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Sophie Devine was the first player sold at the WPL mega auction in Delhi on Thursday

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2025Allrounder Deepti Sharma became the joint second-most expensive player ever sold at the WPL auction when her previous franchise UP Warriorz bid INR 3.2 crore (USD 360,000) and used a right-to-match (RTM) option to buy her back at the mega auction in Delhi on Thursday.New Zealand allrounder Amelia Kerr was the second most expensive player at the auction, going to Mumbai Indians for INR 3 crore (USD 340,000). Allrounder Shikha Pandey, who hasn’t played for India since 2023, was a surprise as the third most expensive buy, with UPW bidding INR 2.4 crore (USD 270,000) for her.The mega auction opened with a surprise – Australian wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy going unsold at her base price of INR 50 lakh; her name did not reappear during multiple accelerated rounds later in the auction. The first player sold was New Zealand’s Sophie Devine, who was bought by Gujarat Giants (GG) for INR 2 crore (USD 220,000).Deepti, the player of the tournament at the recent Women’s ODI World Cup, was the third player on sale from the marquee set and initially attracted no bids at her base price of INR 50 lakh until Delhi Capitals (DC) raised the paddle late. There were no other bids and so UPW were given the option to use their RTM option, which they did. Thereafter, DC had the one-time option to raise their bid, which they did to INR 3.2 crore, a price that was matched by UPW to buy back Deepti. Had Deepti been retained by UPW ahead of the auction, they would have lost INR 3.5 crore from their purse.MI’s first purchase at the mega auction was Kerr, who had played for them previously in the WPL. They had to raise the bid for Kerr as far as INR 3 crore out of their auction purse of INR 5.75 crore because they had no RTM options available at the auction due to them retaining five players. She remained their only buy from the first three sets of players at the auction.Related

Abhishek Nayar: We wanted Shikha's experience and Deepti back through RTM

Jess Jonassen pulls out of WPL auction

“We were really excited to have the same core back,” MI coach Lisa Keightley said. “We’ve got world-class players in there who can win matches and games of cricket which is most important. Sometimes you can underestimate having the same core back. I’ve seen in a lot of franchises that being consistent with a group can give you advantages since you don’t start a tournament with so many moving parts. As for how much we’d have gone for Amelia, we were pretty much on the limit, most people would’ve known that. She’s worth the money and we’re excited to have her back.Of the other players in the marquee set, Renuka Singh went to GG for INR 60 lakh (USD 70,000), Sophie Ecclestone to UPW for INR 85 lakh (USD 100,000, via RTM), Meg Lanning (USD 210,000) to UPW for INR 1.9 crore, and Laura Wolvaardt to DC for INR 1.1 crore (USD 120,000).Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were the only team to not buy a player in the marquee set, having bid for Devine, Ecclestone and Wolvaardt. Their first buy came from the second set – the Australian batter Georgia Voll for INR 60 lakh (USD 70,000) – after which they bought allrounders Nadine de Klerk and Radha Yadav from the third set.After buying Deepti and Lanning, UPW further strengthened their batting by picking up 22-year old Australian Phoebe Litchfield for INR 1.2 crore (USD 130,000) and using an RTM option to buy back Kiran Navgire for INR 60 lakh (USD 70,000). UPW used their fourth and last RTM option to buy back fast bowler Kranti Gaud at her base price of INR 50 lakh, after DC had made the first and final bid. However, UPW lost out on promising spinner Sree Charani, who was bought by DC for INR 1.3 crore (USD 150,000).DC picked up the youngest player bought at the auction, 16-year-old Deeya Yadav, a hard-hitting top-order batter from Haryana at her base price of INR 10 lakh. Her stable base, excellent hand-eye coordination and raw hitting power have already prompted comparisons to Shafali Verma, with many touting her as Haryana’s next big batting talent.The most expensive player ever sold at the WPL auction is Smriti Mandhana (INR 3.4 crore), followed by Ashleigh Gardner and Nat-Sciver Brunt (INR 3.2 crore), whose bids in 2023 Deepti matched in 2025.”We had a new coach at the helm and we wanted to give him a clean state based on his vision and we’ll build a squad together,” Kshemal Waingankar, COO of UPW, said. “We had no doubt that we’d bring Deepti back and we’re very delighted to bring her back. To add to that, we’ve also been able to bring Sophie back and bring Meg Lanning in as well. So far it’s played out well. We will discuss that [the captaincy]. It’s too early to say. Will depend on how the squad comes through. We’ll have to have a conversation with Deepti, and understand the dynamics with the leadership. We haven’t thought that through.”DC’s purchase of Wolvaardt gave them a leadership option but they indicated they would prefer an Indian captain. “I think in Laura we’ve got a tremendous player who can fill in those (Lanning’s) shoes. Not only was she the highest run-scorer in the recent World Cup, but she’s also someone who’s got leadership ability as well,” Parth Jindal, DC co-owner, said. “No, no, not at all [whether Wolvaardt will be captain]. I think we are very clear that we would like to have an Indian as the captain. So depending on who else we land, we already have our mind made up, but let’s see what happens. But yeah, Laura will add a lot of leadership into the dressing room, but we are clear that we want to go with an Indian captain.”The 2026 WPL season will begin on January 9 and end on February 5, with the tournament played in Navi Mumbai and Vadodara.

