Connect with us

Published

on

The current generation of young boxers has made a tremendous impact on the sport over the past few years.

Look no further than the now two-time No. 1 fighter in ESPN’s top 25 boxers under 25, Teofimo Lopez. His victory over Vasiliy Lomachenko in October 2020 turned the lightweight division upside down. Lopez’s mandatory title defense against George Kambosos Jr. has been delayed multiple times, but should finally happen soon. In the meantime, he’s considered the undisputed champion at 135 pounds, having won the WBA, WBO and IBF titles, plus the WBC “franchise” belt, and between the division he currently rules over, and the weights just above and below him, fighters at or around the age of 25 appear ready to take over.

At 130 pounds, Shakur Stevenson is poised to add a world title in a second division before turning 25. The former WBO featherweight world titlist and current interim junior lightweight champ faces WBO junior lightweight belt-holder Jamel Herring on Saturday. Over the course of a year, Stevenson bumped himself up from No. 3 to No. 2 on this list on the strength of his performances in big title fights, and yet his fight against Herring is his biggest yet.

Devin Haney rounds out the top three, holding onto the lone true world title at lightweight that doesn’t currently belong to Lopez. While both have work to get done in the interim, a clash to officially crown an undisputed lightweight champion between this pair of talented young fighters would be a boon for the division.

There are champions and contenders dotted throughout ESPN’s 2021 top 25 under 25, as well as promising young fighters who are already seizing the moment for their own prolific climbs. Eleven of the fighters in this year’s top 25 are 24, and will age out in a years’ time, with eight more sitting at 23 years old.

Mike Coppinger, Ben Baby, Nick Parkinson and Timothy Bradley Jr. break down this list of the best young fighters in the world.

1. Teofimo Lopez (16-0, 12 KOs)

WBO, IBF, WA, WBC “franchise” lightweight champion

24 years old
2020 rank:
No. 1

The fighter: The power-punching lightweight champion was a natural choice to top this list for the second year in a row. He’s a superb fighter who is already battle-tested on the elite level. Lopez became champion at 23 years old with a landmark performance last October, a decision victory over Lomachenko. In that fight, Lopez proved the immense hype surrounding him was real.

He’s a boxer who possesses an impressive blend of power, hand speed and timing. Outside the ring, he’s as brash and confident as they come, thanks in part to his father, Teofimo Lopez Sr., who trains him and doubles as a hype man. Lopez has all the makings to be one of boxing’s biggest stars for years to come. Now he just needs to stay active.

Accomplishments: No other boxer under 25 can come to matching Lopez’s biggest moment: the victory over Lomachenko to crash the pound-for-pound list. Lopez executed a wise game plan, hammering Lomachenko with stiff left hands every time a jab was thrown. It’s why Lomachenko was so hesitant to let his hands go during the first half of the fight.

After Loma rallied, Lopez delivered the best round of his career, a 12th round with 98 punches thrown to cement the victory. Teofimo owns three of the major four 135-pound titles, is ESPN’s No. 1 lightweight and No. 7 pound-for-pound boxer overall. He also owns a second-round KO of Richard Commey in his first title bid, another accomplishment that eclipses any other boxer on this list.

Future ceiling and expectations: Lopez’s momentum came to a screeching halt when his planned title defense against Kambosos was postponed after the champion tested positive for COVID-19. The June 19 fight was moved to Aug. 14, then pushed to several different potential dates in October before Triller was found in default and the promotional rights reverted to Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom.

Matchroom is now planning to stage the fight on Nov. 27 at New York’s Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. With an expected victory over Kambosos, Lopez could depart the lightweight division for a title fight against junior welterweight undisputed champion Josh Taylor in the spring. If he stays at 135 pounds, the natural matchup is against Haney. Haney is the WBC champion while Lopez is the organization’s franchise champion, leading to plenty of acrimony between the boxers surrounding Lopez’s claim as undisputed champion. It would also be a fantastic fight, provided Haney wins his Dec. 3 bout. — Coppinger

2. Shakur Stevenson (16-0, 8 KOs)

WBO interim junior lightweight champion; former WBO featherweight champion

24 years old
2020 rank:
No. 3

The fighter: Stevenson is looking to make his mark in the junior lightweight division after a strong run at featherweight. He’s ranked No. 1 in the 130-pound weight class by ESPN, and he’s coming off a unanimous decision win over Jeremiah Nakathila in June, in which Stevenson knocked the challenger down and didn’t drop a single point in a technically sound defensive bout. Stevenson has excellent technique and uses his 68-inch reach to his advantage by operating skillfully on the outside. But he has been criticized for not turning dominant performances into stoppages. A mere half of his 16 wins have come via KO.

Accomplishments: Stevenson made his mark as a decorated amateur. He won a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics, which allowed him to start his pro career a few rungs up the ladder. Just two years after he turned pro, he won a share of the featherweight crown when he easily trounced Joet Gonzalez in a unanimous decision to win the WBO belt — a title he vacated in July 2020 to move up to junior lightweight.

Future ceiling and expectations: As this list indicates, Stevenson has one of the highest ceilings of anyone under 25. He is set to challenge veteran Herring for the WBO’s junior lightweight title on Saturday in Atlanta in what could easily be the biggest fight of his career. Herring has made three successful defenses of that belt. If Stevenson can capture that title, it could be his first of many in the 130-pound division, and the type of victory that could push him further up the list of boxing’s top stars. — Baby

play

1:49

Max Kellerman explains why he hopes to see Teofimo Lopez vs. Devin Haney next.

3. Devin Haney (26-0, 15 KOs)

WBC lightweight champion

22 years old
2020 rank:
4th

The fighter: Haney, No 3 in ESPN’s lightweight rankings, turned pro at 17 years old and has rattled off 26 consecutive wins to start his career. He overcame his biggest test to date by surviving the last two rounds of his fight against Jorge Linares in May, after getting hurt at the end of the 10th round. He retained his WBC lightweight title by unanimous decision and showed a lot of heart to absorb late pressure to claim the victory.

Accomplishments: At the age of 20, Haney defeated Zaur Adullaev for the interim WBC lightweight world title, and he was upgraded to full champion status in October 2019 when Lomachenko was crowned the “franchise” champion of the division. Including his victory over Linares, Haney has made three successful world title defenses, including a unanimous decision victory over Yuriorkis Gamboa in November 2020.

Future ceiling and expectations: At 22, Haney is still a work in progress, but he showed he can take a big punch and manage a crisis against a quality opponent in Linares, who fought Lomachenko three years ago to decide the best in the division. It was a good developing fight for Haney, who will be stronger for the experience. Future fights against fellow young sensations Ryan Garcia and Lopez continue to elude Haney. Garcia and Joseph “JoJo” Diaz were set to fight in a title eliminator for a chance at Haney’s WBC lightweight belt, but with Garcia pulling out due to injury, Diaz might be back on the table. Haney hopes to fight again on Dec. 3, and as long as he continues to challenge himself, fights against the likes of Lopez and Garcia will become more likely. — Parkinson

play

1:25

Vergil Ortiz Jr. outlines the possibility of fighting fellow Texas native Errol Spence Jr. Watch the full interview on Max on Boxing at 5:30 ET on ESPN2.

4. Vergil Ortiz (18-0, 18 KOs)

Welterweight title contender (No. 5 in ESPN rankings)

23 years old
2020 rank:
7th

The fighter: What’s not to like about a boxer who has knocked out all of his opponents? Ortiz is fast becoming a fan favorite and this year he has sent out a warning to the welterweight division by stopping former junior welterweight world champion Maurice Hooker in March and top contender Egidijus Kavaliauskas in August.

