But his exploits over the past week appeared to take their toll against De Minaur - who Draper beat on the way to the US Open semi-finals.

On that occasion in New York, De Minaur was physically hampered and way below his best.

This time, the 25-year-old Australian was more like his energetic self.

That spelt trouble for Draper, who looked increasingly fatigued as the contest wore on.

A tight first set swung Draper's way when he broke serve for a second time in the 12th game before De Minaur sharpened up his groundstrokes.

Fewer loose returns from the world number 10 extended the rallies and drew energy from Draper, who was broken twice in a one-sided second set.

Draper's frustration was demonstrated when he obliterated his racquet after going a break down in the first game of the decider.

While the Briton showed his character to level at 2-2, De Minaur continued to play at a high level and won four of the final five games to keep alive his own hopes of reaching the ATP Finals in Turin.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The San Jose Sharks announced rookie Macklin Celebrini will return to team activities Thursday, nearly three weeks after he was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

Celebrini, the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft in June, had made an impressive debut by recording a goal and an assist in an overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues. Two days later, the 18-year-old was out.

In a statement, the team said he has made positive progress over the past several weeks. Coach Ryan Warsofsky said Celebrini is week-to-week.

"We will continue to monitor his progress, but no date has yet been set for his return to game action," the statement said.

According to Sportradar, Celebrini became the youngest player in NHL history to record two points in the first period of his debut, accomplishing the feat at 18 years and 119 days. Shane Doan held the previous record of 18 years and 362 days, when he posted two points for Winnipeg against Dallas in 1995.

Lionel Messi acknowledged he has reinvented his style of play since joining Inter Miami CF in order to adapt to Major League Soccer in the closing stretch of his career.

Messi, 37, joined Miami as a free agent in July 2023.

"I've changed my style of play because of the moment, the situation and my age," he told Fabrizio Romano for the 433 app. "I am adapting a little bit to everything. I started reinventing myself and adapting to the league, which for me was new. I felt very comfortable from the beginning."

Messi made an immediate impact on the South Florida team, scoring just minutes into his debut against Cruz Azul in the inaugural Leagues Cup tournament before going on to propel the club to the title.

Despite guiding the club to its first piece of silverware, Miami struggled during the 2023 MLS regular season. The team concluded the campaign in 14th place on the Eastern Conference table to miss the playoffs entirely and leave Messi yearning for more.

The team has been radically improved this year, winning the MLS Supporters' Shield with a record regular-season points total. Messi is one of five finalists for the MLS MVP award and led the league in total goal contributions, with 20 goals and 16 assists, despite playing only 19 of 34 games.

Now, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner insists, the team's sights are set on lifting the MLS Cup.

"To build a club you need to win titles," he said. "The club was coming off a bad year in MLS [in 2023] and a little bit after my arrival we won Leagues Cup, the first trophy for the club.

"It was extraordinary for us, and now we are eager to play these playoffs and hopefully be able to win the MLS Cup. On the personal level and most importantly for the club that has done so much for it to happen."

Inter Miami defeated Atlanta United 2-1 at Chase Stadium in the first match of the round one best-of-three playoff series to head to Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday with the chance to clinch a spot in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Messi, though, said there is plenty of room for improvement to avoid the "silly mistakes" that may cost Miami the opportunity to clinch MLS Cup.

"We've made a lot of mistakes that we can avoid, because many times they were silly mistakes to put it nicely," he said. "That cannot happen during the playoffs, because the mistakes can cost you and get you eliminated.

"We have to be stronger than ever, and take advantage of the advantages we have. I think we are one of the favorites [to win MLS Cup] but there are teams that will be difficult rivals. They won't give us anything but the other teams respect us the way we respect them."

With the 2024 MLS season coming to a close and the 2026 FIFA World Cup fast approaching, the Argentina star has faced repeated questions about his future and previously suggested that the end of his career is near. The forward has one more year remaining in his contract for Inter Miami, after signing through the end of the 2025 MLS season.

"I don't know [if I will play in the 2026 World Cup], they ask me a lot, especially in Argentina," he said. "I hope to finish this year well, and start the year having a good preseason, which I didn't have last year due to all the trips we had.

"From there, I will see how I am doing and feeling. We are close, but at the same time it's a lot of time and anything can happen in football. I don't think, simply living the day to day without thinking beyond."

The 2026 World Cup is set to be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada with matches at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, where Messi played and won the 2024 Copa América final with Argentina.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said he sees the effort to bring a WNBA franchise to Kansas City as the next logical step for the ownership group of the NWSL's Kansas City Current.

"We want to get basketball to Kansas City in general and then WNBA. The success that they've had this last season and these last few seasons, it's kind of a no-brainer,'' said Mahomes, who along with his wife, Brittany, is an investor in the Current. "To try to get a WNBA team in Kansas City to this fan base -- you see it if you talk about University of Kansas basketball, the Chiefs or whatever it is -- the city of Kansas City is going to come out and they're going to fill the stadium.

"It was cool that we were able to get this soccer team, this women's soccer team here in the Current and they're going into the playoffs now and you see the support that they have. So let's try to get a WNBA team in here as well [with] that same ownership group. They've done the Current the right way, and I want to continue to work with them to take that next step and get a WNBA team here.''

Kansas City has long had the infrastructure for a professional basketball franchise, building the T-Mobile Center in 2007 with the hopes of luring an NBA or NHL club to town. Those teams never materialized, but the building has remained busy hosting concerts and other sports events, including the Big 12 men's and women's basketball tournaments each March.

The WNBA is expanding by three teams over the next two seasons with Golden State, Portland and Toronto pushing the total number of franchises to 15. And while league commissioner Cathy Engelbert has said the WNBA would like to add a 16th team by the 2028 season, Kansas City is expected to have competition from St. Louis, Philadelphia and several other cities

Mahomes also owns a piece of the Kansas City Royals and Sporting Kansas City (MLS).

