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For the second straight Major League Baseball offseason, a norm-shattering contract has been the talk of the winter, with Juan Soto agreeing with the New York Mets on a $765 million, 15-year deal that's the richest in baseball history. It comes almost exactly one year after the Los Angeles Dodgers forked out a princely sum of $700 million on a 10-year, heavily deferred deal for two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. They are believed to be the two richest contracts in pro sports history. The way it's going, a contract approaching $1 billion doesn't seem out of the question. But several factors are working against it — at least in the near future. There's reason to believe the megadeals for Ohtani and Soto are unicorns in the baseball world. Both players are uniquely talented, surely, but both also had unusual circumstances propelling their value into the stratosphere. Ohtani is the greatest two-way player in baseball history, capable of improving any team on both sides of the ball. He's also the rare baseball player who has true international appeal. His every move ( like his unexpected marriage announcement ) is followed closely in his native Japan, adding another 125 million potential fans who buy merchandise, watch him play and help fill the Dodgers' coffers. Then there's Soto — a four-time All-Star and on-base machine who won a World Series with the Washington Nationals in 2019. The X-factor for him is he became a free agent at the prime age of 26, which is extremely hard to do under current MLB rules. New York Yankees' Juan Soto, right, with the help of his agent Scott Boras, left, agreed to a $765 million, 15-year deal with the New York Mets on Sunday. Players have to be in the big leagues for six years before testing free agency. The precocious Soto debuted at 19 with the Nats, making him part of a rare group of players who reached the highest level of professional baseball as a teenager. That accelerated his free agency timeline. It's rare for players to debut that young, and rarer still for them to develop into stars and test the open market the first chance they get. Two recent examples are Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, who both reached free agency in 2019. Machado signed a free-agent record $300 million contract with San Diego, and Harper overtook him days later with a $330 million contract to join the Phillies. Most players debut in the big leagues from ages 22 to 26, which means free agency comes in their late 20s or early 30s. A typical example is Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is one of this generation's great players but didn't hit the market until he was 30. Judge played three seasons of college baseball for Fresno State before getting drafted by the Yankees in 2013 at age 21 — already two years older than Soto was when he made his MLB debut. It took a few years for the budding superstar to reach the majors, and he was 25 when he had his breakout season in 2018, smashing 52 homers to earn AL Rookie of the Year honors. By the time he reached free agency after the 2022 season, he had already passed age 30. It's a major factor that led to him signing a $360 million, nine-year deal with the Yankees, which seems downright reasonable these days after the Ohtani and Soto deals. Two major trends are colliding that will make it harder for guys like Soto to hit free agency in their mid 20s. First, MLB teams have been more likely in recent years to take college players early in the draft, betting on more experienced talents. Just 10 high school players were drafted among the top 30 picks in the 2024 draft. Second, teams are more eager to lock up young, premium talent on long-term deals very early in their careers, well before they hit free agency. Sometimes before they even reach the majors. Juan Soto's deal comes almost exactly one year after the Los Angeles Dodgers forked out a princely sum of $700 million on a 10-year, heavily deferred deal for two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. Since Soto, just two players have debuted in MLB before their 20th birthday — Elvis Luciano and Junior Caminero. Luciano hasn't been back to the majors since his 2019 cup of coffee. Caminero is now 21 and has only played in 50 big league games. Among those that debuted at 20: Fernando Tatis Jr. signed a $340 million, 14-year deal with San Diego in 2021, years before reaching the open market. Milwaukee's Jackson Chourio got an $82 million, eight-year deal before even reaching the big leagues. Young stars Corbin Carroll ($111 million, eight years with Arizona), Bobby Witt Jr. ($288 million, 11 years with Kansas City) and Julio Rodriguez ($209.3 million, 12 years with Seattle) also got massive guarantees early in their 20s to forgo an early free agency. The exception and wild card: Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be a 26-year-old free agent next offseason. Guerrero hasn't been as consistent in his young career as Soto, but a standout 2025 season could position him to threaten Soto's deal. More likely is that the player to pass Soto isn't in the majors yet — and might not even be in pro baseball. When 25-year-old Alex Rodriguez signed his record $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas in 2001, it took over a decade for