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The Phoenix Mercury are peaking at the right time, riding a five-game win streak into Thursday night’s matchup against the Washington Mystics. Phoenix (26-14) is 10-3 in its last 13 games and pushing for homecourt advantage in the first round of the WNBA playoffs. Washington (16-25), meanwhile, has dropped seven straight and was officially eliminated from postseason contention after Sunday’s 81-78 loss at Los Angeles. Phoenix continues its balanced scoring approach. During the streak, Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally, Kahleah Copper, and rookie Monique Akoa Makani have all taken turns leading the team in points. Thomas paced the Mercury with 23 points in their last outing, and Phoenix built a double-digit lead early before closing strong. If the ball movement remains

Two teams in need of a bounce-back meet Saturday night when the Charlotte 49ers host the North Carolina Tar Heels at Jerry Richardson Stadium. For Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels, Week 1 brought a harsh wake-up call in a 48-14 loss to TCU. For the 49ers, a 34-11 defeat against Appalachian State exposed their own growing pains under new head coach Tim Albin. This in-state matchup sets the stage for one team to hit the reset button and get their season moving in the right direction. The North Carolina Tar Heels struggled mightily on both sides of the ball in their season opener. They were outgained 542 to 222 in total yardage, and their 10 first downs showed just

The Cleveland Guardians (69-69) and Tampa Bay Rays (70-69) kick off a crucial four-game set at George M. Steinbrenner Field. With both teams sitting just outside the AL wild-card spots, every game down the stretch matters. The Rays are riding a six-game winning streak after sweeping the Mariners, while the Guardians snapped a skid with an 8-1 win in Boston. Their pitching keeps them in it. Cleveland has leaned on its arms all season, ranking 16th in ERA (3.97) and top 10 in limiting home runs. Logan Allen (7-10, 4.42 ERA) has struggled since July, but the Guardians’ bullpen remains capable of shutting teams down late. Offensively, José Ramírez (.278, 26 HR) is the engine. Steven Kwan’s table-setting (.292 BA)

The Los Angeles Angels (66-73) will try to complete a road sweep when they face the Kansas City Royals (70-69) in the series finale on Thursday night at Kauffman Stadium. The Angels have won four of their last five, powered by Jo Adell’s hot bat, while the Royals have dropped three straight and are clinging to wild-card hopes. Jo Adell keeps mashing. The 24-year-old outfielder has been on a tear, batting .367 with 8 homers and 18 RBIs over his last 16 games, including a go-ahead three-run blast Wednesday. With 33 home runs and 90 RBIs on the year, Adell’s breakout has carried Los Angeles. The Angels’ lineup ranks 4th in MLB in homers (194), giving them a puncher’s chance