Jasprit Bumrah has been rested from the ODI series but is in the T20I squad

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-20251:19

Chopra: Rohit’s place in the side will now depend on form

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been picked in India’s ODI squad for the series in Australia starting on October 19, marking their international comebacks after last playing in the 2025 Champions Trophy final in March. The squad will be led by Shubman Gill, who has replaced Rohit as the ODI captain, with Shreyas Iyer the vice-captain.The selection panel, headed by former India fast bowler Ajit Agarkar, met on Saturday in Ahmedabad, where India won the first Test of the series against West Indies by an innings and 140 runs.There are five changes to the ODI squad from the 15 that won the Champions Trophy in the UAE in March: Ravindra Jadeja and Varun Chakravarthy are missing, Hardik Pandya is recovering from a quadriceps injury, Rishabh Pant has not yet fully recovered from the broken foot he suffered in England, and Jasprit Bumrah has been rested. They have been replaced by allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was injured for the Champions Trophy, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel and Yashasvi Jaiswal.Related

Gill inherits the wealth of India's Rohit-Kohli era

Gill replaces Rohit as India's ODI captain

“With regards to Jaddu [Jadeja], I mean look, at the moment to take two left-arm spinners to Australia is not possible. He is clearly in the scheme of things with how good he is, but there will be some competition for places,” Agarkar said. “Of course he was there in the Champions Trophy squad, because we took those extra spinners with the conditions there [in UAE]. At the moment we could only carry one and get some balance in the team with Washi [Washington Sundar] and Kuldeep there as well. I don’t think we are going to need more than that in Australia. It’s a short series, you can’t accommodate everyone and unfortunately at the moment he is missing out, but it’s nothing more than that.”Bumrah is part of the T20I squad for the five matches in Australia after the ODI series. The only change to the T20I squad that won the Asia Cup last month is Hardik being replaced by Reddy, while Washington has been added, making it a squad of 16.”We have already rested him for the one-day games. When we can manage his workload, we will do that,” Agarkar said about Bumrah. “Wherever you can give him a break, you will, because we all know how important he is, but we have also got to see what is in the interest of the team. And when we need him to play, he is always available, but we will look after [him]. Not just him, Siraj bowls a lot of overs as well. There are other guys who do play Test cricket, who will end up having a lot of bowling to do, so we will try and manage all the seamers, so that we minimise the risk of injuries.”Agarkar indicated that Gill and Rohit were likely to open in the ODIs, which means Jaiswal could miss out on a place in the starting XI. He also said Jurel was picked ahead of Sanju Samson in the ODI squad due to batting position, while KL Rahul is likely to remain the first-choice wicketkeeper.”Sanju Samson bats at the top of the order,” Agarkar said. “I think when he got a 100, I think he batted No. 3, if I am not wrong. Jurel usually bats lower down the order. KL bats there as well. You have seen how good a player Dhruv is. Again, you are looking at spots. I don’t think there is room at the top again. So, we are looking at guys who can fit in those spots. Obviously, Sanju at the moment in T20 cricket is batting there [middle order] and we are trying him there. But in one-day cricket, it’s a little bit different. So, that’s basically the thought. It’s more the position than anything else.”India play three ODIs in Australia on October 19, 23 and 25, followed by five T20Is between October 29 and November 8.India’s ODI squad for AustraliaShubman Gill (capt), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-capt), Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal.India’s T20I squad for AustraliaSuryakumar Yadav (capt), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (vice-capt), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar.

