Best games on Friday, September 25

Friday, September 25, 2026 · final

The Lineup Is ranked 89 games on Friday, September 25 and found 4 worth watching, led by Cubs at Red Sox (importance 92). Here's how that day's slate finished.

  1. #1 · MLBImportance 92
    Final·MLB.TV

    Cubs at Red Sox

    Cubs88-723
    Red Sox86-744

    The Red Sox scored one in the seventh to go ahead for the last time and won by one run. Bennett finished with 3.2 innings and a strikeout for Red Sox, and the Red Sox sit 5th in the AL with two games left.

    Why it scores 92 →
  2. #2 · MLBImportance 72
    Final·ESPN Unlmtd

    Cubs at Red Sox

    Cubs88-730
    Red Sox87-742

    Neither side scored until the eighth, and the Red Sox took it by two runs with two in the inning. Paez finished with five innings and five strikeouts, and the Red Sox won the last meeting 4-3 earlier today.

    Why it scores 72 →
  3. #3 · College FootballImportance 62
    Final·FOX

    Northwestern at Indiana

    Northwestern2-123
    Indiana#54-029

    Indiana won the second quarter 10 to zero and beat Northwestern by one score. Hoover finished with 201 yards and a touchdown.

    Why it scores 62 →
  4. #4 · MLBImportance 62
    Final·MLB.TV

    Rays at Phillies

    Rays97-632
    Phillies87-730

    The Rays shut the Phillies out by two runs, holding them to four in the hit column after going in front in the first, and Peralta finished with 5.1 innings and four strikeouts.

    Why it scores 62 →

How the ranking works

Every game gets an importance score, built from 11 factors — rankings, playoff stakes, rivalry, star power, elimination pressure, how close the game actually projects to be, and more. The score is explained, never a black box. Narratives are written from the real state of the season — not "tune in tonight."

Get The Lineup Is on iOS — free See how the app decides →