Tyler Kepner

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Tyler Kepner

NEW YORK - If you wanted to downplay a pressure-packed moment, you might say that it's not like facing Shohei Ohtani in the World Series. And if you wanted to emphasize the stakes of a given game, you might say that it's not like facing Kansas City on a Wednesday in mid-April. That's a little unfair to the Royals, a playoff team last season, but you get the idea. We're talking about extremes - specifically, Clarke Schmidt's last game and his next one.

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Tyler Kepner

This article is part of our Rankings & Tiers series, an evaluation across sport about the key players, front offices, teams, franchises and much more. The general manager tilted his head toward the sky, to the sun beaming down on the Cactus League one morning last month. In his head, he was flipping through the majors' other 29 teams, trying to think of the five front offices that do the job best. In a competitive field like Major League Baseball, admiration has a synonym.

1 week ago | sanjuandailystar.com | Tyler Kepner

By Tyler Kepner / The AthleticThe first general manager to trade right-handed pitcher Octavio Dotel did not want to do it. Nobody who knew Dotel really wanted to get rid of him. “There are guys who get traded a lot because they’re not good guys,” Steve Phillips, general manager of the 1999 New York Mets, said by phone last week. “He got traded a lot because everybody always vouched for him.”Some of the superlatives they might have said: sweet, competitive, bright, respectful, friendly, funny.

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Tyler Kepner

Wilmer Flores came to bat on Saturday for the 2,000th time as a member of the San Francisco Giants. If he knew he'd be around so long, he would have invested in real estate. "I signed a two-year deal with an option," Flores explained, smiling. "They picked up my option, and then I signed a two-year deal with another option. So this is the option, this is my sixth year. Never bought."Flores is 33 now, with more than 11 years of major-league service, second on the Giants to Justin Verlander.

1 week ago | ourcommunitynow.com | Tyler Kepner

There’s a new style of player in Kansas City this season. It’s never been proven to work there, but the Royals are trying it anyway. Brace yourself, fans: The hitter who comes to bat most often is now good at getting on base. It’s a wild concept at Kauffman Stadium, but can you blame the Royals?