Jayden Jackson was one of Oklahoma’s best players on defense as a true freshman a year ago, and he hasn’t slowed down in year two with the Sooners. He had a huge game in the Sooners’ win over the Auburn Tigers, recording a career high with 2.5 sacks and tying his career-high in tackles with five.
After his big week in Oklahoma’s win, Jackson was named the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week on Tuesday. With this weekly honor, Jackson has been automatically added to the Outland Trophy watch list.
The Outland Trophy is given to the best interior offensive or defensive lineman in the country.
Through four games in the 2025 season, Jackson has been fantastic in the middle of the Sooners defense. He’s second on the Oklahoma defense in total pressures with nine, according to Pro Football Focus. Not just a run defender, Jackson has proven to be a more than capable pass rusher from his defensive tackle spot.
After years of needing an offense to carry them, the Oklahoma defense is leading the way for the Sooners in 2025 and Jayden Jackson has been a big part of their success.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.You can also follow John on X @john9williams.
AVELLANEDA, Argentina (AP) — Striker Santiago Solari scored a goal late in the second half on Tuesday and Racing Club defeated Velez Sarsfield 1-0 to advance to its first Copa Libertadores semifinal since 1997.
The 27-year-old Solari scored the game winner in the 82nd minute for la Academia.
The Argentines will play against the winner of the series between Brazil’s Flamengo and Estudiantes La Plata from Argentina.
The Brazilians, a three-time Copa Libertadores champion has a 2-1 lead over Estudiantes and the second leg will be played next Thursday, when Ecuador’s LDU will try to hold its 2-0 lead over Brazil’s Sao Paulo.
I’ve got a tough question that I need some help with to answer. All through training camp we heard from Steichen that the QB competition was “close” and that both players were doing good things. Players usually had the same things to say, and those fans and media members who were allowed into practice sessions, also basically contributed the completions per attempts of each, along with the good and bad as to what they had witnessed.
Did anyone come out and say “Damn, that Jones dude showed out today!”? There was player support for him after he was named the starter and anyone who spoke said he was deserving, but there certainly wasn’t someone telling us to “get our popcorn ready”. Nothing in the preseason suggested that the code had been cracked and that the Colts now had their guy. I’d say more fans kept the lasting image of an overthrow past an open Warren, as the single most memorable Jones play of the preseason.
We know that no coach wants to show too much of the playbook during the preseason, or expose the first string players to injury, so looking like a well oiled machine should not have been expected. But, wouldn’t you think that there would have been something that got our juices flowing a little? Heck, we had some fans thinking that Leonard was the best option to start. It certainly didn’t inspire any awe in the prognostications, as we were hit hard when it came to expectations for the season.
I wouldn’t expect to see or hear Ballard come out with some outlandish statement, telling the world how good Daniel Jones was going to be. I guess that dialogue was saved for his 2nd round draft choice. This sends me to another thought for another post concerning how little actually comes out of 56th street, compared to how much the outside world thinks they know about the team and it’s inner circle. I digress, so I might dig into that at another time.
If we didn’t actually realize that we might be on to something to get excited about, how could that happen? Could it have been that the open competition actually split the reps enough that it was hard to get a good gauge on what we had from either guy? Could it be that Jones didn’t really turn it on until he was named the starter and got all the 1st team snaps? There is one other semi-exciting explanation. What if our defense was/is just that good? That possibility makes me a bit giddy.
So, getting back to the original question, did those in the building expect what we are seeing? Was it the intent for most of the summer to hold back and let the world think we sucked, only to unleash what to this point has been “historic” in some facets? Can Steichen continue to stay ahead of defenses, once the league gets more film on us? I guess that’s three questions, so I will shut up and await your answers.
Olde, if you are just taking a break, I hope things are well with you and yours. Check in and let us know that you are okay.
Brown’s first major “who to play” decision: identifying his preferred fifth starter to slot alongside Bridges, the All-NBA tandem of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, and mauling 3-and-D forward OG Anunoby.
Since Brown took the Knicks’ reins in July, speculation has swirled about whether the new coach would reinsert the dynamic but shaky-shooting Hart into the starting lineup; stick with the 7-foot Robinson, who made a major impact as an offensive rebounder and rim protector after getting healthy last season, to bump Towns to power forward; or consider a superior shooting option, like reserve guard Miles McBride, to minimize the effectiveness of defenses stashing wings on Towns and maximize the potential explosiveness of a five-out attack headlined by the Brunson-Towns two-man game.
