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Spring football is over and the spring transfer portal window is closed, so it’s time to look at lingering questions surrounding the teams in our Way-Too-Early Top 25.

Who will win quarterback jobs for Ohio State and Michigan? Can Texas’ secondary improve?

Our reporters broke down spring overreactions already, and now they’re diving into what teams still need to figure out in the next few months.

Lingering question: What will the secondary look like this season?

The back end of Georgia’s defense remains in flux after it lost cornerback Kamari Lassiter and safeties Tykee Smith and Javon Bullard to the NFL draft. There’s plenty of talent left in the secondary, but coach Kirby Smart said the unit had a long way to go after the spring game.

Cornerback Daylen Everette and safety Malaki Starks are the returning starters; Starks was held out of contact drills in the spring after undergoing shoulder surgery. Julian Humphrey and Daniel Harris were working at the other cornerback spot, and Joenel Aguero and JaCorey Thomas were sharing snaps at the safety spots. Veteran Dan Jackson, freshman K.J. Bolden and transfer Jake Pope were in the mix at safety as well. — Mark Schlabach

Lingering question: Is Will Howard the answer at QB?

The Kansas State transfer was among Ohio State’s high-profile portal additions this offseason. Though the Buckeyes have yet to name a starter, Howard will head into the summer presumably as the favorite to win the job over incumbent backup Devin Brown and five-star recruit Julian Sayin.

The Buckeyes appear loaded on both sides of the ball. But Ohio State making noise in the College Football Playoff will hinge heavily on whether Howard — or another player — can give the Buckeyes improved quarterback play from last season. — Jake Trotter

Lingering question: Can the secondary defend the passing game this season?

We know the Ducks have the personnel and the mindset to be physical on the line of scrimmage, but how will they defend the pass game this coming season? Last year, Oregon allowed 3,022 passing yards all season, which ranked 95th in the country.

However, the Ducks did force 12 key interceptions too, and you get the feeling that their success on that side of the field this coming season will depend a lot on how much havoc they can wreak on opposing offenses and quarterbacks. The spring game was a positive sign in that regard, as true freshman cornerback Dakoda Fields made a great play downfield and snagged an interception. — Paolo Uggetti

Lingering question: Can the secondary turn it around?

A highlight of the Texas spring game was the big performances from quarterbacks Arch Manning and Trey Owens as they each threw three touchdown passes, with Manning throwing for more than 350 yards. That’s a positive way to look at a talented Texas offense. However, there’s also the matter of the secondary, which finished 113th in passing yards allowed last season at 254.4 yards per game, allowing all those big plays once again.

The fallout from the game was quick, as junior Terrance Brooks, who started 13 games last fall, entered the transfer portal three days later. Texas did get a commitment this week from San Jose State corner Jay’Vion Cole, who had seven interceptions in the past two seasons. — Dave Wilson

Lingering question: Are there any true stars at receiver?

The Irish haven’t had a receiver with 500 yards since 2021, and even those days weren’t full of elite talent. Since Chase Claypool departed after the 2019 season, it has been more of a patchwork corps, often more reliant on tight ends for big plays. Can this year be different?

The Irish believe this could finally be the breakout season for Jayden Thomas, and they added two potential impact transfers in Kris Mitchell (FIU) and Beaux Collins (Clemson). Jaden Greathouse and Jordan Faison each showed some flashes as freshmen last year, too, so there’s ample hope their development continues. It’s a group with great potential, but Notre Dame has heard that story before. — David Hale

Lingering question: How will the running back rotation shake out?

Ole Miss didn’t shed a lot of tears when leading rusher Quinshon Judkins bolted for Ohio State this offseason. Nonetheless, 2,725 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns over two seasons aren’t easily replaced. The projected starter, Ulysses Bentley IV, has experience as the primary ball carrier when he was at SMU in 2020 and 2021. He rushed for 540 yards and four touchdowns as Judkins’ backup last season after battling injuries in 2022 in his first season at Ole Miss. Bentley was limited this spring with turf toe on his left foot and underwent surgery. He should be ready to go for preseason camp and will have plenty of competition.

Henry Parrish Jr., who started his career at Ole Miss, returns after transferring from Miami. Jacory Croskey-Merritt also transferred in from New Mexico after rushing for 1,190 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. The Rebels hope former LSU running back Logan Diggs can return from offseason knee surgery at some point during the 2024 season. Sophomore Kedrick Reescano got most of the carries this spring after not getting any carries last season. — Chris Low

Lingering question: Who will replace Cody Schrader?

It’s probably unrealistic to think that one person is going to replace Schrader, who was a star at running back last season for Missouri with an SEC-leading 1,627 rushing yards. Schrader’s consistency and ability to produce in key moments and games were a constant in what the Tigers were able to do on offense a year ago.

Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz may look to use more running backs in 2024. Transfers Marcus Carroll (Georgia State) and Nate Noel (Appalachian State) have both played a lot of football. Missouri running backs coach Curtis Luper said Carroll and Noel remind him of the Tyler Badie–Larry Rountree duo in 2020. Jamal Roberts and Tavorus Jones are the holdovers at running back, but they combined for just one carry last season. — Low

Lingering question: Who will QB Drew Allar be throwing to?

KeAndre Lambert-Smith transferred to Auburn last month, leaving the Nittany Lions without a single returning wideout to post more than 250 receiving yards last season. Harrison Wallace III, who had five grabs in Penn State’s spring game, and Ohio State transfer Julian Fleming, who started 22 games over his career for the Buckeyes, are sure to play key roles. Kaden Saunders, who caught a touchdown from Allar in the spring game, could give the Nittany Lions some pop as well. — Trotter

Lingering question: Who will be Alabama’s finishers off the edge on defense?

Edge rushers Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell have gone to the NFL, and they take with them a combined 18 sacks from a year ago. Alabama has been blessed with a bevy of elite pass-rushers over the years, but there are no obvious replacements for the 2024 season. That doesn’t mean the Crimson Tide are lacking in talent.

The new defensive staff liked what it saw this spring from redshirt junior Keanu Koht and redshirt freshman Qua Russaw. At 6-foot-2 and 242 pounds, Russaw showcased both power and quickness. Redshirt senior Quandarrius Robinson has the most experience, and the Tide hope he can have a breakout season. Redshirt freshman Keon Keeley came to Alabama as one of the top linebacker prospects in the country, but has moved to bandit end in new defensive coordinator Kane Wommack’s 4-2-5 scheme and could provide some pass-rushing punch. — Low

Lingering question: Can Cam Rising stay healthy?

Even though Rising is back and recovered from his knee surgery for one last college season, it remains unclear how he will play and react physically to live play and tackling. After the Utes’ spring game — during which he threw for 208 yards and two touchdowns in three series — Rising looked comfortable and said he felt “strong.”

One of Rising’s talents before his surgery was his ability to move out of the pocket and make plays with his feet. He didn’t do too much of that during the spring game, but that dimension of his game is one the Utes will certainly need in the fall. No matter what, Utah will benefit greatly from Rising’s experience and veteran presence on and off the field. Time will tell if and when he can get fully back to that version of himself that helped the Utes secure back-to-back Pac-12 titles. — Uggetti

Lingering question: How much will Jordan Morgan be missed?

The 2024 first-round draft pick selected by the Green Bay Packers was the lynchpin of the Wildcats’ offensive line — and subsequent offensive attack under quarterback Noah Fifita last season. The All-Pac 12 left tackle was a force who set the tone for the entire group. Even though Arizona returned the rest of its starting line to Tucson, not having Morgan as an anchor to build the line around has forced them to go back to the drawing board in figuring out what the unit will look like.

There’s plenty of talent remaining with players such as Jonah Savaiinaea, three-year starter Josh Baker, Wendell Moe and Raymond Pulido — a true freshman last year who earned a starting spot on the line. There’s no shortage of talent, but finding the right combination and chemistry, something the Wildcats tried to do this spring, will be a key factor in ensuring their offensive attack is one of the most prolific in the country. — Uggetti

Lingering question: Who will play defensive tackle?

The Tigers have two glaring holes on the interior defensive line after Mekhi Wingo and Maason Smith departed for the NFL. Veteran Jacobian Guillory will probably start at one spot after totaling 51 tackles and 0.5 sack in 39 games. Converted offensive lineman Kimo Makane’ole and Florida transfer Jalen Lee were working at the other spot during the spring.

Incoming freshman Dominick McKinley might provide some help this season, but the Tigers were still looking to add at least one more tackle via the transfer portal. Defensive end Ahmad Breaux moved inside to help in the spring. LSU missed out on a couple of big transfer targets in Damonic Williams (TCU to Oklahoma) and Simeon Barrow Jr. (Michigan State to Miami). — Schlabach

Lingering question: Who will win the QB job?

The battle to replace J.J. McCarthy remains wide open heading into the summer. Jack Tuttle, entering his seventh season, backed up McCarthy last fall and has the most experience but is coming back from an injury. Davis Warren was the star of the spring game. Alex Orji can run and throw. Jayden Denegal and freshman Jadyn Davis could factor in the mix, as well. Who emerges in the preseason will be the storyline to watch as Michigan enters into a new era. — Trotter

Lingering question: What will the full-strength offense look like?

Jackson Arnold took some deep shots in the spring game, going 10-of-20 for 233 yards with two touchdowns, including a 64-yard pass to Purdue receiver transfer Deion Burks, who was the star of the show with 174 yards and two scores on five catches. But the Sooners took the field without receivers Jalil Farooq, Andrel Anthony and Nic Anderson, and with no Jovantae Barnes at running back.

