Breakout players from the top 25 teams to watch in 2024
Last week we took a look at season-defining matchups from the Way-Too-Early Top 25 teams ahead of the 2024 season.
This week, our writers picked potential breakout stars from each of those top 25 teams to watch for this upcoming season.
With former starting inside linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson transferring to Kentucky, the Bulldogs are looking for someone to start next to Smael Mondon Jr. in the middle of their defense. After a knee injury that he suffered in preseason camp in 2023, sophomore Raylen Wilson showed flashes of why he was one of the most coveted linebacker prospects in the country as a senior at Lincoln High School in Tallahassee, Florida. Wilson was named to the SEC All-Freshman team after totaling 15 tackles and a half-sack in 12 games. He was one of the fastest runners in the state in the 100-meter dash and was once clocked at 24 mph on GPS. — Mark Schlabach
Five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (No. 4 in 2024 ESPN 300) was the crown jewel of a recruiting class for Ohio State that ended up third in ESPN’s rankings. With Marvin Harrison Jr. prepping for the NFL draft as a probable top-five pick, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Smith will likely be given every opportunity to help fill that void. Smith, who played for Florida powerhouse Chaminade-Madonna Prep, had 90 receptions for 1,389 yards and 19 touchdowns as a senior. His arrival will give Ryan Day, new OC Chip Kelly and transfer QB Will Howard an exciting addition to play around with. — Blake Baumgartner
As the Ducks transition from Bo Nix to transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel, it would not surprise me to see the running game become an even bigger part of the Oregon offense in 2024. With standout Bucky Irving headed to the draft, the stage is set for running back Jordan James to take on a bigger role in the backfield. The rising junior from Tennessee is coming off an extremely efficient season in his second year with the Ducks, averaging over 7 yards per carry on 107 attempts along with 11 rushing touchdowns. James might have already broken out in 2023, but a second leap this season could establish him as one of the more productive backs in the country as part of an offense that will score and score often. — Paolo Uggetti
Last year, five-star recruit Anthony Hill Jr. played a major role at linebacker as a true freshman. This year’s version could be Colin Simmons, a coveted edge rusher who was No. 12 overall prospect in the final ESPN 300. The Longhorns boasted one of the best defensive lines in the country last year, but T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy II provided most of the push up the middle and are gone to the draft. Adding an elite pass-rusher at end to pair with UTSA transfer Trey Moore, who had 14 sacks last year, gives the Longhorns a whole new element on defense. — Dave Wilson
Notre Dame should have one of the best tight end tandems in the country with Mitchell Evans and Eli Raridon. Both are big targets in the passing game and should provide nice safety valves and imposing red zone targets for transfer QB Riley Leonard, but both have a lot of room for growth after solid showings last season. Their success is critical for Notre Dame, too, as the Irish could be something of a work in progress at wideout. — David Hale
The Rebels won’t be lacking for talent in their wide receiver room this season. Tre Harris is back and so is Jordan Watkins, along with South Carolina transfer Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. But the player poised to make the biggest jump is sophomore Cayden Lee, who made his first career start last season in the 38-25 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl win over Penn State. Lee showed flashes of what he’s capable of with three catches for 29 yards against the Nittany Lions. The 5-11, 175-pound Lee has elite speed and is electric after the catch. — Chris Low
Luther Burden III won’t be the only receiver Brady Cook will be throwing touchdown passes to in 2024. Marquis Johnson had his moments as a freshman a year ago. He’ll have even more moments as a sophomore, making for what should be an explosive tandem for the Tigers at wideout. The 5-11, 180-pound Johnson caught 13 passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns last season, including a 76-yard touchdown against Memphis. Along with great speed, Johnson also plays a lot taller than he is. He once high jumped 6-4 when he was in high school. — Low
