The National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers look to become the first team to repeat as World Series champions in a quarter-century. However, they must go through the American League champion Toronto Blue Jays, making their first World Series appearance since they were back-to-back champs in 1993, to do so.

​Here are the position breakdowns for the 2025 World Series to see which team has the edge in the Fall Classic:

Catcher:
Catcher is probably a bit closer between the Blue Jays and Dodgers than many think. Will Smith has been one of the better catchers in baseball during his tenure with the Dodgers and had another terrific season, hitting .296 with 17 home runs and 61 RBI, but a hairline fracture in his right hand cost him the last month of the season. He missed the N.L. Wild Card series against the Cincinnati Reds, played poorly in his postseason debut against the Philadelphia Phillies in the N.L. Division Series, but began looking like himself against the N.L. Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, going 6-for-15.

Alejandro Kirk may not be as familiar to some baseball fans as Will Smith, but the Blue Jays backstop has been an All-Star in two of his first four full-time seasons, including this year. Kirk had career highs this season with 15 homers and 76 RBI, and his .282 batting average was just slightly behind his career best. Kirk hasn’t been one of Toronto’s best hitters in the postseason, only hitting .222, but he does have five extra-base hits. Still, when it comes to which backstop is more threatening, you’d have to go with Smith.

Did you know that every World Series champion of the 2020s has featured a Will Smith on its roster? Only twice has it been the Dodgers catcher (2020 & 2024), but relief pitcher Will Smith pitched for the 2021 Atlanta Braves, 2022 Houston Astros and 2023 Texas Rangers. How long can this streak go?

Edge: Dodgers

First Baseman:
The Blue Jays and Dodgers arguably have the two best first basemen in Major League Baseball in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Freddie Freeman. I could easily understand someone wanting to take the cop out and say this position is a push for the World Series. However, the way Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been dominated on offense this postseason, I think you have to give him and the Blue Jays the edge at first base. Guerrero, the A.L. Championship Series M.V.P., has been the hottest hitter during the postseason with a .442 average, six home runs, 12 RBI, and 19 hits. Freeman, however, is the reigning World Series M.V.P., and it wouldn’t be surprising if he had another fantastic series, but thus far in the 2025 postseason, he hasn’t quite been himself with a .231 average, one homer, and just one RBI. I will say, though, that .231 average is actually higher than N.L.C.S. M.V.P. Shohei Ohtani’s .220, but Ohtani does have five homers, nine RBI and 26 total bases.

Edge: Blue Jays

Second Baseman:
At this time last season, Dodgers second baseman Tommy Edman was coming off winning the N.L.C.S. M.V.P. and on quite a heater at the plate. It’s not been quite the same this postseason, but he’s still been one of the team’s better hitters at getting on base with a .286 average. He has two homers, six RBI, 17 total bases and 10 hits this postseason.

I don’t quite know what’s going on with the Blue Jays at second base for the World Series, because Blue Jays All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette has said he’s returning to action for the series after missing the entirety of the postseason thus far with a knee sprain suffered in early September. In Bichette’s absence, the team’s usual second baseman, Andres Gimenez, has been playing at short, with Ernie Clement and Isiah Kiner-Falefa splitting stars at second. Clement had a huge A.L.D.S. against the New York Yankees, going 9-for-14 with a homer. Then, he played third base primarily in the A.L.C.S., with Kiner-Falefa mostly at second, and had a good series, going 5-for-15 with two doubles. Gimenez, who might return to second when Bichette plays, has hit .263 this postseason with two homers and eight RBI, which is tied for third on the team this postseason. I suspect Clement will probably remain mostly at third for the World Series and second will probably be a combo of Gimenez and Kiner-Falefa.

Edge: Dodgers

Third Base:
As previously mentioned, Ernie Clement mostly played third in the A.L.C.S., despite having manned second base in the A.L.D.S. Addison Barger had the hot corner duties in the A.L.D.S. for the Jays. Both can play multiple positions and might during the World Series. Both Clement and Barger have had good postseasons at the plate. Clement is hitting .429, and Barger is hitting .286. They have combined for 44 total bases, three homers, 11 RBI and 28 hits. The Dodgers, however, have Max Muncy at third base, who has a lot of postseason and World Series experience. Muncy has been one of L.A.’s weakest hitters this postseason with a .214 average and a solo home run being his only RBI, but he also gets on base a lot via walks. It’s hard to choose here … do you go with the hot hand or the veteran experience? In this case, I think I’m going to take the vet experience.

Edge: Dodgers

Shortstop:
It’s amazing how often Mookie Betts has changed positions and wound up potentially the best player in the game at each position. He’s made shortstop, maybe the most challenging position in the game, look easy. He’s also been potentially the Dodgers' best hitter this postseason, with a .292 average and leading the team with 12 hits. He’s driven in six runs. It looks like the Jays might end up with a platoon of Bichette, who hasn’t played since early September and could easily be cold as a result, and Gimenez. If Bichette were healthy, this could be a lot closer, but as of now, the Dodgers have a pretty big edge at shortstop.

Edge: Dodgers

Outfield:
The Blue Jays have been playing Nathan Lukes in left field, Daulton Varsho in center field and Addison Barger, mostly, in right field. The Dodgers have been playing Kike Hernandez in left field, Andy Pages in center and Teoscar Hernandez in right field. Teoscar Hernandez, a former Blue Jays star, has been the Dodgers biggest power threat throughout the postseason with four homers and a team-leading 11 RBI. Meanwhile, Kike Hernandez has led the team in average, hitting .306 with his 11 hits being tied with Teoscar for the second most on the team. Pages, on the other hand, has been the Dodgers worst offensive player this postseason hitting .086.

Varsho has had a strong postseason at the plate for Toronto, hitting .273 with two homers and eight RBI. Lukes has also had a strong postseason, hitting .333 with seven RBI. Barger’s numbers were discussed in the third base section. Depending on where Bo Bichette plays in the World Series coming back from injury, George Springer could see time in the outfield, as well, be he’s hobbled with a knee injury suffered in the A.L.C.S. himself.

