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The Philadelphia Phillies and ace pitcher Aaron Nola have broken off talks on a contract extension, tabling the negotiations until after the season.

Nola, who is entering the final year of his existing deal with the Phillies, told reporters Saturday that he wants to focus on the upcoming season.

“Sometimes it comes to that, we’ll talk at the end of the season,” Nola said, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I’m focused on this year. We want to win, so just focused on having a good season and having fun with these guys.

“We definitely tried to get it done, but it just didn’t work out right now. Doesn’t mean it’s over, by any means. We’ll talk at the end of the season and see what happens.”

Nola’s sentiments were echoed earlier Saturday by Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and the pitcher’s agent, Joe Longo.

“We had good communication with the Phillies,” Longo said in a statement. “We just couldn’t agree at this time. We’ll pick up the conversation again at the end of the season.”

Nola, 29, will make $16 million this year on the team option included in the four-year, $45 million deal he signed before the 2019 season. The right-hander has spent his entire eight-year career with the Phillies.

“We think the world of Aaron — quality pitcher, quality human being,” Dombrowski told reporters. “Sometimes you just get to this point where you’re just not able to consummate a deal that both sides feel comfortable [with]. Aaron knows we are very open-minded in trying to sign him at the end of the season. We’re hopeful he’ll remain a Phillie for a long time.”

Dombrowski and manager Rob Thomson agreed that halting the negotiations will allow Nola, who will start Thursday on Opening Day, to focus on the upcoming season for the defending National League champions.

“I think between the two parties, it’s kind of a gentlemen’s agreement that if nothing is done by Opening Day, then let’s just focus on the season and on his pitching,” Thomson said, according to MLB.com. “And then start up again at the end of the year. I’m not really involved in that type of stuff.”

Dombrowski said the Phillies informed Nola of their interest in an extension after the World Series last year, but the sides didn’t start negotiating until spring training.

“I do find that — you’ve had all winter to get it done, so if you were going to get it done, it generally would have happened,” Dombrowski said. “You need to focus on the field and be in that position. I think it’s important from a club perspective that players focus on the field at that time. … He’s not a free agent, he’ll be pitching for us all year — including Opening Day. I’m looking forward to him having a big year.”

Nola went 11-13 with a 3.25 ERA in 32 starts last season, recording a career-high 235 strikeouts in 205 innings. The former first-round draft pick was an All-Star in 2018 and has finished with at least 223 strikeouts in each of his past four full seasons, excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.

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Kitchens out as OC after Heels offense slumps

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Kitchens out as OC after Heels offense slumps

North Carolina offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens and special teams coordinator Mike Priefer will not return next season, with the school announcing the departure of both assistants after a 4-8 season in Bill Belichick’s college coaching debut.

“We want to thank Coach Kitchens and Coach Priefer for their commitment and many contributions to our program and student-athletes,” Belichick said in a statement. “We wish them both nothing but the best in their future endeavors.”

North Carolina’s offense was one of the worst in the country, ranking 119th in the FBS in scoring (19.3 PPG) and 129th in total offense (288.8 YPG).

The Tar Heels had special teams issues coming down the stretch too, notably with Duke running a fake field goal to set up a late winning touchdown and NC State successfully running a fake punt for a first down the following week.

Kitchens, who served as Cleveland Browns coach in 2019, had been with the Tar Heels since 2023 and was the interim coach for their Fenway Bowl loss at the end of the 2024 season. Belichick was hired as the new head coach earlier that month.

Priefer was a longtime NFL special teams coach who followed Belichick to Chapel Hill but lasted just one season on the job.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Sources: Iowa St. QB Becht has shoulder surgery

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Sources: Iowa St. QB Becht has shoulder surgery

Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht underwent labrum surgery on his non-throwing shoulder Thursday, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Becht played the majority of the season with a partial labrum tear and using a harness on the shoulder. He was diagnosed with the injury after the Cyclones’ loss to Cincinnati on Oct. 4. He also dealt with an AC sprain in his throwing shoulder late in the season, which he is recovering from.

Sources said Becht is expected to make a full recovery in the upcoming months as he weighs decisions about his future. The quarterback is expected to consider a return to Iowa State or entering the transfer portal.

Longtime Cyclones coach Matt Campbell left the school earlier this month to become Penn State‘s coach. The Cyclones hired Washington State‘s Jimmy Rogers as his replacement.

Becht, a junior this season, threw for 2,584 yards with 16 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He has totaled 9,274 yards, 64 touchdowns and 27 interceptions in three-plus seasons at Iowa State.

Iowa State went 8-4 this season but opted not to play in a bowl game after Campbell’s departure.

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San Jose State receiver Scudero to enter portal

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San Jose State receiver Scudero to enter portal

San Jose State wide receiver Danny Scudero, the leading receiver in FBS this season, will enter the NCAA transfer portal when it opens in January, he announced Friday.

The 5-foot-9, 174-pound redshirt sophomore caught 88 passes for 1,291 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first season with the Spartans, becoming a semifinal for the Biletnikoff Award and earning first-team All-Mountain West honors.

Scudero is expected to be one of the more coveted wide receivers available when the transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2 and has two more seasons of eligibility remaining.

Scudero spent two years at Sacramento State before transferring to San Jose State after the 2024 season. He broke out with 189 receiving yards to open the season against Central Michigan and surpassed 100 yards in five more games, including a career-high 215 and two touchdowns against Hawaii.

Scudero’s 88 receptions ranked fourth-most in FBS, and he leads all receivers this season with 16 catches of 30 or more yards.

The Spartans produced the No. 14 passing offense in FBS this season but went 3-9 in their second year under coach Ken Niumatalolo.

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