Accomplishments: Ortiz now has a win over an elite contender in Hooker, which should erase any doubts about his potential. Ortiz won all but one of the rounds against Hooker, and floored his fellow Texan in the sixth round before the end in the seventh. Ortiz fought well at close quarters on the inside, and his combinations were varied and spiteful. Against Kavaliauskas, Ortiz fought through the first true in-ring adversity he’s faced in his career after getting staggered early in the fight, and then continued his knockout streak by knocking out the former title contender in the eighth round.

Future ceiling and expectations: After making such rapid progress in 2021, a world title shot is what this exciting fighter needs to continue the upward curve in his career. And he couldn’t be better positioned for that shot: he is the No. 1 contender with the WBO (champion: Terence Crawford); No. 2 with the WBC (champion: Errol Spence Jr.) and No. 2 with the WBA (champion: Yordenis Ugas). — Parkinson

5. David Benavidez (24-0, 21 KOs)

Former WBC super middleweight champion (No. 2 in ESPN rankings)

24 years old
2020 rank:
2nd

The fighter: Benavidez is big at over six feet, and long, with a 74 ½-inch reach. He has great hand speed and coordination for a big guy. Good reflexes. But his mentality is what really sets him apart. He has tremendous self-belief, and he wants to fight the best. That confidence in himself allows him to do what he does inside that ring. The sheer violence that he wants to unleash against every fighter he steps in there with is remarkable. His ability to pressure is off the charts — he’s a suffocating fighter. He can take a punch and he can give a shot right back. He’s incredibly fearless.

Accomplishments: Benavidez has already accomplished a great deal. He turned pro at 16, and from early on he featured on the undercards of some big fights, including Keith Thurman-Shawn Porter and Carl Frampton-Leo Santa Cruz 2. He was 20 years old and already 18-0 when he fought Ronald Gavril — also 18-0 at that point — and won his first super middleweight world title. He won the rematch against Gavril. Then he faced Anthony Dirrell, and won that WBC belt for the second time.

Future ceiling and expectations: It’s hard to see a ceiling for Benavidez, as long as he stays on the right path. Benavidez got stripped of the super middleweight title the first time in September 2018, when he failed a drug test. After beating Dirrell and winning the title again in 2019, he couldn’t make weight against Roamer Alexis Angulo a year later and got stripped again. He was set to fight Jose Uzcategi on Aug. 28, but a positive COVID diagnosis pushed the fight to Nov. 13.

No one has shown they can beat him inside the ring, and as long as he stays focused, Benavidez can stand against anyone at super middleweight. Benavidez will be a world champion again. — Bradley

6. Ryan Garcia (21-0, 18 KOs)

Former WBC interim lightweight champion (No. 5 in ESPN rankings)

23 years old
2020 rank:
5th

The fighter: One of the sport’s fastest-rising stars, Garcia possesses the quickest hands in boxing and plenty of power to boot. The crushing left hand, fine-tuned under the guidance of trainer Eddy Reynoso at Canelo Alvarez’s San Diego gym, has proven to be a devastating weapon in the lightweight division. Just look at the way Garcia uncorked it in his most-damaging KO yet, a first-round vanquishing of Francisco Fonseca in 2020. With nearly 9 million Instagram followers and an outspoken personality, Garcia has a genuine chance to become a top PPV attraction for years to come.

Accomplishments: With his January 2021 fight against Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell, Garcia proved that he’s far more than a social-media personality. He was dropped for the first time as a pro and rebounded to knock out Campbell, who was in ESPN’s top-10 rankings at 135 pounds before his retirement in July. The left hook is Garcia’s go-to weapon, but he proved in that bout that he has plenty of toughness, too, despite the labels many placed on him.

Future ceiling and expectations: Garcia is already one of the sport’s top attractions. He was set for his toughest fight yet, a Nov. 27 bout against former champion Diaz, but Garcia was forced to withdraw after undergoing surgery to repair a damaged right wrist, an injury suffered in sparring.

When Garcia returns, fights with the likes of Haney, Lopez and Gervonta Davis could await, but first up could be a rescheduled bout with Diaz. No matter whom he fights next, it would be a surprise if Garcia didn’t capture a world title at some point, and with his tremendous size for the division, a future move to 140 pounds and even 147 seems a formality at some point. — Coppinger

7. Jaron “Boots” Ennis (27-0, 25 KOs)

Welterweight title contender (No. 6 in ESPN rankings)

24 years old
2020 ranking:
8th

The fighter: Ennis has cemented himself as a true welterweight contender. The former Golden Gloves champion from Philadelphia has started to cobble together some serious wins and impressive performances. Ennis is coming off a stoppage victory over Sergey Lipinets, a former IBF junior welterweight titleholder. The win moved Ennis up to No. 6 in ESPN’s welterweight ranking, putting him over established stars such as Danny Garcia and Mikey Garcia.

Accomplishments: The win over Lipinets completed Ennis’ transformation from rising prospect to a contender who could be fighting for a title by the beginning of ’22. Ennis had a crack at a secondary welterweight title when he fought Chris van Heerden in 2020, but the bout was ruled a no contest after an accidental clash of heads caused a cut on van Heerden’s forehead in the first round.

Future ceiling and expectations: Ennis is still trying to chase the heights he reached as an amateur. He has the potential to be the No. 1 welterweight in the world at some point. His combination of measured offense and potent power makes him a very tough opponent for virtually anyone. Along with Ortiz, Ennis is already making some noise in the 147-pound division. He’s set to face Thomas Dulorme, who has decision losses to current champion Ugas and contender Jamal James — two fighters who are also in ESPN’s Top 10. If Ennis has an impressive performance, it further bolsters his case for a title fight next year. — Baby

8. Junto Nakatani (22-0, 17 KOs)

WBO flyweight champion

23 years old
2020 ranking:
Tied for 15th

The fighter: Nakatani, a tall southpaw, has emerged as the latest world champion from Japan, a country that has produced many stars among boxing’s lighter divisions over the last 12 months. In his last fight, Nakatani was introduced to an American audience when he stormed to a fourth round TKO win over Puerto Rico’s Angel Acosta in Tucson on Sept. 10.

Accomplishments: Nakatani stopped Acosta, the former world light flyweight titleholder, in four rounds. As statements go, his first defense of the WBO world flyweight title he won from Giemel Magramo via eighth round knockout in November 2020 was a strong showing.

Future ceiling and expectations: The future is bright. Nakatani is an exciting fighter to watch with a high KO ratio for a flyweight. Expect Nakatani to follow the paths of Naoya Inoue and Kazuto Ioka and climb his way up through the lighter divisions. However, before he does that, it would be great to see him take on one of his rival world champions at flyweight, like Mexico’s Julio Cesar Martinez. — Parkinson

9. Brandon Figueroa (22-0-1, 15 KOs)

WBC, WBA “regular” junior featherweight champion

24 years old
2020 rank:
11th

The fighter: The Texas-based boxer, the younger brother of former lightweight world titlist Omar Figueroa, has had a wonderful 12 months, adding the WBC junior featherweight world title to his secondary WBA belt and rising to No 3 in ESPN’s 122-pound rankings.

Accomplishments: Figueroa pulled off a career-best win with a seventh-round knockout of Luis Nery in May. Nery suffered his first defeat after being sunk by a body shot, and Figueroa lifted his first full world title.

