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REI is turning up the heat on its Labor Day Sale (running now through Sept. 7). The sale is packed with goodies, including some blazing deals on Patagonia jackets and even some from Arc’teryx. But the news today is that REI has served up a scorching bargain on an all-time classic jacket from The North Face that we haven’t seen in a very long time.
The North Face Retro Denali Jacket is available at REI for just $100, a 50% discount. It’s on sale in one colorway, however, and sizes are selling fast (small is already gone). It’s incredibly rare to find this coveted jacket on sale with such a steep discount, and REI’s deal easily beats the prices at TNF, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Nordstrom, and Macy’s.
Pro tip: If this fleece goes out of stock in your size, consider TNF’s Crest Full-Zip Jacket. Although it lacks the pit zips of the Denali, it has a similar fleece fabric and pocket layout, and it’s highly rated among REI shoppers.
The North Face Retro Denali Jacket, $100 (was $200) at REI
The Denali was originally designed as a breathable, warm fleece for climbing. It debuted in 1988 as part of TNF’s Expedition System, a line of outerwear designed to be layered and worn for serious alpine expeditions. Climbers especially loved its low weight and warmth, and it quickly morphed into a casual wear favorite as well.
The current version sticks with the original design, which means it offers a comfy, casual-wear-friendly fit and feel with serious performance, too. The pit zips are an especially nice feature, and rare among fleeces like this—they allow you to dump excess heat quickly when you’re working hard. Better yet, with four zippered pockets, this jacket has plenty of storage for everyday errands or big wall climbing.
In this case, an “old” design is a good one, because shoppers absolutely love it. REI reviewers waxed poetic about the Denali. One called it “a staple of my four-season backcountry adventures for more than 25 years” and “a workhorse of simple perfection.” Another put it to the test over 40 years of outdoor adventures, and they “wore it on hundreds of climbs, including the summit of Denali.” This is a rugged, comfortable, versatile fleece that truly lives up to its name.
The Retro Denali Jacket is almost certainly going to sell out, and it could disappear in a matter of hours. Zip over to REI ASAP and grab yours for 50% off while you can.
Major League Wrestling has landed a former TNA World Champion and Women’s Wrestling Hall of Famer.
On Monday, MLW announced that it has signed Tessa Blanchard, who will debut at the FIGHTLAND event in Charleston, South Carolina, on Sept. 12. The 31-year-old issued the following statement on her MLW arrival:
“Heavy is the crown, but legacy isn’t handed to you…it’s forged under pressure. I’ve earned my place as one of the best in the world at what I do, but I’m not coming to MLW to rest on the Blanchard name. MLW is bringing some of the purest, hardest-hitting action in the sport today, and the Undeniable Diamond belongs right at the top of it.”
Blanchard had a brief one-year stint in WWE (2016 to 2017) before landing with Impact Wrestling (now TNA) in 2018. At the 2020 Hard to Kill pay-per-view, she defeated Sami Callihan to become the Impact World Champion (now the TNA World Championship).
To date, Blanchard is the only woman in TNA/Impact Wrestling history to hold the promotion’s world championship belt. She also held the Impact Knockouts Championship for 147 days.
MLW Makes Another Big Move
Tessa Blanchard at a 2021 Women of Wrestling conference.
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Blanchard is the latest household name to join MLW.
Following his WWE departure, former NXT Champion Killer Kross returned to MLW last year. Things couldn’t be going much better for Kross, who’s held the MLW World Heavyweight Championship since Jan. 29.
Austin Aries, the current National Openweight Champion, also returned to MLW last year as a commentator, but he soon made his way back into the ring.
Thanks to the huge success of I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, that show’s star has become one of Netflix’s most popular comedy stars. That is why many of his fans will likely be disappointed to learn that another one of his shows, Detroiters, will be leaving the streaming service’s library soon.
Tim Robinson’s ‘Detroiters’ Is Leaving Netflix on October 16
Tim Robinson and Sam Richardson are shown sitting side-by-side during a joint interview.
Photo by Roy Rochlin/FilmMagic
On September 1, 2026, What’s on Netflix published an article detailing everything that is known to be leaving Netflix in America in October. The list included several beloved series, including seasons of Shameless, NCIS, Dawson’s Creek, and Nurse Jackie. The article also noted that both seasons of Detroiters will depart Netflix in the U.S. on October 16.