Quinton Martin (No. 91 in the 2024 ESPN 300) was nothing short of dynamic for Belle Vernon High School in Pennsylvania. The No. 1 player in Pennsylvania decided to stay home. He will add to the impressive stable of running backs the program has produced recently, with Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton spearheading the current roster. How the Nittany Lions choose to use the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Martin, who had 1,945 total yards and 27 total touchdowns as a senior last year, to supplant Allen and Singleton will be interesting to watch. — Baumgartner
Alabama fans were clamoring to see more of freshman running back Justice Haynes last season, but he played primarily on special teams. He got his most work at running back in the Rose Bowl loss to Michigan and should be a major part of the Crimson Tide’s offense in Year 1 under Kalen DeBoer. The 5-11, 205-pound sophomore was ranked by ESPN as the nation’s No. 2 running back prospect coming out of high school and had three touchdowns in Alabama’s spring game a year ago. He has the family background (his father, Verron Haynes, played at Georgia and in the NFL) and the strength, power and speed to emerge as one of the SEC’s most explosive running backs in 2024. — Low
The Utes lost two key defensive backs in NFL-bound safeties Sione Vaki and Cole Bishop, turning the position from a place of strength into a question mark. However, the array of options the Utes have at the position has shown promise, including Tao Johnson — who started 12 games at nickelback in 2023 — and has the ability to slide over to safety, as he did during a few coverages last season. Johnson arrived in Utah as a wide receiver, a position where he got limited time as a freshman in 2022, before making the transition to defense. Last year, Johnson finished with 33 total tackles and five pass deflections and showed the ability to become one of the Utes’ key players on defense in 2024. — Uggetti
The void left behind at slot receiver after Jacob Cowing’s departure is not to be ignored. Cowing caught 90 passes for 848 yards and 13 touchdowns in his final season at Arizona. He may have hinted at who could be up for replacing him when he said freshman Carlos Wilson reminded him a lot of himself. The true freshman from Sacramento, California, has the speed and agility to become a big-play threat for quarterback Noah Fifita immediately, and Cowing himself described Wilson as “electric.” In players like Malachi Riley and Kevin Green Jr., the Wildcats have multiple candidates for wide receivers who could break out in 2024, but soon enough defenses might need to keep an eye on Wilson too. — Uggetti
Tigers running back Kaleb Jackson already had a viral moment early in his freshman season when he stiff-armed a would-be tackler to the ground and then bulldozed defensive back Isaac Smith on a run in a 41-14 victory at Mississippi State. Former LSU receiver Malik Nabers compared Jackson’s powerful running style to former Tigers star Leonard Fournette. ESPN analyst Jesse Palmer compared his massive legs to Eagles star Saquon Barkley’s. Jackson, who played high school football about three miles from Tiger Stadium, ran for 165 yards with four touchdowns as a freshman. With Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. leaving for the NFL, Jackson should have a much bigger role in 2024. — Schlabach
Jadyn Davis (No. 166 in the 2024 ESPN 300) is the first ESPN 300 quarterback to sign with Michigan since J.J. McCarthy in 2021. And Davis might very well replace McCarthy as the pilot of an offense that averaged 382.7 yards last season on the way to winning the national championship. The 6-1, 200-pound Davis completed 71% of his passes for 3,370 yards with 43 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 13 games for Providence Day School (North Carolina), and Wolverines fans will be anxiously awaiting what Davis will be able to do. — Baumgartner
A year ago, safety Peyton Bowen arrived as a five-star recruit, ranked No. 14 nationally, hoping he could help be the future of OU’s defense after a disappointing 2022 season. He was able to carve out a role, playing in all 13 games with two starts, 36 tackles (including a season-high 5 against Texas), a sack, 5 passes broken up and a forced fumble. He also showed off his game-breaking ability with two blocked punts, most in the Big 12. He is poised to play an aggressive style under new defensive coordinator Zac Allen, who worked as an assistant under Sooners coach Brent Venables at Clemson when he was the Tigers’ defensive coordinator. Last year, Allen’s defense at Jacksonville State allowed just 2.8 yards per carry (fourth nationally), and was in the top 10 in turnovers (25) and interceptions (16). — Wilson
