Neymar is set to sign a short six-month contract on his return to boyhood club Santos as the Brazil international wants to return to Europe's top five leagues after the stint, sources have told ESPN.

Al Hilal terminated his contract six months early on Monday after considerable speculation over Neymar's future, with a move to the Chicago Fire of MLS touted as well as a return to Santos.

However, with the latter result having been confirmed by the Sao Paulo-based team's president on Tuesday, sources told ESPN that the 32-year-old wants to use his time back in his home country to recover his technical and physical abilities after the ACL injury that kept him sidelined for over a year until October 2024.

After that, the sources added, Neymar would like to continue his career in Europe where he has not played since leaving Paris Saint-Germain for the Saudi Pro League in the summer of 2023.

The former Barcelona star is set to be presented at Pacaembu Stadium in Sao Paulo on Friday, with sources saying he could make his debut against Botafogo SP on Feb. 5.

Santos have struggled in recent years, in particular in the 2023 season where they were relegated for the first time in club history.

However, they bounced back to the top flight at the first time of asking in 2024, and are set to tackle this campaign with the help of Neymar, who scored 136 goals in 225 appearances for the club between 2009 and 2013 before making the move to Spain.

Information from ESPN Brasil contributed to this report.

Welcome to Matchday 8 of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League season! Europe's premier club competition has its final day in its new format with 18 matches happening at the same time across the continent on Wednesday, providing exciting matchups, top talent and drama.

Enjoy the play-by-play from all the games with reporters such as Tom Hamilton at Aston Villa vs. Celtic, Sam Marsden at Barcelona vs. Atalanta, Rob Dawson at Manchester City vs. Club Brugge, Beth Lindop at PSV vs. Liverpool and Mark Ogden at VfB Stuttgart vs. Paris Saint-Germain.

Who will qualify for the knockout phase? View our permutations here.

A member of Ohio State's football support staff was placed on administrative leave in December because of a university investigation, according to a letter from the school's human resources department obtained by ESPN on Wednesday.

Ohio State quality control coach Joe Lyberger, who worked with the linebackers, received the letter from the school on Dec. 27 informing him that he would be placed on paid leave effective immediately and would not be allowed at the Buckeyes' facilities.

According to the letter, Lyberger was instructed to immediately return all university property and keys, and not delete any "emails, documents, and/or materials produced during your tenure as an employee."

The Columbus Dispatch first reported the story -- less than two weeks after Ohio State beat Notre Dame 34-23 on Jan. 20 to win the College Football Playoff national championship. The news also came on the heels of Penn State hiring former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles for the same position earlier this week.

The letter did not specify the allegations against Lyberger. The investigation was initiated by the school's Office of Institutional Equity, which helps the campus community "prevent and respond to all forms of protected class harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct," according to its website.

A school spokesman said there would be no comment because it's a personnel matter. Lyberger's Columbus, Ohio-based attorney, Sam Shamansky, told ESPN he is unclear of the accusations against his client.

"I'm not really sure. [The letter] is a bunch of vagaries," said Shamansky. "Can you imagine being in a criminal justice system and not knowing exactly what you're accused of doing? If you've got evidence, show it. If you have videotapes, let's see them. Why are we waiting around? My client has been asking for this information for a month."

Shamansky said he doesn't know how long the investigation will run other than "too long."

"While my client twists in the wind," he said, "the university machine moves at its own pace."

Lyberger, in his fourth season with the Buckeyes, came to Ohio State after working two seasons as a defensive assistant at Bucknell. Before that, he was a graduate assistant at Ohio Dominican University. He graduated from Slippery Rock in 2016, where he also played football.

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark wants her first 3-point contest to come at the WNBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis and will not participate in a special challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend, her representatives at Excel Sports said Wednesday.

There had been speculation that Clark might participate in a contest similar to the one during last year's NBA All-Star Weekend, when Warriors star Stephen Curry beat the New York Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu in an NBA vs. WNBA 3-point challenge.

Curry and Ionescu have had conversations to return in a variation of the shootout, which could include other NBA and WNBA players such as Klay Thompson of the Dallas Mavericks, sources told ESPN in November.

