The 2025 Masters is underway and, after an eventful first 18 holes, a packed leaderboard at the top features three former winners including Scottie Scheffler, who is searching for his third green jacket in four years.

As the page turns to Friday, here is what we're keeping an eye on.

Can Justin Rose hang on to the lead?

The English golfer has experienced this start before, but he's hoping for a different ending Sunday.

It is the fifth time Rose has held the first-round lead at the Masters, the most in tournament history. It's the eighth time he has led or co-led in any round at Augusta National Golf Club, the most of any player who hasn't won a green jacket.

"I feel like I've played well enough to win this tournament," Rose said. "I just feel like I don't have the jacket to prove it. I feel like, no, it's a compliment. I've played a lot of good rounds of golf here. Got a lot of crystal, which is obviously always nice. But yeah, you know, ultimately, you want to be [the] last man standing on Sunday."

Rose, 44, has put himself in contention to be that if he plays well over the last 54 holes. He was unable to win the previous four times he held the first-round lead:

-- In 2004, the 23-year-old Rose had a 2-stroke lead after both the first and second rounds. But then he fell apart with a 9-over 81 that included nine bogeys Saturday. It was the worst third-round score by a 36-hole leader at the Masters in more than 25 years. He tied for 22nd at 2 over, 11 strokes behind winner Phil Mickelson.

-- Rose was tied for the first round lead with Brett Wetterich at 3 under in 2007. Over the last 54 holes, Rose was 7 over in cold and windy conditions. He was in the hunt until the end and trailed eventual winner Zach Johnson by one stroke after making birdies on Nos. 14 and 16 in the final round. But a double-bogey on the 17th hole dropped Rose into a tie for fifth at 4 over.

-- The next year, Rose and Trevor Immelman finished the first round atop the leaderboard at 4 under. Rose fell out of contention after posting a 6-over 78 in the second round. He carded a triple-bogey 8 at the long 15th after pitching into the water in front of the green. Rose was 11 over in the final three rounds and tied for 36th at 7 over.

-- In the 2021 Masters, Rose was 9 under in his final 11 holes of the first round to open a 4-shot lead over Brian Harman and Hideki Matsuyama. It was the fourth time Rose had led or co-led after the first round, tying Jack Nicklaus for the Masters record. Once again, Rose couldn't get it done on the weekend. He had a 1-shot lead after the second round and trailed Matsuyama by four after the third. Rose finished solo seventh at 5 under, five shots behind Matsuyama.

Can Rose get it done this year? He is a two-time runner-up at the Masters, losing to Jordan Spieth in 2015 and Sergio Garcia in 2017, so he knows all too well what it will take to slip on a green jacket Sunday.

Rose will have many of the world's best golfers -- Scottie Scheffler (-4), Ludvig Åberg (-3), Bryson DeChambeau (-3) and others -- chasing him.

"A little bit of Lady Luck here and there is always the difference here at times," Rose said. "But I've had my luck on occasion and been a champion. But you've got to be playing the golf to keep creating those opportunities, and obviously the only way to do that is to get your name on the leaderboard. I definitely don't shy away from it." -- Mark Schlabach

Does Rory McIlroy still have a chance?

It seemed as if McIlroy had all the momentum in the world. After countless slow starts at Augusta, the four-time major winner appeared to have broken the code. He was 4-under through 14 holes and had just hit the perfect drive on the par-5 15th. His long iron shot landed on the green and trickled off the back, leaving him a tricky, but straightforward, chip.

But as soon as McIlroy made contact, he appeared to wince. He had carried the ball too far and, as it started to roll past the pin, the crowd begged for the ball to sit. It didn't and trickled into the water. McIlroy made the long, arduous walk across the bridge to the drop zone and made double bogey. Momentum gone.

"The green is new so it gets a little bit firmer than some of the other ones," said Ludvig Åberg, one of McIlroy's playing partners. "But obviously, you're playing with fire when you're messing with that front, especially with a short pin. That chip from long isn't easy, either."

Another sloppy chip and a three-putt on 17 produced a second double bogey and a quick mistake turned into a disastrous finish. On the 14th, McIlroy had been tied with Scottie Scheffler who shot a 4-under 68 in the morning wave and, suddenly, after going 4-over on his last four holes, he was even par -- four shots behind Scheffler and eight shots behind the leader, Justin Rose.

McIlroy declined to speak to the media after his round and headed straight to the range.

Even though McIlroy has had strong finishes at Augusta before, the slow starts have been his Achilles heel and impossible to overcome. In his past seven first rounds at the Masters, McIlroy has broken par only once. Moreover, 18 of the past 19 Masters winners have been within four shots of the lead after Round 1. McIlroy was four shots back on 14; now he's eight back.

