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Bowl season is finally upon us! Our reporters are breaking down the best of the games from notable performances, breakout players and so much more.

Full schedule | Results

Friday, Dec. 23

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl: Wake Forest Demon Deacons 27, Missouri Tigers 17

If this was Sam Hartman‘s last game as Wake Forest’s quarterback, as rumored, he went out with a bang. He threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns, two to Taylor Morin, and his Demon Deacons beat Missouri 27-17 in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl. After falling behind early in the second half, they scored the final two touchdowns to pull away. Missouri’s offense picked up steam following a slow start but went just 2-for-5 on fourth downs and fell short. It’s a fitting potential send-off for Hartman, who has thrown for 12,967 yards and 110 touchdowns in a Wake uniform. He led the Deacs to a 19-8 record over the last two seasons, plus an ACC Coastal title in 2021. The win was also Dave Clawson’s fourth bowl victory in the last seven years at Wake; they had won just six bowls in their history before his 2014 arrival. — Bill Connelly

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl: Houston Cougars 23, Louisiana Ragin Cajuns 16

Houston has been playing with fire all season long with seven games decided by one score or less and three games that went into overtime. So it’s no wonder things would come down to the wire against Louisiana, clawing out of a 13-0 hole in the first half to make it a tie game with under 3 minutes to play. Then senior quarterback Clayton Tune went to work, starting off the drive with a 33-yard run. A few moments later, after a 41-yard pass and a 15-yard run, Tune connected with Nathaniel Dell for a 12-yard game-winning touchdown. Tune tied the FBS lead in passing touchdowns this season with 40 and set an AAC record with 119 career touchdowns responsible for. The win gives Houston eight-plus wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2016. Louisiana finishes with its first losing season since 2017. — Alex Scarborough


Thursday, Dec. 22

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Air Force 30, Baylor 15

The Falcons dominated the Bears, rushing for 276 yards to finish 10-3 with their fifth straight victory, polishing off back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time since 1997-98. Brad Roberts was the workhorse as usual, rushing 37 times for 116 yards and two TDs for his 11th 100-yard game of the season. Baylor, the preseason pick to win the Big 12 for the first time in school history, finished 6-7, suffering the indignity of a blowout loss in rival TCU’s stadium in the bitter cold with wind chill in the negative digits. The Baylor offense struggled mightily, finishing 0-for-11 on third downs, with Blake Shapen completing just 11 of 23 passes for 188 yards and two scores. Freshman running back Richard Reese came into the game needing 38 yards for a 1,000-yard season but was held to 10 yards on eight carries. — Dave Wilson


Wednesday, Dec. 21

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Western Kentucky 44, South Alabama 23

Senior quarterback Austin Reed made things look easy in the Big Easy as Western Kentucky blitzed South Alabama for 677 total yards. Reed, second in the FBS in passing yards to Washington‘s Michael Penix Jr. coming into the contest, completed 36 of 55 passes for a career-high 497 yards and four touchdowns in what was his ninth 300-yard passing game of the year. Seven different receivers caught passes from Reed, with Dalvin Smith (145 yards, one TD), Jaylen Hall (138 yards, one TD) and Malachi Corley (114 yards, two TDs) combining for 26 receptions and Smith adding a 25-yard scoring pass. The Hilltoppers, who racked up 434 total yards in the first half, tallied the game’s first 24 points and led by 28 points at halftime after Reed threw for 329 yards and three scores. — Blake Baumgartner


Tuesday, Dec. 20

Boca Raton Bowl: Toledo Rockets 21, Liberty Flames 19

Liberty’s defensive front dominated in Tuesday night’s Boca Bowl. Everything else, not so much. The Flames racked up 12 tackles for loss and four sacks, but they gained just 253 total yards and fell 21-19. Toledo scored on three straight second-half drives to take control, and the Rockets, fresh off of their first MAC title in five years, won all three of the game’s pivotal two-point conversions — they converted one and stopped two. After going just 24-20 from 2018 to ’21, Toledo’s Jason Candle engineered a 9-5 campaign this fall, their best since going 11-3 in 2017. — Connelly

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Eastern Michigan 41, San Jose State 27

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Chris Creighton gets a bucketful of French fries as Eastern Michigan defeats San Jose State 41-27 to win the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