"Kansas City is such a great place for me,'' Mahomes said. "It's a place that I call home. It's a place that I built a house at and that I'll be for a long, long time. I think being involved in the community as much as possible [is important] and I love sports. I know how much the city loves sports, so let's bring as many sports in here and showcase how great Kansas City is not only as a city, but the people that are in the city as well.

"We feel like Kansas City is a great place to continue that growth, but we have to battle with other cities to prove why we can sustain and have a great franchise here.''

Mahomes said he wants to be an owner in professional sports when he's finished playing football, and those plans include women's sports.

"I just know how much sports has given to me,'' Mahomes said. "Whenever I'm done playing football -- whenever that is -- and I have to venture off into life after football and chasing kids around and everything like that, I want to be able to still be a part of it. ... And then, at the same time, showcase to my daughter that she can follow her dream and go out there and execute on whatever that dream is.

"I've met players and women from other sports that I've kind of been around, including my wife, and see that they didn't get some of the same things that I got coming up -- as far as the resources and the facilities and stuff like that. So, I want to give them those same resources, those same facilities. ... I want to continue to work in women's sports as long as I can.''

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Big 12 determined Thursday that none of its games were compromised by unencrypted frequencies used with coach-to-player in-game communications this season.

Sources told ESPN on Wednesday that the coach-to-player communications for all Power 4 college football games this season have been on unencrypted frequencies, and Texas Tech requested a report from the Big 12 on its recent games against TCU and Baylor -- both losses -- to ensure the integrity of the games were not compromised.

Athletic director Kirby Hocutt said he raised the issue during a call with Big 12 athletic directors Tuesday, after learning that anyone with a scanner and knowledge of how to locate the frequencies had access to those in-game communications.

"Following the industry-wide concerns surrounding helmet communications, the Big 12 conducted a review of conference games and helmet communications processes to address any issues member institutions raised regarding this matter," the Big 12 said in a statement issued Thursday. "The review showed that at no point was any Big 12 competition compromised."

In addition, all Big 12 helmet communication programs now have the update from GSC that provides encryption, and schools may use either CoachComm or GSC for coach-to-player communication at their discretion.

GSC is the helmet communication device provider for all 68 teams in Power 4 conferences this season.

"We've got to have a game whose integrity is not questionable in any way on a Saturday afternoon," Hocutt told ESPN on Wednesday. "We owe it to the 120 young men on our football team to ensure that happens, that it's a game of fair competition and the same set of rules are enforced."

The revelation that college football teams have not been using encrypted frequencies has frustrated several Big 12 athletic directors, who believed the Power 4 schools had the same encrypted setup used in the NFL, sources said.

This is the first college football season that the in-game use of coach-to-player helmet communications and tablets has been permitted at the FBS level. The NCAA approved the rules change in April, six months after launching an investigation into Michigan's alleged signal-stealing scheme under former staffer Connor Stalions.

Football operations executives for the SEC, Big 12, Big Ten and ACC have worked together with GSC in the four weeks since to investigate potential concerns and move to a more encrypted and secure platform.

Texas Tech (5-3, 3-2) opted to move forward with a different coach-to-player system with encrypted communication provided by CoachComm for its game against No. 11 Iowa State on Saturday, sources said.

A source at one Big 12 school told ESPN that his staff purchased a scanner earlier this month upon learning of the potential vulnerability and was successful in locating their own coach-to-player communication frequency during a practice.

The frequency does not broadcast all headset communications between coaches, which would be invaluable, but merely what one coach says to one player on the field -- typically a quarterback on offense and a linebacker on defense -- and only when the coach is holding the button to speak to them before communication is cut off 15 seconds before the snap.

"There's no real advantage," one Big 12 chief of staff argued. "One, you're speaking a different language. Two, if you think you'd be able to enact in real time what they say and try to do it on the field, you're delusional. You're just being your stereotypical paranoid football coach. You can't relay it to the kids fast enough."

Another MLB season is in the books, and what a ride it was.

The 2024 season had a little bit of everything, from incredible individual performances -- Shohei Ohtani's historic 50/50 campaign, Aaron Judge's season for the ages and pitching Triple Crowns from Tarik Skubal and Chris Sale -- to improbable playoff runs from the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers to a historic World Series clash between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees resulting in the Dodgers' second title in five years.

Now that the Fall Classic is over, we're flipping the page to our annual Way-Too-Early Power Rankings. We're ranking the teams based on where they stand entering the offseason -- one in which Juan Soto will be the most-sought-after free agent on the market (and undoubtedly improve the ranking of whichever team lands him). Let's dive right in.

Final 2024 Power Rankings | Final 2024 regular-season grades

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

2024 record: 98-64
Final 2024 ranking: 2

Dave Roberts called this his most challenging season as manager, and while the Dodgers did lead the majors with 98 wins, they had to use 17 different starting pitchers to do it -- and only two of them reached even 100 innings. Coming off their World Series championship, most key players will return: Teoscar Hernandez and Jack Flaherty are the two main free agents along with reliever Blake Treinen. But Ohtani will be pitching next year and some of the injured starters will return or hopefully pitch more innings. Sure, Mookie Betts, Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman are all in their 30s, and the Dodgers might need a shortstop depending on where Tommy Edman plays, but you know they'll spend money, whether it's re-signing Hernandez or maybe signing Willy Adames -- or, who knows, even going after Soto.

2. Philadelphia Phillies

2024 record: 95-67
Final 2024 ranking: 1

The top of the 2024 standings was more muddled than it has been in years -- seven teams won between 91 and 98 games -- so it's no surprise that the top of these rankings is difficult to order. It seems like the Phillies, coming off 95 wins, have the highest floor, since they have almost everybody coming back (relievers Carlos Estevez and Jeff Hoffman are their only notable free agents). Their rotation depth helps, as does Bryce Harper still having the ability to hit like an MVP contender. The obvious concerns: Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto will all be 32 or older in 2025 and the bench remains a weak spot, despite president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski's attempts to upgrade it last season.

