Good
morning.
- Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber hit four home runs last night against the Braves. Schwarber became the 21st player (and third this year!) to hit four home runs in one game.
- David Schoenfield breaks down Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh’s record-setting home run season.
- Jay Jaffe looks at all of Raleigh’s home runs and his case for the American League Most Valuable Player Award.
- One of those players with a four-home run game this year is Athletics rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz. Eno Sarris examines Kurtz’s swing and finds a lot in common with Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge. (The Athletic sub. req.)
- Julian McWilliams breaks down an at-bat by Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton to illustrate what it is like when Stanton is “locked in.”
- Dan Szymborski asks is Stanon “back” now? As in the superstar of the days of old?
- Jordan Schusterman checks in with Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, who has a chance to set the record for most home runs by a player in their age-21 season. Caminero has 39 home runs currently. The record is 47 by Eddie Mathews in 1953.
- Jason Foster has the quirkiest home runs in history.
- Jeff Passan looks at all the “robbed” home runs this year and gets Blue Jays outfielder Denzel Clarke to reveal the secrets to how to steal a homer.
- Jesse Rogers looks at how the Brewers built a powerhouse on the cheap.
- Anthony Castrovince has the 13 biggest surprises of the 2025 season.
- Thomas Harrington has ten upcoming free agents who could use a strong finish to the season.
- Mark Feinsand has players who have opt-outs, player options and team options that they have to decide on this winter.
- R.J. Anderson examines which teams moves at the Trade Deadline are working out and which aren’t.
- Should the Orioles trade catcher Adley Rutschman?
- Gabe Lacques traces Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet’s journey to becoming a Cy Young Award candidate this year.
- Sam Dykstra and Joe Trezza have the hottest pitching propsects for each team.
- Anne Rogers writes about how the Royals found out that they had something special in closer Carlos Estévez.
- Mets reliever Ryan Helsley admitted that he’s tipping his pitches and says he’s working to correct it.
- Stephen J. Nesbitt looks at where six different cities bids for an expansion team are at the moment. The Athletic sub. req.)
- Rangers shortstop Corey Seager is out indefinitely after an appendectomy. Seager hopes to be back before the end of the season.
- Brewers closer Trevor Megill went on the injured list with a flexor strain.
- Evan Drellich looks at the business side of the Savannah Bananas, whose owner thinks “Banana Ball” is the future of baseball. (The Athletic sub. req.) MLB sees them more akin to the Harlem Globetrotters, a comparison the Bananas’ owner hates.
- Chris Haft explains why Jackie Robinson deserves to be remembered every year. It was 80 years ago yesterday that Dodgers president Branch Rickey informed Robinson that they were going to sign him and integrate baseball.
- And finally, Tyler Kepner reminisces with Bobby Shantz, who turns 100 next month (The Athletic sub. req.) and is the oldest living baseball MVP. (Second oldest overall player.)
