defector-orange-no-empty-space

lede_post_card_default

lede_post_card_stacked

lede_post_card_featured_post

lede_post_card_featured_post_3:2

lede_post_card_featured_post_1:1

lede_post_card_featured_posts_hero

lede_post_card_featured_posts_hero_3:2

lede_post_card_featured_posts_hero_1:1

lede_post_card_featured_posts_sidebar

lede_post_card_highlighted_post

lede_post_card_horizontal_a

lede_post_card_horizontal_c

lede_post_card_related_post

lede_post_card_square

lede_article_featured_16x9

lede_article_featured_16x9_full_width

lede_article_featured_3x2

lede_article_featured_3x2_full_width

lede_article_featured_1x1

lede_article_featured_1x1_full_width

lede_article_featured_flexible

lede_article_featured_flexible_full_width

lede_article_content

lede_article_content_wide_width

lede_article_content_full_width

lede_byline_avatar_post_card

lede_byline_avatar_highlight

lede_profile_coral_avatar

lede_logo

lede_logo_banner

lede_logo_footer_banner

lede_logo_simple_header

lede_sponsorship_logo

lede_sponsorship_logo_river_card

lede_sponsorship_homepage_card_logo

lede_sponsorship_homepage_card

Footer Legal

Header - Categories

Header Menu

The last good website.

Topics

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-no-empty-space

Defector

Defector's 2025 Tip Jar Sweepstakes: Join Chris and Kelsey in the Great Blogger Bake Shop

bloggerbakeshop-3-2-final

Tip jar sweepstakes

image

Kathryn Xu

New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo (9) sprinting to first base on a walk.

brandonNimmoSprintingToFirstOnAWalk

Brandon Nimmo Will Now Do His Sprinting To First Base In Texas

Tarik Skubal warming up during the ALDS against the Seattle Mariners; in the background, out-of-focus camera flashes resemble a field of twinkling stars.

tarik skubal camera flashes

Now Is The Time To Fantasize About Your Loser Club Trading For Tarik Skubal

osh Naylor #12 of the Seattle Mariners reacts after grounding out to end the first inning.

joshNaylorMariners!

The Mariners Are Acting Like A Team That Wants To Win A World Series

Emmanuel Clase #48 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates the team's 8-6 win over the Athletics.

claseIndictment

What’s One Rigged Pitch?

IMG_3819

Tom Ley

Emmanuel Clase #48 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts after striking out Patrick Bailey #14 of the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the ninth inning to end the game at Oracle Park on June 18, 2025 in San Francisco, California. The Guardians won the game 4-2

Cleveland Guardians v San Francisco Giants

Gambling

Emmanuel Clase And Luis Ortiz Indicted For Elaborate Pitch-Rigging Scheme

ratto-ray_400x400

Ray Ratto

Chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta of the Cleveland Browns stands on the field prior to a game on December 17, 2017 against the Baltimore Ravens.

Baltimore Ravens v Cleveland Browns

November Is When The Colorado Rockies Do Their Best Work

<p><a href="https://josh-levin.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://josh-levin.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762023504534000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2tqysV4T7Gh0gV7M0_bz7p">Josh Levin</a> is the creator and host of the sports history podcast “<a href="http://www.replaybooth.show/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.replaybooth.show&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762023504534000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1-rpGWGr1dKP0HBTa_zohZ">Replay Booth</a>.” He’s also the author of <em><a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/josh-levin/the-queen/9780316513272//?lens=little-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/josh-levin/the-queen/9780316513272//?lens%3Dlittle-brown&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762023504534000&amp;usg=AOvVaw357vGVOyJU7dDVIkjqFQxu">The Queen: The Forgotten Life Behind an American Myth</a></em>, the creator of the podcast “<a href="https://slate.com/podcasts/one-year/s6/1990" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://slate.com/podcasts/one-year/s6/1990&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762023504534000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1LJrco6Xq1YK3vAueOtmRC">One Year</a>,” the host of two seasons of “Slow Burn” (on <a href="https://slate.com/podcasts/slow-burn/s4/david-duke" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://slate.com/podcasts/slow-burn/s4/david-duke&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762023504534000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2PiV8w71WaqaTvzDwNTrOS">David Duke</a> and <a href="https://slate.com/podcasts/slow-burn/s10/rise-of-fox-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://slate.com/podcasts/slow-burn/s10/rise-of-fox-news&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762023504534000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3LTehX3p4ZiFY9vhna8azk">Fox News</a>), and the former cohost of “Hang Up and Listen.”</p>


23f8a840-a814-4493-940c-682c92b36184

Josh Levin

Illustration of Mr. Met wearing a deerstalker cap investigating some buttons reading "Huckle."

Mr. Met Wilbur Huckle

Stories

Wilbur Huckle For President: Solving A 61-Year-Old Mets Mystery

VictorPortraitWClaw

David Roth

Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers turns a game-ending double play to beat the Toronto Blue Jays in Game Seven of the 2025 World Series.

World Series – Los Angeles Dodgers v Toronto Blue Jays – Game 7

The Dodgers Never Had It Made

-b9trzb

Lauren Theisen

Max Scherzer #31 of the Toronto Blue Jays acknowledges the fans as he exits the game during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game seven of the 2025 World Series at Rogers Center on November 01, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. (

World Series – Los Angeles Dodgers v Toronto Blue Jays – Game Seven

Living And Dying With Max Scherzer

headshot

Barry Petchesky

TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 01: Will Smith #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers tags out Isiah Kiner-Falefa #7 of the Toronto Blue Jays at home in the ninth inning during Game Seven of the 2025 World Series presented by Capital One between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Saturday, November 1, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Toronto Will Never Get Over This

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto is mobbed by teammates as they celebrate winning the 2025 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4

Yoshinobu Yamamoto Will Not Be Denied

Toronto, Ontario, Canada October 31, 2025: Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) leaps to Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Enrique Hernandez (8) after the final out while Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Addison Barger (47) is out at second in the ninth inning and Los Angeles Dodgers Miguel Rojas celebrates during game six of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Roger Centre on Friday, October 31, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Dodgers vs Bllue Jays in Toronto, Canada

Six Isn’t Enough

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates after hitting a solo home run in the first inning during Game Five of the 2025 World Series. The Distraction logo is at upper left and the light above the stadium is lovely.

World Series – Toronto Blue Jays v Los Angeles Dodgers – Game 5

Podcasts

I Like To Get A Solid 12 Hours

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on during Game Five of the 2025 World Series. The background of the fans in the seats is indistinct, but Ohtani is in focus.

Game 3 Is The Legend, But The Blue Jays Are For Real