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In what could be a season-long battle, the Braves and Dodgers were once again vying for our top spot in this week’s Power Rankings, with Atlanta just barely edging out Los Angeles.

Another team might soon be in that mix, as the Yankees have the most wins in the majors at 13.

The Astros — New York’s storied American League foe and fellow powerhouse — are struggling to start the campaign, falling out of our top 10 and all the way to No. 17 as they sit in last place in the AL West. How concerned should Houston be?

And what should we make of some of these early-season trends we’ve seen across the league?

Our expert panel has combined to rank every team in baseball based on a combination of what we’ve seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts David Schoenfield, Bradford Doolittle, Jesse Rogers, Alden Gonzalez and Jorge Castillo to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.

Week 2 | Preseason rankings

Record: 12-5

Previous ranking: 2

Ozzie Albies will be sidelined for at least a couple of weeks after fracturing his right big toe when hit by a pitch. He had been off to a nice start with a .317 average and ranked second on the team behind Marcell Ozuna with 14 RBIs. Meanwhile, after getting off to a slow start in the power department and going homerless in the team’s first 16 games, Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a home run in Wednesday’s extra-inning win over the Astros. His longest homerless streak last year was 14 games. If there’s a reason to be slightly worried he isn’t going to match his MVP numbers of 2023, it is that his strikeout rate has spiked back up to around 24%, where it was in 2022, after it dropped to 11.4% last season. That’s something to watch. — Schoenfield


Record: 12-9

Previous ranking: 1

It turns out the Dodgers aren’t immune to the industrywide frailty of starting pitching. Bobby Miller, their promising young flamethrower, is on the injured list with shoulder inflammation. And though the Dodgers don’t currently believe it’s serious, shoulder ailments are always a cause for concern. Emmet Sheehan, meanwhile, has been battling forearm inflammation since the early part of spring training, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said recently it is “a longer-term situation.” Given the injury histories of others such as Tyler Glasnow, Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw and James Paxton, there’s certainly some anxiety about the season-long health of the Dodgers’ starting rotation. Or, at least, there should be. — Gonzalez


Record: 13-6

Previous ranking: 3

The Yankees jumped out to a sterling 12-3 record, winning close games late, despite Aaron Judge‘s sluggish start. Then they lost three games in a row, and the focus on Judge’s productivity intensified. The all-world slugger is hitting .183 with 22 strikeouts in 19 games. The AL-leading 16 walks are encouraging, but Judge hasn’t done his usual damage to pitches in the zone. An abdominal issue hindered him in March, limiting him to 22 spring training at-bats, but he insisted this week that wasn’t a factor. History suggests it’s only a matter of time before Judge, who will turn 32 years old later this month, starts smashing baseballs on the regular. The sooner he does, the likelier the Yankees can continue their promising start without ace Gerrit Cole. — Castillo


Record: 12-6

Previous ranking: 4

Two years ago, the hype in Baltimore was centered on Adley Rutschman. Last season was Gunnar Henderson‘s turn as the hotshot rookie. Jackson Holliday has snatched the spotlight in 2024. And all for good reason, as the three are on superstar tracks. But the Orioles’ promising young position-player core doesn’t stop at them. Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser would’ve garnered more attention atop other organizations’ prospect rankings. Instead, they slid under the radar through the Orioles’ system, and they now are shining in Baltimore. Westburg, the club’s 25-year-old starting third baseman, has a .317 average with four home runs and a .979 OPS. Cowser, its 24-year-old outfielder, is batting .400 with four home runs and a 1.229 OPS. Such complimentary players make the Orioles legitimate World Series contenders. — Castillo


Record: 10-9

Previous ranking: 5

Even in a season with early storylines dominated by widespread injuries, especially to pitchers, Texas has stood out with its ever-lengthening IL. Cody Bradford is the latest addition after turning up with a sore back. He won all three of his first starts, posting a 1.40 ERA with 17 strikeouts and just two walks over 19⅓ innings. As a result, the Rangers will summon Jack Leiter from Triple-A to make his MLB debut. Leiter, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft out of Vanderbilt, has struggled with control even as he has gradually climbed the ladder in Texas’ system.

This year, however, he has looked like a new pitcher. After flashing better stuff and a command that had improved by leaps and bounds during the spring, Leiter followed that with 25 strikeouts and just three walks over 14⅓ innings to start his Triple-A season, though he has been a bit long-ball-prone. Still, if he can translate the improvement to Globe Life Field, the injury spate will have generated at least one silver lining for the reigning champs. — Doolittle


Record: 11-8

Previous ranking: 6

Ranger Suarez threw his second career complete game and shutout against the Rockies on Tuesday to improve to 3-0 with a 1.73 ERA through his first four starts. The only other complete game in the majors this season has been Ronel Blanco‘s no-hitter. It also was just the fourth shutout since the 2018 season in which a starter allowed at least seven hits; to put that in perspective and show how much the game has changed, in 1972, there were 60 such shutouts. Suarez is throwing his sinker more — up from 28% last season to 38.5% — even though he isn’t throwing it as hard (averaging just 90.9 mph). But batters are hitting only .174 against it and are a combined 0-for-24 against his four-seamer and changeup. — Schoenfield