With so many bodies at the position, receiver Gavin Freeman has already opted to transfer to Oklahoma State. But with a new-look offensive line, a new offensive coordinator in Seth Littrell and a new starting QB in Arnold, there’s still plenty of curiosity about what shape the offense will take with all the starters back in the lineup. — Wilson

Lingering question: Who will step up in the front seven?

Florida State loses its top two linebackers and tacklers in Kalen DeLoach (drafted No. 68) and Tatum Bethune (No. 70), in addition to its sack leader in Jared Verse (No. 9). Those three are important players for the Seminoles to replace — particularly DeLoach, who did just about everything as the heart of the defense a year ago, with 10.5 tackles for loss, an interception and two forced fumbles.

Let’s start at linebacker, where Florida State expects veteran DJ Lundy to step up and become the leader of the unit. Coaches are also high on Blake Nichelson, who showed flashes as a true freshman. Up front, Florida State returns veterans who will take on bigger roles, including Pat Payton and Joshua Farmer, while it also expects a big year from transfer Marvin Jones Jr., who played well in the spring game. Watch for Darrell Jackson in the interior of the defense as well, after he sat out last year because of NCAA transfer rules. Finding the right rotation up front so Florida State can go two-deep will be an area to watch come fall camp. — Andrea Adelson

Lingering question: What will Tennessee’s secondary look like?

The Vols lost their top six defensive backs from a year ago, some who were multiyear starters, so there’s not really a veteran presence on the back end. But a handful of defensive backs return who played meaningful snaps during the latter part of the 2023 season, including cornerbacks Rickey Gibson III and safeties Andre Turrentine and Jourdan Thomas, who’s poised to take over at the hybrid “star” role.

The big get in the portal was Oregon State cornerback Jermod McCoy, who earned Freshman All-America honors a year ago. Temple transfer Jalen McMurray was one of Tennessee’s most consistent cornerbacks this spring, and true freshman Boo Carter and Middle Tennessee transfer Jakobe Thomas are both new faces to watch at safety. — Low

Lingering question: Who will start at defensive end?

Given the returning production for Oklahoma State, it’s much better positioned going into this season than it was last year. However, one area that we probably won’t know who starts until the season is at defensive end.

Kody Walterscheid has the most game experience at the position with 17 starts and 50 games played. Obi Ezeigbo is a Division II transfer the team hopes can make the leap to Big 12 football. There’s familiarity with Ezeigbo, since Gannon University is where defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo was before coming to Stillwater. — Harry Lyles Jr.

Lingering question: Can the Wolfpack run the ball?

Yes, we saw transfers Jordan Waters and Hollywood Smothers turn in nice performances in the spring game. But last year, NC State had to rely on QB Brennan Armstrong and receiver KC Concepcion to handle virtually all rushing duties.

Over the past three seasons, NC State’s running backs averaged less than 100 yards per game on the ground (119th in FBS in that span). And at the root of the problem is the run blocking, which has afforded tailbacks 1.67 yards before contact per carry since the start of 2021, good for 123rd nationally. The pieces looked much better this spring, but NC State’s backfield still has a lot to prove. — Hale

Lingering question: Is the secondary elite?

A year ago, Clemson’s defense was among the best in the country, led in large part by an elite secondary that just saw one of its corners — Nate Wiggins— selected in the first round of the NFL draft. Gone, too, are safety Andrew Mukuba (transferred to Texas), safety Jalyn Phillips and corner Sheridan Jones. Yet, there is certainly a case to be made that the new faces have a higher ceiling.

Junior Jeadyn Lukus was a five-star recruit when he arrived, and he has gotten snippets of playing time in each of the past two years, though he’ll be battling sophomore Shelton Lewis for playing time. Sophomore Avieon Terrell — the younger brother of former Clemson standout A.J. Terrell — should step seamlessly into a starting corner role, which he held for parts of last season. And returners R.J. Mickens and Khalil Barnes have flashed impressive potential. The question comes from a limited number of snaps, but the ceiling for the group certainly looks high. — Hale

Lingering question: Can Avery Johnson live up to the starting QB role?

We’re not going to know the answer to this question until the season starts, but it feels like the biggest lingering question remains how good can Avery Johnson be in replacing Will Howard. There’s reason for optimism on the ground, given the presence of Johnson, DJ Giddens and Dylan Edwards.

Elsewhere, this is a team that has lost its best pass-catchers in Phillip Brooks and Ben Sinnott, and four of its six offensive linemen who started in 2023, including new Dallas Cowboy Cooper Beebe. Adjustments have been made, but seeing how the final product forms remains the biggest question. — Lyles

Lingering question: Is the transfer portal helping Louisville?

Louisville has had great success using the transfer portal — in fact, its 27 additions a year ago helped the Cardinals make the ACC championship game in Year 1 under coach Jeff Brohm.