Detroiters originally aired on Comedy Central from February 7, 2017, until August 16, 2018, and consisted of 20 episodes, which were broken up into two seasons. The show focuses on two lifelong best friends, Tim Robinson’s Tim Cramblin and Sam Richardson’s Sam Duvet, who run a small advertising agency together in Detroit. To say that the duo’s approach to the content they make for their clients is unorthodox and hilarious would be a massive understatement.
Even though Detroiters was never destined to crack Netflix’s TV Top 10, the series’ popularity with critics and its dedicated fan following is undeniable. After all, clips from the series regularly spread on social media.
The most obvious indication of Detroiters’ popularity is that it has near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes scores. Currently, it holds a 95% Tomatometer score based on critics’ reviews and an 89% Popcornmeter score based on user ratings. If that wasn’t impressive enough, the show’s second season holds a perfect 100% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes. Holding such high scores from critics and viewers alike is a relatively rare occurrence.
In the past, fans have pushed for Netflix to produce a third season of Detroiters, including one viewer starting a Change.org petition. The fan desire became so notable that Screen Rant asked Richardson about the possibility in 2025, and he didn’t rule it out. Now, those hopes have almost certainly been dashed as the series is pegged to exit Netflix entirely in a month and a half.
NBC knows its way around a good sitcom. The century-old network is renowned for its impressive slate of memorable comedies, from Cheers and Seinfeld to 30 Rockand The Office. However, one particular NBC series has been crowned “the most perfect sitcom of the last 25 years,” which is quite the designation.
‘The Good Place’ Named ‘Most Perfect Sitcom of the Last 25 Years’
Recently, Collider published “The 8 Most Perfect Sitcoms of the Last 25 Years, Ranked,” and sitting pretty at No. 1 is The Good Place. The fantasy-comedy series ran for four seasons, premiering on Sept. 19, 2016, and riding off into the sunset on Jan. 30, 2020.
For the uninitiated, the show follows Eleanor Shellstrop, a not-so-good person who finds herself in a heaven-like afterlife. However, she quickly learns she’s not supposed to be there and fights tooth and nail to stay put.
The Good Place stars Kristen Bell as the aforementioned Eleanor, William Jackson Harper as Chidi Anagonye, Jameela Jamil as Tahani Al-Jamil, D’Arcy Carden as Janet, Manny Jacinto as Jason Mendoza, and Ted Danson as Michael. The series hailed from comedy king Michael Schur, who also served as the showrunner.
The beloved comedy received universal acclaim upon its release, highlighting its tight writing, hilarious performances, and heartfelt, thought-provoking exploration of philosophical concepts. The Guardianobserved that The Good Place “made philosophy seem cool,” while The New York Timeslauded it for its “optimism about human nature” in an age of pervasive pessimism. It boasts an average of 97% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer and 90% on the Popcornmeter.
‘Intentional Storytelling’
Collider praised the series for its “phenomenal and intentional storytelling that all builds up to one of the most beautiful series finales of all time.” As an avid fan of the show, I wholeheartedly concur. The Good Place series finale had me reaching for the tissues. It’s also one of the few shows that maintains high quality from beginning to end, consistently building on its unique narrative to create wildly entertaining (and endearing) TV.
If you haven’t watched this gem of a comedy, you can stream it on Hulu, Peacock, and Disney+.