After a couple of months of studying his new club, followed by observing some optional pre-camp workouts, Brown on Tuesday revealed his initial finding: that he needs some more time, and to watch all his players running in live action, to figure out that fifth spot.
“That will materialize throughout camp,” he said. “I think it’s too early to go in and say, ‘This is what’s going to happen.’”
Asked for his take, the ever-playful Hart immediately responded with a joke — “I mean, if I don’t start, I’ll probably ask for a trade” — before both stating his case and, like Bridges in his contract comments, striking a specific tone.
“I think I’m a starter in the league. I think I deserve to be a starter in the league,” said Hart, who had a career year, averaging 13.6 points on 52.5% shooting to go with 9.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.5 steals in a league-leading 37.6 minutes per game last season. “But at the end of the day, it’s what’s best for the team. You know, last year, I talked about sacrifice the whole time, and kind of that servant mentality, and being a good steward of my gifts, and those kinds of things. So I think it would be extremely selfish for me to go out there and demand to start.
“So, you know, whatever Mike wants to do or doesn’t want to do, I’m cool with. Time will tell what that is. I’mma figure it out how I have to figure it out.”
Something else Hart will evidently have to figure out? How to navigate an ongoing issue with the ring finger on his shooting hand, stemming from an injury he sustained in the playoffs. Hart underwent a procedure aimed at resolving it back in July, but said Tuesday that he “kind of reaggravated it somewhat recently,” and that he’d likely have to play with a splint on it this season — an addition to his appendage that he hopes won’t impede his game.
“You know, me, personally, I hate playing with anything on my hands,” Hart said. “I feel like I don’t have a good feel for it. It might take a little getting used to.”
There’s plenty for Brown and his new charges to get used to — and just as important as the “who to play” component of that exploration is the “how to play.”
During his tenure in Sacramento, Brown preached the gospel of pace — of sprinting the floor off misses and makes alike, of getting into the frontcourt earlier into the shot clock, of sprinting into actions rather than going through the motions — and, in the process, produced one of the NBA’s most efficient offenses. (“I played against those Sacramento teams when he was there,” Bridges said. “You know, it was not fun guarding those guys.”) In the Thibodeau/Brunson era, though, New York more frequently operated at a glacial pace, finishing in the bottom five in possessions per 48 minutes in each of thelastfiveseasons.
Brown knows two things for sure: That needs to change, and the journey to changing it starts with one pretty simple step.
“That’s the first thing: tell ’em to run faster,” he said with a laugh. “You know, there are things in what we try to do and what we teach. For us, the biggest thing is getting to the corners. You gotta have guys that are capable of getting to the corners quickly. If you have guys that can get to the corners, especially guys who can shoot the ball and or make plays like we do on this team … then that’s going to flatten the defense, and it’s going to start the dominoes to fall, with the ability to drive and touch the paint and kick and all those other things. So, emphasizing that, while putting a sense of urgency or a sense of importance on getting to the corners, is going to be huge. And if our guys embrace that, which I feel they will, that’ll start the whole process the right way.”
The best possible start to that process for Brown? Getting Brunson to buy into it. The 29-year-old guard has risen to superstardom on the strength of at-times plodding orchestration as a pick-and-roll ball-handler and isolation surgeon; he led the NBA in time of possession, seconds per touch, dribbles per touch and on-ball percentage last season.
In fairness, Brunson’s iron-fisted control has led New York to top-seven finishes in offensive efficiency three years running. As Brown sees it, though, a little bit less could wind up producing a whole lot more.
“The biggest thing that I want to do for him is try to get him — as well as everybody else — easy shots,” Brown said. “And one of the easiest shots in the game of basketball is a spray 3. I’m a big proponent of touching the paint and spraying that basketball for a catch-and-shoot 3, so within what we do, we’re going to try to get him a lot of those situations. […] I’m looking forward to seeing if we can continue to try to find ways — especially when we start playing games — we try to find ways to get him some easy catch-and-shoot looks. Because the ball will be in his hands, especially down the stretch, so to make the game easier throughout the course of the game is going to be a big thing.”
