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$Mets' Ronny Mauricio fractures left thumb; Bo Bichette might move back to shortstop$

The New York Mets lost another shortstop inSaturday ‘s 4-3 lossto the Los Angeles Angels when Ronny Mauricio fractured his thumb while sliding into first base.

Mauricio hit a grounder to first base in the seventh inning. Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel fielded the ball and intended to flip the ball to pitcher Reid Detmers. But Detmers was late running to cover the play, forcing Schanuel to dive into first base to make the tag.

Seeing that he had a chance to beat Schanuel, Mauricio also dove toward the bag and his left thumb broke when colliding with the base.

"It’s tough, obviously,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said,via MLB.com. “You lose your everyday shortstop and the guy that comes up that is getting the everyday opportunity here now is hurt. Somebody else is going to have an opportunity.”

As Mendoza alluded to, the Mets had alreadylost starting shortstop Francisco Lindorto a strained left calf. He is expected to stay on the injured list until late May or early June. Though the Mets didn’t put a timetable on Mauricio’s recovery, a fractured thumb typically takes approximately six weeks to heal.

The question now becomes who gets the opportunity at shortstop that Mendoza mentioned. However, the Mets may already have a solution on their current roster.

Bo Bichette took over for Mauricio for the final four innings of Saturday’s game and has played shortstop through most of his eight-year MLB career. To be exact, he’s played 718 games at the position, including 132 last season for the Toronto Blue Jays.

With Lindor already established at shortstop andadvanced metricsshowing that Bichette wasn’t effective defensively at that position, the Mets decided he would play third base when signing him as a free agent toa three-year, $126 million contract.

Bichette has played well at third base, though the position change might have affected his hitting. After batting 1-for-5 on Saturday, Bichette has a slash average of .237/.276/.319 with two home runs and 15 RBI in 145 plate appearances.

The Mets have several candidates to call up from Triple-A Syracuse, including Jackson Cluff, Christian Arroyo and Vidal Bruján.

Last season, Bichette was credited with -12 Defensive Runs Saved and -12 Outs Above Average at shortstop, so the infield defense could suffer by moving him over. But if that happens. Brett Baty would likely take his former position at third base, where he’s played 247 games.

byAlex Forten

in

May 03, 2026

Mets' Ronny Mauricio fractures left thumb; Bo Bichette might move back to shortstop

The New York Mets lost another shortstop inSaturday ‘s 4-3 lossto the Los Angeles Angels when Ronny Mauricio fractured his thumb while ...

Texier breaks 3rd-period tie, Canadiens beat Lightning in Game 5 to take series lead

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Alexandre Texier broke a tie 1:06 into the third period and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Wednesday night to take a 3-2 lead in the first-round series.

Rookie Jakub Dobes stopped 38 shots to help Montreal move within a victory of advancing for the first time since losing to the Lightning in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2021.

Brendan Gallagher got his first goal in his first game this series and Kirby Dach also scored for the Canadiens.

Dominic James scored his first career playoff goal and Jake Guentzel also connected one for the Lightning. They are one loss from being eliminated in the first round for the fourth straight season.

FLYERS 1, PENGUINS 0, OT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cam York scored 17:32 into overtime and chucked his stick into the crowd in a wild celebration to send Philadelphia into the second round for the first time in six years with a Game 6 win over the Pittsburgh.

The Flyers are set for second round showdownagainst Carolina.

Dan Vladar was again sensational in the net and stopped all 42 shots and prevented the Penguins from playing for a shot at playoff history.

Sidney Crosby and the Penguins tried to become just the fifth team in NHL history to win a series after trailing 3-0. They’ve won two straight games to force Game 6.

byAlex Forten

in

May 02, 2026

Texier breaks 3rd-period tie, Canadiens beat Lightning in Game 5 to take series lead

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Alexandre Texier broke a tie 1:06 into the third period and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 ...

What is exercise snacking? The fitness method that could cut dementia risk

While the initial burst of New Year’s fitness enthusiasm often wanes as the months progress, new research offers a refreshing perspective: maintaining health and fitness doesn't necessarily demand a rigorous gym schedule.

Instead, short, vigorous bursts of activity – often dubbed "exercise snacking" – can be remarkably effective.

A study conducted by researchers in China, drawing on data from 96,408 participants in the UK Biobank study, explored the link between vigorous exercise and health outcomes over a seven-year period.

The findings were compelling, comparing activity levels against the likelihood of mortality or developing eight common health conditions, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes,liver disease, anddementia.

The study revealed that people who incorporated more vigorous exercise into their routines experienced a significantly lower risk across all diseases. Notably, their risk of dementia was reduced by 63 per cent compared to those who engaged in no vigorous activity.

The researchers said that these benefits persisted even when the time spent exercising intensely was modest.

This concept of integrating brief, high-intensity movements into daily life is what fitness experts refer to as "exercise snacking".

We spoke to some to delve deeper into what this entails and how it can be seamlessly woven into our everyday routines.

"The idea is that you can break up your day with little snacks of activity, rather than just a ‘main meal’ (mainworkout), to keep your body limber, stop it from getting stiff and to get rid of any excess energy," explains Monty Simmons, a London-based personal trainer and founder of Move with Monty.

He suggests the core idea is to "basically take yourself away from your desk and move for five or 10 minutes".

