Sports
Everyone Should Be Rooting for the New York Mets Right Now
We’ve reached that point of the MLB season where a good deal of fans can no longer say they have a dog in the fight.
Entering play Wednesday, seven teams have officially been eliminated from postseason contention, and a handful of others are bound to join them soon.
If you’re a Chicago White Sox fan who has been relentlessly tortured for the past six months or a supporter of the Toronto Blue Jays who just simply realizes the end is near, chances are you’re looking for a new team to back come playoff time.
Go ahead and choose the New York Mets.
While New York is not yet guaranteed a spot in the postseason, it is well on its way to a wild-card berth. The Mets drilled the Washington Nationals 10-1 on Tuesday night for their 14th win in 18 games, keeping them level with the Arizona Diamondbacks at 83-68.
Arizona and New York are clinging to the last two wild cards in the NL, with both clubs sitting two games above the Atlanta Braves.
So, why root for the Mets?
To put it lightly, New York has been dragged through hell and back over the past decade. Just ask any Mets fan you know… if they’ve been brave enough to disclose that information publicly.
From blowing a 10 1/2-game lead in the NL East over the final four-plus months of the 2022 season to having owner Steven Cohen put his money in the wrong places, New York has had its fair share of misfortune, turmoil and adversity.
And oh yeah, there was that World Series loss back in 2015, something that certainly hasn’t been forgotten considering all the Mets have since then is a pair of exits in the wild-card round.
But that right there is what makes New York so relatable.
I think, to some degree, we all feel like the past 10 years have beaten us down. We’ve probably all been put in situations where it feels like the world around us is crumbling, like everything is going wrong.
Hopefully you’ve come to realize that there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel, though. Even if you haven’t found it yet.
For the Mets, this season could very well be that light.
Let’s not get too deep into philosophical thought here. After all, we’re talking about a team that relied on the powers of Grimace, a fictional character who is a good friend of Ronald McDonald himself, for most of its success in the month of June.
Grimace threw out the ceremonial first pitch ahead of a meeting with the Miami Marlins on June 12. New York won that game, igniting a 14-4 run. Where have we seen that before? That’s right—it’s identical to the Mets’ current 18-game stretch. Coincidence? I think not, especially considering New York unveiled a purple seat at Citi Field on Monday as an ode to Grimace.
Across town, you have the clean-shaven New York Yankees, who are all business and on the prowl for a 28th title. Then there’s the Mets: just happy to be playing meaningful baseball in mid-September and using that as an opportunity to promote a 10-foot fast food icon any chance they get.
I know who I’m pushing for.
Sports
Dodgers jump ahead early, hold off Mets to win fourth straight
Jul 25, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (68) talks to starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) after the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Kyle Tucker homered for a second straight game and Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed just a run over six innings Saturday for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who won their fourth straight game by beating the host New York Mets 4-3.
The Dodgers outfielder, who on Friday went deep for the first time since June 27, led off the third with a 392-foot shot off Nolan McLean (7-7) that hit the right field foul pole.
Andy Pages (1-for-4) drove in two, and Freddie Freeman had three singles in four at-bats for the Dodgers.
Bo Bichette went 2-for-5, and Tyrone Taylor hit a pinch-hit, two-run double for the Mets.
Yamamoto (11-6) could not match his last start, a complete-game victory last Sunday against the New York Yankees. Still, he was able to secure his eighth win in his last 10 starts. The right-hander struck out five against five hits and three walks.
The Dodgers staked Yamamoto to a three-run lead in the third thanks to Tucker’s power and some errant Mets defensive play. First baseman Brett Baty threw wild after fielding a Shohei Ohtani chopper. Rather than starting a possible inning-ending double play, it gave the Dodgers runners at the corners.
Pages grounded into an RBI fielder’s choice, and then went to third on a Freeman single and scored on a passed ball by catcher Francisco Alvarez.
McLean went six innings, and only two of the four runs he allowed were earned. The Dodgers got seven hits and two walks off the righty, who struck out seven.
Pages added to the lead in the fifth with a single to right that scored Teoscar Hernandez, who led off the frame with a double.
The Mets, who have lost three straight, were 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 on base. They got two runners on base against Yamamoto three times but only capitalized once, when Bo Bichette’s two-out single got Baty home in the fifth.
