At various points this season, Merrill has dealt with a hamstring, a concussion, and an ankle. And he had 16 SBs last year, so yes: this is not a case of “he just doesn’t know how to do it” (But it is still surprising to me that it has only been one, in three attempts!)

Jackson Merrill is in the 79th percentile for sprint speed (28.4 ft./sec.) He has one (1) stolen base this year in three (3) attempts. On the flip side, Josh Naylor is in the 2nd percentile for sprint speed (24.4 ft./sec.) He has 28 stolen bases in 30 attempts.

Me, at least three or four times a day, after forgetting to complete a simple task:

After tonight: - Cleveland is ONE GAME behind the Tigers in the Central, and tied with the Astros for the final wild card spot - Cincinnati is one game behind the Mets for the last NL wild card spot - Arizona is a game behind Cincinnati - The Yankees are two games behind Toronto in the AL East

The Dodgers clinch a playoff spot on the night Kershaw makes his last home regular season start. And of course, it’s against the Giants. Whether that feels good or bad probably depends on your rooting interests, but it does feel about right.

I actually have first-hand information on this!!! As of three years ago: not very fast at all, due to a rock-skipping injury. x.com/threetwoeeph...

First number: how fast you can throw a baseball, in miles per hour Second number: your current age At what point in most professional pitchers’ lives do you think the second number surpasses the first? Most guys gotta be safe until around their late 50s, right? Early 60s, on average?

David Robertson / JT Realmuto has to be an all-time Dad-grimace-face battery

Well it finally happened

Fisher is one of the best dogs, and if you have the means to do anything (even $5-10), it would be greatly appreciated.

Harry Ford has: Four big league plate appearances in four games. Harry Ford does not have: A hit A walk A game started And before tonight, a single plate appearance in Seattle. Harry Ford has: A game-winning walk-off RBI to put his Mariners into a tie for first place.

OLD HOSS RADBOURN

Dudes Playing Baseball, 2025

The 2025 Rangers season was dead. Too many injuries. Not enough offense. It was over. But a group of guys who entered 2025 with almost zero big-league experience have breathed new life into the team. On the “Little Rascals” www.nytimes.com/athletic/661...

Marcy Playground AND Chris Sabo?!

I figured out who Michael Helman reminds me of.

If you had Michael Helman being the first Texas Ranger to hit a grand slam in 2025, please step forward and collect your check for millions and millions of dollars

lol

The Orioles were one out from being no-hit

Man these baby Rangers are something else. It’s like someone turned a bunch of chaotic high schoolers loose on the field and they’re just creating maximum havoc

The Pirates and Orioles aren’t good, but as the Dodgers have found out the last two nights, Paul Skenes and Samuel Basallo will be for a while

Finishing the newsletter while I watch the ninth inning of White Sox / Twins in Minneapolis and between the rain delay and low attendance ANYWAY, it looks like there are about 85 people in the stadium. Borderline 2020 vibes

OhhKAYYYY Mets offense; we get it, nobody is watching to see you show off right now

He’s been better than I thought. The 3 starts of his I’ve watched this year have been his worst ones. June 9 — 4 runs, 3 innings (first start back) August 7 — 5 runs, 5.1 innings Tonight — didn’t finish 1st inning Dunno if the solution is to watch more of his games, or leave him alone

Jonah Tong starts his career with a six-pitch inning, and Shane Bieber strikes out the side against the Brewers. It’s shaping up to be a real fun night for pitcher-watching.

Oh right I meant to post this one today. www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...

Check out my new glasses

Ya know… the A’s aren’t good, but they keep showing signs that they *will be* in the somewhat-near future.

It’s me, I’m the friend from out of town Hands down thee best karaoke experience of my life. They (“accidentally”) cut the song two minutes short

So he’s caping for Pete Rose and Roger Clemens, but not Barry Bonds, Rafael Palmeiro, Alex Rodriguez, or Sammy Sosa. Ok

lol the NL West is being so dramatic (compliment)

Another Players Weekend, another year where zero big league players asked to use my Swing Hard Disco Stick™️

Did you know that earlier today, we sent out our 500th edition of The Windup? Topics include: - Pohlads’ history and non-sale - A big day of news (good and bad) for the Cubs - The most-clicked links in our first 500 Windups - I made you a little playlist www.nytimes.com/athletic/655...

The curse of @enosarris.bsky.social? The Windup curse? Whomever you’d like to blame, it’s not going well for Nathan Eovaldi tonight.

ESPN openly ripping on Globe Life Field for putting the press box and broadcast booths only slightly higher than the timber line.

Once in a while I find a Barry Bonds stat I didn’t know or had forgotten. Today: from 1992-2007 (his last year), he had *ONE* season in which his OPS wasn’t 1.000 or higher. It was 2006, when it was .999

One time when I was playing a show in Denton, my drummer improvised a fill that was so beautiful that my visceral reaction was a belly laugh, and I almost didn’t recover in time to sing the next line. Not even a soccer guy, but this is the same as that, somehow.

Haha I think it is, actually. I thought I saw it jumping around on the screen but I guess that was the Delta ad. I had to zoom in to realize: you’re right! I was so convinced it said “ad”!

Same vibes

A balk is when you

I missed this part!!

Missed this in real time, but watching the highlights, and WHAT?! Jake Bird, Yankees debut: allows HR David Bednar, Yankees debut: allows HR Camilo Doval, Yankees debut: blows two-run lead Marlins walk it off. 9 ER, 2.1 ip for the new guys. WOW

Pete Alonso is hitting .091 since the All-Star Break How many times do I have to say it: NOT doing the Home Run Derby messes up a guy’s swing

Mariners reliever Trent Thornton is leaving the game on a stretcher, not putting any weight on his left leg. That Caleb Ferguson trade is looking pretty important right now.

The real loser of the MLB trade deadline: me, the guy who has to consolidate all of this into one succinct newsletter.

Aaaaaand lastly (we think)… Rangers bring in one more reliever: Phil Maton from the Cardinals. With @katiejwoo.bsky.social: www.nytimes.com/athletic/652...

Coulombe was, in fact, not "it" for the Rangers. They have now acquired Merrill Kelly from the Diamondbacks (which means that the 2023 World Series is now ruled a 5-0 sweep, sorry, those are the rules) www.nytimes.com/athletic/651...

While we wait for the Coulombe return, the big question for the Rangers is … is that it? www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...

I know I'm biased, but it has been so cool to watch our MLB team triage this deadline. Kudos to @marc-carig.bsky.social for heading this up, and to our baseball writers for our all-hands-on-deck approach. Live Blog: www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv... All trades, grades: www.nytimes.com/athletic/652...

Rangers finally make a deadline deal, adding LHP Danny Coulombe (he of the 1.16 ERA) from the Twins, as Minnesota just keeps shedding parts. www.nytimes.com/athletic/652...