Sounders Quick Hits: Baker-Whiting Extension and U-20 World Cup Nod, Seattle Takes on Austin
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Seattle Sounders defender Reed Baker-Whiting makes a pass during the Leagues Cup semifinal against the LA Galaxy on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2025 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. (Mike Fiechtner / Sounders FC Communications) [/caption]
It's getting late in the season and the Seattle Sounders are trying to get back to their winning ways. Seattle is clinging to the fifth seed in the Western Conference with teams like Portland and Austin not too far behind. The Sounders have come up with just one point in their past two outings, and will take on a hot Austin side on Sunday in a crucial matchup for playoff positioning.
Elsewhere, the young players on this team are making plenty of noise despite a minor lull in the season.
U-20 World Cup and an Extension
Reed Baker-Whiting and Obed Vargas have become fixtures on this team thanks to their sound defense and ability to fill whatever role coach Brian Schmetzer asks of them. Despite both being just 20 years of age, each has five years of experience with the first team. Baker-Whiting has become a regular in the rotation while Vargas is a mainstay in the middle of the XI and is coming off an All-Star appearance.
Both were rewarded in a big way on Friday, as the Sounders announced that both players have been called up by their respective countries to participate in the FIFA U-20 World Cup later this month.
“I’m just happy,” Vargas said after Friday training. “It’s going to be another experience, and I imagine when I step on the field with the national team, that’s when it’s gonna hit me the most.”
Vargas will represent Mexico, while Baker-Whiting will report to the U.S. team. But the tournament, which will be held in Chile from September 27 to October 19, will run directly in conflict with the end of the MLS campaign. That means Seattle will be without Vargas and Baker-Whiting for their upcoming Cascadia rivalry games between Vancouver (September 27) and Portland (October 4). Seattle also has games against Salt Lake and New York City the following two weeks to be concerned about if either player advances far in the tournament.
Despite his commitment to his hometown MLS side, Baker-Whiting wasn’t going to pass up the international opportunity.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” Baker-Whiting said of the U-20 World Cup. “It’s not ever guaranteed … it’s been something that’s been one of my goals for a long time.”
Baker-Whiting's September has also been a treat on the club side, as he signed an extension on Thursday tying him to the team through 2028 with a club option in 2029. Sounders GM Craig Waibel confirmed that the two sides had been in negotiations for around a year, and that he was happy to get it done after what he considered the young player’s best showing in the August 31 Leagues Cup final.
While Seattle will be missing some young talent for the stretch run, the confidence that each gains from representing their countries could be just what the doctor ordered for a strong playoff run in late October.
“I would love to play against (Obed) in a knockout game in the World Cup, that would be fun,” Baker-Whiting said with a smile.
A Massive Road Date in Texas
Before the Sounders (12-8-9, fifth) come back to Seattle for a three-week homestand starting on the 27th, they need to take care of business in the Lone Star state.
Seattle will take on Austin FC (11-10-8, seventh) on Sunday with playoff implications all over the place. The Sounders are just three points ahead of No. 6 Portland and just four points ahead of No. 7 Austin, so this match will decide how Seattle approaches the end of its season. If the Sounders drop the game and give Austin the six-point swing, they'll be in a dogfight the rest of the way, with Portland likely leapfrogging them. If they can pull out a win to sweep Austin for the season, Seattle can focus on moving up in the standings instead.
The good news for Seattle? Their last win over Austin in late June kick-started a 17-game run in which the club has only lost two games since the Club World Cup.
This isn’t the same team Seattle last saw, however. Austin is coming off an electric win in the U.S. Open Cup semifinal in which they took down Minnesota with a 120th-minute goal from 21-year old CJ Fodrey on Wednesday. They’ll host a final against Nashville on September 30.
While Austin FC has a minus-five goal differential on the season and one of the less potent offenses in MLS, its balanced approach could give Seattle fits.
Owen Wolff, Myrti Uzuni and Brandon Vazquez have all found the net five times this season for Austin. This is also an Austin side that’s put up 18 goals in its last 10 fixtures, as Seattle will be running into an attack in its best form of 2025.
Needless to say, the Sounders will need to be more connected than they were in the week against Miami on the defensive end.
"It's a much better Austin side than when we met them earlier in the year," Schmetzer said.
In terms of the offense, Pedro de la Vega was spotted warming up with the team during the week as he deals with knee tendonitis that has held him out of the past two matches. Schmetzer said de la Vega will come to Austin with the team, but that his condition is tricky. If the team pushes his knee too hard, it could cause more pain than de la Vega can play through. His status is very much up in the air as it stands — don’t expect the Leagues Cup MVP to play.
The Verdict
For as good as the Sounders have been since the Club World Cup, this is all a reminder of how rough the beginning of the season was. Seattle's great summer has put it in position to snag a top-four seed, but the Sounders have to win crucial games over the next three weeks to realize that possibility.
It all starts with an Austin side that is coming off a thrilling win and has a trophy to play for in 10 days.
