
The unexpected star who's helping spark Boston's playoff push
When Ceddanne Rafaela hit his dramatic walk-off home run against the Rays on July 11 and gave the Red Sox their eighth straight win, it was a signature moment for the blossoming 24-year-old.
The former top prospect struggled in his first two seasons from 2023-24, posting a .246/.275/.389 slash line...
Ceddanne Rafaela

These are the top pitches of the first half of the season
Every pitch matters.
That might be a simplistic analysis, but it's the basic premise of Statcast's Run Value system, which helped determine some of the top pitches of the first half of the 2025 season. Run values look at the run impact of an event based on the runners on...
Tarik Skubal
Chris Sale
Tyler Rogers
Garrett Crochet
Max Fried
Jhoan Duran
Brendon Little
Joe Ryan

The 8 (or 9) swings you'll see in the 2025 Home Run Derby
We know who the eight participants in the 2025 T-Mobile Home Run Derby will be. But what do we know about their swings?
Given the latest updates to technology, we now know more about those swings than ever before. (We also know that contrary to popular opinion, the Derby doesn’t...
James Wood
Junior Caminero
Brent Rooker
Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Oneil Cruz
Byron Buxton
Cal Raleigh
Matt Olson

The slugging 3B who could alter this year’s Deadline … and pennant race
With the July 31 Trade Deadline rapidly approaching, there is no shortage of intriguing teams and players that could alter the trajectory of this season.
One of those teams is the D-backs, who entered Thursday with a 46-47 record and 4 1/2 games back of a Wild Card spot in...
Eugenio Suarez

Springer's age-35 rebound season is no accident
Below is what a perfectly normal aging curve looks like. This is George Springer’s career from 2014 through 2024, comprising his entire time with Houston and his first four seasons with the Jays after signing a six-year, $150 million contract prior to 2021. (We’re showing OPS+, which puts 100 at...
George Springer

Knee down? Knees up? 1 catcher is trying it all
One of the most interesting defensive sagas in baseball in 2025 is happening in Anaheim.
It's about catching -- specifically, the knee-down catching technique that has skyrocketed to omnipresence throughout the Major Leagues. It's about the evolution of the game. And it's about Logan O'Hoppe.
Change in baseball happens slowly,...
Logan O'Hoppe

How Acuña returned to MVP form so quickly
Thirteen months ago, Ronald Acuña Jr. underwent surgery for a complete tear of the ACL in his left knee.
In 10 days, he’ll start the All-Star Game at Truist Park in Atlanta, joining Chipper Jones (2000) and Hank Aaron (1972) as the only Braves to start the All-Star Game in...
Ronald Acuna Jr.

Why has the one-knee catching trend taken over MLB?
The war, such as it was, is over. The new style has won.
Every catcher in the Major Leagues receives with a knee down. Most of them do it 95% of the time or more. It makes it easier to frame pitches, which is quite valuable. It doesn’t come with...

Batting title favorites Judge, Wilson couldn't be more different
The two top contenders for the MLB batting title are about to clash. And the most fun part is, they're polar opposites.
On one side, there's Aaron Judge, behemoth slugger. On the other, there's Jacob Wilson, contact hitter extraordinaire.
As the Yankees and A's face off at Yankee Stadium this...
Aaron Judge
Jacob Wilson

3 big parallels between Miz and Skenes as they square off
Jacob Misiorowski looks like Paul Skenes Jr. on the mound. Now he gets to pitch against him.
The Skenes-Misiorowski showdown will be one of the most hyped pitchers' duels of the season. That's thanks to Misiorowski taking baseball by storm.
The Brewers' star pitching prospect has looked beyond electric in...
Jacob Misiorowski