another player to match that total, when Albert Pujols got $240 million over 10 years from the Angels in 2012. For many players, passing up life-changing money in their early or mid 20s is too enticing, even if it means that they might not maximize their value on the free agent market later in their careers. Soto was determined to test the market. He famously turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer to stay with the Washington Nationals in 2022, betting that he could make even more as a free agent. Not many players would turn down that kind of cash. Then again, that's what makes Soto so unique. And it's also why his $765 million deal could be the industry standard for some time. Stiliana Nikolova, of Bulgaria performs in the rhythmic gymnastics individuals all-round qualification round, at La Chapelle Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Cincinnati Reds' Jonathan India reacts as he collides with San Diego Padres catcher Luis Campusano during the second inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 21, 2024, in Cincinnati. India was safe and Campusano was charged with an error. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Kimberley Woods of Britain competes in the women's kayak cross time trial at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Vaires-sur-Marne, France. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Mike Tyson, left, fights Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus plays a forehand return to Coco Gauff of the U.S. during their semifinal match at the Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte) Noah Lyles, of the United States, jumps as he limbers-up ahead of the men's 100-meters final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) A member of the Seattle Mariners tosses a ball against a wall during drills at spring training baseball workouts, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Peoria, Ariz. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Rebecca Sramkova of Slovakia waits to receive serve during her first round match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Czech Republic's Jiri Beran, left, competes with France's Yannik Borel in the men's team epee bronze final match during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) France's Adrien Truffert jumps over Argentina's goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli during a quarterfinal soccer match between France and Argentina, at Bordeaux Stadium, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Bordeaux, France. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Fans interfere with a foul ball caught by Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts during the first inning in Game 4 of the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) Italy's Sara Curtis splashes her face with water before a women's 50-meter freestyle semifinal at the Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Ivory Coast 's Seko Fofana, top, duels for the ball with Nigeria's Victor Osimhen during the African Cup of Nations final soccer match between Nigeria and Ivory Coast, at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) Costa Rica midfielder Jefferson Brenes, from left, Alvaro Zamora (21), Francisco Calvo (15) and Joseph Mora (8) are pelted with drinks and trash after celebrating a Brenes goal in the second half of a CONCACAF Nations League Play-In soccer match against Honduras, Saturday, March 23, 2024, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Gabrielle Thomas, of the United States, celebrates winning the gold medal in the women's 200 meters final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) Tyrrell Hatton, of England, reacts on the 11th hole during a practice round in preparation for the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Augusta, GA. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) Quincy Hall, of the United States, celebrates after winning the men's 400-meter final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Tim Tszyu, of Australia, hits Sebastian Fundora in a super welterweight title bout Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers takes the field prior to an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Workers peep through curtains to watch a match between France's Gael Monfils and Russia's Daniil Medvedev during the China Open tennis tournament held at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Amy Yang, of South Korea, is doused after winning the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament at Sahalee Country Club, Sunday, June 23, 2024, in Sammamish, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Workers remove snow from Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday Jan. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/ Jeffrey T. Barnes) United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Gurgl, Austria, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti) Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, left, scores his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Almeria at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue ) Czech Republic's Michal Kempny, right, punches United States' Brady Tkachuk during the quarterfinal match between Czech Republic and United States at the Ice Hockey World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, May 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) Turkey's Taha Akgul, left, competes with Georgia's Geno Petriashvili in a men's freestyle 125 kg category gold medal wrestling match during the European Wrestling Championships, in Bucharest, Romania, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith cries after winning the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. The Chiefs won 25-22. