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MLB power rankings: Dodgers and Padres dead even in NL West brawl

The San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers exited Petco Park in lockstep and bid the other farewell for the rest of the season.

Well, at least until October.

The heated National League West rivals staged six games the past two weekends and played each other to a virtual standstill, with the Dodgers staving off a sweep Aug. 24 to pull even with San Diego in the teams’ final regular season meeting.

Dodgers 74-57. Padres 74-57. And 31 games for either club to find separation.

After a Dodgers sweep in L.A., it was the Padres’ turn to make gains, as they took two of three at Petco to briefly pull ahead in the division – and rise up to No. 6 in USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings.

The Dodgers have the slightest edge, winning nine of 13 games this year to win the season series and thus a tiebreaker should the teams be deadlocked after 162 games. In a race where even the smallest edge might make the difference, the Padres have seven games remaining against the historically bad Colorado Rockies; the Dodgers have three.

A look at our updated rankings:

1. Milwaukee Brewers (-)

Mildly shaky week, as Trevor Megill blows two saves, but winning two of five at Wrigley solidifies division edge.

2. Philadelphia Phillies (+3)

Jose Alvarado returns from PED suspension with two spotless outings (but remember, he’s ineligible for postseason).

3. Detroit Tigers (-)

Zach McKinstry has already racked up 3.1 WAR, more than double his career high.

4. Toronto Blue Jays (-2)

With .304 average, .819 OPS and big plays afield, Bo Bichette climbing up MVP ballots.

5. Chicago Cubs (+1)

Kyle Tucker responds to four-game siesta with three homers in next three games.

6. San Diego Padres (+1)

Bum ankle sends Jackson Merrill to IL.

7. Los Angeles Dodgers (-3)

Dalton Rushing’s home run avoids sweep at San Diego.

8. Boston Red Sox (+2)

Garrett Crochet reaches 200 strikeouts in 26 starts, and 500 for his career at age 26.

9. Houston Astros (-1)

Craig Kimbrel? Hey, why not.

10. Seattle Mariners (-1)

Cal Raleigh’s next home run will be his 50th. That’s crazy.

11. New York Yankees (-)

Aaron Judge getting cranky about not playing the outfield.

12. New York Mets (-)

Seems about time for Jonah Tong to join Nolan McLean in the kiddie corps of rotation.

13. Cincinnati Reds (-)

Just 1.5 games out of that wild card.

14. Kansas City Royals (+2)

Vinnie Pasquantino closing in on first 30-homer season.

15. Texas Rangers (-)

Jack Leiter’s 10-strikeout game feels like a key moment in his journey.

16. Cleveland Guardians (-2)

A five-game skid – including a sweep at Texas – likely extinguishes unlikely playoff hope.

17. Arizona Diamondbacks (+2)

Too many poor decisions compel club to replace third base coach Shaun Larkin with Tim Bogar.

18. St. Louis Cardinals (-1)

Nathan Church notches first career hit, home run in same game.

19. Tampa Bay Rays (-1)

Carson Williams said he ‘blacked out’ hitting key homer in big league debut.

20. San Francisco Giants (-)

Luis Matos has four consecutive multi-hit games.

21. Los Angeles Angels (-)

Team will get a chance to reunite with mending manager Ron Washington in Texas.

22. Miami Marlins (-)

Jakob Marsee update: A .346/.416/.705 line in 89 plate appearances.

23. Baltimore Orioles (+1)

Samuel Basallo’s $67 million deal is virtually risk-free for the organization.

24. Atlanta Braves (+1)

Michael Harris II’s OPS was .539 on July 10. It’s now .691.

25. Minnesota Twins (-2)

Just about equidistant from last-place White Sox and first-place Tigers.

26. Athletics (-)

They’ll return to Yolo County with top rookie Jacob Wilson in tow – he’s back from hand fracture.

27. Pittsburgh Pirates (-)

Top prospect Bubba Chandler debuts with four-inning save, three strikeouts.

28. Washington Nationals (-)

Mitchell Parker’s 6.01 ERA is second-highest among qualified starters.

29. Chicago White Sox (-)

Colson Montgomery’s stunning debut continues: 12 homers in 31 games, and now a grand slam.

30. Colorado Rockies (-)

Austin Gomber released with 7.49 ERA.

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Enraged Medvedev upset in chaotic US Open match

France’s Benjamin Bonzi upset No. 13 Daniil Medvedev of Russia, 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 0-6, 6-4, in the final match of the US Open’s opening day on Sunday, Aug. 24.

Bonzi produced a fast start by taking the first two sets against the former World No. 1 tennis player.

Medvedev would claim the next two sets in the match, but only after a long delay took place during the third set.