It took 35 years, but Eastern Michigan did it again. The Eagles’ 41-27 win Tuesday against San Jose State was the program’s second bowl win — ever — and its first since 1987 against … San Jose State. After starting the season 2-2, the Eagles earned their first nine-win season since finishing 10-2 in 1987. San Jose State had lost the ball just six times all season, tied with USC for the fewest turnovers among all FBS teams, but finished with three Tuesday. Two turnovers in the first half led to a 30-13 deficit the Spartans couldn’t overcome, and quarterback Chevan Cordeiro‘s interception with less than two minutes remaining sealed the win for Eastern Michigan. Eastern Michigan’s 41 points set a school record single-game point total in an FBS bowl. — Heather Dinich


Monday, Dec. 19

Myrtle Beach Bowl: Marshall Thundering Herd 28, UConn Huskies 14

Rasheen Ali and Khalan Laborn combined to rush for 182 yards and a touchdown and the Marshall defense forced four takeaways to lead the Thundering Herd to their first bowl win since 2018. Still, it was a worthy performance for a UConn team that was a major surprise to even make a bowl. The Huskies still haven’t won a bowl since 2009, but they outgained Marshall and staged a second-half comeback that fell short largely on the back of a couple of failed fourth down tries. — David Hale


Saturday, Dec. 17

Frisco Bowl: Boise State Broncos 35, North Texas Mean Green 32

In his first season at Boise State, freshman running back Ashton Jeanty had only crossed the 100-yard threshold in a game one time. On Saturday against North Texas, Jeanty exploded through that mark for 178 yards on the ground, 6.4 yards per carry and one touchdown. Jeanty’s performance, as well as two interceptions forced by the defense, keyed Boise State’s win over North Texas, after the Broncos were down 10-3 early. The victory gives the Broncos a 10-win campaign as well as a glimpse of what their offense could look like next season with Jeanty in the backfield as the team’s primary ball carrier. — Paolo Uggetti

New Mexico Bowl: BYU Cougars 24, SMU Mustangs 23

Cornerback Jakob Robinson saved the night for BYU by denying SMU quarterback Tanner Mordecai‘s potential game-winning 2-point conversion with eight seconds left in regulation, preserving a 1-point victory. The Cougars built a 14-point lead in the third quarter on a 76-yard pick-six from linebacker Ben Bywater and running back Christopher Brooks‘ 22-yard scoring run, only to see the Mustangs come back with 13 fourth-quarter points. The Cougars, buoyed by the efforts from Robinson and Bywater, won despite the Mustangs holding a 389-256 edge in total yards. Quarterback Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters and Brooks combined to run for 184 yards and two scores as BYU ran for at least 200 yards for the fourth time in its past five games (209) while ending the season with a fourth straight victory. — Baumgartner

Lending Tree Bowl: Southern Miss Golden Eagles 38, Rice Owls 24

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Southern Miss takes home a LendingTree bowl victory thanks to Frank Gore Jr.’s 329 rushing yards and 3 total touchdowns.

Frank Gore Jr. not only rewrote Southern Miss’ bowl and school record books, he broke the NCAA bowl game record with 329 rushing yards in a 14-point victory. Gore ended his sophomore season with a bang by running for two touchdowns and throwing for another as he also broke Camerun Peoples‘ bowl rushing record. Spurred on by Gore, Southern Miss churned out a season-high 361 rushing yards and won its first bowl game since 2016. Senior linebacker Daylen Gill recorded three of Southern Miss’ five sacks. Rice freshman quarterback AJ Padgett (295 passing yards) threw three touchdown passes — two to senior wide receiver Isaiah Esdale — in the third quarter as the Owls erased a 14-point halftime deficit, taking a short-lived 7-point lead. — Baumgartner

Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl Presented by Stifel: Fresno State Bulldogs 29, Washington State Cougars 6

A 1-4 start to the season now feels like a lifetime ago. Fresno State hasn’t lost since then, beating Washington State to finish the year with a 10-4 record. Quarterback Jake Haener was sharp, completing 24 of 36 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. And Jordan Mims went off for the Bulldogs, rushing for a career-high 210 yards and two touchdowns on only 18 carries. But don’t forget the Fresno State defense, which limited quarterback Cameron Ward and Washington State to the Cougars’ lowest total of the season. Fresno State picked off Ward — a 3,000-yard passer on the season — and held him to only 137 yards passing on 32 attempts. — Scarborough

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl: No. 14 Oregon State Beavers 30, Florida Gators 3

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Silas Bolden puts on his cape and dives to make an incredible snag for a Beavers first down.