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Carles Coll Marti of Spain competes in the men's 200-meter breaststroke heat at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots between New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III and guard CJ McCollum in the second half of an NBA basketball play-in tournament game Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in New Orleans. The Lakers won 110-106. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) A man in a monk's robe waves the French flag as the peloton passes during the sixth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 163.5 kilometers (101.6 miles) with start in Macon and finish in Dijon, France, Thursday, July 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Belgium's Jeremy Doku, left, challenges for the ball with Romania's Andrei Ratiu during a Group E match between Belgium and Romania at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Cologne, Germany, Saturday, June 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) A spectator walks through a water mist sprayer on her way to Eiffel Tower Stadium to watch a beach volleyball at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Gabriel Medina, of Brazil, kicks off of a wave as he warms up prior to the quarterfinals round of the 2024 Summer Olympics surfing competition, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Teahupo'o, Tahiti. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) Rebeca Andrade, of Brazil, is reflected on a surface as she performs on the balance beam during the women's artistic gymnastics all-around finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Wyndham Clark waits to hit on the 17th hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Kolkata Knight Riders' wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz dives to make an unsuccessful attempt to run out Sunrisers Hyderabad's Abhishek Sharma during the Indian Premier League cricket final match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai, India, Sunday, May 26, 2024.(AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.) Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the qualifying session of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, in Singapore, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian) Serbia's Novak Djokovic embraces his daughter Tara after defeating Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in the men's singles tennis final at the Roland Garros stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Spain's Dani Olmo clears the ball from the goal line during the final match between Spain and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, July 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) A fleet of boats compete in the mixed multihull sailing race during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) A horse watches from its stable ahead of the 156th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race at Saratoga Race Course, Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) Silver medalist Simone Biles, of the United States, left, and bronze medalist Jordan Chiles, of the United States, right, bow to gold medalist Rebeca Andrade, of Brazil, during the medal ceremony for the women's artistic gymnastics individual floor finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Denver celebrates after winning the championship game against Boston College in the Frozen Four NCAA college hockey tournament Saturday, April 13, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. Denver won 2-0 to win the national championship. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Washington safety Kamren Fabiculanan (13) and cornerback Elijah Jackson (25) break up a pass to Eastern Michigan wide receiver Terry Lockett Jr. (3) in the end zone during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Seattle. Washington won 30-9. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Milwaukee Bucks' AJ Johnson, right, goes up for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers' Jared McCain, center, and Adem Bona during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Elise Mertens, of Belgium, serves against Naomi Osaka, of Japan, at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, Monday, March 11, 2024, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Italy's Giovanni Tocci competes in the men's 3m springboard diving preliminary at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani breaks his bat during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Wearing a device that measures his energy consumption, the Israel Amputee Football Team player, Ben Maman, left, fights for the ball with a young soccer player from a local team during a practice session in Ramat Gan, Thursday, April 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) A soccer fan dressed as Spiderman watches Brazil play Uruguay in a Copa America quarterfinal match on a screen set up for fans on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, July 7, 2024. Brazil lost in a penalty shootout and Uruguay qualified for the semifinals. