetoric as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to mount.
"Trump understands he holds the cards, and he may not even have paid much attention to what the Iranian president was saying," Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told Fox News Digital.
Pezeshkian accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran while portraying his country as the victim of aggression.
THE TOP MOMENTS FROM IRAN PRESIDENT’S TENSE VISIT TO US SOIL AS WAR RAGES
"We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists," Pezeshkian claimed.
"Our innocent people have been the targets of cowardly attacks and aggressions imposed upon our country. America and Israel attacked us."
"I’m sure that would have drawn a smirk or a smile or a chuckle from the president’s face, seeing that crassness," Taleblu said, pointing to what he described as a sharp contrast between Pezeshkian’s rhetoric and the Iranian government’s track record.
Pezeshkian’s address came after Trump used the same U.N. stage to defend the U.S. conflict with Iran and warn that Tehran faces a stark choice between reaching a deal and facing further destruction.
"Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic, and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?" Trump said on Tuesday.
While the rhetoric from both leaders was pointed, Taleblu said their broader diplomatic positions remain largely predictable.
TRUMP TO ZERO-IN ON IRAN NUCLEAR THREAT, GAZA PLAN AND UN OVERHAUL IN WORLD STAGE SPEECH
"To a certain degree, both President Trump and President Pezeshkian’s speeches before the U.N. General Assembly’s 81st session were predictable," Taleblu said.
"Predictable because the status of both countries and their foreign policy toward the other are in a fairly predictable pattern right now."
Despite the threats and recriminations, the two adversaries also appear to be still testing a diplomatic path behind the scenes.
Trump said Tuesday that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner spoke with Iranian officials for roughly three hours on the sidelines of the General Assembly and characterized the discussions as productive.
Witkoff later said the talks were conducted through mediators who shuttled between the U.S. and Iranian delegations.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also represented Tehran in the discussions, according to reports.
KUSHNER TOUTS UNPRECEDENTED IRAN CONTACTS AS TEHRAN DENIES TRUMP BACKCHANNEL
Both sides, Taleblu said, are attempting "to make time a weapon on their side" and "to put the burden of choosing between escalation and engagement on the other."
But Taleblu went on to characterize Pezeshkian’s broader message as an attempt to cast Iran as a victim through an anti-American, anti-Israel and anti-imperialist framework.
"It seemed to be more of a global South, anti-American, anti-Israeli, kind of anti-colonial, anti-imperialist message that he was looking to kind of paint the Islamic Republic as the victim," Taleblu said.
"In reality, the long-serving victim in this entire crisis is the Iranian people because of the policies of the Islamic Republic."
The competing messages — confrontation from the U.N. podium and diplomacy behind the scenes — highlighted the unresolved tensions between Washington and Tehran as officials explore whether negotiations can produce an off-ramp from the conflict.
TRUMP KEEPS FORECASTING AN IRAN DEAL — WHY THE WHITE HOUSE STILL THINKS IT CAN HAPPEN
"Despite the tough talk at the podium, both sides still feel like they need to signal an interest in talks, even though they’re both trying to use talks to shape an outcome that is more conducive to their interests," Taleblu said.
Pezeshkian also told the General Assembly that Tehran would not surrender to military pressure while signaling that Iran remained open to diplomacy.
"I think the Iranians are trying to signal an interest in talks, but they may run into a brick wall quite soon if they foot-drag or delay or don’t meaningfully provide any kind of substantive change in their policy," Taleblu said, citing Iran’s positions on the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and its nuclear program.
"Ultimately, if the positions remain the same, the fact that they’re oscillating between shooting and talking doesn’t mean much because the red lines haven’t actually moved.
"Of course, the Trump administration is looking for a political win here."
Tylenol murders mystery deepens after sheriff’s office solves decades-old ‘Unknown Wanderer’ cold case
A mysterious man who died of cyanide poisoning inside an Idaho church more than four decades ago has finally been identified, and investigators say his past raises questions about a possible connection to the still-unsolved 1982 Chicago Tylenol murders.
The man known for decades as the "Unknown Wanderer" was Dr. Mathew Francis Betkouski, an organic chemist with a history of discussing cyanide and poison, the Ada County Sheriff's Office in Boise announced Wednesday.
Investigators said they couldn't place Betkouski in Chicago during the final week of September 1982, when seven people died after taking Tylenol capsules laced with cyanide, and they are not naming him as a suspect.
TYLENOL MURDERS SUSPECT GAVE EERIE FINAL INTERVIEW BEFORE DEATH
Dr. Park Dietz, a forensic psychiatrist who was consulted during the original Tylenol investigation and reviewed the evidence gathered on Betkouski, offered a stronger assessment.
"It's an extraordinary thing to have been around at the beginning in 1982, and now today in 2026, to see very likely closure," Dietz said.
Dietz said groups of forensic psychiatrists, psychologists and criminal profilers who were anonymously presented with information about Betkouski overwhelmingly considered him a viable suspect.
Betkouski died on Dec. 4, 1982, after walking into Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Boise. Authorities determined he died from cyanide poisoning, but he carried no identification, and his fingerprints produced no match.