A week after signing a six-year deal worth $30.6 million, Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith led his team to a dominating triumph over Florida, securing the Beavers’ first 10-win season in 16 years and their first-ever victory against an SEC opponent. It was a balanced, all-round effort for Oregon State, which threw for 189 yards and rushed for 164 yards — 107 of which came from junior running back Deshaun Fenwick. The defense allowed only 1.2 yards per rush. A 40-yard field goal by Adam Mihalek with less than a minute remaining avoided the shutout and extended the Gators’ streak of scoring in games to 436. — Scarborough

Cricket Celebration Bowl: NC Central Eagles 41, Jackson State Tigers 34 OT

In his final game as coach at Jackson State, Deion Sanders failed to complete an undefeated season as NC Central upset the Tigers 41-34 in a wild overtime finish. Shedeur Sanders threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Travis Hunter with no time left to send the game to overtime. But it was NC Central’s Davius Richard who did the scoring in the extra period. NC Central reached 10 wins, the third team in program history to reach double-digit wins in a season. NC Central had 276 yards rushing. Richard had 177 passing yards, 97 rushing yards and 3 total touchdowns. But all eyes were on Jackson State and what would happen as Deion Sanders exits for Colorado. It was a back-and-forth game throughout. Shedeur Sanders finishes the season with 46 total touchdowns. With one chance left to send the game into a second overtime, he threw an incompletion to end the game. Jackson State finishes 12-1, the most wins in a season in program history. — Andrea Adelson

Wasabi Fenway Bowl: Louisville Cardinals 24, Cincinnati Bearcats 7

Louisville claimed the Keg of Nails trophy in the renewal of its rivalry with the Bearcats, using a dominant defense and run game to win 24-7 — its first bowl victory since 2019. The game featured two interim coaches — Kerry Coombs at Cincinnati for Luke Fickell (who left for Wisconsin) and Deion Branch for Louisville, after Scott Satterfield left to replace Fickell. Satterfield was not at the game, instead hosting recruits in Cincinnati. But his former team played hard without him, and its aggressive defense — No. 2 in the nation in sacks — made play after play, making it a long day for Cincinnati quarterback Evan Prater. Louisville, playing without quarterback Malik Cunningham (opt out) was far from perfect on offense but had a season-high 287 yards on the ground — getting 100-yard rushing performances each from reserve running backs Maurice Turner and Jawhar Jordan. — Adelson


Friday, Dec. 16

Hometown Lenders Bahamas Bowl: UAB 24, Miami (Ohio) 20

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UAB LB Reynard Ellis makes the game-saving tackle at the 2-yard line to secure the victory for the Blazers in a 24-20 thriller vs. the RedHawks.

Junior running back Jermaine Brown Jr.’s big day led the way as UAB secured a 24-20 victory over Miami (Ohio), giving incoming head coach Trent Dilfer some momentum to build off heading into 2023. Brown ran 24 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns to help the Blazers win without the services of FBS-leading rusher DeWayne McBride, who opted out of the game. Brown’s fourth-down touchdown run with 1:33 left in the game put UAB in front to stay — the game’s fourth lead change in the second half. Despite losing the turnover battle (3-0), UAB pulled out the victory with the help of six players combining for four sacks. — Baumgartner

Duluth Trading Cure Bowl: No. 24 Troy 18, No. 25 UTSA 12

What a finish for Troy first-year head coach Jon Sumrall, closing out a 12-2 season by scoring 18 unanswered points to beat UTSA on Friday for the Trojans’ 11th straight win. Troy had just 153 total yards and did not cross midfield in the first half, but five takeaways — including two interceptions and a forced fumble on UTSA quarterback Frank Harris, who was sixth in the FBS in passing coming into the game — was too much to overcome for the Roadrunners. The Trojans became the first team to win a bowl game with less than 175 yards of offense since UCLA in the 2002 Las Vegas Bowl against New Mexico. — Wilson

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MLB Power Rankings: Red-hot Mariners, Padres heat up division races

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MLB Power Rankings: Red-hot Mariners, Padres heat up division races

There are six weeks left in the 2025 MLB season, and after it seemed as if some of baseball’s top teams were running away with their divisions early on, we’ve seen those leads shrink to, in some cases, zero.