When DT Darrell Jackson Jr. transferred to Florida State last year from Miami, he was hopeful the NCAA would grant him a waiver to play because he had made the decision to move closer to his ailing mother. But the NCAA decided to crack down on issuing waivers to two-time transfers, and Jackson ultimately had to sit out. Now, we will get our first extended look at the 6-foot-5, 334-pound redshirt junior since he started 12 games for the Hurricanes in 2022. Coaches have raved about his size, power and athleticism, making him a player to watch this year. — Andrea Adelson
Easy call here. It’s Nico Iamaleava‘s show at quarterback for the Vols. He accounted for four touchdowns in his first start as a freshman last season in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl victory over Iowa and earned MVP honors. Iamaleava served as Joe Milton III’s backup during the 2023 season, and it was only a matter of time before his strong arm, quick release and presence in the pocket pushed him to QB1 for Tennessee. There’s been a ton of hype surrounding Iamaleava ever since he stepped foot on campus. He gets his chance in 2024 to show that he’s as advertised. — Low
It has to be QB Alan Bowman. If Oklahoma State is going to reach its full potential this season, it has to be Bowman. He’s entering his seventh season of college football after spending the first three with Texas Tech, two at Michigan and this past season as Oklahoma State’s starter. He completed just under 61% of his passes for 3,460 yards, 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He’ll be 24 years old by the time the season rolls around; you just have to hope there’s a leap in his game. — Harry Lyles Jr.
NC State has always done a nice job utilizing hybrid players in unique roles, from Jaylen Samuels to Kevin Concepcion. That makes UConn transfer Justin Joly a particularly intriguing addition. He’s a 6-3, 230 pounder who led the Huskies in receiving last year with 56 catches for 578 yards, working ostensibly as a tight end. He’s undersized for that role, but at NC State, he could be a nice option as an in-line blocker, working from the slot or lined up outside. He’ll create mismatches, and that plays right into OC Robert Anae’s playbook. — David Hale
Receiver has been a place for improvement for Clemson the past several years. In 2021, Beaux Collins was the breakout star as a true freshman, but injuries and regression resulted in his transfer after last season. In 2022, Antonio Williams was the team’s leading receiver as a true freshman, but he spent most of 2023 battling injuries. As a result, last year, the Tigers again relied on a true freshman to carry the unit, as Tyler Brown broke out with 52 catches. Still, Clemson hasn’t had a receiver with 700 yards since 2020. Williams should be healthy in 2024, Brown has a year of experience under his belt, and Dabo Swinney is very high on sophomore WR Cole Turner. But the biggest names to watch might be a pair of true freshmen. Bryant Wesco is an early enrollee with huge upside, while TJ Moore is a five-star recruit who figures to make an instant impact, perhaps becoming the fourth-straight true freshman to anchor the Tigers’ receiving corps. — Hale
This one is an easy selection, and it’s quarterback Avery Johnson. Replacing Will Howard, who transferred to Ohio State during the offseason, is a big task, especially given how successful this team has been over the past few seasons. You saw flashes of Johnson’s potential in the Pop Tarts Bowl against NC State, where he threw for two touchdowns, and ran for one more (including an efficient seven carries for 71 yards). He’s a true dual-threat quarterback who will be leading the Wildcats into the future. — Lyles
Tough choice here, as there are several players who are in line to have a big year, particularly among the transfer class. But I will go with transfer WR Caullin Lacy, who was extremely productive during his time at South Alabama. Last season, Lacy ranked fifth in the country in both receptions (91) and receiving yards (1,316) and had eight 100-yard receiving games. Louisville did not have a 1,000-yard receiver a year ago and loses top pass-catcher Jamari Thrash. There’s an opportunity for someone to step up among the group of receivers, and Lacy will have every opportunity to help the Cards put together a far more consistent performance from this position group. — Adelson
Perhaps this doesn’t constitute the entire spirit of a “breakout” player, but I’m going to go with wide receiver Lawrence Arnold. This is a Kansas offense that’s returning Devin Neal at running back, who certainly could have gone to the NFL, and a healthy Jalon Daniels, who we know to be one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Arnold has hit over 700 yards receiving the past two seasons. My hope here is Daniels stays healthy, and Arnold plays with one quarterback all season and breaks through to the 1,000-yard mark for this Kansas offense. — Lyles
