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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

Kelsey McKinney

Better Hate An Owner

Ken Kendrick Is Just Another Rich Guy

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

Dan McQuade

Almost No One Alive Has Seen The Phillies Start 5-0

Lauren Theisen

The Legend Of Akil Baddoo Grows By The Day

David Roth

Donald Trump yelling something while posing for a photo with some Little League kids, in 2020.

Politics

What Exactly Is Donald Trump Upset About Here?

Albert Burneko

Sports Highlight Of The Day

The Sports Highlight Of The Day Is This Japanese Baseball Team’s Fish Mascot Exploding Into Its New Form

Samer Kalaf

Pitcher James Karinchak #99 of the Cleveland Indians reacts after striking out Andrew Benintendi #16 of the Kansas City Royals to end the top of the ninth inning of the home opener at Progressive Field on April 05, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Cleveland Reliever James Karinchak Has Some Neat Thoughts About Vaccines And Nazis

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

A stadium worker removes a large inflatable trash can prop from the field.

Fans Remind Astros Of Their Sins With Not One, But Two Trash Cans Thrown Onto Field

A jersey of Eloy Jimenez, with his batting gloves, signed by his teammates and hung in the dugout during Thursday's season-opener.

This Is So Stupid

White Sox Send Eloy Jimenez To The Great Baseball Diamond In The Sky

A Chicago Cubs player seen here exulting in the presence of The Distraction logo.

Podcasts

Talking Epic Owners, Soft-Tissue Injuries, And Other Baseball Hazards, With Meg Rowley

Patrick Redford

Miguel Cabrera #24 of the Detroit Tigers hits a first inning two run home run off of a pitch from Shane Bieber #57 of the Cleveland Indians during Opening Day at Comerica Park on April 01, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Baseball’s Off To A Strong Start

Ray Ratto

BOSTON, MA - MARCH 30: The Opening Day stencil is seen behind home plate during a media availability at Fenway Park on March 30, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)

This Opening Day, Embrace The Suffering

Rockies shortstop Trevor Story discards his bat after striking out.

The Rockies Are The Old, Weird Kind Of Bad

Andrea is a journalist and author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Baseballs-Leading-Lady-Manley-Leagues/dp/1250623723" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Baseballs-Leading-Lady-Manley-Leagues/dp/1250623723&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1616169124789000&amp;usg=AFQjCNENNVrOlqBUsKJ9upT7e4F-Dj_Ycw">Baseball&#8217;s Leading Lady: Effa Manley and the Rise and Fall of the Negro Leagues</a>.

Andrea Williams

Baseball’s Erasure Of Black Managers And Executives Shows Who MLB Believes Is Worthy To Lead

Diana Moskovitz is Defector&#8217;s investigations editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99

Diana Moskovitz

A close up of baseball player Yasiel Puig

The Battle For Yasiel Puig’s Narrative

For One Season, Rheal Cormier Was Lights Out

Video Games

Inside Blaseball

Amed Rosario of Cleveland can't get to a ground ball during a spring training game.

Cleveland Knew About Mickey Callaway, And What They Could Get Away With

You can kind of make out some mascots in this photo, by USA Today reporter Bob Nightengale

Here’s To Bob Nightengale, The Last Avant-Garde Baseball Photographer

Patrick Dubuque is a writer and editor at Baseball Prospectus.

Patrick Dubuque

Mariners outfield Tim Lopes can't catch a homer, just as Kevin Mather couldn't quite grasp how to shut up.

Kevin Mather Isn’t An Anomaly

Carson Wentz, seen here warily assessing The Distraction logo.

Trading The Untradeable, With Kalyn Kahler

Scott Kazmir seen here during his last big league season, which was 2016.

It’s Time For A Scott Kazmir Comeback

Former Mariners CEO Kevin Mather with owner John Stanton and Robinson Cano

Kevin Mather Had It Coming Long Before His Rotary Club Meltdown

<a href="https://twitter.com/ericnus">Eric Nusbaum</a> is a writer based in Tacoma, Washington. He is the author of the book <a href="https://bookshop.org/books/stealing-home-los-angeles-the-dodgers-and-the-lives-caught-in-between-9781541742222/9781541742215">Stealing Home: Los Angeles, the Dodgers, and the Lives Caught in Between</a>. He is also a former editor at Vice.

Eric Nusbaum

Kids photograph a pitcher for the Pacific Coast League's Oakland Acorns in 1952.

MLB’s Minor League Power Play Is An Offense Against Baseball History

A baseball player is silhouetted as he follows through while practicing in the batting cages