NBA All-Star Weekend is scheduled for Feb. 14 through Feb. 16 in San Francisco. WNBA All-Star Weekend will be held July 18-19 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

ESPN's Shams Charania contributed to this report.

We're one week from the 2025 NBA trade deadline, and while there haven't been any major moves leading up to Feb. 6, there have been developments across both conferences.

On Tuesday, ESPN's Shams Charania reported the Sacramento Kings are open to trade talks regarding star guard De'Aaron Fox. Plus, to add to the ongoing Jimmy Butler trade saga, Charania also reported the Miami Heat are in "active conversations" with "multiple teams" to move the disgruntled superstar.

With All-Star guards potentially on the move, teams will be keeping a close eye on the standings as they push through the regular season. Are there any league-shifting trades in the works? How will that affect a team's strategy moving forward? Also, how will it affect our power rankings?

All good things to ponder as our NBA insiders break down this week's list.

Note: Team rankings are based on where members of our panel (ESPN's Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Michael Wright, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin, Ohm Youngmisuk, Chris Herring and Kevin Pelton) think teams belong this season.

Previous rankings: Preseason | Oct. 30 | Nov. 5 | Nov. 13 | Nov. 20 | Nov. 27 | Dec. 4 | Dec. 11 | Dec. 18 | Dec. 25 | Jan. 1 | Jan. 8 | Jan. 15 | Jan. 22

Jump to a team:
ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI | CLE
DAL | DEN | DET | GS | HOU | IND
LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN
NO | NY | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX
POR | SAC | SA | TOR | UTA | WAS

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

• 2024-25 record: 37-8

• Previous ranking: 1

• Next games: @ GS (Jan. 29), vs. SAC (Feb. 1), vs. MIL (Feb. 3)

Center Isaiah Hartenstein picked up where he left off after sitting out five games because of a lower calf strain, recording 14 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists and a block in a win over Portland on Sunday. The Thunder are 23-2 when Hartenstein plays. Four of Oklahoma City's eight losses have occurred when the Thunder didn't have Hartenstein or fellow 7-footer Chet Holmgren, with one loss coming on the night Holmgren fractured his pelvis earlier this season. -- Tim MacMahon

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

• 2024-25 record: 37-9

• Previous ranking: 2

• Next games: @ MIA (Jan. 29), vs. ATL (Jan. 30), vs. DAL (Feb. 2), vs. BOS (Feb. 4)

To start the season, it took Cleveland 20 games before it picked up its third loss. Last week, the Cavs dropped three in a row, their longest losing streak this season. Each of the defeats was gutting in its own way: Darius Garland missed two potential winning free throws with 2.1 seconds left against Houston; Ty Jerome's career-high 33 points weren't enough to get by a Joel Embiid-less Sixers squad; and then another loss to the Rockets despite a 17-point rally in the fourth. -- Dave McMenamin

3. Boston Celtics

• 2024-25 record: 32-15

• Previous ranking: 3

• Next games: vs. CHI (Jan. 29), @ NO (Jan. 31), @ PHI (Feb. 2), @ CLE (Feb. 4)

Boston suffered another loss Monday, this time to the Rockets on a last-second shot, dropping the Celtics to 13-11 since Dec. 7. But over that stretch, Boston still ranks eighth in offense, fourth in defense and third in net rating. Considering that Boston is coming off yet another deep Finals run, had three players in the Olympics, went to Abu Dhabi during the preseason and the general malaise that comes with a long season, it's hard to get too concerned about a team that has stayed consistently near the top of the Eastern Conference standings. -- Tim Bontemps

4. Memphis Grizzlies

• 2024-25 record: 31-16

• Previous ranking: 4

• Next games: vs. HOU (Jan. 30), @ MIL (Feb. 2), vs. SA (Feb. 3)

Memphis won six in a row before a rough road setback Monday against the Knicks. Jaren Jackson Jr. has developed into a go-to scorer as the Grizzlies continue to tinker with a new wide-open offense that could prove problematic for teams in the postseason. First, Memphis needs to solve its issues dealing with physical teams and the Grizzlies will get another test in that respect Thursday against a Rockets squad that has beaten them three times this season. -- Michael Wright

5. Houston Rockets

• 2024-25 record: 32-14

• Previous ranking: 5

• Next games: @ MEM (Jan. 30), vs. BKN (Feb. 1), @ NYK (Feb. 3), @ BKN (Feb. 4)