Record: 11-7

Previous ranking: 8

It has been the Michael Busch show so far in Chicago, as the rookie first baseman tied an MLB record by hitting a home run in five straight games (no rookie has hit six). Busch, acquired from the Dodgers over the winter, has mastered the strike zone at a very young age, rarely chasing while showing the power that kept the Cubs afloat during a long West Coast trip to start the season. That combination of plate discipline and home run ability is a nod to a former Cubs All-Star, Anthony Rizzo. Busch might finally be his replacement. — Rogers


Record: 12-6

Previous ranking: 10

A key to the team’s hot start has been the bullpen, which has one of the lowest ERAs in the majors. Leading the way has been Hunter Gaddis with 8⅔ scoreless innings. The former starter bounced between the majors and Triple-A last season, but he always has been homer-prone as a starter. In relief, his fastball velocity has jumped 3 mph to 96.5 mph while he has relied mostly on just a two-pitch fastball/slider repertoire. Rookie Cade Smith, who fanned 95 in 62 innings in the minors in 2023, also looks like an impact reliever, using a 95 to 96 mph fastball to set up a wipeout splitter. — Schoenfield


Record: 11-6

Previous ranking: 11

Christian Yelich has been here before. Another back ailment has him sidelined for the foreseeable future, meaning Milwaukee will be missing its best hitter. It might already be having an impact, as the Brewers won the first full game Yelich missed then lost the next three, scoring a total of eight runs. The good news is that Yelich isn’t expected to miss a lot of time, but back injuries are tricky — and can linger. Milwaukee will need others to provide offense, though it will be hard to replace his 217 OPS+ to start the season. — Rogers


Record: 9-10

Previous ranking: 14

The Diamondbacks caught the attention of the entire industry with a splashy offseason. But early on, it has been their mainstays who have mostly been carrying them. Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, who have long fortified the top of their rotation, have combined for a 1.93 ERA through each of their first four turns in the rotation. Ketel Marte and Christian Walker, meanwhile, entered Wednesday slashing a combined .291/.385/.500 with eight home runs, including Marte’s ninth-inning, game-tying homer against the Cubs on Tuesday that gave the D-backs their fifth win in seven games. — Gonzalez


Record: 11-10

Previous ranking: 16

The Padres certainly aren’t as talented as they were a year ago; it’s tough to expect that when you remove Juan Soto, Blake Snell and Josh Hader from a roster. But the sense from those who have watched them closely this year is that they might be a better team. That they fight a little harder. That they seem more capable of overcoming deficits. Some of that scrappiness was on display over the weekend, when they took two of three from the Dodgers in Los Angeles. The Padres enter an off day with five wins in their past seven games. And while Fernando Tatis Jr. has been leading the way, they’ve been getting meaningful contributions throughout their roster. — Gonzalez


Record: 10-9

Previous ranking: 15

Justin Turner was the oldest position player on an Opening Day roster this season — but he isn’t playing like it. The 39-year-old is slashing .333/.424/.519 as the Blue Jays’ primary designated hitter after signing a one-year deal for the second consecutive offseason. The production has been crucial for a Toronto club otherwise light on offense with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette not producing at their usual levels. At this rate, Turner will have a job after his 40th birthday — wherever that might be. — Castillo


Record: 12-7

Previous ranking: 21

After some early upheaval in the Royals’ bullpen, it looks like James McArthur has moved to the top of the leverage index hierarchy. McArthur’s pro career has been a slow burn. A 12th-round pick by the Phillies in 2018, he was developed primarily as a starter, but after struggling in his first exposure to Triple-A early last season, Philadelphia designated him for assignment to free up a 40-man roster slot. The Royals leaped at the opportunity, acquiring him in a trade, and his trajectory has been one of rapid ascension ever since. Not a traditional-style closer, McArthur mixes a sinker/slider combo with a quality curveball and leans heavily on the command he improved after joining Kansas City. As a minor leaguer, he walked four batters per nine innings; as a Royal, he has issued just 0.8 walks per nine innings. — Doolittle


Record: 11-8

Previous ranking: 12

Pittsburgh was counting on the back end of its bullpen to help carry it this year, but the team ranks in the lower half of the majors in ERA while both David Bednar and Aroldis Chapman have struggled. Chapman has a 1.41 WHIP, walking six in 5⅔ innings, while Bednar and his then 10.13 ERA (which has now risen to 13.50) got booed at home. Bednar has given up nine runs in six innings. If either or both sharpen up, the Pirates might have some lasting power in their division, as they’ve performed well in other aspects of their game. — Rogers


Record: 10-9

Previous ranking: 13

To compete for another AL East title, the Rays will need much more from Yandy Diaz and Randy Arozarena — and soon. Diaz was one of the premier hitters in the sport last season, winning the AL batting crown with a .330 average. His 158 OPS+ was tied for seventh in the majors. He currently is hitting .211, while Arozarena, an October performer, has been even worse with a .174 batting average. The Rays managed a 10-9 start without their expected production, going 3-0 in one-run games, but they will need the pair to get going in order to remain in the division race. — Castillo


