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Investor Insights

Aurum Resources offers a compelling value proposition through its highly prospective gold assets in Côte d’Ivoire, a fast-emerging gold region in West Africa. Its cost-effective exploration strategy of drill rig ownership also distinguishes it from its peers.

Overview

Aurum Resources (ASX:AUE) is a mineral exploration company primarily focused on gold through its Boundiali and Napié gold projects in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa.

Côte d’Ivoire’s gold mining sector is experiencing significant growth and development, with several key projects contributing to the country’s economic expansion. The overall gold mining sector in Côte d’Ivoire is supported by substantial investments in infrastructure and exploration.

Geopolitically, Côte d’Ivoire outperforms most developing countries in the world in political, legal, tax and operational risk metrics. Additionally, Côte d’Ivoire continues to make notable strides in its political stability and Absence of Violence and Terrorism Index.

Boundiali Gold Project – BD Target 1 Artisanal Working

In March 2025, Aurum completed the acquisition of 100 percent of Mako Gold, bringing together its strong balance sheet and industry-leading drilling efficiencies to accelerate resource growth across northern Côte d’Ivoire. The company now holds a 90 percent interest in the highly prospective Napié Project, a 224 sq km land package with a 30 km strike near Korhogo.

Aurum has delivered a major milestone in 2025 with a +50 percent increase in the JORC Mineral Resource Estimate at its Boundiali Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire, adding 820koz for a total of 2.41Moz. This lifts the company’s group resources to 3.28Moz, including Napié, highlighting the scale and growth potential of Aurum’s portfolio.

Supported by a seasoned board and management team with deep gold sector expertise—and strengthened by its recent capital raising—Aurum is well-funded to expand resources and advance development plans that drive long-term shareholder value.

Company Highlights

3.28Moz and Growing in Côte d’Ivoire: Two cornerstone gold projects — Boundiali (2.41Moz) and Napié (0.87Moz) — positioned for rapid growth with multiple resource updates and development milestones in 2025–2026.
Outstanding Metallurgy = Simple, Profitable Processing: Boundiali delivers free milling ore with 95 percent recoveries and a straightforward flowsheet, while Napié achieves +94 percent recoveries in tests, showcasing strong economics and low technical risk.
Aggressive, Cost-Effective Growth Strategy: In-house drill fleet drives efficiency and scale: 100,000m at Boundiali and 30,000m at Napié planned in 2025.
Premier Mining Jurisdiction: Located in Côte d’Ivoire’s prolific Birimian Greenstone Belt, backed by a stable, supportive government and excellent infrastructure—creating the right conditions for mine development success.
Leadership with a Proven Track Record: A seasoned management team with a history of value creation, supported by committed shareholders who back the company’s long-term growth vision.

Key Projects

Boundali Gold Project

The Boundiali gold project in Cote d’Ivoire is located within the Boundiali Greenstone Belt, which hosts Resolute’s Syama gold operation (11.5 Moz) and the Tabakoroni deposit (1 Moz) in Mali. Neighbouring assets also include Barrick’s Tongon mine (5 Moz) and Montage Gold’s Kone project (4.5 Moz).

The Boundiali project area covers the underexplored southern extension of the Boundiali belt, where a highly deformed synclinal greenstone horizon traverses finer-grained basin sediments, and to the west, Tarkwaian clastic rocks lie in contact with a granitic margin. The project benefits from year-round road access and excellent infrastructure.

The first stage of drilling at Boundiali occurred from late October 2023 to end of November 2024 for both the BM and BD tenements (BM1 and BM2; BD1, BD2 and BD3 targets) and was designed to test below-gold-in-soil anomalies oriented along NE trending structures, define new gold prospects and define maiden JORC resources. With over 63,000m diamond holes drilled during this period, Maiden JORC gold resources estimate was delivered in late December 2024.

Drilling costs are estimated at US$45 per metre, as Aurum owns all of its eight drilling rigs and employs its operators, representing a significant value proposition relative to peers who use commercial drilling companies that charge upwards of $200 per meter. The company believes there is potential for multi-million ounce gold resources to be defined with hundreds thousands meters of drilling over years within the Boundiali Gold Project’s land holding areas.

The Boundiali gold project comprises four contiguous granted licenses: PR0808 (80 percent interest), PR0893 (80 percent and earning to 88 percent interest), PR414 (100 percent interest), and PR283 (earning to 70 percent interest). Historic exploration at PR0893 includes 93 AC drill holes and four RC holes. Airborne geophysical surveying, geological mapping and extensive soil sampling have also been performed at PR0893, while PR0808 has had 91 RC holes drilled for 6,229 metres along with geochemical analysis and modeling. Detailed geochemical sampling and drilling at PR414 revealed three strong gold anomalies and returned impressive high-grade results.

In May 2024, Aurum entered a strategic partnership agreement to earn up to a 70 percent interest in exploration tenement PR283, to be renamed Boundiali North (BN). Aurum, through subsidiary Plusor Global Pty Ltd, has partnered with Ivorian company Geb & Nut Resources Sarl and related party (GNRR) to explore and develop the Boundiali North (BN) tenement which covers 208.87sq km immediately north of Aurum’s BD tenement. Further to this agreement,

Aurum announced it has earned 80 percent project interest after completing more than 20,000 m of diamond core drilling.

Boundiali Project JORC Mineral Resource Estimate

Aurum has announced a maiden independent JORC mineral resource estimate of 1.59 Moz gold for its 1,037 sq. km. The Boundiali Gold Project comprises the BST, BDT1 & BDT2, BMT1 and BMT3 deposits. Drilling is ongoing on these deposits, and Aurum has identified other prospects at Boundiali which have yet to be drilled. Since October 2023, the company has completed an extensive 63,927-metre diamond drilling program. This aggressive exploration campaign has rapidly defined a significant gold resource of 50.9 Mt @ 1.0 g/t gold for 1.6 million ounces.

In August 2025, Aurum announced a 50 percent increase in the JORC Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE). The update adds 820koz, lifting Boundiali’s resource to 2.41Moz and boosting total group resources to 3.28Moz, including Napié. The 2025 MRE covers six deposits, including BST1, BDT1, BDT2, BDT3, BMT1, and BMT3, with drilling ongoing and additional untested targets offering strong growth potential.

Aurum is working towards completing an open pit PFS for the Boundiali Gold Project by the end of 2025. This will provide an evaluation of the project’s economics and technical feasibility.

