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The Opener

May 19, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) celebrates with teammates as he steps on home plate after hitting a game winning two run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the tenth inning at Citi Field.
MLB

Are the Mets Fundamentally Cursed? This Is the True Litmus Test.

By Emma Baccellieri
St. Louis Cardinals catcher Andrew Knizner (7) and teammate Albert Pujols celebrate their team’s 15-6 victory over the San Francisco Giants after a baseball game on Sunday, May 15, 2022, in St. Louis.
MLB

Albert Pujols Is Having the Time of His Life

By Emma Baccellieri
Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker hoists the Commissioner's Trophy after defeating the Houston Astros in game six of the 2021 World Series at Minute Maid Park.
MLB

Making the Case for the American Baseball Cup

By Will Laws
May 15, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (28) watches from the dugout in the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park.
MLB

How Concerned Should We Be About These Five Star Shortstops?

By Nick Selbe
New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk-off three-run home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays Tuesday, May 10, 2022, in New York. The Yankees won 6-5.
MLB

The Yankees Are the Class of MLB This Season

By Tom Verducci
Apr 26, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (5) reacts during the seventh inning against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Field.
MLB

MLB Hitters Are Not Living Up to Expectations

By Emma Baccellieri
Nestor Cortes Jr.
MLB

Nasty Nestor Cortes Jr. Is Not Your Typical Soft-Tossing Journeyman

By Nick Selbe
Mar 15, 2022; Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitching coach Brent Strom works with pitcher Matt Peacock during spring training practice at Salt River Fields.
MLB

Raising Arizona: How Brent Strom Is Fixing the Diamondbacks

By Tom Verducci
Cincinnati Reds’ Joey Votto reacts as a long ball that he hit just barely went foul during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Saturday, April 16, 2022, in Los Angeles.
MLB

How Concerned Should We Be About These Sluggish Starts?

By Will Laws
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Corey Kluber works from the mound against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April, 22, 2022, in St. Petersburg, Fla.
MLB

The Sweeper Is MLB’s Trendiest Pitch, But It’s Not Entirely New

By Emma Baccellieri
Jo Adell on Apr. 28 2022
MLB

Jo Adell Squeezed Out of Angels’ Outstanding Outfield

By Stephanie Apstein
Apr 23, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) reacts after sliding home safely to score during the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at T-Mobile Park.
MLB

The Mariners’ Offense Is the Key to Ending Their Playoff Drought

By Nick Selbe
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw throws a third strike to strike out Detroit Tigers’ Spencer Torkelson and pass Don Sutton to become the Dodgers’ career strikeout leader during the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 30, 2022, in Los Angeles.
MLB

The Biggest Surprises of the 2022 MLB Season So Far

By Tom Verducci
MLB Baseball: Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Yankees Tuesday - Game Action Yankee Stadium 4/12/2022
MLB

Inside Anthony Rizzo’s Resurgence With the Yankees

By Stephanie Apstein
cardinals-mets-brawl2
MLB

There’s No Grand Conspiracy Behind the Mets’ Getting Hit by Pitches

By Tom Verducci
Minnesota Twins third base Gio Urshela (15) slides home for the game-winning run as teammates celebrate after a throwing error by Detroit Tigers catcher Eric Haase (13) during the ninth inning
MLB

Six Chaotic Blunders Lead to a Bonkers Twins Walk-Off Win

By Will Laws
Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette lines up on the other side of second base as part of an infield shift.
MLB

The Last Hurrah of Infield Shifts

By Emma Baccellieri
darvish-spin-2
MLB

The King of Spin: Yu Darvish Epitomizes Pitching in 2022

By Tom Verducci
New York Mets starting pitcher Max Scherzer (21) delivers the ball to the San Francisco Giants during the second inning of the second game of a baseball double-header Tuesday, April 19, 2022, in New York.
MLB

The Mets Rotation Is Thriving—And It Isn’t Even at Full Strength

By Stephanie Apstein
Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black
MLB

Bud Black Is the Right Manager to Lead the Rockies to Their Peak

By Will Laws
Matt Olson is doing a great job replacing Braves icon Freddie Freeman at first base.
MLB

How MLB Star Replacements Are Doing in 2022

By Nick Selbe
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman, center, poses with former teammates Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker, second from right, and hitting coach Kevin Seitzer along with members of his family after receiving the Silver Slugger award prior to a baseball game Monday, April 18, 2022, in Los Angeles.
MLB

Freddie Freeman Is Exactly Where He Belongs

By Tom Verducci
Oct 27, 2020; Arlington, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts (50) celebrates scoring a run during the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays during game six of the 2020 World Series at Globe Life Field.
MLB

Mookie Betts Knows He’s Got a Strong Shot at the Hall of Fame

By Michael Shapiro
Cleveland Guardians’ Steven Kwan hits a three-RBI triple during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Monday, April 11, 2022 in Kansas City, Mo.
MLB

Cleveland’s Steven Kwan Is the Breakout Star So Far This Season

By Nick Selbe