lucky calico legit The winter meetings are over, , and several of the have been on the move. But as teams started to , the biggest issue soon became that there was no franchise-altering player available once Soto was off the market. At least, that was the case until Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker became available. Since arriving in the big leagues in 2019, Tucker has been a force for the Astros and the true definition of a five-tool player. He owns a .274/.353/.516 slash line with 125 home runs and 94 stolen bases, and he’s an elite defender in right field. Tucker was on pace to have the best year of his career last season — with 23 homers in 79 games — before a shin fracture from a foul ball forced him to miss significant time. In recent weeks, it emerged that the Astros were open to moving the star outfielder. On Friday, in exchange for infielder Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski and third-base prospect Cam Smith. The deal instantly makes Tucker the best player in Chicago. For Houston, Paredes has the ability to play third or first base with pull-side power that should play at Minute Maid Park. Wesneski is a versatile arm with good stuff who pitched in 68 games with 22 starts for the Cubs, with a respectable career 3.93 ERA. But the crown jewel of the trade for the Astros is Smith. The Cubs’ 2024 first-round draft pick was one of the best hitters in college baseball before Chicago took him with the 14th overall pick last year. He performed well during his first year in pro ball, slashing .313/.396/.609 with seven homers and 24 RBI, and finished the year in Double-A. The Astros have won a lot over the past decade, including two World Series titles. The only team that has won more games than Houston since 2015 is the Los Angeles Dodgers. But keeping their winning window open for that long comes at a cost, and it left the Astros’ prospect pool pretty thin. Sources aware of Houston’s thinking told Yahoo Sports that the hope was that a Tucker trade could help replenish the farm system that allowed the Astros to reach the ALCS in seven of the past eight seasons. With such a trade now complete, Paredes slots into the Astros’ infield and lineup immediately, and Wesneski could fill multiple roles for Houston, either in the bullpen or the rotation, depending on how the remainder of their offseason shakes out. And with Smith, who was ranked as the Cubs’ No. 7 prospect by MLB Pipeline, the Astros might’ve acquired their third baseman of the future. The other side of the equation for Houston was that the team’s owner, Jim Crane, doesn’t seem keen on going beyond six years in a contract offer for any player, whether that was Tucker or a free agent such as Alex Bregman, . The addition of Paredes likely makes re-signing Bregman less feasible, but Houston could, in theory, move Paredes to first if they still want to retain their longtime star. What the Cubs have lacked in recent years has been a true, difference-making bat in the middle of their lineup. They haven’t had one since the days of Kris Bryant. Now Tucker provides exactly that — a player who can produce consistently on offense and carry a lineup for weeks at a time. And with other teams in the National League having game-changing players, including Bryce Harper, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., Soto and Francisco Lindor, and the Dodgers’ three MVPs, Chicago now has an answer. The addition of Tucker also immediately makes the Cubs better on defense. With Tucker presumably in right field, Pete Crow-Armstrong in center and Ian Happ in left, you can make the case that the Cubs have one of the best defensive outfields in baseball. What the team will do with outfielders Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki still needs to be figured out, but this deal gives Chicago moveable assets to continue to improve the roster. And in the aftermath of this trade, the Cubs have even more incentive to keep improving. The next step for Chicago will be to land one more starting pitcher; they’ve been active in the free-agent and trade markets for starters. Adding a high-leverage arm or two in the bullpen is also a significant need and would really put a stamp on what is shaping up to be an impactful winter for the Cubs. For the Cubs, the concern with acquiring Tucker has nothing to do with his talent, which at his best puts him among the top 10 players in MLB, and everything to do with his contract situation. The 27-year-old is entering his final season of club control before he’ll hit the free-agent market next winter. With the Yankees and Soto, we just witnessed a cautionary tale about making a move such as this. New York pulled the trigger on a Soto trade to acquire what they hoped would be the final piece of their championship puzzle, and they had great success, getting all the way to the World Series before falling to the Dodgers. Despite all that, Soto decided to leave in free agency and sign with the Mets, . Tucker entering free agency after the 2025 season is almost a certainty, according to sources. After Soto signed his record-breaking deal, players such as Tucker and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who is also set to be a free agent next winter, are even more incentivized to let the free-agent process play out, with potentially a $400 million-500 million payday awaiting them at the end. The Cubs traded for Tucker with full awareness that he might leave in 12 months and sign elsewhere. There is no guarantee that he will stay in Chicago or even that they will have an advantage in free-agent negotiations. In the case of the Yankees, they at least still have a top-five player in Aaron Judge following Soto’s departure, but the Cubs won’t likely have that type of security. The trio of players the Cubs gave up represent a steep price for a one-year rental. But it’s understandable that the price was so high. Tucker is the type of player who can take a team over the top as a contender or — perhaps more aptly in Chicago’s case — take a borderline playoff team and push it into October. With Soto signed, Tucker was the only player available with that kind of ability. But the Cubs need to be certain they have the rest of the pieces in place before Opening Day. Because they’ll likely get only one chance with Tucker on their roster.

