Baseball Bar-B-Cast

The Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals officially kicked off trade deadline season, completing a straightforward one-for-one swap this past weekend. The Nationals sent third baseman Curtis Mead to the Red Sox in exchange for pitcher Connelly Early, with both teams addressing organizational needs by swapping young talent. The question now is: Which teams will be the next to make a deal before the August 3 trade deadline?

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman break down the deal, give credit to the Nationals for the long-term process that landed them the Red Sox...

With the MLB trade deadline looming, it's time to put on our general manager hats and cook up some creative deals that are sure to make some noise. Even though there might be more buyers than sellers this year because so many teams are still in the playoff race, these eight ideas could be possible—or they could be completely crazy.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman cook up some trades that could help bolster lineups and rotations. Among the possible deals, the guys wonder if the Pittsburgh Pirates could make a pl...

The MLB trade deadline is the time when a team can bolster its roster for a potential World Series run and also upgrade its future. While we never know what might happen by the August 4 deadline, we do know that there are quite a few names floating around who could be impact makers for a team hoping to be the last club standing in October.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman preview the upcoming trade deadline, including whether the Detroit Tigers will actually trade ace Tarik Skubal and whether the San Diego...

The 2026 Boston Red Sox have given their fans quite the ride over the past four months. After a rough start to the season that saw manager Alex Cora lose his job, they now find themselves on a 13-game winning streak and suddenly in a wild card spot. They're also just seven games out of first place in the AL East. Is a division title in the cards?

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman talk about the historic run Boston has been on, including sweeping their rivals, the Tampa Bay Rays, this past...

With every baseball team back in action tonight following the All-Star break, with the exception of the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies, who returned on Thursday, it's time to take a look at some of the biggest headlines of the second half of the season.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman dive into key player returns, possible trades, and award races, including when Aaron Judge might return to the New York Yankees and whether the Detroit Tigers will trade Tarik Skubal. They also discuss whether Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani...

The 96th edition of the MLB All-Star Game is all wrapped up in Philadelphia after the American League defeated the National League, 4-0. With New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger taking home the game's MVP award, the AL continued its dominance over the Senior Circuit with its 11th win in the past 13 matchups.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman give their thoughts on the aftermath of the game, including why the Chicago White Sox's Miguel Vargas should have gotten some consideration for the MVP award and why the National League continues to...

History was made at Citizens Bank Park on Monday night when Jordan Walker became the first-ever member of the St. Louis Cardinals to win the Home Run Derby. While the Philadelphia crowd showed its brotherly love attitude toward the Cardinals' young slugger, many were left shell-shocked following his improbable final-round comeback against hometown favorite Kyle Schwarber.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, live from Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman break down all the action from the drama-filled Derby. They also highlight the impressive performances from Willson Contreras and Junior Caminero, share their...

The 2026 MLB All-Star Weekend has arrived in the City of Brotherly Love, and the host team, the Philadelphia Phillies, is at the center of attention for all the major events. With Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber set to take part in the Home Run Derby and Cristopher Sánchez making the start for the National League on Tuesday, time will tell if anyone will be able to steal the spotlight.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, live from Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman talk with Phillies beat writer Matt Gelb of The A...

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander has announced that he will retire following the end of the 2026 season. While the future first-ballot Hall of Famer's decision isn't entirely shocking, as he's battled to stay on the mound this season due to injuries, the 43-year-old is looking to finish his final year on a high note, which includes an honorary trip to the MLB All-Star Game.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss the incredible career of Justin Verlander, who achieved nearly every major feat a starting pitcher could hope to accomplish, with...

It was just supposed to be a regular, full-slate Tuesday in the baseball world. With some really good matchups, ace starters on the mound, and possible historic moments on the horizon, nobody could've expected the madness that would ensue and give us possibly the best day of MLB action we've had all season long.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman recap the wild Tuesday night that featured Shohei Ohtani hitting his 300th career home run, Tyler Tolbert tying a major league record for most hits in consecutive at-bats and Ryan O'Hearn having...

