Sports
Overreactions or not? Breaking down the latest from AL’s top contenders
A few days ago, we checked in on what to believe and what not to in the National League. Well, the American League is perhaps even more chaotic.
The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are in the midst of a crucial four-game series at Yankee Stadium — with the final game on “Sunday Night Baseball” at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. Both teams will try to make a statement and inch closer to the Toronto Blue Jays at the top of the division while staying ahead in the wild-card race.
The Blue Jays had been hot — except they just lost a series to the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates. The Houston Astros were recently shut out three games in a row (and four out of five) but kept their slim hold on first place in the AL West because the Seattle Mariners went 2-7 on a recent road trip, including a brutal three-game wipeout in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, the Detroit Tigers might be back on track, and the Kansas City Royals are suddenly surging.
Let’s check on the current states of overreaction in the AL and make some verdicts.
Overreaction: Judge! Bellinger! Stanton! The Yankees are back, baby!
Calm down there, tiger. The Yankees took two of three from Minnesota. They scored 24 runs in sweeping St. Louis, and then they bashed nine home runs in a win over Tampa Bay.
The middle of the order is leading the way. Aaron Judge is back off the injured list. Cody Bellinger has proven to be one of the most unheralded pickups of last offseason, on his way to his most home runs since his MVP season of 2019. The big shocker has been Giancarlo Stanton, though. He missed the first two-plus months of the season because of what was described as a double tennis elbow, as if he had spent the offseason working on his backhand slice, preparing for the French Open. In 46 games since returning in mid-June, he’s hitting .311/.389/..642, producing what is easily his highest OPS since his MVP season of 2017, and has been so hot that the Yankees played him a few games in right field to keep his bat in the lineup (allowing Judge to DH while working on returning to the field) even though Stanton is less mobile than the monuments in center field.
So, it has been a nice stretch after losing records in June and July. But there are still issues. Max Fried, who starts Friday night, is scuffling, with a 6.80 ERA over his past eight starts. He hasn’t had a quality start since June. The back of the bullpen is still sorting out things, as David Bednar has replaced Devin Williams as the closer (and blew the save Wednesday, although the Yankees won in extra innings), but Camilo Doval and Jake Bird, two other trade deadline acquisitions, haven’t made an impact. There could still be a terrific bullpen here, especially if Williams gets straightened out, but let’s hold off on declaring that.
And Judge still hasn’t played the outfield. Though manager Aaron Boone played Stanton in right field at Yankee Stadium, where there is less ground to cover, he hasn’t played Stanton in the field on the road, leaving him as a part-time player for now. Ryan McMahon, the team’s other big deadline move, has been getting on base but has one home run in 22 games with the Yankees.
VERDICT: OVERREACTION. You can make the argument that if everything was clicking for the Yankees, they have the most upside and deepest roster in the AL: a potential ace in Fried, a potential No. 2 in Carlos Rodon, a potential wipeout bullpen, the best hitter in the sport in Judge and power up and down the lineup. They haven’t played that well against the top teams in the AL, however, including a combined 4-13 record against the Red Sox and Blue Jays, and Fried’s current struggles are a big concern. Let’s not put the Yankees in the playoffs yet.
Overreaction: The Red Sox have to win this series against the Yankees
The likeliest scenario in a four-game series between two evenly matched teams is, of course, a split. That would leave the Red Sox where they started the series, one game behind the Yankees and in third place in the AL East, but potentially in a much tighter wild-card picture. Still, after winning their first five games in August, the Red Sox went 3-7 in their past 10 games entering the Yankees series, so that makes this series a little more pressure-packed even for a late-August Red Sox-Yankees showdown.
Most frustrating, the Red Sox lost two games in extra innings in that 3-7 stretch and also lost both games that Garrett Crochet started. He had one bad start against the Houston Astros, lasting four innings in his worst start of the season, and then the bullpen blew a 3-1 lead to the Miami Marlins as Greg Weissert and Steven Matz allowed ninth-inning home runs when Aroldis Chapman was unavailable to close. Chapman had pitched the previous games and had thrown only 14 pitches over the two outings, so it was a dubious decision by manager Alex Cora (Chapman had appeared in three consecutive games earlier in the season).