3. San Diego Padres

2024 record: 93-69
Final 2024 ranking: 4

Can the Padres remain as cohesive for an entire season as they were in the second half of 2024, when they went 43-20 and looked like a World Series favorite entering October? They'll be without Joe Musgrove, who blew out his elbow in his playoff start and will undergo Tommy John surgery, plus All-Star Jurickson Profar, catcher Kyle Higashioka and reliever Tanner Scott are free agents. Ha-Seong Kim will likely opt out of his $8 million mutual option, so they might need a shortstop (Xander Bogaerts filled in there, but he's best suited for second base these days). There are holes to fill, but general manager A.J. Preller will be aggressive as always -- and Jackson Merrill looks like the next big Padres star.

4. Baltimore Orioles

2024 record: 91-71
Final 2024 ranking: 9

It was an oddly flat ending to the season for the Orioles: 33-33 in the second half and then a sad loss to Kansas City in the wild-card series in which they scored one run in two games.

They have two major free agents to replace: Corbin Burnes (15-9, 2.92 ERA) and Anthony Santander (44 home runs, 102 RBIs, .814 OPS), plus Kyle Bradish will be out after Tommy John surgery. The O's have the young bats to replace Santander -- Heston Kjerstad, Coby Mayo, maybe Sam Basallo in the second half -- plus Jackson Holliday and Colton Cowser should be better. And they have an MVP contender to build around in Gunnar Henderson. They'll need to add a starter to go alongside Grayson Rodriguez and Zach Eflin, but Baltimore comfortably projects as a playoff team based on its offensive foundation.

5. Cleveland Guardians

2024 record: 92-69
Final 2024 ranking: 6

The 2025 Guardians are going to look similar to the team that reached the ALCS: bullpen, defense and Jose Ramirez. As always, they're going to try to jam a 90-win team into a 70-win payroll. Re-signing Matthew Boyd would be a relatively cheap option for the rotation, but Josh Naylor might be trade bait entering his final season before free agency. The bullpen probably gives the Guardians an 80-win floor, although it will be difficult to repeat 2024's regular-season performance. If top prospects Travis Bazzana and Chase DeLauter click, they could make an impact in the second half, and since Cleveland has the youngest group of position players in the majors, you can pencil in some general improvement across the board for the lineup.

6. Arizona Diamondbacks

2024 record: 89-73
Final 2024 ranking: 8

It was always going to be a herculean task to repeat the improbable 2023 run to the World Series, and though Arizona was a better team in 2024, it missed the playoffs by virtue of losing the tiebreaker to the Mets and Braves. It doesn't get any more frustrating than that.

The Diamondbacks have a few key contract situations in limbo: club options on Eugenio Suarez ($15 million) and Merrill Kelly ($7 million) that they'll pick up and a mutual option on Joc Pederson ($14 million) that is a tougher decision. Jordan Montgomery has a $22.5 million player option coming off a 6.23 ERA -- it's hard to see him turning that down. The always reliable Christian Walker is a free agent and he'll be in demand (maybe Pavin Smith takes over at first). Assuming Montgomery returns, getting more from him and Eduardo Rodriguez (5.04 ERA in 10 starts) will be a key to returning to the postseason.

7. Atlanta Braves

2024 record: 89-73
Final 2024 ranking: 11

The easy assumption is that the Braves will bounce back in 2025 -- closer to their 104 wins of 2023 than the 89 of 2024. After all, they'll have Ronald Acuña Jr. back, for starters. Except when he returned from knee surgery in 2022, it wasn't until the next year that he was back at full strength (and he might sit out the first month of 2025 anyway). He also wasn't anything special before his injury in 2024: .716 OPS in 49 games.

But the biggest issue here: Max Fried is a free agent and not guaranteed to return as the Braves failed to extend him despite attempts to do so. So is Charlie Morton, although he's more likely to return. They also had offensive holes at shortstop and left field, and Sean Murphy hasn't hit since the first half of 2023. Chris Sale's season-ending health issues are a red flag for 2025 -- and he just pitched his most innings since 2017. Atlanta will get Spencer Strider back at some point and the offense should be better, but regression from the bullpen and Reynaldo Lopez (1.99 ERA) should also be expected.

8. Chicago Cubs

2024 record: 83-79
Final 2024 ranking: 16

The Cubs had a second straight disappointing season, this time under new manager Craig Counsell. Unfortunately, it was sort of the same drill: They once again underperformed their Pythagorean record (by seven wins in 2023 and five wins in 2024). The biggest question heading into the offseason is whether Cody Bellinger will exercise his $27.5 million player option. Chicago won't be heartbroken if he does decide to opt out. Porter Hodge looks like a late-game solution in the bullpen, and the Cubs have a deep farm system with young players such as infielder Matt Shaw and outfielder Kevin Alcantara ready to contribute to the 2025 team. What they really need is a big bat for the middle of the lineup. If Bellinger does opt out, that's more cash to throw Soto's way.

9. New York Yankees

2024 record: 94-68
Final 2024 ranking: 3

This might be a generous ranking. Without Soto, the Yankees don't look all that different from the 2023 Yankees, who won 82 games and missed the playoffs. Yes, they will be the favorites to re-sign him, but it's no guarantee that owner Hal Steinbrenner will give Soto the $500 million it might take -- not when Judge is under a $360 million contract. The rotation is the projected strength, although Gerrit Cole's elbow injury early in the 2024 season and decline in swing-and-miss stuff is a concern. There are holes at first base and second base (Gleyber Torres is also a free agent), and key relievers Clay Holmes and Tommy Kahnle are also free agents. The offseason rests on signing Soto -- and if that doesn't happen, it will be fascinating to see how the Yankees pivot.

