Sports
Column: Reds' Alon Leichman lives his dream with a heavy heart thinking of Israeli hostages
For Alon Leichman, the assistant pitching coach for the Cincinnati Reds, his job is at Dodger Stadium this weekend. His heart is in Israel.
His first coach, the one who taught him to play baseball, struggles to endure each day. The coach’s brother, kidnapped from his home by Hamas militants seven months ago, is believed to remain captive in the Gaza Strip.
“As of 10 days ago,” Leichman said Thursday, “he was still alive.” He had been shown on a hostage video.
One of Leichman’s former teammates on an Israeli national team also was kidnapped.
“I’m afraid,” Leichman said, “he is not alive.”
The Oct. 7 Hamas attack is to Israelis what the Sept. 11 Al Qaeda attack was to New Yorkers: Everyone knows someone who was killed.
Israel observed its Memorial Day this week. Leichman got a somber text from one of his friends there, apologetic in tone.
“I only got to four graves today,” the text read.
These should be days of celebration for Leichman, who was born and raised in Israel before playing college ball at Cypress College and UC San Diego. He worked as a minor league coach — briefly for the Dodgers, and for six years with the Seattle Mariners — and along the way pitched for Israel in the 2020 Olympics.
The Reds hired him last season. He had made the major leagues.
“I am living out my dream,” he said.
Israel’s Alon Leichman kneels and reacts after a baseball game against the Dominican Republic during the Tokyo Olympics on Aug. 3, 2021.
(Matt Slocum / Associated Press)
He reminds himself of a country’s tears wherever he goes, with the silver dog tag he wears around his neck. Embossed upon the dog tag, in English and Hebrew, is the national cry in support of the hostages: “Bring them home — now!”
In Israel last winter, Leichman participated in Saturday evening marches with that rallying cry. He did not wear the dog tag there.
“When I come to the States, I feel like this is when I need to wear this,” he said, cradling the tag in his hand, “because it creates conversation.”
He is not scared by the wave of protest against Israel. Where he grew up, a suicide bomber could lurk around any corner.
“Every bus I went on,” he said, “I had the thought that it might blow up.”
However, he does not mind having those conversations, if only to share what he personally knows. It can be difficult, he said, to persuade people that what they see on social media is different from his lived experience.
Leichman served in the Israeli army, where he said the training was stern: If you see a suspected terrorist near a civilian, you cannot shoot. His brother recently returned from serving two months in Gaza and said militants tossed grenades and shot at Israeli soldiers and then scattered down tunnels.
“I’m going to believe my brother,” Leichman said.
One of Alon Leichman’s gloves features the Israeli flag and the phrase “Bring Them Home Now!” in honor of Israelis being held hostage by Hamas.
(Courtesy of Alon Leichman)
Leichman is not sure of how the war might end. He is not a general, nor a politician. He said the Israeli government is “shooting itself in the foot” and said that, while Hamas might be the problem, the people of Gaza are not.
“We want peace,” he said. “We have our disagreements on how we’re going to get there.”
The gloves Leichman has used this season include one stitched with “Bring Them Home Now!” and the Israeli flag, another with an image of the dog tag he wears and a Jewish star.
He took a picture with him wearing one of those gloves last week and sent it to his old coach in Israel, the one whose brother remains a hostage. It is a compassionate gesture and a helpless feeling rolled into one, when that is all you can do.
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Winning two knockout stage games? That means you’re really in the running to win the World Cup.
Let’s check out the updated odds for which countries will make it to the quarterfinals at FanDuel Sportsbook as of July 1.
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To Reach Quarterfinals
France: -1250 (bet $10 to win $10.80 total)
Argentina: -425 (bet $10 to win $12.35 total)
Morocco: -260 (bet $10 to win $13.85 total)
Brazil: -240 (bet $10 to win $14.17 total)
England: -175 (bet $10 to win $15.71 total)
Spain: -140 (bet $10 to win $17.14 total)
Colombia: -105 (bet $10 to win $19.52 total)
USA: +105 (bet $10 to win $20.50 total)
Mexico: +140 (bet $10 to win $24 total)
Norway: +160 (bet $10 to win $26 total)
Portugal: +175 (bet $10 to win $27.50 total)
Canada: +180 (bet $10 to win $28 total)
Belgium: +185 (bet $10 to win $28.50 total)
Switzerland: +195 (bet $10 to win $29.50 total)
Senegal: +370 (bet $10 to win $47 total)
Algeria: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
Egypt: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
Ghana: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
The USA is currently one of the favorites to reach the World Cup quarterfinals (Getty Images).
