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Sports

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

Dan McQuade

A general view of Bristol Motor Speedway during the 2025 MLB Speedway Classic presented by BulidSubmarines.com between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday, August 3, 2025 in Bristol, Tennessee.

MLB’s Speedway Classic Featured Only A Mild Amount Of Mayhem! Mayhem! Mayhem!

Kathryn Xu

Eugenio Suárez #28 of the Seattle Mariners tips his cap during his first at bat back with the Mariners.

Jerry Dipoto Will Never Stop Doing Jerry Dipoto Things

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase (48) celebrates following the Major League Baseball game between the Athletics and Cleveland Guardians on July 18, 2025, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH.

The Emmanuel Clase Market Is Perhaps Understandably Bearish

Ray Ratto

San Diego Padres general manager A.J. Preller looks on before Game Three of the Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park on October 8, 2024.

The Padres And Twins Did The Absolute Most At The MLB Trade Deadline

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

The Minnesota Twins Are Finished

Rafael Devers of the San Francisco Giants looks on walking back to the dugout after striking out against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the bottom of the ninth.

Rafael Devers Is Living Proof That No One Knows Anything

Barry Petchesky

BRONX, NY - JULY 30: New York Yankees Shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) fields a ground ball hit by Tampa Bay Rays Designated Hitter Yandy Diaz (2) (not pictured) during the eighth inning of a Major League Baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees on July 30, 2025, at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire)

The Anthony Volpe Experience Will Give You Whiplash

DETROIT, MI - JULY 29: Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene (31) gets congratulated in the dugout following his two run homer in the fifth inning during the game between the Detroit Tigers versus the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday July 29, 2025 at Comerica Park in Detroit, MI. (Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire)

Have You Heard? They’re Touching It

Trevor Story does the airplane celebration.

Red Sox Dance To Commemorate The Flight From Hell

David Roth

Ichiro Suzuki speaks during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Clark Sports Center on July 27, 2025 in Cooperstown, New York.

Ichiro Saved One Last Surprise For Cooperstown

Lauren Theisen

Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres makes a jumping catch in the fourth inning of the game against New York Mets

The Robbin’ Padres Took Away A Home Run Before Anyone Knew What Happened

Emmanuel Clase #48 of the Cleveland Guardians pitches in the ninth inning against the Houston Astros.

Emmanuel Clase Placed On Leave While MLB Conducts Gambling Investigation

Philadelphia first baseman Bryce Harper looking stern in the dugout during the MLB game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves on April 9th, 2025.

Bryce Harper Opens Negotiations On MLB’s Salary Cap Proposal By Telling Rob Manfred To “Get The Fuck Out”

MILWAUKEE - SEPTEMBER 28: Starting pitcher of the Milwaukee Brewers CC Sabathia pumps his fist after pitching a complete game as they celebrate clinching the National League Wild Card after the game against the Chicago Cubs at Miller Park on September 28, 2008 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Brewers defeated the Cubs 3-1. (Photo by Darren Hauck/Getty Images)

No One’s Ever Been Better Than CC Sabathia On The Brewers

Rich Hill #35 of the Kansas City Royals pitches during the second inning against the Chicago Cubs.

Rich Hill Is BACK

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers strikes out

The First-Place Dodgers Are In Relative Trouble

Edmundo Sosa #33 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with teammates after a catcher interference walk-off.

Phillies Implement Forbidden Catcher’s Interference Strategem To Walk Off Red Sox

Richard Staff is a <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardStaff" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weapons-grade Twitter goblin</a> and hostage of the Mets. That is his real name.

Richard Staff

Marcus Walden of the Boston Red Sox throws during a summer camp workout before the start of the 2020 Major League Baseball season on July 15, 2020 at Boston College in Boston, Massachusetts. The season was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Secret Brotherhood Of The Phantom Ballplayers

Braves Coach In Hot Water Over Battle Of Gestures

Sitting in the dugout and watching the game, (L to R), are Tim Teufel, Howard Johnson, Bob Ojeda and Ron Darling, as they balance baseballs on their caps to try and change the Mets luck. The image is in black and white; and from 1986.

39 Years Ago, Four Mets Fought The Cops At A Houston Bar Named Cooter’s

Bill Veeck holds up a sign to the crowd so they can manage the baseball game

Bills Week

Bill Veeck’s Goofy, Gag-Filled Baseball Book Was Ahead Of Its Time

of the Milwaukee Brewers slides into second base against the New York Mets on April 17, 2009.

Bill Hall Put It Together

Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates jokes with Oneil Cruz #15 during the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Yankees in 2024.

Podcasts

The Hazards Of Bob Nutting Mindset, With Justin Halpern

of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with teammates after hitting three home runs in three swings to win the Inaugural All-Star Game Swingoff. The Bills Week logo is at lower left.

The All-Star Game’s Confusing Ending Fit The Bill For A Confused League

Bill Smith #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers poses for a photo during the 2025 MLB All-Star player photo shoot

MLB