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2025 MLB power rankings

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2025 MLB power rankings

On June 25, the Blue Jays were 3.5 games back in the American League East. Eleven days later, they now take an eight-game winning streak and a three-game division lead into the final week before the break. 

They’re the hottest team in baseball, but they’re not the best team in the league over the past month. That honor belongs to the Astros, who are 24-8 with a plus-57 run differential since the start of June. Their latest work this weekend in Los Angeles, pulverizing the Dodgers by 23 runs over a three-game sweep, was especially eye-opening. 

Was it enough for them to take the top spot in the power rankings? 

Here are this week’s rankings, along with one stat to help explain every team’s first half. 

Their defense has the most errors in MLB. Their pitchers have the worst ERA and fewest strikeouts in MLB. That’s the recipe for allowing the most runs in MLB. 

Their offense has the lowest batting average and OPS in MLB. 

Their pitching staff has the worst ERA in the American League. Sutter Health Park is doing no favors, but their pitchers have an ERA over 5.00 on the road, too. 

Their bullpen has the worst ERA in MLB. The club’s struggles, despite employing young standouts James Wood, MacKenzie Gore and C.J. Abrams, have led to a changing of the guard at general manager and manager. 

This might come as a shock, but a Pirates offense that just got shut out over the entire weekend in Seattle has the fewest home runs in MLB and the lowest OPS in the National League. 

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Credit to manager Clayton McCullough. The Marlins are a more competitive club than anyone would have thought, and a scrappy offense that’s tied for the fourth-highest batting average in the NL is a major reason why. 

The litany of pitching injuries would have probably doomed them anyway, but their offense ranks 22nd in OPS. That’s a lot harder to explain. 

They’ve lost 10 straight and have the lowest expected batting average, expected slugging percentage and hard-hit rate in MLB. 

A sweep of the Braves might have them believing again, but their pitchers have surrendered a .269 batting average this year. That’s the highest mark of any AL squad. 

There are only three batters in the lineup hitting above league average  (Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia, Vinnie Pasquantino). It’s hard to sustain success when that’s the bleak offensive reality. 

The Twins offense ranks in the bottom 10 in MLB in hits, batting average, on-base percentage, OPS and walks. 

Their hitters have the most strikeouts in MLB…and the second-most home runs in the AL The do-or-die nature of the offense has the club hovering close to .500. 

Their starters (4.50) and relievers (5.06) both rank in the NL’s bottom five in ERA.

They have the best starters’ ERA, but their offense — a group many expected to bounce back — has the fourth-lowest OPS in MLB. 

The offense is starting to wake up, but their defense still has the most errors in the AL.

Their offense has the sixth-highest OPS in the National League. Their starters have the sixth-best ERA in the NL The result is a club that’s slightly above .500. 

By outs above average, they have the best defense in MLB. That defense has also committed the third-fewest errors in MLB. Unfortunately, the offense has been held scoreless in four of the last six games. 

Their bullpen has, by far, the lowest ERA of any relief group in MLB. It takes a lot for a non-closing reliever to make the All-Star team, and it’s a well-deserved nod for Randy Rodriguez.

They were 25th in slugging last year. This year, they’re 11th. It helps having the top home run hitter in MLB in Cal Raleigh. 

The Padres have a National League-best 2.96 ERA at home but a 4.32 mark on the road. That’s reflected in the team’s record (27-15 at home, 21-26 on the road). 

Their opportunistic offense has the most stolen bases in MLB and the highest OPS with runners in scoring position in the AL. Their pitching, though, has struggled of late, and they’ve now dropped three straight series since sweeping the Royals. 

Sticking with AL East squads trending the wrong direction, the Yankees have now lost seven of their last nine games despite an offense that leads the AL in home runs and paces MLB in barrel rate. 

They may lack star power, but they have an abundance of solid players. The Brewers don’t have a single qualified hitter who ranks in the top 50 in MLB in wRC+, but they have seven hitters (min. 200 plate appearances) who are above league average. 

Despite dealing with a litany of pitching injuries, the Mets have the second-lowest ERA in the NL 

They’re now riding a W8 after sweeping the Yankees and Angels in a perfect homestand. The Jays have the highest home OPS in the AL, which helps explain their 32-16 record at Rogers Centre. 