Before transfer quarterback Brock Vandagriff signed to play at Georgia in 2021, then-Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley had handpicked him to run his high-octane offense. The former five-star recruit was regarded as one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. In three seasons at Georgia, Vandagriff couldn’t unseat starters Stetson Bennett and Carson Beck. Vandagriff attempted 21 passes at Georgia, and Wildcats coach Mark Stoops is counting on him to lead his offense. Stoops likes Vandagriff’s experience and the fact he’ll bring a winning attitude to the locker room. He’ll get a chance to play his former team when the Bulldogs play at Kentucky on Sept. 14. — Schlabach
We have not seen TE Elijah Arroyo at his full potential because of a knee injury in 2022 that has limited his playing time with the Canes. But now healthy and participating in spring practice, Arroyo could have the type of season that adds his name to all the others who have come through Tight End U. Coaches believe he has had as good or better an offseason as anyone in the program. At 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds, Arroyo has the type of size to be a matchup advantage for the Canes, who have made it a priority, with Arroyo healthy, to make sure the tight end is incorporated far more into the passing game. — Adelson
Rueben Owens, who’s a 6-2, 200-pound running back, was one of the most coveted recruits in the country in the 2023 class, and he was a late recruiting win for Jimbo Fisher before the December signing day. Owens showed what he can do as a freshman, running for 385 yards and three touchdowns. New offensive coordinator Collin Klein’s arrival from Kansas State should be a huge boost for Owens and the Aggie running game in general, which ranked 90th last season. In both of Klein’s two seasons as OC in Manhattan, K-State ranked in the top 15 nationally in rushing offense, including 11th last year (averaging 204.1 yards per game and 4.98 yards per carry to A&M’s 136.2 and 3.88 ypc). Owens stands to benefit from the new era in Aggieland. — Wilson
For the first time, MLB is putting some of the sport’s top geographical battles together in a rivalry weekend that begins Thursday night.
Because the matchups are built around natural location rivalries, some of this week’s series will bring the heat (Juan Soto‘s return to the Bronx for a Mets-Yankees showdown, for starters) while others have significantly less juice (Rockies-Diamondbacks, we’re looking at you).
With that in mind, we took the liberty of putting the rivalry weekend matchups in tiers, from the spiciest showdowns to the biggest stretches — then we identified the true current rivals for every MLB team.
The most heated rivalries
What makes it a rivalry: This is one of those old, intrastate civic rivalries that bubbled in the minors (the Texas League in this case) for decades and grew slowly at the big league level once interleague play began. This one really took off a little more than a decade ago with the Astros joined the Rangers in the AL West. It has a name — the “Silver Boot Series” — and plenty of on-field enmity emerging in recent years. They represent Texas’ two biggest metro areas, both of which stake claim to being the hub of the Lone Star-verse, and compete for the same things: the AL West, the AL pennant and the right to claim Nolan Ryan as their own.
One thing to watch: There have been a lot of high-powered offenses in these rivalry matchups, but this year the pendulum has swung towards run prevention for both teams. The Astros have featured an offense that’s been a little below league average, a level to which the Texas batsmen would love to reach. But both pitching staffs rank in the top 10 by ERA+. Expect tight, low-scoring tussles. — Bradford Doolittle
Each team’s true rivals
Rangers: Astros. To a lesser degree, AL West rivals such as the Angels, Mariners and Athletics
Astros: Rangers — plus the added weight of basically being everyone’s hated rival since the franchise was rocked by scandal a few years back
What makes it a rivalry: The Subway Series, like most matchups on this list, derives from geography. New York City has a rich baseball history, and these are its two baseball franchises. About 10 miles and a 50-minute subway trek with a transfer at Grand Central separate the two ballparks. They’re so close that, in 2003, they played the first game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium and the second at Shea Stadium. But there’s more than geography here. The two clubs have battled for the city’s attention since the Mets debuted in 1962 — with the Yankees almost always boxing out their Queens counterparts. They met in the 2000 World Series when Roger Clemens threw a piece of lumber at Mike Piazza. And, a quarter century later, little brother (the Mets) seem poised to challenge big brother’s standing for years to come after convincing Soto to leave the Bronx behind.