Edge: Dodgers

Designated Hitter:
George Springer has been getting most of the designated hitter at-bats for Toronto in the postseason, but as previously mentioned some of those ABs could go to Bo Bichette in the World Series, pushing Springer into the outfield. Springer is one of the greatest hitters in postseason history, mostly via his time with the Houston Astros, and has had another good showing with four home runs and nine RBI, but the Dodgers have the greatest player currently in the entire game of baseball as their DH in Shohei Ohtani, so this comparison isn’t even close. Ohtani hasn’t been his best self throughout much of the playoffs, but he did have a three-homer game in the N.L.C.S. clincher against the Milwaukee Brewers. Look for him to have a strong World Series.

Edge: Dodgers

Rotation:
The Dodgers' rotation has been nearly unhittable this postseason and is the primary reason the team has returned to the World Series. Blake Snell has taken over the ace position in the rotation and is 3-0 this postseason, only allowing two earned runs on six total hits over 21 innings pitched. Snell’s 28 strikeouts lead the team. Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been the No. 2 guy for the Dodgers. He was knocked around a bit by the Philadelphia Phillies in the N.L.D.S. but had the most dominant pitching performance of the entire postseason against the Milwaukee Brewers, with a complete-game shutout in the N.L.C.S. Yamamoto has allowed four earned runs over 19.2 innings, with 18 strikeouts. Tyler Glasnow leads the Dodgers' rotation with a 0.68 ERA this postseason. He’s also seen some time out of the bullpen and has only allowed one earned run in 13.1 innings. Shohei Ohtani is 2-0 this postseason with an incredible 19 strikeouts in just 12 innings pitched.

The Blue Jays are going with a rookie in Game One of the World Series in Trey Yesavage, who only has six combined starts at the big league level between the 2025 regular season and postseason. He’s been a stud in that short amount of time, though, and is 2-1 in the postseason with a 4.20 ERA, allowing seven earned runs over 15 innings pitched. His 22 strikeouts lead the Jays this postseason. It isn’t an enviable task opening up your World Series debut against the Dodgers 1-2-3 of Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman.

The Jays' best pitcher this postseason has been veteran Kyle Gausman, whose 2.00 ERA is the team's best this postseason. Gausman is 2-1, allowing four earned runs over 18 innings pitched this postseason. Shane Bieber is the Jays' No. 3 guy. He’s looked fairly well coming back to the game from Tommy John Surgery late in the season. He’s started three games, only one of which qualified as a quality start. He’s given up six earned runs over 12.1 innings pitched. Max Scherzer hadn’t started a game in nearly a month before taking the mound against the Seattle Mariners in the A.L.C.S., and the 41-year-old future Hall of Famer looked like he had turned the clock back a bit with a gutsy 5.2 innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out five. The Blue Jays also have Chris Bassitt, but he’s been pitching out of the bullpen thus far this postseason.

Edge: Dodgers

Bullpen:
The Blue Jays bullpen has been strong this postseason relying a lot on closer Jeff Hoffman (2 saves, 12 strikeouts, 7.1 innings), Louis Varland, who has pitched in 10 of the team’s 11 postseason games (13 strikeouts over 11 innings), Siranthony Dominguez (5 strikeouts in 6.2 innings) and Mason Fluharty (seven strikeouts in 4.1 innings). The bullpen had been the Dodgers' strong suit throughout the postseason and World Series last year, but with the stellar starting pitching this postseason, the team hasn’t had to rely on it much. Roki Sasaki, a starting pitcher, has been the team’s biggest threat out of the pen in the postseason, with Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts converting him into the team’s closer. He's been terrific, giving up just one run over eight innings and garnering three saves. Alex Vesia and Blake Treinen have been the Dodgers' other biggest go-to arms out of the bullpen, appearing in seven games each. Vesia has given up two earned runs over 4.2 innings pitcher. Treinen, who was the team’s closer during the regular season, hasn’t looked good this postseason with a 7.36 ERA in just 3.2 innings.

Edge: Blue Jays

Prediction: Dodgers in 6 games
I know this won’t be a popular prediction because damn near everybody who isn’t a Dodgers fan will be rooting for the Blue Jays to win the World Series, even if they are the lone MLB team outside of the United States. But the way the Dodgers' pitching staff has looked this postseason, coupled with so many All-Star caliber players in their lineup, it’s going to be hard for the Jays to even take two games this series.

by Julian Spivey
Charlie Kirk, an American right-wing activist and media personality, was shot and killed at a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Wednesday, September 10. He was 31.

Kirk’s death was the biggest story of the day in the U.S., though one could argue about the reasons why, given that it received so much more attention than a high school shooting in Evergreen, Colo., which has three students currently in critical condition.

Any death is sad. Kirk leaves behind a wife and two children. But why are we treating this death differently from others of a similar ilk, i.e., political killings?

I’m thinking specifically about why a Major League Baseball franchise like the New York Yankees would hold a moment of silence tribute for Kirk, when they haven’t for others in similar situations.

On Wednesday night, before the Yankees' home game at Yankee Stadium against the Detroit Tigers, the team held a moment of silence for Kirk, with his image on the stadium’s big screen and the words: “Remembering Charlie Kirk.” On the team’s social media accounts, the franchise posted: “Before tonight’s game, we held a moment of silence in remembrance of Charlie Kirk. Kirk founded the youth activist group ‘Turning Point USA’ and had become a fixture on college campuses. Charlie Kirk, a husband and father of two children, was 31 years old.”

It’s not unusual for the Yankees to hold moments of silence. They did so earlier this year for Miller Gardner, the son of longtime Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner, who died in March from carbon monoxide poisoning at age 14. Just this past weekend, the franchise also held a moment of silence for long-time baseball manager Davey Johnson, who died at age 82 on Sept. 5. But both of those deaths were either baseball-related or Yankees family-related.

The Kirk tribute seems atypical, and because of it, an inappropriate thing to do at a baseball game, especially for a public figure who has had controversial statements relating to race, sex and gender.

It’s important to note that Kirk was neither from New York nor a Yankees fan. He was from Arlington Heights, Ill., and based on photo and video evidence of him wearing a Chicago Cubs hat, he was likely a Cubs fan.

When Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed in their home in June, there was no moment of silence at Yankee Stadium. Last month, when children were gunned down while praying at their Catholic school in Minnesota, there was no moment of silence at Yankee Stadium.

The fact of the matter is that, as often as gun violence takes place in this country, the Yankees organization would be holding moments of silence on a daily basis if it chose to honor every victim of gun violence.

My only question remains … why?

Why Kirk, again a polarizing figure, and not others?

It seems strange, doesn’t it?

Maybe it was just a way of appeasing President Donald Trump, who it was announced today would be attending the Yankees/Tigers tomorrow in remembrance of 9/11?

Either way, it doesn’t quite seem right.

by Eric Fulton
The 2025 National Football League season kicks off this week. Thirty-two teams are fighting for the right to become the champion of Super Bowl 60. As always, the NFL provides six months of high drama, but in five of those months, 18 regular-season games are played, and while there are many exciting matchups, here are my 10 most anticipated matchups of the season.
​

10. Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Week 1, September 4)
Opening Night in the NFL is always a show. The Super Bowl winners from the last season get to raise their championship banner in front of millions, and you can feel the excitement all around. For the second time in the last five years, the Eagles will get to kick off the season at home as champions. What better way to open up the season than by having their most hated rival come to town? The Cowboys are not supposed to be really good in 2025, but they would love nothing more than to spoil the celebration in Philadelphia in front of the world.

9. Denver Broncos vs. Houston Texans (Week 9, November 2)
Both Denver and Houston made the playoffs last season. While it was great for both teams, they want to be at the level the Chiefs, Bills and Ravens are right now. The Week 9 matchup features a very good offense in the Broncos facing a very good defense in the Texans. It should be a better game than people expect.

8. Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers (Week 1, September 5)
For the second year in a row, the NFL is headed to Brazil. This time around, two AFC West rivals will square off in South America. Kansas City is coming off its second Super Bowl loss in the last five years. The Chargers are coming off a playoff appearance last year and will look to dethrone the Chiefs in a highly contested AFC West. Plus, everyone will be able to watch the game for free on YouTube.

7. Chicago Bears vs. Washington Commanders (Week 6, October 13)  
Last year, Chicago and Washington had one of the best games of the year. The Commanders won that game on a “Hail Mary” touchdown that catapulted them to the NFC Championship game.  Both teams have two young quarterbacks in Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels. Will the Bears get their revenge from last year? Or will the Commanders continue their climb up the NFC ladder?

6. Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Week 16 &Week 18, December 20 and January 3 or January 4)
Philadelphia and Washington will meet twice in the final three weeks of the regular season. Both matchups could decide the NFC East and possibly the number one seed heading into the playoffs. They split the regular-season matchups last year, but it was the Eagles that blew out the Commanders in the NFC Championship game. I am excited to see both games.

5. Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs (Week 4, September 28)
Last year, these two teams put on a great game on opening night with Kansas City winning by a toe as Isiah Likely went out of bounds on the final play of the game. That game cost the Ravens the chance to play at home in the Divisional Round and maybe the AFC Championship game. Once again, home-field advantage could come into play when these two teams collide.

4.  Los Angeles Rams vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Week 3, September 21)
The Rams and Eagles played an awesome game in the Divisional Round in last season’s playoffs, with the Eagles hanging on late to end the Rams’ season. This time, the weather should be better than it was in January as the two meet for NFC supremacy in this early-season clash.

3. Baltimore Ravens vs. Buffalo Bills (Week 1, September 7)
Another thrilling game from last season’s Divisional Round in the NFL Playoffs was the great game between Baltimore and Buffalo. The Bills won a close affair thanks to a missed two-point conversion by the Ravens. Now the two teams meet early in week 1, which will decide who has the early advantage in the AFC.

2. Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs (Week 2, September 14)  
The rematch of Super Bowl LIX happens early in the season in Kansas City. The Eagles have won the last two matchups against the Chiefs, including their most recent visit to Arrowhead Stadium. Of course, the Chiefs will definitely bring their ‘A’ game in the best game of Week 2.

1. Kansas City Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills (Week 9, October 26)
The Bills and the Chiefs have provided some classic games and moments over the last few years, and the matchup in week nine should be another great game. The biggest question is, can Josh Allen and the Bills finally get over that next hump and make it to the Super Bowl, or will Patrick Mahomes and company continue to be Buffalo’s kryptonite? 

16. Austin Dilon
Let’s face it – Austin Dillon is only in the playoffs because he and his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet team have figured out a way to be the absolute best team at Richmond, which is weird as hell, considering the team is pretty much junk everywhere. I’ve never seen a driver/team combination have one track where you could consider them a favorite and nothing else.

15. Josh Berry
Josh Berry won a race early on in the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a place he’d won twice at in the Xfinity Series. Following that win, Berry has pretty much been a non-factor for the remainder of the season. He’s only had one other top-5 and four other top-10s this season. Maybe Las Vegas is to Berry what Richmond is to Dillon?

14. Alex Bowman
Alex Bowman was the last driver into the postseason on points and one of only two drivers to make the playoffs, along with Tyler Reddick, without winning a race to qualify. Bowman has six top-5s and 14 top-10s this season with a 16.4 average finish. If one of the first four drivers I’m predicting to be eliminated were to make the second round, I’d say he’s probably the most likely.

13. Shane Van Gisbergen
There are only two ways I see Shane Van Gisbergen, who is actually tied for the series lead with four wins, making it out of the first round of the NASCAR playoffs. 1) Other drivers have misfortune that knocks them out, which is something that seemingly happens annually, and 2) He’s able to finish just well enough to rely on his playoff points, which currently have him 16 points to the good to get him through. If Van Gisbergen can somehow make it through the first round, I think he’ll make it through the second round, as the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval is among the tracks in that segment of the playoffs, and NOBODY is nearly as good at road racing in NASCAR as Van Gisbergen.
 