Napié Gold Project

Aurum holds a 90 percent interest in the Napié Project in north-central Côte d’Ivoire, acquired through its takeover of Mako Gold. Located approximately 30 km southeast of Korhogo, the project covers a 224 sq km land package with a 30 km strike length along the highly prospective Napié Shear Zone.

As of June 2022, Napié hosts a JORC 2012 Mineral Resource Estimate of 868,000 ounces of gold (22.5 Mt at 1.20 g/t Au), based on the Tchaga and Gogbala deposits—two of four known prospects along the shear. To date, only 13 percent of the Napié Shear has been explored, leaving substantial potential for further discoveries.

Napié Project – Previous results with detailed mapping area on Komboro Prospect shown in black rectangle

Project Highlights:

Gold Resource: Shallow open pit 0.87Moz JORC Resource at 1.20g/t Au, with mineralisation open along strike and at depth. Maximum resource depth between 160 m – 195m across the two deposits
Exploration Upside: Less than 13 percent of the 30 km Napié Shear has been explored, offering significant potential for resource growth.
Preliminary Recovery Test Work: Returned more than 94 percent average gold recoveries.
Resource Growth Target: First MRE update planned end of 2025, to significantly expand the resource base.
Infrastructure: Excellent access to hydroelectricity, roads, and water, supporting future development.

Management Team

Troy Flannery – Non-executive Chairman

Troy Flannery has more than 25 years’ experience in the mining industry, including nine years in corporate and 17 years in senior mining engineering and project development roles. He has a degree in mining engineering, masters in finance, and first-class mine managers certificate of competency. Flannery has performed non-executive director roles with numerous ASX listed companies and was the CEO of Abra Mining until October 2021. He has worked at numerous mining companies, mining consultancy and contractors, including BHP, Newcrest, Xstrata, St Barbara Mines and AMC Consultants.

Dr. Caigen Wang – Managing Director

Dr. Caigen Wang founded Tietto Minerals (ASX:TIE), where he led the company as managing director for 13 years through private exploration, ASX listing, gold resource definition, project study and mine building to become one of Africa’s newest gold producers at its Abujar gold mine in Côte d’Ivoire. He holds a bachelor, masters and PhD in mining engineering. He is a fellow of AusIMM and a chartered professional engineer of Institution of Engineer, Australia. Wang has 13 years of mining academic experience in China University of Mining and Technology, Western Australia School of Mine and University of Alberta, and over 20 years of practical experience in mining engineering and mineral exploration in Australia, China and Africa. Other professional experience includes senior technical and management roles in mining houses, including St. Barbara, Sons of Gwalia, BHP Billiton, China Goldmines PLC and others.

Mark Strizek – Executive Director

Mark Strizek has nearly 30 years’ experience in the resource industry, having worked as a geologist on various gold, base metal and technology metal projects. He brings invaluable geological, technical and development expertise to Aurum, most recently as an executive director at Tietto Minerals’, which progressed from an IPO to gold production at the Abujar gold project in West Africa. Strizek has worked as an executive with management and board responsibilities in exploration, feasibility, finance, and development-ready assets across Australia, West Africa, Asia, and Europe.

Steve Zaninovich – Non-Executive Director

Ateve Zaninovich is a qualified engineer with over 25 years of experience in mining project development, business development, maintenance, and operational readiness, with a focus on gold, base metals, and lithium. He is currently director of operations at Kodal Minerals, where he is responsible for advancing the Bougouni Lithium Project. His previous roles include project director at Lycopodium Minerals for the Akyem Gold Project in Ghana and chief operating officer at Gryphon Minerals. Following Gryphon’s acquisition by Teranga Gold Corporation, he became vice-president of major projects and a member of Teranga’s executive management team.

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9 Mins Read

Alvopetro Energy

Investor Insight

Brazil’s expanding natural gas market, supported by an attractive and stable regulatory framework and fiscal regime, presents a unique opportunity for Alvopetro Energy to leverage its high-potential upstream and midstream assets. In early 2025, Alvopetro also announced a strategic entry into Western Canada focused on the prolific Mannville stack play fairway in Saskatchewan. With capital investment opportunities in Canada and Brazil, Alvopetro is on the pathway for long-term growth.

Overview

Alvopetro Energy (TSXV:ALV;OTCQX:ALVOF) is an independent energy company focused on unlocking onshore natural gas in Brazil while expanding its footprint into Canada. The company is recognized as Brazil’s first integrated onshore natural gas producer, having established a unique model that combines upstream production, midstream infrastructure and long-term sales agreements with stable pricing linked to Brent and Henry Hub benchmarks.

Since commencing production in 2020, Alvopetro has delivered strong operating results, sector-leading netbacks and consistent dividends. With a disciplined capital allocation strategy, approximately half of the cash flow from operations has been reinvested in organic growth, while the remainder has been returned to shareholders through dividends, debt reduction and share repurchases. This balance has underpinned exceptional shareholder returns, including a cumulative 1,495 percent total shareholder return since 2018.

Alvopetro’s growth is anchored by two pillars: its high-margin natural gas business in the Recôncavo Basin of Bahia, Brazil, and its newly established Western Canadian heavy oil platform. Together, these assets provide a diversified base of production and reserves, supporting near-term growth and long-term value creation.

Headquartered in Calgary, Canada, and operating in Salvador, Brazil, Alvopetro is led by a proven management team with extensive international oil and gas experience. The company is committed not only to profitable growth but also to sustainable development, investing in local communities through education, entrepreneurship, cultural programs and biodiversity initiatives.

Company Highlights

Alvopetro is a leading independent upstream and midstream gas operator in the state of Bahia, Brazil.
The company’s growth strategy targets opportunities with the best combinations of geological prospectivity and fiscal regime. In Brazil, Alvopetro is focused on unlocking Brazil’s on-shore natural gas potential, building off the development of its Caburé and Murucututu natural gas fields strategic midstream infrastructure. In Canada, four wells have been drilled and are on production and Alvopetro has expanded its land base with potential for over 100 drilling locations.
Over 95 percent of Alvopetro’s Brazil production is from natural gas and the company has a 2P reserve base of 9.1 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe) with a before-tax NPV10 of $327.8 million.
The company generates highly attractive operating netbacks and profitability per unit of production, setting it apart from its Latin American and North American peers. The state of Bahia boasts a favorable fiscal regime with low royalties and Alvopetro’s projects are eligible for a 15 percent income tax rate.

Key Projects

Caburé

The company’s flagship Caburé asset has historically delivered the majority of the company’s production. The project is a joint development of a conventional natural gas discovery across four blocks, two held by Alvopetro and two by its partner.