10. Boston Red Sox

2024 record: 81-81
Final 2024 ranking: 17

The Red Sox are sitting pretty, with an exciting young core led by Jarren Duran -- who had a breakout season in 2024 and was fourth in the majors with 83 extra-base hits -- and an impressive group of position player prospects all ready to hit the majors at some point in 2025 in Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, Marcelo Mayer and Kyle Teel, who were all in the top 55 of ESPN Kiley McDaniel's midseason prospects update. Wilyer Abreu and defensive wizard Ceddanne Rafaela had promising rookie seasons, and hopefully the Red Sox will get a healthy season from Triston Casas. That leaves the pitching staff to upgrade and free agents to replace in Tyler O'Neill, Nick Pivetta, Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen. The question: Does owner John Henry have the desire to run a big payroll again after cutting back significantly the past few seasons?

11. Houston Astros

2024 record: 88-73
Final 2024 ranking: 7

The trend can't be ignored: The Astros have gone from 106 wins in 2022 to 90 in 2023 to 88 this season, although they did still win their seventh AL West title in eight seasons. Longtime stalwart Alex Bregman is a free agent, although the Astros are expected to make him a competitive offer. So is Justin Verlander -- he had a 5.48 ERA -- and trade acquisition Yusei Kikuchi, who went 5-1 with a 2.70 ERA with Houston. Kyle Tucker is in his final season of team control, raising the question of whether the Astros can afford both Bregman and Tucker and whether they would consider trading Tucker for some infusion of younger prospects.

The rotation is still in good shape with Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, Ronel Blanco and Spencer Arrighetti, plus the expected midseason returns of Cristian Javier and Jose Urquidy from Tommy John surgery (Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr. are bigger unknowns). They'll need to add bullpen depth, though, and first base is a problem.

12. Seattle Mariners

2024 record: 85-77
Final 2024 ranking: 15

The Mariners should have played better in 2024. Then again, they should have played better in 2023. They're one of only seven franchises with a winning record each of the past four seasons -- yet have only one playoff appearance to show for it. They're eighth in wins since 2021 -- and haven't won a playoff game at home -- and played .545 ball, mirroring the infamous 54% quote that president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto apologized for last offseason.

Dipoto has indicated there are no plans to trade any of the young starters (Logan Gilbert, Bryce Miller, George Kirby, Bryan Woo), but that could leave Luis Castillo on the table. Owner John Stanton said payroll would increase but didn't say by how much, and Dipoto indicated most of that would come from in-house increases (Gilbert enters his second year of arbitration, and Kirby and Cal Raleigh hit it for the first time). Can the Mariners find a way to win, say, 58% of their games?

13. Milwaukee Brewers

2024 record: 93-69
Final 2024 ranking: 5

What a fun, exciting season for the Brewers, although it ended with a crushing loss to the Mets in the NLDS. Shortstop Willy Adames does head into free agency -- coming off a 32-homer, 112-RBI season that will be difficult to replace (Joey Ortiz probably takes over at shortstop) -- but the young foundation remains, with Jackson Chourio leading the way. Indeed, with the way Chourio hit in the second half -- .310/.363/.544 -- it's not a stretch to envision him as an MVP candidate (non-Shohei Ohtani division) as soon as 2025. The other big questions: Will Christian Yelich be able to contribute after his back surgery and will starters Tobias Myers and Colin Rea be able to repeat their surprising performances?

14. Kansas City Royals

2024 record: 86-76
Final 2024 ranking: 13

The Royals improved an incredible 30 wins, from 56 last season to 86 and a wild-card berth this year. Their plus-91 run differential suggests it wasn't a fluke -- that's the same as the Padres and Astros. And no doubt, Bobby Witt Jr. and Cole Ragans are so good they give this team something close to a .500-ish floor. All the key players return with the possible exception of Michael Wacha, who has a $16 million player option. There's even hope the bullpen could improve in 2025.

However, the concerns: The Royals received 151 starts from their top five starters, which will be difficult to repeat, and Seth Lugo and Wacha combined to go 29-17 with a 3.16 ERA and that doesn't feel repeatable. Given the holes in the lineup and the old Bill James Plexiglass Principle -- teams that improve significantly in one season tend to fall back in the next -- it might be difficult to win 86 again.

15. Minnesota Twins

2024 record: 82-80
Final 2024 ranking: 14

The Twins finally won a playoff game in 2023 (beating the Blue Jays in the wild-card series) and promptly announced they were cutting payroll for 2024. The fans responded as you might expect: Attendance has dipped below 2 million the past two seasons despite Minnesota having winning teams (it was over 3 million the first two years of Target Field and over 2 million most of past decade). Then came the best news Twins fans could hope for: The Pohlad family announced the team was up for sale. On the field, they'll need better pitching as well as better health (we've heard this before) from Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis and Carlos Correa, who averaged 90 games this past season.

16. Detroit Tigers

2024 record: 86-76
Final 2024 ranking: 12

It was a magical ride to end the season, as the Tigers finished with a 31-13 run that propelled them from also-rans to playoff team. It was all pitching as the staff posted a 2.72 ERA over those 44 games. It was ace Tarik Skubal, manager A.J. Hinch pulling the right strings at the right time and a bullpen that turned unhittable for eight weeks. It's just unclear whether the pen can replicate that over a full season -- and the offense still has holes, with only Kerry Carpenter, Riley Greene, Matt Vierling and Parker Meadows posting an OPS+ over 100 among those with 250 plate appearances. The good news is that everyone is back, Jackson Jobe should enter the rotation, and while the Tigers are stuck with Javier Baez's $25 million salary, there should be payroll flexibility for president of baseball operations Scott Harris to make a couple of significant additions.

