Happy Friday, BCBers! It’s a good week to be a Cubs fan, as the team stamped their ticket to the postseason, and we can enjoy the final week of play without biting our nails like some other clubs.
The Dodgers will certainly be feeling a little bittersweet today, as former ace and Dodgers icon Clayton Kershaw announced he would retire at the end of this season. This has likely been a long time coming for Kershaw, who experienced several seasons shortened by injury and uncertainty. But he committed
to one last go this year, and now that his last hurrah is done, he’ll make his final trip to the mound tonight. It’s very likely that Kershaw and the Dodgers will have an ongoing relationship when he hangs up his cleats.
We’ve got lots more on Kershaw below, and a lot more good baseball tidbits to get into. So let’s just dive right into it.
- Ben Clemens tries to determine if (and even when) Cal Raleigh might make baseball history.
- Anthony Castrovince looks at the 11 best players to make their MLB debuts in 2025.
- Shohei Ohtani leveraged his power with the Dodgers and got them to double their batting cages. Story by Stephen Douglas.
- Tyler Kepner looks at the incredibly short life of a baseball. (The Athletic subscription required.)
- This was inevitable, but also feels like the end of an era.
- Tom Verducci shares why he thinks Kershaw was one of the best of the best.
- Karl Rasmussen tries to figure out where Kershaw tanks in terms of the all-time greats.
- Jay Jaffe looks at the injuries that might sideline players for postseason-bound teams, and if they might miss October baseball.
- Ryan Phillips determines the 10 best trade acquisitions at the deadline.
- Steve Buckley shares the story of a man whose major league career lasted for a single pitch. (The Athletic subscription required.)
- Spanish broadcast calls are just so good.
- The Guardians are somehow only 3 1/2 games out of first place in the AL Central, despite the Tigers having a commanding lead all season. Story by Tim Stebbins.
- Ryan Phillips suggests that the Mets might leave off one of their best pitchers from the first half when they make their postseason roster.
- Tim Capurso looks at the history of the “Magic Number.”
- While Clayton Kershaw is retiring, Justin Verlander wants to pitch in 2026. (ESPN)
- This is so cute.
And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.