The rosters for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game were announced this past weekend, and while many very deserving players were named to their respective squads, there were a few surprising names who weren't selected. With the Midsummer Classic taking place in Philadelphia, there's one member of the hometown team who should've been a slam dunk to join the National League roster.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss who they think were the biggest snubs from this year's All-Star Game, including why Zack Wheeler should've easily made the team representing the host Philadelphia...

Pittsburgh Pirates ace pitcher Paul Skenes has accomplished quite a bit in his first two big league seasons, including winning a Cy Young Award, being named NL Rookie of the Year, and making two All-Star Games. However, in year three, things haven't come quite as easily for the 24-year-old flamethrower, and his team isn't really helping him out either.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss Skenes' more mediocre season so far, one that has seen him go winless over his last nine starts. While Skenes does have a respectable 3.62 ERA after 18...

As the weather starts to warm up, tensions among players and teams naturally begin to rise, as we've seen multiple altercations occur during games this past week. With Wilson Contreras taking exception to words said to him by Cade Cavalli and Josh Naylor getting into it with former teammate Austin Hedges, it's time to ask the question: What's with the beef?

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman break down the bad blood that circulated through Fenway Park between the Boston Red Sox and the Washington Nationals, as well as between the Cleveland...

The Boston Red Sox have had a disappointing 2026 campaign thus far. With lots of hope and promise riding on the backs of their young starters, the team has struggled to get off the ground. However, this past weekend, they completed a four-game mop of their bitter rivals, the New York Yankees, and suddenly find themselves right back in a Wild Card race that appears to be up for the taking.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman talk about the Red Sox's impressive pitching performance against the Yankees, including shutting down the only...

On Friday morning, the New York Mets made the decision to fire manager Carlos Mendoza after what has been a rough stretch, including a sweep at the hands of the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field. The Mets, who currently sit at 34-47 and in last place in the NL East, find themselves in dire need of a shakeup, but should Mendoza be the scapegoat for what has been an extremely disappointing season thus far?

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss how things have gone so wrong for the Mets this year...

The latest round of voting for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game was recently released, and while Shohei Ohtani unsurprisingly leads all players in votes, there is someone on the American League side who is just 300,000 votes away from matching the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar. The shocking part is that it's not Aaron Judge or Yordan Alvarez, but rather Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss the sudden surge in support for the standout player from the Blue Jays' World Series run last season and why Ernie...

The 2024 MLB Draft class is already having a major impact on the 2026 baseball season. With seven of the first nine picks in the draft already debuting and contributing to their clubs’ success, there’s a real possibility that the Class of ’24 could go down as one of the best ever. The question now is: If we re-drafted today, who would go No. 1?

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman examine the top 20 picks from the now-infamous 2024 draft and conduct a re-draft based on the recent performances of those players. Would the Cleveland Guardians still...

As we rapidly approach the halfway point of the 2026 baseball season, some interesting trends are starting to become more apparent across Major League Baseball. One of the more jarring statistics is the difference in success between teams in the American and National Leagues. While NL teams seem to be having more success, is there a bigger issue at play for teams in the AL?

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman try to make sense of why the vast majority of teams in the American League aren't having great seasons. While 10 teams in...

When the San Francisco Giants ended the 2025 season, they found themselves at exactly .500 in the ultra-competitive NL West. After acquiring All-Star Rafael Devers during the season and making a few additions in the offseason, there was hope that the Giants would be pushing for a postseason spot in 2026. That plan, however, has not yet taken off, and things are reportedly set to change by the Bay.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss reports that President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey is set to trade away key players before the August 3 trade...

When the New York Knicks snapped their 53-year championship drought this past weekend, it showed how long the fan base had been suffering before finally being able to celebrate a title. However, there are quite a few teams in baseball that can commiserate with what Knicks fans have been going through and hope to one day bring a championship back home.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman take a look at the current title-less droughts in MLB, led by the Cleveland Guardians, who haven’t won since 1948, and the Milwaukee Brewers and Sa...