How dynamic is this offense? The Cubs rank in the top three in MLB in home runs, slugging, OPS and steals. 

Their starting pitchers lead MLB in strikeouts and have combined for the lowest ERA in the NL Zack Wheeler (2.17 ERA) is basically unhittable right now, but Cristopher Sánchez (2.68) and Ranger Suárez (1.99) give opponents no space to exhale. 

It wasn’t just that they got swept by the Astros; it’s that they got throttled, smothered and obliterated badly enough that it had to knock them down a couple rungs. This is still the top team and offense in the National League — the Dodgers lead the NL in every slash line category — but life will be tougher now with Max Muncy sidelined and a plethora of contributors banged up. 

Apart from employing the most talented pitcher in the sport, it’s hard to say the Tigers are the best team in any one area. But they’re above average basically everywhere. Among AL teams, the pitching staff ranks second in ERA and the offense ranks third in OPS. 

Since dropping two of three to the Rays from May 19-21, the Astros are 30-11 and haven’t lost a series. They have the most wins and the best winning percentage against teams over .500 in MLB and are 18-8 in one-run games, a testament to the strength of the back end of their bullpen. That they’re doing all this without Yordan Alvarez is all the more miraculous. 

Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner.



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Indy volleyball coach in viral video charged after allegedly sexting a minor

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INDIANAPOLIS — A viral video has led to criminal charges against an Indianapolis volleyball coach accused of sending sexually explicit images to someone he believed was a 14-year-old boy.

Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears announced that Levi Garrett, 34, of Danville, faces attempted dissemination of matter harmful to minors, a Level 6 felony, following an independent investigation by the prosecutor’s office.

According to the probable cause affidavit, the charges stem from allegations that on March 2, 2025, Garrett engaged in explicit conversations and sent sexually graphic photos on the dating app Grindr to someone he believed was a minor.

A member of a private online investigative organization used a fake Grindr profile titled “tryna have fun” with a photo portraying themselves as a 14-year-old male named “Josh.” The decoy allegedly engaged with Garrett’s profile, “Hmu & find out.”

During the conversation, court documents show the minor texted Garrett, “U mind if I’m young,” and Garrett replied, “No I don’t mind.” When the decoy told Garrett, “I’m 14 but I down for whatever,” Garrett allegedly “liked” the message and proceeded to send three sexually explicit images, including photos of male genitalia and sexual activity.

The messages also allegedly included language about meeting for sex, with Garrett asking whether the encounter would be “safe or bareback.”

Court records show Garrett initially agreed to meet at a location in Greencastle but later blocked the account.

The case gained widespread attention in August when YouTuber JiDion, who is affiliated with the private investigative group, posted a 26-minute video titled “Volleyball Coach Gets EXPOSED” that has been viewed over 1.2 million times.

In the video, JiDion confronts Garrett at The Academy Volleyball Club located on East 30th Street, showing him screenshots of the alleged text exchanges and explicit photos.

Notably, the video showed several Indianapolis Metropolitan Police officers at the scene during the confrontation. When JiDion urged them to arrest the coach, one officer stated, “I have run into this before. Our prosecutor will not touch this,” a response that was controversial to many of JiDion’s followers.

IMPD later responded to the backlash and clarified that the video lacked important context, noting that a police report was filed at the scene, Garrett was trespassed from the property, and detectives were informed about the allegations.

Following the viral incident, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office opened a formal investigation into the allegations.

“There are no shortcuts in the investigative process,” Mears said in a statement Monday. “When it comes to crimes against children, justice demands that an independent investigation occur and evidence be properly obtained, so that a case is built that will hold offenders accountable in a court of law.”

According to the affidavit, body camera footage from the incident shows Garrett identifying himself by name and providing his date of birth and phone number to officers, information that matched the Grindr profile under investigation.

Garrett is scheduled to appear for a change of plea hearing on January 27, 2026, at 9 a.m. in Marion County Superior Court.





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Volleyball Lands Four on CSC Academic All-District Team

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GREENWOOD, Ind. – College Sports Communicators (CSC) announced its annual All-District listing on Tuesday, including four Central Michigan Volleyball members.
 
To qualify, a student-athlete must hold a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.50, across both undergraduate and graduate courses, if applicable. Athletically, volleyball student-athletes must have either competed in 90% of their team’s contests for the season or started at least 66% of contests.
 
