Expand The Zone

theScore's Jonah Birenbaum and Michael Bradburn break down the biggest storylines and hot topics in baseball.

Dodgers exorcise demons with World Series victory over Rays

Topics in this edition include: - Dodgers overpower Rays in World Series to snap their 32-year championship drought (0:58) - Is the Clayton Kershaw postseason narrative finally finished following his brilliant October? (9:05) - Will the Rays ever live down their decision to remove Blake Snell after 73 pitches in Game 6? (16:38) - Should Randy Arozarena's postseason records come with an asterisk given the unprecedented number of rounds this October? (25:27) - Justin Turner mars celebration by joining teammates on field after testing positive for COVID-19(28:56)

10-28
32:41

World Series preview / Championship Series recaps

Topics in this edition include: - Recapping the tightly contested ALCS (1:03) and NLCS (7:34) - Previewing the Rays-Dodgers World Series with position-by-position breakdowns (11:04) - Predictions for the World Series (42:30)

10-19
44:06

Division Series takeaways / Previewing the LCS

Topics in this edition include: - Recapping the league division series matchups, including Dodgers-Padres (1:28), Braves-Marlins (9:50), A's-Astros (19:16), Rays-Yankees (29:43) - Previewing the NLCS(16:11) and ALCS (39:06) - Predicting the pennant winners (41:25)

10-10
43:34

Division Series X-factors

Topics in this edition include: - Identifying each team's X-factor for the league division series round (1:04) - Which Astros hitter could be a difference-maker? (1:04) - Can Gary Sanchez contain the Rays' running game? (6:53) - Is Mike Clevinger healthy enough to keep Padres alive? (13:19) - Braves tab big question mark for Game 3 (20:49) - Predictions for each series (26:57)

10-05
30:52

Wild-card round takeaways

Topics in this edition include: - Takeaways from each wild-card series matchup, including Rays vs. Blue Jays(3:17), A's vs. White Sox (9:56), Twins vs. Astros (15:05), Indians vs. Yankees (20:46), Dodgers vs. Brewers (26:05), Braves vs. Reds (30:49), Cubs vs. Marlins (35:09), Padres vs. Cardinals (40:35)

10-03
46:43

Previewing MLB's unprecedented, unpredictable 2020 postseason

Topics in this edition include: - Breakdowns for each team in MLB's expanded, 16-team postseason, including the Brewers (4:28), Reds (8:02), Marlins (10:19), Cardinals (12:09), Padres (14:18), Cubs (16:54), Braves (19:52), Dodgers (22:58), Blue Jays (25:38), White Sox (29:04), Astros (31:26), Yankees (35:15), Cleveland (37:29), Twins (40:12), Athletics (42:57), and Rays (45:17) - Predicting the pennant winners in each league, as well as the World Series champion (49:51)

09-28
51:50

Picking the 2020 MVPs, Cy Youngs, ROYs / What we got wrong

Topics in this edition include: - Breaking down the postseason outlook for Blue Jays, Cubs (3:52) - Handing out the year's major individual awards (9:56) - What we got wrong in 2020(24:23)

09-25
33:58

Verlander's future hangs in balance as Tommy John surgery looms

Topics in this edition include: - Breaking down the postseason picture following clinches from the A's, Padres, and Yankees (1:08) - Can you name any players from the last Padres team to make the postseason? (6:11) - What lies ahead for 37-year-old Justin Verlander as Tommy John surgery looms? (10:15) - How does Verlander's injury impact the Astros' outlook? (19:26) - Who finishes with more career homers: Edwin Encarnacion or Nelson Cruz? (24:19) - Are the 2020 struggles of superstars like Jose Altuve, Nolan Arenado, and Kris Bryant predictive? (29:51)

09-22
34:08

Is the 16-team postseason here to stay? / 2020's most surprising performances

Topics in this edition include: - White Sox, Rays become first AL teams to clinch playoff berths (1:48) - What impact will a permanent 16-team postseason have on baseball's players and fans? (5:53) - Breaking down 2020's most surprising performances (17:59)

09-18
30:21

Mills joins Random No-Hitter Hall of Fame / So long, Wilpons

Topics in this edition include: - Examining the unique circumstances of the 2020 postseason (2:03) - Cubs righty Alec Mills joins list of improbable no-hitters (7:21) - Mets finally get new owners, usher in new era (17:38) - Can the Padres overtake the Dodgers? (29:45)

09-15
34:06

Stretch run X-factors for every fringe contender

Topics in this edition include: - Will the MLBPA sign off on the club's postseason bubble plan? (1:05) - Favorite factoids from the Braves' historic 29-9 thumping of the Marlins (4:40) - Identifying the X-factors for every fringe contender in the National League (6:59) and American League (28:41)

09-11
42:51

Can the banged-up, bumbling Yankees still win it all?

