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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

Ray Ratto

A picture taken on August 22, 2012 in Godewaersvelde, northern France shows a corn field. AFP PHOTO PHILIPPE HUGUEN (Photo credit should read PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP/GettyImages)

Put Arnold Rothstein In The Hall Of Fame

Lauren Theisen

Go Away, Rain!

Tom Ley

So Much For That Magical Red Sox Season

The Weird Baseball Is Upon Us

Michael Brantley watches as a bat girl removes an inflatable trash can

I Guess Dodgers Fans Are Still Mad

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

We Must Find And Destroy This Ageless, Nationals-Hating Critter

David Roth

SEATTLE, WA - JUNE 11: Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto watches batting practice before a game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field on June 11, 2016 in Seattle, Washington. The Rangers won the game 2-1 in eleven innings. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)

Jerry Dipoto Has Touched The Ultimate

Things Somehow Got Worse For The Yankees

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

Dan McQuade

Guardians of Traffic photo in 1932, mixed with Cleveland Guardians logo now

Cleveland Guardians Is A Fine Name And The Backstory Is Even Better

Eric Haase avoids a high and inside pitch

HBPs Are Out Of Control

As A Serial Mangler Of Over-Easy Eggs, I Deeply Relate To This Cussing Pitcher

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Has Perfect Timing

The Home Run Derby Had Such Good Vibes

A collage of Babe Ruth headlines from newspapers at the time

History

101 Years Ago, Babe Ruth’s Career Could Have Ended In A Car Crash In Wawa, Pennsylvania

Rockies pitcher Jon Gray and Rockies shortstop Trevor Story high-five in a game against the Phillies

Press 3 To Request A Trade From The Colorado Rockies

Lance Lynn Has Been Sweating A Lot Recently, And It Seems To Be Working

Could A “Bad Fielder” Do This? (Yes.)

Nick Castellanos socks the ball, probably during a memorial service or something.

Nick Castellanos Hit A Drive Into Deep Left Field, Which Is How You Know Something Grave Has Happened

Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals is inspected on the mound by umpire Tim Timmons during a June game.

Podcasts

Frisk Max Scherzer If You Dare, With Kelsey McKinney

The Yankees Game Was Frickin’ Miserable

It’s Fun To Boo The Gunk Inspections

Lucas Giolito looks bummed to have given up a big homer.

GunkWatch: We’ve Gunk-Beef On The Diamond

Robert Arthur

Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Richards leaving the mound after one of his three bad starts since the sticky stuff ban.

How Low Can The RPM Go?

Trevor Bauer of the Dodgers is inspected for sticky stuff.

Trevor Bauer Is Not Cheating

Hector Santiago of the Mariners gets ejected by umpires for having slime inside his glove.