For the Chicago White Sox, dropping two of three in a series against the Cleveland Guardians really feels like a double whammy.

Not only did Chicago fall out of first place in the AL Central for the first time since early July, but they also fumbled away a valuable first-round bye in the postseason. If the White Sox somehow get right in the final eight games of the regular season, their best chance of making the playoffs at the moment is via the AL Wild Card — along with the other rabble.

By carving out space for three Wild Card teams, Major League Baseball treats the division winner with the second-best record like the team with the best record. This means the Tampa Bay Rays (92-59) could win 100 games and the AL East and be rewarded almost identically to another division-winner that can’t finish better than 87-75.

It doesn’t seem fair, but that’s what Major League Baseball gets for making it too easy — or “fair,” if you will — to reach the postseason in the first place. The entirety of the American League has played mediocre baseball all season, and as a result, all but three teams still have a chance to be a Wild Card as of Thursday morning. It’s like that “Oprah” where everyone wins a car. Sorry to say, the Kansas City Royals (67-85) dream of driving off to the playoffs crashed last night.

Someone being eliminated from the postseason in the AL isn’t something that happens every day. And it won’t happen today, because the earliest the Minnesota Twins can be eliminated is Friday. The Seattle Mariners, who sneakily have a day off Thursday, can’t be snuffed out until the weekend. What a life.

Looking critically at the AL Wild Card field, it’s probably too harsh to say “they all stink,” but they definitely are thoroughly flawed teams. Even the ones from the mighty AL East. For all of the handwringing about how the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox “deserve” a bye more than any of the AL Central or AL West unmentionables, sure, let’s feel sorry for someone from the AL East.

Because of their starting pitching, the Red Sox have a legit shot to emerge and reach the World Series. They’d supercharge their chances if they had a bye. But if you break up their outlier 15-game winning streak from two months ago, their 82-70 record looks a lot more like the other Sox.

The Yankees — won’t someone think of the Yankees?! — could use a bye because it would give Aaron Judge a few extra days to stay off his feet. He’s hurt again. They could still attrit (as in attrition) their way to the World Series — but only because the competition ain’t too good.

Save the “re-seeding” talk for another season. The AL is just bad, and the reward is a playoff spot.

The Guardians still have time to mediocre themselves (mediocre is a verb now) back into the Wild Card portion. Their 9-7 September surge is not synonymous with a run that erased a 15 1/2 game deficit on the Detroit Tigers a season ago. Going back to the start of June, they’re four games under .500. Are the Guardians like a watch dog? Because, woof.

And don’t even look at the Texas Rangers or Houston Astros out of the AL West. Don’t look! What the league should do in their case is tell the winner they’ve made the playoffs and send them to an empty stadium in a recreation of that scene in “Goodfellas” with Joe Pesci in his nicest suit. And then have their moms make them dinner. But no playoffs.

Throughout the college football season, I’ll be giving you my just-for-fun picks, but I’m competitive, so I do some research.

I’m off to a 20-3 start in my fearless picks this year. Last season I got 70 percent right.

If not for Oklahoma State shocking Oregon last Saturday, I would’ve had my first perfect week ever.

This week I’m making picks for the following ten games:

• Arizona State @ Kansas
• USC @ Rutgers
• Utah State @ Utah
• Wagner @ Cal
• Stanford @ Duke
• BYU @ Colorado State
• Colorado @ Northwestern
• James Madison @ San Diego State
• Fresno State @ San Jose State
• Purdue @ UCLA

You will also want to read Stephen Vilardo’s Big Ten Previews,  Dane Miller’s Big 12 Column, and my Pac-12 Previews.

Sit back and relax.

Let’s get on to the picks!

Writes about football and basketball as a Senior Writer and hosts “The Nick Bartlett Show” for SuperWest Sports.

Latest posts by Nick Bartlett (see all)

Kylian Mbappe‘s move to Real Madrid was years in the making, and the Frenchman has now revealed just how important Florentino Perez was in finally making it happen.

In an extensive interview with AS, Mbappe looked back on his journey to the Santiago Bernabeu and explained that there was never really a question over whether he wanted to play for Madrid. The difficult part was making the move possible.

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Now in his third season at the club, Mbappe says the reality has matched the dream he had as a child.

Mbappe says Perez never gave up

Mbappe recalled that his relationship with Perez stretched back a decade before he eventually became a Real Madrid player.

“He’s the one who brought me here. We stayed in touch throughout the 10 years leading up to my arrival.