Following the first redetermination in 2024, Alvopetro’s working interest in Cabure increased to 56.2 percent, entitling the company to a larger share of production. The unitized area includes eight producing wells and all necessary production facilities. Gross unit production capacity has increased by 33 percent to 21.2 million cubic feet per day (MMcfpd), and an ongoing development program includes five additional wells, four of which have already been drilled.

Murucututu Gas

Immediately north of Caburé, Murucututu is a 100 percent owned Alvopetro asset with significant growth potential. Independent reserves evaluators have assigned 2P reserves of 4.6 MMboe, with an additional 4.5 MMboe of risked best estimate contingent resources and 10.2 MMboe of risked best estimate prospective resources.

The company successfully completed the 183-A3 well in 2024 and drilled the 183-D4 well updip of the 183-A3 well in 2025, bringing the 183-D4 well online in August 2025, which achieved initial production of 953 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd). With field production facilities already in place, Alvopetro plans a multi-year development program targeting both the Gomo and Caruaçu formations, including at least six more development wells.

Midstream – Infrastructure and marketing

Alvopetro owns and operates all of the key infrastructure needed to process and deliver its natural gas. Production from Caburé and Murucututu is transported via Alvopetro’s 11-kilometre transfer pipeline to its UPGN gas processing facility, which has a capacity of more than 18 MMcfpd.

At the UPGN, condensate and water are removed, with condensate sold at a premium to Brent. Processed natural gas is delivered to the Bahiagás city gate, with onward transportation through a 15-kilometre distribution pipeline into Bahia’s Camacari industrial complex. Under the long-term gas sales agreement with Bahiagás, pricing is set quarterly based on Brent and Henry Hub benchmarks. An updated agreement, effective January 1, 2025, increased firm sales volumes by 33 percent, further securing Alvopetro’s cash flow stability.

Western Canadian Growth Platform

Beyond Brazil, Alvopetro has expanded its global footprint into North America with the establishment of a new heavy oil growth platform in Western Canada. The company holds a 50 percent working interest in 27.5 sections (8,890 net acres) of Mannville conventional heavy oil lands in Alberta and Saskatchewan, in partnership with an experienced operator, where we are deploying leading edge open hole multilateral drilling technology:

The diagram above depicts the evolution of drilling technology to develop a ¼ section of land. On the far left, traditional development would have required 32 vertical wells. Technology then advanced to horizontal wells, as depicted in the middle of the diagram with 4 separate wells. Today, multilateral drilling technology (as depicted on the far right) allows for just a single well with 6+ open-hole lateral legs developing the ¼ section of land. Alvopetro’s first 2 wells drilled in Saskatchewan each included 6 lateral legs. A total of 15 km of open-hole horizontal legs were drilled.

The Mannville stack is a multi-zone fairway with shallow depths, lower geological risk and attractive drilling economics. The first two earning wells were drilled with more than 15 km of open hole and brought into production in April 2025. Two additional wells were drilled in Big Gully in July 2025, with more than 19 km of open hole, with oil sales from the new wells are expected to commence in September 2025.

With the potential for more than 100 drilling locations, the Canadian platform provides Alvopetro with a complementary source of long-term production growth.

Management Team

Corey C. Ruttan – President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Corey C. Ruttan is the president, chief executive officer and director of Alvopetro. He was the president and CEO of Petrominerales, from May 2010 until it was acquired by Pacific Rubiales Energy in November 2013. Prior to that, he was the vice-president of finance and chief financial officer of Petrominerales. From March 2000 to May 2010, Ruttan was the senior vice-president and chief financial officer of Petrobank Energy and Resources, and held increasingly senior positions with Petrobank since its inception in 2000. He also served as executive vice-president and chief financial officer of Lightstream Resources from October 2009 to May 2010; served as vice-president of Caribou Capital from June 1999 to March 2000; and manager financial reporting of Pacalta Resources from May 1997 to June 1999. He began his career at KPMG where he worked from September 1994 to May 1997. Ruttan obtained his Bachelor of Commerce degree majoring in accounting from the University of Calgary in 1994 and his chartered accountant designation in 1997.

Alison Howard – Chief Financial Officer

Alison Howard is a chartered accountant with over 20 years of experience in Canadian and international taxation, accounting and finance. Howard joined Petrominerales in July 2011 as a tax manager and was subsequently promoted to tax director. From May 2008 to July 2011, Howard was the tax manager at Petrobank Energy and Resources. Prior to that, Howard spent a number of years at Deloitte LLP in Calgary. She obtained her Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1999.

Adrian Audet – VP, Asset Management

Adrian Audet joined Petrominerales in 2013 and has held increasingly senior roles with Alvopetro since its inception. Audet has spent extensive time in Bahia overseeing the operations, realizing extensive cost savings and improvements in efficiency. Previously, Audet held engineering roles with increasing responsibility in the oil and gas industry. Audet began his career in 2006 and completed his masters and undergraduate degrees in mechanical engineering at the University of Alberta. Audet is a professional engineer registered with APEGA and is a CFA charterholder.

Nanna Eliuk – Exploration Manager

Nanna Eliuk is a professional geophysicist (M.Sc.) with over 23 years of diversified petroleum exploration and development experience. She has expertise in conventional and unconventional plays in both carbonate and clastic reservoirs in different depositional and structural settings (including pre-salt) in various basins around the world. Prior to joining Alvopetro, Eliuk was the senior explorationist of Condor Petroleum (Kazakhstan) for two years, and prior thereto, she was the vice-president of geophysics and land for Waldron Energy. Eliuk started her career in 1997, holding progressively senior roles at Husky Energy for five years, and at Compton Petroleum for over six years. Her extensive experience includes geophysical evaluation and analysis for business development opportunities and new ventures in various international basins, along with regional mapping, play fairway analysis, petroleum system evaluation, prospect definition, and seismic attribute analysis. Eliuk holds a masters degree in geology and geophysics, and a BSc. in geology.

Darcy Reynolds – Western Canadian Business Unit Lead

Darcy Reynolds, P.Geo is the Western Canadian Business Unit Lead with over 20 years of subsurface and asset evaluation experience across Western Canada. For the past 12 years, Reynolds has focused on heavy oil development, including horizontal multilateral wells, enhanced oil recovery (waterflood, polymer, CO₂), and thermal SAGD projects. He has held senior leadership and technical roles at Rubellite Energy (senior geologist), Cenovus Energy (geoscience director), Husky Energy (geoscience director), and Talisman Energy (geology manager). Reynolds holds a B.Sc. in Geology from the University of Alberta and is a registered professional geoscientist with APEGA

Frederico Oliveira – Country Manager

Frederico Oliveira has held increasingly senior roles since 2008 and has expertise in regulations, contracts, partnerships, management and cost efficiency. He has held management roles in large private companies in Brazil, performing strategic planning, project implementation, process restructuring, efficiency and productivity improvements, and cost control. Oliveira obtained an MBA from the Federal University of Minas Gerais in 2004 and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Pontificia Universidade Catolica de Minas Gerais.