17. Texas Rangers

2024 record: 78-84
Final 2024 ranking: 22

For now, the 2023 World Series championship sticks out as a fluke between two losing seasons. The offense collapsed in 2024, scoring 198 fewer runs than it did in 2023, with Adolis Garcia, Marcus Semien and Jonah Heim the primary culprits. It didn't help that Josh Jung and Evan Carter combined for just 91 games (and didn't do much when they did play). Meanwhile, Nathan Eovaldi (he'll opt out of his player option), Max Scherzer and Andrew Heaney are all free agents; combined with the trade of Michael Lorenzen, that's 87 starts to replace. Closer Kirby Yates, who had 33 saves and a 1.17 ERA, is also a free agent.

Maybe the Rangers will get Jacob deGrom for an entire season -- and Kumar Rocker, Tyler Mahle and perhaps Jack Leiter could join the rotation. Plus, there is still youth on the offense in Wyatt Langford, Carter and Jung. It will be interesting to see how the Rangers act this offseason: Do they believe in the 2023 version of this team or will they look to make some changes?

18. New York Mets

2024 record: 89-73
Final 2024 ranking: 10

It was a wonderful run, from losing miserably in early June to two wins away from reaching the World Series. But no team has more work ahead in the offseason than the Mets as they have a long list of players heading into free agency: Pete Alonso, Sean Manaea (who will surely opt out of his player option), Jose Quintana, Luis Severino, J.D. Martinez, Jose Iglesias, Ryne Stanek, Jesse Winker, Adam Ottavino and Harrison Bader, among others. That's 94 starts and 33 wins from Manaea, Quintana and Severino to replace, plus Alonso's power in the middle of the order. Obviously, the Mets have the money to re-sign some of these players -- Alonso and Manaea will be the top priorities -- and will go after Soto, but for now they have holes to fill. They have nearly $180 million coming off the payroll and president of baseball operations David Stearns' task will be to fill that in a smarter way. Obviously, they'll rank higher once they make additions, but this is where they sit right now.

19. Tampa Bay Rays

2024 record: 80-82
Final 2024 ranking: 20

The Rays missed the playoffs for the first time in six years and had their first losing record since also finishing 80-82 in 2017 -- and they overachieved just to do that, getting outscored by 59 runs. Of course, the biggest question all offseason has nothing to do with on-field personnel. Where will they play? After Hurricane Milton tore through Florida and destroyed the roof at Tropicana Field, the Rays (and MLB) don't yet have an answer. Meanwhile, as always, the Rays have a ton of moving parts, but they'll need to upgrade an offense that finished next-to-last in the American League in runs scored. They'll have to do that without Randy Arozarena and Isaac Paredes, traded away at the deadline, and we'll see if they pick up Brandon Lowe's $10.5 million option (or trade him). Junior Caminero will be a key for the Rays, and they'll need Yandy Diaz and Josh Lowe to find their 2023 level.

20. Pittsburgh Pirates

2024 record: 76-86
Final 2024 ranking: 24

Paul Skenes will enter 2025 as the likely Cy Young favorite in the National League following his absurdly good rookie season. Jared Jones also flashed top-of-the-rotation potential, especially in the first half. Top prospect Bubba Chandler could make a similar impact in the rotation for 2025 and Nick Yorke, acquired from the Red Sox, should help out somewhere, whether at second base or in a utility role. The late-season decision to move Oneil Cruz from shortstop to center field makes sense, although it solves one hole while opening another. The Pirates need to figure out what happened to Ke'Bryan Hayes at the plate (.573 OPS) and how to upgrade the bullpen after David Bednar's collapse. As always, tightfisted ownership will make it difficult for the Pirates to improve.

21. San Francisco Giants

2024 record: 80-82
Final 2024 ranking: 19

With records of 81-81, 79-83 and 80-82 the past three seasons, the Giants have been stuck spinning their wheels, so they already made a big move: Farhan Zaidi is out and franchise icon Buster Posey is in as the new president of baseball operations. Posey was involved in the big Matt Chapman extension over the summer, but the Giants are still seeking that franchise, MVP-level type of player to build around. Maybe they make a run at Soto this year, but that seems like a longshot, plus they'll have to replace Blake Snell (who will opt out of his $30 million player option). Adames makes a lot of sense to pursue to play shortstop, which would allow them to move Tyler Fitzgerald to a more appropriate position.

22. Toronto Blue Jays

2024 record: 74-88
Final 2024 ranking: 23

There are two ways to view the Blue Jays:

1. They just had a bad season in 2024, and since they basically have everyone back for 2025, there's a good chance they rebound and find themselves back in the playoffs like in 2022 and 2023.

2. They're not very good and are going to be stuck with the same team in 2025.

All their core hitters except George Springer are younger than 30 years old, but the only ones with an OPS+ above league average were Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Spencer Horwitz. The bullpen was a mess (28th in the majors in win probability added) and it's worrisome that Kevin Gausman and Jose Berrios saw big dips in their strikeout rates. This is the final season Guerrero and Bo Bichette are under team control, so Toronto will make a run for it -- and will certainly be involved in the Soto competition. But it's also true the Mark Shapiro/Ross Atkins regime hasn't figured out how to get the Jays past the wild-card round.

23. Cincinnati Reds

2024 record: 77-85
Final 2024 ranking: 21

The Reds spent some money in free agency last season -- which they rarely do -- but they didn't get any better. Nick Martinez was excellent in a swingman role -- good enough that he'll likely exercise his opt-out clause and re-enter free agency. Unfortunately, they will be stuck with Jeimer Candelario. While Elly De La Cruz improved in his sophomore season and should finish in the top 10 of the MVP voting, other young hitters failed to ignite: Spencer Steer drove in 92 runs but hit .225; Noelvi Marte had a .549 OPS; Will Benson didn't hit after a strong 2023; and Christian Encarnacion-Strand was bad and then injured.