In the National League West, we’ve seen the Dodgers’ commanding lead be erased entirely, as the Padres now lead their rivals by one game atop the division — and with a series between the two coming up this weekend.

The same has happened in the American League West, with the Astros overtaking the Mariners earlier in the season and building a cushion atop the division, only to see that disappear as Seattle has won eight of its last 10 games to be just one game back from Houston.

Meanwhile, the Brewers have built a comfortable lead in the NL Central — and atop the majors, with the best record in all of baseball — after overtaking the Cubs late last month thanks to a number of winning streaks, including the current 12-game one.

Our expert panel has ranked every team 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 Buster Olney, Alden Gonzalez and Jesse Rogers to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.

Week 18 | Second-half preview | Preseason rankings


Record: 76-44
Previous ranking: 1

Sometimes there just aren’t enough words to describe how a team is doing what it is doing. It becomes less about talent — and, don’t get me wrong, Milwaukee is talented — and more about belief and confidence. The Brewers are riding that high right now, believing every time they step on the field, this is their game. But it still takes production to win, and during their latest win streak, Brice Turang and William Contreras have led them with big hit after big hit. Contreras has been playing top-level baseball over the past two weeks, hitting six home runs in the span of 12 games while Turang hit six in 11. Milwaukee looks unstoppable right now. — Rogers


Record: 69-51
Previous ranking: 2

Ranger Suarez has been dominant on the road this season but imploded against the Reds on Tuesday when he gave up 10 hits and six runs in 5⅓ innings. That game raised Philadelphia’s starting rotation ERA to over 4.00 since the All-Star break. It’s probably not much of a concern as the Phillies have more important days ahead of them, so getting Suarez, Zack Wheeler, Christopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo ready for the postseason should be No.1 on the team’s to-do list. A comfortable lead in the division will help that cause come September. — Rogers


Record: 70-51
Previous ranking: 6

As Shane Bieber finishes his minor league rehabilitation and prepares to join the Toronto rotation, manager John Schneider and his staff will have some choices. They could go to a six-man rotation, maybe temporarily, to give the team’s veteran starters a little extra rest in the last weeks of the season. Or they could shift someone to the bullpen. Lefty Eric Lauer has been a revelation for the Jays this year, posting a 3.36 ERA in 13 starts, but he has the most experience out of the ‘pen among the Toronto starters. — Olney


Record: 68-53
Previous ranking: 4

Brock Stewart, the Dodgers’ big deadline addition to the bullpen, is dealing with shoulder inflammation and was placed on the injured list Tuesday, where he joined five other high-leverage relievers. Manager Dave Roberts is once again short on options to hold leads late, but his offense has also been too inconsistent to routinely obtain leads in the first place. And oftentimes when the lineup produces, that day’s starting pitcher does not. The Dodgers have been a sub-.500 team since the start of July and can’t do much right these days, which might make this a really bad time for them to host the surging Padres this weekend. — Gonzalez


Record: 70-52
Previous ranking: 5

As the Tigers try to hold off Cleveland down the stretch, they will have to defend first place head-to-head. Six of Detroit’s final 12 games in the regular season are against the Guardians — at home Sept. 16-18, and in Cleveland Sept. 23-25. But according to FanGraphs, only three teams — the Yankees, Cubs and Dodgers — face a weaker schedule than the Tigers over the last quarter of the season. — Olney


Record: 67-54
Previous ranking: 11

The Mariners won their eighth consecutive game Tuesday night and moved into a first-place tie with Houston in the AL West — marking the first time since the start of June that they’ve held a share of the division lead. The Mariners, now a game back after Wednesday’s loss, have won nine of 11 since the front office made a multitude of win-now moves at the trade deadline and will spend these next six-plus weeks gunning for their first division title since 2001. They’ll get some additional help, too, with Bryce Miller rejoining the rotation soon and Victor Robles settling back atop the lineup shortly thereafter. The vibes in Seattle are on another level right now. — Gonzalez