If this is the year McIlroy finally puts on the green jacket, as many expected, it will take a monumental effort. The four-time major winner will need to start making up ground right away Friday morning. If there's a silver lining in Thursday's efforts, it is that McIlroy drove the ball well and, aside from 15 and 17, played steady golf. But as this course often shows -- and as McIlroy knows all too well -- one crucial mistake can be too much to overcome. -- Paolo Uggetti

Which LIV players made a strong start in the first major of the year?

Even though 2023 Masters champion Jon Rahm had yet another tough round at Augusta National on Thursday, shooting 3-over par and showing plenty of frustration, five other LIV Golf members found themselves in the top 11 after one round.

Sixteen total players are at 1-under par and tied for 11th place, including Cameron Smith, 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed and two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson. Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton both shot 3-under rounds of 69 and are tied for fifth place. Joaquín Niemann, a three-time winner this year, is at even par and tied for 27th place.

"It's just so hard," said Hatton, who seemed mildly pleased with his round. "It's like, you love being here and it's very special, but at any moment you can just hit a shot, and it just does your head in. I just need to keep hitting perfect shots."

Hatton had his best finish ever at Augusta last year (T-9), and reminded reporters Thursday that he said at the time that he needed to drive it better to improve at this course. On Thursday, Hatton hit 11 of 14 fairways. Mission accomplished.

DeChambeau also hit 11 fairways in the first round and put together a strong round after his best finish came last year (T-4). Afterward, however, DeChambeau wasn't totally pleased with his performance and, to no one's surprise, headed to the range to work on his swing under the lights. No one hit more range balls during the lead-up to the tournament this week than him.

"I want to steer that ship in the right direction. I feel like I've got a golf swing that is favorable right now; it's just not dialed in like I want it to be," he said. "I need to work on that a little bit and get comfortable for tomorrow."

Reed, for his part, was pleased with his swing, but it was his putter that gave him headaches. He hit all but one fairway and missed five greens in regulation, but he lost over half a stroke to the field with the putter in his hands, per Data Golf.

"Ballstriking wasn't a problem," Reed said. "The flatstick is on vacation and needs to kind of show up. It needs to get on a flight and meet me here."

Despite a round of 75, Rahm -- who threw his driver on the ninth hole and looked ready to snap it half -- said he feels ready to make a charge Friday.

"I'm confident," Rahm said. "It's a very difficult golf course. It's going to get harder. If I can get off to a good start, post a round in the 60s tomorrow, then the weekend could be a new story." -- Uggetti

Who has work to do Friday?

The top 50 scores and ties will make the 36-hole cut at the Masters (there is no 10-shot rule), and there were 62 golfers with scores of 2 over or better after 18 holes. Data Golf's predictive model had the following projected cuts after the first round: 2 over (18.5%), 3 over (39.5%) and 4 over (29.6%).

There are several big names who need to play well Friday to stick around for the weekend: Will Zalatoris (2 over), Keegan Bradley (2 over), Max Homa (2 over), Dustin Johnson (2 over), Patrick Cantlay (2 over), Brooks Koepka (2 over), Phil Mickelson (3 over), Tony Finau (3 over), Jon Rahm (3 over), Wyndham Clark (4 over), Adam Scott (5 over) and Russell Henley (7 over).

Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, made the cut in the previous 15 Masters, last missing the weekend in 2009.

Lucas Glover, who struggled through a round of 6-over 78, wasn't in much of a mood to talk Thursday.

Asked to describe the course conditions, Glover said: "The course was perfect."

Asked to describe his round, he replied: "Awful."

Asked what he would need to do to turn his game around Friday, Glover said: "Not doing anything I did today." -- Schlabach

What about the weather for Friday?

Even after taking on about an inch of rain Monday, which wiped out most of the day's practice rounds, Augusta National's greens and fairways were firm and fast in the first round.

"It's hard out there. It's tough," said Brian Harman, who gutted out a 1-under 71 with 4 birdies, 1 bogey and a double-bogey. "The greens are super firm in some spots. It's just so tricky on that back nine, it's hard to get good looks.

"You've got to hit perfect shots to get good looks, and it's just Augusta, man. It's a bear. I always say, for me I think it's the hardest place we play all year. Just the way it's matured. The par-5s for me on the back nine, I can't really go for. End up with these tricky little wedges. It's just hard -- start to finish."

Another round of showers and potentially thunderstorms is forecast overnight Friday with a cold front passing through Augusta. There's an 80% chance of precipitation and showers are expected to end between 6 and 9 a.m. ET on Friday. About two-tenths to four-tenths of rain might fall.

The forecast for the weekend is good with sunny skies and temperatures in the high 60s to low 70s predicted.

"Fingers crossed the rain stays away," said England's Tyrrell Hatton, who carded a 3-under 69 in the first round. "The course is in great shape. The greens are, for a Thursday, pretty rapid already and pretty firm in places. I imagine if the rain stays away then the scoring has the potential to get a little bit worse. That just shows how hard it is around here." -- Schlabach

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Ja Morant got in trouble again for aiming an imaginary gun to celebrate 3-pointers, so he has gone to a different make-believe violent way to mark a long-distance shot.