On the pitching side, Hunter Greene finally had his breakout season and could be a Cy Young contender while Rhett Lowder impressed in a late-season call-up. The Reds will need their hitters to improve and their pitchers to stay healthy -- but they haven't had both those things happen together in over a decade (their only playoff appearance since 2013 came in the expanded postseason of 2020).

24. St. Louis Cardinals

2024 record: 83-79
Final 2024 ranking: 18

The Cardinals managed to finish 83-79 and they probably overachieved just to do that: They were outscored and finished 12th in the NL in runs and 10th in runs allowed. It was a flawed club. Paul Goldschmidt (now a free agent) and Nolan Arenado weren't great and their top four starters were 34, 35, 36 and 37 years old (they will have Erick Fedde for all of 2025, although even he will be 32). Key young players like Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker regressed in a big way. The Cardinals are self-admittedly in a transition period, with longtime top baseball executive John Mozeliak -- in his final season before handing over the job to Chaim Bloom -- saying the focus in 2025 will be on developing young players rather than competing for a title.

25. Washington Nationals

2024 record: 71-91
Final 2024 ranking: 26

The Nationals won 71 games, just as they did in 2023, but this team was more pointed to the future with the debuts of James Wood and Dylan Crews in the outfield plus starters Mitchell Parker and DJ Herz on the mound. The Nationals might view themselves as ready to make a playoff push and dip into free agency, but it's unclear how close they are. Wood has power potential but not yet a swing geared for big home run numbers. Crews struggled in the majors (.218/.288/.353) and his minor league numbers aren't overly impressive. They'll also have to decide whether to keep CJ Abrams at shortstop (where he had the worst range in the majors via Statcast) or move him to third base.

26. The Athletics

2024 record: 69-93
Final 2024 ranking: 25

The unknown for the 2025 team that will simply be known as the A's or Athletics as it plays in Sacramento while waiting for a ballpark to (maybe) be built in Las Vegas: Will playing in a Triple-A stadium, one it will share with the Giants' Triple-A team, affect the on-field results? Maybe it's a situation that will bring the A's together, sort of a real-life version of "Major League." Or maybe it leads to the A's self-destructing back to 100 losses.

Aside from that, the A's could be an interesting team. Brent Rooker had a 39-homer season with a .927 OPS (his 165 OPS+ was the best by an A's hitter since Jason Giambi in 2001). You do wonder if the A's will look to trade him in the offseason. Lawrence Butler raked in the second half (.898 OPS) after tweaking his mechanics. JJ Bleday had a breakout season, and Shea Langeliers hit 29 home runs. However, that group could regress, and the pitching and overall depth is thin.

27. Miami Marlins

2024 record: 62-100
Final 2024 ranking: 29

There is a path to improvement for Miami, starting with better health from its rotation. Most notably, Sandy Alcantara will be back after missing 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery. Eury Perez, the standout rookie from 2023, also missed the season because of Tommy John surgery, while Jesus Luzardo and Braxton Garrett combined for just 19 starts. The Marlins need to hire a manager to replace Skip Schumaker, and the offense needs a lot of work just to get to mediocre. A couple of rookies could help there: Agustin Ramirez, acquired in the Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade, hit .267 with 25 home runs in the minors and could become the regular catcher; and Deyvison De Los Santos, acquired from Arizona for A.J. Puk, led all minor leaguers with 40 home runs, although he needs to improve his strikeout and walk rates.

28. Los Angeles Angels

2024 record: 63-99
Final 2024 ranking: 27

The Angels now have the longest playoff drought in the majors -- they last made it in 2014 -- and there isn't much reason to believe in a turnaround for 2025, even if Mike Trout manages to stay healthy. At the least, Angels fans still have hope for Trout. Anthony Rendon? Not at this point. This was a team so lacking in talent it gave Brandon Drury 360 plate appearances despite his .469 OPS -- and was batting him cleanup in September. Nonetheless, owner Arte Moreno said after the season the goal is to compete for the postseason in 2025, perhaps trying to copy a Royals-like blueprint to turn things around. I'm skeptical that the Angels can pull it off.

29. Colorado Rockies

2024 record: 61-101
Final 2024 ranking: 28

Inertia: A tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged. Welcome to the 2019-24 Rockies. For example: Bud Black returns for another season as manager, despite six straight losing seasons of not even finishing close to .500. And the past two seasons were even worse than the first four. Is it his fault? No. But would most organizations make a change? Of course. The Rockies rarely make trades or invest in free agents (and when they have, it was with bad deals to Kris Bryant and Ian Desmond). They continue to believe solely in their player development system, and there's nothing wrong with that -- except that they simply haven't excelled at developing players.

30. Chicago White Sox

2024 record: 41-121
Final 2024 ranking: 30

After setting the modern record with an embarrassing 121 losses -- although, not the worst winning percentage of all time! -- the White Sox will inevitably be improved ... right? Not necessarily. GM Chris Getz has already stated, "We're not going to be working heavy in free agency." Then consider the fact that the 2024 team featured 32 starts from Garrett Crochet, who might be traded this offseason, and 21 from Erick Fedde, who was very good before he was traded in July. Avoiding 100 losses in 2025 would probably be a minor miracle.

Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero has sustained a right abdominal strain and is listed as questionable for Friday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania.

Banchero will be re-evaluated on Friday, sources added.

Through five games, Banchero leads the Magic in scoring, rebounding and minutes played per game.

Banchero dropped a career-high 50 points in Monday's win over the Indiana Pacers, making him the second-youngest player to record at least 50 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a game in NBA history behind LeBron James, who accomplished the feat in 2005 against the Toronto Raptors.

Banchero followed that up with a 31-point effort in Wednesday's loss to the Chicago Bulls, making him just the third player to average 40 points over a two-game span in franchise history, joining former Magic stars Tracy McGrady and Shaquille O'Neal.