Coming off its 16th clutch win of the season Monday at Boston, Houston bested Atlanta on the road Tuesday on the second night of a back to back. The Rockets are tied with the Suns for clutch victories this season, and they've won 10 of their past 12 outings and 10 of their past 11 on the road. Second-year forward Amen Thompson is surging, scoring 20-plus points in three of his past six games as Houston collected three wins in the last week over the East-leading Cavaliers and Celtics before Wednesday's win at Atlanta. -- Wright

6. New York Knicks

• 2024-25 record: 31-16

• Previous ranking: 7

• Next games: vs. DEN (Jan. 29), vs. LAL (Feb. 1), vs. HOU (Feb. 3), @ TOR (Feb. 4)

The Knicks had gone 45 years without a 143-point showing in a regulation contest before doing it in back-to-back games Saturday and Monday. The NBA's second-most efficient offense notched consecutive wins over the Kings and Grizzlies by that tally -- the Knicks' 60th straight win when holding at least a 15-point lead, the longest active streak in the NBA. The Knicks will continue to be tested, though: They have the East's hardest remaining slate as they head into February and are only one game behind the second-place Celtics. -- Chris Herring

7. Denver Nuggets

• 2024-25 record: 28-18

• Previous ranking: 6

• Next games: @ NYK (Jan. 29), @ PHI (Jan. 31), @ CHA (Feb. 1), vs. NO (Feb. 3)

After winning eight of nine games, the Nuggets opened a five-game road swing with consecutive losses at Minnesota and Chicago. Aaron Gordon has been ramping up in his return from a calf injury and has yet to play more than 25 minutes in his past eight games coming off the bench. But Russell Westbrook has played well, shooting 62.7% and averaging 13.1 points and 5.6 assists, in his past six games. -- Ohm Youngmisuk

8. Milwaukee Bucks

• 2024-25 record: 27-18

• Previous ranking: 8

• Next games: @ SA (Jan. 31), vs. MEM (Feb. 2), @ OKC (Feb. 3)

With wins in nine of their past 12 games, the Bucks have taken hold of the No. 4 seed in the East as they try to at least secure home-court advantage in the first round. The next three games for Milwaukee will provide a test against playoff teams from the Western Conference: on the road against San Antonio before hosting Memphis then heading to Oklahoma City on a back-to-back. -- Jamal Collier

9. LA Clippers

• 2024-25 record: 26-20

• Previous ranking: 9

• Next games: @ SA (Jan. 29), @ CHA (Jan. 31), @ TOR (Feb. 2), vs. LAL (Feb. 4)

The Clippers have three players who have arguments to make the All-Star Game: James Harden, Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac. Harden has a double-double in six of his past eight games, averaging 23.1 points and 10.2 assists in that span. After having 40 points and nine assists in a win over Milwaukee last Saturday, Harden became the seventh player with at least three 40-point games in a season at age 35 or older in NBA history. He also has 10 games with 20 points and 10 assists this season, joining LeBron James, Steve Nash and Lenny Wilkens as the only players 35 or older to do so, according to ESPN research. -- Youngmisuk

10. Los Angeles Lakers

• 2024-25 record: 26-19

• Previous ranking: 12

• Next games: @ WAS (Jan. 30), @ NYK (Feb. 1), @ LAC (Feb. 4)

Over the Lakers' four-game win streak coming into Tuesday, Anthony Davis averaged 32.8 points on 58.2% shooting, 15 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. The dominant stretch happened to coincide with Davis telling ESPN's Sham Charania that, "I think we need another big," before the trade deadline passes. That momentum came crashing down for both Davis and L.A. in Philly on Tuesday night, with Davis exiting early because of an abdominal strain and the Lakers getting blown out. -- McMenamin

11. Minnesota Timberwolves

• 2024-25 record: 25-21

• Previous ranking: 15

• Next games: @ PHX (Jan. 29), @ UTA (Jan. 30), vs. WAS (Feb. 1), vs. SAC (Feb. 3)