Record: 9-9

Previous ranking: 18

Nick Lodolo‘s return to the mound went spectacularly after he shut out the White Sox over the weekend, pitching 5⅔ innings while striking out 10. His one-hit, one-walk performance was reminiscent of his first year in the big leagues, in 2022, when he finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting. Lodolo missed most of last season with a left tibia injury, but he is fully healthy now and should be a big part of the Reds’ quest for the playoffs. — Rogers


Record: 6-14

Previous ranking: 7

As Astros fans sweat out the team’s slow start, one gleaming bright spot has been the vintage production by longtime Houston stalwart Jose Altuve. With five early homers, he has continued to produce plenty of the kind of power that has marked the second half of a career that should eventually land him in Cooperstown. Suddenly, Altuve is back to mixing that punch with the kind of elite average that made him a three-time batting champion by age 27. So far, he has hit everything hard and in the air, adding eight doubles to his home run count, a combination that gave him the early National League lead in total bases. Altuve’s line drive rate over the opening weeks of the season was just over 30%, a rate he has reached over a full season only once in his career. At age 34, he has never looked better at the dish. — Doolittle


Record: 10-9

Previous ranking: 9

Another week, another round of injuries for the Red Sox. Already without Lucas Giolito and Trevor Story for the season — and Nick Pivetta for an extended period — Rafael Devers and Garrett Whitlock both exited Tuesday’s loss with ailments. Whitlock was pulled from his start after four innings with oblique tightness. Devers, the franchise’s cornerstone third baseman, left in the eighth inning with left knee discomfort. Devers already has missed four games this season with a sore shoulder. His latest setback came a day after he collided with Tyler O’Neill in the field, which resulted in O’Neill needing eight stitches above his eye. Tuesday’s loss dropped the Red Sox to last place in the competitive AL East after a torrid start. Not much is going right in Boston at the moment. — Castillo


Record: 10-8

Previous ranking: 17

The season is still in its infancy stage, but perhaps we already know two things about the 2024 Tigers: They don’t hit for much power, but they’re really good defensively. They have a .326 slugging percentage and 14 home runs, both of which ranked below the output of every team except the lowly White Sox. But the Tigers have been one of only five teams with at least six outs above average, a primary reason — alongside the dominance of Tarik Skubal — they won 10 of their first 18 games. A full season of Parker Meadows in center field, which shifts Riley Greene to a corner spot, has been a major factor. — Gonzalez


Record: 10-8

Previous ranking: 25

Everyone wanted to immediately write off the Mets after that 0-5 start, but since then, they’ve won consecutive series against the Reds, Braves, Royals and Pirates — all teams with winning records. The Mets have gone 10-3 following that winless stretch, and the pitching staff has allowed just one run in six games. Jose Butto had an impressive start against the Royals, allowing two hits with nine strikeouts over six scoreless innings while the bullpen has been among the best in the majors in strikeouts and strikeout rate. The surprise there has been 31-year-old Reed Garrett, who had 31 career major league appearances heading into 2024 with a 7.11 ERA but who now hasn’t allowed a run while fanning 17 in 8⅔ innings. — Schoenfield


Record: 9-10

Previous ranking: 19

What in the world is going on with Julio Rodriguez? The Mariners’ franchise player earned plenty of deserved MVP support in each of his first two seasons. Still only 23 years old — he won’t turn 24 until Dec. 29 — his power bat has gone walkabout early in his 2024 campaign. Rodriguez hit just .219 over Seattle’s first 19 games, and that’s actually the bright spot in his slash line. Only one of his first 14 hits went for extra bases — before he doubled twice on Wednesday — and he has walked just four times against 27 strikeouts. The sample is very small, and he already has put up enough of a track record to earn the benefit of the doubt. The Mariners certainly aren’t about to yank J-Rod out of the lineup. Nevertheless, Seattle fans will be heartened when he resumes his superstar trajectory. — Doolittle


Record: 9-10

Previous ranking: 23

Free-agent-to-be Paul Goldschmidt is off to a slow start, compiling a miniscule OPS+ through the first couple of weeks. The 36-year-old has the highest strikeout-to-walk ratio since his rookie season. Odds are those numbers will start to normalize. But combined with his lack of power — he has just one home run — some might doubt if he can still be the type of dangerous hitter that has defined his career. Another month of at-bats should help paint a clearer picture. — Rogers


Record: 6-11

Previous ranking: 20

Already without Royce Lewis, the Twins placed Carlos Correa on the IL on Saturday. The good news is that while he was originally diagnosed with an oblique strain, that was changed to a “mild” intercostal strain. The bad news, however, is that Correa and Lewis are the Twins’ two best hitters, and scoring runs has been a huge issue in Minnesota so far in 2024. The Twins have tallied just 58 runs in 17 games. Only the A’s and White Sox have scored fewer. But those teams were expected to finish in last place; the Twins have division title aspirations. Strong pitching can only take them so far — even in the AL Central. — Castillo