The mystery endured for decades until investigators traced one of nearly 30 keys found on him to Jacksonville, Florida, where Betkouski had lived. DNA recovered from his wallet and later compared with a sample from his brother helped establish his identity.
Investigators subsequently uncovered several details that drew their attention to the Tylenol case.
A former colleague recalled Betkouski discussing the "perfect crime" and cyanide, while another scientist recalled him saying poison could be introduced into over-the-counter capsules, according to investigators.
Authorities also found a map of Chicago and a bottle of sodium cyanide among belongings kept at his family's Los Angeles home. Investigators stressed that the poison was not the potassium cyanide used in the Tylenol murders.
THE TYLENOL MURDERS: A LOOK BACK AT THE RASH OF 1982 DRUG STORE POISONINGS
Photos showed Betkouski had visited Chicago, but investigators determined they were likely taken in December 1981 and said they cannot establish that he returned when the Tylenol poisonings occurred.
Betkouski disappeared from his New Mexico home on Oct. 15, 1982, and turned up dead in Boise seven weeks later after apparently changing his appearance.
Authorities have turned their findings over to investigators in the Chicago area and are seeking information about Betkouski's movements and communications in 1982.
"This isn't over," Ada County Sheriff Matt Clifford said.
Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. says his $500M contract was for past performance – not future results
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has four games left before he can put his 2026 Toronto Blue Jays season behind him.
Guerrero, the six-time All-Star who signed the third highest-paid extension in MLB history in April 2025 at $500 million, has hit just nine home runs and slugged .359 to date for a career-low .695 OPS to date.
The Blue Jays, winners of the American League pennant this past season, where Guerrero was a major factor in reaching the World Series, were mathematically eliminated from this year’s postseason race as they hold a 77-81 record entering Wednesday.
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For a player that is worth so much, especially financially, to an organization’s success, Guerrero’s down year has led to some vitriol from the Blue Jays’ fan base. And that’s likely to continue after hearing recent comments from the star infielder.
Guerrero, 27, sat down with Telemicro News recently, where he discussed his struggles at the plate this season, and how it reflects on his contract extension.
His comments were, well, interesting.
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"The contract I got was based on what I did, not necessarily for what I’m going to do," Guerrero said, as translated by MLB reporter Héctor Gómez. "I understand why the fans believe it’s the other way around. Sometimes, I think that way, too, like, ‘Oh, they give me this money, and I’m not doing enough,’ but you know I try my best, and I’m working hard.
"The fans, I know how they are, when you are doing great they are 100% behind you. But when you are not at your best, not everybody is behind you, almost nobody supports you. Those are my real fans, the ones that are supporting me all the time."
After catching heat from Blue Jays fans, Guerrero was approached about the viral quotes, which he responded to.
"That was a quote from the interview when she asked me how I felt about this year," Guerrero said, via MLB.com. "I said that, obviously, I feel really bad about the year that I had, that I couldn’t help my team get to the postseason. I said I felt – that it’s my personal opinion – that every player gets paid for what they have done. With that said, you guys have got to remember that I signed my contract at the beginning of last year, then I did put up a good year. Then, the kind of playoffs that I had to help the team get into the World Series.
"To the fans, I’ve never stopped working very hard. I am going to go into the offseason again to prepare myself the best I can. Physically, mentally, everything that I have like I always do for my team and my teammates."
In Guerrero’s defense, that is technically what the Blue Jays did when they dished out his 14-year, $500 million extension, which is only behind Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Juan Soto’s 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets. The franchise paid Guerrero for what he did from his debut in 2019 up to a fantastic 2025 campaign, where he belted eight homers and hit .397 across 18 postseason games.
But these comments show that Guerrero mustn’t be aware of what putting pen to money-filled paper meant in April 2025. No longer is it time in any sport, let alone Major League Baseball, where contracts are dished out based solely on past performance. It’s looking ahead to the future, where those past performances are expected to continue through a much-more lucrative deal.
MLB franchises sign players to contracts based on the market, and that market is justified by how the player will perform for them later on, while obviously looking at the track record in the past.
With any investment, those dishing out the big bucks want a return.
So, in a season where the home run total for a slugger is less than double digits – he still has time to at least get to 10 – and a career-low WAR (albeit the 2020 COVID-shortened campaign) has been accumulated, the Blue Jays and its fan base have every right to be disappointed. Yes, Guerrero was a major reason why Toronto reached the World Series in 2025, but the team and its fans are also allowed to voice displeasure with not just a down year – a career-worst performance in various metrics.
Would the Mets have dished out the highest-paying contract in league history if they didn’t expect Soto to continue performing at his superstar pace? No.
Would the Dodgers have agreed to give Ohtani $700 million, with heavy deferrals, might we add, to pay him for years without helping them reach their World Series goals? No.
From Mike Trout, to Mookie Betts, to Aaron Judge and the list goes on, every franchise wants to see a player they sign, especially for nine figures, to pay dividends. That’s the reality of the situation, whether Guerrero wants to view his deal as what he’s done in the past.
This is just one season, but Guerrero’s outlook needs to change just as much as his production moving forward on the remaining 13 years of his deal.