The Memphis Grizzlies leading scorer, who was fined $75,000 recently for mimicking pointing a long gun after a basket from outside the arc, acted like he was pulling a pin and tossing a grenade in Thursday night's 141-125 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Morant, who was 5-of-13 from 3-point range, in some cases even covered his ears after the windmill-like hurl of the invisible explosive.

"That's my celebration now until somebody else has a problem with it, and I'll find another one," Morant said after Thursday's shootaround.

The league handed down the $75,000 fine on April 4 after Morant twice made what was considered an "inappropriate" imaginary gun-aiming gesture on the court. He was previously warned by the league office that this gesture could be interpreted in a negative light.

The gestures that drew the fine were made by Morant during the Grizzlies' 110-108 victory over the Miami Heat on April 3, but it first drew the league's attention in an April 1 home game against the Golden State Warriors.

That led to the investigation and the warning before Morant did it again against Miami.

The fine was the culmination of several questionable incidents involving firearms. Morant was suspended for 25 games at the start of the 2023-24 season after he was seen on video waving a gun in a car. He previously was suspended eight games after he was seen with a gun in a Denver-area nightspot.

"I wasn't surprised," Morant said of the latest fine, "just for showing people what's pretty much been evident for the last two years."

Teammate Vince Williams Jr. wasn't really surprised by the change in celebration, adding, "I would have went to that, too."

"It's good for him," Williams said. "He gets to save his money. Anything that benefits him saving his money, I'm all for it, honestly."

But the grenade celebration drew criticism from the TNT studio crew Thursday night. Kenny Smith noted that Morant "has a history that maybe he shouldn't be doing that."

Shaquille O'Neal added: "He knows what he's doing because y'all are going to keep talking about it."

As for Charles Barkley, he said the happiest person might be former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins, fired March 28 because "he ain't got to deal with this immature stuff."

WASHINGTON -- The Capitals wrapped up the top spot in the Eastern Conference in a 5-4 shootout win over the Carolina Hurricanes while celebrating new goals king Alex Ovechkin at Capital One Arena for the first time since he made history.

Ovechkin, who assisted on a goal in the win Thursday, was treated to a pregame ceremony for scoring his 895th career goal to break Wayne Gretzky's NHL record on Sunday at the New York Islanders. The arena introduced Ovechkin before showing the crowd a video of the historic goal and fans were able to cheer the Capitals legend for the first time at home.

Ovechkin and his family were then presented with a series of gifts, including an engraved gold stick commemorating breaking the goal record and a six-foot sculptural painting of a puck with his image on it. The ceremony ended with a team photo before players from the Hurricanes lined up to shake Ovechkin's hand one-by-one.

In the game that followed, Pierre-Luc Dubois scored the shootout winner after the Capitals rallied from a 2-0 deficit, then blew a 4-2 lead with Carolina's Jordan Martinook and Seth Jarvis scoring in the third period to tie it. That came after Washington's scoring spree in the second, with Dylan Strome, Nic Dowd and Tom Wilson all putting goals past Frederik Andersen.

Dubois also scored in regulation, while Charlie Lindgren made 31 saves and stayed in the game after a nasty collision seven minutes in on Carolina's second goal.

The Hurricanes, who are locked into second place in the Metropolitan Division and a first-round matchup against New Jersey, managed to get to overtime but lost their fourth in a row. Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake also scored, and Andersen allowed four goals on 28 shots in regulation.

Brandon Duhaime and Jalen Chatfield dropped the gloves early to settle a score from the teams' game last week. The Capitals were unhappy with Chatfield's takedown of Connor McMichael at the end of their fight.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

It's Week 2 of the 2025 MLB season, and while our top three teams are holding firm from Week 1, we have some big jumps shaking up the top 10.

Juan Soto and the New York Mets crack the top five this week (in the process, passing Aaron Judge and the torpedo-bat-powered New York Yankees), while Kyle Tucker's Chicago Cubs rocket all the way from No. 14 to No. 6. The San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox are also new members of the single-digit club.

It hasn't been anywhere near as fun in Atlanta, though, as the Braves have fallen from No. 2 in our preseason rankings to No. 11 in Week 1, and now to No. 15 in Week 2.

Our expert panel has combined to rank every team based on a combination of what we've seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts Jesse Rogers, Bradford Doolittle and David Schoenfield to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.