12. Tyler Reddick
Tyler Reddick just hasn’t been the same Tyler Reddick this season. He’s the most shocking non-winner of the year to me. I don’t know if the off-track stuff between 23XI Racing and NASCAR has been a factor or if the No. 45 team just hasn’t been able to get it done. However, I think he’ll at least be able to figure his way out of the first round of the playoffs.
​
11. Ross Chastain
Ross Chastain won one of the biggest races of the season at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway to clinch his spot in the playoffs, but other than that race, he hasn’t seemed very “winning” this season. He has only two other top-5 finishes other than his win. You have to run upfront more than Chastain has this season to be a playoff threat.

10. Bubba Wallace
Bubba Wallace had the shining moment of his career thus far with his Crown Jewel win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the Brickyard 400. Without that win, he may have found himself on the outside looking in for the second straight year. Wallace seems to be in the right mind frame to compete in the postseason, but his No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota team has had a lot of bad luck this season, including seven DNFs. 

9. Austin Cindric
Austin Cindric is having the best season of his career thus far. His 313 laps led are already more than any other season in his career. But his win at Talladega Superspeedway to clinch his playoff spot is only one of two top-5s this season, and he only has five total top-10s. He’s not running up front enough for me to place him in the top eight, though Penske Racing does seem to turn up its game come playoff time.

8. Chase Briscoe
Chase Briscoe has clearly been the third-best Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota this season in his first year in the No. 19, but his numbers are quite a bit better overall than the drivers I don’t have making the top eight. He has 10 top-5s this season, to go along with a series high six poles. His one win came at Pocono, but his win last season came at Darlington Raceway, which kicks off the playoffs this year.

7. Chase Elliott
Chase Elliott is quite the wonder in how he went from undoubtedly the best Hendrick Motorsports driver to the third best in a short period of time, and he’s not even out of his 20s yet. He enters the playoffs ranked seventh in the point standings, which is exactly where he finished in 2024, and it’s where I’m predicting him to finish this year. His one win came at the drafting track at Atlanta. He has seven top-5s and 13 top-10s this season.

6. Joey Logano
Joey Logano has an incredible knack for having mediocre regular seasons, getting into the playoffs by winning somewhere, and then somehow turning up the wick in the postseason, to the point where he’ll even go on and win the whole damn thing. That’s why I can’t put him any lower than No. 6 on this list. Once again, he hasn’t had a spectacular year. He only has three top-5s and seven top-10s, but he won at Texas Motor Speedway and got himself into the show. You simply can’t count him out.

5. Christopher Bell
I feel bad because fifth place in the playoffs is where Christopher Bell finished last year, and it’s where I have him once again this season, just on the outside looking in. Bell had a helluva start to the season, winning three races in a row early on, but those all came in the first month of the season, and he hasn’t seen Victory Lane since. He has nine top-5s and 14 top-10s, but he’s going to have to find his winning ways again to have a title shot.

4. Ryan Blaney
There’s just something about Ryan Blaney, like his Penske Racing teammate Joey Logano, and Penske in general, that seems like they’re made for the most important stretch of the season. Blaney is hot off his second win of the season at Daytona International Speedway last Saturday night and also won at Nashville this summer. His 10 top-5s are among the leaders in the sport.

3. William Byron
William Byron has been the most consistent driver in NASCAR this season, which is the reason he won the bonus as the regular season points leader. His nine top-5s and 13 top-10s are among the best in the Cup Series. He began the season by winning his second consecutive Daytona 500 and went on to win more recently at Iowa Speedway. Byron does seem to have a knack for trailing off as the season goes on, which he’ll need to avoid to make the Championship Four at Phoenix.

2. Kyle Larson
The only thing likely standing in Kyle Larson’s way of winning a second NASCAR championship is himself. He’s arguably the most talented driver in the sport, driving for arguably the best team in the sport, but sometimes he drives over his head/capabilities and puts himself in bad situations. His three wins are second in the sport behind only Denny Hamlin and road ace Shane Van Gisbergen, and he’s among the sport's leaders in top-5s with 11 and top-10s with 16. He’s led nearly 900 laps in the season’s first 26 races. If he can harness some of his bad habits, he’s probably the guy to beat.

1. Denny Hamlin
I honestly don’t know why I keep doing this … I frequently pick Denny Hamlin, the sport’s all-time greatest driver without a championship, to win a NASCAR championship. I guess I must know deep down that he deserves one, so surely it’s bound to happen. But at 44, he’s obviously running out of chances to get it done. He leads all drivers with four oval wins this season, and his 11 top-5s and 13 top-10s are among the series' best, as well. Is this the year he’ll finally hoist that trophy? 

​Winners:

Relief Pitchers
If you were a closer on a bad team, it was your lucky day, as numerous closers on non-playoff teams now find themselves with a chance at playoff glory – some still as closers, and others now as setup men for more dominant closers. The best of the relief arms that were dealt at the deadline was Mason Miller, who went from the Sacramento Athletics to the San Diego Padres for that team’s best prospect (and the No. 3 prospect in baseball overall) in 18-year-old shortstop Leodalis De Vries. Miller’s fastball averages 101.1 mph. The Padres already had one of the best closers in the game in All-Star Robert Suarez, who leads the league with 30 saves, so Miller may wind up in more of a set-up role for San Diego. The Phillies got their closer in Jhoan Duran from the Minnesota Twins, who were seemingly closing up shop at the deadline, dealing most of their best players, filling a significant gap on one of the game’s best teams, which has had a struggling bullpen this season. The Yankees acquired Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar, in hopes he can continue a solid season, and sure up a pen that has seen its closer, Devin Williams, struggle this season after coming over from Milwaukee during the offseason. The New York Mets acquired St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley to add to their strong bullpen and help set-up closer Edwin Diaz. Helsley was one of the best closers in baseball in 2024, but has dealt with periods of inconsistency in 2025. The Tigers acquired the Washington Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan in hopes of helping sure up their bullpen. Finnegan, an All-Star in 2024, had 20 saves this season for the Nats.

San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres proved that they are all-in on trying to win this season with a flurry of deals at the deadline, which included giving up the team’s top prospect in shortstop Leodalis De Vries for hard-throwing bullpen arm Mason Miller. The Padres, currently three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West Division, are the No. 3 N.L. Wild Card team, also added All-Star hitter Ryan O’Hearn and extra outfield help Ramon Laureano from the Baltimore Orioles. In addition, they added catching help in Freddy Fermin from the Kansas City Royals. No team gave up more of their potential future to win this season than the Padres, but I love to see a team going all-in.

