{"podcast":{"title":"Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball","slug":"rates-barrels-a-show-about-baseball-692652","podcast_index_feed_id":692652,"rss_url":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/6818a1a4eb737caf8ca41879","website_url":"https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/podcasts/","image_url":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/6818a1a4eb737caf8ca41879/1774225915041-25aacc15-e115-4d2e-b3fa-72decc9773cb.jpeg","author":"The Athletic","episode_count":1068,"summary":"In baseball, numbers are everywhere. But they’re not just numbers. For Derek VanRiper and Eno Sarris, they’re the keys to solving the most fun problem in sports. Every weekday, join DVR and Eno as they unpack baseball in ways you’ve never heard before, endeavoring to figure out all they can about a sport that’s constantly changing. Alongside contributors Britt Ghiroli, Trevor May and Jed Lowrie, the Rates & Barrels crew breaks down all the latest MLB news through an analytical lens, feeding your unhealthy addiction to numbers, while helping you master your fantasy baseball GM skills. But wait, there's more: come back for Saturday mornings in Starkville, where Jayson Stark and Doug Glanville talk to some of the most important players, coaches, and thought leaders in the league. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-26T10:19:52.816182+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/rates-barrels-a-show-about-baseball-692652"},"episode":{"title":"American League Flyaround: Midseason Check-Ins","slug":"american-league-flyaround-midseason-check-ins","published_at":"2026-06-30T20:15:08+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/rates-barrels-a-show-about-baseball-692652/american-league-flyaround-midseason-check-ins","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/rates-barrels-a-show-about-baseball-692652","url":"https://shows.acast.com/rates-barrels-a-show-about-baseball/episodes/american-league-flyaround-midseason-check-ins","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6818a1a4eb737caf8ca41879/e/6a442009ad2c3b8b06d276c3/media.mp3","summary":"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 Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social Follow Britt on Bluesky: @brittghiroli.bsky.social e-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.com Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFe Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris With: Britt Ghiroli Editor: Jason Potere Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","meta_description":"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 in…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3920,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/rates-barrels-a-show-about-baseball-692652/episodes/american-league-flyaround-midseason-check-ins/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/rates-barrels-a-show-about-baseball-692652/american-league-flyaround-midseason-check-ins.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}