This spring, there have been a few question marks after incoming transfers Peny Boone and Tyler Baron quickly reentered the transfer portal after spending one semester with the Cards. Add in returning linebacker Jaylin Alderman, who also entered the portal in the spring and has since committed to Miami, and there are some lingering questions about what exactly happened. — Adelson

Lingering question: Will the new offensive line work, and will it be enough to keep QB Jalon Daniels healthy?

The Jayhawks allowed the fewest sacks in the Big 12 in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Coming out of 2023, they lose three starters in Dominick Puni, Mike Novitsky and Ar’maj Reed-Adams, as well as OL coach Scott Fuchs.

Daryl Agpalsa is Fuchs’ replacement and will be tasked with reshaping a line that will hopefully help keep Daniels healthy, which will be the key to any success the Jayhawks have this season. — Lyles

Lingering question: Who will replace Ray Davis?

There are some big shoes to fill in the backfield after Davis was a one-and-done starter at tailback for the Wildcats. The former Vanderbilt transfer accounted for 68% of Kentucky’s rushing yards and 78% of its rushing touchdowns in 2023.

That’s not good news for an offense that ranked 12th in the SEC with 127.9 yards per game. Chip Trayanum is a veteran runner who was stuck behind TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams at Ohio State the past two seasons. Former NC State transfer Demie Sumo-Karngbaye and freshman Jason Patterson seemed to be next in line during the spring. With four starting offensive linemen coming back, Kentucky has to figure out a way to be more efficient in the running game. — Schlabach

Lingering question: How will Miami’s revamped defensive front fare?

Miami returns freshman All-American Rueben Bain to anchor a unit that will have a different look in 2024. Seven players have entered the transfer portal since the season ended, but the Hurricanes have gone into the portal to help solidify the position.

Elijah Alston (Marshall), C.J. Clark (NC State) and Marley Cook (Middle Tennessee) participated in spring ball, and there are a few early enrollee freshmen who could contribute as well in Marquise Lightfoot and Armondo Blount. Plus, Miami is hoping Akheem Mesidor is back to full strength after he was hurt in Week 2 last year and missed the rest of the season. — Adelson

Lingering question: How will Conner Weigman look in the Aggies’ new offense?

The Aggies limped to the end of the Jimbo Fisher era with multiple quarterbacks starting games the past two seasons. With a new coach in Mike Elko and a new offensive coordinator in Collin Klein, there is new opportunity for a quarterbacks room that has already earned some confidence.

Weigman started eight games in the past two seasons and had moments where he looked like a star in the making (five TDs in last year’s season opener, 336 yards passing vs. Miami). But Jaylen Henderson looked like a star in relief, completing 25 of 35 passes for 294 yards and two TDs on the road against LSU late in the year, before freshman Marcel Reed took over for an injured Henderson in the Texas Bowl to throw for 361 yards and run for 44 more against Oklahoma State. Weigman (foot) was still limited this spring, going just 5-of-14 in the spring game, but Elko was all positive about Weigman’s trajectory and the work he put in this spring to learn the offense despite not being 100%. — Wilson

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Who has the edge for MVP, Cy Young and more? MLB Awards Watch at the All-Star break

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July 16, 2025

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Who has the edge for MVP, Cy Young and more? MLB Awards Watch at the All-Star break

  • Bradford DoolittleJul 16, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

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      • MLB writer and analyst for ESPN.com
      • Former NBA writer and analyst for ESPN.com
      • Been with ESPN since 2013

Judge. Ohtani. Skubal. Wheeler.

A little more than halfway home, four of baseball’s titans have established themselves as the front-runners in the major awards races, at least according to ESPN BET. A lot can happen between now and the balloting late in the season, but when you have established stars and perennial awards favorites atop the leaderboard, their competitors can’t count on any kind of a drop-off.

In other words: Barring a major injury to Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Tarik Skubal or Zack Wheeler, it’s going to take a strong second half by anyone hoping to overtake them. It can happen, and if any of these races tighten up, it’ll be something to behold.

Awards Watch agrees with many of the assessments made by the betting markets, but if the season ended today, there would be a few disagreements, according to AXE. That doesn’t mean the voters would fall in line with the numbers, but the debate would be robust.

As we check in with our midseason Awards Watch, let’s see how things stack up for the favorites.

Most Valuable Player

American League

Front-runner: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees (162 AXE)

Next nine: 2. Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners (148); 3. Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals (138); 4. Jeremy Pena, Houston Astros (134); 5. Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins (133); 6. Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Guardians (130); 7. Ceddanne Rafaela, Boston Red Sox (129); 8. (tie) Randy Arozarena, Mariners, J.P. Crawford, Mariners (124); 10. Julio Rodriguez, Mariners (122).

Leader trend: Judge has retained a comfortable lead in this category all season. Raleigh drew fairly close in late June, but the gap has since widened again. That’s not Raleigh’s fault; it’s just Judge being Judge. At the time of our last Awards Watch, Judge had a 1.234 OPS. Since then, he has managed a meager 1.141. Yeah, that’s still pretty good.