Perez and Mbappe were in touch for 10 years. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

“He always showed warmth and understanding regarding every decision made, whether positive or negative for Real Madrid.

“He always told me that one day I’d play for Real Madrid, and here I am – and very happy at that. That’s why I have to thank him for everything he’s done and continues to do for me. He’s the best president in the world.”

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Those years of contact meant Perez remained a constant figure in Mbappe’s path towards Madrid and when the opportunity finally arrived, the forward did not need persuading.

Real Madrid was always Mbappe’s destination

Asked whether Real Madrid are what he had imagined as a boy, Mbappe said that playing for Los Blancos had always carried a different significance.

“Yes, absolutely. I was expecting the best club in the world, and to be met with such enthusiasm from Real Madrid fans all over the world.

Mbappe never had any doubts about Real Madrid. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

“When I arrived here, I already had a certain status, but when you’re a Real Madrid player, you move to another level – a higher level. I think that if you want to be part of football history, you have to play for Real Madrid.”

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That explains why Mbappe insists nobody actually convinced him to make the move.

“To be honest, nobody and nothing needs to convince you to join Real Madrid.

“Everyone close to me knew that at some point I’d want to join Real Madrid. There was absolutely no doubt that I wanted to come, but sometimes when something isn’t possible, there’s nothing you can do about it and you have to accept it.

“Nobody had to convince me to come to Real Madrid, not even Florentino Pérez, as great as he is. It was a given,” he noted.

Baseball is such a long season, so when a team has a player as electric as Pete Crow-Armstrong, it makes the season feel so much shorter. However, when you’re talking about the 2026 Chicago Cubs, there’s way more than PCA to keep you excited.

Let’s get the bad stuff out of the way first. 

The Cubs have one of the worst pitching situations in baseball. Currently, the Cubs have the 18th-best team ERA in baseball, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. That might not seem too bad, but they’ve been ravaged by injuries. 38 non-positional players have made at least one appearance for the Cubs, and key pieces such as Justin Steele, Cade Horton, Ben Brown, Shelby Miller, Phil Maton, Riley Martin, Hunter Harvey, and Porter Hodge have all had at least one stint on the IL.

Despite all the injuries, the Cubs actually have a decent-looking rotation heading into the postseason. Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes were added at the trade deadline and have provided some stability to a rotation led by Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga, who have been very up-and-down this season.

Gausman has also been rocky since arriving from Toronto, but at least he comes with needed postseason pitching experience. Holmes will likely start game one of a series, but they’ll have to decide who they trust most in games two through four.

The bullpen, on the other hand… that might be a problem; however, the Cubs aren’t trying to beat you with elite pitching; they’re going to beat you with their lineup. Nico Hoerner is the only player in their healthy lineup with an OPS below .737, and he’s still managed to compile 2.1 WAR with his elite defense.

 After Hoerner, there’s not a weak spot in the rest of the lineup. Of batters with at least 25 games played, the Cubs have 11 different hitters with at least a 100 OPS+. As a team, they’re second in MLB in home runs, first in OPS, first in walks, and have a massive lead in total runs scored. The Cubs also lead baseball in games scoring at least 5 runs, something they’ve done 80 times this year, and they’ve won 83% of those games.

Historically, when teams score fewer than 4 runs, they win less than 50% of the time, and when they score more than 5, that percentage rises to nearly 80%. Essentially, the Cubs are going to live with giving up a few runs because their offense will handle things on their own.

Chicago might not be the most complete roster in baseball, but Vegas is seriously underrating them. The Cubs are currently +1700 to win the World Series, tied for only 9th-best in baseball and 5th in the NL. They have the exact same odds of winning the World Series as the Houston Astros, a team I feel has no chance in October. It feels like an absolute steal of a line to bet on the best offense in baseball in the postseason, and if they win a series or two, they will definitely be in line for a great cash-out as well.

The saying goes, pitching wins in October, but I’ll be fading that and betting on the best offense in baseball.

Manu Bhaker, Tajinderpal Singh Toor

NEW DELHI: Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and two-time defending Asian Games shot put champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor will carry the Indian flag at the opening ceremony of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Saturday, giving the country two champions from different generations of Indian sport to lead the contingent into the continental Games.India’s Chef de Mission Sahdev Yadav confirmed Bhaker’s selection on Friday, while the Athletics Federation of India later announced Toor as the second flag-bearer.“Manu Bhaker will be one of the flag-bearers,” Yadav said.Bhaker arrives in Nagoya with a landmark Olympic achievement behind her. At the Paris Olympics in 2024, the shooter became the first athlete from independent India to win two medals in a single edition of the Games.She won bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol and followed it with another bronze in the mixed team 10m air pistol event alongside Sarabjot Singh, becoming one of the standout Indian performers at the Paris Games.