One key for the Red Sox down the stretch: How much will Cora push his top pitchers? Crochet is already past his innings total of 2024 and hasn’t pitched on four days’ rest since June 18, with rest periods of seven and nine days during that span. Chapman has had a dominant season but has pitched just 48 innings in 53 appearances and has rarely made even back-to-back outings. The Yankees series begins a stretch for Boston of 13 games in 13 days and 19 in 20, so Cora will have to make some decisions with his rotation.
VERDICT: OVERREACTION. Is there urgency to turn things around? Of course. Is this a do-or-die series? No, it’s still too early to make that claim, especially with the Red Sox still in a solid wild-card position (granted, chasing down the Blue Jays remains the ultimate goal). On the other hand, this eight-game road trip to New York and Baltimore looms large, given the Red Sox are just 28-34 on the road– and the Orioles have been playing better of late. A bad road trip could be disastrous. Check back next week.
Overreaction: The Blue Jays — not the Tigers — are now the best team in the AL
The Blue Jays have gone 48-26 since May 28 — the second-best record in the majors behind Milwaukee since that date. They have the highest OPS in the majors since then and only the Brewers are close to them in runs scored (Boston has scored the third-most runs and is 50 runs behind the Blue Jays since May 28). It hasn’t been just Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette either. George Springer and Addison Barger have mashed, Daulton Varsho has had a big August and role players such as Davis Schneider, Joey Loperfido, Ernie Clement and Tyler Heineman have been excellent. Toronto has a sneaky deep lineup.
Oh, and Max Scherzer has suddenly reeled off five straight quality starts.
On the other hand, the Tigers seem back on track after that stretch in July when they lost 11 of 12. They’ve won four series in a row, granted, three of those were against the Los Angeles Angels, Chicago White Sox and diminished Minnesota Twins, but they also just swept the Astros, knocking around Framber Valdez in the series finale Wednesday and tossing shutouts in the other two wins. Charlie Morton has helped stabilize the rotation with three excellent starts in his four turns with the Tigers, and the bullpen — with added reinforcements from the trade deadline — has been much better in August after struggling in July. Kerry Carpenter has also been mashing since his return in late July.
VERDICT: OVERREACTION. If you’re buying Scherzer and Eric Lauer as frontline starters and all the surprising offensive performances, then it’s not unreasonable to suggest the Blue Jays are the team to beat. Some of those offensive numbers are skewed by that crazy series at Coors Field when they scored 45 runs in three games, however, and when considering the entire season, the Tigers still have the better run differential (as do the Yankees and Red Sox). The Jays’ bandwagon is gaining momentum, but the AL still feels like one big group of teams that will all finish 92-70.
Overreaction: The Astros can’t hit, and the Mariners can’t pitch
Does anyone want to win the AL West? It doesn’t seem like it (you can even throw in the Texas Rangers, who were tied with the Mariners on July 30 but have gone 6-13 since then in playing a difficult August schedule). The Astros are hitting just .226 in August with a .649 OPS. Carlos Correa has been their best hitter, so it’s hard to criticize that trade, but Jesus Sanchez has hit .150 with one RBI for Houston while rookie Cam Smith has fallen into a slump. Getting back Yordan Alvarez, who just began a rehab assignment, will be a big lift if he’s healthy.
As for the Mariners, they have their top five starters healthy for the first time, but this road trip exposed their secret: Their rotation is vastly overrated. The Mariners are 26th in rotation ERA on the road. Bryan Woo is the only starter of those five with an ERA under 5.00 on the road. Logan Gilbert has a 2.22 ERA at home and 6.00 on the road. Luis Castillo‘s road OPS is nearly 300 points higher than it is at home. They pitch well at home because T-Mobile Park is such a pitcher-friendly park. The Mariners still have two road trips remaining: a nine-game trip to Cleveland, Tampa and Atlanta, and then a six-game trip to Kansas City and Houston.
VERDICT: NOT AN OVERREACTION. Both concerns are legitimate. The Astros’ offense hasn’t been terrible this season, but it rates as middle of the pack, and Correa is replacing the injured Isaac Paredes, so he’s not an upgrade. Seattle’s rotation struggles on the road — and lack of bullpen depth — are perhaps an even bigger concern. The season series is tied 5-5. FanGraphs projects a dead heat for the division title. The teams will meet once more in Houston during the second-to-last weekend of the regular season — and that series might decide the AL West.