Week 1 | Preseason rankings

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

Record: 10-4
Previous ranking: 1

Three losses in a row? Say it ain't so. The Dodgers have been dominant at home in the early going, but they've been average on the road as, once again, their pitching depth is being tested. Lefty Justin Wrobleski gave up eight runs Tuesday, one day after the staff gave up six, leading to back-to-back defeats to the Nationals. With Blake Snell and others down while Clayton Kershaw works his way back, the Dodgers feel a little short on the mound. Their offense will have to carry the day -- and it will -- but Los Angeles, even after a win on Wednesday, finds itself in an unfamiliar place: with the third-best record in its division. -- Rogers

2. Philadelphia Phillies

Record: 8-3
Previous ranking: 2

It might be strange to suggest that a 32-year-old DH coming off a three-year stretch during which he has averaged 44 homers is breaking out. But in the early going, Kyle Schwarber is going as well as he ever has. Over the Phillies' first 10 games, Schwarber clubbed five homers, was leading the NL with a 248 OPS+ and was tied with Shohei Ohtani for the highest average exit velocity in the majors. What really stands out as possibly different for Schwarber is his improved contact rate. His strikeout rate (20%) is 8.5% lower than 2024, when he matched his career average (28.5%) in that category. According to Statcast, Schwarber's rate of squaring up pitches has leaped from the 30th percentile to the 89th. -- Doolittle

3. San Diego Padres

Record: 10-3
Previous ranking: 3

San Diego finally lost a game after playing on the road for the first time this past weekend in frigid Chicago. Despite a series loss, the arrow is still pointing up for the Padres, who boast the third-lowest ERA in baseball during the opening weeks of the season. Their bullpen is even better, ranking second in ERA with a stellar 1.78 mark entering Wednesday. Even without Tanner Scott, it's as nasty as ever, as righties Jason Adam and Jeremiah Estrada have been nearly untouchable. The same can be said of closer Robert Suarez, as well as a couple of other back-end guys. It has propelled San Diego to a fast start. -- Rogers

4. New York Mets

Record: 8-4
Previous ranking: 8

Francisco Lindor is off to a tepid start, but as his 11th big league season gets rolling, he's starting to hit some impressive career counting numbers. Lindor reached the 1,500-hit mark this week, spurring a few articles wondering if he was destined to become baseball's next 3,000-hit guy. That pursuit is a long way into the future, but Lindor, 31, is the youngest of the 24 active players with at least 1,500 career hits. Next up for Lindor is a milestone homer. After getting on the board in that column with a shot against the Marlins on Tuesday, Lindor now sits at 249 career dingers. -- Doolittle

5. New York Yankees

Record: 7-5
Previous ranking: 4

The Yankees didn't fare well in two near-freezing games in Detroit to begin that series, losing 6-2 in a contest with a game-time temperature of 38 degrees Monday and then losing 5-0 in 34-degree weather Tuesday. Both games were moved up from evening starts to afternoon starts because of the cold. At least in the second game they can chalk it up to facing Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. Meanwhile, with Clarke Schmidt making a good first rehab start, the Yankees expect him to join the rotation next week, bumping either Will Warren (6.00 ERA in two starts) or Carlos Carrasco (7.71 ERA in three appearances). Carrasco served up three home runs in Tuesday's shutout loss, but Warren has options remaining. -- Schoenfield

6. Chicago Cubs

Record: 9-6
Previous ranking: 14

Walks and stolen bases have been the name of the game for the Cubs, who boast one of the best offenses in the league. They're resembling some of manager Craig Counsell's teams in Milwaukee, not relying on slug as much as on speed and defense. It has come in handy so far at frigid Wrigley Field, where they won series against the warm-weather-based San Diego Padres and the domed Texas Rangers. The Cubs have scored seven or more runs in half their games, handing their bullpen big leads. That might be necessary more often than not, as closer games have resulted in some poor high-leverage performances at the back end. Chicago's vibe this season will be at the plate. -- Rogers

7. Texas Rangers

Record: 9-4
Previous ranking: 6

The Rangers started 8-4 despite being outscored by 12 runs during those games. Texas won its first five one-run games, plus its only two-run game, to create that early disparity. Of course, there are two ways to view the disconnect. The Rangers are sitting pretty in the standings despite a slumping offense that has hit under .200 as a group. Thus, the close wins are buying the Rangers some time until the batsmen get going. The cynical way to look at it is that the differential is a harbinger of impending doom. The real answer, as ever, is probably somewhere in the middle, but one way or another, the Rangers are going to need to score more runs. -- Doolittle

8. San Francisco Giants

Record: 9-3
Previous ranking: 12

Wilmer Flores has four home runs in fewer than 40 at-bats after hitting four last year in 214 at-bats. His return from last season's knee injury could be a nice boost for the Giants as he went deep 23 times in 2023 and has produced several .800 OPS seasons including a career-high .863 two years ago. Quietly, he has put together a nice latter half of his career, hitting 60 home runs over a three-season span in San Francisco, which isn't always the easiest place to go deep. -- Rogers

