York scored a dramatic equalizer 13 minutes into injury time to draw 1-1 at Rochdale on Saturday and clinch an extraordinary return to the main English Football League pyramid.
There were a number of pitch invasions after Josh Stones' goal, which came from virtually the last kick of the game, broke minor-league Rochdale's heart.
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York City fans celebrate on the pitch at the final whistle after the National League match between Rochdale and York City in Rochdale, England, Saturday April 25, 2026. (Cody Froggatt/PA via AP)
York City players and staff celebrate with the trophy after defeating Rochdale in the National League match in Rochdale, England, Saturday April 25, 2026. (Cody Froggatt/PA via AP)
York City's Josh Stones after the National League soccer match between Rochdale and York City in Rochdale, England, Saturday April 25, 2026. (Cody Froggatt/PA via AP)
York City players and staff celebrate with the trophy after defeating Rochdale in the National League match in Rochdale, England, Saturday April 25, 2026. (Cody Froggatt/PA via AP)
Rochdale, which needed to win to pip leader York to the National League title and a return to the fourth tier of the EFL, had gone in front through Emmanuel Dieseruvwe’s header five minutes into added time.
Dieseruvwe’s goal sparked a pitch invasion from home supporters that delayed the game for six minutes.
However, Stones then forced the ball over the line following a scramble after York threw 10 players forward, a goal confirmed after referee Will Finnie consulted his watch and goal-line technology, sparking another pitch invasion, this time by visiting fans.
York, which recorded 108 points to win the league, recently spent five seasons in the sixth-tier National League North.
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York City fans celebrate on the pitch at the final whistle after the National League match between Rochdale and York City in Rochdale, England, Saturday April 25, 2026. (Cody Froggatt/PA via AP)
York City players and staff celebrate with the trophy after defeating Rochdale in the National League match in Rochdale, England, Saturday April 25, 2026. (Cody Froggatt/PA via AP)
York City's Josh Stones after the National League soccer match between Rochdale and York City in Rochdale, England, Saturday April 25, 2026. (Cody Froggatt/PA via AP)
York City players and staff celebrate with the trophy after defeating Rochdale in the National League match in Rochdale, England, Saturday April 25, 2026. (Cody Froggatt/PA via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) — Sandy Alcantara was blocked from becoming a free agent by the Miami Marlins, while Michael King went on the market Friday and Bo Bichette decided to keep his contract with the New York Mets.
Starting pitchers Sonny Gray and Nick Martinez also will become free agents after their teams declined mutual options.
Miami exercised its $21 million option on Alcantara rather than pay a $2 million buyout, a decision that guarantees the pitcher $75 million over six years as part of the deal he agreed to in November 2021.
A 31-year-old right-hander, Alcantara was 13-11 with a 3.87 ERA in 33 starts and three relief appearances this year, his second season following Tommy John surgery.
King, also a 31-year-old right-hander, is a free agent for the second straight offseason after declining a $28 million player option in favor of a $5 million buyout. He agreed in December to a deal guaranteeing $75 million over three seasons that allowed him to end it after one year and $17 million. He was 12-10 with a 3.21 ERA in 32 starts.
King was among 14 new free agents Friday, raising the total to 155 in the two days following the World Series. About 40 more players potentially could go free by Monday, the deadline for exercising options.
Bichette agreed in January to a $126 million, three-year contract with the Mets that included a $40 million signing bonus, a $2 million salary for 2026 and $42 million player options for both 2027 and 2028.
A two-time All-Star shortstop in Toronto, Bichette shifted primarily to third base in New York, where Francisco Lindor plays shortstop. The 28-year-old Bichette hit .260 with 18 homers and 78 RBIs for the disappointing Mets.
AL champion Tampa Bay declined mutual options on Martinez and outfielder Cedric Mullins.
Martinez, 36, had a $20 million mutual option with a $4 million buyout as part of a $13 million, one-year contract. He set a career high for wins, going 15-6 with a 3.10 ERA in 31 starts and became a first-time All-Star, then went 1-1 with a 2.81 ERA in four postseason appearances that included a start in Game 1 of the World Series.
Mullins, 32, hit .205 with 15 homers, 48 RBIs and 21 stolen bases. He had a $7.5 million, one-year deal that included a $10 million mutual option with a $500,000 buyout.
Boston declined a $30 million option on Gray, who gets a $5 million buyout payable in five $1 million installments on each Jan. 15 from 2027-31. If the Red Sox had exercised the option, Gray could have opted out and received the $5 million as a buyout payable on the same dates.