Overreaction: The Royals will make the playoffs
As the Red Sox, Astros and Mariners have stumbled over the past 10 games, it opened the door for the Royals, who won five in a row and seven of eight to inch closer in the wild-card race (with Cleveland right there, as well). Bobby Witt Jr. is raking in August, Vinnie Pasquantino has been crushing home runs and, further proof of the unpredictability of the trade deadline, Mike Yastrzemski and Adam Frazier, two seemingly minor pickups, have been outstanding.
The Royals are doing this without Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic, but Noah Cameron continues to pitch well and fellow rookie Ryan Bergert, who came over in the Freddy Fermin trade, has delivered three good starts. Just like last year’s team, the Royals have that spark of optimism rising at the right time.
VERDICT: NOT AN OVERREACTION. We’ll learn more about the Royals with this weekend’s series in Detroit and then the rematch next weekend in Kansas City. Otherwise, however, their schedule is pretty soft the rest of the way, including a season-ending road trip to Anaheim and Sacramento against two teams that will be playing out the string. The vibes are good. The Royals will sneak in as a wild-card team.
It’s Monday, and another round of NWSL action is in the books, which means it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings.
Who’s climbing the table? Who’s in free fall? Our writers studied the action from across Matchday 24 to come up with this week’s order of all 14 teams in the league. Let’s dive in.
Previous ranking: 1
Next match: Saturday Oct. 18 vs. Houston Dash, 7.30 p.m. ET
Kansas City is soaring into the postseason after beating another top-of-the-table team this weekend. Temwa Chawinga and Bia Zaneratto provided the goals as the league-leaders put space between them and 2023 champs Gotham FC in a 2-0 victory at CPKC Stadium. With the goal, Chawinga also added space between herself and Gotham’s Esther González at the top of the Golden Boot race, which she now leads by two goals. The victory also saw the Current set a new NWSL record for points in a season.
Previous ranking: 2
Next match: Saturday Oct. 18 vs. Orlando Pride, 12.30 p.m. ET
Trinity Rodman‘s left-footed strike from inside the box (her fifth goal of the season) set the Spirit ahead in the second half in Cary, but they settled for a 1-1 tie against ninth-place North Carolina. With the draw (plus Gotham’s loss to Kansas City), the Spirit have officially clinched home-field advantage through to the playoff semifinals. After a record-breaking year for total attendance at Audi Field, that’s massive for last year’s runner-up, who seem poised to make a compelling playoff run.
1:11
North Carolina Courage vs. Washington Spirit – Game Highlights
Watch the Game Highlights from North Carolina Courage vs. Washington Spirit, 10/12/2025
Previous ranking: 3
Next match: Sunday Oct. 19 vs. Racing Louisville, 3 p.m. ET
2024 NWSL goalkeeper of the year Ann-Katrin Berger missed Gotham’s marquee meeting with Kansas City due to a knee injury, so the Bats debuted 27-year-old goalkeeper Shelby Hogan on the road at CPKC Stadium in a massive test. Hogan’s three-save performance helped limit the Current’s dynamic attack, but Gotham left Missouri with a 2-0 defeat. They outshot their hosts but managed just two on target themselves, while team top-scorer Esther stretched her scoreless run to four games. They finished the weekend fourth in the table but will need to battle to hold on to home-field advantage with final tests in their next two games against teams vying for playoff positions (Racing Louisville, then North Carolina).
Previous ranking: 5
Next match: Saturday Oct. 18 vs. Washington Spirit, 12.30 p.m. ET
In her first match back from a back injury, inimitable club veteran Marta forced a heroic own goal in stoppage time to secure a hugely consequential three points against the Portland Thorns. That’s Orlando’s second win in a three-game undefeated run in the regular season, marking a sorely needed turnaround after a nine-game winless rut. The reigning champs finished the weekend in third place, but play second-place Washington Spirit and fifth-place Seattle Reign in their final games.
Previous ranking: 4
Next match: Sunday Oct. 19 vs. Angel City FC, 5 p.m. ET (Stream LIVE on ESPN+)
In a fairly even contest on the road in Orlando (which saw both sides clock four-total shots on target), the Thorns settled for defeat thanks to Marta’s 93rd minute attempt from a corner that was officially ruled an own goal. A win or draw could have seen Portland clinch a playoff spot pending other results in the table. But after this last-minute defeat, the seventh-place Thorns will look to do so next weekend against Angel City.