Bonzi was up 5-4 in the third set and was hitting his first serve before he missed it. A photographer left his position and walked onto the court before Bonzi made his second attempt at a serve.

Greg Allensworth, the chair umpire, asked the photographer to leave the court and announced that the Frenchman would receive another first serve due to the delay.

The delay was six minutes long after Medvedev exchanged words with the umpire, and the crowd began to boo the call. Medvedev would gesture at the crowd to encourage more booing.

Bonzi went on to take the fifth set and win the match, adding to Medvedev’s frustration. After the match, Medvedev was seen smashing his racket.

The United States Tennis Association confirmed with multiple reporters that the photographer involved was escorted from the court by security and had his credential revoked for the remainder of the event.

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports’ newsletter.

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‘Bold’ general who led US’ ‘Midnight Hammer’ strikes on Iran ends Middle East reign

Gen. Michael ‘Erik’ Kurilla, the military officer who oversaw the execution of the Iran strikes in June, has retired from military service and has handed over the reins following three years leading U.S. troops in the Middle East. 

Kurilla, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, became commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in 2022, and oversaw planning and execution of at least 15 major combined combat operations, according to the command.

Among those, two occurred during his final months leading the command: Operation Rough Rider targeting the Houthis in Yemen in March and April, and Operation Midnight Hammer striking Iran nuclear sites in June.

 

Operation Midnight Hammer targeted Iranian nuclear facilities Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, and involved more than 125 U.S. aircraft, including B-2 stealth bombers, according to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine. Likewise, a guided-missile submarine also launched more than two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles at key Iranian targets. 

‘General Kurilla is a bold, dynamic, and inspiring leader who strikes fear into the hearts of America’s enemies,’ Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in a June statement to Fox News Digital. ‘He’s a warrior through and through who always puts his country, mission, and troops first. It has been an honor to serve alongside him in defense of our great nation.’

Kurilla spent an extensive amount of his career focusing on operations in the Middle East. From 2004 to 2014, the general oversaw conventional and special operations forces during consecutive tours that fell under the CENTCOM purview.

During that span of time, Kurilla completed tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Kurilla is known for his involvement in a Mosul, Iraq, firefight in August 2005, where he sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The encounter earned him a Bronze Star with valor and one of his two Purple Heart awards.

Notable figures who’ve previously led CENTCOM include former defense secretaries, retired Gen. Jim Mattis, who served during Trump’s first term, and retired Gen. Lloyd Austin, who served during former President Joe Biden’s administration.

As of early August, U.S. Navy Adm. Brad Cooper is now leading CENTCOM, one of the U.S. military’s 11 combatant commands, with 21 nations in the Middle East in its area of operations — including Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Like Kurilla, Cooper is no stranger to the Middle East. Previous assignments include serving as deputy commander of CENTCOM and overseeing U.S. Naval Forces Central Command in the Middle East, where he spearheaded efforts to employ unmanned service vessels into the fleet. 

Cooper officially took over leading CENTCOM Aug. 8 during a change of command ceremony in Tampa, Florida, where CENTCOM headquarters are located. Kurilla’s retirement ceremony occurred on the same day, a spokesperson for CENTCOM confirmed to Fox News Digital. 

‘U.S. Central Command and the entire joint force have performed exceptionally well under the leadership of Gen. Kurilla, helping to bolster partnerships, increase lethality of U.S. forces, and defend Americans and civilians abroad,’ Cooper said in a Navy statement. ‘I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to lead America’s sons and daughters as we support the important mission of enhancing regional security and stability in the Central Command region.’

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Democrats opposed John Bolton for years — until they sought him as an ally against Trump

When federal agents raided the home and office of former National Security Adviser John Bolton on Friday as part of a classified documents investigation, some Democrats and liberal commentators framed the development as another example of what they claim is President Donald Trump’s political weaponization of the justice system.

The reaction marked a striking contrast with Democrats’ long history of opposing Bolton. For years, they denounced him as a hardline foreign policy hawk who manipulated intelligence and pushed the U.S. into war. But when Bolton broke with Trump, Democrats began citing him as a key witness and relying on his public comments to bolster their case against the former president.

Battles over Bolton’s Bush-era role

Democrats first sought to block Bolton’s 2005 nomination to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush. Then-Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., accused him of being untruthful in a Senate questionnaire, noting that he had been interviewed as part of a joint State Department and CIA investigation into Iraq’s pursuit of nuclear materials from Niger.

Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., alleged that Bolton played a role in the disputed claim that Iraq had attempted to purchase yellowcake uranium — an accusation that appeared in Bush’s 2003 State of the Union address but could not be confirmed by U.S. intelligence agencies.

