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Jayson Stark

@jaysonst

Baseball writer at The Athletic. Starkville pod. MLB Net. Winner of 2019 BBWAA Career Excellence Award. Launched hot dogs with the Phanatic. Living the dream

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22.08.2023
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Latest posts by Jayson Stark @jaysonst

Preview
Will ABS kill the managerial ejection? We asked ejection king Aaron Boone Will the ABS era mean the end of The Ejection and the epic theater of managerial tantrums? Or will there be even more things to argue about?

Aaron Boone has led his league in ejections 5 years in a row. He now has made ejection history that even Bobby Cox never made

But is his streak in jeopardy now that ABS is in the house?

“No, no, no, no, no. He’s leading the league. That’s what he does"
www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

06.03.2026 15:50 👍 4 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Preview
Will ABS kill the managerial ejection? We asked ejection king Aaron Boone Will the ABS era mean the end of The Ejection and the epic theater of managerial tantrums? Or will there be even more things to argue about?

“I don't like to get ejected. He seems like he likes it.”

New column:

Can Aaron Boone keep his historic streak going of leading his league in manager ejections now that ABS is here?

He says no. His fellow managers have other ideas

www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

05.03.2026 13:09 👍 31 🔁 1 💬 5 📌 1
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What's cooler than a spring training rainbow! 🌈

05.03.2026 21:08 👍 1375 🔁 65 💬 81 📌 11
Preview
Will ABS kill the managerial ejection? We asked ejection king Aaron Boone Will the ABS era mean the end of The Ejection and the epic theater of managerial tantrums? Or will there be even more things to argue about?

“I don't like to get ejected. He seems like he likes it.”

New column:

Can Aaron Boone keep his historic streak going of leading his league in manager ejections now that ABS is here?

He says no. His fellow managers have other ideas

www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

05.03.2026 13:09 👍 31 🔁 1 💬 5 📌 1
Preview
Reflecting on the meaning of Mad Max as Scherzer returns to the Blue Jays As much as anything else, the magic of Mad Max explains why the 41-year-old legend finds himself in a Toronto uniform again this spring.

“He’s earned the right to yell at me.”

New column:

The Blue Jays didn’t “need” Max Scherzer 2.0. So why is he back in Toronto?

Let’s talk about the magic of Mad Max

www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

04.03.2026 13:42 👍 30 🔁 7 💬 0 📌 1

“I mean, it’s unbelievable.”

It’s the must read baseball story of the day from Tyler.

Incredible to learn what went into the series of bold managerial moves by Dave Roberts that won his team a World Series.

04.03.2026 17:49 👍 18 🔁 3 💬 4 📌 0
Preview
Reflecting on the meaning of Mad Max as Scherzer returns to the Blue Jays As much as anything else, the magic of Mad Max explains why the 41-year-old legend finds himself in a Toronto uniform again this spring.

“He’s earned the right to yell at me.”

New column:

The Blue Jays didn’t “need” Max Scherzer 2.0. So why is he back in Toronto?

Let’s talk about the magic of Mad Max

www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

04.03.2026 13:42 👍 30 🔁 7 💬 0 📌 1
Preview
Max Scherzer on daughter’s letter to Blue Jays: ‘That’s a bad negotiating tactic’ Scherzer is back with the Blue Jays, but the big story in camp Tuesday was still his daughter's letter to the team that went viral.

Max Scherzer's daughter wrote a heartfelt letter to the Blue Jays - and put a stamp on it.

I wrote about why her parents never sent it.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

03.03.2026 17:56 👍 119 🔁 10 💬 10 📌 3
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He's back!

Max Scherzer sighting in Blue Jays camp today.

Official announcement not expected until tomorrow

02.03.2026 15:44 👍 1096 🔁 85 💬 61 📌 12
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Some guys in uniform just sign a baseball when they're asked to sign a baseball.

But if a kid asks Aaron Boone to sign a baseball, he gets a whole conversation..:

About baseball!

01.03.2026 17:00 👍 5407 🔁 451 💬 134 📌 32
Preview
Life after Game 7: Could the Blue Jays actually be better in 2026? (Gift Article) Vlad Jr. and company, now joined by key reinforcements, are determined to get back to the World Series, and then ... make history.

"I’ll remember it for the rest of my life”

I'm unlocking today's column on Life After Game 7 for the Blue Jays so it's free for all to read

These guys poured their hearts out, talking about the emotions stirred by that game.

Great to tell their story!
www.nytimes.com/athletic/707...

27.02.2026 21:49 👍 53 🔁 11 💬 5 📌 4
Preview
Life after Game 7: Could the Blue Jays actually be better in 2026? (Gift Article) Vlad Jr. and company, now joined by key reinforcements, are determined to get back to the World Series, and then ... make history.

"I’ll remember it for the rest of my life”

I'm unlocking today's column on Life After Game 7 for the Blue Jays so it's free for all to read

These guys poured their hearts out, talking about the emotions stirred by that game.

Great to tell their story!
www.nytimes.com/athletic/707...

27.02.2026 21:49 👍 53 🔁 11 💬 5 📌 4
Preview
Life after Game 7: Could the Blue Jays actually be better in 2026? Vlad Jr. and company, now joined by key reinforcements, are determined to get back to the World Series, and then ... make history.

“I've never been in a room full of grown men who were all crying.”

New from me:

It’s possible the Blue Jays could be even better in ‘26 than they were in their magical run to the World Series.

But first they had to cope with the shock of losing Game 7

www.nytimes.com/athletic/707...