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4 Mins Read

Altech Batteries LtdBearer Bond Funds Received

Perth, Australia (ABN Newswire) – Altech Batteries Limited (ASX:ATC,OTC:ALTHF) (FRA:A3Y) (OTCMKTS:ALTHF) is pleased to announce that it has received EUR1M in funds from the remaining Bearer Bond facility in place with major shareholder Deutsche Balaton. The original facility was for EUR2.5M and this has now been adjusted by mutual agreement to EUR2M. The full EUR2M has now been drawn down.

As announced to the ASX on 25 March 2025, the Company advised that it is in the process of selling its Malaysian land to help fund the ongoing development of the CERENERGY(R) battery project and the Silumina Anodes(TM) battery materials project, as well as to support general working capital requirements.

The Company also announced that it had entered into a binding Bond Note Subscription Deed with its major shareholder Deutsche Balaton AG, under which Altech could drawdown up to EUR2.5M in cash in the form of interest-bearing Bearer Bonds.

As the Bond Note Subscription Deed involved the Company granting a security interest over the Company’s Malaysian land, shareholder approval was required. The Company convened a General Meeting on 13 May 2025 and shareholders approved all Resolutions put to the General Meeting. The Company then applied to have the Malaysian land security registered with the relevant land authority, being Johor Corp. Although there were no laws or regulations precluding Johor Corp from registering the land security, it considered Deutsche Balaton AG a ‘non-lending foreign entity’ and advised that accordingly it was not comfortable in registering the land security.

The Company’s wholly owned subsidiary Altech Chemicals Sdn. Bhd. is the holder of the lease agreement over the Malaysian land. The only asset of value within Altech Chemicals Sdn. Bhd. is the lease agreement over the Malaysian land. In order to provide the security to Deutsche Balaton AG so as to drawdown the Bearer Bonds, the Company enforced security over the shares of Altech Chemicals Sdn. Bhd. in favour of Deutsche Balaton AG in lieu of the land security.

On 20 August 2025, the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary Altech Chemicals Australia Pty Ltd (shareholder of Altech Chemicals Sdn. Bhd.) executed a Share Charge with Deutsche Balaton AG in connection with the Bond Note Subscription Deed. Pursuant to the Share Charge, Altech Chemicals Australia Pty Ltd has offered as a continuing Security for the due and punctual payment of all the requirements of the Bond Note Subscription Deed, charged all its rights, title and interest to all of the shares held in Altech Chemicals Sdn. Bhd. in favour of Deutsche Balaton AG. The Security is a continuing security and will extend to the ultimate balance of the due and punctual payment of all the requirements of the Bond Note Subscription Deed.

On 20 August 2025, the Company executed an Amendment Deed to the Bond Note Subscription Deed. Under the terms of the Amendment Deed, the agreed amount of bonds available to be drawdown was reduced from EUR2.5M to EUR2.0M. Additionally, the Company’s Meckering land was offered as additional security for the due and punctual payment of all the requirements of the Bond Note Subscription Deed.

Altech Meckering Pty Ltd, the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary and holder of the Meckering land, has entered into a mortgage over the Meckering Land in favour of Deutsche Balaton AG as a continuing Security for the due and punctual payment of all the requirements of the Bond Note Subscription Deed.

About Altech Batteries Ltd:

Altech Batteries Limited (ASX:ATC,OTC:ALTHF) (FRA:A3Y) is a specialty battery technology company that has a joint venture agreement with world leading German battery institute Fraunhofer IKTS (‘Fraunhofer’) to commercialise the revolutionary CERENERGY(R) Sodium Alumina Solid State (SAS) Battery. CERENERGY(R) batteries are the game-changing alternative to lithium-ion batteries. CERENERGY(R) batteries are fire and explosion-proof; have a life span of more than 15 years and operate in extreme cold and desert climates. The battery technology uses table salt and is lithium-free; cobalt-free; graphite-free; and copper-free, eliminating exposure to critical metal price rises and supply chain concerns.

The joint venture is commercialising its CERENERGY(R) battery, with plans to construct a 100MWh production facility on Altech’s land in Saxony, Germany. The facility intends to produce CERENERGY(R) battery modules to provide grid storage solutions to the market.

Source:
Altech Batteries Ltd

Contact:
Corporate
Iggy Tan
Managing Director
Altech Batteries Limited
Tel: +61-8-6168-1555
Email: info@altechgroup.com

Martin Stein
Chief Financial Officer
Altech Batteries Limited
Tel: +61-8-6168-1555
Email: info@altechgroup.com

News Provided by ABN Newswire via QuoteMedia

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5 Mins Read

Trump family’s American Bitcoin makes stock market debut

Shares in the Trump family’s latest cryptocurrency made its stock market debut Wednesday, triggering more ethical concerns as the Trumps look to cash in on crypto as the president’s administration weakens regulations for the nascent industry.

American Bitcoin, a firm co-founded this spring by Eric Trump, the president’s son, saw its share price climb as much as 39% by early afternoon to about $9.60.

It ended the day at $8.04, lower than its opening price of $9.22.

According to a release, the company is set up to accumulate bitcoin through computer “mining” of the cryptocurrency, as well as “opportunistic bitcoin purchases.” By owning a share of American Bitcoin, investors are betting that the company will be able to grow its bitcoin holdings faster than competitors. It also assumes bitcoin’s price will keep going up.

American Bitcoin’s stock debut is renewing ethics concerns about the Trump family’s ability to benefit from the president’s influence on the crypto industry, where it is increasingly seeing windfalls.

On Monday, the first public sales of a digital token minted by World Liberty Financial, a crypto firm co-founded by the Trump family, created as much as $5 billion in paper wealth for them and other insiders based on existing holdings. Last week, Trump Media and Technology Group, the parent company of President Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform, announced it had struck a deal with Crypto.com to accumulate Crypto.com’s native token Cronos, or CRO. Since the announcement, the value of CRO has climbed about 69%.