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) Men dressed in traditional clothes try to pull the opponent over the table at the German Championships in Fingerhakeln or finger wrestling, in Bernbeuren, Germany, Sunday, May 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, kicks the ball after double faulting against Jessica Pegula, of the United States, during the women's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) Water is sprayed on the pitch as the ball boys and girls walk along the center line before the start of the men's Group A field hockey match between South Africa and Germany at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Colombes, France. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) Cleveland Browns defensive end Isaiah McGuire (57) reaches for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens (12) during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) Morocco's Widad Bertal celebrates after defeating Thailand's Jutamas Jitpong in their women's 54kg preliminary boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/John Locher) Brazil's Priscila eyes the ball during a women's semifinal soccer match between Brazil and Spain at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, at Marseille Stadium in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Simone Biles of the United States competes on the balance beam during a women's artistic gymnastics qualification round at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) New Orleans Saints linebacker Willie Gay Jr. signs autographs for a young fan before the start of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Real Madrid's players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Champions League final soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Mozambique's Deizy Nhaquile battles rough seas during a women's dinghy race, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) People watch the cauldron rise at sunset by the Olympic rings during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) kisses Taylor Swift after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. The Chiefs won 25-22. (AP Photo/John Locher) A light show is projected from the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Kateryna Tabashnyk, a high jumper, sits for a portrait Sunday, June 9, 2024, at the athletics arena of the "Polytechnic" sports complex, which was destroyed by a Russian rocket attack, in Kharkiv, Ukraine. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) Sent weekly directly to your inbox!🌏 Musk v. Bezosfish bear studio casino game 。

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NoneBaltimore lawyers begin presenting $5 billion request for ‘full response to the opioid epidemic’

Nasdaq Tops 20,000 As Stock Market Cheers CPI; These Stocks Do The Heavy LiftingMotorTrend CEO Alex Wellen stated that 'EVs are inevitable', but the current market reflects a longer road to mainstream adoption. He noted that the rise of hybrids and range-extending powertrain tech will bridge the gap to full EVs going mainstream. The 2025 Ram 1500 won the MotorTrend Truck of the Year award due to its combination of a new powerful engine, comfortable interior, and performance capability. According to MotorTrend CEO Alex Wellen, 'The Ram 1500 was a clean kill and it was a little unexpected, to be honest with you... The engineering is excellent, the design is beautiful. It's a 40,000 car and goes 0 to 60mph in five seconds, and can tow over 10,000 pounds.' According to Wellen, tariffs would likely lead to increased costs for consumers and automakers in the short term, as the auto industry has a global supply chain that is not yet capable of adapting to domestic manufacturing and sales. However, in the long term, tariffs may help consumers and automakers by promoting domestic manufacturing. Yes, according to Wellen, 'a lot of those costs will likely get passed on to the customers and to the automakers' in the short term, suggesting that tariffs would lead to higher prices for trucks in the US market. Trucks are a major segment in the US automotive market, with new light truck sales and leases reaching 10.9 million in 2022, compared to 2.895 million passenger car sales in the same year, according to data from the Department of Transportation. The MotorTrend Truck of the Year wasn’t an EV like the Rivian R1T or Ford F-150 Lightning. A gas-powered truck won top honors. MotorTrend ( WBD ), celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, selected the all-new Ram ( STLA ) 1500 pickup as its 2025 top truck of the year. A combination of a new powerful engine, comfortable interior, and performance capability made the Ram rise above its rivals, MotorTrend said. "The Ram 1500 was a clean kill and it was a little unexpected, to be honest with you,” MotorTrend CEO Alex Wellen told Yahoo Finance, alluding to strong competition from Ford, Chevrolet, and even EV rivals. “It is an internal combustion engine ... The engineering is excellent, the design is beautiful. It's a $40,000 car and goes 0 to 60mph in five seconds, and can tow over 