With Blake Snell's return to Cy Snell levels since coming back from the injured list, DVR, Eno and Trevor discuss how teams should game plan against him during the final two months of the season. Plus, they examine some of the biggest surprises among position players in 2024, and the recent uptick in sinker usage around the league. Plus, they discuss the White Sox's decision to part ways with manager Pedro Grifol, the possibility of MLB players in the 2028 Olympics, and more.

Rundown

1:15 Pedro Grifol Fired as White Sox Manager; Evaluating Managers on Bad Teams

7:37 Typical Player-Manager Interactions

15:00 How Will MLB Approach Baseball in the 2028 Olympics?

25:02 The Game Plan: How Do You Prepare to Face Blake Snell

42:38 Pleasant Surprises of 2024: Brenton Doyle

50:57 Tyler Fitzgerald's 8.0 fWAR Pace

54:37 Brent Rooker's Step Forward From 2023

1:01:03 What Has Led to the Uptick in Sinker Usage This Season?

1:06:20 Notable In-Season Bat Speed Increases

Follow Eno on Twitter: @enosarris

Follow DVR on Twitter: @DerekVanRiper

Follow Trevor on Twitter: @IamTrevorMay

Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels

Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris

With: Trevor May

Producer: Brian Smith

Executive Producer: Derek VanRiper

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.