The shape of Judge’s numbers has changed a bit. When we convened in late May, he was hitting .395, and he has posted a mortal .297 average since. But he has picked things up in the slugging category. Last time, he was mashing homers at the rate of 54 per 162 games. Since, that number is 66. Raleigh might be having the greatest catcher season of all time, and it’s possible that if there is any kind of Judge fatigue among the voters, that could impact the ballot. But what isn’t likely is any kind of prolonged drop-off by Judge.

Biggest mover: Buxton wasn’t in the top 10 last time out, but he has entered the top five based on several weeks of elite production and good health. During an 11-year career marked as much by injury as spectacular play, the first half featured Buxton at his best and most available, putting him on pace for his first 30/30 season at age 31. It keeps getting better: Since the last Awards Watch, Buxton has a 1.025 OPS with rates of 48 homers and 39 steals per 162 games.

Keep an eye on: Last time, there were two Red Sox in the top 10. Both have dropped out, with Alex Bregman hitting the IL and Rafael Devers hitting the airport for a flight to join his new team in San Francisco. But Boston is still represented by the overlooked Rafaela. No, he isn’t going to overtake Judge in the MVP race, but one of baseball’s most unique players deserves a little run.

After splitting time between shortstop and center field in 2024, Rafaela has played almost exclusively on the grass this season, and his defensive metrics have been off the charts. That’s driving this ranking, but Rafaela also has made tremendous strides at the plate. After entering the season with a career OPS+ of 83, he has upped that number to 118 in 2025 and is on pace for a 20/20 campaign.

National League

Front-runner: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers (144 AXE)

Next nine: 2. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs (143); 3. Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres (136); 4. Kyle Tucker, Cubs (135); 5. James Wood, Washington Nationals (134); 6. Will Smith, Dodgers (131); 7. (tie) Pete Alonso, New York Mets, Juan Soto, Mets (129); 9. Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds (128); 10. Francisco Lindor, Mets (127).

Leader trend: Crow-Armstrong just won’t go away. He has lurked behind Ohtani on the AXE leaderboard for most of the season, but a quiet series from Ohtani in Milwaukee paired with another outburst from Crow-Armstrong flipped the top spot. Ohtani is still the favorite — the leaderboard flipped again over the weekend and, besides, he’s Ohtani — but at this point, we have to come to grips with the reality that Crow-Armstrong can mount a legitimate challenge.

Like Rafaela, Crow-Armstrong’s defensive metrics are top of the charts and, in fact, those two are in a duel for the MLB lead in defensive runs saved metrics among outfielders. But Crow-Armstrong’s bat continues to fuel his rise to superstar status. He entered the break on pace for 42 homers and 46 steals.

Ironically, if the offensive numbers between Ohtani and Crow-Armstrong are tight, it could come down to very different forms of run prevention. Crow-Armstrong is at 15 defensive runs saved as a center fielder. Meanwhile, Ohtani is at three runs above average during his nine innings on the mound. As the pitching side of Ohtani’s record grows, that gap might narrow considerably.

If that happens and it comes down to a straight-up comparison at the plate, it’s going to be tough for Crow-Armstrong, whose 140 OPS+ currently is dwarfed by Ohtani’s 174.

Biggest mover: Wood continues to cement his arrival as a right-now star player, and his pace has been accelerating even after an excellent start. Despite a subdued week before the break, Wood has a .908 OPS and 162-game rates of 42 homers, 127 RBIs, 19 steals and 100 runs since the last Awards Watch. Overall, he has a .381 OBP and is on pace for 100 walks, so those numbers aren’t driven by a short-term power surge. At 22, Wood simply is already an all-around offensive force.

Keep an eye on: Tucker overtook Crow-Armstrong for the No. 2 slot (and the Cubs’ team lead) in AXE late in June, before Crow-Armstrong reasserted himself. But Tucker’s production is metronomic: His AXE at the last Awards Watch was 130, and he is now at 135. Tucker has an .839 OPS at Wrigley Field as compared to .905 on the road, where 12 of his 17 homers have been hit. But if warmer weather and outward-blowing winds become consistent in Chicago, a Tucker power surge could be in the offing. If that happens, look out.

Cy Young

American League

Front-runner: Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers (151 AXE)

Next nine: 2. Garrett Crochet, Red Sox (149); 3. (tie) Framber Valdez, Astros, Joe Ryan, Twins (138); 5. Hunter Brown, Astros (137); 6. Nathan Eovaldi, Texas Rangers (136); 7. Kris Bubic, Royals (134); 8. Max Fried, Yankees (133); 9. Jacob deGrom, Rangers (132); 10. Bryan Woo, Mariners (126).

Leader trend: Skubal was fourth in AXE among AL pitchers last time out, though he was still the clear front-runner to repeat as AL Cy Young. A few more weeks have brought AXE in line with reality, as Skubal has gone to that magical place few pitchers ever reach.

