PCA vs. Shohei, Closer Pockets, Post-Break Stats

Fred Zinkie and Jeff Erickson discuss the NL MVP race, closer pockets from 2026 drafts and one month outliers after the All-Star Break.

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00:00 MLB Pod 8-18-26

00:15 News:

00:30 PCA is the first (and possibly only) 30-30 player this season, as he homered twice (and so did NL MVP challenger Shohei Ohtani)…..

08:00 Cutting Kyle Tucker

16:15 Jacob Wilson was scratched due to a sore shoulder

19:00 Max Fried is back on the IL, which makes him a drop

20:00 Monday was a big day for player returns: Oneil Cruz, Maikel Garcia, Shane McClanahan, Jordan Lawlar, Vinnie Pasquantino, Justin Martinez, Carlos Rodon, AJ Smith-Shawver

21:45 Ketel Marte is away from the team due to a personal matter, then flew back to AZ for knee

25:00 Bobby Witt Jr. had a big game in an otherwise unremarkable (for him) season

28:45 Circa

29:50 Bridge topic: Closer review from 2026 drafts.

31:00 Edwin Diaz to the IL

33:30 Spend Up on Closers Nevertheless

36:00 Second Tier Disasters

39:45 Next Tier Questionable

49:50 BlueWire

49:55 Main Topic: One month since ASB. Article coming for reference.

50:00 Brandon Pfaadt

54:00 Ty France

55:45 Alec Bohm

57:00 Abimelec Ortiz

58:35 Walbert Ureña

1:02:00 Mason Montgomery

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