Future ceiling and expectations: Figueroa has an exciting short-term future ahead of him, starting with a unification fight with Stephen Fulton, scheduled for Nov. 27. Figueroa has been a better finisher in recent fights, and he is a good bet to unify the WBC and WBO belts in Las Vegas. But it’s a tough call in an excellent matchup between two pressure fighters. Regardless of the result against Fulton, Figueroa is going to figure in big fights over the next few years. — Parkinson

10. Jared Anderson (10-0, 10 KOs)

Heavyweight prospect

21 years old
2020 rank:
Unranked

The fighter: After an amateur career that included a pair of U.S. National championships, Anderson signed with Top Rank at 19 years old. He’s rattled off 10 knockout wins in 10 professional fights, and has only once had to fight beyond a fourth round. Anderson is not one of those one punch knockout types of guys, but he can systematically break down an opponent and get them exactly in the right spot for him to do what he has to. A lot of times in boxing, especially for someone on the rise, it’s not just about winning, it’s about how you look when you win. Anderson looks special — he looks spectacular.

Accomplishments: In his most recent fight on Oct. 9, Anderson featured prominently on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder 3 undercard. It took Anderson less than three full rounds to finish 33-year-old Vladimir Tereshkin and hand Tereshkin his first professional loss in 24 fights. At this stage in his career, his overall unbeaten record is what jumps off the page.

Future ceiling and expectations: “Big Baby” Anderson is the future of the heavyweight division, when it comes to American fighters, and he has the best upside of anyone in that group right now. He has honed his skills since he was a child — boxing was never the second option. That gives him a huge head start, especially at heavyweight against guys who come from football and other sports after they don’t succeed in their primary pursuit. He’ll fight for a heavyweight title, it’s just a matter of when. — Bradley

11. Daniel Dubois (17-1, 16 KOs)

Former WBA interim heavyweight champion

24 years old
2020 rank:
9th

The fighter: Dubois put his “0” on the line in a high stakes heavyweight clash in November, but English rival Joe Joyce knocked him out in the 10th round. Dubois sustained a fractured eye socket in the loss as he was picked apart by Joyce’s patient jabbing. Dubois has since registered a pair of wins inside two rounds as he looks to make up for lost ground and fight his way back towards the top.

Accomplishments: Dubois racked up 17 straight wins to start his professional career, winning British and Commonwealth titles in 2019. Dubois was unable to seize the opportunity of his biggest career moment when he was stopped by Joyce, which pushed him away, at least momentarily, from a world title shot. But he won the interim WBA heavyweight title in June with his win over Bogdan Dinu. Despite the WBA eliminating its “interim” champion designations in August, that former title will likely put Dubois in line for a future title shot.

Future ceiling and expectations: Expectations are still high for the big hitter. David Haye, also from south London like Dubois, suffered a stoppage defeat early in his career but went on to win a heavyweight world title. Dubois is No. 1 in the WBA’s rankings, but with a rematch between new champion Oleksandr Usyk and former champ Anthony Joshua likely in the short term, don’t expect a world title shot in Dubois’ immediate future. A higher volume of fights in the short term will likely help him build back towards such an opportunity. DuBois made his debut on American soil on the undercard of Jake Paul-Tyron Woodley, and recorded a first-round knockout victory. — Parkinson

12. Edgar Berlanga (18-0, 16 KOs)

Super middleweight prospect

24 years old
2020 rank:
12th

The fighter: Berlanga, 24, delivered bundles of scary knockouts on ESPN as a super middleweight prospect, but 2021 has tested him with his first two fights that extended past the opening round. His win over Marcelo Esteban Coceres on Oct. 9, in Berlanga’s 18th career fight, went far differently than his first 17, and the eye-opening experience raised plenty of questions. Berlanga busted up his foe’s eye, sure, but he tasted the canvas in Round 9 and was in serious trouble.

Accomplishments: One of the biggest names under 25, Berlanga shot to prominence with 16 first-round KOs in his first 16 fights. Fight No. 17 was an eight-round decision victory over Demond Nicholson, with four knockdowns scored.

Future ceiling and expectations: Berlanga was never forced to show his defense or chin in his first 17 fights, and now, there are legitimate questions concerning both after all the clean shots he absorbed against Coceres. He suffered a torn left biceps in the fight against Coceres, cancelling plans for a Dec. 11 return on the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Richard Commey undercard on ESPN. Coceres was easily Berlanga’s toughest opponent to date, and with 18 rounds under his belt this year, Berlanga has now gained more experience than he did in his first 16 fights combined.

If Berlanga can learn from the Coceres performance, he’ll be better off for it. There’s no doubting his power and star appeal. — Coppinger

13. Sebastian Fundora (17-0-1, 12 KOs)

Welterweight contender (No. 5 in ESPN rankings)

23 years old
2020 rank:
Tied for 26th

The fighter: Fundora’s size makes him an odd fit for his weight class. The junior middleweight is 6-foot-6, and he has a gangly 80-inch reach (two inches larger than current heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk) to accompany his long frame. But Fundora isn’t lacking power because of that length. Twelve of Fundora’s 17 wins have come via knockout, which is a reason why he’s usually an entertaining spot on the undercard of Premier Boxing Champions events.

Accomplishments: Fundora has slowly started to increase his competition level. His best win so far is a victory over Jorge Cota in May. Fundora whipped Cota with those long arms and produced a fourth-round TKO on the Omar Figueroa-Abel Ramos undercard. Appearing on the Errol Spence Jr.-Danny Garcia card, Fundora put on a show at AT&T stadium with a second-round TKO of Habib Ahmed. Fundora also has a win over Daniel Lewis, who previously represented Australia in the Olympics. He is still looking for a true signature moment to accelerate his ascent and position him for a title shot.

Future ceiling and expectations: Fundora’s size is what makes him a brutal matchup for others in the division. He has the height and reach of a heavyweight and will almost always be the biggest fighter in the ring. Because of his reach advantage and power, he can always be effective from the outside if he chooses to go that route. Based on his recent form and growing number of good wins, he has the tools to be a champion. — Baby

14. Elwin Soto (19-2, 13 KOs)

Former WBO junior flyweight champion (No. 4 in ESPN rankings)

24 years old
2020 rank:
19th

The fighter: The boxer, based in Baja California, stopped Katsunari Takayama in nine rounds for a third defense of his WBO junior flyweight world title in May, shortly after signing with Matchroom. His two-year reign as champion ended on Oct. 16, though, in a split decision loss to mandatory challenger Jonathan Gonzalez.

Accomplishments: Soto caused an upset when he knocked out Angel Acosta for the belt in June 2019, which is probably his best win to date. Since then, Soto has continued to show his strength and KO ability, as he was evident against Takayama.

Future ceiling and expectations: Just days out from his second professional loss to Gonzalez, Soto’s future is a bit unclear. He could revisit the Gonzalez fight, or a couple of comeback fights could be in order. IBF champion Felix Alvarado could be his most realistic option among the champions, as the others — Ken Shiro and Hiroto Kyoguchi — are too good right now, plus Soto would have to go to Japan to fight them. — Parkinson

15. Charles Conwell (16-0, 12 KOs)

Junior middleweight prospect

23 years old
2020 rank:
Tied for 15th

The fighter: A hard-nosed fighter from Cleveland, Conwell is on the brink of a title shot, and currently sits just outside the top 10 at 154 pounds. Conwell is a pressure fighter who has proven crafty on the inside with the requisite strength to push his opponents around.