Topics in this edition include: - Can Mike Trout reach the elusive 700-HR club? (1:04) - Can the scuffling Yankees still win it all? (11:11) - Who will win the AL MVP? (30:12)

09-08
36:35

Drafting MLB's 2020 All-Star teams

Topics in this edition include: - Remembering Mets icon Tom Seaver, who died this week at age 75 (1:06) - Drafting lineups for the non-existent 2020 All-Star Game(5:20)

09-04
40:06

Woah, San Diego: Padres steal show at weird, busy deadline

Topics in this edition include: - Breaking down the majors deals leading up to Monday's trade deadline, including the Padres' blockbuster for Mike Clevinger (1:06), the D-Backs' curious offloading of Starling Marte (8:57), and the Blue Jays' glut of low-cost, high-upside additions (14:46) - Yankees curiously decide to stand pat (23:04) - Should the Rangers have traded Lance Lynn (27:56) - Is Tommy Milone a difference-maker for the Braves (30:15)

09-01
33:07

Sussing out the weirdest trade deadline ever

Topics in this edition include: - Why this year's trade deadline will be unlike any other in MLB history(4:28) - Predicting the fates of several potential trade chips, including Trevor Bauer (6:38), J.T. Realmuto (11:40), Mike Clevinger (15:39), and Andrelton Simmons (26:26) - Is the psychological effect of being baseball's villains affecting the Astros? (37:26) - Which Blue Jays legacy finishes with the most career WAR: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, or Cavan Biggio? (41:24)

08-26
45:14

Tatis Jr. reignites unwritten rules "debate" / Are the Angels cursed?

Topics in this edition include: - Should baseball start limiting defensive shifts? (1:16) - Did Fernando Tatis Jr. breach the unwritten rules? (10:28) - Are the floundering Angels actually cursed? (25:06) - What kind of contract does DJ LeMahieu get this offseason? (35:28) - Does Clayton Kershaw have another Cy Young in him? (38:32)

08-21
43:33

Will Blackmon hit .400? / Astros brawl again

Topics in this edition include: - Will Charlie Blackmon finish the 2020 campaign with a .400 batting average? (1:13) - Parsing the two distinct brawls (and the ensuing punishments) that the Houston Astros have been involved in so far. - Who finishes with a better record: Miami or Boston? Milwaukee or Detroit? Colorado or Houston? (23:17) - Can the St. Louis Cardinals still play 60 games this season?(36:19)

08-14
40:45

Say it ain't Sho / Which notable starts are for real?

Topics in this edition include: - Will Major League Baseball's second COVID-19 outbreak impact the season at all? (4:15) - Are Shohei Ohtani's days as a two-way player over? (15:24) - Determining which notable starts - from the likes of Cody Bellinger, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Mike Yastrzemski, among others - are for real (24:57)

08-07
46:10

COVID-19 outbreak mars Opening Week / Dodgers lock up Mookie

Topics in this edition include: - Can MLB navigate its first in-season COVID-19 outbreak? (1:07) - Highlighting notable starts from Shohei Ohtani, Yoenis Cespedes, Luis Robert, and Craig Kimbrel, as well as forearm injury that felled Astros ace Justin Verlander (14:22) - Is the new extra-innings rule here to stay? (25:15) - How many World Series titles do the Dodgers win over the next dozen seasons with Mookie Betts (28:07) - Breaking down the expanded 2020 postseason (35:21)

07-28
40:57

Opening Day primer: Predicting the unpredictable 2020 season

Topics in this edition include: - Predicting the division winners for the truncated, unprecedented 2020 season (2:22) - Which teams sneak into the wild-card game? Which teams make it to the Fall Classic? Which team hoists the Commissioner's Trophy come October? (36:37) - Which players take home baseball's major individual awards?(41:55)

07-21
52:24

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