Record: 68-51
Previous ranking: 3

Chicago might have to focus on a wild-card spot, as an offensive slump combined with the Brewers’ hot streak has tanked the Cubs’ percentages to win the division. The good news is the starting staff has kept them above water, ranking first in ERA since the All-Star break. But a power outage in the middle of the order is concerning. Kyle Tucker, who might still be feeling the aftereffects of a jammed finger suffered on June 1, has just a handful of extra-base hits since the calendar turned to July. The power lull has seemingly infected everyone in the lineup — outside of rookie Matt Shaw. — Rogers


Record: 69-52
Previous ranking: 8

Michael King made his long-awaited return to the Padres’ rotation Friday, and though it resulted in an ineffective, two-inning outing, the fact that he was there in the first place was a major development for a Padres team that seems to be rounding into the best version of itself for the season’s stretch run. The lineup — bolstered by the additions of Ramon Laureano, Ryan O’Hearn and Freddy Fermin — once again looks deep. The bullpen, fortified by the addition of Mason Miller, is one of the game’s best. The rotation is as close to whole as it has been all year. And now the Padres are poised to take down the Dodgers in the NL West. — Gonzalez


Record: 68-53
Previous ranking: 10

The Astros find themselves in a tight division race with the surging Mariners and will have to try to fend Seattle off, at least in the near term, without their star closer, Josh Hader, who landed on the IL on Tuesday with what the team described as a shoulder strain. The Astros still don’t know the severity of the injury, but manager Joe Espada called it a “punch to the gut.” Hader converted his first 25 save chances this season and sports a 2.05 ERA, with 76 strikeouts in 52⅔ innings. Bryan Abreu can be a capable closer in the meantime, but Hader’s absence significantly weakens the entirety of the bullpen. — Gonzalez


Record: 66-56
Previous ranking: 9

It seems appropriate that Roman Anthony wears No. 19 for the Red Sox, since his immediate impact is similar to the work of another Red Sox player who wore No. 19: Fred Lynn, the 1975 Rookie of the Year and MVP. Anthony has a 135 OPS+ with an on-base percentage of .399 in 53 games, and, like Lynn in his rookie season, Anthony has quickly become a core piece of Boston’s offense. — Olney


Record: 64-55
Previous ranking: 7

A collective slump at the plate since late July has been maddening for New York, although Pete Alonso setting the franchise record for home runs was a recent bright spot. Maybe the Mets will look back at their 13-5 win over Atlanta on Tuesday — when Alonso set the mark — as a turning point.

Right now, you could throw a dart at their roster and you’ll probably hit a player who is struggling at the plate. That does actually include Alonso, who has an OBP under .250 since the All-Star break. Francisco Lindor might be the most frustrated of the group as he’s hitting .188 over his last 23 games. As he and Alonso go, so do the Mets. They’re too good to continue on the pace they were on before Tuesday. — Rogers


Record: 64-57
Previous ranking: 12

Some of New York’s trade deadline acquisitions started out their Yankees campaigns infamously, with that ugly game in Miami. But in the past eight days, reliever David Bednar has provided some stability for the bullpen, twice making five-out appearances while striking out 12 in seven innings over that span. Manager Aaron Boone has more to figure out about his bullpen, but he seems to have settled on a closer. — Olney


Record: 64-58
Previous ranking: 14

A starting staff that ranks fourth in the NL in ERA got a boost with the return of Hunter Greene from injury. Could that be the difference-maker Cincinnati needs to make a playoff push? It might be a moot point if the Reds don’t hit enough. Every few games, they show signs of being capable of a potent offense, but then they revert to lower-scoring days, as they did last week in losing three games while scoring a total of just three runs. Miguel Andujar came up big over the past seven days, compiling an OPS over 1.300. The Reds need more contributions like that. — Rogers


Record: 62-57
Previous ranking: 15

Cleveland has won 21 of its past 30 games, thriving through a period in which it lost closer Emmanuel Clase to a leave of absence related to a gambling investigation; traded Shane Bieber, who had been expected to join the Cleveland rotation down the stretch; and listened to offers for Steven Kwan. The Guardians’ improbable surge is reminiscent of that of the 2024 Tigers. — Olney