Let’s talk ball. The 2026 NFL season is nearly upon us, so let’s think ahead to what oddities and anomalies are going to take place. Could this be the year that running backs go off like it’s 1990? Could this finally be the year that the Cincinnati Bengals and the Dallas Cowboys stop messing around? Could the Kansas City Chiefs find themselves in rebuild mode? Yes, yes and yes. At least that’s what I think. I have some predictions in store for you. Twelve of them. Let’s get weird. Let’s get spicy. Let’s get bold. There’s just not a lot of buzz around the Chiefs that makes me feel optimistic. The one really positive preseason storyline — rookie receiver Cyrus Allen — has totally died out. The fifth-round pick played deep into the team’s final preseason game, perhaps indicating he’s not as impressive as the hype made him out to me. The team wants more from him. And offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy made it clear that the team needs a whole lot more from WR1 Rashee Rice. Patrick Mahomes will probably play Week 1 despite returning (quickly) from his ACL injury, but it remains to be seen whether his offensive line has improved substantially. And that’ll also dictate whether running back Kenneth Walker III will be as explosive as the Chiefs paid the Super Bowl MVP big money to be. Walker has never been a bell cow, but more than that, he’s never really had to run behind a bad offensive line. That concerns me. Meanwhile, the Kansas City defense will be without cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, safety Bryan Cook and linebacker Leo Chenal. McDuffie was traded to the Rams and the others left in free agency. I’ll always fear the Chiefs, because of Mahomes and Andy Reid. But logically, this team can’t possibly make the playoffs, can it? They invested in their defense by trading for three-time Pro Bowl tackle Dexter Lawrence and signing DT Jonathan Allen, edge Boye Mafe and safety Bryan Cook in free agency. And in a way, that was the Bengals investing in Joe Burrow — because he’s gotten killed trying to keep breakneck pace with his putrid defense (after years of getting killed behind his crappy offensive line). Now, it feels like the Bengals have finally turned a corner. They kept Burrow’s weapons on offense. They’ve built a half-decent offensive line. And simultaneously, they’ve invested in defensive playmakers. It seems like Cincinnati might be excellent this year. It seems like Cincinnati can legitimately contend for a Super Bowl for the first time since … well, since the Bengals made the Super Bowl. The Patriots have heavily favored Brown during training camp practices. Quarterback Drake Maye has a connection with Brown that typically takes years to develop. And this Patriots passing game feels like it’s on the verge of doing remarkable things. Brown will be at the center of all of it. He got tired of not getting the ball in Philly. The Patriots will make up for it in spades. Maye is going to feed Brown early and often. The three-time All-Pro is 29 and has a knee issue that might impact his explosiveness down the line, which is all the more reason to get him to the top of the receptions category in 2026. This passing total would put him into contention to lead the league. And it would make him the first Chicago Bears quarterback to top 4,000 passing yards. Ever. I’m not sure that Williams is going to be the total package in 2026. I’m not sure we’ll see his playing style align perfectly with coach Ben Johnson’s scheme at all times. But the QB’s completion percentage will rise above 60%, and that, in itself, will generate more yards. Then I think young receivers Luther Burden and Rome Odunze will continue their upward growth, with both players taking major leaps forward this year. Second-year pro Colston Loveland will be a total menace in Johnson’s tight-end-friendly offense. There are a few ways all this could go wrong. And one of the most obvious questions is left tackle, where the Bears were hesitant to name a starter. There’s also the matter of the youngsters on offense; fans and media members are prone to assume they’ll get better, but that doesn’t always happen. Johnson, however, is what makes everything feel reassuring. If he keeps this offense steady, the Bears will see Caleb’s stats go crazy — and Chicago will make the playoffs again. This one is an easy pick. The Lions struggled last year while dealing with playcalling issues — and, frankly, some bad luck. But they’ve returned their core while addressing some issues, whether it’s right tackle (with rookie Blake Miller) or secondary (safety Chuck Clark and Christian Izien). Even offensive coordinator Drew Petzing is a compelling candidate in his new gig after putting up video-game numbers with the Cardinals’ offense. The Lions are angry and hungry. And they’re simply way, way too talented to stay in the basement of the NFC North. It’s interesting to see a Jalen Hurts replica starting to appear in the NFC South. Shough is sort of Hurts’ reincarnation, via the voodoo of coach Kellen Moore, who used to be the Eagles’ OC. Because Shough looked like he was rapidly ascending at the back end of his rookie season — and because the Saints added first-round receiver Jordyn Tyson (out with a hamstring injury to start the season) — I think he can jump into the top 10 in passing stats. It’s totally doable. Baker Mayfield was the 10th-best passer in 2025 with 3,693 yards. In 2023, Hurts threw for 3,858 yards under Moore. The NFC South is winnable, as usual. And I think the New Orleans rebuild starts to go exponential this season, in large part because I believe in the