9. Boston Red Sox

Record: 6-7
Previous ranking: 13

After his historic slow start, Rafael Devers turned things around -- as did the entire Boston lineup in a three-game sweep of the Cardinals in which the Red Sox scored 36 runs and bashed out 45 hits. Including the final game of the Baltimore series, the Red Sox scored 44 runs in four games. Devers went 7-for-11 with a home run, four walks and just one strikeout against St. Louis. Alex Bregman also broke out of his slow start, going 9-for-18 with 2 home runs, 5 doubles and 10 RBIs in a four-game stretch. -- Schoenfield

10. Arizona Diamondbacks

Record: 7-6
Previous ranking: 5

The loss of Ketel Marte was felt at the plate for Arizona, which is behind the eight ball a little in a strong NL West. Marte's hamstring strain came just after the D-backs signed him to a new six-year, $116.5 million contract, which should have him retiring in the desert. He was part of a string of recent player extensions by Arizona as it tries to position itself as a destination -- with both a good team and the lure of the Phoenix area. Pitcher Corbin Burnes signed there partly because he lives in Scottsdale year-round. More and more players are doing the same, giving the D-backs a leg up -- if they can take advantage of it. -- Rogers

11. Baltimore Orioles

Record: 5-8
Previous ranking: 7

The outfield defense has been a little shaky, drawing the frustration of manager Brandon Hyde. On Sunday, Jorge Mateo, subbing for Cedric Mullins, misplayed a Bobby Witt Jr. line drive, which would have made it two outs with nobody on. Instead, the Royals went on to score three runs. On Friday, Tyler O'Neill threw to second base on a blooper -- allowing Witt to score from first base and giving Vinnie Pasquantino a three-run single. "We've had three times now where he's thrown the ball to the wrong base," Hyde said. "You've got Bobby Witt on first base and the ball drops like that, Tyler understands that ball needs to go to the plate." -- Schoenfield

12. Detroit Tigers

Record: 7-5
Previous ranking: 17

After getting swept by the Dodgers to begin the season, the Tigers responded with a series victory in Seattle, a sweep of the White Sox and another series win over the Yankees. Spencer Torkelson's third home run of 2025 on Tuesday got the Tigers going, the first of three home runs in the fourth inning. He finished 2-for-4 in the game, raising his season line to .310/.408/.643. He has been a huge lift for a lineup that needs that middle-of-the-order power hitter, but it's worth noting that his strikeout rate remains very high at 32.7%. -- Schoenfield

13. Houston Astros

Record: 5-7
Previous ranking: 10

Houston fans unhappy with the Astros' offseason plan got plenty of fuel for their fire during the first full week of the season when the Players of the Week were ex-Astros Kyle Tucker (NL) and Alex Bregman (AL). Even that would be fine -- good for them! -- but that coincided with what has been a brutal start for the Houston offense. Over their first 11 games, the Astros scored just 32 runs. Meanwhile, between them, Tucker and Bregman created 30 runs during that span for their new teams. Their replacements in Houston -- Isaac Paredes and Cam Smith -- had combined for five. Ouch. -- Doolittle

14. Kansas City Royals

Record: 6-6
Previous ranking: 15

The ace lefty for the Royals so far has been ... no, not Cole Ragans, but Kris Bubic. He allowed just one run in winning his first two starts, striking out an impressive 16 batters in 12 innings. The last time Bubic was starting was in April 2023, when he made three starts before undergoing Tommy John surgery (and before that he had a 5.58 ERA as a starter in 2022). He returned last season, making all 27 appearances in relief. While his fastball averages just 92.2 mph, he has generated a high whiff rate through the two starts at 34%. If he can keep that going with his fastball, he could be a surprise breakout pitcher. -- Schoenfield

15. Atlanta Braves

Record: 2-9
Previous ranking: 11

It's been a stunningly bad start for Atlanta as the Braves now try to stack up a little good news. Getting home to Truist Park was a good start. Getting in the win column helped. The second win, a 7-5 victory against NL East rival Philadelphia, featured a homer and four RBIs from catcher Sean Murphy in his first game back from the IL. Spencer Strider is due to make another rehab start in the minors after getting his pitch count up to 75 his last time out. And while there's still no clear timeline for the return of Ronald Acuna Jr., we might see him back in a few weeks. All good news. The Braves certainly need it. -- Doolittle

16. Tampa Bay Rays

Record: 5-6
Previous ranking: 9

If the Rays have any chance at making a playoff run, they'll need Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero to hit, and so far neither has -- in the Rays' first nine games the two combined for no home runs, three RBIs and a .197 average. Caminero's ability is obvious: His bat speed is as good as it gets (100th percentile) and he has elite contact ability -- but he didn't barrel up a single baseball in those opening nine games. It's been a similar story for Diaz, the 2023 AL batting champ. Like Caminero, he had just four strikeouts through nine games but hasn't done any damage. Indeed, the Rays had just five home runs, three from Brandon Lowe. -- Schoenfield