Dodgers reliever Edgardo Hernandez hit Carson Benge and walked Luis Robert Jr. to start the eighth. He retired the next two before giving way to Tanner Scott. Taylor welcomed him with his two-bagger to cut the deficit to 4-3.
Brock Stewart threw a perfect ninth to record his third career save, the first for the 34-year-old right-hander since 2023.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Defenses rule as Minnesota United, Whitecaps play to scoreless draw
Jul 25, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota United FC midfielder Wil Trapp (20) and Vancouver Whitecaps FC midfielder Oliver Larraz (8) battle for the ball during the first half at Allianz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images Minnesota United goalkeeper Drake Callender made five saves in a 0-0 draw with the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night at Saint Paul, Minn.
The performance was a big upgrade for the United, who were blown out by Vancouver earlier this season.
Vancouver goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka stopped three shots, but the Whitecaps (10-3-3, 33 points) remained winless in two matches since returning to action this month.
Even though there was improvement, Minnesota (6-6-5, 23 points) had its winless streak grow to six matches (0-3-3).
United forward Mamadou Dieng compiled a match-high three shots on goal.
Despite a nice advantage in possession for the Whitecaps (60.3%), they weren’t crisp and that cost them repeatedly when they were attempting to push forward.
Each team produced two shots on goal in the scoreless first half. Later, there were rushes for both teams in the added time, but nothing that mounted to a breakthrough. Vancouver finished with 11 shots, five on target, to 10 and 3 for Minnesota.
The Whitecaps, who dropped Wednesday’s outing at Cincinnati by 4-3 following the layoff for the World Cup, have been shut out in two of their last four matches.
The Whitecaps drubbed visiting Minnesota 6-0 in March.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Jonquel Jones leads Team Spoon to All-Star Game defeat of Team Coop
Jul 25, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Team Spoon forward Nneka Ogwumike (30) celebrates with center Jonquel Jones (35) in the first half during the 2026 WNBA All Star Game at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images Jonquel Jones had 22 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists and Olivia Miles added 11 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists to boost Team Spoon to a 129-122 victory against Team Coop on Saturday in the WNBA All-Star Game in Chicago.
Jones, a star with the New York Liberty, garnered MVP honors, helping outpace a 28-point effort from Kelsey Mitchell of Team Coop.
Allisha Gray (19 points), Caitlin Clark (17), A’ja Wilson (12), Courtney Williams (12), Nneka Ogwumike (11) and Kiki Iriafen (10) also scored in double figures for Team Spoon.
Marina Mabrey added 23 points for Team Coop. Gabby Williams chipped in 18 points, while Paige Bueckers and Dominique Malonga had 12 each. Malonga added 13 rebounds for a double-double while Breanna Stewart (six points) also had 13 boards.
A league All Star Game-record 19,783 fans attended the game at the United Center, home of the NBA’s Chicago Bulls.
That more than doubled the attendance when Chicago hosted the annual midseason showcase in 2022. A crowd of 9,572 looked on at Wintrust Arena, where the Chicago Sky play their home games.
With the WNBA saluting its 30th anniversary season, Hall of Famers Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon drafted the teams and served as general managers. They also were part of a rotating contingent that was “mic’d up” during an interactive broadcast on ABC.
Minnesota Lynx bench boss Cheryl Reeve coached Team Spoon while Becky Hammon, coach of the reigning league champion Las Vegas Aces, guided Team Coop.
Team Spoon rolled to an 81-64 advantage at the half behind 55.7% shooting compared to 42.6% for Team Coop. The teams combined for 24 makes from 3-point range in the first 20 minutes, with Mabrey (five) edging Clark (four) for the most treys before the break.
Mabrey, who entered the All-Star break as the league leader in made 3s with 82, led all scorers with 23 first-half points. Still, Malonga provided arguably the most memorable first-half basket with a dunk off a pass from Angel Reese with 6:24 to play in the second quarter.
It marked the first dunk in an All-Star Game since Sylvia Fowles in 2022.
Skylar Diggins remains the only player to record an All-Star triple-double, accomplishing the feat last season.
–Field Level Media
Dodgers jump ahead early, hold off Mets to win fourth straight
Defenses rule as Minnesota United, Whitecaps play to scoreless draw