Toor brings Asian Games pedigree

Toor, meanwhile, will lead India into the opening ceremony with his own strong Asian Games record.The shot putter is a two-time defending champion, having won gold at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games before retaining his title at Hangzhou in 2023. He will now attempt to extend that run in Aichi-Nagoya.The 31-year-old heads an Indian athletics contingent that will be aiming to maintain the sport’s strong contribution to the country’s medal tally. Toor is among the Indian athletes expected to challenge for a podium finish despite entering the Games amid questions over his current form.The opening ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, September 19, at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium, officially marking the start of the 20th Asian Games.

Opening ceremony follows logistical concerns

The flag-bearers were announced on a day when the Indian contingent was also caught up in an organisational disruption.India’s traditional team welcome and flag-hoisting ceremony at Nagoya Port Garden Pier was delayed and then abruptly halted after organisers cited unspecified “trouble” involving a team. India’s deputy Chef de Missions A Sharath Kamal, Lijo David Thottan, Alaknanda Ashok and Anjali Bhagwat were present for the ceremony.The disruption came amid wider concerns over accommodation, transport and credentialing arrangements in the lead-up to the Games. Organisers have opted against a conventional athletes’ village, instead using container-style accommodation, hotels and a docked cruise ship to house participants.Despite the off-field challenges, India’s sporting campaign is already underway, with athletes competing across disciplines ahead of Saturday’s formal opening. The country has sent a 503-member contingent to Aichi-Nagoya.

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has named a 24-man squad for Nigeria’s international friendly against Russia, with several new faces given the chance to stake their claim at senior level.

Nigeria will face Russia at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on October 6, with the squad featuring a mix of experienced internationals and players yet to make their senior debuts.

Wilfred Ndidi, Stanley Nwabali, Moses Simon, Raphael Onyedika, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Benjamin Fredricks provide experience in the squad, while several less familiar names have also been included.

Goalkeepers Michael Atata of Ikorodu City and Finland-based Samuel James are among the new faces, while defenders Kenneth Igboke, Isaac James, Victory Akpe and Abdullahi Bewene also receive opportunities.

The midfield includes Chibuzo Nwoko, Stephen Michael, Igor Wilfred, Ridwan Abdulrasaq, Suleiman Mubarak and Aderemi Adeoye.

Kelechi Iheanacho is one of the more familiar names in the attack, alongside Moses Simon, Akor Adams, Peter Edokpolor, Abubakar Umar and Abdullahi Umar.

Iheanacho’s inclusion comes after a strong start to his spell with Bursaspor in Turkey, where he has been scoring regularly.

The Russia friendly will give Chelle an opportunity to assess the depth of his squad after Nigeria’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau on September 25 and September 29 respectively.

Chelle had previously indicated that the Russia fixture would provide an opportunity to assess younger players, including overseas-based prospects, while also monitoring talent from the domestic league.

The coach is also overseeing Nigeria’s U-23 setup as preparations continue for the next Olympic cycle and the qualification route for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Isaac James, who is also part of the AFCON qualifying squad, gets another chance to work with the senior team, while the Russia selection introduces several players looking to establish themselves at international level.

Nigeria and Russia previously met during Chelle’s tenure in June 2025, playing out a 1-1 draw at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

This time, the October fixture will give Chelle an opportunity to assess a wider pool of players against international opposition.

### Nigeria Squad For Russia Friendly

Goalkeepers: Michael Atata (Ikorodu City), Samuel James (SJK), Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United).

Defenders: Kenneth Igboke (Rangers), Isaac James (Alverca), Benjamin Fredricks (Brentford), Emmanuel Fernandez (Rangers), Victory Akpe (Basel), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham), Abdullahi Bewene (Banik Ostrava).

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas), Raphael Onyedika (Eintracht Frankfurt), Chibuzo Nwoko (Fulham), Stephen Michael (Vendsyssel), Igor Wilfred (Kristiansund), Ridwan Abdulrasaq (Al Wasl), Suleiman Mubarak (Slavia Prague), Aderemi Adeoye (Ikorodu City).

Forwards: Kelechi Iheanacho (Bursaspor), Moses Simon (Paris FC), Akor Adams (Venezia), Peter Edokpolor (Benfica), Abubakar Umar (Famalicao), Abdullahi Umar (Hradec Kralove).