17. Toronto Blue Jays

Record: 8-5
Previous ranking: 20

The big news of the week was Vladimir Guerrero Jr. agreeing to a 14-year, $500 million extension that will go down as one of the biggest moments in Blue Jays history. Maybe Guerrero saw that "0" in the home run column and figured he'd better sign now. The deal, the third largest in MLB history behind the contracts for Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani, shatters the previous record in Blue Jays history, George Springer's $150 million deal signed as a free agent. No doubt, Toronto's inability to land Soto or Ohtani made the front office likely go higher than it was comfortable with, but keeping the homegrown star was generally acknowledged as something the franchise had to do. Now Guerrero just needs to hit like he did in 2024, when he was worth 6.2 WAR. -- Schoenfield

18. Milwaukee Brewers

Record: 7-5
Previous ranking: 24

Milwaukee began to right the ship after a bad start, thanks in part to young Jackson Chourio. He had a big week, hitting over .380 with three home runs. Chourio might end the year as the most dangerous hitter in a Brewers lineup that still employs Christian Yelich and William Contreras. He's just 21 years old, but like Padres star Jackson Merrill, he plays older than his age or experience level. Industry insiders believe it won't be long before Chourio will be the guy in Milwaukee. -- Rogers

19. Seattle Mariners

Record: 5-8
Previous ranking: 16

Righty Logan Gilbert has been drawing raves over his start, building on 2024 when he finished sixth in AL Cy Young balloting. Through three starts, Gilbert is leading the league in WHIP (0.623) and strikeouts (25) while posting a 2.55 ERA and 2.22 FIP. Gilbert has ramped up the use of his elite splitter, throwing it about a quarter of the time so far after sitting around 13% last season. You can't blame him: Hitters are hitting .000/.025/.000 against the splitter so far. Alas, Gilbert's luck in the W-L category has not improved. After going 9-12 in 2024, Gilbert is 0-1 in 2025 despite his dominance. -- Doolittle

20. Cincinnati Reds

Record: 5-8
Previous ranking: 18

Hunter Greene is picking up where he left off last season, when he made his first All-Star team. Greene pitched a gem Monday in San Francisco, nearly getting the complete-game shutout. He settled for 8 innings, striking out seven while giving up four hits and a walk. Through three starts, Greene has 23 K's to just three free passes, while pitching five innings, then seven, then Monday's near CG. He has turned into the ace the Reds thought they were getting when they drafted him second overall in 2017. -- Rogers

21. Los Angeles Angels

Record: 7-4
Previous ranking: 22

Break up the Angels! The Halos have hovered around first place in the AL West over the past week despite a run differential that was break-even through Tuesday. The good news: Every other team in the division was well into the red. Kyren Paris, a surprise member of the Angels' opening day roster, has been a revelation. The 23-year-old entered the season 10-for-91 with a lone homer during his sporadic big league time. During his first nine outings of 2025, Paris went 9-for-21 with three homers and a jaw-dropping 1.491 OPS. He has bounced between second base and center field so far for manager Ron Washington, and while he's not going to stay this hot, Paris has emerged as a player to watch during the early going. -- Doolittle

22. Cleveland Guardians

Record: 5-6
Previous ranking: 21

The season-opening nine-game road trip was certainly a disappointment at 3-6, and the concern to begin the season was the primary culprit: The starting rotation went 1-5 with a 6.70 ERA while averaging less than five innings per start. Overall, the rotation recorded just 26 strikeouts in 43 innings, although the Guardians did play the Royals and Padres, two of the best contact teams in the majors. The rotation did rank in the middle of the pack in this area in 2024 (14th in the majors), so let's mark this inability to miss bats as something to watch for now. -- Schoenfield

23. St. Louis Cardinals

Record: 5-7
Previous ranking: 19

Starter Miles Mikolas saw his ERA jump from 3.38 to 11.25 after a disastrous outing in Boston over the weekend. He gave up 11 hits in just 2 innings en route to an 18-7 loss for St. Louis. Mikolas isn't exactly a guy who misses bats, but the past several years have been hard to fathom after a decent start to his Cardinals career. As recently as 2022, he gave up 170 hits in 202 innings pitched. Not bad. But since then it has been more hits than innings -- by a wide margin. In 2023, he served up 226 hits in 201 innings, then last year gave up 194 hits in 171 innings. With his contract up after this year, will St. Louis find any takers at the deadline, and will he waive his no-trade clause? -- Rogers

24. Minnesota Twins

Record: 4-8
Previous ranking: 25

In starting 3-7, the Twins hit just .199, but maybe the biggest problem has been the lack of innings the rotation has delivered. Just twice in those 10 games did a starter record an out in the sixth inning. Yes, it's early, and pitch counts will be ultraconservative, but even by 2025 standards, you need to get more from your starters. The bullpen picked up Sunday's loss, however, when Griffin Jax allowed the tying runs in the ninth inning against Houston and then Louis Varland got the loss in the 10th (it was Varland's fourth appearance in six days, although Jax was well rested). Manager Rocco Baldelli's frustration boiled over in Monday's loss to the Royals, when he was ejected arguing a pitch clock violation called on Simeon Woods Richardson (which gave a walk to the batter). -- Schoenfield