Shortly before 1 p.m, the value of Eric Trump’s American Bitcoin stake had climbed to as much as $600 million, according to calculations by Bloomberg News. Donald Trump Jr. also owns a stake, though its extent was not immediately clear. A representative for Trump Jr. did not respond to a request for comment.

“There’s no question there’s a conflict of interest here,” said Virginia Canter, chief counsel for ethics and anticorruption with the Democracy Defenders Action group, a bipartisan advocacy group that seeks to oppose authoritarianism. Canter served as a legal adviser in four different presidential administrations. Beyond having the ability to appoint regulators charged with overseeing the crypto industry, Trump can also create an uneven playing field for other crypto market participants who might believe they may pay a price for competing with his entities — or failing to engage with them, Canter said.

In a post on X last night, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said of the start of American Bitcoin’s stock trading: “it’s corruption, plain and simple.”

A representative for the Trump Organization did not respond to a request for comment about the ethics concerns.

Estimates about how much President Trump and his family have earned from their crypto ventures vary. Reuters calculated that they made as much $500 million from the World Liberty decentralized finance platform, which debuted last year.

The figure is a moving target. In May, Zach Witkoff, a World Liberty co-founder and the son of White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, announced that an Abu Dhabi-based firm had purchased $2 billion-worth of World Liberty’s stablecoin as part of an investment in the Binance crypto exchange. In July, Trump Media announced it had accumulated roughly $2 billion in bitcoin and related assets, accounting for about two-thirds of Trump Media’s total liquid assets. The Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, a financial instrument Trump created in advance of returning to the Oval Office, owns 52% of Trump Media.

The group that created Trump’s memecoin, $TRUMP, earned $350 million from initial sales, the Financial Times reported in March, though its ownership structure and Trump family members’ direct stakes are unclear.

The White House has maintained that the president is not involved in the day-to-day affairs of Trump family businesses. Some ethics experts have argued that presidents are exempt from conflict-of-interest laws because they oversee too many areas to make enforcement practical.

In a statement, the White House blasted any insinuation of a conflict of interest.

“The media’s continued attempts to fabricate conflicts of interest are irresponsible and reinforce the public’s distrust in what they read,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “Neither the President nor his family have ever engaged, or will ever engage, in conflicts of interest.” She said the administration “is fulfilling the President’s promise to make the United States the crypto capital of the world by driving innovation and economic opportunity for all Americans.”

At a conference last week, Eric Trump said the bitcoin community had embraced his father “unlike anything I had ever seen before.” Since then, the crypto industry has become one of the most influential players in politics: Its super PAC, Fairshake, was the largest-single donor group during the 2024 election and has already accumulated $140 million in advance of next year’s midterms, Politico reported.

The Trump brothers have announced a flurry of business moves since their father took office that parallel the president’s policies and agenda. Last month, they announced they would serve as advisers to New America, a firm that aims to buy businesses that “play a meaningful role in revitalizing domestic manufacturing, expanding innovation ecosystems, and strengthening critical supply chains.”

The brothers are receiving a combined 5 million shares in the company, which seeks to raise $300 million from investors in advance of going public.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

7 Mins Read

Apple has survived Trump’s tariffs so far. It might raise iPhone prices anyway.

When Tim Cook gifted President Donald Trump a gold and glass plaque last month, the Apple CEO was hailed by Wall Street for his job managing the iPhone-maker’s relationship with the White House.

Cook, Wall Street commentators said, had largely navigated the threat of tariffs on Apple’s business successfully by offering Trump an additional $100 billion U.S. investment, a win the president could tout on American manufacturing. But despite the 24-carat trophy Cook handed Trump, the true costs of those tariffs may finally show up for Apple customers later this month.

“Thank you all, and thank you President Trump for putting American innovation and American jobs front and center,” Cook said at the event, which brought Apple’s total planned spend to $600 billion in the U.S. over the next five years. Trump, at the event, said that Apple would be exempt from forthcoming tariffs on chips that could double their price.

But as Apple prepares to announce new iPhones on Tuesday, some analysts are forecasting the company to raise prices on its devices even after all Cook has done to avoid the worst of the tariffs.

“A lot of the chatter is: Will the iPhone go up in price?” said CounterPoint research director Jeff Fieldhack.

Although smartphones haven’t seen significant price increases yet, other consumer products are seeing price increases driven by tariffs costs, including apparel, footwear, and coffee. And the tariffs have hit some electronics, notably video games — Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo, have raised console prices this year in the U.S.

Some Wall Street analysts are counting on Apple to follow. Jeffries analyst Edison Lee baked in a $50 price increase into his iPhone 17 average selling price projections in a note in July. He’s got a hold rating on Apple stock.

Goldman Sachs analysts say that the potential for price increases could increase the average selling price of Apple’s devices over time, and the company’s mix of phones have been skewing toward more expensive prices.

Analysts expect Apple to release four new iPhone models this month, which will likely be named the “iPhone 17” series. Last year, Apple released four iPhone 16 models: the base iPhone 16 for $829, the iPhone 16 Plus at $899, the iPhone 16 Pro at $999 and the iPhone 16 Pro Max at $1,199.

This year, many supply chain watchers expect Apple to replace the Plus model, which has lagged the rest of the lineup, with a new, slimmer device that trades extra cameras and features for a thinner, lighter body.

The “thinner, lighter form factor may drive some demand interest,” wrote Goldman analysts, but tradeoffs like battery life may make it hard to compete with Apple’s entry-level models.

Analysts have said they expect the slim device to cost about $899, similar to how much the iPhone 16 Plus costs, but they haven’t ruled out a price bump. That would still undercut Samsung’s thin Galaxy Edge, which debuted earlier this year at $1,099.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

When Trump announced sweeping tariffs on China and the rest of the world in February, it seemed like Apple was in the crosshairs.

Apple famously makes the majority of its iPhones and other products in China, and Trump was threatening to place tariffs that could double Apple’s costs or more. Some of Trump’s so-called “reciprocal” tariffs would hit countries like Vietnam and India where Apple had hedged its production bets.

But seven months later, Apple has weathered the tariffs better than many had imagined.

The U.S. government has paused the most draconian Chinese tariffs several times, smartphones got an exemption from tariffs and Cook in May told investors that the company was able to rearrange its supply chain to import iPhones to the U.S. from India, where tariffs are lower.

Cook also successfully leaned on his relationship with Trump, visiting him in White House and taking his side in August, when Cook presented the shiny keepsake to Trump. That commitment bolstered Trump’s push to bring more high-tech manufacturing to the U.S. In exchange, Trump said he would exempt Apple from a forthcoming semiconductor tariff, too. And Trump’s IEEPA tariffs were ruled illegal in late August, although they are still in effect.

