Stephanie Apstein

Roy Halladay’s father taught him two things: to pitch and to fly. One gave him life. The other killed him. On a father’s grief and a family’s questions, as Hall of Fame weekend approaches bit.ly/2YW2dQr

No one else can do what Ilia Malinin does, which has put him in an unusual spot: Simply winning is a disappointment. He expects to make history every time he takes the ice. “He’s not like a new generation. He’s like a future generation from space.” bit.ly/49xXs4X

From Bryce Harper’s raw milk to Zack Wheeler’s Popeye’s, the Phillies embody the scope of the modern major league diet. “I’ve been on the raw milk, raw honey, ancestral liver. But after a game, every once in a while, I just gotta get McDonald’s.” bit.ly/49BM6i6

My family and I are thrilled to introduce the Rich Passan Sports Writing Scholarship, which will offer $5,000 annually to a college junior or senior. My father was a journalist for 41 years. He passed along that gift to me. Now it's our turn to share it. pressclubinstitute.org/2025/10/24/int…

Shohei Ohtani wanted to remain an Angel. Freddie Freeman all but begged to stay in Atlanta. Mookie Betts thought he would spend his entire career in Boston.  But it’s the Dodgers who are ruining baseball? bit.ly/3JlM7fa

The laws of human performance cannot contain Shohei Ohtani anymore, so it was only right that on Friday, neither could Dodger Stadium.  On the most magnificent game ever played: bit.ly/47wA9bO

Pretty good.

Freddie Freeman explained yesterday why Shohei Ohtani often struggles as a hitter on days he pitches, then added: “I say that, and then he’ll probably lead off the game with a home run.” There it is. 1–0 Dodgers. bit.ly/3KWCx2X

On Cal Raleigh, hitter of home runs, clipper of coupons and bestower of a very unusual “player of the game” prize: bit.ly/4geFUhn

On Tuesday, as Aaron Judge watched his game-tying, legacy-shifting home run rocket to left field, he heard only silence. Judge’s legacy is still incomplete. But for one night, at least, he quieted the noise, writes @stephapstein bit.ly/46IgCFd

Vibe check from Philadelphia sports radio: Caller Aidan wants Kyle Schwarber banned from Wawa.

Roy Halladay’s father taught him two things: to pitch and to fly. One gave him life. The other killed him. On a father’s grief and a family’s questions, as Hall of Fame weekend approaches bit.ly/2YW2dQr

During the regular season, Nick Castellanos spends his time in the outfield thinking about his family, his last AB, “the status of the country, the economy, global relations.” But the playoffs, he says, are like Adderall. He’s paying attention: bit.ly/3SZre8k

No one thought Garret Crochet had this in him—including, for a long time, Garrett Crochet. But then he started to wonder. On an ace’s journey fueled more by curiosity than anything else: “I just want to see. I just want to know." bit.ly/3IHPRrc

Red Sox manager Alex Cora: “[Anyone who says they thought in February that we were a playoff team], that’s fucking bullshit.” But the team believed. “They did a good job. They turned the page. They’re hungover.”

MLB is introducing automated strike zones this spring, which means measuring hitters’ heights—which is bad news for players who, like so many 5’11” men on dating apps, have been rounding up. “Some guys are gonna get caught.” bit.ly/4ifL0JU

@Tom_Schad Congratulations!! We’ll miss you at figure skating and gymnastics, but I can’t wait to see what you do over there!

So, after nearly 8 years, today is my last day at USA TODAY. Thrilled to share that, starting tomorrow, I'll be covering the Washington Commanders for The Washington Post. washingtonpost.com/pr/2025/08/26/…

@ColeyHarvey Can’t wait to see what you do next!

Some Notes-App News instagram.com/p/DM7yxgjgnkz/…