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Sports Weekend Heats Up: MLB Playoff Push, NFL Preseason, Serena’s Return and a Packed Weekend Ahead

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August 22, 2026

The late-August sports calendar is officially crowded.

Major League Baseball is entering the pressure-packed stretch of its playoff race, NFL teams are using the second week of the preseason to answer major roster questions, Serena Williams is preparing for a high-profile return to the U.S. Open, and Formula 1 has set up an intriguing showdown at the Dutch Grand Prix.

Here are the biggest stories developing across sports this weekend.

MLB Playoff Race Continues to Tighten

Friday night produced another round of dramatic finishes as several contenders continued building momentum.

The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Atlanta Braves 2-1, with Jacob Misiorowski throwing six scoreless innings in a matchup against fellow National League Cy Young contender Chris Sale. Milwaukee has now won five of its last six games.

The New York Yankees won their fifth consecutive game, beating Toronto 3-1 behind a two-run homer from Spencer Jones.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia continues to surge. Alec Bohm delivered a two-run triple in the 10th inning as the Phillies beat the Cardinals 7-6, extending Philadelphia's winning streak to seven games.

The defending powerhouse in Los Angeles is heating up as well. Tommy Edman's walk-off single in the 10th lifted the Dodgers over Pittsburgh 5-4, giving Los Angeles its fourth consecutive victory.

There was a price attached to the win, however. Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages suffered a broken left hand after being hit by a pitch.

Seattle also produced late drama. Leo Rivas drove home the winning run in the 10th as the Mariners defeated the Cubs 6-5. Cal Raleigh hit a three-run homer for Seattle, while Alex Bregman homered twice for Chicago.

The Kansas City Royals continued one of baseball's hottest stretches, beating Detroit 5-2 for their sixth consecutive victory. The Tigers, meanwhile, have dropped six of seven.

NFL Preseason: Saturday Becomes a Major Evaluation Day

Friday night's NFL preseason action delivered three decisive results.

The New York Jets shut out Pittsburgh 17-0, with veteran quarterback Geno Smith completing all seven of his passes during his lone drive.

Carolina defeated Jacksonville 34-17, while Green Bay beat Denver 33-13. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix returned to game action following the ankle injury that ended his 2025 season.

Saturday offers an even larger slate.

One storyline receiving particular attention involves Cleveland quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who was scheduled to start against Buffalo as he continues competing with Deshaun Watson. NFL.com's preseason preview identified that quarterback competition as one of the weekend's key battles.

Later Saturday, several nationally interesting matchups remain, including Eagles-Patriots, Chiefs-Buccaneers and Cowboys-Cardinals.

NFL Games Still Ahead Saturday

MatchupTime CTNew Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Rams3:00 PMNew York Giants at Miami Dolphins3:00 PMChicago Bears at Cincinnati Bengals6:00 PMPhiladelphia Eagles at New England Patriots6:00 PMKansas City Chiefs at Tampa Bay Buccaneers6:30 PMDallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals9:00 PM

The weekend's NFL preseason schedule finishes Sunday night when the Seattle Seahawks visit the Tennessee Titans at 7:00 PM CT on FOX.

Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz Are Joining Forces

One of Saturday's biggest sports headlines came from tennis.

Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz have received a wild card to compete together in the 2026 U.S. Open Mixed Doubles Championship.

For Williams, it represents a return to competition at Flushing Meadows, where she last competed in 2022. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion previously won the U.S. Open mixed doubles championship in 1998.

The tournament suddenly has some blockbuster pairings. The field also includes Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic, along with Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz.

U.S. Open Fan Week begins Sunday, August 23. Mixed doubles qualifying begins Monday, August 24, while the first round and quarterfinals are scheduled for Tuesday. The mixed doubles semifinals and championship will be held Wednesday evening. Main-draw singles competition begins August 30.

Lando Norris Takes Dutch Grand Prix Pole

Formula 1 has another potentially dramatic race brewing.

Lando Norris captured pole position for Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix, edging Mercedes driver George Russell by just 0.102 seconds. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli qualified third.

Norris posted a fastest lap of 1:11.163, while Oscar Piastri qualified fourth and Lewis Hamilton fifth.

Home favorite Max Verstappen will have considerably more work to do after qualifying seventh.

Earlier Saturday, Russell won the sprint race ahead of Charles Leclerc and Norris. Antonelli finished fourth but increased his championship lead over Hamilton to 53 points.

There is some history attached to Sunday's race as well. The 2026 Dutch Grand Prix is expected to be the final Formula 1 race at Zandvoort for the foreseeable future.

Dutch Grand Prix: Sunday, August 23 at 8:00 AM CT

WNBA: Fever Visit Liberty

The Indiana Fever continue their road trip Saturday night with a visit to the New York Liberty at 6:00 PM CT.

Indiana enters the matchup looking to respond after a 91-85 loss to Dallas on Thursday. Arike Ogunbowale scored a season-high 32 points for the Wings, while Jessica Shepard added a career-high 26.

Despite the loss, Kelsey Mitchell continued an impressive individual run, setting a WNBA record for consecutive 20-point games while also establishing a new Fever single-season scoring mark.

Indiana Fever at New York Liberty: Saturday, 6:00 PM CT

MLB Games to Watch Saturday Night

Baseball dominates the evening television window as several playoff contenders return to action.MatchupTime CTNational TVWashington Nationals at Miami Marlins3:10 PMFS1Pittsburgh Pirates at Los Angeles Dodgers6:15 PMFOXChicago Cubs at Seattle Mariners6:15 PMFOXSan Francisco Giants at Boston Red Sox6:15 PMFOX

Sunday's national MLB schedule includes Giants-Red Sox at 2:10 PM CT, Reds-Diamondbacks at 3:15 PM CT, and Braves-Brewers at 6:10 PM CT.

A Weekend With Something for Everybody

This weekend sits at an interesting intersection on the sports calendar.

Baseball is moving deeper into playoff mode. NFL teams are getting their final meaningful preseason evaluations before the regular season. The U.S. Open is arriving with Serena Williams suddenly part of one of its biggest attractions. Formula 1 has a championship fight brewing at Zandvoort. And the WNBA season continues pushing toward its own postseason.

Late August sometimes looks like the quiet bridge between summer and football season.

Not this year.

The bridge has traffic.

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