Seattle Mariners
The biggest bat on the market before the trade deadline was Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez, whose 36 home runs are fifth in the league. The Seattle Mariners have been familiar with Suarez in the past, as he played for the team from 2022-2023, and adding him to a lineup that already features MLB’s leading home run hitter in catcher Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez makes that one a scary lineup. The earlier addition of first baseman Josh Naylor from Arizona had already made the M’s better at first base, too. The Mariners are currently the No. 3 Wild Card team in the American League, only one game ahead of their A.L. West Division rival, the Texas Rangers, and find themselves 4.5 games behind the Houston Astros for the division lead.

Losers:

New York Yankees
The New York Yankees have seen a hot start on the season turn to crap over the last couple of months, going from leading the American League East Division by more than five games to now trailing the Toronto Blue Jays by 3.5 and having the hotter Boston Red Sox on their tail. The Yankees are currently the top A.L. Wild Card team, but their fan base and those within the game are wondering if they’ll be able to hold on. The Yanks made some deals at the deadline, most notably adding David Bednar from the Pittsburgh Pirates and Camilo Doval from the San Francisco Giants to help out the bullpen, but they probably needed rotation help more than anything. They added speed and versatility with the acquisition of utility player Jose Caballero from division rival Tampa Bay Rays, but nothing that scares the competition. All in all, the Yankees added seven players to their big league squad at the deadline (Bednar, Doval, Caballero, Ryan McMahon, Austin Slater, Amed Rosario and Jake Bird), but nothing that seems like it could alter its season, which is something a franchise like the Yankees should be capable of doing.

Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are in pretty good shape to make the playoffs. They are in a tight fight with the Milwaukee Brewers for the National League Central Division crown but are probably at least a Wild Card lock. They added some nice pieces to help the team out with utility guy Willi Castro and bullpen help in Taylor Rogers and Andrew Kittredge, but what they needed was another rotation option, and I’m sorry, but Michael Soroka shouldn’t have been the best they could do.

Atlanta Braves
Sometimes a team can disappoint at the trade deadline by not throwing up their hands, saying “Uncle” and being aggressive in starting to get better for the future. The Atlanta Braves have been baseball’s most disappointing team this year, due to a rash of injuries and a sheer lack of effort. They have no chance at making the playoffs with two months to go, so it seemed like trading off some of the players whose contracts are coming up could be beneficial, even if those players like closer Raisel Iglesias, one of the game’s best closers last season and potentially its worst this season, had played themselves out of getting much in return. They also could’ve gotten something for designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, another All-Star last season who has disappointed in 2025, instead of letting him hit free agency for nothing in the offseason. I think the Braves should’ve even been aggressive in trying to find a piece in return for catcher Sean Murphy, since rookie Drake Baldwin has shown he can be the catcher of the future for the team. The fact that general manager Alex Anthopoulos decided to stand pat and do nothing may not have any impact on this season, but could hinder next year’s team.

I saw the future of Major League Baseball on Tuesday night (July 15) at the All-Star Game at Truist Park in Atlanta, and some aspects I liked, while others made me cringe at what I think could become part of the game.

Major League Baseball decided to use the All-Star Game, much like it did during Spring Training this year, to continue testing the Automated Balls and Strikes (ABS) System. As one who doesn’t waste his time on meaningless preseason games, it was my first experience as a fan with the ABS System, although I was surprised the players cared enough during an exhibition to use it. I was pleasantly pleased with it. I think it will help ensure the correct calls are made behind the plate, but I also like how MLB seems to want to limit it by only allowing each team two challenges at the beginning of the game. Successful challenges are retained, so theoretically there could be many per game, but it doesn’t seem that things could get out of control. Luckily, the process is also speedy. A pitch, which may only be challenged by a pitcher, catcher, or hitter with no input from the dugout, must be made immediately upon the umpire’s call, and within seconds, the ABS System will have the correct call. According to MLB.com, experimentation in the minor leagues has determined that a challenge call takes an average of 17 seconds of game time.

There were five challenges called in the All-Star game on Tuesday, and four of the player challenges ended up overturning incorrect calls by home plate umpire Dan Iassogna.

From my perspective, the system was very smooth in my first encounter with it, and I’d be surprised if the ABS System isn’t implemented within the game beginning next season. According to the AP, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said before the All-Star Game on Tuesday that the league’s 11-man competition committee will consider the system for the next season when they meet during the offseason.

Getting calls correct, while taking little time to do so, is a big win for baseball. In fact, the ABS System appears to be superior to the replay system, which has been in effect for a while, as video replay calls from baseball’s Replay Command Center in New York can often drag on, annoying viewers in the process.

While the ABS System has my full support as a baseball fan, it was the way the game ended that bothered me as a fan. When the All-Star Game ended nine innings in a 6-6 tie between the American League and National League, it led to the first-ever Swing Off to declare a winner in the game’s history. The rule was instituted in 2022, but because it hadn’t been used yet, I had forgotten about it and was a bit annoyed to see the game end in essentially a short-form home run derby.

Each manager picked three hitters from the team. However, because it was an All-Star game and many of the biggest stars in the game had already changed into street clothes or reportedly left the stadium altogether, it ultimately featured mainly players who were still in the game after nine innings. So, instead of the Swing Off starring Aaron Judge versus Shohei Ohtani for their respective leagues, it featured lesser-known names like Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda and Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers.

In the end, the National League won the Swing Off with the pop of Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, who homered on all three of his allotted pitches, and won the game’s M.V.P. honor, despite the official box score showing he went 0-for-2 on the night. And I’d be lying if I didn’t say it wasn’t at least some fun, and since it’s an exhibition game, I don’t really mind too much.

But here’s my fear … I think sometime in the future, MLB is going to institute this Swing Off as a method of ending games sooner. The league has already fussed with extra inning rules, by beginning extra innings with a ghost runner of the “Manfred Man” at second base, to score runs and end games quicker.