1:19
Orlando Pride vs. Portland Thorns FC – Game Highlights
Watch the Game Highlights from Orlando Pride vs. Portland Thorns FC, 10/11/2025
Previous ranking: 6
Next match: Friday Oct. 17 vs. Utah Royals, 10 p.m. ET
Seattle’s Welsh veteran that never stops, Jess Fishlock, came to the rescue for the Reign in a 1-1 draw against Bay FC. Fishlocks’s sixth goal of the season earned them a second-straight draw in a three-game undefeated run of results, seeing them to a fifth-place finish ahead of the penultimate weekend. They might regret not securing all three points as they jockey for homefield advantage, but they’re on track for a postseason berth.
Previous ranking: 8
Next match: Saturday Oct. 18 vs. Chicago Stars, 10 p.m. ET
San Diego was one of a few clubs that couldn’t clinch or be eliminated from the playoffs this weekend. But they needed a result against Utah to keep their postseason aims alive. Despite horrible weather and trailing early, they secured a pivotal 3-2 win (ending a seven-game winless run) that has them in sixth place of a congested table ahead of the penultimate weekend. They’ve still got the tools to make a splash in the playoffs but will need to stay focused to secure their spot.
1:16
Utah Royals vs. San Diego Wave FC – Game Highlights
Watch the Game Highlights from Utah Royals vs. San Diego Wave FC, 10/12/2025
Previous ranking: 7
Next match: Sunday Oct. 19 vs. Gotham FC, 3 p.m. ET
Bethany Balcer‘s 93rd-minute equalizer against the already-eliminated Chicago Stars could prove pivotal in Louisville’s race to make their first playoffs. They finished the weekend in the eighth and final playoff position, ahead of North Carolina Courage by four points. They’ve got two games left — starting with a tough test on the road at Gotham — and will make club history if they stay above that line.
Previous ranking: 10
Next match: Friday Oct. 17 vs. Bay FC, 10 p.m. ET
The Courage joined San Diego as one of two clubs (of those not already eliminated or secure in their playoff spot) that couldn’t clinch or be eliminated this weekend. Playing at home, they fell behind first against the second-placed Spirit, but fought back for a 1-1 draw that saw them finish one spot and four points short of the playoff positions. With two remaining games against Bay FC and then Gotham, they’ll need to find positive results and hope the teams above them stumble.
Previous ranking: 12
Next match: Sunday Oct. 19 vs. Portland Thorns, 5 p.m. ET (Stream LIVE on ESPN+)
If Racing Louisville had won their 1-1 draw against Seattle, there would have been nothing Angel City could do to stay in postseason contention. But they entered Sunday’s contest with fate in their own hands, and secured a compelling 2-0 win against Houston. They displayed a lot of attacking progress in the win, and have two games to break into the playoff positions. They need to win both remaining games to maintain a slim chance. Next up, Portland.
1:19
Angel City FC vs. Houston Dash – Game Highlights
Watch the Game Highlights from Angel City FC vs. Houston Dash, 10/13/2025
Previous ranking: 9
Next match: Saturday Oct. 18 vs. KC Current, 7.30 p.m. ET
Mathematically, Houston can still make the playoffs. But the odds are very much not in their favor after falling 2-0 to fellow playoff-hopefuls Angel City FC on Sunday. They’re now sitting in 11th place and need to win their remaining games to maintain a slim chance of making the postseason. Unfortunately, they play Kansas City next.
Previous ranking: 11
Next match: Friday Oct. 17 vs. Seattle Reign, 10 p.m. ET
The Utah Royals put in a valiant end-of-season effort. Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to San Diego Wave ends a laudable eight-game unbeaten run (four wins, four draws), and officially eliminates them from the playoffs. They took the initial lead in the ninth minute and equalized later on, but needed a win to stay afloat in their postseason hopes. Regardless, fans can be proud of end-of-year form for the Royals.
Previous ranking: 13
Next match: Friday Oct. 17 vs. NC Courage, 10 p.m. ET
Bay FC were already eliminated from the playoffs ahead of their 1-1 draw with Seattle Reign, but they put in an impressive performance while playing on the road. Jordan Silkowitz contributed three saves to a near victory, which kept Seattle goalless until the 84th minute. At the other end, Bay created as many shots as Seattle in a match they nearly won.