Gray, a right-hander who turns 37 next week, agreed to a $75 million, three-year contract with St. Louis in November 2023 and was traded to Boston last November. He tied for the major league lead with 18 wins this year and posted a 2.72 ERA, his best in a full season.
Dustin May, who started Game 4 of the World Series for Milwaukee on Tuesday, went free when he declined a $20 million mutual option with the World Series champion Brewers in favor of a $500,000 buyout. May agreed to a $12.5 million contract with the Cardinals in December and was acquired by the Brewers at the Aug. 3 trade deadline. The 29-year-old right-hander went 7-9 with a 4.70 ERA in 31 starts.
Chicago Cubs left-hander Matt Boyd and catcher Carson Kelly declined mutual options.
A 35-year-old left-hander, Boyd agreed to a $29 million, two-year contract before the 2024 season that included a $15 million mutual option for 2027 with a $2 million buyout. He became a first-time All-Star in 2025, going 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA, and was 10-5 with a 3.91 ERA this season.
Kelly, 32, gets a $1.5 million buyout rather than a $7.5 million salary as part of the $11.5 million, two-year deal he reached in December 2024. He hit .258 with 10 homers and 58 RBIs in 120 games this year.
Baltimore declined a $25 million mutual option on pitcher Zach Eflin and owes a $2 million buyout as part of a one-year contract guaranteeing $10 million. The right-hander made one appearance, on March 31, and had Tommy John surgery on April 8, his 32nd birthday.
First baseman Josh Bell became a free agent after his $10 million mutual option was declined by the Minnesota Twins. He gets a $1.25 million buyout as part of a $7 million, one-year contract. The 34-year-old hit .255 with 21 homers and 96 RBIs.
Minnesota also declined a $13 million mutual option on right-hander Joe Ryan, who gets a $100,000 buyout as part of a $6.2 million, one-year contract. Ryan remains under club control and is eligible for salary arbitration.
The Athletics declined options on infielder Jeff McNeil and left-hander Jeffrey Springs.
McNeil had a $15.75 million club option with a $2 million buyout as part of a $50 million, four-year contract he signed with the Mets after leading the major leagues with a .326 batting average in 2022. The 34-year-old was acquired in a trade last December and batted .264 with nine homers and 59 RBIs.
Springs' $15 million team option was declined in favor of a $750,000 buyout, completing a $15 million, four-year contract he signed with Tampa Bay. The 34-year-old left-hander, acquired by the A's in a December 2024 trade, was 4-14 with a 6.18 ERA in 29 starts this year and allowed an AL-high 35 home runs.
Kansas City declined a $13 million option on reliever Carlos Estévez, who gets a $2 million buyout as part of a $22 million, two-year contract. The 33-year-old right-hander led the major leagues with 42 saves in 2024, then made just one appearance this year during an injury-decimated season, allowing a game-ending grand slam to Atlanta's Dominic Smith on March 28.
Estévez was placed on the injured list April 1 because of a bruised left foot, strained the rotator cuff in his pitching shoulder during rehab and had shoulder surgery in September.
Kansas City exercised a $2.5 million club option on right-hander Tony Gonsolin, a 2022 All-Star with the Los Angeles Dodgers who signed in mid-August for a prorated portion of a $1 million salary. He had right elbow surgery in August 2025, made four minor league injury rehab appearances for the Royals last Aug. 26 to Sept. 17 and returned to the major leagues when he allowed five runs over 2 2/3 innings against the Chicago White Sox on Sept. 22.
Houston declined a $5 million team option on Ryan Weiss and owes a $500,000 buyout as part of a $2.6 million, one-year deal he signed after two years with Hanwha in South Korea. The 29-year-old right-hander was 0-3 with a 7.62 ERA in two starts and seven relief appearances, then was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land on May 5 and spent the rest of the season at Triple-A.
Robert Stephenson's $2.5 million option was declined by the Los Angeles Angels. A 33-year-old right-hander, Stephenson signed a $33 million, three-year contract before the 2024 season and pitched just 10 innings over 12 games during the deal. He had Tommy John surgery in April 2024, returned to make a pair of appearances for the Angels in late May 2025, then went on the injured list with right biceps inflammation. Stephenson made eight more appearances in late August and September, was bothered by thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms during the offseason and had ligament and flexor tendon surgery this April.
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
FILE - New York Mets' Bo Bichette looks on before a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sept. 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)
FILE - Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara works against a San Diego Padres batter in the first inning of a baseball game Sept. 20, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Karl Anderson, File)