Wolves coach Chris Finch took issue with the team's second-half performance during a win over the Hawks on Monday, calling out the best players for not coming out with more intensity. Minnesota has still won three games in a row, climbing up to seventh place in the Western Conference. They'll have a chance to win back the confidence of their coaches, beginning with back-to-back road games in Phoenix and Utah. The Wolves then return home to host the Wizards and Kings. -- Collier

12. Indiana Pacers

• 2024-25 record: 25-20

• Previous ranking: 10

• Next games: vs. DET (Jan. 29), vs. ATL (Feb. 1), @ UTA (Feb. 3), @ POR (Feb. 4)

After a two-game trip to Paris, the Pacers return home for a game for the first time in 11 days on Wednesday against the Pistons. Indiana split games with San Antonio while in France and has continued to look like a different team since the calendar flipped to 2025. Since the beginning of January, the Pacers rank sixth in offensive efficiency and fourth in defensive efficiency. Indiana's 10.2 net rating this month is the second best in the NBA, behind only Oklahoma City. -- Collier

13. Dallas Mavericks

• 2024-25 record: 25-22

• Previous ranking: 11

• Next games: @ NO (Jan. 29), @ DET (Jan. 31), @ CLE (Feb. 2), @ PHI (Feb. 4)

Klay Thompson's 21-point explosion in the first quarter of Monday's blowout win over the Wizards was more than he had scored in his previous three games combined. He matched a franchise record and his own this season by making seven 3-pointers in the quarter. "You do that, it reminds you that there's greatness still within you," Thompson said postgame. -- MacMahon

14. Phoenix Suns

• 2024-25 record: 24-21

• Previous ranking: 19

• Next games: vs. MIN (Jan. 29), @ GS (Jan. 31), @ POR (Feb. 1), @ POR (Feb. 3)

Benched center Jusuf Nurkic caused some waves last week when he told the Arizona Republic that he and coach Mike Budenholzer "don't have a relationship." But it's hard to argue with Budenholzer's faith in newly-acquired big man Nick Richards. Since trading with Charlotte for Richards earlier this month, the Suns are 4-1 and he has fit in swimmingly -- averaging 11.8 points on 62.9% shooting and 11.2 rebounds. -- McMenamin

15. Sacramento Kings

• 2024-25 record: 24-22

• Previous ranking: 13

• Next games: @ PHI (Jan. 29), @ OKC (Feb. 1), @ MIN (Feb. 3)

ESPN's Shams Charania reported Tuesday the Kings are expected to open up talks to trade De'Aaron Fox before next Thursday's deadline, which would take Sacramento in a different direction. Currently built to win now with veteran starters DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis, the Kings will have a difficult time replacing Fox who is averaging 25.2 points and 6.2 assists. Sacramento's decision has a ripple effect on the Hawks, who get the Kings' first-round pick from the Kevin Huerter trade if it lands outside the top 12 picks. -- Kevin Pelton

16. Detroit Pistons

• 2024-25 record: 23-23

• Previous ranking: 18

• Next games: @ IND (Jan. 29), vs. DAL (Jan. 31), vs. CHI (Feb. 2), vs. ATL (Feb. 3)

Since their five-game winning streak to start January, the Pistons have been no more than two games in either direction from .500. An impressive pair of wins last week at Houston and Atlanta were followed by more disappointing performances in a loss at Orlando and a 19-point defeat Monday against the East-leading Cavaliers. After wrapping up their five-game trip Wednesday in Indiana, Detroit will be home through the All-Star break. -- Pelton

17. Miami Heat

• 2024-25 record: 23-22

• Previous ranking: 17

• Next games: vs. CLE (Jan. 29), @ SA (Feb. 1), @ CHI (Feb. 4)

With Jimmy Butler now suspended through the trade deadline, the Heat will get a 10-day respite from the nonstop drama surrounding their star forward. The question is still the same one that has lingered over the franchise for months: Will there be a suitable deal for Butler by 3 p.m. ET on Feb. 6, or will this standoff drag on for the rest of the season and into the summer? -- Bontemps

18. Orlando Magic

• 2024-25 record: 24-24

• Previous ranking: 14

• Next games: @ POR (Jan. 30), @ UTA (Feb. 1), @ GS (Feb. 3)