All the key numbers as West Indies secure a series victory in thumping style

Sampath Bandarupalli13-Aug-20251991 – The previous instance of West Indies winning an ODI series against Pakistan – a three-match series in Pakistan, which they won 2-0. Pakistan were unbeaten in 11 series before losing the latest one, including winning their previous ten series.West Indies have now won each of their last four ODI series at home, having defeated Bangladesh last year and England in 2023 and 2024. Only once before had West Indies won four (or more) consecutive bilateral ODI series at home – nine between 1981 and 1990.2011 – West Indies also registered their first series win against Pakistan in any format since winning the one-off T20I at home in 2011. Pakistan went undefeated in 16 series against West Indies across formats in this period.The previous instance of West Indies winning a series consisting of more than one match against Pakistan was back in 2000, during a Test series at home. Pakistan won 20 of the 24 series in between, while another four ended in a draw.202 – West Indies’ win margin in the third ODI against Pakistan. It is only the fourth instance of West Indies winning by a margin of 200-plus runs in men’s ODIs. It is also only the fourth such defeat for Pakistan in the format.6 for 18 – Jayden Seales’ bowling figures at Tarouba are the third-best for West Indies in ODIs. The two better efforts came in the 1980s: 7 for 51 by Winston Davis against Australia in the 1983 World Cup, while Colin Croft took 6 for 15 against England in 1981.Seales’ figures are also the best by any bowler against Pakistan in this format, surpassing Dale Steyn’s 6 for 39 in 2013.Four of the six batters that Seales dismissed bagged a duck. Only one West Indies bowler had four batters dismissed for a duck in an ODI before Seales: Joel Garner against England in the 1979 World Cup final.18 – Hundreds for Shai Hope in ODIs, the third-most for West Indies, going past Desmond Haynes (17), and is now behind only Chris Gayle (25) and Brian Lara (19).Hope required 137 innings to score 18 hundreds in ODIs. Only Babar Azam (97), Hashim Amla (102), David Warner (115) and Virat Kohli (119) got there quicker.13.46 – Run rate of the partnership between Hope and Justin Greaves, who added an unbeaten 110 in only 8.1 overs. It is the second-highest run rate for a century stand for West Indies in ODIs – where balls faced by a partnership data is available.The unbeaten 110-run stand between Hope and Greaves is also the third-highest for West Indies for the seventh or a lower wicket in ODIs.92 – Pakistan’s total in the third ODI against West Indies, the tenth instance of them being bowled out under 100 in an ODI; four of those against West Indies.Pakistan’s previous sub-100 total in an ODI was 74 all out against New Zealand in 2018, while the last sub-100 total against West Indies by any team was 70 all out by Bangladesh in 2014.28 Difference between Pakistan’s total and Hope’s score in the third ODI. Only one West Indies batter had a higher difference between his score and the opposition’s total in an ODI: 54 by Richie Richardson, when he scored 109 at Sharjah in 1986 against Sri Lanka, who were later bowled out for 55.

The Los Angeles Dodgers did not have a great start to the post-All-Star break portion of their season as they were swept at home by the Milwaukee Brewers in three straight games. On Sunday the Brewers beat the Dodgers, 6-5, despite Shohei Ohtani hitting a home run for the second consecutive game.