Skubal’s blastoff actually began when we posted the last Awards Watch, as he was coming off a complete-game, two-hit shutout against Cleveland. Perhaps the most impressive part of that outing is that he recorded 13 strikeouts on just 94 pitches. Well, since then, Skubal did the same thing to Minnesota: 13 whiffs on 93 pitches on June 29.

In eight outings following the last Watch, Skubal has gone 5-1 with a 1.89 ERA, thrown at least seven innings five times and posted an absurd ratio of 61 strikeouts to nine walks. This race isn’t over, but it’s clearly Skubal’s to win.

Biggest mover: DeGrom missed the top 10 last time, but since then, he has shown every indication of ramping back up to his historic level of stifling run prevention. He’s doing it a little differently than he did in his Mets heyday, emphasizing pitch efficiency to a greater extent.

DeGrom’s 26% strikeout rate is his lowest in nearly a decade, and he has reached double digits in whiffs just once this season. But he has a sparkling 2.32 ERA and has been at 2.20 over eight starts since the last Awards Watch. He had a string of five straight starts when he threw at least six innings, reaching seven twice, all without hitting the 90-pitch mark.

Keep an eye on: Crochet has been coming on like gangbusters, as has the team around him. He finished his first half with a complete-game, three-hit shutout of Tampa Bay, closing the AXE gap between him and Skubal. Crochet leads the AL in innings pitched (129⅓), strikeouts (160) and ERA+ (185). We’ve seen Skubal do this for a full season; now, it’s up to Crochet to prove he can match the reigning Cy Young winner start for start in what’s shaping up as a great race.

National League

Front-runner: Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates (150 AXE)

Next nine: 2. Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies (148); 3. Cristopher Sanchez, Phillies (143); 4. MacKenzie Gore, Nationals (135); 5. Nick Pivetta, Padres (133); 6. Ranger Suarez, Phillies (132); 7. (tie) Andrew Abbott, Reds, Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee Brewers (131); 9. Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants (130); 10. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers (128)

Leader trend: The numbers between Wheeler and Skenes are so close, it’s hard not to fixate on the disparity in the win-loss columns: Wheeler is 9-3, while the criminally under-supported Skenes is 4-8. Recently, I re-pitched the notion of a revised win-loss record based on game scores, so that’s worth taking a fresh look at to see if the difference in the traditional records is misleading.

Well, it is and it isn’t. Skenes has suffered a string of hard-luck game score losses of late and now sits at 11-9 by that method. Wheeler, meanwhile, is an MLB-best 16-3. Wheeler also has a solid edge in average game score at 65.2, as compared to 63.2 for Skenes. For now, Wheeler has the edge.

Will it last? Consider another byproduct of that game score work: pitcher temperature. You win a game score matchup, the temp goes up. You lose, it goes down. Each starter begins his career at the average temperature of 72 degrees, and it goes back and forth from there. The hottest starter in baseball by this method: Wheeler, at 127.2 degrees. Because of his recent bad run, Skenes has cooled to 68.7 degrees.

Biggest mover: For now, Sanchez has seized the spot just behind Wheeler, which of course makes him a mere No. 2 in his own rotation. Sanchez was overlooked when the NL All-Star rosters were released, and it was a true oversight. Like Wheeler, Sanchez has been fiery hot, with a string of excellent outings since the last Awards Watch. Over nine starts during that span, Sanchez has 1.77 ERA and 2.11 FIP, while pitching seven innings or more six times.

Keep an eye on: Let’s just stick with our Phillies theme and keep our eyes on their whole rotation. Wheeler (second), Sanchez (third) and Suarez (sixth) are entrenched in the top 10. Meanwhile, Jesus Luzardo (126 AXE), who led this category last time out, just missed giving the Phillies four rotation members in the top 10. Philadelphia leads the majors in average game score and is second in the NL (behind Cincinnati) in game score win-loss percentage.

Rookie of the Year

American League

Front-runner: Jacob Wilson, Athletics (121 AXE)

Next nine: 2. Carlos Narvaez, Red Sox (120); 3. Cam Smith, Astros (116); 4. Noah Cameron, Royals (115); 5. Nick Kurtz, Athletics (108); 6. Jake Mangum, Tampa Bay Rays (107); 7. (tie) Mike Vasil, Chicago White Sox, Will Warren, Yankees, Jasson Dominguez, Yankees (106); 10. Roman Anthony, Red Sox (105)

Leader trend: Wilson has come back to the pack on the AXE leaderboard, perhaps inevitably after his remarkable start to the season. He was hitting .348 at the last Awards Watch then went out and pushed that number to .372 on June 8. Since then, Wilson has hit just .222 and has just three extra-base hits over 24 games. Wilson’s quick beginning turned enough heads to get him voted as the AL’s starting shortstop in the All-Star Game. But he has been replaced by Smith as the AL Rookie of the Year favorite at ESPN BET.