Just one small serving of ultra-processed food a day linked to higher disease risk, major study finds
Just an extra 3½ ounces of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) a day was linked to a higher risk of chronic disease, according to a new large-scale analysis.
The study, published Sept. 22 in the journal Family Medicine and Community Health, looked at nearly 8.8 million adults who participated in studies across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania, with follow-up periods ranging from two to 32 years.
For every additional 100 grams of UPFs consumed daily, researchers found an association with a 14% higher risk of cardiovascular events, a 4% higher risk of cancer, a 3% higher risk of death from any cause and a 2% higher risk of metabolic syndrome or diabetes, according to a news release.
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UPFs are typically packaged and convenient, made through extensive industrial processing and often packed with additives. They can include sugary drinks, processed meats, packaged snacks and candy.
One hundred grams is about the size of a 3½-ounce bag of corn chips, a small box of candy or a single-serve cup of mini cookies.
People with the highest intake of UPFs also had higher risks of digestive diseases, depression or anxiety, obesity, cancer and cardiovascular events than those with the lowest intake of the foods.
5 ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS THAT MAY BE WORSE FOR YOUR HEALTH THAN YOU THINK, EXPERT SAYS
"Given that UPF-related chronic diseases often cluster as multimorbidity, reducing consumption of UPFs and replacing them with minimally processed alternatives may be relevant for chronic disease prevention and primary care management," wrote the researchers, led by Xiao Liu, a cardiologist at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital in China and a research fellow at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore.
These types of foods tend to crowd out healthier, nutrient-dense options, according to Kelly Springer, a New York-based registered dietitian and founder of Kelly's Choice.
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"It's not that you can never eat them again," Springer, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital. "It's the fact that we are not getting real foods — real foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains."
Rather than focusing on taking foods away, Springer recommended adding protein and fiber to meals and snacks. She suggested options such as an apple with peanut butter, nuts with cucumbers or meals built around beans, chicken or tuna alongside fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
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"A diet built around whole, minimally processed foods is one of the best investments we can make in our long-term health," she added.
Springer noted that the study was observational, so it cannot establish that UPFs directly caused the poor health outcomes.
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It also relied on participants' self-reported diets and may not be able to account for other lifestyle factors.
Nonetheless, the study can teach people about the link between ultra-processed foods and chronic disease, Springer said.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
'Home Improvement' star Jonathan Taylor Thomas arrested for alleged public intoxication, resisting deputy
"Home Improvement" star Jonathan Taylor Thomas was detained after reportedly resisting an officer in Westlake Village, California, Monday.
According to court records obtained by Fox News Digital, Thomas was detained at the Malibu/Lost Hills sheriff's station. After being booked, Thomas was released.
Law enforcement sources told TMZ the child actor was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by police. The outlet reported that deputies told Thomas to stay inside the vehicle, but he allegedly exited anyway. Thomas was also reportedly drunk at the time of the incident.
‘HOME IMPROVEMENT’ STAR JONATHAN TAYLOR THOMAS MAKES RARE APPEARANCE IN REUNION PHOTO WITH CO-STARS
Law enforcement told People magazine, "The driver was being detained for DUI investigation. Sometime during the investigation, Mr. Taylor decided he would exit the vehicle. Deputies told him to sit back down in the vehicle.
"He was uncooperative with them, failed to follow orders, and obstructed the investigation, so he was arrested for obstruction, and he was arrested for drunk in public."
When authorities attempted to detain Thomas for public intoxication and obstruction, he allegedly "kicked a deputy in the stomach," according to People magazine.
Thomas' legal run-in came shortly after he reunited with his "Home Improvement" co-stars Patricia Richardson and Taran Noah Smith.
In July, Richardson sparked a wave of nostalgia when she shared a rare reunion photo with her former "Home Improvement" sons, Thomas and Smith, more than 25 years after the beloved sitcom ended.
"My other boys," Richardson captioned the snapshot with a heart emoji.
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For eight seasons of the hit comedy series, Richardson played Jill Taylor, the wife of Tim Allen's character, Tim "The Toolman" Taylor. Thomas and Smith became household names, playing sons Randy and Mark Taylor, respectively, while Zachery Ty Bryan portrayed oldest son Brad.
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The reunion offered fans a rare glimpse of Thomas, who largely stepped away from Hollywood after becoming one of the biggest child stars of the 1990s.
Thomas rose to fame as Randy Taylor on "Home Improvement" and became a major teen heartthrob, appearing in films, including "Tom and Huck" and "Man of the House." He also voiced young Simba in Disney’s 1994 blockbuster "The Lion King."
But at the height of his fame, Thomas made a surprising decision to walk away.
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"I'd been going nonstop since I was 8 years old," Thomas told People in 2013. "I wanted to go to school, to travel and have a bit of a break."
Thomas left "Home Improvement" during its eighth and final season, with his character moving to Costa Rica.
Although he largely stayed out of the spotlight, Thomas briefly returned to acting, reuniting with TV dad Tim Allen on "Last Man Standing" from 2013 to 2015. He appeared in four episodes and directed three.
Fox News Digital's Stephanie Giang-Paunon contributed to this report.