10,000 pounds. It just was a real winner.” Trucks are not some niche automotive sector in the US; they are one of the top-selling classes of vehicles. Data from the Department of Transportation for 2022 (the most recent data) shows that new light truck sales and leases hit 10.9 million, whereas passenger cars hit only 2.895 million in sales. MotorTrend was quick to point out that electric rivals were breathing down Ram’s neck, including the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, and Tesla’s polarizing Cybertruck, which leads all EV pickups in sales this year. MotorTrend’s review team breaks down the pros and cons of those vehicles, but what is most apparent to Wellen is all of this year's selections — Car of the Year, Truck of the Year, and SUV of the Year — are gas-powered, not EVs. He said it reflects where we are in America right now. “We always say at MotorTrend that EVs are inevitable. I think it's just going to be a longer road than we thought,” Wellen said. The rise of hybrids and range-extending powertrain tech that Ram will bring next year will bridge the gap to full EVs going mainstream, he said. One important consideration that’s been a huge wild card in any auto and truck discussion are tariffs. President-elect Donald Trump’s threat to tariff all vehicles from Mexico, Canada, Europe, and elsewhere wouldn’t necessarily affect trucks yet, as most are built in the US, but if components from other countries are targeted, this would surely fall on the shoulders of consumers, Wellen said. “The goal [of tariffs] at the end of the day is to make us more reliant on our domestic manufacturing and sales, right, and to collect some money. But the auto industry has this global supply chain that is not really capable of doing that just yet,“ Wellen said. The consequences of tariffs will be felt both in the long term and in the near term, with differing effects, he added. “So long term, it may end up being something that really helps consumers and automakers. But short term, I think a lot of those costs will likely get passed on to the customers and to the automakers.” Pras Subramanian is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on X and on Instagram . Click here for the latest stock market news and in-depth analysis, including events that move stocks Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance

Lawyers for Baltimore City on Wednesday told a judge two drug distribution companies should have to pay $5 billion to curb the raging opioid epidemic here. The approximately weeklong bench trial presided over by Circuit Judge Lawrence P. Fletcher-Hill kicked off with the testimony of a public health professor the city hired to create a detailed plan to tackle the opioid crisis . Wednesday’s proceeding is the second phase of Baltimore’s civil case against drug distributors McKesson and AmerisourceBergen, now known as Cenora. A jury in November ordered the companies to pay $266 million for flooding Baltimore with hundreds of millions of addictive opioid painkillers from 2006 to 2019. Now it’s up to Fletcher-Hill to determine how much else, if anything, the drug distributors must pay to resolve the crisis jurors found them liable for. Baltimore initially asked Fletcher-Hill to make the companies pay $11 billion but reduced its monetary demands following the first trial. Unlike the monthslong jury trial that ended in November, lawyers did not give dramatic opening statements . Instead, they submitted arguments in writing before this so-called “abatement phase” trial began. Attorneys for Baltimore argue McKesson and AmerisourceBergen should pay at least $5 billion to offset the damage they caused by flooding the area with addictive painkillers with little regard for the havoc the companies knew they would wreak. Their reckless distribution of opioids, the city said, hooked a new generation on painkillers. They then overdosed and died at staggering rates after moving on to heroin and much more potent fentanyl when their prescriptions ran out. “The only viable remedy to reduce the nuisance and minimize its effect is to require Defendants to fund a plan to abate it,” city lawyers wrote. Attorneys for the drug distributors argue the city is abusing the civil justice system to force two companies to pay for societal issues they had no role in. They called the city’s abatement plan a “sweeping, 15-year social policy plan related to opioid addiction and many other social issues — e.g., homelessness, re-entry after incarceration, foster care, job training, food support, and bolstering the health care workforce.” “That type of public policy-making is for the General Assembly, not a Court sitting in equity in a lawsuit involving just two wholesale distributors,” the companies’ lawyers wrote The first witness Wednesday was Susan G. Sherman of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a social and behavioral scientist whose decades of research focuses on people who use opioids, primarily in Baltimore. Sherman highlighted the 91-page report she prepared before the trial that made recommendations she predicts in 15 years would bring down the fatality of overdoses by 23%, reduce initiation of nonmedical prescription opioid use by 7.5% and decrease the prescribing of opioids by approximately 55%. Sherman’s plan calls for dramatically expanding access to