That same year, Carl W. Ford Jr., then head of intelligence at the State Department, described Bolton as a ‘serial abuser’ of power who pressured analysts to alter assessments. One analyst, Christian Westermann, reportedly resisted including claims of Cuban biological weapons in a 2002 speech Bolton wanted to deliver.

Senate Democrats delayed Bolton’s nomination for months, citing concerns that he sought to shape intelligence findings to fit administration policy goals.

Renewed opposition during the Trump administration

When Trump appointed Bolton as national security adviser in 2018, Democrats again criticized him, citing his past support for the Iraq War and his calls for a hardline approach towards Iran and North Korea.

‘Bolton is a dangerous radical,’ said Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., accused him of politicizing intelligence in the run-up to the Iraq conflict. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., argued Bolton had been consistently ‘wrong on security’ throughout his career.

Trump himself later grew frustrated with Bolton’s hawkish approach, including his opposition to peace talks with the Taliban and advocacy for military action in Iran. The two split in 2019, with Trump announcing Bolton’s departure on social media and Bolton insisting he had already offered to resign.

A sought-after witness during impeachment

Following Bolton’s break with Trump, Democrats began highlighting him during Trump’s first impeachment trial over Ukraine.

‘There’s no denying the central relevance of John Bolton’s testimony,’ then-Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said as House impeachment managers pressed for him to appear.

Bolton’s memoir later claimed Trump sought to withhold military aid from Ukraine, a move Bolton privately described as a ‘drug deal.’ At the time, MSNBC commentators suggested his testimony could have been decisive in the outcome of the trial.

Ultimately, Bolton declined to testify, angering some Democrats who accused him of reserving details for his book rather than presenting them under oath.

 

Role in today’s political debates

Since leaving the Trump administration, Bolton has become a regular guest on networks such as CNN and MSNBC, where he continues to weigh in on foreign policy and national security.

Although many Democrats once opposed his nomination and criticized his record, they have at times pointed to his comments when they align with their critiques of Trump and other Republicans.

The latest raid underscores how Bolton remains a polarizing figure — one Democrats long opposed but have also leaned on in moments when his testimony or commentary could be used against Trump.

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Top GOP senator defies Trump demand to bend Senate rules for his court picks

The top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee is again standing firm against President Donald Trump’s demand that Senate tradition be changed to ram through his district court and U.S. attorney nominees.

Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, came under fire from Trump again late Sunday night over the Senate’s ‘blue slips,’ a longstanding practice in the upper chamber that the president wants to be done away with.

A blue slip effectively gives Senate Republicans and Democrats the ability to veto district court and U.S. attorney nominees in their home states.

But Grassley argued in a response on X Monday that without blue slips, none of Trump’s nominees would pass muster in the Senate.

‘A U.S. Atty/district judge nominee without a blue slip does not [have] the votes to get confirmed on the Senate floor & they don’t [have] the votes to get out of [committee],’ Grassley said. ‘As chairman I set [President] Trump noms up for SUCCESS NOT FAILURE.’

Trump argued that it was his constitutional right to appoint judges and U.S. attorneys, but the right had been ‘completely taken away from me in States that have just one Democrat United States Senator.’

‘This is because of an old and outdated ‘custom’ known as a BLUE SLIP, that Senator Chuck Grassley, of the Great State of Iowa, refuses to overturn, even though the Democrats, including Crooked Joe Biden (Twice!), have done so on numerous occasions,’ Trump said.  

‘Therefore, the only candidates that I can get confirmed for these most important positions are, believe it or not, Democrats! Chuck Grassley should allow strong Republican candidates to ascend to these very vital and powerful roles, and tell the Democrats, as they often tell us, to go to HELL,’ he continued.

Senate Democrats have indeed used the blue slip tradition this year to block some of Trump’s picks for the bench as part of their broader log jam of his nominees.

For example, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., used his blue slip privileges to nix Trump’s U.S. Attorney nominees for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

And Sens. Cory Booker and Andy Kim, both Democrats from New Jersey, used the blue slip to object to Alina Habba’s nomination to U.S. Attorney in the Garden State. Habba was tapped by Trump to serve in the role on an interim basis, but after her term expired a panel of judges opted to not extend her position. 

A replacement was chosen but then fired by Attorney General Pam Bondi. Trump then withdrew his nomination for Habba and restored her interim status. 

‘Habba was withdrawn as the President’s nominee for New Jersey U.S. Atty on July 24,’ Grassley said. ‘[And] the [Judiciary Committee] never received any of the paperwork needed for the Senate to vet her nomination.’

Trump’s renewed ire comes after he singled out Grassley last month for not nixing the longstanding tradition, which is not a law, and demanded that he ‘have the courage’ to change the practice.