27.02.2026 13:06 👍 180 🔁 24 💬 17 📌 8
Preview
Life after Game 7: Could the Blue Jays actually be better in 2026? Vlad Jr. and company, now joined by key reinforcements, are determined to get back to the World Series, and then ... make history.

“I've never been in a room full of grown men who were all crying.”

New from me:

It’s possible the Blue Jays could be even better in ‘26 than they were in their magical run to the World Series.

But first they had to cope with the shock of losing Game 7

www.nytimes.com/athletic/707...

27.02.2026 13:06 👍 180 🔁 24 💬 17 📌 8
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"Boys, it's launch day."

-Tom Burgoyne, best friend of the Phanatic

Big day in Clearwater! It's the 2026 debut of the legendary Hot Dog Launcher

31 seasons of propelling hot dogs through the sky.

What a time to be alive

25.02.2026 15:15 👍 101 🔁 16 💬 0 📌 5
Preview
What is Bryce Harper thinking? On baseball, boredom and being a kid, again, in the WBC "I still have a lot to prove to myself," said Harper, one of this generation's greats. It feels like something larger is at stake in 2026.

"I still have a lot to prove to myself."

Bryce Harper opens up to @mattgelb.bsky.social

This is the must-read story of the day
www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

24.02.2026 13:19 👍 99 🔁 18 💬 6 📌 5
Preview
What is Bryce Harper thinking? On baseball, boredom and being a kid, again, in the WBC

"I still have a lot to prove to myself."

Bryce Harper opens up to @mattgelb.bsky.social

This is the must-read story of the day
www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

24.02.2026 13:17 👍 11 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Preview
The robot umps are here: What to watch for with ABS this MLB spring training MLB's ABS challenge system is up and running this spring — and it's about to change baseball profoundly. Here's everything you need to know.

New from me:

The robot umps are here!

Here’s what to watch for this spring, including this fascinating question:

What should an umpire say if the catcher asks, “Where was that pitch?”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

23.02.2026 12:56 👍 72 🔁 13 💬 17 📌 5

The Blue Jays now have a second baseman named Carlos Mendoza ...

In a game being managed (in the other dugout) by a guy named ...

Carlos Mendoza.

Baseball!

23.02.2026 19:40 👍 170 🔁 11 💬 22 📌 5
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Big moment here in Dunedin. Kazuma Okamoto just launched his first (spring) HR as a Blue Jay.

431 feet to CF, off the batter’s eye.

There was some wind involved, but that’s not important now.

This man has a sweet swing.

23.02.2026 18:37 👍 131 🔁 11 💬 4 📌 2
Preview
The robot umps are here: What to watch for with ABS this MLB spring training MLB's ABS challenge system is up and running this spring — and it's about to change baseball profoundly. Here's everything you need to know.

New from me:

The robot umps are here!

Here’s what to watch for this spring, including this fascinating question:

What should an umpire say if the catcher asks, “Where was that pitch?”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

23.02.2026 12:56 👍 72 🔁 13 💬 17 📌 5
Preview
MLB teams, managers and front offices that’ll be feeling the heat: Insiders weigh in Which front offices, managers and players are feeling the most heat heading into this season? Here's who our panel singled out.

ICYMI Here's where to find my whole spring-preview series:

Who's feeling the heat? www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

Traded this spring? www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

Best/worst subtractions www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

The whole survey! www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

22.02.2026 16:28 👍 32 🔁 4 💬 1 📌 0
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We almost had today’s Blue Jays-Phillies game end on a robot-off!

Jays catcher Aaron Parker challenged this 1-2 pitch to Dante Nori that was called a ball.

So it would have been game over if it had even right. But…

Just a bit outside!

21.02.2026 21:00 👍 76 🔁 4 💬 8 📌 1
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ABS challenge alert!

The Phillies' first challenge of the ABS era is one you'll never see in the actual season

2 outs, nobody on, bottom of the first

The catcher, Rafael Marchan, challenges a 1-and-0 ball-2 call ... and gets it wrong

So one challenge left, 8 innings to go!

21.02.2026 18:30 👍 95 🔁 5 💬 10 📌 2
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Fun fact:

The next Saturday without a baseball game will be in November

Feel warmer yet?

21.02.2026 15:28 👍 2210 🔁 236 💬 88 📌 26
Preview
MLB teams, managers and front offices that’ll be feeling the heat: Insiders weigh in Which front offices, managers and players are feeling the most heat heading into this season? Here's who our panel singled out.

Who’s feeling the heat entering 2026?

Let’s just say Bryce Harper and the Phillies come to mind.

In the last installment of my annual spring preview survey, the voters weighed in on what players, front offices and managers are under the most pressure.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

20.02.2026 13:16 👍 70 🔁 4 💬 18 📌 2
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Christopher Sanchez, ace

20.02.2026 16:01 👍 85 🔁 3 💬 1 📌 2
Preview
MLB teams, managers and front offices that’ll be feeling the heat: Insiders weigh in Which front offices, managers and players are feeling the most heat heading into this season? Here's who our panel singled out.

Who’s feeling the heat entering 2026?

Let’s just say Bryce Harper and the Phillies come to mind.

In the last installment of my annual spring preview survey, the voters weighed in on what players, front offices and managers are under the most pressure.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

20.02.2026 13:16 👍 70 🔁 4 💬 18 📌 2
Post image

Kazuma Okamoto, third baseman, Toronto Blue Jays

First impression: soft hands over there

19.02.2026 15:18 👍 165 🔁 9 💬 7 📌 2
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What's better than a spring training morning under the bluest sky on our planet

19.02.2026 14:42 👍 97 🔁 3 💬 9 📌 0