The list of honorees is below:
 
Senior Alina Anderson (Rockford, Mich. / Rockford / Ferris State)
Senior Abby Olin (Coopersville, Mich. / Coopersville / Michigan State)
Sophomore Izzy Swiercz (Hudsonville, Mich. / Hudsonville)
Sophomore Grace Thomas (Dublin, Ohio / Dublin Coffman)
 
Both Anderson and Olin earned the honor for the 2024 season.
 
For the latest news and updates on CMU Volleyball, follow the team in X (@cmuvolleyball) and on Instagram (@cmuvolleyball).
 



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Affidavit reveals AI-generated plan in alleged grooming case against Mesquite pastor’s son and volleyball coach

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An arrest affidavit obtained by CBS News Texas reveals more details about what led up to the arrest of a teacher and volleyball coach accused of grooming a teenage girl to have a sexual relationship with her, including the discovery of an AI-generated document outlining manipulation tactics.

Matthan Lough, 32, was arrested on Dec. 10 on a charge of child grooming, a third-degree felony. His father, Kevin Lough, was the senior pastor of the Christian Center of Mesquite, where some of the alleged grooming took place.

The victim and her mother filed a report with Mesquite police about Lough on Oct. 2. According to police, the victim’s mother found out about the relationship earlier that week.

Mesquite police: Grooming began more than two years ago

The affidavit outlines how the case began with an interaction at a party in the spring of 2023.

According to the affidavit, the victim met Lough at her cousin’s graduation party when he approached her while she was playing volleyball. The victim recognized Lough from church, as his wife was the worship leader for their youth group. Lough asked her if she would be interested in joining a club volleyball team he wanted to start at the church. 

It was not until the fall of 2024 that Lough held tryouts for the team, and the victim was given a spot, the affidavit said. The victim reported a series of unusual interactions with Lough over the following months in which he shared overly personal details about his life and marriage, then began to make flirty and inappropriate jokes, according to the report.

Lough’s inappropriate behavior escalated further over the summer of 2025, when he started sending the victim explicit messages and discussed committing murders, the affidavit said. Lough also repeatedly made sure the victim knew he was carrying a gun, making her fear for her safety.

In September, the affidavit describes the relationship turning physical. Lough allegedly kissed the victim at a church event. Later that month, he sexually assaulted her twice, the victim told police.

The relationship ended after the victim’s mother discovered the inappropriate messages on the victim’s devices. Her mother then contacted Lough’s wife.

Police said that after the victim filed the report, detectives obtained a search warrant and found an AI-generated document on Lough’s iPad titled “Hypothetical Counter-Influence Plan.” The document outlined phases such as “rebuild her autonomy” and “shift the power dynamic,” and provided guidance on how to achieve success.

Fallout from child grooming case

After the relationship was uncovered, police said Lough’s wife left Texas. Court records show she filed for divorce in October.

Lough’s father also resigned as senior pastor of the Christian Center of Mesquite. In a post on the church’s website, its board said the church would work to seek justice for the victim. It also said the church has “initiated an immediate internal review of all child protection policies, volunteer screening processes, and facility access logs to ensure the absolute safety of every child and youth within our care.”



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2025 NCAA women’s volleyball championship: How to watch, schedule

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Texas A&M shook up the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament when the No. 3 Aggies upset top-ranked and previously unbeaten Nebraska in their regional final. Now, the Aggies are headed to their first Final Four in program history.

No. 3 Wisconsin, which ousted Texas, another No. 1 seed, on its home court, and No. 1 seeds Kentucky and Pittsburgh join Texas A&M in the national semifinals, which take place Thursday at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Aggies will take on Pitt in one semifinal, while Wisconsin and Kentucky will face off in the other. Neither Texas A&M nor the Panthers have won a national championship, though Pitt will play in its fifth straight Final Four. Both Wisconsin (2021) and Kentucky (2020) have won one national title.

Here are key facts about the 2025 NCAA Division I women’s volleyball tournament:

What is the remaining schedule?

*All times Eastern

Thursday, Dec. 18

Semifinal: No. 3 Texas A&M vs. No. 1 Pittsburgh – 6:30 p.m. on ESPN

“NCAA Women’s Volleyball Studio Show” – 8:30 p.m. on ESPN

Semifinal: No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 1 Kentucky – 9 p.m. on ESPN

Sunday, Dec. 21

“NCAA Women’s Volleyball Preview Show” – 3 p.m. on ABC

Championship – 3:30 p.m. on ABC

How can fans watch?