While I applaud baseball for not wanting games to go on forever - I think the pitch clock is one of the greatest rule implementations in sports history -  I would like to see baseball remain baseball. The ghost runner isn’t exactly that. The Swing Off definitely isn’t that.

I’ve never been a big fan of either soccer or hockey, so I’ve never quite understood why traditionalists within those fan bases dislike games ending with penalty kicks or shootouts, but now I get it. I would hate for games that count for something to end under a glorified batting practice.

I do think it’s coming, though. I don’t know when, but I think it’s coming. 

by Eric Fulton & Julian Spivey
The 2025 ESPY Awards, the largest fan-voted sports awards, will be held on Wednesday, July 16, at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. The telecast will be broadcast on ABC and then repeated on the ESPN networks about a gazillion times for the remainder of the week if history has taught us anything.
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Here are our picks for which athletes and teams we believe should be honored at the ESPYs: 
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Best Driver
Nominees: Joey Logano (NASCAR), Oscar Piastri (F1), Max Verstappen (F1), Alex Palou (IndyCar)

Pick: Alex Palou
I think Max Verstappen is probably going to win this award because F1 is more popular than IndyCar and more ESPN viewers watch F1, with it being broadcast on the network. But anyone other than Palou winning would be an absolute joke. He’s won two straight IndyCar titles and is well on his way to a third with his most dominant season yet, winning seven of the schedule’s first 12 races this season. He also won his first career Indianapolis 500 in May. JS

Best Golfer
Nominees: Maja Stark, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Nelly Korda

Pick: Scottie Scheffler
Scottie Scheffler has had one of the greatest runs in golf history since the beginning of 2024. He won the PGA Championship in May, won the Olympic gold medal at last year’s Summer Games, is the most recent PGA Tour FedEx Cup winner, and has been the PGA Tour’s Player of the Year the previous three years running. JS
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Best Soccer Player
Nominees: Alexia Putellas, Lamine Yamal, Aitana Bonmati, Christian Pulisic

Pick: Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/USMNT)
Pulisic is widely considered the best men’s soccer player in the United States. He has scored 23 goals in two seasons with AC Milan. Pulisic has scored 32 goals in his career playing for the United States National team. EF

Best Tennis Player
Nominees: Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner

Pick: Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff won her second major singles title at this year’s French Open. She also won the 2024 WTA Finals, as well as the 2024 French Open Doubles. In the post-Serena Williams era, Gauff has become the face of American tennis. EF

Best NHL Player
Nominees: Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning), Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche), Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers), Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets)

Pick: Connor Hellebuyck
Hellebuyck has been considered the best goalie in the NHL today. He won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goaltender and the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP. He led the NHL in goals against average at an even 2.00, won a league high 47 games, and recorded eight shutouts in leading Winnipeg to the best record in the regular season. EF

Best College Athlete – Women’s Sports
Nominees: Gretchen Walsh (Virginia Swimming), Kate Faasse (North Carolina Soccer), Olivia Babcock (Pittsburgh Volleyball), Juju Watkins (USC Basketball)

Pick: Juju Watkins
Despite injuring her knee in this year’s NCAA Tournament, Juju Watkins led USC to a top 10 finish at the end of the season. Watkins is expected to be the number one overall draft pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. EF

Best College Athlete – Men’s Sports
Nominees: CJ Kirst (Cornell Lacrosse), Wyatt Henderson (Oklahoma State Wrestling), Travis Hunter (Colorado Football), Cooper Flagg (Duke Basketball)

Pick: Travis Hunter
Hunter was amazing for Colorado the last two years. Playing both offense and defense, Hunter led the Buffaloes to eight wins and won the 2024 Heisman Trophy. EF

Best WNBA Player
Nominees: A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces), Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever)

Pick: Breanna Stewart
2024 was an incredible year for Stewart as she won both Olympic gold and a WNBA title in her first season with the New York Liberty. EF

Best MLB Player
Nominees: Tarik Skubal (Detroit Tigers), Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers), Aaron Judge (New York Yankees), Freddie Freeman (Los Angeles Dodgers)

Pick: Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani continues to wow baseball fans around the globe, and he’s been doing so over the last year-plus without even having the ability to pitch. In 2024, he became the first player in MLB history to record a 50 home run/50 stolen base season. He was the 2024 National League M.V.P. and helped lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series title in his first season with the team. He’s well on his way to winning another M.V.P. halfway through the 2025 season. JS

Beat NBA Player
Nominees: Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Pick: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
I truly believe Nikola Jokic is the best player in the NBA, but because Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the M.V.P. honor this year, and more importantly backed it up by leading his Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA title – something Jokic couldn’t do this year – I’ve relented and voted for SGA. JS

Best NFL Player
Nominees: Patrick Surtain II (Denver Broncos), Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills), Saquon Barkley (Philadelphia Eagles), Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens)

Pick: Saquon Barkley
I don’t give a damn if Josh Allen won the NFL M.V.P., Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley had the best season in the NFL, and he helped lead his team to Super Bowl glory. The NFL M.V.P. may have unfairly become a QB-only honor, but that doesn’t mean the ESPY for Best NFL Player has to, as well. JS

Best Comeback Athlete
Nominees: Mallory Swanson (Women’s Soccer), Suni Lee (Gymnastics), Gabriel Landeskog (NHL), Lindsey Vonn (Skiing)

Pick: Gabriel Landeskog
Landeskog, a 2022 Stanley Cup Champion with the Colorado Avalanche, missed nearly three full seasons with injuries. He made a return to the Avalanche at the end of this past regular season and played his first playoff action since 2022. EF

Best Record-Breaking Performance:
Nominees: Alexander Ovechkin (NHL), Kevin Durant (Olympic Basketball), Caitlin Clark (WNBA), Gene Auriemma (NCAA Basketball)

Pick: Alex Ovechkin becoming NHL All-time Goals Leader
A record many thought would never be broken, Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky’s record near the end of this past regular season. Now, he is poised to become the first player in NHL history with not only 900 goals, but possibly 1000 goals before he retires. EF

