E16: MLB Mascots & The 2026 Season So Far

Send us Fan MailJerry’s new Mariner Moose plush turns into a full blown tour through the strangest and most lovable corner of baseball culture: MLB mascots. We dig into why mascots work, why a few teams still refuse to have one, and what separates “cute” from cringy (“why does that thing have a human body”). Along the way, we hit the origins of the word mascot, the design choices that push characters into uncanny territory, and the fan psychology that makes a costumed creature feel like part of the team’s identity.The history gets especially fun when we trace the rise of the San Diego Chicken and how one promotional stunt helped reshape ballpark entertainment and baseball marketing. We also talk official versus unofficial mascots, from early animals used as crowd pleasers to Mr. Met’s claim as the first official MLB costumed mascot. And of course we can’t skip the Philly Phanatic: the lore, the antics, the business side of licensing, and the way mascots can trigger very real reactions from very serious baseball people.Then we interrupt our mascot nerding with a “breaking news” style segment featuring our friend Edwin Nolan. We talk automated ball strike challenges (ABS), what we like about it, what could get weird late in games, and how players, catchers, and umpires are adjusting in real time. We also go around the league with early season surprises, young star contracts, City Connect uniforms, odd baseball headlines, and the kind of fights that remind you the game can still get old school.If you like baseball history, MLB trivia, and smart takes that still laugh at the absurd parts of the sport, hit subscribe, share the episode with a baseball friend, and leave us a quick review so more fans can find the show.Email us at [email protected]