Record: 9-9

Previous ranking: 24

Early in the season, we noted Nolan Schanuel‘s first-week home run as a positive sign for an on-base machine who needs to develop a modicum of power in order to be a first-division regular as a big league first baseman. Alas, that was not a harbinger of things to come. Since that dinger on April 1, he had added just two singles over his next 10 games before knocking three hits, all singles, on Wednesday. The 11th pick in last year’s draft, Schanuel rocketed to the majors by the end of his first professional season. The Angels might soon have to make a decision on whether he will be able to finish off his rapid-fire development plan at the big league level. — Doolittle


Record: 8-11

Previous ranking: 22

There was some surprise when the Giants signed Jordan Hicks and revealed he was transitioning into a starter after pitching out of the bullpen for the entirety of his major league career. That could not be going any better thus far. The 27-year-old right-hander has fashioned a 1.57 ERA through his first four starts, striking out 18 batters and issuing six walks in 23 innings. “He’s talented,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said, “but what’s impressed me most is the mix of pitches he uses now. It was mostly fastball/slider; now he’s got a sweeper, a split. His velocity will go anywhere from 92 to 100 mph, which is very tough for a hitter to keep track of.” — Gonzalez


Record: 8-10

Previous ranking: 26

With Victor Robles sidelined due to a hamstring strain, Jacob Young has seen regular duty in center field over the past two weeks — and he is kind of an intriguing player, with his elite speed and ability to put the ball in play. A seventh-round pick out of Florida in 2021, Young played 33 games last season and hit .252/.322/.336 while going 13-for-13 stealing bases (and he already is 6-for-6 in 2024). His lack of power might limit him to fourth outfielder status in the long run, but if he can slap the ball around and learn to draw a few more walks, maybe he can post a high enough OBP to remain a regular. Time is simply running out on Robles, who was a valuable part of the 2019 World Series championship team but hasn’t hit enough since. — Schoenfield


Record: 8-11

Previous ranking: 28

Last week, we made some observations about Oakland’s usage of Mason Miller as its closer, specifically how such a role might inhibit his possible long-term development as a starting pitcher. While those concerns are real, we probably need to balance that analysis with this: The spectacle of Miller closing out a win has become one of baseball’s must-see events. The list of this season’s fastest pitches is dominated by his four-seamer, which has averaged over 100 mph and gets up near 104 when he really airs it out. While he only complements the heater with a slider, he has commanded that pitch well so that when he mixes it in after one or two of those four-seamers with their exceptional carry, he has at times made big league hitters look like little leaguers. If you notice the A’s nursing a late-inning lead, do yourself a favor and tune in. — Doolittle


Record: 4-15

Previous ranking: 27

OK, we actually have a couple of pieces of positive news here. Edward Cabrera made his first start and looked impressive against the Giants, striking out 10 batters while allowing one run in six innings. He averaged 96.2 mph with his fastball and, most importantly, pounded the strike zone and walked just one batter. Cabrera’s stuff has never been an issue; throwing strikes has (he averaged 6.2 walks per nine innings last season). Meanwhile, Ryan Weathers reeled off consecutive wins, tossing five shutout innings against the Yankees then fanning a career-high 10 in six innings against the Giants. Weathers didn’t have much success when he was with the Padres, but this is a young player who was rushed to the majors and is still just 24 years old. His sweeper and changeup have, so far, been inducing much more swing-and-misses. — Schoenfield


Record: 4-15

Previous ranking: 29

Kris Bryant, the Rockies’ high-priced outfielder, crashed into the right-field wall while making a catch Saturday and landed on the IL with a back strain on Wednesday. The Rockies don’t expect his latest ailment to be serious, but injuries continue to be a problem for Bryant. He appeared in just 122 games in the first two seasons of his seven-year, $182 million contract while dealing with plantar fasciitis, a heel bruise, a fractured index finger and, in 2022, a lower-back issue. He was slashing just .149/.273/.255 through his first 13 games this season. — Gonzalez


Record: 3-15

Previous ranking: 30

A ray of hope amid the organization’s early-season struggles might come in the form of young arms acquired in July when the team began its trade deadline overhaul. Righty Nick Nastrini looked solid in his MLB debut on Monday night against the Royals, giving up two runs over five innings while striking out five. Meanwhile, reliever Jordan Leasure hasn’t yielded a run over six appearances. Both players came via a trade with the Dodgers for Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly — two pitchers who might be winding down their careers just as Nastrini and Leasure are starting theirs. — Rogers

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‘I didn’t know Kyle Tucker spoke’: Why the ‘silent assassin’ could be MLB’s next $400 million star

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'I didn't know Kyle Tucker spoke': Why the 'silent assassin' could be MLB's next 0 million star

TEN YEARS AGO in Tampa, Kyle Tucker was on the verge of a special achievement: breaking Plant High School’s home run record, held by his brother Preston, then a rookie with the Houston Astros.

