It’s time for a tour around the National League, where every division has its own storylines taking shape. Eno, Jed, and DVR begin in the NL West, where the Dodgers have opened up a sizable lead. They discuss whether the Padres can still make a push, what needs to happen for the Diamondbacks' offense to get going, and where the Giants and Rockies go from here. From there, they head to "America’s Division," the NL Central, where the Brewers and Cubs are battling for the top spot while the Cardinals and Pirates remain in the postseason mix. Finally, they wrap up in the NL East, where the Phillies are gaining ground on the Braves and tightening the division race.

Rundown:

0:45 Jed The Banana

4:28 MLB Baseballs’ Manufacturing Error

6:52 The 2026 Dodgers: The Machine is Working

16:05 The Padres’ League-Worst Offense

25:12 Can the D-backs’ Outhit Pitching Woes?

30:46 Giants Falling to Sellers?

31:46 Rockies Taking Steps Forward

34:37 Should Brewers Go Big with Upgrades?

39:10 Can the Cubs Find Enough Pitching?

44:24 Cardinals Have 34.2% Chance of Reaching Playoffs

48:37 Is Pirates’ Biggest Need a Top-End Reliever?

51:05 Check In on Your Cincinnati Friends

57:25 Philly Closes Gap on Atlanta to 2.5 Games

1:00:28 Phillies Climbing: Where Will They Upgrade?

1:06:02 The Marlins Need Bats: A Sneaky-Good Mid-Pack Team?

1:11:55 The Nats Need Pitching: An Intriguing Deadline on Tap?

1:13:47 Mets Owner Steve Cohen Says Stearns is Safe

Eno’s Article on MLB Baseballs: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7410468/

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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris

With: Jed Lowrie

Editor: Jason Potere

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Baseballs started flying in June -- and it wasn't simply warmer weather -- it might be a manufacturing error! Eno and DVR explain why changes in drag on the baseball have a significant impact on home runs, and how Major League Baseball's revelation of a manufacturing error may provide some clues as to why we have seen so much variation in how the ball has played throughout the first half of the season. With drag recently returning to the same levels we saw in 2019, they wonder if we're going to see a massive uptick in home runs throughout the second half.

Rundown

0:17 Breaking News: MLB Reveals Manufacturing Error with Ball

1:44 A Sudden Change: Drag Significantly Dropped in Recent Weeks

6:40 Don’t Forget 2019 When 6,776 Home Runs Were Hit

9:19 Hitters and Pitchers Notice and React to Ball Changes

12:20 Will Barrels Recover?

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e-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.com

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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris

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It’s time to take a tour around the American League, and there’s plenty to unpack. Eno, Britt, and DVR begin in the AL East, where the Rays have surged into first place as the Yankees try to stay afloat without their captain, Aaron Judge. From there, they head to the AL Central to break down the surprising White Sox, the steady Guardians, and the disappointing Tigers. Finally, they wrap up in the AL West, where the Rangers sit atop the division and the Astros are left trying to prove they still have one more run in them.

Rundown:

1:35 Atop the AL East: The Rays Are Holding On, For Now!

6:09 The Yankees Weathering the Storm Without Aaron Judge

9:54 Jays, O’s & Red Sox Scrambling to Make Up Ground

12:25 A Case for the Blue Jays to Continue Buying

17:22 Most Likely to Rally: Blue Jays, Orioles, or Red Sox?

21:15 Key Injuries for Boston

22:15 Cleveland Pitching, Again

27:43 Can White Sox Build On a Surprising Start?

32:16 Eno’s Bold Prediction on the Tigers

38:23 The Twins Aren’t Bad: But Are They Stuck in the Middle?

46:04 What If Wyatt Langford & Corey Seager Get Healthy?

50:06 Does Anyone Still Like Houston?

59:59 Future Autopsies: 2026 Royals and 2026 Angels

Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social

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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris

With: Britt Ghiroli

Editor: Jason Potere

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