It also comes after Senate Republicans and Democrats failed to reach a deal on ramming through many of the president’s nominees before leaving Washington for all of August. 

Finding a pathway forward, including a likely change to the Senate’s confirmation process, is expected to be a top priority for Republicans when they return to the Hill after Labor Day. 

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Fleetwood wins Tour Championship, FedEx Cup: Highlights, scores

Tommy Fleetwood had participated in 163 PGA Tour events heading into the Tour Championship this weekend. That’s more than a full Major League Baseball schedule. Yet somehow, Fleetwood had managed zero wins.

While this streak is far from the longest winless streak in PGA Tour history, Fleetwood’s first career win came at one of the biggest moments of the PGA Tour season. It might not have been a major, but it was the next best thing: a culmination of the 2025 season. Not only did he prevent Scottie Scheffler from becoming the first back-to-back FedEx Cup champion, but Fleetwood did so in dominating fashion, carrying a three-stroke lead into the 18th hole. He’d maintained a multi-stroke lead for most of the final day of competition, forcing others to put forth Herculean efforts of their own for even a chance of catching him.

Fleetwood finished his day with a par. He had a long birdie opportunity but left the putt short, obviously playing it as safe as he possibly could with a three-stroke lead. He finished Sunday with a two-under 68, his worst round of the tournament, good for 18-under on the weekend.

But when all was said and done, Fleetwood stood alone. The English golfer has won his first PGA Tour event and the FedEx Cup on the same day.

Here’s everything that went down during Sunday’s Round 4 at the Tour Championship, the final event of the FedEx Cup playoffs:

Tour Championship leaderboard

1. Tommy Fleetwood -18 (F)
T2. Patrick Cantlay -15 (F)
T2. Russell Henley -15 (F)
T4. Scottie Scheffler -14 (F)
T4. Cameron Young -14 (F)
T4. Corey Conners -14 (F)

Tour Championship highlights

Tour Championship purse breakdown

For winning the Tour Championship, Tommy Fleetwood earned a five-year PGA Tour exemption and the largest first-place check on tour: $10 million.

Total purse for the tournament was $40 million.

Tommy Fleetwood on his FedEx Cup win

During his post-tournament interview, Fleetwood didn’t waste any time talking about his failures on the PGA Tour before talking about his win, reminiscing ‘You know, there was Travelers. There was Memphis. Obviously plenty before.’ Those were examples of tournaments where he came up just short.

Fleetwood continued, explaining that after falling short so many times, he wasn’t even sure he could hold a three-stroke lead on the 18th hole. Of course, Fleetwood did just that, even giving himself an opportunity for a four-stroke win, had he not left his first putt short of the hole.

Before finishing off his interview, Fleetwood even started to get visibly emotional when talking about his fans. They came out in droves to support him as he walked in the final putt. He made sure to give appreciation to his fans. ‘The buzz that’s been around me when I’ve been in contention has been amazing,’ Fleetwood said. ‘It’s just so special. I never want to leave.’

Fleetwood wins FedEx Cup

What a time for a first career win!

Despite playing in 163 career PGA Tour events coming into the weekend, Fleetwood had never managed a win. After shooting a two-under 68 on Sunday, good for an 18-under finish, three strokes ahead of second-place.

Keegan Bradley finishes with a birdie

After flirting with a top-five finish for most of Sunday, the Ryder Cup captain started to fall apart on the back nine, posting a bogey, double bogey, and six pars before heading to 18.

Bradley made sure he didn’t leave fans with a sour taste in their mouth though. Bradley capped off his tournament with a birdie on the final hole to pull to even par on the day. Bradley’s birdie also pushed him into the top-10 for the weekend, massively bumping up his winnings.

Scottie Scheffler double bogeys on 15

After his first birdie in five holes on 14, Scheffler looked like he was ready to make a move on first place. That dream came crashing down almost immediately though. Scheffler’s tee shot wound up in the water, and his long bogey attempt wound up left of the hole.

Scheffler wsa forced to settle for a double bogey, pushing him out of the top-five with only three holes to play.

Fleetwood birdies 12

With Patrick Cantlay hot on his heels, Fleetwood needed to make a move in order to keep his two-stroke lead over the field. Fleetwood did exactly that on 12, hammering an easy birdie to stay two strokes ahead of Cantlay, and three strokes ahead of the rest of the field.

Given how well Fleetwood has played on the back nine all weekend long, a two-stroke lead seems near insurmountable.

Scheffler moves within two of leader, immediately in the water

After a flurry of pars − four straight between 10 and 13 − Scheffler finally broke through on the 14th hole, tallying a birdie, and pulling himself into a tie for second place. However, that tie was short-lived. Scheffler pulled his tee shot into the water on 15. There is always a chance he can par out, but it’s practically given he’ll fall back in the field.