On Saturday, the Magic had their top three players (Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner) available at the same time for a game since October, and they ended a five-game losing streak with a win over Detroit. The good health was short-lived: Suggs subsequently sat out Monday because of a quadriceps contusion as Orlando lost a double-overtime heartbreaker in Miami. The Magic are 16-9 with a plus-4.2 differential in the 25 games Suggs and Wagner have played together, despite Banchero sitting out the majority of them. -- Pelton

19. Golden State Warriors

• 2024-25 record: 23-23

• Previous ranking: 20

• Next games: vs. OKC (Jan. 29), vs. PHX (Jan. 31), vs. ORL (Feb. 3)

The Warriors are in the middle of a stretch in which they play eight of nine games at home but have lost three of the first six games in that span. Stephen Curry has said that this stretch could "make or break" the Warriors' season as they try to stay above water without Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga. Green (calf) has been cleared to return to practice later this week, but Kuminga will be out for at least another two weeks after injuring his ankle on Jan. 4. The Warriors, who beat Utah on Tuesday, host Oklahoma City, Phoenix and Orlando. Following that, Golden State plays seven consecutive road games and won't return to Chase Center until after the All-Star break. -- Youngmisuk

20. San Antonio Spurs

Losers of four of their last five, San Antonio hosts former Spur Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers on Wednesday at Frost Bank Center. The Spurs should be well-rested after spending last week in Paris for two games against Indiana, which included a 38-point loss in which San Antonio coughed up a season-high 24 turnovers. Victor Wembanyama scored only three points on three field-goal attempts in the second half. But he has produced three consecutive showings with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, one shy from tying a career-high four straight outings putting up those numbers. -- Wright

21. Atlanta Hawks

• 2024-25 record: 22-25

• Previous ranking: 16

• Next games: @ CLE (Jan. 30), @ IND (Feb. 1), @ DET (Feb. 3), vs. SA (Feb. 5)

Atlanta has taken six straight losses since beating the defending champion Celtics on the road in overtime. How bad has the Hawks' offense been in that span? The Hawks join the tanking Nets and Wizards as the only teams to score less than 100 points per 100 possessions over the past five outings. To be fair, Trae Young sat out Monday in a loss against the Wolves, but that still doesn't explain the Hawks' struggles. De'Andre Hunter had a career-best 35 points against Minnesota, but the Hawks will need other players stepping up to stay in contention. -- Herring

22. Philadelphia 76ers

• 2024-25 record: 18-27

• Previous ranking: 23

• Next games: vs. SAC (Jan. 29), vs. DEN (Jan. 31), vs. BOS (Feb. 2), vs. DAL (Feb. 4)

To show how weak the bottom of the Eastern Conference is: The 76ers lost seven games in a row earlier this month before pulling off back-to-back victories over the Cavaliers and Bulls and gained a game on the 10th-place Bulls in that span. This is why the ongoing belief is that no matter how hard Philadelphia tries, it's probably going to remain in the fight for a play-in spot until the end of the season. -- Bontemps

23. Chicago Bulls

• 2024-25 record: 20-27

• Previous ranking: 22

• Next games: @ BOS (Jan. 29), @ TOR (Jan. 31), @ DET (Feb. 2), vs. MIA (Feb. 4)

The Bulls picked up an upset victory over the Nuggets this week before heading out on a three-game trip, which takes them through Boston, Toronto and Detroit. But the Bulls are expected to be without their leading scorer Zach LaVine, who will sit out the trip for personal reasons. LaVine's wife posted on social media that she's expecting the birth of their third child. -- Collier

24. Portland Trail Blazers

• 2024-25 record: 18-29

• Previous ranking: 24

• Next games: vs. ORL (Jan. 30), vs. PHX (Feb. 1), vs. PHX (Feb. 3), vs. IND (Feb. 4)

The Blazers' four-game winning streak, including a perfect 3-0 trip to the Southeast, was their longest since starting the 2022-23 season 4-0 when Damian Lillard led the way. Even the loss that ended the streak was impressive: a 10-point loss at home to the league-leading Thunder. It's no coincidence the uptick came with Deni Avdija's return to the lineup. Avdija averaged 19.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals in those five games. After combining for only 17 points in his first three games back on the bench, all wins, Scoot Henderson had 25 against Oklahoma City. -- Pelton