Brown said that, from what he’s seen during optional workouts, Brunson has seemed on-board with the idea of more frequently getting off the ball — to allow Bridges, Towns, Anunoby, Hart and the rest of New York’s playmakers to cook. And Brunson, for his part, sounds like he’s up for the challenge.
“Obviously, once we get started, we’ll see how everything goes,” Brunson said. “But I’m very open to, honestly, anything right now, because everything’s new, and I just want to win. […] We’ve got to obviously be willing to adapt and be willing to change, and figure out how we’re going to be the best team possible moving forward. If you want to win, you’ll do it. It’s that simple.”
Just what that will look like, exactly, remains to be seen. Hart sees a “very collaborative” approach in which “everyone’s going to be able to make plays, to read, to react — and when you do that, everyone’s happy.” Towns theorized the introduction of Warriors-style actions in which Brunson slaloms and slingshots around the court, rocketing around off-ball screens to find clean looks.
Golden State’s symphonic motion offense wasn’t built in a day, though, and Brown understands that taking over a team as close to the top of the mountain as the Knicks feel they are requires a deft touch.
“You always try to look at your guys’ strengths whenever you’re implementing something, and try to put them in the best possible position to have success — first, to help the team, but you also have to keep in mind what their individual goals/aspirations are, and especially based on what their talent level is,” he said. “Trying to mesh that, that is definitely my job. And I think the way that we play on both ends of the floor will enhance what they do very well.”
If he’s able to strike that balance — keeping the core of what’s made New York one of the best teams in the East over the past few seasons, while getting more out of the roster Rose has assembled on both ends of the floor — the Knicks could meet those vaulted expectations and reach the championship round for the first time this century.
“We understand the opportunity that’s in front of us,” Towns said. “We’ve just got to go out there every single day, find ways to get better every single night and give our best version to our fans every single night.”
Brown’s first major “who to play” decision: identifying his preferred fifth starter to slot alongside Bridges, the All-NBA tandem of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, and mauling 3-and-D forward OG Anunoby.
Since Brown took the Knicks’ reins in July, speculation has swirled about whether the new coach would reinsert the dynamic but shaky-shooting Hart into the starting lineup; stick with the 7-foot Robinson, who made a major impact as an offensive rebounder and rim protector after getting healthy last season, to bump Towns to power forward; or consider a superior shooting option, like reserve guard Miles McBride, to minimize the effectiveness of defenses stashing wings on Towns and maximize the potential explosiveness of a five-out attack headlined by the Brunson-Towns two-man game.
After a couple of months of studying his new club, followed by observing some optional pre-camp workouts, Brown on Tuesday revealed his initial finding: that he needs some more time, and to watch all his players running in live action, to figure out that fifth spot.
“That will materialize throughout camp,” he said. “I think it’s too early to go in and say, ‘This is what’s going to happen.’”
Asked for his take, the ever-playful Hart immediately responded with a joke — “I mean, if I don’t start, I’ll probably ask for a trade” — before both stating his case and, like Bridges in his contract comments, striking a specific tone.
“I think I’m a starter in the league. I think I deserve to be a starter in the league,” said Hart, who had a career year, averaging 13.6 points on 52.5% shooting to go with 9.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.5 steals in a league-leading 37.6 minutes per game last season. “But at the end of the day, it’s what’s best for the team. You know, last year, I talked about sacrifice the whole time, and kind of that servant mentality, and being a good steward of my gifts, and those kinds of things. So I think it would be extremely selfish for me to go out there and demand to start.
“So, you know, whatever Mike wants to do or doesn’t want to do, I’m cool with. Time will tell what that is. I’mma figure it out how I have to figure it out.”
Something else Hart will evidently have to figure out? How to navigate an ongoing issue with the ring finger on his shooting hand, stemming from an injury he sustained in the playoffs. Hart underwent a procedure aimed at resolving it back in July, but said Tuesday that he “kind of reaggravated it somewhat recently,” and that he’d likely have to play with a splint on it this season — an addition to his appendage that he hopes won’t impede his game.
“You know, me, personally, I hate playing with anything on my hands,” Hart said. “I feel like I don’t have a good feel for it. It might take a little getting used to.”
There’s plenty for Brown and his new charges to get used to — and just as important as the “who to play” component of that exploration is the “how to play.”