FOR MOST OF his 13 years in the NBA, Bradley Beal has had a good sense of who he is as a player. An elite shooter and scorer. A willing passer and versatile defender. The three All-Star games validated that self-concept. So too did the annual interest in him from contenders while he starred for the Washington Wizards.

But this past year was a strange one for Beal. Not just because he'd finally asked for and been traded to the Phoenix Suns last August. But because he'd been asked to and tried to play an entirely different position for the Suns than what he had played for most of his career: point guard.

"They were using me more as a facilitator than a scorer and honestly, that kind of f---ed with my head," Beal told ESPN. "Literally this whole summer, I had just had a whole reflection, just like, 'Who are you?'

"I had to have a real talk with myself, you know. I took some time to look at myself in the mirror to answer: 'What do I need to do better? Who am I?' And then just get back to that."

At about the same time Beal was reflecting on his first year in Phoenix, the Suns were doing the same. How could a team with three superstars -- Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker -- amount to so little in the playoffs? Why had they come up so short of their collective parts?

Neither Frank Vogel nor the Suns had chosen to play Beal and Booker as their point guard because they believed it was the best role for them. Doing so was a consequence of having to trade Chris Paul to the Wizards to acquire Beal and his $46.7 million salary, and being one of five teams to go over the NBA's new "second apron," which greatly restricts a team's ability to make trades or fill out its roster with players who make more than the veterans minimum.

All season long, Beal, Booker and Vogel said they were committed to making the best of the situation. But it was clear early in the season -- and after -- that the experiment was untenable. The numbers told the tale. Beal averaged 18.2 points per game last season, his lowest since 2015-16, and 72% of his touches led to a pass, per Second Spectrum. His usage rate (22.4%) ranked as his lowest since 2014-15.

Booker, for his part, brought the ball up the floor on nearly 30% of the Suns' possessions per game, per Second Spectrum, the highest rate of his career, while amassing his lowest overall usage (29.4%) since 2016-17. Just 25.5 of his touches led to a shot, the lowest rate of his career.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, the Suns' first-round opponent in the playoffs, took full advantage.

Over the Suns' final five games against the Wolves -- their last regular-season game and the four-game sweep -- Minnesota pressured the player bringing up the ball on a combined 157 possessions, the highest number the Suns faced over any five-game span last season.

"I mean, it was just a different role, a different responsibility," Booker told ESPN. "It was something we both weren't accustomed to, but we were willing to learn and do it."

Vogel was replaced after just one season by Mike Budenholzer. But the Suns knew they needed more than just a coaching change to change their fortunes, team sources said. They needed a player who could put Beal and Booker back into the positions where they'd become superstars.

"I think after the year we realized that it was about optimizing those three guys," Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein told ESPN. "I mean, Bradley Beal has led the league in scoring. Let's get him back to that. "It doesn't mean there won't be times this year where Brad and Devin are the guards, but when we stepped back to look at things, the most important thing was if we've got these three guys, how do we get them to be the best version of themselves?"

Those questions were answered quietly but firmly, nearly four weeks after the start of free agency, when the Suns spent $3 million on a player they believe will unlock the yet-unseen championship potential of the most tantalizing Big 3 in basketball.

IF ANYTHING, THE problem got even harder for Phoenix to address this summer as the new collective bargaining agreement went into full effect this July.

Phoenix couldn't even afford to retain its backup point guard, Cameron Payne, trading his $6.5 salary and a second-round pick last offseason to San Antonio to save money, which was used on backup center Bol Bol.

New owner Mat Ishbia told ESPN last March that his fix, if one existed, would be to create a culture that veteran players would choose over more salary elsewhere.

"I understand all the rules that come with the second apron. I understand exactly what the CBA tried to do," he said. "I read it, I know it inside and out, and we made a calculated decision that we think the team with the best players wins. Would I rather have Brad Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker than just having two of those guys? I'd rather have all three a hundred times out of a hundred, and I don't think there's another GM or owner or CEO that wouldn't say that exact same thing.

"So now how do you maneuver around that? Well, you have to differentiate yourself. ... I have to create an environment where [we're] trying to be the best franchise in sports where the players want to come play."

It was an idealistic sentiment. And Ishbia understood that other owners or front offices thought he would soon be humbled by the harsh realities of the NBA, just as other ebullient new owners have been.

But he also believed it would only take one veteran player to prove him right.

That player, ultimately, was Tyus Jones.

THE 10TH-YEAR GUARD from Duke has ranked in the NBA's top five in assist-to-turnover ratio for eight consecutive seasons. He's led the league in five of them, and, last season, had the best ratio (7.35) since individual turnovers were first tracked in 1977-78.

In any other year, Jones would've been paid handsomely as the top point guard on the free agent market with a reputation as a mature leader. And indeed, Jones did weigh more lucrative interest from the Wizards, Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs and Brooklyn Nets, league sources said, with offers ranging from $8 million to $12 million annually.

But none of those teams offered the type of role and ceiling the Suns did.

"The first conversation I had with my agent, I was like, 'Man I wish they had more money because basketball-wise, the fit was ideal," Jones told ESPN.

That conversation took place before free agency began. After the first week of free agency -- during which the Spurs signed Paul to a one-year, $11 million deal and his other suitors started pressing him for answers -- Jones' choice became clear: Take the money in a losing situation and make the best of it. Or sign a veteran minimum deal with a contender and test free agency again next summer.

Bartelstein brought the idea up with Jones' agent, Kevin Bradbury, over drinks at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, figuring, at best, he was just doing some due diligence.

"That's where it went from a 0.1% chance to a 1% chance," Bartelstein said. "We just kind of kind of cracked the door open ... and then it became like college recruiting."

Bartelstein got Ishbia on the phone with Jones and his wife, Carrie, after which they met in person in Phoenix with president of basketball operations James Jones. Then Tre Jones sat with Budenholzer to discuss the role he'd play and the coaches' vision for how the team would play with Jones as its floor general.