Brian Harman’s 63 the round of the day

Although he began the day 13 strokes off the lead, 2023 British Open champion Brian Harman shot up the standings – and earned a sizable amount of money in the process – with a 7-under-par 63.

He capped the stellar round with his eighth birdie of the day on 18, finishing the tournament at 9-under.

Hole No. 9: Scottie Scheffler … from way downtown!

Defending FedEx Cup champion Scottie Scheffler isn’t giving up his crown voluntarily. Trailing leader Tommy Fleetwood by four strokes at the par-3 ninth hole, Scheffler landed his tee shot just short of the green, but with a puttable lie.

Channeling the magic he showed by chipping in for a crucial birdie in last week’s win at the BMW Championship, Scheffler knocked his 42-foot putt into the hole for a birdie 2 to get him to within three shots of the lead.

Hole No. 2: Tommy Fleetwood stands alone at the top

A three-shot swing on the second hole has Tommy Fleetwood atop the leaderboard two shots clear of the field.

Fleetwood became the only golfer of the day to birdie the par-3, 208-yard second hole when he stuck his tee shot to within 20 feet and nailed the putt to get to 17-under par for the tournament.

Meanwhile, third-round co-leader Patrick Cantlay got off to a disastrous start, bogeying the opening hole to fall one shot back, and then taking a double-bogey 5 on the second when he missed the green off the tee and three-putted.

Russell Henley is now in second place at -15.

How to watch Tour Championship: TV channel, streaming 

The 2025 Tour Championship, the final event of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Playoffs, will be televised nationally on the Golf Channel and NBC. It can be live streamed via ESPN+, Peacock and Fubo depending on the time. Here’s the full broadcast schedule: 

(All times Eastern) 

Sunday, Aug. 24 

11 a.m.-6 p.m. on ESPN+ 
Noon-1:30 p.m. on Golf Channel, Fubo 
1:30-6 p.m. on NBC, Peacock and Fubo

Watch the Tour Championship with Fubo

Can Scottie Scheffler mount another final-round rally?

If anyone is going to come from off the pace to win the Tour Championship, World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is the most likely one to do it.

Scheffler has made a habit of staging similar comebacks, such as last week at the BMW Championship — when he started the final round four shots behind Robert MacIntyre, but took the lead for good on the seventh hole and won by two.

Scheffler’s round didn’t get off to an optimal start when he hit his tee shot out of bounds to the right on No. 1. However, after a perfect second drive in the fairway, he hit an approach to three feet and nailed the butt for bogey.

Tour Championship tee times, pairings 

Final Round — Sunday

(All times Eastern) 

11 a.m. — Hideki Matsuyama, Sepp Straka
11:11 a.m. — J.J. Spaun, Sungjae Im
11:22 a.m. — Justin Rose, Jacob Bridgeman
11:33 a.m. — Andrew Novak, Brian Harman
11:44 a.m. — Ludvig Åberg, Viktor Hovland
12 p.m. — Rory McIroy, Harry Hall
12:11 p.m. — Collin Morikawa, Maverick McNealy
12:22 p.m. — Harris English, Corey Conners
12:33 p.m. — Chris Gotterup, Robert MacIntyre
12:44 p.m. — Justin Thomas, Akshay Bhatia
1 p.m. — Shane Lowry, Nick Taylor
1:11 p.m. — Ben Griffin, Sam Burns
1:22 p.m. — Scotte Scheffler, Cameron Young
1:33 p.m. — Russell Henley, Keegan Bradley
1:44 p.m. — Patrick Cantlay, Tommy Fleetwood

What are the playing conditions Sunday at East Lake?

The 2½ inches of rain that’s pounded the Atlanta area over the past several days has resulted in soggy conditions throughout the Tour Championship. Mowers haven’t been able to cut the fairways for three consecutive days so golfers once again will play what’s called ‘preferred lies’ where they can lift, clean and place their balls in the fairway.

Greens are running at 13½ on the Stimpmeter, according to PGA Tour rules analyst Mark Dusbabek.

How is the weather Sunday at East Lake Golf Club?

It should be a very comfortable afternoon for golf at East Lake Golf Club outside Atlanta. The AccuWeather forecast for Sunday calls for warm temperatures with intervals of clouds and sunshine.

Look for a high temperature around 85 degrees with winds 5-10 mph out of the northwest. Chance of precipitation is 25%.

What time does the Tour Championship begin today?

The 2025 Tour Championship concludes Sunday, Aug. 24. The first tee time on Sunday is 11 a.m. ET, with broadcast coverage also starting at 11 a.m. ET. 