way Moore and Shough are clicking. This team is going to be bad. Like, tremendously terrible. On Monday, the Dolphins claimed seven players off waivers — effectively wiping away 13% of their current roster (players who actually attended their training camp) to bring in new guys who have never worked in the Miami system. Think about that for a second. They’d prefer to school up those seven players with just 10 days until the season-opener — rather than keep working with the guys who have spent their entire offseason with the team. That reflects extremely poorly on the talent that is and was in Miami. (This shouldn’t come as much of a shock either. The joint practices were bloodbaths, with the Dolphins getting dominated by the Giants and Commanders.) So they’re in a race with the Browns — to the bottom of the NFL. This might sound really crazy, but hear me out. The Rams have a mind-bogglingly large number of sack artists. Edge Myles Garrett is the obvious candidate to lead the team — and the league — in sacks. But before last season, when he set the record with 23, he’d had two consecutive seasons of 14 sacks. I think it’s possible that’s where he lands in 2025. It might even land lower, given that Rams edge Byron Young had 12 sacks last year. If teams are double-teaming Garrett, which would be reasonable, then that could open up things for Donald. He’s fresh after two seasons in retirement. He’s probably going to play in a pass-rushing-specific role. It’s reasonable to think he could get 14 sacks this year. And if that’s the case, he could also lead a deep group of L.A. sack artists. Here’s my list: Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, James Cook, Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor and either Christian McCaffrey, De’Von Achane or Javonte Williams. Last year, it was just Cook, Henry and Taylor. But given how much we’ve seen teams invest in their running backs — with new contracts for Robinson, Gibbs, Achane and Cook — I think they’re going to do what they can to help them succeed. Barkley will be back to being an offensive centerpiece for the Eagles in 2026. And don’t count out second-year Cowboys back Williams, who will likely be the uncontested RB1 on what I expect to be the NFL’s most explosive offense. I really liked Eagles first-round receiver Makai Lemon to win OROY, but a lingering hamstring issue sidelined him for most of camp, so I’m concerned about how immediately he’ll produce. Price, the final pick of the first round, will split touches with George Holani in Seattle’s backfield to start the year because Zach Charbonnet will miss at least the first four games after tearing his ACL in January. And though Charbonnet (and Holani) will probably steal touchdowns, Price is likely to rack up major yardage totals. That should be enough for him to edge any of the receivers and/or No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, whom the Raiders insist they plan to sit behind veteran QB Kirk Cousins this season. The Raiders will spend this season playing from behind, but I sense that the aborted trade of Crosby to Baltimore in March shifted something in his brain. He seems to have a newfound fire. He might even get traded again before the deadline. With ample opportunities and increased intensity, Crosby should be able to tee off on quarterbacks and land at the top of the leaderboard for sacks. I want to go absolutely nuts and pick the Cowboys for a Super Bowl. But I’m apprehensive about doing that, given how little we know about this defense. We know that Jerry Jones did what he implied he was going to do. He split up the money that he was going to give to Micah Parsons and completely rebuilt the appalling unit using some of the picks he got by trading Parsons. But I’m not certain that the rebuild on that side of the ball is complete. I am certain, however, that the Dallas offense is going to be incredible again. And if the defense is even middling, the Cowboys will probably feel some pressure to put up points and yardage totals. It’s going to be fun to watch. They’re going to make the playoffs. And when that happens, Prescott’s numbers and win totals will put him in the MVP race.
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Adidas just went live with its End of Summer Sale, featuring big price drops on everything from classic sneakers to the vaunted Adizero runner and everything in between to close out the season. This sale, which runs through Sept. 8, also gives customers a chance to score an extra 30% off select products, including a pair of popular Terrex hiking shoes that’s perfect for off-pavement treks.
The Adidas Terrex Anylander is on sale for just $42, a 44% markdown from its normal price of $75, with code EXTRA. The Anylander is available at that price across a full spread of sizes in the Cardboard / Blanch Cargo / Shadow Olive colorway. Four other colors are also on sale between $44 and $48, and there are lots of sizes in stock—for now.
Adidas Terrex Anylander Hiking Shoe, $42 (was $75) at Adidas
Adidas Terrex Anylander Hiking Shoes in Cardboard/Blanch Cargo/Shadow Olive.
The Anylander lives up to its name with a rugged yet comfortable build that works well in all kinds of scenarios. You can lace these up for a backcountry hike and also use them for weekend projects around the yard. The sleek upper design gives these kicks a surprisingly handsome look, and they’ll go great with casual gorpy outfits like a pair of outdoor joggers and a T-shirt. EVA cushioning takes the sting out of tough terrain, and the lugged outsole ensures you have confident grip no matter where you’re walking.