Best Championship Performance
Nominees: Rory McIlroy (Masters – Golf), Freddie Freeman (World Series – MLB), Stephen Curry (Olympic Basketball), Simone Biles (Olympic Gymnastics All-Around)

Pick: Stephen Curry
The United States Men’s Basketball team would not have won a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics if it weren’t for Stephen Curry putting the team on his back in the late stages of the Games. The only thing Curry had left to do on his basketball resume was win an Olympic gold medal and he saw to it, almost single-handedly at some points. JS

Best Athlete – Women’s Sports
Nominees: Gabby Thomas (Track & Field), Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (Track & Field), A’Ja Wilson (WNBA), Simone Biles (Gymnastics)

Pick: Simone Biles
One of the greatest athletes in Olympic history, Biles won two more golds in last summer in Paris in what possibly could be her last Olympic games. EF

Best Athlete – Men’s Sports
Nominees: Saquon Barkley (NFL), Josh Allen (NFL), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (NBA), Shohei Ohtani (MLB)

Pick: Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani is the only one of these four nominees seemingly breaking records in his sport each and every season he sets foot on the field. JS

Best Team
Nominees: University of Connecticut (NCAA Women’s Basketball), U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, University of North Carolina (NCAA Lacrosse), Philadelphia Eagles (NFL), Ohio State (NCAA Football), New York Liberty (WNBA), Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB), Florida Panthers (NHL), Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA)

Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder
I’m a baseball first fan, but let’s face it – the Los Angeles Dodgers were supposed to win the World Series. So, I’m going with the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder for Best Team. The Thunder were the best team in the league from start to finish and capped it off with the first championship in team history (sort of – we’re not counting the Seattle SuperSonics here) in June. What’s most impressive about the Thunder is that it's one of the youngest teams in the league, and the team’s camaraderie and unselfish play are a nice example for kids everywhere. JS

by Julian Spivey
The Major League Baseball All-Star ballot is out for fans of the game to vote either for who they think is most deserving of a spot (my preferred way of doing it) or their favorite players into the midsummer classic, which will be held at Atlanta’s Truist Park on Tuesday, July 15.

The MLB All-Star ballot is done in segments. The first phase includes a player at each position from each of the league’s 30 teams. This phase, currently underway, runs from June 4 to 26. The top two players at each position (six for outfield) are then taken to phase two of the voting, where the recipient of the most votes gets the starting nod in the All-Star Game.

Since the league began this process, I’ve enjoyed doing this yearly piece where I look at the ballot and select which players I believe to be the most deserving of the spot solely based on the information given on the ballot: batting average, home runs, RBI and OPS.

*All statistics in this article are as of June 11.  

First Base: Jonathan Aranda (Rays) & Pete Alonso (Mets)

Perhaps the biggest surprise on either side of my ballot this season has been Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda. He’s hitting .314 with seven home runs, 36 RBI and an OPS of .878. My only fear with Aranda’s All-Star case is that he’s not a household name, even potentially among veteran baseball fans, to make the cut phase one of the ballot.

The decision on who to take on the N.L. side of the ballot on first base was the hardest of any spot on the ballot for me. I had to choose between Pete Alonso of the New York Mets and Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Their numbers are close. Freeman has a higher batting average (by a good margin) and higher OPS, but Alonso’s power numbers are considerably higher, with eight more home runs and more than 20-plus RBI. This could be a good ballot fight to watch.

Second Base: Gleyber Torres (Tigers) & Ketel Marte (Diamondbacks)

I mentioned Aranda was the biggest surprise on either side of my ballot, but honestly, Gleyber Torres of the Detroit Tigers has a case for that, too. Torres was supposed to be a star with the New York Yankees, and it never panned out, but he’s putting up star numbers for the best team in baseball so far this season, the surprise Tigers. Torres is hitting .272 with five home runs, 30 RBI and a .770 OPS. Much like with Aranda, I wonder if Torres will have the chance at unseating a more famous second baseman like Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros for the spot.

Second base isn’t close at all in the N.L., the spot should go to Arizona Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte, who is hitting .297 with 12 home runs, 22 RBI and an OPS of 1.003 (only Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani on my ballot have a higher one). Marte did miss some time this season due to injury, which might lead to some leaving him off their ballot.

Third Base: Jose Ramirez (Guardians) & Manny Machado (Padres)

There’s no doubt my picks for the hot corner are high-profile MLB superstars, even if I still consider Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Guardians to be maybe the most underrated star in the league. Ramirez is hitting .331 with a dozen homers, 33 RBI and a .938 OPS. He does have intense competition from Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman for the spot. Machado has a fairly good hold on the N.L. spot as far as stats go. He is hitting .320 with 10 home runs, 39 RBI and an .891 OPS. His biggest threat could be the hometown Atlanta Braves fans trying to vote Austin Riley into the start at his home ballpark.

Shortstop: Jacob Wilson (Athletics) & Francisco Lindor (Mets)

OK, so maybe there’s a handful of ballot surprises in the American League … Sacramento Athletics (I don’t care what the league and franchise say, they play in Sacramento) rookie shortstop Jacob Wilson has taken the game by storm this season with a .366 average, eight homers, 38 RBI and a .922 OPS. I hope that lack of name recognition and playing for the A’s doesn’t affect his chances. Francisco Lindor of the Mets is no stranger to playing in the midsummer classic, and the veteran is making a great case for another appearance with a .282 average, 14 home runs, 38 RBI and .836 OPS.

Catcher: Cal Raleigh (Mariners) & Will Smith (Dodgers)

What has gotten into Seattle Mariners backstop Cal Raleigh this season? His 26 home runs lead the league (his career high is 34). He’s on pace to smash Salvador Perez’s record for most homers in a season by a catcher (48). Raleigh is hitting .265 with 53 RBI and a 1.001 OPS. Will Smith is looking to make his third consecutive All-Star appearance for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He’s hitting .324 with six homers, 37 RBI and a .930 OPS.