Aside from Ohtani's homers, the top names in the Dodgers lineup were especially quiet in the series. The home runs accounted for two of Ohtani's three hits in the series. Freddie Freeman went 1-for-8 at the plate against Milwaukee. Teoscar Hernandez had one hit in 11 at-bats. Mookie Betts was 1-for-9 in the series, while Miguel Rojas had two hits, including a home run, in his one start at shortstop on Saturday while Betts rested.

After the game Betts, sporting a Pablo Sanchez hat that indicates there was a lot more fun going on in the dugout than there actually was, spoke with the press.

Asked about the switch that put him back at the top of the order and moved Ohtani to second, Betts downplayed the change. "Just a day at the park," said Betts. "Nothing really changed so it didn't matter. "

Betts then turned his attention to his own performance. "Just gotta play better," he continued. "In all facets. I can't speak for everyone. I just know for me, I gotta play better. Gotta figure it out."

Betts, an eight-time All-Star who has won three World Series, was left off the NL All-Star team this year as he's struggling through his worst season as a professional. Betts started the season dealing with a mystery illness and then fractured a toe going to the bathroom.

Despite that and the three-game losing streak, Los Angeles still leads their division by 3.5 games and has one of the best records in all of baseball.

Benjamin Sesko’s agent has delivered an update on the injured Manchester United striker, as he prepares to rejoin the fold at Old Trafford, while backing Ruben Amorim to deliver a Premier League title challenge. The Red Devils remain a work in progress for now, but £74 million ($99m) frontman Sesko forms part of ambitious short and long-term plans.

• Sesko injury: When Man Utd striker was ruled out

  United invested heavily in Slovenia international Sesko when prising him away from RB Leipzig during the summer of 2025. Various alternative options were also considered, but the 22-year-old forward is now charged with the task of filling what has been a problematic No.9 role for Premier League heavyweights.

  Sesko has registered two goals for United through 12 appearances – in back-to-back outings against Brentford and Sunderland – but has been stuck on the sidelined since limping out of a 2-2 draw with Tottenham on November 8.

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  When will Sesko be available to Man Utd again?

  He is closing in on a return to action, as the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Amad prepare to head off on Africa Cup of Nations duty, with representative Elvis Basanovic saying to Slovenian broadcaster : “Benjamin feels very good, his rehabilitation is going according to plan. He can’t wait to get back on the pitch. He’s missing matches, he’s a little impatient and we hope that he will return soon, to be where he feels best again.

  “It’s hard to say exactly [when he will return], it will ultimately be decided by the medical service and the coach. I think we will see him on the pitch very soon. Maybe sooner than it seems at the moment.”

  Basanovic added on Sesko adjusting to life at Old Trafford, with more minutes required alongside his fellow attackers in order for telepathic understandings to form: “I must say he (Amorim) received Benjamin excellently. I think Ruben is first of all, an excellent person with fantastic charisma, extremely intelligent, emotionally intelligent and I think he knows what he’s doing.

  “I believe he’s in a difficult situation. It’s not easy to build such a project that requires enormous knowledge and amount of time. United is one of the biggest clubs in the world, if not the biggest and people don’t understand you need time.

  “But I think every team being built needs time. Just look at [Matheus] Cunha, Mbeumo and Sesko: they have played very few matches together. And I think that they especially need games and they need to develop certain automatisms because then it’s much easier. When you have these automatisms, you don’t need to think where a player is or runs but that you start automatically. Then the results come and everything looks much better.”

• Title challenge: Amorim backed to deliver Premier League crown

  Sesko has seen United rise to sixth in the table without him, with the plan being to climb much higher than that. Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has stated a desire to see the Premier League title captured again by the time the club’s 150th anniversary is celebrated in 2028.

  Basanovic can see that happening, adding: “What it’s extremely difficult to explain in such a big club – because nobody wants to give you time at Manchester United and similar clubs – because everyone wants immediate results. But I simply think that this team and Ruben deserve time. We already saw progress.