25. Toronto Raptors

• 2024-25 record: 14-32

• Previous ranking: 29

• Next games: @ WAS (Jan. 29), vs. CHI (Jan. 31), vs. LAC (Feb. 2), vs. NYK (Feb. 4)

After beating New Orleans on Monday night, Toronto has now won six of its last seven games, including sweeping a two-game series in Atlanta and beating the defending champion Celtics. It has been a nice uptick in form for a Raptors team that won only two games in December and is again without Immanuel Quickley, this time because of a left hip strain. -- Bontemps

26. Brooklyn Nets

• 2024-25 record: 14-33

• Previous ranking: 25

• Next games: @ CHA (Jan. 29), @ HOU (Feb. 1), vs. HOU (Feb. 4)

It has been tough sledding for Brooklyn, which has lost seven straight -- and 12 of its past 13 -- heading into a Wednesday matchup with the Hornets. Center Nic Claxton has struggled this season and is amid a career-worst 54.0% in efficiency shooting from the field. But with the Nets in a rebuilding season, the young big has shown great potential and instincts. -- Herring

27. Charlotte Hornets

• 2024-25 record: 12-31

• Previous ranking: 26

• Next games: vs. BKN (Jan. 29), vs. LAC (Jan. 31), vs. DEN (Feb. 1), vs. WAS (Feb. 3)

The team had a different leading scorer for each of its past four games, a positive for a club whose leading scorer, LaMelo Ball, averages upward of 28 points. The Hornets, now second-to-last in the Eastern Conference standings, can desperately use some development beyond Ball's ability to score; particularly with second-year wing Brandon Miller out indefinitely because of a wrist injury. -- Herring

28. New Orleans Pelicans

• 2024-25 record: 12-35

• Previous ranking: 27

• Next games: vs. DAL (Jan. 29), vs. BOS (Jan. 31), @ DEN (Feb. 3)

New Orleans finished its most recent three-game trip winless, after cobbling together four straight victories before the start of the trek. The Pelicans face a banged-up Dallas squad Wednesday with Zion Williamson coming off back-to-back games with 28 points or more with seven-plus rebounds. Brandon Ingram, a mainstay in trade-deadline rumors, hasn't played since Dec. 7 (left ankle sprain), and it doesn't appear he'll be back soon. New Orleans is 4-22 this season against sub-.500 teams with an upcoming schedule that includes the Mavericks, Celtics and two road clashes against the Nuggets. -- Wright

29. Utah Jazz

• 2024-25 record: 10-35

• Previous ranking: 28

• Next games: vs. MIN (Jan. 30), vs. ORL (Feb. 1), vs. IND (Feb. 3)

Veteran power forward/center John Collins doesn't play often these days, but his rare performances haven't diminished trade interest in him. Collins played in only two games during Utah's 3-14 stretch entering Tuesday night's matchup with the Warriors in which Collins sat out. He averaged 23.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks while shooting 62.1% from the field in his two appearances over the past month. -- MacMahon

30. Washington Wizards

• 2024-25 record: 6-39

• Previous ranking: 30

• Next games: vs. TOR (Jan. 29), vs. LAL (Jan. 30), @ MIN (Feb. 1), @ CHA (Feb. 3)

Washington has lost 14 straight games and has won a total of only 21 games since the beginning of last season. Kyle Kuzma indicated he wanted to be more aggressive, which means not fitting into the franchise's direction of developing its young prospects. After having 30 points and 11 rebounds in a 119-109 loss at Phoenix on Saturday, Kuzma told reporters, "I just decided to be myself and not really just try to fit into everything that we're doing here, and just really played in the moment." Perhaps Kuzma will be more open to trade discussions this time than he was last season at the deadline. -- Youngmisuk

Right-handed reliever Tommy Kahnle and the Detroit Tigers are in agreement on a one-year, $7.75 million contract, sources told ESPN on Wednesday, fortifying a bullpen that was at the forefront of the team's surge to a postseason spot last year.

Kahnle, 35, whose deal is pending a physical, is coming off a strong season with the New York Yankees in which he posted a 2.11 ERA in 42 innings. Over the past two seasons, Kahnle has a 2.38 ERA, the 11th best in MLB among pitchers with at least 80 innings.