Accomplishments: The former Olympian scored a ninth-round TKO victory over Madiyar Ashkeyev in December 2020, in his best win to date. In his most recent fight, on the Paul-Woodley undercard, Conwell stopped Juan Carlos Rubio in the third round.

Future ceiling and expectations: Conwell figures to land a title shot in 2022 or 2023 as long as he keeps winning and stepping up his level of competition. The 154-pound division is deep, but outside of the three or four fighters, Conwell figures to be able to compete with them all right now. — Coppinger

16. Mauricio Lara (23-2-1, 16 KOs)

Featherweight contender (No. 2 in ESPN rankings)

23 years old
2020 rank:
Unranked

The fighter: This fighter from Mexico was catapulted from nowhere into the limelight following his ninth-round demolition of England’s Josh Warrington in February. A rematch on Sept. 4 ended in a frustrating technical draw at the end of two rounds, after Lara sustained a cut over the left eye created by an accidental head clash.

Accomplishments: Unquestionably the win over Warrington, who went into the fight as ESPN’s No 1 at 126 pounds and had recently voluntarily given up the IBF world title. Little-known Lara was supposed to be a warm-up for Warrington, but the heavy-handed, Mexico City-based boxer had other ideas.

Future ceiling and expectations: It is unclear whether there will be a third fight between Lara and Warrington. Nothing could be drawn from what we saw in the second fight before it was stopped. But Lara’s lofty position with the IBF means he is in a good spot for a world title shot in 2022, against England’s Kid Galahad. His power makes Lara a threat to all of the champions at featherweight. — Parkinson

17. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (14-0, 10 KOs)

Flyweight prospect

21 years old
2020 rank:
Unranked

The fighter: Rodriguez packs a lot of power into a small frame and looks like one of the most talented fighters below 115 pounds. Under the tutelage of renowned trainer Robert Garcia, Rodriguez, a southpaw, has developed into a fearsome puncher that deploys a full arsenal of weapons. His older brother, Joshua Franco, is a 118-pound champion.

Accomplishments: Rodriguez hasn’t faced any adversity yet, but his fourth-round KO of Jose Alejandro Burgos on Oct. 16 was his first scheduled 10-rounder, telling us that Garcia believes he’s ready for better competition. Rodriguez is riding a six-fight KO streak, with just two of those opponents hearing the bell to open the fourth round. That run includes a first-round KO of Janiel Rivera in September 2020, and a second-round knockout against Saul Juarez in December 2020, on the undercard of Felix Verdejo-Masayoshi Nakatani.

Future ceiling and expectations: Rodriguez projects as not just a future champion, but maybe even a pound-for-pound mainstay, given his diminutive status and the ease with which notable fights are made at those weights. A fight with Sunny Edwards or Julio Cesar Martinez at 112 pounds would put Rodriguez on the map. At 115 pounds, he could match up with future Hall of Farmers such as Roman Gonzalez and Juan Francisco Estrada. He should challenge for a title in 2022. — Coppinger

18. Terri Harper (11-0-1, 6 KOs)

WBC women’s junior lightweight champion

24 years old
2020 rank:
Tied for 20th

The fighter: The lone woman to qualify in this year’s top 25, Harper won the WBC junior lightweight world title in just her 10th professional fight, and has since made two title defenses. She currently sits at No. 9 in ESPN’s women’s pound-for-pound rankings.

Accomplishments: Harper announced herself as an elite fighter with an outstanding unanimous decision win over Eva Wahlstrom in February 2020. Wahlstrom was 16 years older than Harper and had made five successful defenses, but Wahlstrom was beaten by the English boxer and was given a count in the seventh round. Harper’s fought twice since, fighting to a split draw against Natasha Jonas, and a TKO victory against Katharina Thanderz. A unification fight against Hyun Mi Choi, the WBA champion, was postponed after Harper injured her right hand again shortly before the fight was set to happen in May.

Future ceiling and expectations: Harper defends her title against Alycia Baumgardner on Nov. 13 in the U.K. A fight against either Choi, from South Korea, or American Mikaela Mayer, the WBO champion, would be a step up for Harper, but she is willing to make these fights. “It’s still my dream to unify and be on the road to undisputed,” Harper said. — Parkinson

play

1:52

Top Rank is planning for Edgar Berlanga and Xander Zayas at Madison Square Garden next year for the Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend fight card. Zayas says he’s already looking forward to that and fighting 2-3 more times this year.

19. Xander Zayas (10-0, 7 KOs)

Junior middleweight prospect

19 years old
2020 rank:
Tied for 22nd

The fighter: Zayas is the youngest entry on the list for the second straight year. He is far from a finished product, but the talent is obvious. He can punch, is fearless and possesses a fan-friendly style. Now competing at 154 pounds, Zayas has been bulking up. He’s still fighting low-level opposition in six-rounders, so it’s impossible to tell how he’ll deal with genuine adversity. But if he can continue to fight his way up, he has the potential to be a star with his Puerto Rican roots and megawatt smile.

Accomplishments: It’s hard to pick one moment just yet, considering his opposition, but Zayas fought through his rockiest moment in his last outing — a six-round decision win against Jose Luis Sanchez in September. Zayas was rocked on one occasion and absorbed plenty of power blows, but never stopped coming forward.

Future ceiling and expectations: Zayas will enjoy his greatest exposure yet on the Jamel Herring-Shakur Stevenson co-main event Saturday on ESPN. He’ll fight another nondescript opponent in Dan Karpency in a six-round bout. If he continues to develop his tools, he could develop into a world champion. But at 19, he’s farther away than most of the fighters on this list. — Coppinger

20. Brandun Lee (23-0, 21 KOs)

Junior welterweight prospect

22 years old
2020 rank:
Unranked

The fighter: Lee has all the makings of a future world champion. He has great size for a 140-pounder at 5-foot-10 and generates great leverage on his punches. Lee has already scored a bundle of highlight-reel KOs and has faced solid opposition for a prospect on ShoBox. Lee headlined the March 2020 ShoBox card that was one of the last events held before the sports world essentially shut down, and has won four times since.

Accomplishments: Through 23 fights, Lee has already scored 21 KOs, but none have been more brutal than his March finish over Samuel Teah. Lee dropped Teah with a six-punch combination, unleashing punches to the body before connecting on a hellacious right hand that rendered his foe unconscious.

Future ceiling and expectations: He’s just 22, but with the amount of fights under his belt, Lee figures to fight a top-10 boxer soon. He could challenge for a title late in 2022 or in 2023. He’ll return in December, sources tell ESPN. — Coppinger

21. Keyshawn Davis (3-0, 2 KOs)

Lightweight prospect; 2020 Olympic silver medalist

22 years old
2020 rank:
Unranked

The fighter: After an amateur career that included silver medals in the 2019 World Championships and Pan American Games, Davis seemingly set aside his longtime Olympic dreams by turning professional to take advantage of the opportunities at hand. He debuted on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez-Avni Yildirim, fought his second fight on the undercard of Jamel Herring-Carl Frampton and his third on the Alvarez-Billy Joe Saunders fight at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. He had wins in all three fights, and the stage wasn’t too big for him at any point.

Accomplishments: Due to qualification changes over the course of the COVID pandemic, Davis got to fight in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo after all. His performances throughout the tournament were stellar, and it was great to see him win the silver medal. But it was also great to see his attitude and demeanor after he lost that gold medal fight to Andy Cruz, who had also defeated him in both of his amateur silver medal runs. Davis wasn’t down on himself. He got a chance to fight in the Olympics, which he thought he wasn’t going to have a chance to do after turning pro. He won silver, and after that was it, he said he was happy moving on to bigger and better things.