Record: 61-61
Previous ranking: 13

The Rangers won their second consecutive game against the Yankees on Aug. 5, at which point they stood just a half-game back of a playoff spot. It seemed then as if the 2023 World Series champs — a team that has spent most of the time since searching for some consistent offense — were finally poised to make their move. Then Texas slipped once more, getting swept at home by the Phillies and totaling just seven runs over the course of a four-game losing streak. The Rangers are running out of time to showcase the consistent baseball they still believe they’re capable of. — Gonzalez


Record: 61-61
Previous ranking: 19

Is this the real Jordan Walker? Has he finally arrived? OK, that might be over the top for a .233 hitter, but he has been on a nice run since the All-Star break, hitting around .300, though with just one home run. More recently, he had an 8-for-16 stretch that included back-to-back three-hit games. His development is part of the Cardinals’ big picture strategy for the season, which has been all about allowing their young players to succeed or fail without looking over their collective shoulders too much. Outside of going on the IL due to appendicitis, Walker has had that opportunity. Could 2026 finally be the year for the 23-year-old? Stay tuned. — Rogers


Record: 59-62
Previous ranking: 16

The Giants haven’t had a winning month since April. At this point, they’re clearly playing for next year. With that in mind, though, perhaps Rafael Devers, the mid-June acquisition that was supposed to catapult them to the top of the NL West, is finally starting to figure out Oracle Park and get back to who he is. After slashing just .230/.337/.368 in July, Devers is slashing .267/.389/.556 in his first 12 games of August. Giants manager Bob Melvin told reporters Devers is “taking more balanced swings, a little more fluid,” a result, Melvin thinks, of no longer trying to do too much. — Gonzalez


Record: 60-61
Previous ranking: 18

On the day that Kansas City acquired Adam Frazier, one rival evaluator was confused by the move, citing Frazier’s struggles in Pittsburgh, where he hit .255 with a .318 OBP. But the Royals got Frazier in part because of his stabilizing influence in the clubhouse, and he has played well for Kansas City so far, hitting over .300 and helping to spur an offense that has been significantly better of late. In the first half of the season, the Royals ranked 29th of 30 teams in runs scored; since the All-Star break, they rank sixth. — Olney


Record: 59-63
Previous ranking: 17

Tampa Bay has an excellent track record for flipping proven talent and developing the young players they acquire in return. However, that has not been the case for Christopher Morel, who has had a disappointing season with a minus-0.6 WAR. Morel, who came to the Rays from the Cubs last year in the swap for Isaac Paredes, has 18 walks and 88 strikeouts in 241 plate appearances in 2025. — Olney


Record: 58-62
Previous ranking: 20

Miami’s chances at making a wild-card run took a hit last week when it batted .218 as a team with two home runs over a span of six games. The Marlins lost five of them, including a crushing doubleheader sweep by the Braves over the weekend. Game 2 was the killer, as the Marlins led 4-0 before falling 8-6. In those six games, Kyle Stowers went 2-for-21 (.095) as Miami ranked 27th in OPS for the week. It helped drop them further behind the other NL wild-card teams. — Rogers


Record: 59-62
Previous ranking: 21

Geraldo Perdomo has quietly been among the game’s best shortstops over the past four years, and now he’s in the midst of his best season. The switch-hitting 25-year-old boasts a .955 OPS since the start of July, putting his slash line up to .286/.386/.443 this season. Combine that with his typically solid defense and opportunistic baserunning, and Perdomo already compiled 4.7 FanGraphs WAR, ranked eighth among position players. It’s clear why the D-backs gave him a four-year, $45 million extension earlier this year — despite the presence of top prospect Jordan Lawlar. — Gonzalez


Record: 59-62
Previous ranking: 22

Zach Neto homered twice against the Dodgers on Monday, then turned a triple play against Shohei Ohtani in what amounted to a massive momentum shift in another Angels victory Tuesday. The latter, Neto said, was the highlight. It accounted for the first triple play of his life, and it came against one of the game’s best players. “It was pretty special,” said Neto, who was perfectly positioned to catch Ohtani’s line drive up the middle, then stepped on second base and fired to first, all in a matter of roughly three seconds. The Angels once again don’t have much to play for this season, but they completed a sweep of the Dodgers on Wednesday and finished 6-0 against their crosstown rivals this season. — Gonzalez