Fans can catch all of the action in the ESPN App and in the NCAA women’s volleyball streaming hub.

How can fans access more college sports coverage from ESPN?

Check out the ESPN college sports hub page for the latest news, scores, rankings and more.



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Three Clarkson Volleyball Players Named to CSC Academic All-District List

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Seniors Ashley Currier and Marin Hangliter as well as sophomore Olivia Baxter of the Clarkson University Volleyball team have been named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® Volleyball team. 

The 2025 Academic All-District® Volleyball teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. To be eligible, student-athletes need to be of sophomore standing both athletically and academically, hold a cumulative grade-point average of 3.50 or better, and have participated in 90% of sets or have started at least two-thirds of their respective team’s matches. 

Baxter, a sophomore majoring in Chemical Engineering, was a Liberty League Second-Team All-Star thanks to her excellence in the back row. Baxter ranked 22nd nationally in digs per set (5.40 dps) and was 57th nationally in aces per set (0.63 aps).

Currier, a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering, continued to be relied upon in a variety of roles for the Knights, averaging 7.09 assists, 0.95 kills, 2.50 digs, and 0.61 blocks per set. In a match against University of Rochester she nearly posted an incredibly rare feat, coming up just one kill short of a quadruple double (31 assists, 16 digs, 10 blocks, and 9 kills). 

Hangliter, a senior majoring in Environmental Engineering, finished the season averaging 2.62 kills per set, which ranked second on the team. She also was second in the Liberty League in aces per set with 0.64, which placed her 49th nationally in that category.  



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Three Tennessee Volleyball Players Earn CSC Academic All-District Honors

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Three Tennessee volleyball student-athletes College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team, as announced on Tuesday. Caroline Kerr makes the list for the second consecutive year, while Hayden Kubik and Gülce Güçtekin make the list for the first time in their careers.

This marks the first time in program history that three Lady Vols have been named to the Academic All-District Team. In Eve Rackham Watt‘s eight years as head coach, eight total players have earned Academic All-District honors. Tennessee has had two or more players selected to the All-District team now in three seasons, all coming under Rackham Watt.

CSC’s Academic All-America program recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. Both Kerr and Kubik earned spots on the CSC Academic All-America ballot, which will be announced on January 13, 2026.

Compiling a 3.87 GPA in the Sport Management program, Kerr garnered First Team All-SEC honors after leading the team with 945 assists. Kerr was a key force for a Tennessee attack that finished the season top 15 in both hitting percentage and kills per set. Kerr had 20 matches with 30 or more assists, including tying her career high with 57 against Florida on Oct. 15. 

One of the top setters in Tennessee history, Kerr currently ranks sixth all-time in both assists (3,259) and assists per set (10.65). The two-time All-American setter has led the team in assists in each of the last three seasons, eclipsing the 1,000-assist mark in both 2023 & 2024.

Earning her bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies, Kubik had her best offensive season of her career in her final collegiate season. Kubik led the team in kills (390), kills per set (4.19), points (431.0), and points per set (4.63) this season. She had double-digit kills in 24 matches, reaching 20 or more on four occasions.

Kubik also ranked top ten in the conference in both kills per set and points per set in 2025. A stellar defender in the back row, Kubik finished third on the team with 209 digs. The First Team All-SEC selection had seven double-doubles on the campaign, all of which came against conference opponents.

Boasting a 4.00 GPA in Communication Studies, Güçtekin became an important piece to Tennessee’s defensive success. The senior libero  led the team in 2025 with 408 digs. Güçtekin finished the season ranking top five in the SEC in both digs and digs per set. She recorded double figure digs in 23 matches, including having 20 or more in six. She set a career-high of 30 digs at Kentucky on Nov. 9, becoming the first Tennessee player to reach 30 or more digs since Yelianoz Torres had 30 against Arkansas on Oct. 20, 2023.

Güçtekin eclipsed 1,000 digs in her career this season, and finishes her collegiate career with 1,293 digs. An all-around player in college, Güçtekin also finished with 423 assists and 117 aces.



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