More Shoes from the Terrex Line Are on Sale
Adidas actually has quite a few Terrex bargains going right now. For an even more affordable option, check out the Eastlander, which is now available for $42. Want something with a bit more tech? And for wet-weather adventures, the Anylander Rain.Rdy is a great choice (it’s also on sale, but sizes are selling out quickly).
The Anylander has over 1,700 reviews—one of the highest review counts I’ve ever seen at Adidas—and maintains a sparkling 4.7-star average rating. Shoppers say this pair is super versatile: “You can wear them for any outdoor activity,” one reviewer noted. Reviewers used them for everything from casual wear to yard work to challenging hikes. They appreciated the Anylander’s “heavy-duty stability for rugged paths” and also its “very comfortable and supportive” design.
Terrex shoes are super popular, and with this discount in effect, the Anylander costs just a fraction of the price of competing hikers like the Merrell Moab. That means they won’t stay in stock long, so grab your pair before Adidas sells out.
A year after Season 3 concluded, Sylvester Stallone’s hit crime series is coming back for another round. Tulsa KingSeason 4 is coming sooner than you think, and we finally have a release date, trailer, and plot details. Here’s everything we know about the newest chapter of Tulsa King and what it means for Dwight Manfredi and his empire.
Tulsa King Season 4 release date
As revealed by Paramount+ on September 1, Tulsa King Season 4 will hit Paramount+ on Friday, October 16, 2026. Episodes will be released weekly on Fridays. Like previous seasons, there are expected to be 10 episodes in all.
Tulsa King Season 4 Plot and Trailer
Following the Season 3 finale, in which kingpin Dwight Manfredi is back in Season 4, and although this is not the last run for Tulsa King, the theme of this trailer suggests that Dwight’s dominance will be tested.
Although it’s heavily suggested that he’s going to get out of the game, the last line in the trailer is: “You can’t get rid of me.” So, it’s a good bet that whatever happens in this season, whoever might die, the titular Tulsa King himself probably won’t get killed or worse — forced to retire.
Tulsa King Season 4 new photos
Sylvester Stallone as Dwight Manfredi in Tulsa King, episode 5, season 4, streaming on Paramount+, 2026. Photo Credit: Steve Swisher/Paramount+
In addition to confirming the release date and dropping a new teaser trailer, Paramount+ also released a slew of new preview photos for Tulsa King Season 4. Here’s a selection of just a few.
(L-R): McKenna Quigley Harrington as Grace and Jay Will as Tyson in Tulsa King, episode 5, season 4, streaming on Paramount+, 2026. Photo Credit: Steve Swisher/Paramount+(L-R): Scarlet Stallone as Spencer and Garrett Hedlund as Mitch in Tulsa King, episode 3, season 4, streaming on Paramount+, 2026. Photo Credit: Steve Swisher/Paramount+(L-R): Sylvester Stallone as Dwight Manfredi and Kevin Pollak as Special Agent Musso in Tulsa King, episode 5, season 4, streaming on Paramount+, 2026. Photo Credit: Steve Swisher/Paramount+
Twenty-eight years after Sammy Sosa beat Mark McGwire in a National League MVP race for the ages, the Cubs’ all-time home run leader offered some prophetic words of encouragement for Chicago’s newest MVP contender. As part of the Cubs’ 150th anniversary celebration, Sosa and other members of the franchise’s all-time roster were in attendance Saturday at Wrigley Field as they watched Pete Crow-Armstrong launch three home runs against the Reds. It was the latest statement in a season full of them for the phenom center fielder, who has leapfrogged Shohei Ohtani as the heavy MVP favorite. “Sammy did say I was going to hit three today,” Crow-Armstrong said afterward. “Sammy Sosa told me I was going to hit three, and I hit three, so put that on the record.” Crow-Armstrong is a player built for the spotlight. Even on a weekend devoted to the greatest Cubs of all time, it was PCA who again took center stage. As an encore, he added two more blasts on Sunday, giving him five home runs on the weekend and 38 on the season, a total that trails only Kyle Schwarber for the most in MLB. Crow-Armstrong also joined Sosa, Alfonso Soriano, Ryne Sandberg and Andre Dawson as the only players in franchise history with at least 14 home runs in a calendar month. Crow-Armstrong, MLB’s leader in wins above replacement, has catalyzed his team with leadoff blasts — he has nine this year, trailing only Soriano for the most in a season in franchise history — and dazzled with walk-off winners. He has astounded with highlight-reel defensive plays, leading all outfielders in outs above average, and amazed with his speed, ranking second in MLB in both steals (32) and triples (seven). He has also hit for the cycle, among his many accomplishments this