Future ceiling and expectations: He reminds me a bit of what I saw from Stevenson early on, and I gave Stevenson that stamp of approval as a future world champion. From what I’ve seen so far, I think Davis is going to be a potential future world champion, and one of the next generation’s top pound-for-pound fighters, if he stays on the right track. His footwork stands out to me — his feet are so damn educated, and that’s one of the things that makes this kid special. Defensively, he’s very sound, very mature for his age. Great timing and awareness inside the ring. Agility, power and amateur experience — he has it all. — Bradley

22. Lee McGregor (11-0, 9 KOs)

Bantamweight contender (No. 10 in ESPN rankings)

24 years old
2020 rank:
Unranked

The fighter: The native of Scotland is already on the precipice of a title shot at 118 pounds — a tall fighter for the weight class at 5-foot-7½ inches. He packs plenty of power in both hands, with knockouts in all but two of his 11 wins. McGregor throws compact punches and never neglects the body.

Accomplishments: It won’t land on his highlight reel like many of his blistering KOs, but his best win just might be his split decision victory over Kash Farooq in 2019. That was easily McGregor’s best competition, and in that contest, McGregor proved he could box his way past a quality fighter over 12 rounds.

Future ceiling and expectations: McGregor will return in an IBF title eliminator that’s supposed to come against contender Jason Moloney, after a purse bid was set in early October. McGregor is one win away from a possible title shot against unified champion Naoya Inoue, ESPN’s No. 3 pound-for-pound boxer. — Coppinger

23. Wilfredo Mendez (16-1, 6 KOs)

WBO strawweight champion

24 years old
2020 rank:
17th

The fighter: Mendez, a southpaw from Puerto Rico, has made two defenses of the WBO strawweight title. He’s part of a younger generation coming through to challenge Thailand’s grip on boxing’s lightest division. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mendez has lost momentum and has not fought since February 2020.

Accomplishments: Mendez won a world title in only his 14th pro fight with a shocking unanimous decision over Victorio Saludar, in which he displayed good boxing skills. He has made two defenses, against Axel Aragon Vega (TD-7) and Gabriel Mendoza (TKO-9).

Future ceiling and expectations: Mendez may have to travel to one of his rivals’ home nations to get further big fights and title opportunities. Wanheng Menayothi, 35, lost his crown in November to fellow Thai fighter Panya Pradabsri, while Knockout CP Freshmart, also from Thailand, is the WBA champion. Rene Mark Cuarto, 25, of the Philippines, is the IBF champion. — Parkinson

24. Isaac Cruz (22-1-1, 15 KOs)

Lightweight prospect

23 years old
2020 rank:
Unranked

The fighter: Cruz proves that a fighter with an overwhelming work rate is a daunting opponent. His fighting style also matches how he’s approached his career. While a good amateur in Mexico, Cruz never made it farther than the country’s Olympic trial finals. He was still 16 years old when he officially turned pro. Despite the lack of pedigree that others on this year’s list have, Cruz has made up for that with a busy pro career and a relentless attack that is always appreciated by fans and promoters looking to put on a good show.

Accomplishments: Cruz’s best win to date was a knockout of Diego Magdaleno. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because current lightweight champ Teofimo Lopez also knocked Magdaleno out in 2019, on his path to eventually becoming a unified champion. Magdaleno represented the toughest test of Cruz’s career, and he finished him in 53 seconds.

Future ceiling and expectations: With a listed height of 5-foot-4 inches, Cruz isn’t especially large for a lightweight. However, his power and work rate will always keep him in fights, and will be something opponents must adjust and account for. Because of his willingness to throw punches and take risks in the ring, he will always be capable of winning big fights. But he’s someone who still has to prove he can eventually become a champion. — Baby

25. David Morrell (5-0, 4 KOs)

Super middleweight prospect (holds secondary WBA title)

23 years old
2020 rank:
25

The fighter: A multiple-time national amateur champion in Cuba, Morrell has found a home in Minneapolis, where PBC is building him into a local draw. Morrell has good size for a 168-pounder at 6-foot-1, and he has displayed tremendous power. Despite just five pro fights, a title shot isn’t too far away.

Accomplishments: That would be his most recent outing, a spectacular first-round knockout of Mario Cazares that headlined a PBC on Fox card in June. He also owns a 12-round unanimous decision over Lennox Allen, a quality boxer who entered their bout undefeated, in a fight in which Morrell won a vacant interim WBA title.

Future ceiling and expectations: Morrell, who is guided by Luis DeCubas Jr., projects as a future world champion, though he already owns the WBA’s secondary title at 168 pounds. He was previously in talks to fight England’s John Ryder in a clear step-up fight, and that bout could still take place in the future. Morrell is set to return in December, sources tell ESPN. — Coppinger


Others receiving votes: Duke Ragan; Jesus Ramos; Raymond Muratalla; Ruben Villa; Michel Rivera; Xavier Martinez; Omar Aguilar; Justis Huni; Jayson Mama; Pedro Taduran; Rene Tellez Giron; Hector Tanajara; Agustin Gauto.

The 2021 ESPN top 25 under 25 was voted upon by a panel of: Mike Coppinger, Ben Baby, Timothy Bradley Jr., Kel Dansby, Nick Parkinson and Crystina Poncher. In order to be eligible, a fighter had to be under the age of 25 as of Oct. 21, 2021.

Continue Reading

Sports

Hard-throwing rookie Misiorowski going to ASG

Published

on

By

Hard-throwing rookie Misiorowski going to ASG

Hard-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski is a National League All-Star replacement, giving the Milwaukee Brewers right-hander a chance to break Paul Skenes‘ record for the fewest big league appearances before playing in the Midsummer Classic.

Misiorowski was named Friday night to replace Chicago Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd, who will be unavailable for the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Atlanta because he is scheduled to start Saturday at the New York Yankees.

The 23-year-old Misiorowski has made just five starts for the Brewers, going 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA while averaging 99.3 mph on his fastball, with 89 pitches that have reached 100 mph.

If he pitches at Truist Park, Misiorowski will make it consecutive years for a player to set the mark for fewest big league games before an All-Star showing.

Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander getting ready for his second All-Star appearance, had made 11 starts in the majors when he was chosen as the NL starter for last year’s All-Star Game at Texas. He pitched a scoreless inning.

“I’m speechless,” said a teary-eyed Misiorowski, who said he was given the news a few minutes before the Brewers’ 8-3 victory over Washington. “It’s awesome. It’s very unexpected and it’s an honor.”

Misiorowski is the 30th first-time All-Star and 16th replacement this year. There are now 80 total All-Stars.

“He’s impressive. He’s got some of the best stuff in the game right now, even though he’s a young pitcher,” said Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is a starting AL outfielder for his seventh All-Star nod. “He’s going to be a special pitcher in this game for a long time so I think he deserved it and it’s going be pretty cool for him and his family.”

Carlos Rodón, Carlos Estévez and Casey Mize were named replacement pitchers on the AL roster.

The New York Yankees‘ Rodón, an All-Star for the third time in five seasons, will replace teammate Max Fried for Tuesday’s game in Atlanta. Fried will be unavailable because he is scheduled to start Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.

In his final start before the All-Star game, Rodón allowed four hits and struck out eight in eight innings in an 11-0 victory over the Cubs.