Fans and scouts lined the fences at Wade Boggs Field to watch the latest star — as well as pitching prospect Jake Woodford — at a school known for churning out baseball talent. But Tucker hadn’t had a hit in three games and was struggling — at least by his standards — according to his coach, Dennis Braun.

“The entire grass was full from dugout to dugout with scouts, which I’ve never seen before,” Braun recalled from his office. “Kyle hadn’t had a hit in like three games then he nubs a ball back to the pitcher and he didn’t make it to first base.”

Braun — as old-school as they come — wanted to pull Tucker for the lack of hustle, but he also didn’t want to risk hurting his player’s reputation with scouts watching.

“I’m like, ‘son of a b—-,’ but I let him play,” Braun said.

Instead, Braun delivered his message in private after the game, telling Tucker to always run out every ball and to just relax and play his game no matter the stakes.

Message received. In the next game, Tucker went 4-for-4 with two home runs, finishing the season with 31 home runs, breaking his brother’s career mark. Braun understood then what the rest of the baseball world has learned in the years since as Tucker made his ascent from south Florida prep star to a big league outfielder projected to earn $300-$400 million in free agency next offseason.

“Hands down, his sixth tool is he’s both mentally and physically the toughest kid I’ve ever seen,” Braun stated. “It’s not even close.”

That’s saying something, considering who else has walked the halls at Plant High. The Panthers play their home games on a field named after a Hall of Fame third baseman who is still their most famous alum, but they have also produced major leaguers Pete Alonso, Mychal Givens, Woodford, Corey Brown and Darren Clarke along with 2024 first-round pick Jac Caglianone and the Tucker brothers.

The younger Tucker graduated from Plant with the best high school career of them all, culminating in being selected by the Astros with the No. 5 pick in the 2015 MLB draft. Since then, he has improved every year, including a monster half-season in 2024 in which he produced 4.7 fWAR despite being limited to just 78 games because of a shin injury.

After being dealt to Chicago in a blockbuster trade during the offseason, the Cubs hope Tucker can lead them to the playoffs for the first time in a full season since 2018 before he hits free agency. His high school coach believes Tucker — and his sweet swing — will deliver no matter the pressure, just as he always has.

“They started nicknaming him Ted Williams,” Braun said. “That stuck for a while.”


UNLIKE THE HEADLINING stars of recent free agent classes — Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto — Tucker is not a household name. Some of that comes from his quiet personality as you won’t find him bat-flipping or making waves with his postgame comments, but his former teammates insist there is a funny, loose side the public has rarely seen.

“Last year at spring training people got a glimpse of it,” Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena said with a smile. “He got miked up for a whole day. All the fans kept saying, ‘I didn’t know Kyle Tucker spoke.’ But to us it was normal. He was our DJ. He’s very outgoing. He’s funny. I feel like the fans will enjoy that side of him.”

Alonso — high school teammates with Tucker for two seasons — likens his personality to his game. Steady and consistent, from his prep days into his major league career.

“Honestly, he’s the same guy,” Alonso said after a recent spring training game. “He hasn’t changed a bit. I mean, he keeps the game simple. He’s just got this even-keel emotion about him both on and off the field.”

Tucker is aware of his reputation but says he does speak up when he needs to — even if he prefers to let his game do the talking.

“I feel like people think I’m pretty quiet and reserved, which I guess I am, but people probably think I’m more [reserved] than I actually am,” Tucker said recently. “I’m decently outgoing.”

Tucker also has been able to fly under the radar while putting up MVP-level numbers during his career because of all the talent around him. During his seven seasons with the Astros, he played for loaded teams, with stars like Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa and Yordan Alvarez getting most of the spotlight.

That could change with his new team this year as Tucker now enters the season as undoubtedly the best hitter in his own lineup. But there’s always been a time when Tucker was the center of attention, whether as a prep sensation drawing crowds to a Florida high school or as one of the most coveted players in the majors entering his platform season: It’s whenever he unleashes his swing at a baseball.

“It’s God-given talent,” Yordan Alvarez said through Houston’s team interpreter. “It’s a natural swing. … It hurts me that I’m not going to be sharing time with him. When he’s on a hot streak I think he’s one of the top hitters in baseball.”


IN AN ERA of constant mechanical overhauls to even the game’s best hitters, Tucker’s swing looks just as it did when he was breaking records in high school.

“Why would you mess with Ted Williams?” Braun said with a half-serious laugh, crediting the lack of rotation of his back foot that allows Tucker to stay in the zone longer than most hitters and evokes comparisons to the Splendid Splinter.

The praise of the swing from Tucker’s high school coach is echoed by others who work with elite hitters around the sport.

“It’s only unique in some of the bat shapes he gets in early,” said Troy Snitker, his former hitting coach with the Astros. “The swing itself is elite. It may look a little different in the way he slots the bat and some of the wrist angles and the flatness of his bat but after that it’s an elite swing.”

Tucker’s new hitting coach with the Cubs, Dustin Kelly, agrees with his American League counterpart: “The length that he has, the way he sets [the bat] flatter and creates a ton of rotation. So impressive.”