Tour Championship prize purse, payouts

The winner’s share at the Tour Championship is a whopping $10 million. The winner is also named the FedEx Cup champion, which comes with a five-year PGA Tour exemption. The top eight finishers will take home more than $1 million. Last place (30th) is good for $335,000.

$10 million
$5 million
$3.705 million
$3.2 million
$2.75 million
$1.9 million
$1.4 million
$1.065 million
$900,000
$735,000
$695,000
$660,000
$625,000
$590,000
$560,000
$505,000
$490,000
$475,000
$460,000
$445,000
$430,000
$415,000
$400,000
$390,000
$380,000
$375,000
$370,000
$365,000
$360,000
$335,000

Tour Championship odds

The odds to win the 2025 Tour Championship, according to DraftKings before the start of Round 4:

Tommy Fleetwood +160
Patrick Cantlay +190
Scottie Scheffler +550
Russell Henley +550
Keegan Bradley +1400
Cameron Young +12000

FedEx Cup standings 

Here are the 30 players who qualified for the 2025 Tour Championship and their FedEx Cup points following last week’s BMW Championship, won by Scottie Scheffler: 

Scottie Scheffler: 7,456 points 

Rory McIlroy: 3,687 points 

J.J. Spaun: 3,493 points 

Justin Rose: 3,326 points 

Tommy Fleetwood: 2,923 points 

Ben Griffin: 2,798 points 

Russell Henley: 2,795 points 

Sepp Straka: 2,783 points 

Robert MacIntyre: 2,750 points 

Maverick McNealy: 2,547 points 

Harris English: 2,512 points 

Justin Thomas: 2,477 points 

Cameron Young: 2,185 points 

Ludvig Aberg: 2,179 points 

Andrew Novak: 2,030 points 

Keegan Bradley: 1,993 points 

Sam Burns: 1,871 points 

Brian Harman: 1,735 points 

Corey Conners: 1,719 points 

Patrick Cantlay: 1,661 points 

Collin Morikawa: 1,656 points 

Viktor Hovland: 1,637 points 

Hideki Matsuyama: 1,630 points 

Shane Lowry: 1,607 points 

Nick Taylor: 1,564 points 

Harry Hall: 1,475 points 

Jacob Bridgeman: 1,475 points 

Sungjae Im: 1,422 points 

Chris Gotterup: 1,414 points 

Akshay Bhatia: 1,409 points 

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3 fantasy football QB busts to avoid in 2025 drafts

Quarterback busts look a little different than busts at other positions. That’s because quarterback is typically one of the deepest positions in fantasy football, so even being a steady producer isn’t necessarily enough to become a league-winning or starter-worthy signal-caller.

With that in mind, projecting out quarterback busts isn’t necessarily about which players will have bad seasons. It’s more about identifying those who have lower ceilings than their similarly drafted counterparts.

Whether it’s due to volume concerns or regression around the quarterback, there are a variety of reasons to approach certain passers with caution. Below is a look at a few quarterbacks should be treated more as streamers than fantasy starters in 2025.

QB busts to avoid in fantasy football 2025

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

Goff has finished the last three seasons as a top-10 fantasy quarterback. Will he be able to continue that positive momentum in 2025? Perhaps, but Goff is entering the season without Ben Johnson as his offensive coordinator for the first time since 2021.

Johnson, who now coaches the Chicago Bears, was a major catalyst for Goff’s improvement. He helped lead Goff to a career high in passing touchdowns (37) and passer rating (111.8) last season, when the 30-year-old finished as the QB6. However, in six seasons without Johnson, Goff has finished better than QB13 in fantasy just once. That came in 2018, his best season with Sean McVay.

Occasionally, quarterbacks can overcome the loss of talented offensive coordinators, with Baker Mayfield notably finding success in 2024 after losing Dave Canales. That could create some hope that Goff can continue to be a fantasy asset even without Johnson.

But given Goff’s track record and the retirement of the Lions’ stalwart center Frank Ragnow, it’s probably better to treat Goff as more of a borderline QB1 than a sure-fire fantasy starter.

Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

There’s no doubt Herbert is a talented quarterback, and he was one of the league’s most efficient passers in 2024. He had a league-best interception rate of 0.6% and posted a career-best 101.7 passer rating in his first year working with Jim Harbaugh.

Despite this, Herbert finished the season ranked 16th among quarterbacks in fantasy points per game (FPPG). That was largely due to his middling total of 25 touchdowns, stemming from a lack of passing opportunities in the red zone.

Herbert attempted just 57 passes inside his opponents’ 20-yard lines last season, tied with Tua Tagovailoa for 17th-most in the NFL. That might not sound bad, but it’s worth noting Herbert was one of just 14 quarterbacks to make 17 starts last season. Among those quarterbacks, his 57 red-zone passing attempts ranked second-fewest ahead of only Geno Smith (54).