First-half goals by Justin Kluivert and Rayan helped Bournemouth start their maiden European campaign with a memorable 2-1 win at Real Sociedad.

The Cherries had surprisingly been made favourites to win the Europa League, but Marco Rose watched his team justify their tag with a professional display on the road.

Kluivert’s 11th-minute goal was followed by Rayan’s header nine minutes later, and although Sergio Gomez pulled one back, Bournemouth held on to claim all three points from their first ever match in Europe.

This fixture in San Sebastian was the latest chapter in a remarkable story for the Cherries, with a first European tie in the club’s history occurring only 18 years on from them being mired in financial trouble and on minus 17 points in the fourth tier of English football.

After Eddie Howe masterminded a great escape and three subsequent promotions, last season’s sixth-place finish under Andoni Iraola earned a place in the Europa League, but Rose was the man tasked with ensuring Bournemouth marked history with a win.

Rose stuck with the same line-up that battled to a 2-2 draw with Brentford last Saturday, and after only 11 minutes Kluivert etched his name into the record books.

Evanilson passed out wide to Adrien Truffert and the visitors’ left-back produced a wonderful cross for Kluivert to tap in at the back post.

Jubilant scenes in the away end were cut short by a VAR check but Kluivert was eventually ruled onside and the goal was given to spark a second wave of celebrations.

Kluivert’s strike made him the first Bournemouth player to score in Europe and Rayan made himself the second with 20 minutes on the clock.

England hopeful Alex Scott was the architect with a wonderful cross-field pass for Rayan to head home to make it 2-0.

It was almost three soon after but Evanilson sent a header against the inside of the post from Marcus Tavernier’s free-kick.

Sociedad introduced Goncalo Guedes at half-time and the influence of Ander Barrenetxea started to grow before Bournemouth goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic had to be alert to tip wide a curler by Benat Turrientes.

One minute later and Sociedad had a lifeline when ex-Manchester City full-back Gomez delivered a dangerous cross from the right-hand side which went all the way in. The 57th-minute effort set up a nervy last half an hour in the Basque County.

After Evanilson had a long-range shot saved, Sociedad started to call Petrovic into action on multiple occasions.

Sociedad captain Mikel Oyarzabal chipped one effort over before being immediately withdrawn and he could not hide his frustration.

Petrovic had to be alert to save from Orri Oskarsson with five minutes left – moments after Oskarsson had failed to get a touch on a Gomez delivery which flashed across the face of goal.

The crucial intervention from Bournemouth goalkeeper Petrovic occurred on the stroke of full-time when a deflected effort by Jon Martin found Oskarsson, but the Serbian stopper made a save from point-blank range to ensure the Cherries started their campaign with a win.

England opener Jos Buttler became the first batter to reach a historic milestone in the second T20I against Sri Lanka on September 17. The 36-year-old scored a brisk 30 off 16 deliveries and, in the process, reached 15,000 T20 runs.

Buttler overtook former West Indian all-rounder Kieron Pollard, who previously held the record for leading T20 run-scorer with 14,999. The former England captain achieved the feat in his 528th T20 game, averaging over 35 at a strike rate of 147.46.

Buttler overtook another Mumbai Indians (MI) legend, Rohit Sharma, in the series opener to become the second-leading T20I run-scorer. The veteran England opener has an incredible nine T20 centuries, including two in T20Is.

One of the most accomplished short-format batters, Buttler also led England to the title in the 2022 T20 World Cup.

The champion batter trails only Pakistan batter Babar Azam for T20I run-scoring. Babar is on 4,596 runs, 274 ahead of Buttler.

After a slow start to the 2026 season, where he went 14 innings without a T20I half-century, Jos Buttler has picked up steam. The seasoned batter has amassed 241 runs in his last three T20Is at an average of over 80 and a strike rate of 194.30.

Jos Buttler’s explosive start helps England seal the T20I series against Sri Lanka

Jos Buttler produced an explosive knock to help England pull off another comfortable win over Sri Lanka in the second T20I. After the home side’s bowlers delivered the goods once again, England were left to chase a sub-par 146.

Buttler instantly crushed Lankan hopes with an array of boundaries, propelling England to 50 inside five overs. The hosts eventually completed the run-chase in 12.1 overs with six wickets in hand to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the best-of-three series.

It was England’s sixth consecutive T20I victory, following their 4-0 series win over India in July.

They will look to complete a clean sweep of the hapless Sri Lankan unit with a win in the series finale in Manchester on September 19.