Record: 57-63
Previous ranking: 23

With the benefit of 20-20 hindsight, rival GMs believe that Minnesota was never actually open to the idea of trading right-hander Joe Ryan. With the Twins’ announcement that they’ll be adding new minority owners, there will be questions about whether Ryan can be locked down to a long-term deal, but even if that doesn’t happen, his trade value will continue to be sky-high, assuming he stays healthy, into the offseason. Cast against the landscape of a relatively thin free agent starting pitching class, he’d be in high demand from contenders. — Olney


Record: 54-66
Previous ranking: 24

A rival executive mused last week about Baltimore’s thin pitching and saturation of position player prospects. “The Orioles should have Garrett Crochet,” he said, noting how well Baltimore matched up with what the White Sox reportedly were looking for in a Crochet trade. This is just one what-if in a long list of what-ifs as the Orioles begin the process of building a pitching staff for 2026. — Olney


Record: 52-68
Previous ranking: 25

If the Braves are going to quickly return to contender status next season, they’ll need Spencer Strider at his best. That hasn’t been the case in his first season back after undergoing elbow surgery. Strider has given up 13 runs in 8⅔ innings this month after having an OK July where he threw two quality starts in five outings. We’ll see where his fastball velocity is next spring, but right now, it’s down 3 mph from 2022, 2 mph from 2023 and 1 mph from before his injury. Can he be successful at 95 mph rather than 98 mph? — Rogers


Record: 54-69
Previous ranking: 26

The A’s still have a lot of work to do to become competitive again, but their offense is legitimately promising. And one of the many reasons for that is Shea Langeliers, the 27-year-old catcher who slumped through the first two months of the season but has been one of the game’s best hitters in recent weeks. Since the All-Star break, Langeliers ranks second in the majors with a 1.227 OPS — just behind his teammate, Nick Kurtz, at 1.249 — and has accumulated 12 home runs, tied with Kyle Schwarber for tops in the sport. — Gonzalez


Record: 51-71
Previous ranking: 27

When will the misery end for Pirates fans? They’ve lost five in a row, including a Paul Skenes start in which Milwaukee beat them 14-0 on Tuesday. Pittsburgh’s problem is the same as it has always been: It can’t hit. Consider this: The Pirates have hit a major league-worst 86 home runs, which is 17 less than the Padres, who rank 29th. And it’s an astounding 105 home runs behind the Yankees, who lead MLB. Without more power next season, Pittsburgh will land right back where it is now … in last place in the division. — Rogers


Record: 44-77
Previous ranking: 28

The only member of the White Sox organization under contract for 2026 is Andrew Benintendi, for $17.1 million. Otherwise, moving forward, the White Sox have almost no payroll obligations. This made it easy for them to bet on the upside of Luis Robert Jr. and keep him through the deadline; presumably, they will pick up his $20 million option in the winter, and they’ll continue to hope that Robert’s potential fully manifests. — Olney


Record: 48-72
Previous ranking: 29

Somehow the Nationals do not have the worst ERA in baseball since the All-Star break despite looking horrendous on the mound. Their struggles there have affected every part of their pitching staff — MacKenzie Gore gave up eight runs in a recent start, Jake Irvin gave up six and Mitchell Parker gave up five. Washington feels like it’s playing out the string on the mound as the staff has given up 80 runs in eight losses this month. The team needs some overhauling in the offseason, starting with a new general manager and manager. — Rogers


Record: 32-88
Previous ranking: 30

August is only 14 days old and it already includes an eight-game losing streak for the Rockies. The Rockies have suffered through five eight-game losing streaks this season. Their run differential is a whopping minus-326, more than double that of the second-worst team (the Nationals at minus-148). And of their remaining 13 series, seven will come against teams that will likely be in the playoffs this year, including three against the Dodgers and Padres. With a little more than six weeks remaining, the Rockies are on pace for 119 losses, two shy of the modern-day record set by the 2024 White Sox. It’s going to be close. — Gonzalez

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Mets promoting prospect McLean to boost rotation

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Mets promoting prospect McLean to boost rotation

NEW YORK — Pitching prospect Nolan McLean will make his major league debut Saturday for the New York Mets, who are hoping the right-hander can provide a boost to a struggling rotation.