25. Athletics

Record: 5-8
Previous ranking: 23

First baseman Tyler Soderstrom has looked like one of the AL's breakout hitters during the early going. Soderstrom stroked six homers over the Athletics' first 12 games, a span in which he led the league in dingers, slugging and OPS+. While Sutter Health Park had baseball's second-highest collective slugging percentage during that time, behind Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Soderstrom's power surge wasn't a bandbox illusion. Four of his long balls came during the Athletics' opening road trip. With rookie Jacob Wilson also off to a blistering start, the Athletics might be looking at a potent lineup if and when Brent Rooker approaches something close to his 2024 level. -- Doolittle

26. Washington Nationals

Record: 5-7
Previous ranking: 27

The Nats have gotten exciting starts from some of their foundational young players such as James Wood, MacKenzie Gore and Mitchell Parker. On the flip side, Dylan Crews' slow career start has continued into this season. Through his first 10 outings, Crews managed just five singles and a walk over 37 plate appearances, leaving him with a minus-12 OPS+. And, yes, you apparently can get into the negative in that metric. Crews' career line stands at .200/.260/.303 for a 61 OPS+. A slow start is still just a start, but the Nationals need Crews to show some positive signs, or a little more Triple-A polish might be required. -- Doolittle

27. Pittsburgh Pirates

Record: 5-8
Previous ranking: 28

Pittsburgh pushed its team batting average over .200 this week, but how long will it stay there? The Pirates' inability to provide offense for a decent pitching staff continues to be an annual trend. The elder statesman -- Andrew McCutchen -- is off to a good start, but none of their young guys are producing. As of Tuesday, no player had more than two home runs, while guys like Oneil Cruz (.211) and Bryan Reynolds (.191) were struggling mightily. Ke'Bryan Hayes showed some signs of life last week, but the Pirates are going to need a lot more at the plate in order to stay afloat. -- Rogers

28. Miami Marlins

Record: 6-6
Previous ranking: 26

First-timer Clayton McCullough is learning quickly about the scrutiny that goes with being a big league manager. McCullough caught heck from, among others, the Mets' broadcast crew for a sequence during Miami's loss on Tuesday. With the Mets leading 6-5 in the sixth, there was one out, runners on first and third and Juan Soto coming to the plate. McCullough ordered an intentional pass, loading the bases for Pete Alonso. Presumably, the aim was to set up a double play ... except McCullough then ordered the infield and the outfield in. Center fielder Derek Hill was playing just 271 feet from the plate. Alonso then clubbed a bases-clearing double to left center. Welcome to the spotlight, skipper. -- Doolittle

29. Colorado Rockies

Record: 2-9
Previous ranking: 30

This year's youth movement has begun in Colorado, where the team called up 2020 first-rounder Zac Veen this week. Veen, 23, earned his promotion after going 12-for-31 to start the season at Triple-A Albuquerque. After a series of injuries over the past couple of years, Veen pulled off a rare feat in 2024: playing at every level of the Rockies organization, even getting 10 plate appearances in the rookie league. But that was all just to get him ready for his moment at Coors Field, where he went 1-for-4 in his debut on Tuesday. -- Rogers

30. Chicago White Sox

Record: 2-9
Previous ranking: 29

One bright spot has been veteran starter Martin Perez. In a rotation that began the season with a combined 40 MLB starts aside from Perez, the 34-year-old lefty has allowed just four hits and one run over 12 innings across two starts. Granted, the two starts came on cold days against the Twins at home and at Detroit, but at least Perez has given the rotation some early stability. Perez is on a one-year deal with a $10 million mutual option for 2026, so if he continues to pitch well, you will certainly hear his name in trade rumors. -- Schoenfield

SUNRISE, Fla. -- For the first time in his NHL career, Brad Marchand has scored a goal for a team other than the Boston Bruins.

Marchand scored his first goal since joining the Florida Panthers, a second-period tally Thursday night that gave his new club a 3-1 lead over the Detroit Red Wings.

Marchand was playing in his eighth game for Florida, after the team pulled off a stunning move at the trade deadline and acquired him from the Bruins, who have been a postseason rival of the Panthers in recent years. Many in the crowd Thursday gave a standing ovation when the goal was announced as Marchand's "22nd of the season and first as a Florida Panther."

Marchand had two assists in his first seven games with Florida, including one in his debut March 28 that set up an overtime winner by Sam Bennett. Marchand's first goal came on his 15th shot with Florida.

The goal was the 423rd of Marchand's career. He also became the 319th player all time to score for the Panthers.