"She actually was in on the talks with Josh and with Bud and with Mat," Jones said. "Because this was more than just a decision for myself. It's about her and the family as well. Just deciding where we want to be, what would be a good spot for them living-wise at the same time and organization-wise.

"Honestly, just them including her and understanding our family is a big part of the decision. We look at everything for our kids, and what helps her be comfortable ultimately helped me be comfortable with the decision."

Beal isn't shy about what landing a player like Jones does for him on the court. He probably could've skipped all that soul-searching and self-reflection if he knew the Suns would land a point guard like Jones in free agency.

In the Suns' first four games this season, Jones is averaging 10 points, 6 assists and less than one turnover per game -- but he's making an impact far beyond his individual production, easing the offensive burden both Booker and Beal carried last season.

Beal is dribbling 30% less before attempting a shot so far this year, and he's shooting 42.1% from 3, nearly a career high, while Booker is dribbling 51% less before taking a shot, and shooting 41.9% from deep, by far the best mark of his career.

"I think anybody from the outside looking in last year understood that they were asked to do more than what they typically probably do. And so that's where I felt like I could help," Jones said. "I try to make their job easy. Try to set the table for them, put them in great positions to just score the ball and do what they do at an extremely elite level."

Whether that will be enough to help the Suns win a title remains to be seen, but, for the first time, this Big 3 now has a setup man.

"Tyus makes our life so much easier," Beal said. "I have a lot more weight off my shoulders. We can just go do what everybody knows us for."

NEW YORK -- The Mets made their first move of the offseason, agreeing Thursday to a one-year contract with 33-year-old right-hander Dylan Covey.

Covey went 0-2 with a 2.66 ERA, 19 strikeouts and nine walks over 20 innings in 18 games this year with Philadelphia's Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Double-A Reading and Class A Clearwater farm teams.

His sinker averaged 93.8 mph at Triple-A, where he threw 45% sinkers, 24% cutters, 18% splitters and 13% sliders.

Covey last pitched in the major leagues with Philadelphia in 2023, going 1-3 with a 3.69 ERA in one start and 27 relief appearances.

He was placed on the injured list on March 25 because of a strained right shoulder, then began a minor league rehab assignment with Clearwater on July 28. Covey was activated from the IL on Aug. 27 and assigned outright to Lehigh Valley that same day.

He elected free agency on Oct. 10, his right as a player who was not restored to the 40-man roster and would have been eligible for salary arbitration if on the roster.

Covey is 7-32 with a 6.18 ERA in 46 starts and 54 relief appearances over five major league seasons with the Chicago White Sox (2017-19), Boston (2020), the Los Angeles Dodgers (2023) and the Phillies (2023), striking out 214 and walking 133 in 307 innings.

Covey has 60 strikeouts and 33 walks over 89 innings as a reliever, going 2-5 with a 4.33 ERA.

He pitched with Rakuten in Taiwan from 2021-22.

The Atlanta Braves traded outfielder Jorge Soler to the Los Angeles Angels for right-hander Griffin Canning on Thursday, kicking off the hot stove season with a deal that sends a power bat to Los Angeles and adds pitching depth to Atlanta's rotation, the teams announced.

This marks the second time Soler has been traded in the past three months. After signing a three-year, $42 million free agent contract with San Francisco last winter, the Giants dealt him to Atlanta, where he had won a championship in 2021.

Soler, whose mammoth home run in Game 6 of the '21 World Series remains a hallmark for that Braves team, hit .241/.338/.442 with 21 home runs and 64 RBIs in 142 games last season. He is owed $32 million over the final two years of his contract.

"I was working out, and I got a call from the GM telling me I was getting traded," Soler said through an interpreter. "It's amazing how fast everything happened, but I'm grateful for the Angels for giving me the opportunity."

Canning, 28, is a former second-round pick who debuted in 2019, less than two years after being drafted. He started 31 games for the Angels last season, posting a 5.19 ERA over 171 innings with 130 walks, 66 strikeouts and 31 home runs allowed. He will reach free agency after the 2025 season.

Left-hander Max Fried and right-hander Charlie Morton, both staples of the Braves' rotation, are free agents this winter. Teams can re-sign free agents between now and 5 p.m. ET on Monday, when the sport's quiet period ends and unrestricted free agency begins.

Teams must also tender qualifying offers to players by the 5 p.m. deadline. Fried, who is one of the top free agents on the market, is expected to receive one.

The deal inserts Soler into a lineup that includes a number of promising young players, including catcher Logan O'Hoppe, shortstop Zach Neto and first baseman Nolan Schanuel. Soler is likely to slot in as the Angels' designated hitter, with Mike Trout, Taylor Ward, Jo Adell and Mickey Moniak set to take the majority of at-bats in the outfield. Los Angeles finished in last place in the American League West last season at 63-99.

"It's somebody that can change a game in one swing of the bat," Angels general manager Perry Minasian said. "Can go play the outfield if you need him to. Great human being, A-plus clubhouse guy, somebody that our manager has familiarity with. Just felt like it was a really clean fit, really good fit for us and somebody that could help change our lineup."

The Braves, who were swept in the wild-card round by San Diego in an injury-pocked season, still have expected National League Cy Young winner Chris Sale, veteran Reynaldo Lopez and rookie standout Spencer Schwellenbach in their rotation. Moving Soler's money allows the Braves, who are typically active early in the offseason, to target free agents or other acquisitions via trade, which they did last year in acquiring Sale from Boston.

Minasian said that despite the Angels adding a significant amount of payroll in acquiring Soler, he expects to be aggressive in free agency after Los Angeles collapsed in its first year without Shohei Ohtani.

"This is move No. 1," he said. "We expect there to be more moves. I expect to improve this club in a lot of different areas."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.