“This one’s a little special for me,” said Rodón, an All-Star in 2021 and ’22 who was 3-8 in his first season with the Yankees two years ago before rebounding. “I wasn’t good when I first got here, and I just wanted to prove that I wasn’t to going to give up and just put my best foot forward and try to win as many games as I can.”

The Kansas City Royals‘ Estévez replaces Texas’ Jacob deGrom, who is scheduled to start at Houston on Saturday night. Estévez was a 2023 All-Star when he was with the Los Angeles Angels.

Mize takes the spot held by Boston‘s Garrett Crochet, who is scheduled to start Saturday against Tampa Bay. Mize gives the Tigers six All-Stars, most of any team and tied for the franchise record.

Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia will replace Tampa Bay‘s Brandon Lowe, who went on the injured list with left oblique tightness. The additions of Estévez and Garcia give the Royals four All-Stars, matching their 2024 total.

The Seattle Mariners announced center fielder Julio Rodríguez will not participate, and he was replaced by teammate Randy Arozarena. Rodríguez had been voted onto the AL roster via the players’ ballot. The Mariners, who have five All-Stars, said Rodríguez will use the break to “recuperate, rest and prepare for the second half.”

Arozarena is an All-Star for the second time. He started in left field for the AL two years ago, when he was with Tampa Bay. Arozarena was the runner-up to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the 2023 Home Run Derby.

Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen, a first-time All-Star, is replacing Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who is scheduled to start Saturday night at Arizona. Rasmussen is 7-5 with a 2.82 ERA in 18 starts.

San Diego added a third NL All-Star reliever in lefty Adrián Morejón, who replaces Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler. The Phillies’ right-hander is scheduled to start at San Diego on Saturday night. Morejón entered the weekend with a 1.71 ERA in 45 appearances.

Continue Reading

Sports

Midseason grades for all 30 MLB teams: ‘A’ is for Astros, ‘F’ is for …?

Published

on

By

Midseason grades for all 30 MLB teams: 'A' is for Astros, 'F' is for ...?

We’re past due to hand out some midseason grades, so let’s hand out some midseason grades.

As we pass the 90-game mark in the 2025 MLB season, my team of the first half isn’t the well-rounded Detroit Tigers, who do get our highest grade for owning MLB’s best record, or the explosive Chicago Cubs or Shohei Ohtani‘s Los Angeles Dodgers, but a team most baseball fans love to hate: the Houston Astros. They lost their two best players from last season and their best hitter has been injured — and they’re playing their best baseball since they won the 2022 World Series.

Let’s get to the grades. As always, we’re grading off preseason expectations, factoring in win-loss record and quality of performance, while looking at other positive performances and injuries.

Jump to a team:

AL East: BAL | BOS | NYY | TB | TOR
AL Central: CHW | CLE | DET | KC | MIN
AL West: ATH | HOU | LAA | SEA | TEX

NL East: ATL | MIA | NYM | PHI | WSH
NL Central: CHC | CIN | MIL | PIT | STL
NL West: ARI | COL | LAD | SD | SF

Tarik Skubal is obviously the headline act, but the Tigers are winning with impressive depth across the entire roster.

Javier Baez is putting together a remarkable comeback season after a couple of abysmal years and will become the first player to start an All-Star Game at both shortstop and in the outfield. Former No. 1 overall picks Casey Mize and Spencer Torkelson have put together their own comeback stories, while Riley Greene has matured into one of the game’s top power hitters.

Given their deep well of prospects and contributors at the MLB level, no team is better positioned than the Tigers to add significant help at the trade deadline.


I heard someone refer to them as the Zombie Astros, which feels apropos. Alex Bregman left as a free agent, they traded Kyle Tucker, Yordan Alvarez has been injured and has just three home runs, and the Jose Altuve experiment in left field predictably fizzled.

But here they are, fighting for the best record in the majors and holding a comfortable lead in the AL West. They’re getting star turns from Hunter Brown, Framber Valdez and Jeremy Pena, while the risky decision to start Cam Smith in the majors with very little minor league experience has paid off, as he has now become their cleanup hitter.

If we ignore the COVID-19 season, the Astros look on their way to an eighth straight division title.


This could be at least a half-grade higher based on everything that has gone right: Pete Crow-Armstrong‘s attention-grabbing breakout, Tucker doing everything expected after the big trade, Seiya Suzuki‘s monster power numbers and Matthew Boyd‘s All-Star turn in the rotation. The Cubs are on pace for their most wins since their World Series title season in 2016.

There have been a few hiccups, however, especially in the rotation with Justin Steele‘s season-ending injury and Ben Brown‘s inconsistency, plus rookie third baseman Matt Shaw has scuffled, and the bench has been weak aside from their backup catchers.

Still, this is a powerhouse lineup, and the Cubs will seek to improve their rotation at the deadline.


They just keep winning of late, going from 25-27 and seven games behind the Yankees on May 25 to taking over first place from the slumping Bronx Bombers, a remarkable turnaround over just 36 games. They went 27-9 over a 36-game stretch ending with their eighth win in a row on Sunday.

George Springer‘s recent surge has been fun to watch, a reminder of how good he was at his peak, and Addison Barger has been mashing over the past two months.

Some of the stats don’t add up to the Blue Jays being this good — they’ve barely outscored their opponents — but there might be more offense in the tank from the likes of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and a healthy Anthony Santander, and the bullpen, a soft spot, is the easiest area to upgrade.


Their success is best summed up by the fact that Freddy Peralta is their lone All-Star, but they have a whole bunch of players who have contributed between 1 and 2 WAR.

Brandon Woodruff looked good Sunday in his first start in nearly two years, so that could be a huge boost for the second half.

I’m curious to see how Jackson Chourio performs as well. While his counting stats — extra-base hits, RBIs — are fine, his triple-slash line remains below last season, especially his OBP. He had a huge second half in 2024 (.310/.363/.552), and if he does that again, the Brewers could find themselves back in the postseason for the seventh time in eight seasons.


The Rays started off slow, with a losing record through the end of April, but then went 33-22 in May and June to claw back into the AL East race — as the Rays usually do, last year being the recent exception.

Two key performers have been All-Star third baseman Junior Caminero, who has a chance to become just the third player to hit 40 home runs in his age-21 season, and All-Star first baseman Jonathan Aranda.

Due to the league wanting the Rays to play more home games early in the season, the July and August slate will be very road-heavy, so we’ll see how the Rays adapt to a difficult two-month stretch, especially since their pitching isn’t quite as deep as it has been in other seasons.


No, they’re not going to be the greatest team of all time. But they might win 100 games — even though Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki, their huge offseason acquisitions, have combined for just two wins in 10 starts.

The lineup, of course, has been terrific, with Ohtani leading the NL in several categories and Will Smith leading the batting race. By wRC+, it’s been the best offense in Dodgers history.

If they can get some combo of Snell, Sasaki and Tyler Glasnow healthy, plus Ohtani eventually ramped up to a bigger workload on the mound, the Dodgers still loom as World Series favorites.


They are on pace for 95 wins, mainly on the strength of Zack Wheeler, Ranger Suarez and Cristopher Sanchez, who are a combined 23-7 with 11.8 WAR. Jesus Luzardo‘s ERA is bloated due to that two-start stretch when he allowed 20 runs, but he has otherwise been solid as well.

But, overall, it hasn’t always been the smoothest of treks. The bullpen has imploded a few times and the offense has lacked power aside from Kyle Schwarber. Bryce Harper is back after missing three weeks, and they need to get his bat going. Look for some bullpen additions at the trade deadline — and perhaps an outfielder as well.


