Effectively Wild Episode 2450: Season Preview Series: Mets and Nationals

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Cal Raleigh, Randy Arozarena, and WBC handshake etiquette, whether a mercy-rule-inducing dinger qualifies as a walk-off, whether a winning home team could voluntarily play the bottom of the ninth, MLB’s ban of the Brewers’ challenge-system system, why the MLBPA should defend Jurickson Profar and other players with positive PED tests, and Joe Sewell’s indestructible bat, then preview the 2026 New York Mets (56:35) with The Athletic’s Tim Britton, and the 2026 Washington Nationals (1:40:27) with The Athletic’s Spencer Nusbaum, plus several postscript updates (2:27:10). 2026 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Ian Philllips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to espresso shots Link to WBC standings Link to Skubal update Link to handshake beef summary Link to handshake beef precedent Link to video of failed handshake Link to Arozarena’s comments Link to translation Link to De Rosa response Link to Raleigh response Link to Soto homer Link to “walk-off” etymology Link to baseball dictionary definition Link to Albies homer (and call) Link to A Game of Inches excerpt Link to MLB rulebook Link to 2023 ump-less half-inning Link to Brewers signs article Link to Brewers signs update Link to Ghiroli column Link to listener emails database Link to Pages from Baseball’s Past Link to Sewell article Link to EW wiki on bat boning Link to MLBTR on Luzardo Link to MLBTR on Wentz Link to MLBTR on Greene Link to team payrolls page Link to Mets offseason tracker Link to Mets depth chart Link to Lambert eggs article Link to Tim on the Mets’ collapse Link to Soto/Lindor discord update Link to Ben on Mets turnover Link to Alvarez resurgence article Link to Tim’s author archive Link to Nationals offseason tracker Link to Nationals depth chart Link to WaPo discussion on HUAL Link to The Athletic’s WaPo hirings Link to Rizzo mantra Link to Littell on EW Link to Spencer’s WaPo author archive Link to Spencer’s The Athletic archive Link to Italy/USA game story Link to tiebreak scenarios Link to Ben on Ellen’s podcast Link to Ella Black series Link to Ball’s post about mornings Link to Schaeffer clip Link to R.J.’s farewell thread Link to R.J.’s last EW appearance Link to Crizer’s breakout terminology Link to Tarkin quote  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: [email protected]  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source