Outfield: Aaron Judge (Yankees), Riley Greene (Tigers), Byron Buxton (Twins) & Corbin Carroll (Diamondbacks), Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs), Kyle Tucker (Cubs)

Aaron Judge is the best player in Major League Baseball right now, and it’s not particularly close. He’s hitting almost .400 at the 1/3 mark of the season, and his power numbers are through the roof, as usual. Cal Raleigh seems to be his only threat at winning the A.L. Triple Crown this season, and I’d have to think Judge will ultimately surpass Raleigh in homers. Judge is putting up one of the greatest seasons in MLB history. The other A.L. outfielders I’ve chosen are Riley Greene, from the league’s top team, the Tigers, and Byron Buxton, who is living up to expectations after years of injury issues. Greene is hitting .279 with 13 home runs, 44 RBI and a .819 OPS. Buxton is hitting .279 with 11 homers, 41 RBI and a .857 OPS.

A couple of Chicago Cubs outfielders are having great seasons: youngster Pete Crow-Armstrong and veteran Kyle Tucker, whom the team acquired from the Houston Astros in the offseason. Crow-Armstrong is hitting .271 with 17 home runs, 55 RBI and a .850 OPS. Tucker is hitting .274 with 13 homers, 43 RBI and a .895 OPS. Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks is having a great start to his season with a .260 average, 19 home runs, 43 RBI and a .915 OPS.

Designated Hitter: Rafael Devers (Red Sox) & Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers)

There was a lot of attention given to the fact that the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman in the offseason, and Rafael Devers wasn’t happy about being moved out of his third base position to be the team’s designated hitter. Devers even began the season in a remarkable slump. Now he’s the hottest hitting D.H. in the A.L. and could wind up starting the midsummer classic alongside Bregman in the A.L. lineup. Devers is hitting .276 with 14 home runs, 57 RBI and a .911 OPS. As long as Shohei Ohtani is in baseball, he probably has a lock on the designated hitter spot in the All-Star game for whatever league he’s playing for – even in a season like this one, where a fellow D.H. like Kyle Schwarber for the Philadelphia Phillies is putting up huge power numbers. Ohtani is hitting .290 with a N.L.-leading 23 home runs, 39 RBI, and a 1.008 OPS.
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by Julian Spivey
I had this idea to try to figure out the greatest Indianapolis 500 field of all time. I didn’t impose many parameters on it. I knew 21 drivers have won multiple Indianapolis 500s. Those drivers were all a lock to make the field. That left just 12 more spots for drivers who have won the race. I made the decision you had to have won the Indy 500 to make the field. Sorry, Michael Andretti. I know your 431 laps led in the race are the 11th most in history, but if you couldn’t get the job done, I couldn’t fit you into the all-time field.

I didn’t want to make the call over which drivers who have only won the Indy 500 once deserved to start higher in this field than those who have won multiple times. So, you might be saying, “I’d rather have Mario Andretti or Scott Dixon in my car at the Brickyard than Takuma Sato.” OK, I’d probably too. But Sato won more Indy 500s. This isn’t the greatest drivers to ever appear in this race; it’s the all-time field for this particular race.

When it came to ranking drivers who had the same number of wins in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, there were statistical categories I used to differentiate between them, most of which involved Indianapolis Motor Speedway (top 10s, laps led and poles), but I also factored in championships won. Note: I only included championships for USAC, Champ Car and Indy Car. So, if you notice Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi and Jim Clark have fewer titles than you think they should have, that’s why.
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On January 16, 2006, the Washington Capitals played the then-Phoenix Coyotes in Arizona. Washington was leading 5-1 in the third period with about eight minutes left. Rookie Alex Ovechkin scored a highlight-reel goal by falling, curling and dragging the puck into the net while on his back. The crowd that day was in amazement at the replay, wondering how Ovechkin scored a goal like that. On the home bench for the Coyotes, the coach who happened to be on the wrong side of the blowout and the incredible goal that was scored against his team was the greatest player in NHL history, Wayne Gretzky. While Gretzky scored 894 goals in his outstanding career, he did not score a goal that was truly amazing and a goal that people still talk about to this day. Ovechkin scored his 32nd goal of the season in that game and would go on to score 52 goals for the 2005-2006 season. He would win the Calder Trophy that season as the top rookie in the NHL.
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The following year, 2006-2007, Ovechkin scored a league-high 65 goals, the only year he scored more than 60 goals in a season. Ovechkin has scored at least 20 goals every year. He has led the NHL in goals eight times. As he continued to set new marks, the hockey world thought not if, but when Ovechkin would become the new all-time leading goal scorer. The goal on that January day in 2006 should have been used as a reminder that perhaps the one who would surpass Gretzky in goals all-time would be right in front of him.

On April 6 against the New York Islanders in New York, Ovechkin surpassed Gretzky and became the all-time leading goal scorer in NHL history with his 895th goal. While the Capitals lost the game that day, it did not matter because this is one of those moments many people thought would never happen. When Gretzky played, you saw the tremendous skill that made him the best hockey player ever. In 1992, Gretzky passed Gordie Howe at 802 to become the all-time leading goal scorer. What was ironic about Ovechkin breaking Gretzky’s record was that Ovechkin scored 895 in his 1,487 game. That is the same number of games Wayne Gretzky played in his entire NHL career.

There is no doubt Ovechkin will become the first player in NHL history to score 900 goals. The question is how many goals he will finish in his career. Could he get 1000? I would say no, but never say never. The one thing you can give Ovechkin credit for is his durability. We all know hockey is a tough sport, but for Ovechkin to surpass Gretzky in the same number of games they both played is remarkable. Ovechkin could play another three to five years if he chooses that route.  His physical strength is incredible, and he is a true defender’s worst nightmare. Another astonishing fact is that Ovechkin has done this with one team his whole career. Ovechkin was drafted number one overall by Washington in 2004, but did not make his team debut until 2005 due to the league-wide work stoppage that canceled the 2004-2005 season. Ovechkin and other players like Sidney Crosby have reenergized the game of hockey since the return of play in 2005, and for 20 years, they have helped the league grow to new heights. 

​All these records, yet it feels like he’s not done. There will be a number for the most career goals in NHL history. What will be the final total? Will anyone break Ovechkin’s goal record? Congratulations to Alex Ovechkin, the greatest goal scorer in hockey history.