The effectiveness of Tucker’s swing goes beyond the aesthetic qualities that leave coaches and teammates raving. When he steps to the plate, the quiet, mild-mannered Tucker transforms into something else.

“What makes Kyle Tucker such a great hitter goes beyond the mechanics,” Pena said. “When he steps up to the plate he believes that he’s the greatest hitter on earth. … He’s a player that’s going to go in there, beat you and go home, play some video games, show up the next day and beat you again and keep doing it.

“He’s a silent assassin.”

Tucker’s biggest improvement over the last few seasons has come as much from understanding when not to swing as when to try to drive a pitch. In 2021, his walk rate was just 9.4% — 59th among qualified hitters. It has jumped in every season since, rising all the way to 16.5% last season — third in the majors, behind only Judge and Soto.

“The last couple of years I really tried to hone in on not chasing and trying to just control the strike zone better,” Tucker said. “Because you can be a drastically different player if you change nothing else but just swinging at strikes and not balls. I think I’ve done a better job at that.”


AS HIS ABILITY to lay off of pitches has moved into the class of Judge and Soto, so has Tucker’s potential offseason payday. He nearly broke the arbitration system over the winter as it couldn’t account for the massive numbers he put up in only half a season last year. Tucker and the Cubs finally settled on a contract worth $16.5 million for 2025. If he picks up where he left off, he’ll be due another huge raise when he hits free agency. He and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. appear to be the top free agents in next winter’s class, both likely to command mid-nine-figure deals.

“The numbers are crazy these days but if he has a Tucker-like year, how can he not command $400 million or more?” one executive of a small-market team said. “I’m not saying this either way, but some people believe he’s better than Soto.”

Tucker will turn 29 next winter while Soto signed with the Mets two months after turning 26, so the odds of his deal approaching Soto’s record $765 million contract are nonexistent. Still, those who have shared a dugout with Tucker point to his all-around ability as a difference-maker.

“He was the complete player,” said A.J. Hinch, who managed Tucker in Houston from 2017 to 2019. “He could come up and change the game in a few different ways. On a team that was pretty talented, he still stood out.”

During his time with the Astros, Tucker showed his diverse skill set in making three All-Star teams, winning both a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove, twice belting 30 home runs, stealing 30 bases in 2023 and becoming one of the sport’s elite players.

“I think him and Manny Machado play the game so similarly because the game’s easy for those guys,” Alonso said. “It’s very fluid, very relaxed, because for them it’s just natural. Things came natural [to Tucker] and he just has one of those swings that it plays and it’s always played.

“He’s one of the best in the game, and the only thing that’s going to change about him is his contractual situation, not his play, not his attitude towards the game. He’s just like he was back then.”

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Crowning a champion in our 64-team college football bracket

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Crowning a champion in our 64-team college football bracket

By this time in any postseason, talent and depth typically rise to the top.

Now that we’re down to the Sweet 16 in our 2025 mock NCAA football tournament, that’s apparent with 11 of the 16 teams coming from either the Big Ten or SEC.

All four No. 1 seeds are still alive, and No. 12 seed Memphis has engineered two upsets to get this far. Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and BYU linebacker Isaiah Glasker all played starring roles in the first two rounds, and Ryan Silverfield has Memphis riding an eight-game winning streak.

To recap, the original seeds were based to a large degree on ESPN’s latest SP+ projections entering the 2025 season, although seeds are a moot point as we tee it back up.

Time to finish the tournament. And the best news? There’s no blaming anything on a committee.

Midwest Regional

Semifinals

(1) Ohio State 28, (5) BYU 23: How do you cover Buckeyes receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate? It’s a question teams asked all season. The Cougars do their best to keep Smith from torching them, but Tate does most of the damage with eight catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns.

(3) Tennessee 34, (2) Oregon 32: The Vols get back to their explosive ways on offense in 2025 with quarterback Nico Iamaleava making a big jump in his third year on campus. Oregon matches that explosiveness with Evan Stewart pulling in two acrobatic catches, leading to a late touchdown. The Ducks get the ball back, but an Arion Carter sack seals the game for Tennessee.


Regional final

(1) Ohio State 31, (3) Tennessee 21: The Vols get another shot at the Buckeyes after getting blown out in Columbus last season in the first round of the playoff. This game is much closer, and Tim Banks’ Tennessee defense holds up most of the way. But the same guy who wreaked havoc on the Vols a year ago does it again. Smith has two of his three touchdown catches in the second half to lead Ohio State to its 10th straight win.


How we got here

First round

(1) Ohio State over (16) Boston College

(2) Oregon over (15) UCF

(3) Tennessee over (14) Pittsburgh

(4) South Carolina over (13) North Carolina

(5) BYU over (12) Colorado

(11) Kentucky over (6) Louisville

(7) TCU over Georgia Tech

(9) Arkansas over (8) Boise State

Second round

(1) Ohio State over (9) Arkansas

(2) Oregon over (7) TCU

(3) Tennessee over (11) Kentucky

(5) BYU over (4) South Carolina

South Regional

Semifinals

(5) Illinois 27, (1) Texas 24: The shocker of the tournament so far, but don’t tell that to Illinois coach Bret Bielema. In his fifth season at Illinois, he had a good feeling about this team all along. The Illini returned 18 starters from their bowl team a year ago, and the two stars on defense, outside linebacker Gabe Jacas and cornerback Xavier Scott, play like stars against a Texas offense that never finds any rhythm.