Protecting rookie quarterback Bo Nix is paramount for the Denver Broncos , and the club is ensuring they can continue doing so. On Thursday, the team announced it signed left tackle Garett Bolles to a four-year extension. According to Spotrac , the contract is worth $82M with $42M guaranteed. Here to stay! OFFICIAL: We've signed @gbolles72 to a four-year contract extension. » https://t.co/b4hwnTrJ62 pic.twitter.com/mRuVHWw9en Before the extension became official, Bolles posted on his X account , "It's been a great eight years! Thanks for everything! And ... I'm not leaving. The show goes on!" Since Denver selected Bolles with pick No. 20 in the 2017 NFL Draft, he has started 112 games for the club and earned a second-team All-Pro nod in 2020. Bolles, 32, is flourishing again this season. He has only allowed one sack on 513 pass-block snaps in 13 games, via Pro Football Focus . He has also posted an 88.7 passing-blocking grade, the fourth-best mark at his position. Signing Bolles keeps the Broncos O-line intact. Except for center Luke Wattenberg, all its starters are under contract through 2026. That seems wise, as the unit has allowed 19 sacks, tied for the third fewest in the league. Nix's exceptional pass protection has pushed him into the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation. Per Pro Football Reference , he has been pressured on 18.2 percent of his dropbacks, 27th among 34 eligible quarterbacks. The Broncos (8-5) are second in the AFC West and could make the postseason for the first time in eight years. NFL.com projects that their playoff probability will increase from 72 to 89 percent if they beat the Indianapolis Colts in Sunday's home game. Even if it misses the playoffs, Denver should feel optimistic about its future. The Broncos have a promising QB in Nix, who's tied for the league's 11th-most passing TDs (17 in 13 games). They also have an O-line that should give him plenty of time to throw.Nothing's guaranteed, but Bucs need to win out to give themselves best shot to make the playoffs

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Multi-year collaboration aims to expand artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, foster innovation, and enhance industry-specific solutions for diverse business leaders NEW YORK , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Genpact (NYSE: G ), a global professional services and solutions firm delivering outcomes that shape the future, today announced a multi-year Strategic Collaboration Agreement (SCA) with Amazon Web Services (AWS) with plans to accelerate the adoption of AI and empower business leaders across functions to harness its transformative potential. By simplifying access to cutting-edge data and AI technologies, Genpact and AWS are allowing a broad range of decision-makers—from CFOs and COOs to procurement and operations leaders—to drive innovation within their organizations. "Our collaboration with AWS is focused on bringing AI innovations directly to the forefront of decision-making across every line of business," said Murat Aksu , Global Leader for Partnerships, Genpact. "This Strategic Collaboration Agreement will break down traditional barriers to AI adoption, making it accessible to business leaders beyond the CIO's office, and help our clients accelerate value through AI-driven insights and solutions." While AI innovations were previously centralized within IT functions, this expanded collaboration ensures that advanced technologies can now be seamlessly integrated into all business lines. Genpact's collaboration with AWS democratizes AI capabilities, offering tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of multiple business areas, empowering them to solve complex challenges with agility and efficiency. "Thanks to the Genpact and AWS collaboration, we've been able to become a fully cloud-native fixed-annuity provider," said Bob Guilmette , Chief Information Officer, Revol One Financial. "With AWS and Genpact's advanced technology expertise, we are streamlining operations, accelerating product launches, and enhancing digital customer experiences, positioning ourselves for sustainable growth and a competitive edge over legacy insurers." As an AWS Premier Tier Services Partner, Genpact brings deep expertise in AI, data and analytics. With nearly 1,000 certified AWS professionals, Genpact helps clients unlock the full potential of AWS services, including Amazon Connect and Amazon OpenSearch, to modernize operations and scale AI solutions. Genpact's numerous offerings in AWS Marketplace include: ContactUs.Ai: an end-to-end AI-powered customer experience solution Property Contents Claim solution: powered by generative AI, allows seamless digital experience and automation from inventory creation through settlement riskCanvas Discovery: empowers financial institutions with process improvement and automation, including generative AI integration for efficient financial crime prevention and compliance "We are expanding our collaboration with Genpact to drive AI transformation across industries," said Rima Olinger , Managing Director, North America Partners, AWS. "Genpact's industry expertise and advanced technology capabilities make them a valuable partner in helping organizations harness AI effectively, empowering business leaders to leverage data-driven insights and achieve their strategic objectives." This collaboration underscores the value of Genpact and AWS to provide flexibility and unlock greater business value for customers across industries. To learn how Genpact and AWS help enterprises across every industry and function, click here . About Genpact Genpact (NYSE: G ) is a global professional services and solutions firm delivering outcomes that shape the future. Our 125,000+ people across 30+ countries are driven by our innate curiosity, entrepreneurial agility, and desire to create lasting value for clients. Powered by our purpose – the relentless pursuit of a world that works better for people – we serve and transform leading enterprises, including the Fortune Global 500, with our deep business and industry knowledge, digital operations services, and expertise in data, technology, and AI. Get to know us at genpact.com and on LinkedIn , X , YouTube , and Facebook . MEDIA CONTACT: Sue Martenson Genpact Media Relations +1 978-905-9582 [email protected] SOURCE Genpact Ltd.Incredible stats show telepathy between Saka and Odegaard, now Arteta wants them to emulate two legends of the game

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