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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

Alex Sujong Laughlin

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

Kathryn Xu

Ray Ratto

Skeleton seated at a table, holding an hourglass. Undated photograph.

Defector Reads A Book

‘The Artist’s Way’ Week 11: We Are Dying To Be Done

Vintage engraving of Army officers playing a game of Kriegsspiel, 1870s, 19th century. Kriegsspiel is a genre of wargaming developed by the Prussian army in the 19th century to teach battlefield tactics to officers.

Life's Rich Pageant

‘Pandemic Legacy’ Has Destroyed My Life

Charles Leclerc of Ferrari walks on track during the F1 Grand Prix of China.

Racing

Ferrari Pioneers New Modes Of Disaster At The Chinese Grand Prix

Arts And Culture

KiiiKiii And The Dawn Of K-Pop’s Process Era

Woman holding her hand over a crystal ball and gazing into the future. Seated 1/2 length photograph.

‘The Artist’s Way’ Week 10: Reflecting Near The End

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers takes the field during player introductions prior to the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome.

Baseball’s Sort Of Back

Luis Paez-Pumar

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari waves to the crowd from the stage during F1 75 Live at The O2 Arena on February 18, 2025 in London, England.

A Timely And Frankly Too Thorough 2025 Formula 1 Season Preview

Providence-based band The Whelks, which is composed of at least two Defector subscribers.

‘The Artist’s Way’ Week 9: We Are Annoyed

Mercury astronauts in simulated weightless flight in C-131 aircraft flying trajectory at Wright Air Development Center, Ohio, 1959.

‘The Artist’s Way’ Week 7: The Third-Quarter Slump

An abstract work of art featuring some line-drawn faces.

‘The Artist’s Way’ Week 6: Are We Feeling Abundant?

Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning against the New York Mets in Game Two of the Division Series at Citizens Bank Park on October 06, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Stand Down: Phillies Toilet Crisis Abates As Bryce Harper Returns To Spring Training

An alligator-y creature behind museum glass.

‘The Artist’s Way’ Week 5: Looking For Small Evolutions

Eagles flag flying above a crowd of people that includes someone in a robot costume

Scenes From Broad Street And Beyond

MLB umpire Pat Hoberg looks on during a game between the Minnesota Twins and Chicago Cubs on May 12, 2023.

MLB Loses Its Best Umpire To Sports Gambling

‘The Artist’s Way’ Week 4: We Are Deprived

Interior Of Empty Subway Train, Photo Taken In Shanghai, China

Transit

All The Trains I Rode In China

Black-and-white photo of a writer scrawling on paper.

‘The Artist’s Way’ Week 3: Synchronicities And Faith

Greg Maffei, CEO of Liberty Media, Mohammed ben Sulayem, FIA President, and Stefano Domenicali, CEO of the Formula One Group, walk on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Italy.

Who Benefits From Formula 1’s New Rules?

itcher Roki Sasaki puts on his jersey during a Los Angeles Dodgers press conference.

Maybe The Dodgers’ Competitors Could Show Some Self-Respect

Spectators in a color television studio on an exhibition of the USA in Moscow.

‘The Artist’s Way’ Week 2: Roadblocks And Revelations

‘The Artist’s Way’ Week 1: Our Hands Hurt

The Philadelphia 76ers' home arena in South Philly.

76ers Not Moving Across Town After All

A little girl completes a jigsaw puzzle delivered to her by Santa Claus, 24th December 1938.

Life Lessons

It’s Puzzling Time

San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler and GM A.J. Preller pose for a photo at the home ballpark.

Peter Seidler’s Padres Are A Family Business

Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Visa Cash App RB prepares to drive in the garage during practice.