The Chargers don’t appear likely to change their run-heavy red zone approach in 2025 after signing Najee Harris in free agency and spending a first-round pick on Omarion Hampton. That will once again limit Herbert’s ceiling and make him more of a situational streamer than a legitimate fantasy starter.

Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

Love tantalized fantasy managers in the second half of the 2023 NFL season, when he racked up 2,150 yards, 18 touchdowns and just one interception over the final eight games. Many believed him to be a potential breakout candidate in 2024; instead, he ranked 18th in FPPG among quarterbacks.

Part of Love’s issue was his lack of opportunities to throw the ball. He averaged just 28.3 attempts per game, which ranked 26th among 36 quarterbacks who qualified for the NFL’s passer rating leaderboard last season. By comparison, Love averaged 34.9 attempts per game during his torrid close to the 2023 NFL season.

Could the Packers decide to give Love more opportunities to throw the ball in 2025? It’s possible, especially since the team spent a first-round pick on a wide receiver, Matthew Golden, for the first time since 2002.

But if Love remains unable to exceed 30 passing attempts per game, it’s hard to imagine him cracking fantasy football’s top 15 quarterbacks, let alone the top 10.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Politics

‘Separated from reality’: Senate Republicans fume as Dems use Epstein saga to block Trump’s agenda

Jeffrey Epstein did not have the same level of impact in the Senate as the House, but the discourse pushed by many congressional Democrats, and some Republicans, is unlikely to go away when lawmakers return next week.

And the level of Epstein hysteria in Congress may have had an unlikely impact in derailing Republicans’ push in the upper chamber to ram through President Donald Trump’s nominees.

Senate Republicans tried and failed to strike a deal with Senate Democrats to push through dozens of non-controversial nominees, particularly picks that made it through committee with bipartisan support.

Only Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who glided through the Senate unanimously earlier this year, has not been met by Democrats’ blockade.

Rules changes are in the works, but the avenue of using recess appointments, which requires the Senate to adjourn and the House to come into session for the president to elevate his picks on a temporary basis, was all but shot down after House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., sent lawmakers home early to sidestep the simmering push to release documents related to Epstein’s case.

‘When the House had an opportunity to take votes on the Epstein files, Speaker Johnson skedaddled out of town, launching the Epstein recess,’ Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said last month. ‘This is not complicated.’  

‘After promising full transparency for years, every single time Trump, his administration, Republican leaders have had a chance to be transparent about the Epstein files, they’ve chosen to hide. The evasions, the delays, the excuses, they’re not just odd, they’re alarming.’

Many Republicans in the upper chamber agree that there should be more transparency, but caution that no materials should be released until the names or identifying traits of victims are combed through and kept safe.

Others question why Democrats suddenly care about the Epstein situation.

Sen. Roger Marshall, who supported turning to recess appointments to break Democrats’ log jam, told Fox News Digital that it didn’t ‘make sense to me, and this is part of their psychosis, that they are so separated from reality,’ to keep pushing the Epstein issue.

‘They had four years to do something with this, and it was just quite the opposite,’ the Kansas Republican said. ‘As I recall, just quite the opposite. It was almost like they were hiding something.’

‘My frustration is how they used it to circumvent the agenda of the American people… this is all they’ve got,’ he continued. ‘What else do they have? They don’t have a leader, they don’t have an agenda. They don’t have solutions. All they know is, if it’s President Trump, they’re not going to like it, very matter of fact, they’re going to hate it at the sacrifice of the entire country.’

Meanwhile, Epstein engulfed Washington once again on Friday, with the House Oversight Committee receiving a trove of related documents and the interview between Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche becoming public.

When asked about the files eventually coming to light, Trump told reporters that he was in support of keeping them ‘totally open,’ and charged that Democrats were using Epstein as a smokescreen to detract from his administration’s work.

‘The whole Epstein thing is a Democrat hoax,’ he said. ‘We had the greatest six months, seven months in the history of the presidency, and the Democrats don’t know what to do, so they keep bringing up that stuff.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Politics

US ally summons Trump ambassador over ‘unacceptable’ antisemitism allegations

France has summoned American ambassador Charles Kushner to Paris, after the diplomat accused the country of not doing enough to combat antisemitism in a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron.

France’s foreign ministry said in a statement issued Sunday that Kushner’s allegations ‘are unacceptable,’ and announced it had summoned the U.S. diplomat to appear Monday at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

Kushner, who is Jewish, wrote in the letter that antisemitic incidents in France have been fueled by French government statements about recognizing a Palestinian state.