During his tenure in Sacramento, Brown preached the gospel of pace — of sprinting the floor off misses and makes alike, of getting into the frontcourt earlier into the shot clock, of sprinting into actions rather than going through the motions — and, in the process, produced one of the NBA’s most efficient offenses. (“I played against those Sacramento teams when he was there,” Bridges said. “You know, it was not fun guarding those guys.”) In the Thibodeau/Brunson era, though, New York more frequently operated at a glacial pace, finishing in the bottom five in possessions per 48 minutes in each of thelastfiveseasons.
Brown knows two things for sure: That needs to change, and the journey to changing it starts with one pretty simple step.
“That’s the first thing: tell ’em to run faster,” he said with a laugh. “You know, there are things in what we try to do and what we teach. For us, the biggest thing is getting to the corners. You gotta have guys that are capable of getting to the corners quickly. If you have guys that can get to the corners, especially guys who can shoot the ball and or make plays like we do on this team … then that’s going to flatten the defense, and it’s going to start the dominoes to fall, with the ability to drive and touch the paint and kick and all those other things. So, emphasizing that, while putting a sense of urgency or a sense of importance on getting to the corners, is going to be huge. And if our guys embrace that, which I feel they will, that’ll start the whole process the right way.”
The best possible start to that process for Brown? Getting Brunson to buy into it. The 29-year-old guard has risen to superstardom on the strength of at-times plodding orchestration as a pick-and-roll ball-handler and isolation surgeon; he led the NBA in time of possession, seconds per touch, dribbles per touch and on-ball percentage last season.
In fairness, Brunson’s iron-fisted control has led New York to top-seven finishes in offensive efficiency three years running. As Brown sees it, though, a little bit less could wind up producing a whole lot more.
“The biggest thing that I want to do for him is try to get him — as well as everybody else — easy shots,” Brown said. “And one of the easiest shots in the game of basketball is a spray 3. I’m a big proponent of touching the paint and spraying that basketball for a catch-and-shoot 3, so within what we do, we’re going to try to get him a lot of those situations. […] I’m looking forward to seeing if we can continue to try to find ways — especially when we start playing games — we try to find ways to get him some easy catch-and-shoot looks. Because the ball will be in his hands, especially down the stretch, so to make the game easier throughout the course of the game is going to be a big thing.”
Brown said that, from what he’s seen during optional workouts, Brunson has seemed on-board with the idea of more frequently getting off the ball — to allow Bridges, Towns, Anunoby, Hart and the rest of New York’s playmakers to cook. And Brunson, for his part, sounds like he’s up for the challenge.
“Obviously, once we get started, we’ll see how everything goes,” Brunson said. “But I’m very open to, honestly, anything right now, because everything’s new, and I just want to win. […] We’ve got to obviously be willing to adapt and be willing to change, and figure out how we’re going to be the best team possible moving forward. If you want to win, you’ll do it. It’s that simple.”
Just what that will look like, exactly, remains to be seen. Hart sees a “very collaborative” approach in which “everyone’s going to be able to make plays, to read, to react — and when you do that, everyone’s happy.” Towns theorized the introduction of Warriors-style actions in which Brunson slaloms and slingshots around the court, rocketing around off-ball screens to find clean looks.
Golden State’s symphonic motion offense wasn’t built in a day, though, and Brown understands that taking over a team as close to the top of the mountain as the Knicks feel they are requires a deft touch.
“You always try to look at your guys’ strengths whenever you’re implementing something, and try to put them in the best possible position to have success — first, to help the team, but you also have to keep in mind what their individual goals/aspirations are, and especially based on what their talent level is,” he said. “Trying to mesh that, that is definitely my job. And I think the way that we play on both ends of the floor will enhance what they do very well.”
If he’s able to strike that balance — keeping the core of what’s made New York one of the best teams in the East over the past few seasons, while getting more out of the roster Rose has assembled on both ends of the floor — the Knicks could meet those vaulted expectations and reach the championship round for the first time this century.
“We understand the opportunity that’s in front of us,” Towns said. “We’ve just got to go out there every single day, find ways to get better every single night and give our best version to our fans every single night.”
Karl-Anthony Towns’ offseason knee procedure was a storyline going into the New York Knicks’ media day, which was apparently news to Towns.
