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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

Defector

Maitreyi Anantharaman

The grounds crew covers the field with a tarp during a thunderstorm in the bottom of the ninth inning of game two of a doubleheader that is tied at 4-4 between the Detroit Tigers and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park on June 19, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.

Take Me Out Of The Ballpark

Israel Daramola

Photo from the No Kings protest in Los Angeles.

Politics

So What Is It Gonna Take?

Kathryn Xu

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is hit by a pitch from Robert Suarez #75 of the San Diego Padres in the ninth inning.

Every Hit-By-Pitch In The Dodgers–Padres Series, Ranked

Kelsey McKinney

very bright sun in the middle of cloudless blue sky

The Great Outdoors

Get Ready For Inside Week In America

Joe Flynn is a writer based in the D.C. area.

Joe Flynn

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks. He looks like a photographic negative and is grimacing. Skin the color of a hot dog.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Will Not Let My Daughter Be

Barry Petchesky

A small group of demonstrators protests outside the entrance of Dodger Stadium on the night of the team's June 19 game.

Policing

The Dodgers Can’t Sit This Moment Out

Ray Ratto

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JUNE 19: Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers dunks against Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter in Game Six of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 19, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The Finals Have Given Us Everything But An Ending

David Roth

Photo taken on Jan. 12, 2023 shows a closed store of Big Lots at King Square Center in Arvada, Northwest of Denver.

Podcasts

A Fine Balance Between Evil And Stupid, With Kelsey McKinney And Megan Greenwell

Defector Staff

Denver's Juneteenth celebration is back as organizers name the event "Juneteenth 2008: The Rebirth. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States as slaves in Galveston, Texas learned that President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation two years earlier. Denver used to have one of the largest gatherings, and this year community leaders- including former Mayor Wellington Webb- worked to bring the festival back. There is a parade along with musical performers and entertainment for the kids. The Showstarz Cheer team perform acrobatics along the route. Kathryn Scott Osler, The Denver Post (Photo By Kathryn Scott Osler/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

Announcements

Your Juneteenth Open Thread

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 27: Former United States Agency for International Development (USAID) employees terminated after the Trump administration dismantled the agency collect their personal belongings at the USAID headquarters on February 27, 2025 in Washington, DC. Thousands of (USAID) workers who have been fired or placed on leave have been given a 15 minutes window to clear out their workspace after the Trump administration, under the guidance of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), shuttered the agency.

Interviews

Meet The Civil Servants Under Attack By The Trump Administration

Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase (left) talks with guard Carla Leite (right) during the second quarter of a WNBA game between the Golden State Valkyries and Dallas Wings on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at College Park Center in Arlington, TX.

WNBA

The WNBA Had Too Much Going On Last Night

New York Yankees Left Fielder Jasson Dominguez (24) steals second base with Los Angeles Angels Shortstop Zach Neto (9) catching the throw.

Will The Yankees Ever Score Another Run? No

In the shadows, c.1920. Private Collection. Creator: Cucuel, Edward (1875-1954).

Arts And Culture

Books We Think You Should Read This Summer

Patrick Redford

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 23: United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino, Christian Pulisic #10, and Tyler Adams #4 on the field after playing Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League third place match at SoFi Stadium on March 23, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Soccer

The USMNT Is Going Nowhere

Albert Burneko

AI-Powered Robot interacts with People during the Italian Tech Week 2024 at OGR Officine Grandi Riparazioni on September 26, 2024 in Turin, Italy.

Capital

Toward A Theory Of Kevin Roose

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Journalismism

Each William Langewiesche Disaster Story Was An Event In Itself

President Trump, sitting alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and First Lady Melania Trump, observe U.S. Army tanks traveling down Pennsylvania Avenue, during a celebration of the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary on Flag Day, June 14, 2025.

Against The Day

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 17: Kasperi Kapanen #42 of the Edmonton Oilers reacts after losing to the Florida Panthers 5-1 in Game Six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on June 17, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

It’s Getting Dark In Edmonton

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE17: Sam Reinhart #13 of the Florida Panthers lifts the cup in the locker room during their team celebration after beating the Edmonton Oilers in Game Six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at the Amerant Bank Arena on June 17, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Panthers Grind All Before Them To Dust

Columnist. Author of many <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Drew-Magary/e/B001JS8R52/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1">fine works of literature</a>, including Point B. Handsomest man in the world.

Drew Magary

Kris Humphries Celebrates His Bachelor Party at LAVO

Funbag

Bachelor Parties Are Strictly Optional

Luis Paez-Pumar

FIFA President Gianni Infantino and U.S. President Donald J. Trump sign a football during a World Cup 2026 ceremony after a state dinner at the Lusail Palace on May 14, 2025, in Doha, Qatar.

FIFA Says Yes To Racism

San Francisco Giants’ President Buster Posey talks to the media before Giants play San Diego Padres during MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco.

Buster Posey Made The Big Deal Giants Fans Have Been Waiting For

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws to a San Diego Padres batter during the first inning.

Shohei Ohtani Is Getting Back To Abnormal

Lauren Theisen

Nobody Knows Who The Oilers Should Start At Goalie In The Most Important Game Of The Season

The author can be reached at postpostdoc@protonmail.com.

Post-Postdoc

This photo taken on January 4, 2022 shows a vehicle with Luminar LiDAR based Proactive Safety pre-collision braking crash avoidance technology (R) stopping to avoid a child-sized test dummy as it is demonstrated on a test track, while a Tesla Model Y collides with the test dummy (L) at the Las Vegas Convention Center ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada. - As it pursues the goal of fully autonomous driving, Tesla has bet entirely on cameras and artificial intelligence, shunning other commonly used tools such as laser detection.