The Cardinals have been a minor surprise — perhaps even to the Cardinals themselves. St. Louis was viewing this as a rebuilding year of sorts — not that the Cardinals ever hit rock bottom and start completely over. They had a hot May, winning 12 of 13 at one point, but the offense has been fading of late, with those three straight shutout losses to Pittsburgh and six shutout losses since June 25.

The starting rotation doesn’t generate a lot of swing and miss, with both Erick Fedde and Miles Mikolas seeing their ERAs starting to climb. Brendan Donovan is the team’s only All-Star rep, and that kind of sums up this team: solid but without any star power. That might foretell a second-half fade.


All-Star starting pitchers Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, plus a dominant bullpen, have led the way, although after starting 12-4, the Giants have basically been a .500 team for close to three months now. Rafael Devers hasn’t yet ignited the offense since coming over from Boston, and the Giants have lost four 1-0 games.

These final three games at home against the Dodgers before the All-Star break will be a crucial series, as Los Angeles has slowly pulled away in the NL West.


This was an “A-plus” through June 12, when the Mets were 45-24 and owned the best record in baseball, even though Juan Soto hadn’t gotten hot. Soto finally got going in June, but the pitching collapsed, and the Mets went through a disastrous 1-10 stretch.

The rotation injuries have piled up, exacerbating the lack of bullpen depth. Recent games have been started by Justin Hagenman (who had a 6.21 ERA in Triple-A), journeyman reliever Chris Devenski, Paul Blackburn (7.71 ERA) and Frankie Montas, who has had to start even though he’s clearly not throwing the ball well. The Mets need to get the rotation healthy, but also could use more offense from Mark Vientos and their catchers (Francisco Alvarez was demoted to Triple-A).


At times it has felt like Cal Raleigh has been a one-man team with his record-breaking first half. But he will be joined on the All-Star squad by starting pitcher Bryan Woo, closer Andres Munoz and center fielder Julio Rodriguez, who made it on the strength of his defense, as his offense has been a disappointment.

The offense has been one of the best in the majors on the road, but the rotation has been nowhere near as effective as the past couple of seasons, with George Kirby, Logan Gilbert and Bryce Miller all missing time with injuries. They just shut out the Pirates three games in a row, so maybe that will get the rotation on a roll.


They’re just out of the wild-card picture while hanging around .500, so we give them a decent grade since that exceeds preseason expectations. It feels like a little bit of a mirage given their run differential — their record in one-run games (good) versus their record in blowout games (not good) — and various holes across the lineup and pitching staff.

But they’ve done two things to keep them in the race. One, they hit a lot of home runs. Two, they’re the only team in the majors to use just five starting pitchers. The rotation hasn’t been stellar, but it’s been stable.


The Padres are probably fortunate to be where they are, given some of their issues. As expected, the offensive depth has been a problem.

Not as expected, Dylan Cease has struggled while Michael King‘s injury after a strong start has left them without last year’s dynamic 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation (although Nick Pivetta has been one of the best signings of the offseason). Yu Darvish just made his season debut Monday, so hopefully he’ll provide a lift.

The Padres haven’t played well against the better teams, including a 2-5 record against the Dodgers, but they did clean up against the Athletics, Rockies and Pirates, going 16-2 against those three teams.


For now, the Reds are stuck in neutral. Leave out 2022, when they lost 100 games, and it’s otherwise been a string of .500-ish seasons: 31-29 in 2020, 83-79 in 2021, 82-80 in 2023, 77-85 in 2024 and now a similar record so far in 2025.

The hope was that Terry Francona would be a difference-maker. Maybe that will play out down the stretch, but the best hope is to get the rotation clicking on all cylinders at the same time. That means Andrew Abbott continuing his breakout performance, plus getting Hunter Greene healthy again and rookie Chase Burns to live up to the hype after a couple of shaky outings following an impressive MLB debut.

Throw in Nick Lodolo and solid Nick Martinez and Brady Singer, and this group can be good enough to pitch the Reds to their first full-season playoff appearance since 2013.


The Yankees have hit their annual midseason swoon — which has been subject to much intense analysis from their disgruntled fans — and that opening weekend sweep of the Brewers, when the Yankees’ torpedo bats were the big story in baseball, now seems long ago.

Going from seven up to three back in such a short time is a disaster — but not disastrous. Nonetheless, the Yankees will have to do some hard-core self-evaluation heading to the trade deadline.

The offense wasn’t going to be as good as it was in April, when Paul Goldschmidt, Trent Grisham and Ben Rice were all playing over their heads. So, do they need a hitter? Or with Clarke Schmidt now likely joining Gerrit Cole as a Tommy John casualty, do they need a starting pitcher? Or both?


From the book of “things we didn’t expect,” page 547: The Marlins are averaging more runs per game than the Orioles, Padres, Braves and Rangers, to name a few teams. They’re averaging almost as many runs per game as the Mets, and last time we checked, the Marlins weren’t the team to give Soto $765 million.

An eight-game winning streak at the end of June has the Marlins going toe-to-toe with the Braves for third place in the NL East even though the starting rotation has been a mess, with Sandy Alcantara on track to become just the fourth qualified pitcher with an ERA over 7.00.


Heading into the season, I thought that if any team was going to challenge the Dodgers in the NL West, it would be the Diamondbacks. The offense has once again been one of the best in the majors, but the pitching issues have been painful.

After the aggressive move to sign Corbin Burnes, he went down with Tommy John surgery after 11 starts. Meanwhile, Zac Gallen, Eduardo Rodriguez and Brandon Pfaadt each have an ERA on the wrong side of 5.00. Rodriguez was better in June before a shellacking on July 4, while Gallen remains homer-prone, so it’s hard to tell if improvement is on the horizon. Their playoff odds are hovering just under 20%, so there’s a chance, but they need to get red-hot like they did last July and August.


It feels like it has been more soap opera than baseball season in Boston, with the Devers drama finally ending with the shocking trade with the Giants.

If you give added weight that this is the Red Sox, a team that should be operating with the big boys in both budget and aspirations and instead seemed to only want to dump Devers’ contract, then feel free to lower this grade a couple of notches, even if the Red Sox are close in the wild-card standings.

On the field, the heralded rookie trio of Kristian Campbell, Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer hasn’t exactly clicked, with Campbell returning to the minors after posting a .902 OPS in April. A big test will come out of the All-Star break, when they play the Cubs, Phillies, Dodgers, Twins and Astros in a tough 15-game stretch.


After last season’s surprise playoff appearance, it’s been a frustrating 2025 — although I’m not sure this result is necessarily a surprise.

There were concerns about the offense heading into the season and those concerns have proven correct. They were getting no production from their outfield, so they rushed Jac Caglianone to the majors to much hype, but he has struggled and might need a reset back in Triple-A. Even Bobby Witt Jr., as good as he has been (on pace for 7.5 WAR), has seen his OPS drop 140 points.

On the bright side, Kris Bubic emerged as an All-Star starter and Noah Cameron has filled in nicely for the injured Cole Ragans, so maybe they trade a starter for some offense.


Coming off a catastrophic 2024 season, nobody was expecting anything from the White Sox. Indeed, another 121-loss season loomed as a possibility. While they’re on pace to lose 100 again, they’ve at least played more competitive baseball thanks to their pitching.

Rookie starters Shane Smith and Sean Burke have shown promise, while rookie position players Kyle Teel, Edgar Quero and now Colson Montgomery are getting their initial taste of the majors.

