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Kathryn Xu

Life Lessons

On The Meaning Of Going Back For More J.T. Realmuto Highlights At 11:47 P.M.

Lauren Theisen

Johnny Cueto Is The Marlins’ Silver Lining

David Roth

Shintaro Fujinami, in profile, adjusts his cap during an appearance with the Oakland A's on July 16.

Shintaro Fujinami Is Trying To Find The Feel

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19</p>


Chris Thompson

Elly De La Cruz Is Not Like Other Baseball Players

Tom Ley

Jarred Kelenic #10 of the Seattle Mariners looks on before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on July 03, 2023 in San Francisco, California.

Jarred Kelenic Is Really, Really Sorry About Kicking That Water Cooler

Ray Ratto

FLUSHING, NY - JULY 18: New York Mets Catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) reacts as he rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run during the sixth inning of the Major League Baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and New York Mets on July 18, 2023, at Citi Field in Flushing, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Fellas Were Raking

Corbin Carroll’s Wheels Can Throw Even The Braves Out Of Whack

Aaron Hicks tries to catch a triple by Freddie Freeman

There’ll Be Nights Like This

An Attempt At Talking About Bad Outfield Defense Without Talking About Kyle Schwarber

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Christian Yelich #22 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts after drawing a walk during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 16, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Christian Yelich’s Powers Have Returned

Barry Petchesky

DENVER, CO - JULY 16: Alan Trejo #13 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates after hitting a walk-off home run to beat the New York Yankees in the eleventh inning at Coors Field on July 16, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alan Trejo

John Flaherty And The Yankees Would Both Like That Inning Back

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 08: Joey Votto #19 of the Cincinnati Reds is congratulated by Elly De La Cruz #44 and Jake Fraley #27 after a three-run home run in the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on July 08, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

The Reds Are Dirty Boys

<div class="r43lxo-0 gqfcxx js_post-content">
<p class="sc-77igqf-0 bOfvBY">Vince Guerrieri is an award-winning journalist and author in the Cleveland area. He likes Lake Erie perch sandwiches, Jim Traficant and long walks on the field at League Park. His website is <a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="http://vinceguerrieri.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ga="[[&quot;Embedded Url&quot;,&quot;External link&quot;,&quot;http://vinceguerrieri.com/&quot;,{&quot;metric25&quot;:1}]]">vinceguerrieri.com</a>, and you can follow him on Twitter <a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="https://twitter.com/vinceguerrieri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ga="[[&quot;Embedded Url&quot;,&quot;External link&quot;,&quot;https://twitter.com/vinceguerrieri&quot;,{&quot;metric25&quot;:1}]]">@vinceguerrieri</a>.</p>
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Vince Guerrieri

An American soldier stands in the Zeppelin stadium and looks towards a Nazi swastika, Nuremberg, Germany, 1945. The stadium, along with two others, was used by Adolf Hitler to hold many Nazi rallies. (Photo by © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

They Almost Played An All-Star Game At Nuremberg

Julio Rodriguez Gave The All-Star Game Some Stakes

Samer Kalaf

Adley Rutschman and Luis Robert face off before the 2023 Home Run Derby.

Adley Rutschman Vs. Luis Robert Was So Much Fun

Ronald Acuña Jr. Is A Baseball God

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 05: Umpire Quinn Wolcott #81 hands the bat of Elly De La Cruz #44 of the Cincinnati Reds back to him as manager David Bell #25 looks on in the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 05, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Elly De La Cruz Is The Guy


<p>Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.</p>


Dan McQuade

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 04: Manager David Ross #3 of the Chicago Cubs argues with home plate umpire Erich Baccus #12 after a call in the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on July 04, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

David Ross Was Very Calmly Mad As Heck

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 04: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels walks to the dugout after being replaced during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park on July 04, 2023 in San Diego, California.

It’s Been A Very Bad Few Days For The Angels

<p>Jen Ramos Eisen is a Central California-based minor league baseball writer.</p>


Jen Ramos Eisen

Domingo German #0 of the New York Yankees pitches to Esteury Ruiz #1 of the Oakland Athletics in the bottom of the ninth inning at RingCentral Coliseum on June 28, 2023 in Oakland, California. Ruiz made the final out in a no-hit perfect game for German, defeating the Athletics 11-0.

The Perfect Game That Also Sucked 

BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 23: A detail of the MLB All Star Game patch on a Seattle Mariners jersey during the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Friday, June 23, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

It’s Good That Every Team Gets A Guy

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JULY 01: Seth Brown #15 of the Oakland Athletics trots around the bases after hitting a solo home run off Keynan Middleton #99 of the Chicago White Sox in the bottom of the seventh inning at RingCentral Coliseum on July 01, 2023 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

There Is No Easy Part Of The Schedule When You’re The White Sox

Tommy Pham waits for the mound visit to end

Tommy Pham As Intense As Ever, But In A More Productive Way

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 28: Domingo German #0 of the New York Yankees celebrates his no-hit perfect game against the Oakland Athletics, defeating them 11-0 at RingCentral Coliseum on June 28, 2023 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

All The Weight Of A Perfect Game

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<p>Charles P. Pierce is a writer at <em>Esquire</em> and the author of four books, most recently <em>Idiot America</em>, and has been a working journalist since 1976. He lives near Boston with his wife but no longer his three children.</p>
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Charles P. Pierce

Enrique Hernandez #5 of the Boston Red Sox makes an error as he throws to second base during the second inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on June 3, 2023 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts.

MLB