The 2026 baseball season hasn’t really gone according to plan for the Boston Red Sox so far. With high expectations that their young core group of players would take the next step and lead the team to a better season than 2025, that has not been the case. Even after firing manager Alex Cora, the team hasn’t seen much of a boost, with many wondering if it’s getting late early for the Red Sox.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman talk about the complete disappointment coming out of Boston so far and wh...

The 2026 MLB All-Star Game is set to take place next month in Philadelphia, and while fan voting ballots have officially dropped, it’s time to start thinking about who you might place on the American and National League squads. While there are some obvious names to make the team—looking at you, Shohei Ohtani and Yordan Alvarez—fans will have to make a few difficult decisions about who else will get their vote.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman break down both sides of the ballot and give their opinions on who they t...

The Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, and Milwaukee Brewers are the only teams in MLB this season to have eclipsed the 40-win mark so far. As leaders in their respective divisions, all three hold sizable leads and have shown they are among the best teams in the Senior Circuit. However, with many games still left to be played, which team will be able to handle the grind of 162 games and come out on top this season?

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss the success the National League division leaders have...

Shohei Ohtani has done pretty much everything you could want from an offensive standpoint. However, it's what he's doing on the mound that is garnering attention this season. After pitching yet another gem for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Japanese two-way superstar is performing at a historic level this season.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman talk about what Ohtani is doing on the bump that's led to his recent domination and why this is the best we've seen him pitch in the big leagues. They then discuss where this current stretch...

The Cleveland Guardians take on the New York Yankees this week in what could be a potential postseason matchup. The two franchises have a storied history of meeting in the playoffs and producing memorable games. However, this week's series feels like it could be more important to one side than the other when it comes to potentially raising the Commissioner's Trophy at the end of the season.

On this episode of the Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jordan Shusterman is joined by special guest Zack Meisel of The Athletic to discuss whether the Guardians are a serious threat to the...

When the Toronto Blue Jays went on their incredible World Series run last season, there was plenty of hope that it was the start of what could be a dominant run by a stacked team. Fast forward to 2026, and Toronto finds itself in a bit of a sticky situation. Although, based on last year's success, all hope might not be lost just yet.

On this episode of the Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jordan Shusterman is joined by special guests Ben Nicholson-Smith and Shi Davidi to break down what has gone wrong this year for the reigning American League champions...

One of the biggest clouds hanging over the 2026 Major League Baseball season is the soon-to-be-expiring collective bargaining agreement between the MLB Players Association and the 30 team owners. The animosity between both sides, after comments were reported in the media, has many fans wondering whether a possible work stoppage could begin on December 1st when the deal expires.

On this episode of the Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss the first proposals exchanged this week between the owners and the players, most notably the owners’ desire to implement a salary cap. While it is an encouraging si...

Over the weekend, the Houston Astros pitched the first no-hitter since the 2024 season against their state rivals, the Texas Rangers. While the combined no-hitter thrown by Tatsuya Imai, Steven Okert, and — in his MLB debut — Alimber Santa was the fifth in franchise history, we’re left wondering why there was so little buzz surrounding the now-rare occurrence.

On this episode of the Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jordan Shusterman is joined by Shea Station podcast host Jolly Olive to talk about the feat by the three Astros pitchers, including whether the no-hitter has lost its luster, why Houston might finally be fig...

It’s been a very long time since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series. It was the last time that Gerrit Cole appeared in a Major League Baseball game. That all changes tonight, when the 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner makes his season debut in the Bronx for the New York Yankees and hopes to regain the form that made him the ace of the staff.

On this episode of the Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss the significance behind Gerrit Cole’s return to the Yankees, including his search for redemption after his last appearance on t...

The Detroit Tigers are not having the type of season they expected in 2026. After a rough first two months, they find themselves in fourth place in the AL Central and nine games under .500. While the offense hasn’t been able to find its groove yet, the loss of a certain Cy Young-winning pitcher has clearly been felt.

On this episode of the Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss what’s gone wrong for the Tigers this season, including Tarik Skubal going down with an injury. However, the two-time Cy Young Award winner underwent the NanoNeedle proc...

The Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres both had successful Rivalry Weekends, sweeping their respective series. The two teams atop the National League West are separated by only half a game as they head into what will surely be an entertaining matchup beginning Monday night at Petco Park in San Diego.

On this episode of the Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman recap all the action from Rivalry Weekend and preview the NL West showdown between the Dodgers and Padres, including Shohei Ohtani getting his explosive bat back to standard form after a monster...

The 2026 edition of Rivalry Weekend has arrived, and there are a few matchups that are even more exciting this year than in previous years. While the Subway Series between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets will certainly grab headlines, it’s the battle on the South Side that has suddenly become one of the most exciting series thanks to both teams’ recent play.

On this episode of the Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman break down each of the Rivalry Weekend matchups, including the Mets riding a winning streak while the Yankees look to t...

As the baseball season approaches the middle of May, there are plenty of good things going on in the game that fans should be excited about. With players like Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber having typical slugger seasons, there are a few players for whom it might be getting a little late early when it comes to not seeing the usual production we’re used to.

On this episode of the Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman take a look at some players they’re starting to get a little concerned about and try to predict whic...

The Milwaukee Brewers completed a sweep of the New York Yankees this past weekend that included back-to-back walk-off wins to help them crawl a little closer to the top of the NL Central. However, it was something their young ace did in his start that stole the headlines for the series.

On this episode of the Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss the emergence of Jacob Misiorowski as the true number one in the Brew Crew’s pitching staff after he threw some of the fastest pitches ever by a starting pitcher en route to he...

The Chicago Cubs are absolutely on fire and the boys are asking the big question: is this historic run actually sustainable? Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman dive into the Cubs’ nine-game winning streak, their dominance at home and what’s fueling the best record in baseball. Plus, they discuss the red-hot Tampa Bay Rays and whether they can seriously challenge the New York Yankees in the AL East.

Then it’s time to go around the league. The guys break down the Yankees calling up towering prospect Spencer Jones and debate whether the Bronx Bombers may have found...

Tarik Skubal’s season—and possibly his financial future—just took a major hit. The Tigers ace is expected to miss 2–3 months with an elbow injury, and Jake and Jordan break down what this means not only for Detroit’s season but also for Skubal’s looming free agency. Could this injury cost him a historic contract? They also discuss Framber Valdez’s struggles on the mound and the fallout from hitting Trevor Story in a lopsided loss to the Red Sox.

Shohei Ohtani continues to be one of the most fascinating players in baseball, but is there cause fo...

When the New York Yankees decided, in essence, to run back a very familiar team they had at the end of last season, there was some unease from their passionate fanbase. After all, this was a team that was eliminated by division rival, the Toronto Blue Jays, in the ALDS and didn’t look particularly threatening. Fast forward to this season, and those same fans might be thankful for the strategy, as it has the Bronx Bombers holding the best record in the American League.

On this episode of the Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman ta...

After a little over a month’s worth of baseball games, we’re slowly seeing how the season could potentially shape up based on those who are on top and those disappointing in their respective divisions. While there are some teams leading the way that aren’t entirely shocking—looking at you, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers—there are quite a few surprises as well.

On this episode of the Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman play their annual standings golf draft and try to determine how much stock they’re putting into the current stan...

The Philadelphia Phillies became the second team in the first month of the 2026 season to make a change at the manager position, following the Boston Red Sox making that decision over the weekend. Rob Thomson was relieved of his duties after the Phillies got off to a disappointing 9–19 start to the season, with the hope that a change will be able to jumpstart what has been a sluggish campaign.

On this episode of the Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman talk about the Phillies’ decision to fire Topper and name Don Mattingly the interim manager, what the...

Over the weekend, the Boston Red Sox made the shocking decision to fire Alex Cora, along with five other members of the coaching staff, in hopes of jump-starting the club after a rough start to the season. Cora, who was in his eighth season managing in Boston, found himself as the fall guy for the Red Sox—but was his firing fully justified?

On this episode of the Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman examine the difficult position Red Sox ownership created by making a change at this point in the season rather than sticking with th...