As the Knicks center spoke to reporters Tuesday, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post asked him about “a knee procedure” reported by ESPN. That led to the following exchange:
TOWNS: “No I did not have a knee — where are you hearing this? You came on media day to come and put that out there?”
BONDY: “I thought ESPN reported it.”
TOWNS: “Who did that, Centel?”
BONDY: “Alright my bad.”
Towns refers to NBA Centel in there, which is the infamous fake news X account that has tricked more than a few people into believing ridiculous stories.
The full exchange:
“Who did that, Centel?” 🤣
According to Karl-Anthony Town, don’t believe any offseason procedure rumors. pic.twitter.com/HbGwge0GkC
The video later shows Bondy providing Towns with the ESPN report on his phone, to which Towns smiles and incorrectly says, “That don’t even say procedures!” then walks away.
“After the Knicks’ season ended with Saturday’s Game 6 loss to the Pacers, Towns had the injuries reexamined and chose to immediately have procedures so he would have the most time possible to recover before next season, sources said.”
Shelburne has not publicly commented on the situation as of Tuesday evening.
So what happened here?
For starters, it’s worth noting we’re dealing in semantics. A “procedure” in the context of sports is generally accepted to mean some sort of surgery or medical intervention, from something like a cortisone shot to any of the big surgeries. It is not a synonym with “treatment,” which could be as insignificant as a massage, and ESPN did itself, Towns and Bondy no favors by not being more specific.
Towns clearly did not undergo a knee procedure, or at least doesn’t want anyone to know he underwent a knee procedure. If the ESPN report was indeed incorrect and nothing performed on Towns’ knee could be fairly described as a procedure, it’s unclear why he or the Knicks (whose PR team would absolutely have seen the report) did not correct the record in June.
It was fair for Bondy to bring up the unaddressed report at media day and he got his answer, one way or the other.
Towns is entering his second season with the Knicks after a standout first year, earning third-team All-NBA honors for a 51-win team Knicks team. Entering this year, New York holds +750 odds for the NBA title at BetMGM, tied with three other teams for the second-best odds behind the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder (+275).
Karl-Anthony Towns’ offseason knee procedure was a storyline going into the New York Knicks’ media day, which was apparently news to Towns.
As the Knicks center spoke to reporters Tuesday, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post asked him about “a knee procedure” reported by ESPN. That led to the following exchange:
TOWNS: “No I did not have a knee — where are you hearing this? You came on media day to come and put that out there?”
BONDY: “I thought ESPN reported it.”
TOWNS: “Who did that, Centel?”
BONDY: “Alright my bad.”
Towns refers to NBA Centel in there, which is the infamous fake news X account that has tricked more than a few people into believing ridiculous stories.
The full exchange:
“Who did that, Centel?” 🤣
According to Karl-Anthony Town, don’t believe any offseason procedure rumors. pic.twitter.com/HbGwge0GkC
The video later shows Bondy providing Towns with the ESPN report on his phone, to which Towns smiles and incorrectly says, “That don’t even say procedures!” then walks away.
“After the Knicks’ season ended with Saturday’s Game 6 loss to the Pacers, Towns had the injuries reexamined and chose to immediately have procedures so he would have the most time possible to recover before next season, sources said.”
Shelburne has not publicly commented on the situation as of Tuesday evening.
So what happened here?
For starters, it’s worth noting we’re dealing in semantics. A “procedure” in the context of sports is generally accepted to mean some sort of surgery or medical intervention, from something like a cortisone shot to any of the big surgeries. It is not a synonym with “treatment,” which could be as insignificant as a massage, and ESPN did itself, Towns and Bondy no favors by not being more specific.
Towns clearly did not undergo a knee procedure, or at least doesn’t want anyone to know he underwent a knee procedure. If the ESPN report was indeed incorrect and nothing performed on Towns’ knee could be fairly described as a procedure, it’s unclear why he or the Knicks (whose PR team would absolutely have seen the report) did not correct the record in June.
It was fair for Bondy to bring up the unaddressed report at media day and he got his answer, one way or the other.
Towns is entering his second season with the Knicks after a standout first year, earning third-team All-NBA honors for a 51-win team Knicks team. Entering this year, New York holds +750 odds for the NBA title at BetMGM, tied with three other teams for the second-best odds behind the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder (+275).