Apple hasn’t completely missed the tariff consequences. Cook said the company spent $800 million on tariff costs in the June quarter, mainly due to the IEEPA-based tariffs on China. That was less than 4% of the company’s profit, but Apple warned it could spend $1.1 billion in the current quarter on tariff expenses.

After months of eating the tariff costs itself, Apple may finally pass those costs to consumers with this month’s launch of the iPhone 17 models.

Apple has been judicious about hardware price increases in the U.S. The smaller Pro phone, for example, hasn’t gotten a price increase since its debut in 2017, holding at $999. But Apple has made some price changes.

The company raised the price of its entry level phones from $699 to $829 in 2020. And in 2022 when Apple eliminated the smaller iPhone Mini that started at $699, the company replaced it with the bigger-screen Plus that costs $899. The Pro Max also got a hike in 2023 when Apple bumped it from $1,099 to its current price of $1,199.

If Apple does increase prices on its phones this year, don’t expect management to blame tariffs.

The average selling price of smartphones around the world is rising, according to IDC. The price of smartphone components, such as the camera module and chips, have been increasing in recent years.

Apple is much more likely to focus on highlighting its phones’ new features and quietly note the new price. Analysts expect the new iPhones to have larger screens, increased memory and new, faster chips for AI.

“No one’s going to come out and say it’s related to tariffs,” said IDC analyst Nabila Popal.

One way that Apple could subtly raise prices is by eliminating the entry-level version of its phones, forcing users to upgrade to get more storage at a higher starting price. Apple typically charges $100 to double the amount of the iPhone’s storage from 128GB to 256GB.

That’s what JPMorgan analysts expect Apple to announce next week.

They forecast that Apple will leave the prices of the entry level and high-end Pro Max models alone, but they wrote that they expect the company to eliminate the entry-level version of the Pro, meaning that users will have to pay $1,099 for an iPhone 17 Pro that has more starting-level storage than its predecessor. That’s how Apple raised the price of the entry-level Pro Max in 2023.

“However, with Apple’s recent announcements relative to investments in US, the assumption is that the company will largely be shielded from tariffs, driving expectations for limited pricing changes except for those associated with changes in the base storage configuration for the Pro model,” wrote JP Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee.

When Cook was asked about potential Apple price increases on an earnings call in May, he said there was “nothing to announce.”

“I’ll just say that the operational team has done an incredible job around optimizing the supply chain and the inventory,” Cook said.

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2 Mins Read

Paramount mandates 5-day-a-week return to office ahead of major cost cuts

David Ellison continues to put his stamp on Paramount after its acquisition by Skydance.

The CEO and chairman told employees Thursday that they will be expected to work in the office five days a week starting Jan. 5, 2026, according to a memo obtained by CNBC. Employees who do not wish to make the transition can seek a buyout starting Thursday and until Sept. 15.

“To achieve what we’ve set out to do — and to truly unlock Paramount’s full potential — we must make meaningful changes that position us for long-term success,” Ellison wrote to staffers. “These changes are about building a stronger, more connected, and agile organization that can deliver on our goals and compete at the highest level. We have a lot to accomplish and we’re moving fast. We need to all be rowing in the same direction. And especially when you’re dealing with a creative business like ours, that begins with being together in person.”

The move could help Paramount thin the herd ahead of looming staffing cuts.

Variety reported last month that the company is expected to lay off between 2,000 and 3,000 employees as part of its postmerger cost-cutting measures. These cuts are slated for early November, Variety reported.

Paramount is looking to take $2 billion in costs out of the conglomerate amid advertising losses and industrywide struggles with traditional cable networks.

Phase one of Ellison’s back-to-work plan will see employees in Los Angeles and New York returning to a full five-day workweek in the new year.

Phase two will focus on offices outside LA and New York, including international locations. A similar buyout program will be offered in 2026 for those who operate in these locations.

“We recognize this represents a significant change for many, and we’re committed to supporting you throughout this transition,” Ellison wrote. “We will work closely with managers to ensure you have the time and flexibility to make the necessary adjustments.”

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9 Mins Read

Sellers, Nussmeier top QB prospect rankings after Week 1

South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier are ranked as the top two prospects after Week 1.
Texas quarterback Arch Manning had a disappointing start to his season in a loss to Ohio State.
The weekly rankings consider raw statistics, advanced metrics, and game film to evaluate the passers.

College football is in full swing as the calendar turns to September. Fans got a treat to start the season with three games between top-10 ranked teams in Week 1: Texas-Ohio State, LSU-Clemson and Notre Dame-Miami.

Two of those three matchups included quarterbacks that NFL fans will want to know about come draft season. Unlike the 2025 NFL Draft class, there are a handful of draft-eligible quarterbacks who have a good chance at making it in the first round.

The biggest name of all is Arch Manning, the nephew of Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning and Super Bowl champion Eli Manning. His Texas Longhorns fell on the road to the Ohio State Buckeyes in Week 1 in the opening game of his first season as a starter.

Behind him are names to know in the context of both the College Football Playoff (CFP) and the NFL Draft. LSU, Clemson, Penn State and Texas are all likely to be in contention for CFP berths behind quarterbacks with first-round talent.

We’ll be taking stock of these passers weekly throughout the college football season and ranking the top eight after the latest week with two more designated as the next up. We’ll be using raw statistics, advanced metrics from Pro Football Focus (PFF) and game film to generate these rankings.

Here’s how things shape up after Week 1:

2026 NFL Draft QB prospect rankings

1. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

Week 1 vs. Virginia Tech: 12-19 (63.2%) passing, 209 yards, one touchdown; 12 carries, 55 yards, one touchdown

Sellers moves into the top spot after a solid season opener against one of the toughest defenses in the ACC. Virginia Tech gave No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward some trouble last season and was the only defense to force him to throw multiple interceptions all season.

Sellers didn’t put on a show but made a few plays that will have NFL scouts excited about him in the top 10 of next year’s draft. He shrugged off multiple tacklers and tight-roped his way down the sideline for a key fourth-quarter third-down conversion.

Sellers’ athleticism is no surprise at this point of his career. That’s been one of his calling cards as a 6-foot-3, 240-pound former soccer player. But he made a few throws to show he’s not a purely running quarterback at this stage of his development.

Sellers’ physical tools will make him a first-round pick barring serious injury. How high he goes will come down to how he performs as a passer in the next few months.

2. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

Week 1 at Clemson: 28-38 (73.6%) passing, 232 yards, one touchdown; five carries, 12 yards

LSU is 1-0 to start a season for the first time since 2019, thanks in no small part to Nussmeier. He entered the season as a likely first-round pick because of his arm talent, anticipation and pocket presence. A matchup on the road against No. 4 Clemson was a tough early-season test for the son of New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier.

Clemson boasts NFL talent on the defensive line (Peter Woods, T.J. Parker) and the secondary (Avieon Terrell). Nussmeier played up to the competition and got the ball out quickly against Clemson’s rushers with an average time to throw of 2.09 seconds, per PFF.

Yes, LSU’s staff schemed up a quick passing game with an average depth of target of 4.4 yards (for comparison Sellers’ was 7.9) but he still showed the type of command and pre-snap acumen NFL teams are looking for.

His touchdown pass to Trey’Dez Green to put LSU up for good was one of his best throws all game.

3. Arch Manning, Texas

Week 1 at Ohio State: 17-30 (56.7%), 170 yards, one touchdown, one interception; nine carries, 39 yards

You’ve likely heard all about Manning’s struggles in Week 1 against defending champion Ohio State. His first attempt of the day was disappointing: a play-action rollout to his right in a zone-beating route concept. His pass fell far short of an open DeAndre Moore Jr. for what would’ve been an easy first down.

There’d be more of that throughout the game with multiple throws that fell short of the target or sailed over a receiver.

The Buckeyes brought a solid plan on defense to the season opener and have one of the top prospects in the entire 2026 class in safety Caleb Downs. But Manning made mistakes in some key moments, like this interception in the third quarter:

The sky certainly is not falling. Manning will be a top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft if he declares and has plenty of time to grow as one of the most-hyped starters in recent college football history. His talent is undeniable, even in a disappointing loss like this on the road.

4. Drew Allar, Penn State

Week 1 vs. Nevada: 22-26 (84.6%) passing, 217 yards, one touchdown; five carries, 31 yards

Allar and the Nittany Lions built a 27-3 lead by halftime and cruised to a 46-11 win at home against Nevada. He didn’t have nearly the test of the top three passers on this ranking. That’ll come later in the season.

Still, Allar made some highlight throws you’d like to see against a lesser opponent at home. His touchdown strike to Kyron Hudson late in the first half looks very similar to the kinds of throws he’ll be expected to make in the NFL.

Allar’s physical tools are outstanding and he’s shown steady growth as a passer since Penn State made a change at offensive coordinator. He likely would’ve been a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and he’ll reinforce that status as the season goes on. Penn State looks to be in contention in the playoffs, so the stage is set for Allar to thrive.

5. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

Week 1 vs. Old Dominion: 18-31 (54.5%) passing, 193 yards; five carries, 39 yards, one touchdown

Mendoza transferred from Cal to Indiana this season on the heels of the Hoosiers’ first CFP appearance. He was the lone passer not to throw a touchdown of the top five in these rankings but that isn’t entirely his fault.

Arguably his best throw of the game against Old Dominion fell incomplete on what would’ve certainly been a touchdown late in the second quarter.

He played with solid timing but lacked the types of plays we’d hoped to see against a team that’s not on par with the Big Ten’s best. Mendoza acknowledged that he didn’t play well in the opener and has a chance to right that in Week 2 at home against Kennesaw State.

With his size (6-foot-5, 225 pounds), arm talent and mobility, there are tools and lots of good tape to make him a worthy first-rounder. He just needs to show up bigger in these moments.

6. Cade Klubnik, Clemson

Week 1 vs. LSU: 19-38 (50%) passing, 231 yards, one interception; seven rushes, 22 yards

Like Manning, Klubnik’s first throw of Week 1 didn’t set the tone well for the rest of the day. A quick drop from shotgun on an in-breaking route from the slot wobbled well out of reach of both wide receiver Antonio Williams and his nearest defender.

It took until Klubnik’s fifth dropback for him to complete his first pass. The LSU defense got after him in a big way – his 18 pressures were more than any of the passers in the top five of these rankings. His interception came on an unblocked pressure on his right in what appeared to be a miscommunication by the offensive line.

On the plus side, Klubnik’s dual-threat ability was on display throughout the game. He didn’t hesitate to use his legs to gain extra yards if pressure got to him and that resulted in some key first downs. There are positives to Klubnik’s game but this was a shaky start to the season.

7. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State

Week 1 vs. Northern Arizona: 24-38 (63.2%) passing, 257 yards, two touchdowns, one interception; five carries, 94 yards, two touchdowns

Arizona State made a run to the CFP in 2024 with an offense focused on running back Cam Skattebo. With Skattebo on to the NFL, Leavitt’s expected to take on a bigger role this season – his second as a starter – and he delivered in the opening game.

His arm talent is undeniable and he has a solid frame at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds. His scrambling ability can make a difference and he made plays with his feet against Northern Arizona, including an impressive 52-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

Leavitt should have a good connection with Jordyn Tyson, one of the best draft-eligible wide receivers in the country. That’ll give him a foundation to showcase his talent every week.

8. John Mateer, Oklahoma

Week 1 vs. Illinois State: 30-37 (81.1%) passing, 392 yards, three touchdowns, one interception; six carries, 28 yards, one touchdown

If you’re looking for the ideal start to the season, Mateer’s got you covered. The transfer from Washington State set a school record for most yards in an Oklahoma debut and set a career-high for passing yards as well.

A significant caveat, similar to Allar’s evaluation, is that this occurred against non-conference competition in Illinois State. Some of the throws he made in small windows against zone coverage may not be there later in the season.

Still, he made plays on seam routes and showcased his arm talent with multiple deep shots. It took until the final minute of the first quarter for Mateer to find the end zone on a touchdown run but he made plays throughout the day.

This week’s game against Michigan will be very telling, as it represents a level of competition that should test the transfer quarterback.

Next two up: Miller Moss, Louisville; Taylen Green, Arkansas

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

3 Mins Read

Streameast, sports piracy network, shut down by media companies

One of the world’s largest piracy networks, which offered live streams to sports fans looking to evade streaming subscriptions, has been shut down, according to a coalition of media companies.

The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), a coalition of more than 50 global entertainment companies and film studies, announced on Sept. 3 that in collaboration with Egyptian authorities it had shut down Streameast. Through over 80 domains, the illegal sports streaming platform logged more than 1.6 billion visits in the past year, ACE stated in a news release.