Biggest mover: Smith has mashed his way into prominence, but he’s proving to be a well-rounded young hitter despite just 32 games of minor league experience. Alas, his surprising .277 batting average is driven by a .378 BABIP that doesn’t seem likely to hold up. However, Smith has just seven homers, and if his game power starts to match his raw power, he can easily replace any loss in average with a gain in slugging.

Keep an eye on: Kurtz has been picking up the pace, especially in the power category, manifesting what was his calling card prior to reaching the majors. Kurtz hit the IL with a hip injury on the day the last Awards Watch went out. He had just started to drive the ball before getting hurt, and he has gone right on slugging since he came back. After homering just once over his first 23 games, Kurtz has since gone deep 16 times in 35 contests while slugging .713 in the process.

National League

Front-runner: Caleb Durbin, Brewers (113 AXE)

Next nine: 2. (tie) Chad Patrick, Brewers, Drake Baldwin, Atlanta Braves (112); 4. (tie) Hyeseong Kim, Dodgers, Isaac Collins, Brewers (109); 6. (tie) Jack Dreyer, Dodgers, Brad Lord, Nationals (105); 8. (tie) Liam Hicks, Miami Marlins, Lake Bachar, Marlins, Yohel Pozo, St. Louis Cardinals (104)

Leader trend: The race remains tepid. One of those players tied for second — Patrick, the leader in this category last time out — is back in Triple A, joining Logan Henderson (not listed here, but who ranks 11th) in the rotation at Nashville. It’s not because of failures on their part, though, it’s just because Milwaukee is so flush with starting pitching. Speaking of which …

Biggest mover: Jacob Misiorowski had yet to debut when we last convened, but he has since become a must-watch big league starter and, amazingly, an All-Star.

He won his first three starts while posting a 1.13 ERA, then put up his first stinker in a loss to the Mets. He followed that with a head-turning six innings of dominance against the defending champion Dodgers, whiffing 12 L.A. batters and beating future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw. The end result: Misiorowski has become ESPN BET’s new front-runner for top NL rookie.

Keep an eye on: Kim has been as good as advertised for the Dodgers, matching the elite defense and baserunning we knew he had with a surprising 137 OPS+ over 119 plate appearances. Now, in the wake of Max Muncy‘s knee injury, Kim should be more of a lineup fixture, at least for a few weeks.

Manager of the Year

American League

Front-runner: A.J. Hinch, Tigers (112 EARL)

Next four: 2. Joe Espada, Astros (109); 3. Ron Washington, Los Angeles Angels (108); 4. John Schneider, Toronto Blue Jays (107); 5. Dan Wilson, Mariners (103)

Overview: It’s bittersweet to see Washington on the leaderboard now that we know he won’t be back this season because of a health issue. That leaves a pretty good battle between Hinch and Espada, his bench coach with the Astros. The Tigers’ historic pace with such a young team has Hinch in front. But Houston’s surge despite injuries and underperformances is the kind of thing that will catch a voter’s eye.

National League

Front-runner: Pat Murphy, Brewers (108 EARL)

Next four: 2. (tie) Oliver Marmol, Cardinals; Bob Melvin, Giants (106); 4. (tie) Craig Counsell, Cubs; Clayton McCullough, Marlins (105)

Overview: This is a hard race to read. Marmol is a classic candidate, guiding a low-expectation team to a good record and playoff contention. But the Cardinals might be on the verge of dropping back. Meanwhile, the Brewers have become the NL’s hottest team, nudging Murphy, last year’s NL Manager of the Year, into the lead at the break. But in both manager categories, these stories are very far from being written.

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MLB betting: Top storylines for the season’s second half

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1 hour ago

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July 16, 2025

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MLB betting: Top storylines for the season's second half

Coming off his second American League MVP season in 2024, New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge opened as the favorite to repeat for the award. He has only helped his argument by posting the AL’s best average (.355) as well as its second-most home runs (35) and RBIs (81) at the All-Star break. However, as excellent as his season has been, a stunning breakout campaign from Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is closing the gap in the odds.

Judge currently shows -600 odds to win the AL MVP in 2025, a major improvement from his leading +300 at the start of the season, according to ESPN BET lines. However, Raleigh now has the second-best odds +325, a remarkable shortening from his opening 100-1 price.

Judge’s short odds all season — which reached an incredible -1,000 in mid-May — dictated that he was never going to be an attractive option for bettors, with BetMGM reporting 5.2% of the bettors backing him for the award, fifth best in the market.

Raleigh, on the other hand, made a slow progression up the odds board, allowing bettors to take advantage of his long plus-pricing for some time. Caesars Sportsbook baseball lead Eric Biggio said many of the sportsbook’s customers grabbed the Mariners backstop at 90-1 back in early May. Judge’s excellence actually helped keep Raleigh at a long price, according to another bookmaker, since Judge’s extremely short price needed to be balanced.