One thing to watch: Soto’s return to the Bronx will be cinema. The right fielder’s relationship with Yankees fans in his one season in the Bronx, particularly with the Bleacher Creatures beyond the right-field wall, became a storyline of its own. They showered Soto with love and he gave it right back. They chanted “Re-sign Soto!” and he played along. Then he didn’t re-sign and all that love went off the RFK Bridge. Soto will undoubtedly receive raucous boos from offended crowds who still can’t believe he chose the Mets over their team. If Soto’s history is any indication, the scorn will fuel him. — Jorge Castillo
Each team’s true rivals
Yankees: Red Sox, Mets
Mets: Braves, Phillies, Yankees
What makes it a rivalry: Mizzou. Not entirely, but the University of Missouri sits right smack between Busch Stadium and Kauffman Stadium. When innumerable high school grads from the state head to Columbia, there they encounter a whole population of baseball fans rooting for the wrong team. Having experienced this directly, I can recall stories of lines being drawn inside of fraternity houses during the 1985 World Series, keeping fans of the combatants separated. And of course there’s that World Series, now 40 years ago, the outcome of which Cardinals fans of a certain age still whine about.
One thing to watch: Both teams are rolling, having rebounded from sub-.500 starts to leap into the playoff chase. In a reversal of the recent fortunes of the franchises, the Royals’ snap-back was expected and it’s the Cardinals’ sudden rise that is the shocker. However you frame it, the Royals and Cardinals will clash with both teams riding sizable waves of momentum. — Doolittle
Each team’s true rivals
Cardinals: Cubs
Royals: Cardinals — and the Yankees for a time in the 1970s
What makes it a rivalry: Separated by 5.5 miles on the L (subway), the Cubs and Sox are natural rivals, divided by the North and South sides of the city. Growing up a fan of one undoubtedly means not being a fan of the other. The rivalry ebbs and flows as both teams are rarely good at the same time though that hasn’t stopped the two fan bases from duking it out — oftentimes in the stands. A home plate collision — and brawl — between catchers A.J Pierzynski and Michael Barret in 2006 only heightened tensions between the clubs.
One thing to watch: Before assuming the Cubs will sweep the lowly White Sox, consider the teams give up nearly the same amount of runs per game. In fact, the South Siders have a better bullpen by the numbers. And perhaps this is the game where Luis Robert Jr rights his season. He has a career .992 OPS against the Cubs including a 1.063 mark at Wrigley Field. Keep an eye on those fights in the stands. There’s usually a couple that go viral. — Jesse Rogers
Each team’s true rivals
Cubs: Cardinals, with the Brewers a close second, then the White Sox
White Sox: Twins, Cubs
These matchups should be fun
What makes it a rivalry: About 250 miles via Interstate 71 separate these in-state rivals, as there’s no love lost between Cleveland and Cincinnati. Cleveland has mostly owned this matchup, winning 76 of the 135 times (.563) they’ve played. In fact, the Reds haven’t won the season series against Cleveland in a decade, last beating them 3 out of 4 in 2014. Terry Francona facing his old team should add some spice to the match-up.
One thing to watch: Francona’s reception from the Guardians faithful will have to wait until next month when the teams square off in Cleveland so this weekend is about the Reds trying to break that decade-long slump against their rivals. They’ll have to contend with Jose Ramirez, who has a career .935 OPS against Cincinnati including 12 of his 45 interleague home runs. — Rogers
Each team’s true rivals
Guardians: Twins
Reds: Cardinals
What makes it a rivalry: “Bay Bridge Series” no longer works now that the A’s have moved out of Oakland and into Sacramento, about 90 miles away. That’s a shame — there used to be some real juice here, highlighted by an encounter in the 1989 World Series, an A’s sweep in a series best remembered for a terrifying earthquake. But the real rivalry here was among the fans. And given how betrayed the people of Oakland feel after watching their baseball team relocate, that element is long gone.