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced that right-hander Tylor Megill underwent Tommy John surgery on Monday.
Mendoza was unsure if Megill underwent the standard version of the procedure, or the internal brace version, which often has a quicker recovery timeline.
The typical recovery timeline for the standard surgery is somewhere around 12-18 months, while the internal brace can cut that time down to around 6-8 months.
Megill hadn’t pitched in the majors since June 14, landing on the IL soon after due to a right elbow sprain.
The 30-year-old, who is under team control and arbitration eligible through the 2027 season, pitched to a 3.95 ERA this season across 14 starts, striking out 89 hitters in 68.1 innings.
Tyrone Taylor could be activated on Wednesday
Elsewhere on the injury front, Mendoza said that outfielder Tyrone Taylor, who has been on the IL since early September with a hamstring injury, could be activated on Wednesday if all goes to plan.
“He’s going through a full workout again today. Running again at full intensity,” Mendoza said. “If everything goes well, there’s a chance that he could be active tomorrow.”
If and when Taylor is activated, the Mets will have to clear a roster spot for him, which could mean DFA-ing either Jose Siri or Cedric Mullins.
But as Mendoza said, the team is taking things one step at a time before making any decisions.
“Obviously, we’re going to have to make a decision, but we’re gonna have to get through today, we’ve got to make sure that TT is ready to go, and then we’ve got to make some decisions,” said the skipper.
There are a lot of fantastic baseball players in the big leagues — MVPs, All-Stars, even a few future Hall of Famers — but over the course of a long season, a few great ones are bound to slip through the cracks. And despite having really strong seasons, each year, some of them go unnoticed.
That’s where the All-Russ team comes in.
The 10 players below were not All-Stars in 2025, but they deserve recognition for outstanding performances this season that you might not have been paying attention to.
All-Russ criteria: A player is eligible to be included on this list if he was not an All-Star in 2025 and has one or fewer All-Star appearances in his career.
C Drake Baldwin, Atlanta Braves
Amid what has been a forgettable season for the Braves, rookie catcher Drake Baldwin has given his team hope for the future. Baldwin, who was forced into action coming out of spring training due to Sean Murphy’s injury, has been a revelation behind the plate. Offensively, his power fits anywhere in the lineup, and he also has a knack for putting the ball in play.
The Braves’ backstop has a clear future in Atlanta and will finish the season top-five among National League rookies in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, hits, home runs, runs and RBI.
Honorable mention: Shea Langeliers, A’s
1B Nick Kurtz, Athletics
You can make a case that Nick Kurtz has been not only the best rookie in 2025 but also one of the best players in baseball. Kurtz’s success has been slightly overlooked because the A’s aren’t in the playoff mix like many thought they would be coming into the season, but that hasn’t stopped him from producing at an incredibly high level. Drafted just over a year ago, the A’s 2024 first-round draft pick has wasted no time living up to the hype and then some, as he has been a force in the middle of manager Mark Kotsay’s lineup.
Kurtz will finish this season leading all rookies in extra-base hits, homers, runs, RBI, walks, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. He will also likely be the first Athletic to win AL Rookie of the Year since reliever and current Red Sox pitching coach Andrew Bailey won in 2009.
Honorable mention: Michael Busch, Chicago Cubs
2B Brice Turang, Milwaukee Brewers
When it comes to the 2025 Brewers and their success, it has been a year full of the unexpected, and that’s the best way to describe Brice Turang’s 2025 season. His offensive profile has always relied on speed and his ability to put the ball in play, but thanks to a recent power surge, Turang has become a player who can also do damage and be a run producer in Milwaukee’s lineup.
He hit 10 homers in August alone, will finish the season with career highs in every major offensive category and has shown this season that he’s more than a slap-hitting second baseman. As the Brewers look to make a deep run in the postseason, they’ll be relying on Turang’s offensive prowess to help carry them in October.
Honorable mention: Nico Hoerner, Chicago Cubs
Cristopher Sánchez (left) and Nick Kurtz (back middle) had two of the strongest non-All-Star seasons of 2025. (Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports)
SS Geraldo Perdomo, Arizona Diamondbacks
Ketel Marte transformed himself into an offensive force once he got to Arizona, and it appears that another D-backs’ middle infielder made the same leap in 2025. It can be difficult to stand out at shortstop, with so many of the game’s superstars playing up the middle, but in 2025, Perdomo has put up the numbers to get noticed.