‘Public statements haranguing Israel and gestures toward recognition of a Palestinian state embolden extremists, fuel violence, and endanger Jewish life in France. In today’s world, anti-Zionism is antisemitism – plain and simple,’ Kushner wrote.

Kushner further urged Macron ‘to act decisively: enforce hate-crime laws without exception, ensure the safety of Jewish schools, synagogues and businesses … and abandon steps that give legitimacy to Hamas and its allies.’

The French foreign ministry said in its statement that ‘France firmly rejects these allegations’ from Kushner, adding that French authorities have ‘fully mobilized’ to combat a rise in antisemitic acts since Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The ministry further deemed antisemitic acts ‘intolerable.’

The ministry said Kushner’s allegations violate international law and the obligation not to interfere with the internal affairs of another country, adding that they ‘also fall short of the quality of the transatlantic partnership between France and the United States and of the trust that must prevail between allies.’

The U.S. State Department, however, said it backed Kushner and his comments, department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Sunday evening.

‘Ambassador Kushner is our U.S. government representative in France and is doing a great job advancing our national interests in that role,’ Pigott said.

Macron has been critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the war in Gaza continues, while President Donald Trump has been a staunch supporter of the Israeli leader.

Kushner, a real estate developer, is the father of Jared Kushner, who is married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump.

At the end of his first presidential term, Trump pardoned Charles Kushner, who pleaded guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Business

Trump flexes power over big business as U.S. takes 10% stake in Intel

The Trump administration said Friday that it had taken a 10% stake in Intel, the president’s latest extraordinary move to exert federal government control over private business.

The United States will not seek direct representation on Intel’s board and pledged to vote with the current Board of Directors on matters requiring shareholder approval, ‘with limited exceptions,’ according to a joint release from the Trump administration and Intel. The move also comes as the United States vies with China in the race to dominate the artificial intelligence industry.

President Donald Trump announced the deal on his Truth Social platform Friday, praising the company’s CEO just two weeks after he called on the executive to resign over alleged China ties.

‘It is my Great Honor to report that the United States of America now fully owns and controls 10% of INTEL, a Great American Company that has an even more incredible future,’ he wrote. ‘I negotiated this Deal with Lip-Bu Tan, the Highly Respected Chief Executive Officer of the Company. The United States paid nothing for these Shares, and the Shares are now valued at approximately $11 Billion Dollars. This is a great Deal for America and, also, a great Deal for INTEL. Building leading edge Semiconductors and Chips, which is what INTEL does, is fundamental to the future of our Nation.’

While the U.S. held temporary stakes in firms at the center of the 2008-2009 global financial meltdown as part of a bailout, this move is unusual since the economy is not embroiled in a crisis. Congress published a study in 2003 that examined the impact of the federal government taking direct stakes in public companies, concluding that doing so would “not offer a free lunch” and expose taxpayers to “greater risk” alongside the upside potential.

The stake will be paid for through $5.7 billion in grants previously awarded to Intel under the 2022 U.S. CHIPS and Science Act, plus $3.2 billion awarded to the company as part of a program called Secure Enclave. It’s a formerly classified initiative that Congress appropriated funds for in 2024 after lobbying by Intel, Politico reported in 2024.

Including $2.2 billion in CHIPs grants Intel has received so far, the total investment is $11.1 billion, or 9.9%. Intel is valued at about $108 billion on the stock market.

Trump continues to bulldoze through long-held norms regarding government and business, departing from the free-market ethos that has long prevailed in both major U.S. political parties.

This month, Trump persuaded the chipmakers Nvidia and AMD to pay the U.S. government 15% of their revenues from some sales to China in return for securing export licenses there.

While those firms have seen their fortunes rise amid the larger artificial intelligence boom, a windfall from any of them is no sure thing. In the case of California-based Intel, the company has struggled to keep up with rivals in recent years, with its shares down some 60% from the highs seen during the pandemic.

But amid the ongoing artificial intelligence arms race — and the goal of making computer chips a national security priority — Trump officials zeroed in on Intel as a means of leveling up U.S. control over semiconductor production.

Earlier this week, Japan’s SoftBank also announced it would invest $2 billion in Intel to “deepen their commitment to investing in advanced technology and semiconductor innovation in the United States.’

Some Democrats signaled they were on board with the move.

‘U.S. leadership is critical for both our economy and national security,’ U.S. Senator Mark Warner, D-Virginia, said in a statement Friday evening.

‘Taking an equity stake in Intel may or may not be the right approach, but one thing is clear: allowing cutting-edge chips to flow to China without restraint will erode the value of any investment we make here at home. We need a strategy that protects American innovation, strengthens our workforce, and keeps the technologies of the future firmly in American hands.’

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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