One thing to watch: Matt Chapman represented a better time in A’s history. The organization drafted him in the first round in 2014, then watched him come up and star on teams that made three consecutive playoff appearances from 2018 to 2020. Chapman was traded shortly thereafter, yet another symbol of the frugality that has plagued this franchise for decades. The A’s haven’t done much right since then, but they’ve held Chapman to four hits and zero home runs in 25 at-bats over these last two years. — Alden Gonzalez
Each team’s true rivals
Giants: Dodgers, Athletics
Athletics: Giants, Angels
What makes it a rivalry: Nothing spices up a rivalry quite like a shared interstate highway and media rights drama. The Beltway Series is just two decades old — the Expos crossed the border to become the Nationals in 2005 — and it has lacked much on-field intrigue. Off the field, particularly inside courtrooms, is another matter. A synopsis: Baltimore was the incumbent team in the region before the Nationals existed. To appease the Orioles, who opposed a franchise entering their market, MLB ordered Nationals games to be broadcasted by MASN — the Orioles-owned television network in perpetuity. Soon enough, the franchises disagreed on the rights fees MASN should pay the Nationals. The Orioles took the matter to court in 2014, igniting a legal battle that finally ended in March when MLB dissolved the agreement, allowing for the Nationals to pursue selling its local TV rights on the open market. This is their first meeting since. Drama.
One thing to watch: These two teams feature exciting young cores on slightly different championship contention timelines. Or so that was the expectation. While the Nationals are, as projected, in fourth place in the NL East and en route to not reaching the postseason for the sixth straight season, the Orioles have face-planted out of the gate with World Series aspirations after consecutive postseason appearances. The Orioles can’t stand to sit in last place much longer. All eyes are on whether they can dig themselves out of this hole. — Castillo
Each team’s true rivals
Nationals: Phillies
Orioles: Yankees and Red Sox
What makes it a rivalry: They share a spring training complex in Peoria, Arizona, neither franchise has won a World Series, and they used to make a lot of trades with each other — indeed, the Mariners’ top two relievers, Andres Munoz and Matt Brash, were acquired from the Padres in two separate trades made on the same day in 2020. The Mariners’ largest comeback in franchise history came against the Padres, a 16-13 victory in 2016 after trailing 12-2. But this is hardly a heated rivalry — it really came about only because neither team had a logical opponent back when interleague play began in 1997.
One thing to watch: With both teams battling for first place, it’s been forever since either team won a division title: 2006 for the Padres and 2001 for the Mariners. Both teams also have early MVP candidates to focus on: Fernando Tatis Jr. leads the NL in WAR and Cal Raleigh is among the leaders in the non-Aaron Judge mix in the AL — and has played every game, starting at either catcher or DH. — David Schoenfield
Each team’s true rivals
Padres: Dodgers (arguably the best rivalry in the game right now!)
Mariners: None, really. The Astros would be the most hated among Mariners fans right now, but you can say that about every team in the AL West.
Well, the geography does line up …
What makes it a rivalry: Back in 2011, the Dodgers were navigating Frank McCourt’s financial mess and Angels owner Arte Moreno saw an opportunity. He signed Albert Pujols and inked a lucrative cable deal that came with the hopes of supplanting the Dodgers as the “it” team in Southern California. The opposite occurred. Guggenheim purchased the Dodgers in spring 2012, then signed an even bigger cable deal, hired Andrew Friedman to lead baseball operations, and the franchise eventually became the industry’s standard-bearer. The Angels, meanwhile, are trending toward a 10th consecutive losing season and saw Shohei Ohtani spurn them for the Dodgers two offseasons ago. Moreno and his lieutenants despise the Dodgers, but the gap between the two teams has become so wide — in track record, financials, resources and reputation — that it doesn’t matter.