season. But it’s his consistency as a complete offensive force that might have him winning MVP over Ohtani, something no player has done since Aaron Judge’s 62-homer season in 2022. Even a couple of months ago, the thought that anyone could push Ohtani for the award seemed far-fetched, if not outright impossible. Ohtani seemed to have his eye on winning his first ever Cy Young Award in his return as a full-time two-way player this year. When he puts his mind to something, it tends to happen. At the end of May, Ohtani was pitching himself into the conversation with a 0.82 ERA through nine starts. But his performance began to suffer after he started dealing with knee pain in early June. By the end of the month, his ERA had doubled. Still, even as his Cy Young chances started to fade, it was hard to imagine anyone standing in the way of him winning a fifth MVP award. On July 3, Ohtani had a 1.79 ERA as a pitcher and a .927 OPS as a hitter. But he has not pitched since that date, due to left knee discomfort that required an injection over the All-Star break and a recurring right bicep problem. The lingering issues have not stopped him from being a mainstay in the Dodger lineup, but they continue to prevent his return to the mound. They also opened a door for another MVP contender. “If you guys want to talk about all this back and forth, I really should go get in the lab and start pitching,” Crow-Armstrong quipped a few weeks ago. He probably won’t have to resort to that, the way he is hitting so dependably now. The Cubs’ star outfielder demonstrated his upside last season in an All-Star and Gold Glove campaign while finishing ninth in NL MVP voting. But his production ebbed and flowed. He had an .888 OPS in May, a .771 OPS in June and a .984 OPS in July before falling off a cliff last August (.446). He slashed just .216/.262/.372 in the second half of 2025. The peaks and valleys were part of the package for a young player still adjusting to the big-league game. He chased too often (only four qualified players swung at a higher rate of pitches out of the zone), reached base too seldomly (he had the fifth-lowest walk rate and on-base percentage in MLB) and struggled too much against southpaws (.595 OPS) to sustain his success. This year, he looks like a different force altogether, not unlike the superstar jump Bobby Witt Jr. took from his age 23 to 24 season. After a slow start to the year, Crow-Armstrong has produced an OPS over 1.000 over each of his last three months. Even beyond the consistent production, there are underlying reasons to believe this steady uptick can endure. He has become a much more selective hitter, lowering his swing rate by more than 10% and his chase rate by more than 7% from last season. Those are both the largest drops among all qualified hitters this year. His walk rate, meanwhile, has swelled from 4.5% last year to 11.5% this year, the biggest jump in MLB, and it’s not at the expense of driving the baseball. In fact, he’s swinging harder and mashing the ball better than ever before. Crow-Armstrong raised his hard-hit rate from 41.6% last year to 48.8% this season, the second-highest jump in the sport behind only Bryson Stott. It took some physical adjustments to get here, some more obvious than others. Most notably, Crow-Armstrong has dropped his hands lower before getting into his load. He has also moved farther back in the box and closer to the plate, especially against lefties, while narrowing the distance between his feet in his stance. It all seems to be working, allowing him to cover pitches better on the outer edge while still being able to turn on pitches and get to his pull-side power. His OPS against lefties has jumped nearly 400 points from last year to this year (.978). By wRC+, he went from the seventh-worst hitter against lefties last year to the seventh-best this year. The end result is an all-around force capable of pushing Ohtani for the league’s greatest individual honor. Crow-Armstrong leads MLB in fielding run value, Statcast’s metric for capturing a player’s defensive performance. He also leads the NL in batting run value and is tied for fifth in MLB in baserunning run value, demonstrating his ability to impact the game in myriad ways. The only thing he doesn’t do is pitch, but neither does Ohtani at the moment as the Dodger superstar’s MVP case hits a lull. Ohtani was expected to be back on the mound Sunday or Tuesday to begin his build-up toward October, but his knee and biceps issues haven’t fully subsided. It’s now unclear when he’ll return to the mound. “I don’t think he’s 100%,” Roberts told reporters this weekend. Ohtani’s offensive performance has also declined since he started ramping his throwing program back up. After a weeks-long break from throwing, Ohtani threw his first bullpen session on Aug. 14. In the 15 games before that