  “I know that every player, every fan wants United to be champions right away but we see progress compared to last year. I believe this year will be significantly better than last year. I believe next year will be even better and then maybe in the third year we can realistically expect to challenge for the Premier League title. I don’t think it’s realistic to expect that this season. He simply needs to be given time.”

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  Man Utd fixtures: Next up for the Red Devils

  United are back in the hunt for Champions League qualification, having missed out on European competition entirely last term, and will return to domestic action on November 15 when playing host to a Bournemouth side that have gone six games without a win.

MatériaMais Notícias

Representado pelo diretor de futebol, Anderson Barros, o Palmeiras se posicionou neste domingo (12) sobre a paralisação do Campeonato Brasileiro por causa das enchentes que assolam o Rio Grande do Sul e dificultam demais o trabalho dos cluibes gaúchos que jogam a Série A do Brasileiro.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão

Na zona mista da Arena Barueri, Barros falou sobre ser contra a paralisação do Brasileirão, mas disse que o clube fará todos os esforços para ajudar os clubes do sul do país.

– Será que pararmos o futebol será a solução para todos esses problemas. A melhor forma de ajudar o RS é parando o futebol? Somente o trabalho fará com que a gente supere essa situação, como qualquer tragédia. A Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras entende que não deve se parar o Campeonato Brasileiro, que devemos continuar, que devemos encontrar soluções, como nós estamos fazendo até agora pra suprir, pra afagar e pra abraçar todos os nossos companheiros do Rio Grande do Sul – disse Anderson Barros.

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Apesar de se mostrar contra a paralisação do Brasileiro, o Palmeiras segue somando esforços para ajudar as vítimas da tragédia no Sul do país.

A renda do jogo de hoje será toda destinada para o Rio Grande do Sul, o Allianz Parque está sendo ponto de coleta de doações e a presidente Leila Pereira disponibilizou seu avião para levar cinco toneladas de alimentos para as regiões afetadas pelas chuvas no RS.

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Yordan Alvarez exited the Houston Astros' game Monday night after suffering an apparent injury while scoring a run at home plate.

Alvarez was sprinting from third base and opted against sliding into home. He touched home plate with his left foot and appeared to roll his ankle after scoring. Alvarez could barely walk off the field under his own power, and was removed from the game as a result of the injury.

Later in the game, the Astros provided an update on his status, declaring that Alvarez had suffered a left ankle sprain.

Alvarez has spent more time on the IL this season than off it, and Monday's ankle injury is the latest blow in what's been a difficult season for the 28-year-old. It's unclear if he'll return to the IL, but with the Astros embroiled in a tight playoff race, sitting just two games ahead of the Rangers who they are currently playing against, the injury could not come at a worse time.

Across 47 games this season, Alvarez owns a .794 OPS with six home runs and 27 RBIs.

A former West Ham employee has shared some “clear” boardroom issues he saw during his time at the club, amid the ongoing protests surrounding Karren Brady and David Sullivan’s leadership.

West Ham fans have been increasingly vocal in their opposition to the club’s ownership under Brady and Sullivan, with discontent reaching new heights.

Supporter groups are so frustrated that they’re planning protests at every Saturday home game this season, aiming to make their voices heard loud and clear.

The root of the protest lies in fans’ growing frustration over what they see as mismanagement and broken promises by Brady and Sullivan. Many supporters feel the duo have prioritised profit over the club’s long-term success, failing to reinvest adequately in the squad and infrastructure.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

Despite some initial optimism when they took over, the lack of consistent on-field progress, underwhelming recruitment strategy and no clear plan moving forward has undoubtedly escalated tensions to boiling point.

Just two years after West Ham won their first major trophy in decades, with David Moyes’ Hammers lifting the Conference League in 2023, the east Londoners find themselves battling relegation after conceding more goals than any other Premier League side.