ACE worked with Egyptian authorities from July 2024 through June 2025 to investigate and ultimately arrest two operators based in Sheikh Zayed City, Egypt, on Aug. 24, according to an ACE statement shared with USA TODAY. Among the confiscated items were three laptops and four smartphones used to operate the websites, in addition to 10 Visa cards containing about 6 million Egyptian pounds, which is around $123,613.

Streameast was popular with viewers in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Philippines and Germany, ACE states. Viewers could stream American sports like the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB. Other popular sporting events streamed through the network included England’s Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, Italy’s Serie A and Germany’s Bundesliga.

Sports fans react to Streameast shutdown

Despite the illegalities of Streameast, many sports fan are upset about its takedown, especially as the NFL season starts on Sept. 4.

‘Losing Streameast before the start of the NFL season feels like your best friend just told you they’re moving across the country right before a school year starts,’ TikTok user Goose Talks Sports said in a video on Sept. 3.

‘For those who don’t know, I don’t think y’all understand the magnitude … of how many times Streameast came in the clutch,’ TikTok user Lontizzle Yaps said in a video on Sept. 3.

Sports fans pointed to the price of sports streaming services as a reason why Streameast was so popular. For context, an ESPN Unlimited subscription, which includes streaming for programming like the NFL, NBA and WNBA, NHL, U.S. Open and Sports Center is $30 per month. A YouTube TV Sports Programming subscription, which also includes non-sports networks, is $83 per month.

The move will also impact NFL viewers this coming season, with popular streaming options like NFL Sunday Ticket and RedZone collectively costing fans hundreds of dollars.

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.

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4 Mins Read

Devers’ HR incites pitcher, leads to brawl, ejections, suspension

A red-hot slugger admiring a home run and a frustrated left-hander toiling for one of the worst teams in major league history intersected at Coors Field, resulting in a benches-clearing fracas.

And the craziest season in Rafael Devers’ decorated career took yet another turn Tuesday, Sept. 2 when the San Francisco Giants faced the Colorado Rockies.

Devers hit his 30th home run of 2025 off Rockies lefty Kyle Freeland, the fourth 30-homer season of his career, but like everything else in Devers’ world this year, it did not go to form.

Freeland, who lugged a 5.28 ERA into his start against San Francisco, took offense to Devers’ time getting to first base and stepped toward him on the base paths screaming in protest.

That prompted the Giants’ bench to stream out to defend Devers, with third baseman Matt Chapman giving Freeland a shove back toward the mound, earning an ejection.

And it resulted in one of the longest trips around the bases in major league history, Devers completing the circuit only after order was restored and Freeland, Chapman and San Francisco’s Willy Adames were ejected – nearly 10 minutes after he deposited the baseball in the right field seats.

The long ball continued a recent heater for Devers, who has hit seven homers in his past 15 games and posted a 1.175 OPS in that span. Freeland, meanwhile, has given up 21 home runs for the 39-100 Rockies, who lost the game 7-4 and are on pace for 116 losses.

If nothing else, the incident showed that the Giants certainly have Devers’ back. He got off to a slow start after a stunning trade from the Boston Red Sox on June 15, but is back to his typically robust level of production: an .879 OPS, including a .383 on-base percentage, and 96 RBIs.

‘I think that’s what a team does,’ Devers told reporters via a translator. ‘We’re a very united team, and I think in situations like that, that’s what we should do: stick up for each other.”

Said Freeland: “I just found it extremely disrespectful to show me up like that in the first inning after hitting the home run, standing there watching it, taking your sweet time, getting (to) first base. Been in this league for quite some time. I know he has as well. I just find that extremely disrespectful and felt that I needed to let him know about that.”

Major League Baseball announced Sept. 3 that Chapman, the Giants’ 32-year-old team leader, was suspended for one game for his actions during the melee. Chapman elected to appeal the suspension and was in the lineup for that night’s game. Devers, Freeland and Adames were fined ‘as a result of their inappropriate actions leading up to and during the incident,’ the league said.

The trade from Boston was the endgame of a tumultuous sequence that began when the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman, who offered to play second base and keep Devers at third. Instead, a messy stare-down between Devers and the club ultimately resulted in Devers moving to designated hitter.

When first baseman Triston Casas went down with a season-ending injury, the Red Sox again asked Devers to move there. But Devers balked, having settled in at DH, and rather than keeping a Silver Slugger bat in the lineup, Boston traded him to San Francisco, where he was given the runway to adapt to first base comfortably.

It all came full circle, in a sense, at Coors Field: After the ejections of Chapman and Adames, the shorthanded Giants shuffled their lineup around and … Devers ended up at third base.

Right where he was when this crazy season started.

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2 Mins Read

Red-hot Red Sox rookie likely to miss rest of regular season

Red Sox rookie Roman Anthony is expected to miss the rest of the regular season with a strained oblique.
Anthony has been a key offensive player for Boston, batting .329 since moving to the top of the lineup on June 28.
The injury comes as the Red Sox hold a top American League wild card spot.

The most impactful rookie in the American League pennant race will likely miss the rest of the regular season.

Roman Anthony, the No. 1 overall prospect summoned to Boston in June and now an invaluable cog in their lineup, strained his oblique and will likely miss four to six weeks, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said on the club’s flagship radio station.

Anthony, 21, has been parked in one of the top three spots in the Red Sox lineup since June 28, a span in which he’s batted .329 with a .930 OPS and led the AL with 24 multi-hit games. He’s batted leadoff in 22 of 25 games since Aug. 6, and the Red Sox have won 10 of 13 games to seize command of an AL wild card spot, tied with the New York Yankees for the top position.

They’d also closed within 2 1/2 games of first-place Toronto in the AL East, but that deficit will be much harder to overcome without Anthony.

He debuted June 9 and has been a key reason the club picked up the pace in the weeks following the blockbuster June 15 trade of Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants.

‘He’s one of our best offensive players,’ Cora said in his appearance on WEEI. ‘It sounds harsh but we have to move on. We’ve been through this before.’

The Red Sox are fortunate to have several versatile players, most notably Ceddane Rafaela, who will likely be the full-time center fielder in Anthony’s absence, flanked by Jarren Duran and some combination of Rob Refsnyder and Masataka Yoshida.

Infielder Nick Sogard will be recalled to take Anthony’s roster spot, and he, David Hamilton and Romy Gonzalez will cover second base.

Anthony is batting .292 with eight homers and an .859 OPS, amassing 3.1 WAR. The timeline of his estimated absence would sideline him for the rest of the regular season, while allowing a possible return during a potential AL wild card series.

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