medication-assisted opioid treatment — regarded by experts as the most effective way to treat opioid addiction. It would also create more programs to reduce the deadliness of drug use and its side effects and offer education campaigns to allow officials to better respond to the crisis. She called it “a full response to the opioid epidemic.” Sherman also proposes expanding measures Baltimore already has, like the distribution of the opioid overdose-reversing drug naloxone and providing clean syringes to reduce the risk of diseases like HIV and Hepatitis B. “It’s a philosophy of meeting people where they are in their drug use,” Sherman testified. Her plan also calls for some initiatives that would be novel in the city, such as overdose prevention sites, which provide people who use opioids a place to administer drugs under the supervision of medical professionals with life-saving resources available. There are at least 200 such places, also known as safe consumption sites, around the world but only two in America, located in New York City, Sherman’s report says. “Despite millions of injections taking place in OPSes worldwide, not one has resulted in a fatal overdose,” she said. Sherman testified that overdose prevention sites have led to people stopping drug use and entering treatment. She said there are plans to open such operations in Rhode Island, Vermont and Minneapolis. Under her plan, the percentage of opioid users in the city who were in treatment would climb from 13% to 41%, she testified. She calls for more easy-to-access treatment programs like Project Connections at Reentry, a van that offers opioid medications to people without identifications or health insurance outside the Baltimore Central Booking & Intake Center. She also called for more wrap-around services for people in treatment, including transportation, housing support, nutritional assistance, job training and mental health care. “It’s important for people to have stability — food, housing, mental health care — to be successful in treatment,” Sherman testified. ©2024 Baltimore Sun. Visit baltimoresun.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

World reaches $300 bn climate finance deal at COP29

Sira Thienou scores 16 points, No. 18 Ole Miss women coast to 89-24 win over Alabama State

After working together in the “Cyberpunk 2077” game, actors Keanu Reeves and Idris Elba are re-teaming on screen together as voices in the third “Sonic the Hedgehog” film opening in December. Elba played the role of Knuckles in the second film and scored his own “Knuckles” spin-off series earlier this year. Reeves joins the fray as Shadow with the new film. Speaking with , the actors themselves confirmed their interest in continued collaborations with Elba suggesting “Shadow Knuckles” as a title for a new team-up project to which Reeves responds: “No, Knuckles and Shadow” and Elba says back: “Shadow Knuckles sounds like a band.” Elba was also asked if “Knuckles” Season 2 or “Sonic the Hedgehog 4” would be Elba’s next work in the franchise, he says: “Oh, wow, is there a Sonic 4? You know more than me, my guy. I would say I’d love to do it. Any chance to understand the characters a little bit more, in the different episodes ... If [the filmmakers are] in, I’m down.” “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” opens in cinemas on December 20th with the film reportedly on track for a $55 million opening weekend domestically.The bad news for Chicago Bulls vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas is that Patrick Williams is out for an undetermined length of time with inflammation in his surgically repaired left foot. The good news is Karnišovas will get to see more of his latest project, Matas Buzelis, who figures to get more minutes as Williams rests his swollen foot. As the Bulls prepared to play the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday at the United Center in the second game of back-to-backs, the Buzelis buzz was growing, albeit at a low frequency. With Julian Phillips also sidelined Saturday with an illness, someone joked it was turning into “the Matas Buzelis Show.” “Maybe,” coach Billy Donovan said. “I’m here for the whole five positions.” With Williams and Phillips out, Donovan said he would have to utilize more of his bench against the Grizzlies as the Bulls attempted to win back-to-back games for the first time. Karnišovas gave Williams a five-year, $90 million extension in June, showing confidence Williams eventually would blossom into the player the Bulls envisioned when they selected him with the fourth pick in the 2020 draft. Williams was a 19-year old who didn’t start for Florida State but was chosen for his athleticism and upside as a 6-8 forward who can handle the ball. “Long arms, big hands,” Karnišovas said then. “Such an upside and potential. He can play from one through five. Played point guard in high school. Humble kid that is mature beyond his years. This is what the NBA is today.” Williams insisted Friday that he could’ve played if needed, but the Bulls aren’t likely to rush him back so soon into the season. Donovan talked about a “logjam” at the position before Williams’ injury, suggesting Buzelis and Phillips would benefit with more minutes. But instead of starting one of the two on Friday in the 136-122 win over the Atlanta Hawks, Donovan opted for a