BetMGM said Raleigh holds a leading 33% of the handle for AL MVP, the book’s largest liability in the market. His laidback attitude, Home Run Derby win and amusing nickname could continue to fuel his MVP narrative … and make trouble for sportsbooks.

“As much as I like him, as much as I enjoy rooting for the Big Dumper, he’s a pretty big liability for us,” Biggio told ESPN. “We’ve got some pretty big tickets on Raleigh to win the MVP and for the home run leader.”

The latter market is also an intriguing one: Even as Raleigh (38) holds a three-homer lead over Judge, the Yankees slugger is still the solid favorite to sock the most dingers this season, showing -140 odds to Raleigh’s +130 at ESPN BET. Los Angeles Dodgers DH Shohei Ohtani holds +800 odds to accompany his 32 home runs.

“If Raleigh wins either one of those two awards, we’re not going to be in as good of shape with him as we are with those other two guys,” DraftKings Sportsbook director Johnny Avello told ESPN.

Ohtani is also the solid favorite for National League MVP at -700, but Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is putting some degree of pressure on him at +750. BetMGM reports PCA as its biggest liability in that market.

World Series favorites

Ahead of the 2025 season, the Dodgers were an astounding +160 to win the National League pennant and +275 to win the World Series, per ESPN BET lines — the shortest odds to win MLB’s championship since the 2003 Yankees. At the All-Star break, not a whole lot has changed, with L.A. now a +140 favorite to take the NL crown and a +240 favorite for the World Series.

Things have not gone as expected on the American League side, however. After opening the season at +1200 to win the AL and +3000 to take the World Series, the Detroit Tigers now display the best record in baseball, bringing their pennant odds to a favorite’s +250 and their championship odds to +700, tied with the Yankees for second best.

The underdog story resonated with the betting public, who began backing the Tigers at the first indications that they could make some noise not only in the AL Central, but in the league at large. Biggio said Detroit is Caesars’ second-largest liability, behind only the San Francisco Giants.

“We had some longer prices, and the public spotted it early that they’re a legit squad,” he said. “So some big prices on the Tigers to win it all, and they are for real.”

“They’ve become a popular futures selection, now our second-most bet World Series winner by total bets, and third-most popular pick by handle,” ESPN BET’s VP of sportsbook strategy and growth Adam Landeka said via email. “Given their relatively longer price earlier in the season, we already know we’ll be a fan of almost any team the Tigers face in the postseason.”

While Detroit’s concern will be coaching its relatively inexperienced core to a postseason run, L.A.’s will be staying healthy. Bookmakers remark that the Dodgers’ ability to keep winning games despite several significant injuries is a testament to their depth, thus keeping them a favorite in the long run.

Young arms

The eyes of the baseball world turned to Milwaukee for a seemingly random matinee game June 25. It was the first head-to-head matchup between Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes and Milwaukee Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski, two of the brightest future pitching stars in baseball. It would prove to be significant for at least one of them.

Prior to his MLB debut on June 12, Misirowski was +2500 to win NL Rookie of the Year. That day he moved to +1000, then to +175 after his second start, before finally becoming the odds-on favorite at -120 after getting the better of Skenes, according to ESPN BET’s Landeka. At the break, “The Miz” is -220 to take home the award. Sportsbooks were able to stay on top of his rapid ascendancy, limiting their liability.

“We were able to move this guy pretty quickly,” Avello said. “That’s one that didn’t get hit, could have had some good value there. We’re in pretty good shape with him actually.”

Skenes, meanwhile, is having another remarkable season after taking home ROY honors last year, but his disappointing record (4-8) for a dismal Pirates team could be keeping him from being the NL Cy Young favorite. He currently shows -105 odds at ESPN BET, trailing Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler at -130.

It’s largely a two-man race — Wheeler’s teammate, Cristopher Sanchez, is next closest in the odds at +2000 — but sportsbooks aren’t too worried about liability given the short prices on Skenes and Wheeler all season.

“We’ve seen comparable action on both, but as it stands now Skenes would be a better result for us,” Landeka said.

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NHL schedule release: Bruins, Penguins, Maple Leafs and more lead top reveals

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2 hours ago

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July 16, 2025

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NHL schedule release: Bruins, Penguins, Maple Leafs and more lead top reveals

The 2025-26 NHL season is slowly approaching and teams checked another offseason box on Wednesday by revealing their schedules for the upcoming campaign.

Creativity abounded as squads looked to show off their upcoming calendar in distinctive ways. The Boston Bruins enlisted comedian Bill Burr to help unveil their schedule. The Pittsburgh Penguins went with a hospital theme. Dogs were brought in to help out the Toronto Maple Leafs with their reveal.

Headlined by those and more, here’s a look at the social media schedule release posts from each NHL team.

Boston Bruins

Pittsburgh Penguins

Toronto Maple Leafs

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