One thing to watch: Clayton Kershaw makes his return from offseason toe and knee surgeries Saturday, and the Dodgers need him far more than they ever anticipated. Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki are all on the injured list with shoulder injuries. Ohtani, meanwhile, is still methodically going through his pitching rehab and isn’t expected back until some time after the All-Star break. Kershaw is in his age-37 season, but he has looked sharp through five rehab starts, posting a 2.57 ERA in 21 innings. — Gonzalez
Each team’s true rivals
Dodgers: Giants, Padres, Diamondbacks, Braves, Astros, Yankees
Angels: Rangers, Mariners, Astros
What makes it a rivalry: Let’s be honest here, this isn’t even the best rivalry between Tampa and Miami. The NHL version between the Lightning and Panthers is much more intense and competitive, with both franchises having won Stanley Cups this decade (the Lightning in 2020 and 2021 and the Panthers in 2024). The Rays have dominated the head-to-head play of late, going 24-4 since 2019.
One thing to watch: The Rays have to view this as a chance to jump-start their season given their recent dominance over the Marlins. Chandler Simpson is fun to watch with his blazing speed but hasn’t really been all that valuable for the Rays. For the Marlins, they need Sandy Alcantara to get going, but the former Cy Young winner has struggled in his return from Tommy John surgery. He should start on Sunday. — Schoenfield
Each team’s true rivals
Rays: Yankees (although obviously the Rays aren’t the Yankees’ biggest rival)
Marlins: Braves. As Marlins fans can point out, they do have more World Series titles than the Braves since 1997
What makes it a rivalry: If playing in the same state isn’t enough to define a rivalry, then how about playing in more than 2,300 games against each other to do it? From 1969 to 1994, the Phillies and Pirates were both in the NL East, giving each city ample time to dislike the other side, each and every year. Though the Phillies have been the better team recently, it’s the Pirates who own a decided edge in the all-time series, winning 1230 games to 1085 for Philadelphia. Pirate favorite Andrew McCutchen went to the other side for three seasons before returning to earn boos from the Philly faithful who used to cheer him.
One thing to watch: When it comes to the Pirates these days, there’s literally one thing to watch: Paul Skenes. This will be his first time facing Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and a Phillies offense that ranks in the top 10 in OPS. Skenes is coming off one of his better outings in a loss to the Mets on Monday — though he only struck out six in six innings. In fact, Skenes hasn’t hit double digits in strikeouts in a single outing this season. That trend might continue this weekend, as the Phillies are one of the tougher teams to whiff this season. — Rogers
Each team’s true rivals:
Phillies: Mets (with the Braves gaining ground)
Pirates: The Phillies — but the Cubs aren’t far behind
What makes it a rivalry: “The Border Battle” — the uninspired moniker for this rivalry — is almost entirely a product of geographic overlap. As best I can tell, insofar as there is bad blood between Milwaukee/Wisconsin and Minneapolis/Minnesota, it’s as much a carryover from the Packers-Vikings rivalry in the NFL as anything. And of course the Wisconsin-Minnesota college football rivalry is the most played of all the traditional rivalries. In baseball, the Twins and Brewers were briefly in the same division and were both in the AL for a long time. But other than claiming rights to Larry Hisle and Paul Molitor, it’s always struck me as too friendly. Midwest nice.
One thing to watch: The Brewers have yet to get hot this season for any prolonged stretch, though they did recover from their wretched season-opening series at Yankee Stadium; Milwaukee has hovered around .500 all season. That’s where Minnesota is as well but they got there in different ways. The Twins started slow and have gotten red hot lately. Their problem is that all the non-White Sox teams in the Central have been hot, so Minnesota has hardly gained any ground in the standings. When this series begins, both rivals are still establishing whatever their 2025 identities turn out to be. — Doolittle
Each team’s true rivals
Brewers: Cubs, Cardinals
Twins: Royals, White Sox, Twins
What are we doing here?!
What makes it a rivalry: Once upon a time, this was a heated AL East affair. That changed when the Tigers moved to the AL Central in 1998. Still, just a four-hour, 230-mile/370-kilometer drive separates the two cities and, with the Expos long gone, the Blue Jays don’t have a Canadian sibling franchise to loathe. Maybe the recent tense U.S.-Canada relations will make for a zestier-than-usual weekend in Toronto.