ATLANTA -- Atlanta Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. will have his injured left knee reevaluated next week as he works to return to the Atlanta lineup after ACL surgery last year.

Acuña, who tore his left ACL on May 26 and had surgery on June 6, will travel to Los Angeles for the checkup, Braves manager Brian Snitker said Thursday.

Acuña has been taking live batting practice but has not been cleared to do any start-and-stop running or cutting, Snitker said. The 27-year-old slugger has not run out of the batter's box in his workouts.

"They just have to check him out and sign off on it before they can do that," Snitker said. "And I think this was just part of the plan initially. I don't think he's going to rush it or anything. This has been the case from the get go."

Acuña was hurt after 49 games last season and hit just .250 with four home runs, one year after winning the National League MVP with 41 home runs, 73 steals and a .337 batting average.

"It's going to be about, just like other guys that miss spring training, getting his body in shape when he gets cleared," Snitker said.

The Braves have struggled without Acuña in the lineup this season. Atlanta lost nine of its first 11 games and were tied for 28th with 34 runs scored entering play Thursday.

Clay has not previously been Draper's favourite surface but, after receiving a first-round bye, his performance against American Marcos Giron in round two showed promise.

The British number one was not at his best in the opening set against Davidovich Fokina, berating himself with cries of "wake up" and "come on" in an attempt to increase his energy.

That form dragged into the second set, with Draper hitting three double faults on his way to being broken in the opening game.

Trailing by a set and a break, Draper's fortunes changed when he hit an ace to hold serve after saving two break points, raising his arms in relief before playing a fine return game to break back for 3-3.

He saved a match point on the way to forcing a tie-break and ensured a deciding set with a stunning cross-court forehand winner.

The pair traded breaks in a third set of shifting momentum, but Draper struggled to take his chances, converting just two of nine break points while 42nd-ranked Davidovich Fokina converted all three of his opportunities.

Second seed Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the quarter-finals with a 6-3 6-1 victory over 84th-ranked Daniel Altmaier and will meet France's Arthur Fils in the last eight.

Meanwhile, British doubles pair Neal Skupski and Joe Salisbury lost their last-16 match 6-3 6-3 to compatriot Henry Patten and Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara.

Great Britain captain Anne Keothavong says the lack of top-20 players at the Billie Jean King Cup is "a tennis problem, not a player problem".

Only three of the world's top-20 will compete in this week's qualifying rounds, with Poland's Iga Swiatek and American trio Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff and Madison Keys among those absent.

World number two Swiatek withdrew last week, saying she needed time to "focus on myself and my training".

Britain, meanwhile, are without Emma Raducanu, who has opted to train and "look after her body" after her Miami Open quarter-final run in her seventh event of the year.

The top teams in each round-robin group will advance to September's eight-team finals in Shenzhen, China.

"It's tough for every nation to put out their best players in each tie, Keothavong told BBC Sport in The Hague, where Britain are in a group with Germany and the Netherlands.

"The calendar is just makes it so difficult for players, so I'm empathetic as to how they are.

"The tennis circuit is brutal - you go from one week to the next and there's not much time to rest and recover.

"You have got to try and pick and choose your moments, but it's not a player problem - it's a tennis problem.

"One of these days maybe everyone can figure out a solution and work together."

Leinster are favourites to go on and lift the trophy, a status underlined by a crushing 10-try victory over Harlequins in the last round.

Glasgow can be backed are odds of about 10-1 to spring an upset in Dublin, but Leinster and All Blacks superstar back Jordie Barrett has full respect for the URC champions.

"If we don't get our jobs right this weekend, well, then there's no more European rugby for us, it's as simple as that," Barrett told RTE.

"Glasgow are a good side. They play a lot of rugby, a very attacking side. They're tough as well, as they showed in the weekend against Leicester.

"So it's going to be a challenge. They're a very strong one-to-eight and they play with a lot of ball and kick the least in the URC.

"They're a confident side, they do back their ability. But, look, we're right up for the challenge.

"We respect them as an outfit. But we feel like we're heading in the right direction here too."

After losing the past three consecutive finals, and four of the past six, there is pressure on Leinster to finally get their hands on the Champions Cup again.

They have made six changes to the side that demolished Quins, with Ireland internationals Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter and Caelan Doris all starting from the bench.

That's three pretty much nailed-on British and Irish Lions for this summer's Australia tour, including a potential captain in Doris, left on the sidelines for the start of the game.

Are Leinster taking Glasgow just a little lightly? Or are they simply so strong they have got the capacity to mix and match on a week-to-week basis?

Probably the latter, when you consider the team is still boasts multiple Six Nations winners, Lions, a double World Cup winner in RG Snyman and is dripping with class from top to toe.

Not many are expecting Glasgow to knock Leinster off course in their quest to become kings of Europe for the first time since 2018.

If they do, the reverberations will be felt across the rugby world.