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Albert Burneko

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 04: Julio Urias #7 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the first inning at Oracle Park on September 04, 2021 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

This Is So Stupid

Reverse Baseball!

Ray Ratto

The Giants And Dodgers Are Looking In The Mirror

Lauren Theisen

Freddie Freeman high fives Ron Washington

Everyone Is Fallible In October

Robert Arthur

Max Scherzer is very patiently inspected for sticky stuff contamination during a September Dodgers game.

The Sticky Stuff Crackdown Has Worn Off

Maitreyi Anantharaman

A Modest Rule Proposal: Cool Plays Should Be Unreviewable

Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.

Dan McQuade

Gavin Lux reacts in awe as his home run did not go out

Dodgers Blown Out, 1–0

Tony La Russa describes his plan for a runner on second: "THE RUNNER ON SECOND BASE SHOULD HAVE TO FACE THE OUTFIELD BEFORE EVERY PITCH SO HE CAN’T STEAL SIGNS."

Tony La Russa’s Bold Idea Rudely Ignored

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Hunter Renfroe kicks a ball over the wall at Fenway.

Baseball’s Got A Rule For That

Barry Petchesky

Playoff Mookie Is Back To Crush Some Rallies

Yoan Moncada of the Chicago White Sox sprawled on the ground in front of jeering Houston Astros fans

Media Meltdowns

MLB Network’s Jim Kaat Went So Far Out Of His Way To Say Something Racist

David Roth

Terrance Gore taking an extra base, with a great deal of vigor, in a 2019 Royals game.

It’s Terrance Gore Season In Major League Baseball

I Have Seen The Lowest Bowel Of Hell, And It Is This MLB Network Hype Video [Updated]

Dodgers-Giants Is More Than An Old-Timey Newsreel

ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 07: Randy Arozarena #56 of the Tampa Bay Rays steals home against Christian Vazquez #7 of the Boston Red Sox in the seventh inning during Game 1 of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field on October 07, 2021 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

You Will Know The Rays

Albert Pujols Is Still Here

Seattle Mariners reliever Paul Sewald hushes the crowd in Anaheim down the stretch of his team's failed 2021 playoff run.

How Did The Mariners Even Get This Close?

Chris Taylor #3 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates his walk off two-run home run in the ninth inning to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 3 to 1 during the National League Wild Card Game at Dodger Stadium on October 06, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.

Baseball Fun Is When Fortunes Change

Giancarlo Stanton of the New York Yankees socks a mega dinger off the wall in left, for a single.

Where Were You When Giancarlo Stanton Socked This Epic Out-Of-The-Park Dinger Against The Red Sox?

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 05: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox watches his two run home run against the New York Yankees during the first inning of the American League Wild Card game at Fenway Park on October 05, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

It Got Late Early Out There For The Yankees

TORONTO, ONTARIO - OCTOBER 3: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts to a Boston Red Sox home run as they play the Washington Nationals on the big screen at the Rogers Centre, after the Blue Jays defeated the Baltimore Orioles in their MLB game, on October 3, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)

There Should Be Baseball Today, Damn It

Samer Kalaf

Jose Iglesias #12, Xander Bogaerts #2, Rafael Devers #11 and Kyle Schwarber #18 of the Boston Red Sox celebrate after a 7-5 victory against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on October 03, 2021 in Washington, DC.

AL Wild-Card Race Ends With Absolutely No Chaos

A dugout scene, overhead from 3/4 perspective. An umpire is falling over the dugout railing and into the dugout

Gio Urshela Makes Catch Then Tumbles Into Dugout, Followed By Angel Hernandez

Patrick Redford

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 02: J.P. Crawford #3 of the Seattle Mariners reacts after scoring on a single by Mitch Haniger #17 during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at T-Mobile Park on October 02, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Bask In These Perfect Calls Of The Mariners Keeping Their Playoff Hopes Alive

ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 22: Kevin Kiermaier #39 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates with teammates after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1 to clinch a playoff berth at Tropicana Field on September 22, 2021 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

A Well-Timed Tampontreal Gambit Leaves Everyone Pissed

102 Wins Usually Feels Better Than This