Previous ranking: 14
Next match: Saturday Oct. 18 vs. San Diego Wave, 10 p.m. ET
Alyssa Naeher refuses to let us forget why she’s one of the GOATs of US Soccer. The World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist made eight saves for the Stars in a 1-1 draw against Racing Louisville, which they looked set to win until Balcer’s stoppage-time equalizer.
LAHORE: South Africa’s Senuran Muthusamy dramatically turned the tide in the morning session of the first Test, reducing Pakistan from 362-5 to 378 all out at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
South Africa made 10/0 at lunch break on Day 2.
Pakistan had resumed their first innings at 313-5 with overnight batters Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha, both having scored half-centuries. The pair extended their partnership to 163 runs, adding 49 more before Muthusamy’s devastating spell sparked a sudden collapse.
The left-armer claimed three wickets in a single over as Rizwan (75) was caught behind off the third ball, followed by Nauman Ali (0) and Sajid Khan (0), who were both dismissed in quick succession — the latter falling for a golden duck.
Muthusamy also removed Shaheen Afridi (7) while Agha (93) was dismissed by Prenelan Subrayen as the hosts were bundled out for 378.
For South Africa, Muthusamy claimed six wickets, while Subrayen took two. Kagiso Rabada and Simon Harmer also took one wicket each.
Day 1
Pakistan dominated the morning and evening sessions on Day 1,, but lost three wickets in the afternoon session. The hosts got off to a shaky start, losing Abdullah Shafique (2) in the very first over of the innings. He was trapped LBW by Kagiso Rabada.
Skipper Shan Masood and Imam-ul-Haq then steadied the innings with a crucial 161-run partnership for the second wicket, easing the early pressure.
Imam, returning to Test cricket after 2023, celebrated his 10th Test fifty, while Shan reached his 12th.
The partnership was broken when Prenelan Subrayen dismissed Shan for 76 off 147 balls, which included nine fours and a six, leaving Pakistan at 163-2 in 47.3 overs.
Babar Azam walked in next and quickly found his rhythm, striking boundaries from the outset.
He also achieved a major milestone in the ICC World Test Championship, becoming the first Pakistani and eighth overall batter to surpass 3,000 runs in the tournament’s history.
Before tea, Muthusamy gave South Africa two crucial wickets in successive deliveries. Muthusamy removed Imam, who made a brilliant 93 off 153 balls, and Saud Shakeel for a first-ball duck, leaving Pakistan at 199-4 in 57 overs.
After the break, Babar Azam fell for 23 off 48 balls, with Simon Harmer claiming his wicket.
In the final session of Day One, Agha and wicketkeeper-batter Rizwan steadied Pakistan’s innings with a 50-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
Rizwan, showing composure under pressure, scored his 12th Test half-century, while Agha also reached a fifty, his 10th in red-ball cricket.
The duo shared a 100-plus partnership as the day ended in Pakistan’s favor, with Rizwan unbeaten on 62 and Agha on 52.
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A hard-fought win by the Kansas City Chiefs over the Detroit Lions took a wild turn once the final whistle blew on Sunday night as a brawl broke out among players.
Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes was going up to Lions defensive back Brian Branch for a postgame handshake. Branch snubbed Mahomes’ sportsmanship and it appeared wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster took exception to that.
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Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch ,top right, fights with Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) as Chiefs’ James Winchester, left, watches following an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) tries to break up a fight between teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster and Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch following an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Smith-Schuster and Branch exchanged words before the defensive back shoved the wide receiver in the helmet. Smith-Schuster went down on one knee and running back Isiah Pacheco was trying to hold the Lions player back. Smith-Schuster came back at Branch, trying to take him down.
Despite being held back by Pacheco, Branch still managed to rip Smith-Schuster’s helmet off. Players from both teams got into the mix trying to pull the two counterparts off each other. Another punch was thrown as the skirmish ended.
CHIEFS BOUNCE BACK WITH DOMINANT HOME VICTORY OVER LIONS AS PATRICK MAHOMES CONTRIBUTES 4 TOUCHDOWNS
Once the brouhaha subsided, the players said their final farewell to each other and headed back into the locker room.
The NFL is likely to dole out some punishment over the fracas.
Kansas City won the game, 30-17, bouncing back from a tough loss on Monday night against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Chiefs are now 3-3.
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff walks off the field following an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
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The Lions’ streak of scoring at least 30 points ended at four consecutive games. The Lions fell to 4-2.
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