four-guard lineup, adding Ayo Dosunmu to starters Zack LaVine, Coby White and Josh Giddey. The Bulls’ Matas Buzelis gestures after making a 3-pointer in the third quarter against the Hawks in an NBA Cup game on Nov. 22, 2024, at the United Center. Buzelis scored nine points in the Bulls’ 136-122 win. (Geoff Stellfox/Getty) Still, Buzelis was on the court for two long stretches, scoring nine points with two blocks in 20 minutes while sinking a corner 3 and converting two dunks, including one that brought the house down in the first quarter. LaVine said he told the 20-year-old rookie to keep it up and not to worry about missing shots. “He athletically helps us just from being on the court and playing multiple positions,” LaVine said. Donovan liked the rim protection and the offensive part of Buzelis’s game but added the 6-9, 196-pound rookie needs to understand the realities of going into the paint in the NBA. “When he’s going to the basket, there are going to be people putting bodies in the way,” Donovan said. “And sometimes Euro-stepping leads you into some of those charges. These are things I think he’ll learn.” Related Articles Chicago Bulls | Column: Chicago Bulls are on pace for the worst defensive season in franchise history. Can it be fixed? Chicago Bulls | NBA urges players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following high-profile burglaries Chicago Bulls | ‘I’m being true to myself.’ How Zach LaVine strives for success through selflessness with the Chicago Bulls. Chicago Bulls | 6 takeaways as the Chicago Bulls lost to the Milwaukee Bucks — but won the minutes without Giannis Antetokounmpo Chicago Bulls | Patrick Williams is sidelined again with pain in the same foot — but Chicago Bulls aren’t panicking yet Hopefully those lessons will be learned now, as the 7-10 Bulls have nothing to lose by letting him play and seeing what they’ve got. They’re one trade away from being an official rebuild, and LaVine looks healthier and more tradeable than at any point in 2023-24. The anticipation whenever the ball found its way into Buzelis’s hands Friday was palpable to those of us sitting in the stands, which includes the local media not employed by the Chicago Sports Network. Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf took away the courtside press seating last year in a blatant money grab, similar to what he did at Sox Park many years ago. Anyway, it was obvious Friday that Bulls fans appear desperate for something new and exciting after years of watching the same old thing. Fair or not, Buzelis is going to have to succeed for Karnišovas’s reputation, not to mention for fans’ sanity. But until then, the Bulls will probably be content to ride LaVine as long as they can and look to the future at the trade deadline. White, Dosunmu and Williams will all be part of it, but the rest of the cast is unknown. Karnišovas’s widely panned acquisition of Giddey from the Oklahoma City Thunder for energizer Alex Caruso hasn’t been as one-sided as expected because of Caruso’s poor early-season shooting. Still, Giddey’s defensive play is so sketchy Donovan has been closing tight games with Dosunmu, making Giddey a bystander, literally and figuratively. Dosunmu, growing in confidence daily, has been up for the task. Without Lonzo Ball available , he’s easily their best perimeter defender. “You always want to help the team close a win,” Dosunmu said. “That feels pretty good. We’ve got to do better as a team closing games out, but I like where we’re at. We can be better. We will be better.” They had better be better, or Karnišovas will be the one bearing the brunt of the blame. Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu is fouled by the Hawks’ Dyson Daniels on a drive to the basket during the first half of an NBA Cup game on Nov. 22, 2024, at the United Center. (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP) Dosunmu took over ballhandling duties Friday, which seemed to calm down Giddey, a decent point guard who’s a good distributor and rebounder but has difficulty covering smaller, quicker guards. Giddey had 18 points, eight assists and six rebounds Friday with a plus-19 rating in one of his better overall performances. Donovan said the four-guard starting lineup will be predicated on matchups while Williams is out, but obviously he liked what he saw Friday as the Bulls shot a season-high 57%, including 19-for-43 (44.2%) from 3-point range. LaVine noted the fast pace of both teams on Friday, when the Bulls made 19 turnovers and still cruised to a win to even their NBA Cup record at 1-1. “There were a couple times I didn’t make it past half-court without getting back,” LaVine said with a laugh. “We’re sticking with the identity of what we’re trying to do — guys playing fast. You have to get in shape for it.” The message from Donovan is clear, albeit a little repetitive. “We have to run,” Donovan said. “We have to try to generate stuff in transition. We have to play fast. It’s just what we have to do. ... It gets bodies off of us, helps us get downhill, helps generate some 3s.” On nights like Friday, it’s something to see. But with the real grind of the NBA schedule just beginning, we’ll soon find out how much the Bulls have in their tank.‘Escape From Tarkov’ Set To Add Major New Weapons In Next Wipe

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