One thing to watch: The Tigers are proving their stunning finish to the 2024 season was no fluke. They own the best record in the American League behind a starting rotation headed by reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. The good news for Toronto is they won’t face Skubal this weekend as they seek to remain within striking distance in the AL East. The bad news is Chris Bassitt and Kevin Gausman, two of their three best starters, won’t toe the rubber either. — Castillo
Each team’s true rivals
Blue Jays: Expos
Tigers: White Sox
What makes it a rivalry: This is always a fun series for history buffs since the Braves and Red Sox are both “Original 16” franchises, but they’ve never met in a World Series and this rivalry is really just based on the fact that the Braves played in Boston from 1876 to 1952. That doesn’t have much relevance for 2025. Seven Hall of Famers have played for both franchises: Babe Ruth, Cy Young, Jimmy Collins, Al Simmons, Orlando Cepeda, John Smoltz and Billy Wagner.
One thing to watch: We get a stellar pitching matchup on Friday between 2024 Cy Young winner Chris Sale for the Braves and 2025 Cy Young contender Garrett Crochet for the Red Sox. Sale is 1-3 with a 3.97 ERA, but has fanned 64 in 47⅔ innings. Crochet is 4-2 with a 1.93 ERA and 65 Ks in 56 innings. — Schoenfield
Each team’s true rivals
Braves: Probably still the Mets, but Braves-Phillies has escalated since 2022
Red Sox: Yankees
What makes it a rivalry: They’re … both kinda new? (The Rockies were born in 1993, the Diamondbacks in ’98.) They’re … kinda close? (It’s a two-hour flight or a 13-hour drive between their respective cities.) They … like the color purple? (The D-backs recently brought theirs back.) OK, we’re getting a little too cute. It’s not like there’s nothing here. They play in the same division, and they really got after it twice: 2007, when the D-backs won the NL West and the Rockies swept them in the NLCS; and 2017, when they met in the wild-card game. But there hasn’t been much since.
One thing to watch: Corbin Carroll slashed .299/.426/.529 in 25 games against the Rockies from 2023 to 2024, a two-year stretch in which they lost a combined 204 games. Carroll is off to a blazing start, and now he’ll get to feast on a Rockies pitching staff that holds the worst ERA in the majors. The D-backs have won 19 of 26 games against the Rockies over these past two years. That should come as no surprise. — Gonzalez
Each team’s true rivals
Diamondbacks: Dodgers, Padres
Rockies: Dodgers
WASHINGTON — Andrei Svechnikov scored the go-ahead goal with just under two minutes left and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Washington Capitals 3-1 in Game 5 on Thursday night, winning the second-round series and advancing to the Eastern Conference finals for a second time in three years.
Captain Jordan Staal scored his first goal of the playoffs, and Frederik Andersen stopped 18 of the 19 shots he faced, including several on Alex Ovechkin.
After a give-and-go with defenseman Sean Walker, Svechnikov’s shot got through Logan Thompson from a bad angle with 1:59 remaining, and that was the difference in a back-and-forth game.
Seth Jarvis sealed it with an empty-net goal with 26.1 seconds left.
The Hurricanes improved to 10-5 in potential closeout games in seven trips to the postseason with coach Rod Brind’Amour. They will face either the Florida Panthers in a rematch of the 2023 East finals or the Toronto Maple Leafs in a reminder of 2002. The Panthers are up 3-2 in their series with the chance to eliminate the Maple Leafs as soon as Friday night.
Carolina is 35-7-2 through 82 games and then two rounds when scoring first.
Despite an unassisted goal by Anthony Beauvillier and some important saves among the 18 from Thompson, the Capitals saw their season end after finishing atop the conference and the Metropolitan Division, and beating the Montreal Canadiens in the first round to win a playoff series for the first time since their Stanley Cup run in 2018. Washington started strong, got a few quality scoring chances but could not get through tight-checking defense to prolong the series.
After giving up the backbreaker to Svechnikov, Thompson was pulled for an extra attacker and the Capitals were unable to equalize and let Jarvis get to the loose puck for his empty-netter.
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