Outside The Confines: Fri-YAY, am I right?

Well, friends, it’s finally Friday, and even though this was a shortened week for me (we love those sneaky midsummer holidays in Canada), I personally can’t wait to kick off my shoes, grab a cold drink, and enjoy my weekend.

There were plenty of news stories filling up the final days of the week, but nothing with the heavy headline-grabbing gravitas of Rob Manfred issuing ultimatums, or ARod trying to team up with Viagra to buy the Mets.

Let’s take a look at what stories were making waves in baseball since Wednesday.

• A whopping seven MLB pitchers are showing off new pitches this season, writes Eno Sarris. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Emma Baccellieri looks at what weird records and feats we might witness in a 60-game season.
• Nick Markakis opted out of the season, then back in, and now he belted his first home run of the year.
• Speaking of home runs, Shohei Ohtani seems just fine in that department.

• Who are 2020’s most irreplaceable players? asks Dan Szymborski.
• Is it possible that 2020 and 2021 might produce the first-ever two-time Rookie of the Year winner? Jayson Stark looks into the possibility. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Jorge Castillo shares the story of Connor Joe’s return to baseball after a battle with testicular cancer.
• The Buffalo stadium is beginning to look more and more like Rogers Centre south for the Blue Jays, story shared by WBEN radio’s A New Morning with Susan Rose and Brian Mazurowski.
• Ben Clemens would like people to know that you can’t put Yu Darvish in a pitch-type box.
• Everything about the game experience is unsettling and different for players, write Alden Gonzales and Jesse Rogers.
• On the same note, Doug Glanville writes about why it’s so hard for players to give up on high fives and spitting seeds. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Tom Verducci would love to know what has become of superstar first basemen? (I think Cubs fans would beg to differ that they’re a dying specialty)
• Dustin May is looking pretty darned good for the Dodgers, writes Jay Jaffe.
• In a moment of total brilliance, the Royals decided to hide Marlins Man’s cutout at their game.

That wasn’t the only cheeky cutout move at the Royals game, though, as this Weekend at Bernies cutout was also spoted.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.