date, he had a 1.119 OPS. Over the 15 games since that date, he has a .716 OPS. Meanwhile, Crow-Armstrong’s push for MVP is full steam ahead. His achievements seem to get more spectacular by the day. On Saturday, two of his three home runs came off left-hander Andrew Abbott. On Sunday, his leadoff homer came off All-Star Chase Burns. His 14 home runs in August were the most by any player 24 or younger in a calendar month since Ken Griffey Jr. in May 1994. Crow-Armstrong has already become the first player in franchise history to record back-to-back 30-homer, 30-stolen base seasons. He’s now just two homers and eight steals short of a 40-40 season, a feat that has only been accomplished six times in MLB history — most recently during Ohtani’s 50-50 campaign in 2024 — and never by a Cubs player. While Ohtani’s having another incredible year and doing something no other player can (.909 OPS as a hitter, 1.79 ERA as a pitcher), what Crow-Armstrong is accomplishing in Chicago could be historic. The club’s all-time leader in fWAR for a single season is Rogers Hornsby (11.0), a total that’s not out of reach for Crow-Armstrong (9.3) if he can keep this pace up. Of course, one month remains to sort everything out. Maybe Ohtani, focusing solely on hitting, goes on a tear. Maybe he returns to the mound and reminds everyone why the value he provides as a two-way titan can’t be matched. As of this moment, though, Crow-Armstrong holds the edge in nearly every offensive category (Ohtani has a slight lead in OBP) as well as WAR and stolen bases while also bringing elite defense at a premium position every day. And if he does become the first Cubs player to take home MVP honors since Kris Bryant in 2016, we might look back at this past weekend as the defining moment, when Crow-Armstrong put on a show for the ages while Ohtani’s return to the mound was put on hold. Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner.
The doubleheader at The Milwaukee Mile was certainly unique. INDYCAR started a race on Saturday but then had to suspend it because of rain. It then conducted an entire race early Sunday afternoon before finishing the Saturday race in the early evening … on Sunday. And also unique — Pato O’Ward won both races. That vaulted him back into these power rankings, an indication of how much his season has been a disappointment. Alex Palou clinched the INDYCAR title to add to his collection of four titles he had earned in 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025. So you can imagine where he remains in these power rankings. Here are my power rankings going into the season finale Sunday at Laguna Seca, a road course in Monterey, Calif. Dropped out: Kyffin Simpson (Last Week: 8) On the verge: Scott Dixon, Louis Foster, Kyffin Simpson Power did not have a good day at Milwaukee, as he had a pit-road speeding penalty in the Sunday race and then wrecked when trying to get by Nolan Siegel in the finale Sunday night. Newgarden wrecked in the Sunday race and then rebounded to finish seventh in the finale Sunday evening. He had hoped for more at a short oval but he was never all that happy with the car. Ericsson, who had a win and a fourth in his last two starts, had a ninth and an eighth in the two Milwaukee races. It wasn’t great, but it was a pair of respectable days. It also helps that he was the best Andretti Global car in the finale. VeeKay enjoyed his first podium on an oval. He finished third on Sunday evening, which was a great result and not a total surprise after he finished seventh — and led 25 laps — in the race Sunday afternoon. What a weekend for O’Ward. He swept Milwaukee and became the first driver to win two races in one day since 1981. That was back when the series had some regularly scheduled “twin” sprint races. He had four finishes outside the top 10 in his last six starts. Following his victory at Washington, Kirkwood’s weekend got off to a sour start with a wreck with Christian Rasmussen in practice Friday. He was sixth and 15th, dropping to third in the standings. Malukas had a solid weekend with a fourth and a second, but the second was a disappointment when he lost the lead in the finale on the last restart. But that gives him eight top-five finishes in the 17 races this year. McLaughlin also had a second and a fourth in the two Milwaukee events. For a driver who hasn’t won in two years, it’s good to know you are knocking on the door. He has six top-five finishes this year. Lundgaard had a third and a sixth in the Milwaukee races. Quite good for someone who has had his oval performance questioned. Does it matter where he finished at Milwaukee? A fifth and 10th were high enough for him to clinch his fourth consecutive crown and his fifth in the last six years. One day, he won’t be No. 1 at the end of a season, but it’s hard to see when that day will come.