Since Moyes’ departure, a host of managers in Julen Lopetegui, Graham Potter and now Nuno Espirito Santo have failed to transform their fortunes, with things looking very bleak at the London Stadium.

While reports suggest that West Ham are ready to spend in January as they look to save their season, the club’s precarious position can be majorly put down to some questionable decisions by Sullivan, Brady and co.

Former West Ham scout reveals "clear" boardroom issues he saw during his time at the club

Speaking to Football Insider, ex-West Ham senior scout Mick Brown, didn’t hold back in his criticism of the boardroom — saying their problems go all the way back to when he was employed by the Irons.

Given this is coming from someone who once worked for West Ham, it is evident that fans’ frustrations are entirely justified.

Now, Nuno is the latest under-fire boss to be tasked with getting the best out of this uninspired West Ham side, who’ve looked as poor of an outfit as we’ve seen this season.

January represents a major lifeline for the club as they reportedly target a new defender, midfielder and forward, but questions will be asked as to why they didn’t address these three positions properly in the summer.

Come the winter, it could even be a case of too little, too late.

Insider shares more "bad news" for West Ham as Nuno dealt "another injury blow"

MatériaMais Notícias

A partida contra o Talleres é válida pela fase de grupos da Libertadores, mas Luis Zubeldía e o São Paulo tratam o jogo no Morumbis como uma final de campeonato.

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➡️ Vai dar Brasil? Aposte no Lance! Betting e fature com a Copa América

Já classificado ao mata-mata, uma vitória simples diante dos argentinos coloca o São Paulo em primeiro lugar da chave. Desta forma, a equipe de Zubeldía evitaria cruzar com Palmeiras, Atlético-MG, River Plate e Flamengo nas oitavas de final, e decidiria o primeiro confronto eliminatório em casa.

O duelo também é importante para Zubeldía, que ainda não sabe o que é perder no comando do São Paulo. São seis vitórias e dois empates, com 83,3% de aproveitamento, 15 gols marcados e quatro sofridos. 

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➡️ Siga o Lance! São Paulo no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Tricolor

O desempenho já é melhor do que Dorival Júnior teve em seus primeiros duelos pelo Tricolor. Com o ex-comandante, o São Paulo teve vitórias e quatro empates, com 66,6% de aproveitamento.

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários de todos os jogos do Brasileirão

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LibertadoresLuis ZubeldíaSão PauloStar +STARPLUS

Fans in attendance at Wednesday's Pirates-Dodgers game in Pittsburgh will have the chance to see Shohei Ohtani, but the three-time MVP will only take part in one facet of the game for Los Angeles.

Ohtani was in line to make his 12th start on the mound for the Dodgers on Wednesday, but has instead been scratched in favor of Emmet Sheehan, per L.A.'s lineup announcement. Ohtani will instead serve as designated hitter and bat first in the Dodgers' lineup.

Ohtani made his pitching debut for the Dodgers in June, after missing nearly two seasons on the mound following an elbow injury suffered late in the 2023 season with the Angels. Because he has been an everyday part of L.A.'s lineup, he hasn't had the chance to ramp back up on the mound in the minor leagues, as is traditional, and has instead done so at the big league level, leading to some shaky outings. His last start, on Aug. 27 against the Reds, was his best of the year so far—Ohtani went five innings allowing a single run on two hits, with a pair of walks and nine strikeouts.

Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts Says Shohei Ohtani Is 'Under the Weather'

A few hours after news broke that Ohtani would not make his scheduled start Wednesday, Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts updated the star's status, saying that he has been feeling a bit "under the weather" since Tuesday, per 's Fabian Ardaya. Ohtani is feeling well enough to hit, but was uncomfortable throwing during a recent side session, leading to the decision.

The fact that Ohtani will still appear at the plate—and the Dodgers' understandable conservatism around his return to two-way status—certainly makes this scratch less concerning than it could be.

First pitch between the Dodgers and Pirates—and Ohtani's first at-bat of the game—will take place at 6:40 p.m. ET.