Like Turang, Perdomo has taken his offensive game to another level, specifically as a run producer. This season, the D-backs’ shortstop will drive in and score 100 runs for the first time while hitting a career high in home runs. And Perdomo’s offensive surge hasn’t come at the expense of the thing he does as well as any shortstop in the game: Get on base.
Perdomo is on pace to finish the season second among shortstops in OPS, top-10 in MLB in walks and top-five in on-base percentage, behind only the likes of Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, George Springer and Shohei Ohtani.
Honorable mention: Bo Bichette, Toronto Blue Jays
3B Ernie Clement, Toronto Blue Jays
Ernie Clement had never gotten the chance to be an every-day player in the big leagues until last season. And even then, he was more of a matchup specialist. This season, the Blue Jays gave the third baseman an opportunity to play every day, and he ran with it.
He can hit for a high average, doesn’t strike out and has a little bit of pop. In a lineup featuring stars such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and George Springer, that’s a perfect fit.
Clement has also been one of the best in MLB at the hot corner this season, grading out as an above-average defender at third base by both defensive runs saved and outs above average. He has even been a plus defender at second base when asked to slide over.
Honorable mention: Matt Chapman, San Francisco Giants
OF Andy Pages, Los Angeles Dodgers
In a star-studded Los Angeles lineup, much of the attention goes to the Dodgers’ three MVPs in Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman (and rightfully so). But outside of Ohtani, the hitter who has been arguably the Dodgers’ most consistent player in 2025 is Andy Pages. He came into the league as one of baseball’s top prospects, but because of L.A.’s logjam of talent, he had to wait for opportunities. This season, he has put together all the tools that made him such a tantalizing talent.
Pages has shown an ability to hit consistently at the big-league level. That has allowed him to tap into his big-time power, as evidenced by his first 25-homer, 25-double season. The Dodgers’ outfielder has also been strong defensively in center field, rating as a plus defender by outs above average. He has graded out very well in the corners as well.
Pages might never get much of the spotlight in L.A., but he’s showing that he’s one of the best players on the field at all times.
OF Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers
With shortstop Corey Seager in and out of the Rangers’ lineup this season and mainstays Marcus Semien and Adolís Garcia struggling, it was second-year outfielder Wyatt Langford who became the consistent presence for Texas’ offense. Langford provided plenty of five-tool qualities in 2025, notching his first 20-20 season.
What makes Langford deserving of a spot on this list is the fact that he does so many things well on the diamond and has shown himself to be one of the premium athletes in the game, with a 5-fWAR season in 2025. Defensively, he has been a plus defender in left field, and when moved to center, he more than held his own, grading out as a plus-defender there as well — a big accomplishment in the cavernous outfield at Globe Life Field.
OF Ceddane Rafaela, Boston Red Sox
When it comes to tools, Red Sox center fielder Ceddane Rafaela has all of them, and on a nightly basis, he’s flying around showing them off.
Rafaela has impressive offensive abilities, with 50 extra-base hits this season and a career high in homers, but his bat didn’t put him on the map. It’s the argument that he might be the best defensive center fielder in baseball. In the grass, Rafaela dazzled in 2025, with numerous electrifying plays.
And it’s not just the eye test; the metrics back it up as well. Rafaela leads all of baseball — including every position — in defensive runs saved and outs above average. He has established himself as the best center fielder in the game, and at least in 2025, he also has a case for best defender in baseball.
Honorable mention: Ramón Laureano, San Diego Padres
SP Cristopher Sanchez, Philadelphia Phillies
Some might not think it possible for an NL Cy Young finalist to be underrated, but when you consider Sánchez’s leap from good to great, you can see why he is.
When Jhoan Duran was closing out games for the Minnesota Twins, he was flying somewhat under the radar. Now that he has answered the prayers of so many Phillies fans who wanted a lockdown closer, his profile has certainly increased.
And it’s not just the profile but also the performance. The Phillies’ new closer has been electric since arriving in Philadelphia at the trade deadline. He has pitched to a 1.93 ERA, and he has recorded 15 saves in less than two months, nearly matching the 16 he had with Minnesota in the first four months.
