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The Boston Red Sox turn to top pitching prospect Payton Tolle on Friday night as they open a three-game series at Fenway Park against Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Tolle, the 22-year-old lefty drafted out of TCU in 2024, makes his highly anticipated MLB debut against one of the game’s most dominant young arms. Boston enters the series riding high after an 8-0 road trip capped with a sweep in Baltimore, climbing within 3.5 games of first place in the AL East. Pittsburgh has won seven of its last 10 but dropped Thursday’s finale in St. Louis. For a broader view of both teams’ form, track their recent performances in the MLB game results. Payton Tolle keeps his nerves

The Los Angeles Sparks continue their late push for the playoffs when they host the Indiana Fever Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. Los Angeles (17-19) sits 1.5 games behind Seattle for the final postseason berth but holds three games in hand, giving them a path to control their own destiny. Indiana (20-18) is holding strong in the No. 6 seed after a dominant home win over Seattle but will be tested on a crucial three-game West Coast swing. Their offense continues producing at a high clip while the defense tightens just enough. The Sparks average 86.3 ppg — second in the league — but allow a league-worst 88.5 ppg. In Tuesday’s 92-84 loss to Phoenix, their perimeter defense was exposed

The Atlanta Dream continue their playoff push Friday night as they host the Dallas Wings in College Park, Ga. The Dream (24-14) are jockeying for seeding near the top of the standings, while the Wings (9-30) are eliminated but still building toward the future with their rookie stars. Oddsmakers have Atlanta listed as a double-digit favorite with the total at 166. With the Dream hungry to lock in their postseason spot, this matchup carries much more weight for the home team. They rediscover their offensive rhythm from the perimeter. Against Las Vegas, the Dream shot just 16.7 percent from three and fell 81-75 despite 19 points each from Rhyne Howard and Brionna Jones. Atlanta thrives in transition, and Smesko noted

As the calendar flips toward September, the Tampa Bay Rays know the margin for error is gone. They enter their three-game series against the Washington Nationals with urgency hanging over every pitch. Tampa Bay is still within striking distance of the final American League wild card, but they remain behind the Mariners, Guardians, and another competitor in the standings. That means every winnable series becomes a must-win opportunity. The good news for Tampa Bay is that the schedule has handed them a chance to regain momentum. A trip to face the Nationals, one of baseball’s struggling squads, is followed by seven home games against Seattle and Cleveland — both direct competitors in the playoff race. For manager Kevin Cash, this