Episode 183 of Tablesetters is LIVE!

Tarik Skubal returned to Detroit in Dodger blue and apparently took a piece of the Tigers clubhouse with him, Will Flemming is under fire for comments during the Yankees’ demolition of the Red Sox, Ketel Marte is back with Arizona after a bizarre absence and Chris Sale, Michael Wacha and Max Scherzer are turning back the clock.

We open the show with the Phillies and Braves both surging into September and seven head-to-head games still looming between them. Atlanta has maintained control of the NL East despite Philadelphia’s recent run, but when we look beyond the standings and dig into how these teams are actually constructed, their strengths, some interesting underlying trends and what the latest projections tell us, the question of which one is truly more built for October gets a lot more complicated.

We also break down the fallout from Flemming’s heated reaction to Jazz Chisholm Jr. running with the Yankees comfortably ahead and discuss where the line should exist between passionate hometown broadcasting and going too far. We get into the increasingly strange Jeff Bagwell situation in Houston following Dana Brown’s departure and what his growing presence around the organization means for an Astros team still trying to navigate the AL West race.

Age is apparently just a number for some of baseball’s veteran arms, as Sale, Wacha and Scherzer each delivered performances that looked like they belonged to much younger versions of themselves. We dig into the remarkable longevity behind all three outings and what made this particular stretch stand out.

In What’s the Word, George Lombard Jr.’s sudden defensive woes have us wondering what exactly is happening to the Yankees’ highly regarded young shortstop, while Marte’s return raises a much different question about whether Arizona can truly repair everything that happened during his absence. Then there’s Skubal, who returned to Comerica Park less than a month after being traded to Los Angeles, showed plenty of love to his former teammates and staff, but apparently decided one particular clubhouse amenity was leaving Detroit with him. We have a word for that too.

Plus, Red Hot Ice Cold.

🎧 Listen to Episode 183 now. 👍 Like the episode. 📌 Subscribe so you never miss an episode. 🗣️ Follow us on Instagram and X: @TablesettersPod

Episode 182 of Tablesetters is live!

Pete Alonso’s controversial foul ball has the Orioles questioning MLB’s replay technology, Kyle Tucker’s first season with the Dodgers has turned into a disaster, Ketel Marte has landed on the restricted list and the Mariners are calling up top pitching prospect Kade Anderson.

We break down the Alonso controversy after his potential go ahead 410 foot home run was ruled foul and the call stood after replay, raising questions about whether MLB needs better technology around the foul poles.

We also examine Tucker’s struggles after signing a four year, $240 million contract with Los Angeles, including his .232 average, 11 home runs, .695 OPS, 0 for 25 stretch, defensive issues and enormous home road splits.

We get into the uncertainty surrounding Marte after he failed to show up for Arizona’s game in Boston and was placed on the restricted list while also dealing with a left knee issue. In Seattle, Anderson is heading directly from Double A to the rotation after going 10 and 1 with a 1.06 ERA, 135 strikeouts and just 13 walks in 93⅓ innings.

In Take the Pitch or Swing Away, we discuss Joshua Báez becoming the first player in MLB history to homer in each of his first three Major League at bats, where his historic debut belongs among the greatest ever, Aaron Nola’s recent turnaround with Philadelphia, Kevin McGonigle moving beyond the Rookie of the Year conversation and into the AL MVP discussion, and the NL Rookie of the Year race between Sal Stewart, JJ Wetherholt and Carson Benge, including Stewart’s offensive production and Wetherholt’s massive defensive advantage.

Plus, Red Hot Ice Cold.

🎧 Listen to Episode 182 now.

👍 Like the episode.

📌 Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

🗣️ Follow us on Instagram and X: @TablesettersPod

Welcome to Episode 181 of Tablesetters!

The trade deadline is behind us, but the baseball conversation is only getting more interesting as August starts separating the contenders from the teams beginning to run out of time.

We begin with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have suddenly lost eight of their last nine games and 15 of their last 24. Despite sitting at 70-48 and adding Tarik Skubal at the deadline, the Dodgers have shown some legitimate cracks. We break down an offense that has fallen to a 93 wRC+ since July 1, their struggles against fastballs, the recent production from Mookie Betts, Kyle Tucker and Teoscar Hernández, and whether Edwin Díaz's 10.80 ERA and 2.50 WHIP should create real concern about the bullpen.

From there, we revisit the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline one week later. The Dodgers remain our biggest winner after landing Skubal, but San Diego, Chicago, Boston, Toronto and several others made moves that could reshape October. We also look at the teams that left us wanting more, including Atlanta, Cincinnati, Texas, Milwaukee and the Yankees.

Then we get into what has become a legitimate NL MVP debate between Pete Crow-Armstrong and Shohei Ohtani. PCA has 26 home runs, 30 stolen bases, a 155 wRC+ and 8.0 WAR while providing elite defense and baserunning. Ohtani continues producing elite offense and also gave the Dodgers 85.2 innings with a 1.79 ERA before his injury. Has PCA actually done enough to take the MVP away from Ohtani?

Plus:

• George Lombard Jr. or Kaelen Culpepper: Which young shortstop ultimately has the better career? • Take a Pitch or Swing Away: Are the Red Sox the most dangerous team in the American League? • Are the Mariners and Pirates officially finished? • Who's Hot and Who's Cold around baseball • Postseason implications headline Coming Around 3rd

We close by looking ahead to a weekend that could tell us plenty about the American League playoff picture, particularly for a Seattle team sitting seven games under .500 but somehow still within striking distance of the AL West.

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