In Kahnle, the Tigers add a reliever who pitches backward more than anyone in baseball. Last season, Kahnle threw his changeup 73.1% of the time -- nearly 20 percentage points higher than any other pitcher. At one point in the 2024 postseason, Kahnle threw 61 consecutive changeups.

When Kahnle is healthy -- an issue in past seasons -- the pitch is a devastating complement to a 94 mph fastball and a show-me slider. Kahnle struck out 46 against 19 walks in 2024 while allowing five home runs. Over his 10-year career, Kahnle is 10-14 with a 3.47 ERA and 452 strikeouts, 173 walks and 40 home runs allowed in 373 innings.

None of Detroit's deep relief core relies heavily on a changeup, giving manager A.J. Hinch a solid complementary arm as he aims to piece together games. With injuries hampering their rotation last fall, Hinch relied heavily on a bullpen that threw a major-league-high 141 innings in September and was third in baseball with a 2.41 ERA.

The Tigers, who on Aug. 10 were 55-63, surged to a 33-13 finish and ousted American League West champion Houston before falling to AL Central rival Cleveland in the division series.

Kahnle's signing continued an active period for relief pitchers, with the Los Angeles Dodgers signing right-hander Kirby Yates to a one-year, $13 million contract and right-hander Ryne Stanek agreeing to a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the New York Mets.

Plenty of solid relief options remain on the market, including right-handers Carlos Estevez, Kenley Jansen, David Robertson, Kyle Finnegan and Adam Ottavino, and left-handers Tim Hill, Brooks Raley, Andrew Chafin, Jalen Beeks and Colin Poche.

All of your fantasy baseball draft preparation needs collected in one place! Here you'll find rankings, projections, cheat sheets, analysis and strategy. Check back every day for new content through Opening Day of the 2025 season. If this is your first time playing fantasy baseball, might we recommend starting with the basics: The Playbook: How to play fantasy baseball.

Don't have a team yet? Create or join a league and then dive into the latest draft-prep material tailored for whatever format you prefer.

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Karabell: The top 10 fantasy baseball prospects for 2025 (1/29)

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Zola: What to expect from Roki Sasaki and other Asian newcomers (1/15)

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Like Dupont, Wales wing Josh Adams also makes a welcome return to international rugby after missing the summer tour and autumn internationals.

He says Dupont "can do everything" and is "probably the best player in the world".

"It's great to see him back in the competition, he's like the star boy of the competition and rightfully so, he's an unbelievable rugby player," said Adams.

But like Gatland, Adams says Wales will not be drawn in on just him.

"If you focus too much energy on just one player, you lose track of the other 14 who are excellent," added Adams.

"The team he has around him complement him really well, they have got a great power game, big forwards which suits his running game around the ruck.

"The majority of our time in camp so far has been about us, just focusing on how we want to attack this campaign and be positive with everything that we do."

Legendary Scotland and Lions coach Jim Telfer famously used to flog his players in training to get them battle-hardened for the demands of Test match rugby.

The days of endless scrummaging practice and ferocious rucking sessions leading up to a game are a thing of the past, so what does a training week look like for a modern-day player ahead of a Six Nations opener?

"Monday's usually quite light, and then Tuesday and Wednesday will be heavy days," Brown explained. "Then it's just nice and light towards the end of the week.

"But from a psychological point of view, it will completely switch. There'll be lots of learning at the start of the week. Then as you taper down your training and you get more time off your feet, then the anticipation towards gameday builds."

Whereas those outside the inner sanctum only discover the matchday squad later in the week, players get a sense of who has got the nod days before.

"Normally on a Monday, there'd be a walkthrough and you tend to get bibs handed out to those that are in the team," Brown said. "So you can kind of figure it out then.

"Officially on a Tuesday morning, there's usually a team presentation. Then at the end of that, there'll be a little video that goes up with the 23 on it and then a little round of applause, some handshakes and pats on the back.

"In every team, most people call it Test Match Tuesday. So normally after the team has been announced, there's then a bit of full contact through either units or rugby sessions and Test Match Tuesday comes out.

"That's your opportunity to lay a marker down, say that you should have been picked, or have a cheap dig. There's always a little bit of friction."