Here’s what to know about this oddsboard.
Recent History: The quarterfinals are kinda a given for France, at least in recent years. The French have made it to at least the quarterfinals in five of the last seven World Cups, and they have made the final in four of the last seven years, winning the tournament twice. Les Bleus are now heavy favorites at -1250 to beat Paraguay and get back to the quarterfinals.
The Host Nations: Before this summer, Canada had never won a World Cup match in two tournament appearances. But that has all changed. Canada is through to the Round of 16 after beating South Africa in the Round of 32. As for Mexico, it has recorded four straight scoreless wins to start the tournament for the first time in its nation’s history. El Tri will look to get back to the quarterfinals for the first time in 40 years after dominating Ecuador in the Round of 32. After its win over Ecuador, Mexico jumped from +290 to +140 to make the quarters. The U.S. looks to replicate the other two host nations’ knockout stage performances against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday.
Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda celebrates after the Dodgers beat the Montreal Expos to win the NL pennant in 1981.
(Associated Press)
Years as manager: 1976-1996
Record: 1,599-1,439, .526 win pct
After serving as the team’s third base coach for four seasons, Lasorda took over as manager late in the 1976 season when Alston announced his retirement. He led the Dodgers to the National League pennant in his first two full seasons, losing both times to the Yankees in the World Series. He won his first World Series in 1981, knocking off the Yankees, and rallied his team to a surprise title in 1988 in which the Dodgers beat the heavily favored Athletics. Lasorda was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997, his first year of eligibility.
A fiery and vibrant presence who spent 71 years with the Dodgers, Lasorda managed nine players who won the NL rookie of the year award. The Dodgers also opened the Japanese player pipeline on his watch. Hideo Nomo, the first Japanese big leaguer to permanently relocate to the U.S., joined the Dodgers in 1995. Three decades later, the team features Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on its star-studded roster.
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Back in January, the odds that King James would retire before the beginning of the 2026-27 season were slightly longer than the odds that he would give it another go.
But as of now, it looks like LeBron will, in fact, give it another go but with a team other than the Lakers.
Here are the latest odds for where James could land next season at DraftKings Sportsbook as of June 30.
This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.
LeBron James Next Team Odds
Golden State Warriors: -115 (bet $10 to win $18.70 total)
Los Angeles Lakers: +105 (bet $10 to win $20.50 total)
Cleveland Cavaliers: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Miami Heat: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
New York Knicks: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Detroit Pistons: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Dallas Mavericks: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
San Antonio Spurs: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Milwaukee Bucks: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Brooklyn Nets: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Washington Wizards: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
NBA free agency begins on June 30 at 6 p.m. ET. However, hours before its official start, LeBron James’ agent, Rich Paul, made a jaw-dropping announcement.
According to ESPN reporting, Paul notified the Lakers that the franchise could move on without LeBron because he plans to play elsewhere for the 2026-27 season.
James played for the organization for eight years — the longest he’s played for any other team. While in L.A., King James broke the all-time scoring record, won an NBA title and earned his fourth NBA Finals MVP.
The imprint he’s left on the league in his more than 20 years has been immeasurable.
Where will LeBron land next season now that his time in Los Angeles is over?
In addition to his tenure in Los Angeles, he’s played for the Cavaliers and the Heat, winning titles with all three franchises. He won Rookie of the Year, has four regular-season MVPs and is a 22-time All-Star.
James has averaged 26.8 points, 7.5 boards and 7.4 assists over the course of his career.
During the 2025-26 season, he helped lead the Lakers to a 53-29 record in the regular season. The team secured the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and defeated Houston 4-2 in the first round.
Eventually, Los Angeles got bounced by Oklahoma City in the conference semifinals, 4-0, which marked LeBron’s last dance in Hollywood.
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