There has been the mix of calamity: Luis Robert Jr. has been unproductive and is probably now untradable, and former No. 3 overall pick Andrew Vaughn hit .189 and was traded to the Brewers.


The Twins are one organization that might like a do-over of the past five seasons. It feels like they’ve had the most talent in the division, but all they’ve done is squeeze out one soft division title in 2023. Now, the Tigers have passed them in talent and other factors, such as payroll flexibility.

There’s still time for the Twins to turn things around in 2025, but outside of that wonderful 13-game winning streak, they haven’t played winning baseball.


Overall, it’s been yet another bad season, despite Paul Skenes‘ brilliance. Really, do we talk enough about him? Yes, we do talk about him, but he has a 1.95 ERA through his first 42 career starts. Incredible.

Here’s an amazing thing about baseball. The Pirates are not a good team, but they recently put together one of the best six-game stretches in history. That’s not stretching the description. First, they swept the Mets — a good team — by scores of 9-1, 9-2 and 12-1. Then they swept the Cardinals — a good team — with three shutouts, 7-0, 1-0 and 5-0. They became the first team since at least 1901 to score 43 runs or more and allow four runs or fewer in a six-game stretch. And then they promptly got shut out three games in a row, making them the first to win three straight shutouts and then lose three straight shutouts.


Eighteen of our 28 voters picked them to win the AL West before the season, but it’s looking more and more like the 2023 World Series might be a stone-cold fluke in the middle of a string of losing seasons. That year, nearly everyone in the lineup had a career year at the plate, and the pitching got hot at the right time.

This year’s Rangers, though, have struggled to score runs, and while some have pointed to the offensive environment at Globe Life Field, they’re near the bottom in road OPS as well. It’s been fun seeing Jacob deGrom back at a dominating level, and Nathan Eovaldi should have been an All-Star.

Put it this way: If the Rangers can somehow squeeze into the postseason, you don’t want to face the Rangers in a short series. Indeed, if any team looms as an October upset special, it might be the Rangers.


The Nationals received superlative first-half performances from James Wood and MacKenzie Gore, while CJ Abrams is on the way to his best season. But there remains a lack of overall organizational progress, which finally led to the firings on Sunday of longtime GM Mike Rizzo and longtime manager Dave Martinez. A 7-19 record in June sealed their fate, as the rotation has been bad and the bullpen arguably the worst in baseball.

Until the Nationals figure out how to improve their pitching — or, better yet, find an owner who wants to win — they will be stuck going nowhere.


That fell apart in a hurry. Sunday’s loss was Cleveland’s 10th in a row, a stretch that remarkably included five shutouts. Indeed, the Guardians have now been shut out 11 times; the franchise record in the post-dead-ball-era (since 1920) is 20 shutouts in 1968.

There’s nothing worse than watching a team that can’t score runs, so that tells you how exciting the Guardians have been. Last year, the Guardians hit exceptionally well with runners in scoring position, keeping afloat what was otherwise a mediocre offense. That hasn’t happened in 2025 (trading Josh Naylor didn’t help either). Throw in some predictable regression from the bullpen, and this season looks lost.


We can’t give this a complete failing grade due to the emergence of All-Star shortstop Jacob Wilson (the Athletics’ first All-Star starter since Josh Donaldson in 2014) and slugging first baseman Nick Kurtz, who have a chance to finish 1-2 in the Rookie of the Year voting. Plus, we have Denzel Clarke‘s circus catches in center field.

But otherwise? Ugh. The Sacramento gamble already looks like a disaster, three months into a three-year stay. The team is drawing well below Sutter Health Park’s 14,000-seat capacity, with many recent games drawing under 10,000 fans. Luis Severino bashed the small crowds and the lack of air-conditioning.

The A’s had a groundbreaking ceremony for their new park in Vegas, renting heavy construction equipment as background props. Maybe they should have spent that money on more pitching help.


Based on preseason expectations, the Braves have clearly been the biggest disappointment in the National League — fighting the Orioles for most disappointing overall.

What’s gone wrong? They haven’t scored runs, as the offense continues its remarkable fade from a record-setting performance just two seasons ago. The collapses of Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies lead the way, with lack of production at shortstop and left field playing a big role as well. Closer Raisel Iglesias has struggled, and the team is 11-22 in one-run games. Spencer Strider hasn’t yet reached his pre-injury level and Reynaldo Lopez made just one start before going down.

The Braves haven’t missed the playoffs since 2017, but that run is clearly in jeopardy.


The Orioles have a similar record to the Braves but have played much worse, including losses of 24-2, 19-5, 15-3 and two separate 9-0 shutouts.

They will spend the trade deadline dealing away as many of their impending free agents as possible, and then do a lot of soul-searching heading into the offseason. After making the playoffs in 2023 and 2024, will this season just be a blip? While the pitching struggles aren’t necessarily a big surprise, what has happened to the offense? Are some of their young players prospects or suspects?


After two months of Cleveland Spiders-level baseball, it would be easy to make fun of the Rockies. Especially since they recently announced Walker Monfort — son of the owner — was promoted to executive VP and will replace outgoing president and COO Greg Feasel.

On the other hand, the Rockies are doing something right: They just drew 121,000 for a three-game series against the White Sox.

Continue Reading

Sports

White Sox unveil Buehrle statue: ‘Well-deserved’

Published

on

By

White Sox unveil Buehrle statue: 'Well-deserved'

CHICAGO — Former White Sox lefty Mark Buehrle was forever immortalized inside Rate Field as the team unveiled a statue in his honor Friday.

Buehrle, 46, played 16 years in the majors, including the first 12 with the White Sox, who he helped win a World Series in 2005. He won 214 games and pitched 200 innings or more in 14 consecutive seasons from 2001 to 2014.

“I can’t put it into words,” Buehrle said after the unveiling. “You don’t play the game for any of this. You never think of number retirements or statues. I can’t even wrap my head around it. It doesn’t make sense.”

The statue is an action shot of him throwing a pitch.

His wife and kids were in attendance and helped pull off the cover to unveil the statue while his 2005 teammates looked on. The event kicked off a weekend reunion for the World Series team which went 11-1 in the postseason, beating the Houston Astros in four games to take home the title.

Buehrle was a five-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner, finishing fifth in Cy Young voting in 2005.

“Well-deserved,” former right fielder Jermaine Dye said of the statue. “Great teammate. Great leader. Definitely someone you want on a ballclub to lead a pitching staff.”

The White Sox rotation — led by Buehrle — threw four complete games in the ALCS against the Boston Red Sox in 2005, missing a fifth complete game by two-thirds of an inning. It’s an unheard of accomplishment in today’s game since starters infrequently go the distance.

Besides being an innings-eater on the mound, Buehrle was a fast worker — a favorite trait of his catcher, A.J Pierzynski. And he wasn’t someone who threw a lot of different pitches. He caught it and threw it without much input from behind the plate.

“He was fast,” Pierzynski said. “We had Jermaine Dye calling pitches from right field some games. We did come crazy things you wouldn’t recommend to people to do nowadays.”

Buehrle is a notoriously low-key guy who hates the spotlight but even he was moved by the team’s decision to honor him with a statue, which joins former slugger Harold Baines in the right-field concourse.

“I joked with him when I saw him,” Dye said. “I told him ‘Man it takes you getting a statue to get you out of the house.'”

Buehrle added: “I was literally nervous as can be today. This is not my comfort zone but by no means am I taking it lightly. This is incredible.”

Continue Reading

Trending