McLean, 24, is ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Mets’ farm system by ESPN. He went 8-5 with a 2.45 ERA in 21 games, including 18 starts, between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse.

He struck out 127 batters in 113 2/3 innings with a five-pitch arsenal that includes a mid-to-high 90s fastball as well as a sweeper that’s been clocked in the mid-80s.

“We feel good with him going out there and giving us a chance to win baseball games at the big league level,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Credit to him that he put himself in this position.”

Mendoza and swingman Paul Blackburn, who was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday to replace Justin Hagenman on the roster, both said they were impressed by McLean’s mound maturity.

“I was there in Jacksonville (for) his first start at Triple-A and his demeanor and his presence out there — really looked like he knew kind of what he wanted to do, what he was trying to do, how he was trying to set up guys,” Blackburn said. “I think that just kind of says a lot about somebody.”

McLean, who played for Oklahoma State, is the first member of the Mets’ 2023 draft class to reach the majors. He is taking the rotation spot of Frankie Montas, who was sent to the bullpen Tuesday after going 3-2 with a 6.38 ERA in his first eight games, including seven starts.

The Mets rotation ranks sixth in the majors with a 3.70 ERA, though their 591 inning are the fourth-fewest. David Peterson, the scheduled starter Wednesday night against the Atlanta Braves, is the only New York starter to pitch at least six innings in a start since June 7.

McLean, who last pitched for Syracuse on Sunday, has thrown at least six innings in nine starts this season. He reached at least 90 pitches seven times, most recently on Aug. 5.

“Every time you’re able to call up a prospect, whether it’s a position player or a pitcher, the expectations here is to help us win baseball games,” Mendoza said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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August call-up Marsee stays hot with 7-RBI night

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August call-up Marsee stays hot with 7-RBI night

CLEVELAND — Jakob Marsee is making quite the impression in his first major league action with the Miami Marlins.

Marsee homered twice and matched a franchise record with seven RBIs in Miami’s 13-4 victory at Cleveland on Wednesday night. He hit a three-run drive in the first inning, a tiebreaking two-run shot in the fifth and a two-run double in the sixth.

The last player to drive in seven runs for the Marlins was Adam Duvall on April 13, 2021, at Atlanta.

“It’s obviously an honor and super special,” Marsee said about adding his name to the team’s record book. “But I mean, that stuff, like, doesn’t really matter to me. I just want to win, so anything I can do to help the team win.”

The speedy center fielder also singled and swiped second base in the second, but he was stranded when Heriberto Hernández struck out swinging. He robbed Steven Kwan of a base hit with a sliding grab for the final out of the third.

The Michigan native who played his college ball for Central Michigan in Mount Pleasant — about 300 miles northwest of Cleveland — was backed by a big group of family and friends.

“It’s been a long journey,” Marsee said. “To have them here is everything to me.”

Marsee, 24, was brought up by Miami on Aug. 1. He reached base safely in 10 of his first 12 games, collecting 13 hits and nine walks.

Following his four-hit night against Cleveland, he is batting .436 (17-for-39) with three homers, 13 RBIs and six steals in 13 games in the majors. He has a .542 on-base percentage.

“I’ve pictured myself in a lot of these moments. Dreamed about this stuff,” Marsee said, “and I just trust God.”

Marsee was selected by the San Diego Padres in the sixth round of the 2022 amateur draft. He was traded to Miami in the Luis Arraez deal in May 2024.

He batted .246 with 14 homers, 37 RBIs and 47 steals in 98 games for Triple-A Jacksonville before he was promoted by the Marlins.

Batting with two outs and two runners aboard in the first on Wednesday, Marsee drove a 2-2 sweeper from Gavin Williams deep to right to give Miami a 4-0 lead. Marsee’s second homer of the season traveled 403 feet with a 105.4 mph exit velocity.

He connected for a two-run shot in the fifth against Kolby Allard, lifting the Marlins to a 6-4 advantage. The 385-foot drive was the hardest hit ball of his career at 107.6 mph.

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