(2) Notre Dame 31, (3) Miami 20: The infamous “Catholics vs. Convicts” T-shirts are reintroduced to the college football world, and that’s what everybody is talking about in the buildup to this game. Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore steals the show with interceptions in each half, the final one leading to the clinching touchdown for the Irish.


Regional final

(2) Notre Dame 28, (5) Illinois 21: Jeremiyah Love’s development and toughness epitomized Notre Dame’s run to the semifinals last year. He’s even more of a factor this year, and his ability to make big plays and earn the tough yards against a stout Illinois defense is the difference in this Elite Eight matchup. Love’s tackle-breaking 8-yard touchdown run gives the Irish the lead for good and caps a 138-yard rushing night.


How we got here

First round

(1) Texas over (16) Maryland

(2) Notre Dame over (15) California

(3) Miami over (14) Kansas

(4) Florida over (13) James Madison

(5) Illinois over (12) N.C. State

(11) Virginia Tech over (6) Iowa

(7) USC over (10) Minnesota

(8) Texas Tech over (9) Utah

Second round

(1) Texas over (8) Texas Tech

(2) Notre Dame over (7) USC

(3) Miami over (6) Virginia Tech

(5) Illinois over (4) Florida

East Regional

Semifinals

(1) Penn State 35, (12) Memphis 17: Memphis’ improbable run to the Sweet 16 comes to a crushing end as Penn State builds a 21-3 lead, then tees off defensively on a Memphis offense that has to resort to throwing the ball on just about every down. Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen each rush for more than 100 yards for the Nittany Lions, who finish with 290 yards on the ground as a team.

(2) Alabama 27, (3) Michigan 23: In a rematch of the Rose Bowl two years ago (Nick Saban’s final game), Alabama gets a little revenge for its old coach. The Crimson Tide are held to a single touchdown in the first half, but the defense keeps them in it. Trailing 20-17 entering the fourth quarter, Alabama finds its running game. Jam Miller erupts for 72 rushing yards in the final quarter, and the Tide bullies their way into the Elite Eight.


Regional final

(2) Alabama 22, (1) Penn State 19: Ty Simpson has waited his turn at quarterback for the Crimson Tide, and even though they don’t light up the scoreboard in this defense-dominated matchup of blue bloods, he doesn’t commit a single turnover and keeps everybody on offense focused. But on Alabama’s final two drives, Simpson throws a 28-yard touchdown pass to put the Tide ahead and later converts a fourth-and-short to put the game away.


How we got here

First round

(1) Penn State over (16) West Virginia

(2) Alabama over (15) Syracuse

(3) Michigan over (14) Army

(4) SMU over (13) Tulane

(12) Memphis over (5) Texas A&M

(11) Wisconsin over (6) Oklahoma

(7) Indiana over (10) Washington

(9) Nebraska over (8) Arizona State

Second round

(1) Penn State over (9) Nebraska

(2) Alabama over (7) Indiana

(3) Michigan over (11) Wisconsin

(12) Memphis over (4) SMU

West Regional

Semifinals

(1) Georgia 35, (4) LSU 31: Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton got a taste of postseason football last year when he filled in for Carson Beck. That experience proves valuable in this back-and-forth game, with Nussmeier throwing three touchdown passes for LSU. But Stockton is able to spread the ball around with Noah Thomas and Zachariah Branch, both transfer receivers, and tight end Oscar Delp all catching touchdown passes.

(2) Clemson 33, (3) Ole Miss 24: Dabo Swinney and Lane Kiffin have been on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to using the transfer portal. Swinney has barely dipped into it at all, and Kiffin has lived in it. Swinney did bring in three transfers this season, and one of them, former Purdue defensive end Will Heldt, makes life miserable for the Ole Miss offensive line. Heldt finishes with two sacks and a forced fumble, and the Tigers march onward.


Regional final

(2) Clemson 31, (1) Georgia 30: Once upon a time, these teams played every year in one of the South’s best nonconference rivalries. The Tigers, who had lost eight of their past nine games against the Bulldogs, fall behind early in this one. But Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell, flagged for pass interference on the previous possession, intercepts a Stockton pass deep in Clemson territory, leading to a quick touchdown. That’s where the game swings, and the Tigers move a step closer to their third national title in 10 years.


