Outside The Confines: Gather round the hot stove

Shohei Ohtani trade. Three words have never ignited such dread and enthusiasm in baseball fans. As the trade deadline draws nearer, all anyone can think about is whether or not the Japanese mega-star will be sporting an entirely different jersey come August, and if he is, just how much will his new team be paying for it?

This is likely all we will be hearing about over the following week and a half, so brace yourself for plenty of speculation and will-they-or-won’t-they-ism.

Today’s links have plenty of trade speculation; a new king on the AL East throne; and a cooler’s retaliation on one player. Plus much more.

So let’s get into it!

• Brittany Ghiroli looks at the efforts being made by the Baseball Hall of Fame to attract younger fans. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Davy Andrews would like to know what’s going on with Tim Anderson.
• Cole Jacobson determines who is the best hitter against each pitch type.
• Emma Baccellieri spotlights the extraordinary talents of Elly De La Cruz.
• Some insider perspective from ousted Athletic writers is certainly food for thought.

• Jay Jaffe would like to talk about an Angel who isn’t Trout or Ohtani as he spotlights Mickey Moniak.
• Here are 9 potential deals that would net a Shohei Ohtani trade, according to MLB dot com.
• Will Laws gets in on the speculation as well, looking at some win-win Ohtani trade opportunities.
• Jim Bowden builds some other potential trades that aren’t just about Ohtani. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• The Orioles are number one. Jake Rill looks at the extra-inning game that put the O’s ahead of the Rays in the East.
• Perhaps this will teach him not to kick the cooler again. #justiceforcoolers

• Daniel Kramer looks at Kelenic’s response to the incident.
• Alex Eisert determines what sets the Giants’ pitching staff apart.
• Here’s one you don’t see every day, as a batter charges a pitcher following an inside pitch... to give him a hug. Story by Dan Gartland.
• The Rangers have unveiled their All-Star logo. (AP)
• This logo is pretty nice, tbh.

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