Darren Sealy, coach and co-founder of Flow State Fit Club, concurs, describing it as a "mini workout".

"[It] will raise yourheart rateand boost your cardio and metabolic conditioning," Sealy says.

He adds that "the effects of these short bursts of activity, which are usually no more than five minutes to 10 minutes at a time, can really compound throughout the week if you do them regularly".

Beyond the significant disease prevention highlighted by the research, exercise snacking offers a host of immediate physical benefits.

"In terms of physical benefits, exercise snacking is good for reducing feelings of stiffness and pain, and, depending on the exercises that you choose, it can also be useful for counteracting slouching at your desk and can help improve your posture," Simmons notes.

He also points out its value in getting "a bit of cardio in there to get your heart rate up and get a bit of heart rate variability throughout the day", and that it "can also increase your daily calorie burn just because you’re doing a bit more activity, which really accumulates over the week".

Stretches are good for getting rid of any stiffness and can help to improve posture (Alamy/PA)

Integrating exercise snacking into a busy schedule is more straightforward than it might seem. For those working from home, Simmons advises simply stepping away from the desk, setting a five or 10-minute timer, and performing three or four chosen exercises.

In an office environment, where overt exercise might feel awkward, he suggests more subtle approaches: "Grab yourself a coffee, go for a walk and maybe stretch out your thighs or do some more subtle exercises instead."

Consistency is key, and Sealy recommends picking a set time each day. "If you do a short burst of activity at the same time every day then you’re building a habit in your brain, so you know that each morning you are going to do your five-minute exercise snack, for example, which helps you build consistency," he explains.

Simmons outlines three main types of movement ideal for daily exercise snacking. The first, his personal favourite, is stretching, which helps "reduce stiffness and increase blood flow".

Secondly, cardio activities like "taking the stairs, getting off the bus early, walking fast, doing some star jumps, jogging on the spot or going for a little jog around the block" are highly effective.

Finally, incorporating strength exercises such as "front lunges, push ups or sit ups" can be beneficial. He suggests mixing and matching these categories.

For practical application, here are a few exercises to consider.

Standing back bends are recommended by Simmons for desk-bound individuals. "You basically stand up, have your feet shoulder-width apart and have your fingers interlaced in front of you. You reach them up and overhead and look up at the ceiling, and then just lean back a little bit," he instructs.

This provides "a really nice stretch in your abs, and a bit of activation of your upper back muscles, and that can be great for just reversing that slouched, crunched-over sitting posture".

Another beneficial movement is the good morning. "For a good morning, you stand up with your feet shoulder-width apart and put your hands behind your head and stand tall, looking forward," Simmons explains. "Then you sit your hips back, keeping your knees only a little bit bent, but mostly straight, and you lean forward so that your chest points to the floor. You should feel the stretch in your hamstrings and the activation of your back muscles."

This exercise is excellent for waking up the back and activating the posterior chain, which often suffers from prolonged sitting.

Finally, bodyweight exercises offer a versatile option. "Bodyweight exercises are great because you don’t need any equipment for them," Sealy points out.

He advises keeping it simple: "pick one upper body, one lower body, and one core exercise, and then find a quiet place to do them".

A routine could involve planks, squats, and push-ups, starting with 30 seconds per exercise and repeating the circuit three times, gradually increasing duration and consistency.

"Eventually you could have a quick five-minute bodyweight workout routine that’s optimising your upper, lower and midsection, and will be ticking a lot of boxes," Sealy concludes.

Embracing exercise snacking offers a realistic and scientifically supported path to improved health, proving that even small, consistent efforts can yield significant long-term benefits.

byAlex Forten

in

May 02, 2026

What is exercise snacking? The fitness method that could cut dementia risk

While the initial burst of New Year’s fitness enthusiasm often wanes as the months progress, new research offers a refreshing perspecti...

Did Wrexham make Championship playoffs? Schedule, bracket and final table

Wrexham's dream of promotion to the Premier League will have to wait.

The Red Dragons drew Middlesbrough 2-2 on the final day of the Championship season, a result that wasn't enough to secure a playoff spot.

Wrexham finished seventh, two points behind Hull City, which clinched the sixth and final playoff spot by defeating Norwich City 2-1.

Phil Parkinson's side entered the season having secured three straight promotions, a meteoric rise after actorsRob Macand Ryan Reynolds purchased Wrexham in late 2020.

But that streak ended on Saturday, May 2 as the Red Dragons could not overcome Boro at home.

Wrexham will return to the Championship in 2026-27, looking to secure a coveted spot in the Premier League.

Championship final table

What teams made Championship promotion playoffs?

Ipswich Town defeated QPR 3-0 on Saturday, securing second place and a spot in the Premier League next season.

The teams finishing third through sixth in the Championship standings advanced to the four-team playoff for promotion to the Premier League.

3. Millwall - 83 points
4. Southampton - 81 points
5. Middlesbrough - 80 points
6. Hull City - 73 points

EFL Championship promotion playoffs bracket

Semifinals

Millwall vs. Hull City
- First leg: Friday, May 8 - 3 p.m. ET
- Second leg: Monday, May 11 - 3 p.m. ET
Southampton vs. Middlesbrough
- First leg: Saturday, May 9 - 7:30 a.m. ET
- Second leg: Tuesday, May 12 - 3 p.m. ET