How we got here

First round

(1) Georgia over (16) Oklahoma State

(2) Clemson over (15) Mississippi State

(3) Ole Miss over (14) Cincinnati

(4) LSU over (13) Florida State

(5) Missouri over (12) Rutgers

(11) Vanderbilt over (6) Kansas State

(7) Auburn over (10) Duke

(8) Iowa State over (9) Baylor

Second round

(1) Georgia over (8) Iowa State

(2) Clemson over Auburn (7)

(3) Ole Miss over (11) Vanderbilt

(4) LSU over (5) Missouri

Final Four

(2) Clemson 35, (1) Ohio State 28: The first time these teams played was back in 1978, with Clemson winning 17-15 in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida. It was a blah game until legendary coach Woody Hayes punched Clemson’s Charlie Bauman on the sideline late in the fourth quarter after Bauman intercepted a pass. Hayes was fired the next day. This national semifinal game doesn’t include any extracurricular fireworks that rise to that level, but Klubnik and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin provide plenty of fireworks on the field. They both pass for more than 300 yards, but freshman running back Gideon Davidson delivers the winning 24-yard touchdown run for the Tigers.

(2) Alabama 33, (2) Notre Dame 27: Here the Irish are knocking on the door of a national championship for the second straight season under Marcus Freeman, who’s the subject of countless reports that NFL teams are lining up to hire him. Freeman never gives any credence to those reports, and his Notre Dame team fights its way back from a two-touchdown deficit. Driving inside the Alabama 45 with just under four minutes remaining, Notre Dame tries to run right at 326-pound defensive tackle Tim Keenan III. Big mistake. Keenan blows up the play, forcing a 5-yard loss. Notre Dame has to punt and never gets the ball back, as Alabama’s offensive line takes control of the game.

National Championship

(2) Alabama 30, (2) Clemson 24: It’s not the first time Swinney has gone up against his alma mater in the national championship game. It happened in 2015 with Alabama winning, again in 2016 with Clemson winning and then in 2018 with the Tigers claiming their second national title under Swinney. So, now, welcome to Part 4. All the gnashing of teeth in Tuscaloosa over Kalen DeBoer’s first season as coach when he lost (gasp) four games has quieted. Alabama is playing its best football of the season with some of its younger players and veterans stepping up in key roles. But it’s the most electrifying player on Alabama’s roster, receiver Ryan Williams, who wins it for the Tide, their 19th “claimed” national championship. After Antonio Williams gives Clemson the lead with a 46-yard touchdown catch down the right sideline, Ryan Williams caps a 77-yard drive for Alabama with a 2-yard touchdown catch on a pick/rub play. Sound familiar? With Clemson fans cursing the play the same way Alabama did back in 2016, DeBoer breaks through in his second season. His statue on the Walk of Champions is up by the start of the 2026 season.

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Deion wants foe for CU spring game; Cuse willing

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Deion wants foe for CU spring game; Cuse willing

Colorado coach Deion Sanders wants the NCAA to consider borrowing from the NFL model and allow programs to practice and scrimmage against another team during the spring.

“I would actually like to play the spring game against another team, in the spring. That’s what I’m trying to do right now,” Sanders said Monday after announcing that the Buffaloes’ spring game at Folsom Field on April 19 will be televised (ESPN2, 4:30 p.m. ET).

“I would like to style it like the pros. I’d like to go against someone [in practice] for a few days, and then you have the spring game. I think the public would be satisfied with that tremendously. I think it’s a tremendous idea. I’ve told those personnel, who should understand that, that it’s a tremendous idea.”

It didn’t take long for Sanders to find an interested party. Syracuse head coach Fran Brown on Monday posted to social media platform X, offering for the Orange to “come to Boulder for 3 days.”

Under current NCAA bylaws, football teams cannot play against another school in the spring, an NCAA spokesperson told ESPN on Monday.

During the summer, NFL teams often conduct joint practices with another team for a week leading up to an exhibition game between the two sides. In college, teams practice against themselves leading up to an intrasquad scrimmage. For larger programs, those exhibition games would be played in front of large crowds.

Of late, however, many of these spring games are being adjusted into something completely different — such as a skills competition format — or canceled altogether.

Nebraska, Texas, Ohio State, Oklahoma and USC are among programs ending traditions this spring.

“The way the trend is going, is you never know if this is going to be the last spring game,” said the 57-year-old Sanders, who is entering his third season at Colorado. “Now, I don’t believe in that, and I don’t really want to condone that. … To have it competitive, and to play against your own guys, it can get kind of monotonous, and you really can’t tell the level of your guys.”

The Cornhuskers recently announced that they were replacing their spring football game with skills competitions and 7-on-7 games at Memorial Stadium on April 26. This comes on the heels of coach Matt Rhule expressing concerns about other teams scouting players in the scrimmage and possibly poaching them through the transfer portal.

Sanders said the threat of other programs possibly luring players away via the transfer portal after showcasing their talents during spring games isn’t a factor, at least for him. The spring portal window runs April 16-25.

“Everybody’s moving to stop spring games, I don’t know why,” Sanders said. “You’re not going to stop nobody from leaving your program by not having a spring game. If you want to save money, just say that. The kid’s already gone. They already reached out and contacted somebody else. They’re already gone.”

Sanders on Monday also downplayed talk about his contract extension, saying “there may be” discussions.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Let’s get everybody else [on the coaching staff] straight first, then I’m good.”

Sanders signed a five-year, $29.5 million deal before the 2023 season. The Buffaloes went 4-8 that year and 9-4 last season.

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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