Five Inches and Fastball Freddy

What's wrong with Shohei Ohtani's swing? The Los Angeles Dodgers are fighting for a trip to the World Series, but their biggest star is struggling at the plate. Will Carroll digs into the Statcast data revealing that Ohtani is making contact five inches deeper than usual, despite maintaining elite bat speed. Why is he late? Could injuries, altered mechanics, or a timing problem explain his postseason struggles? And what does it mean for the Dodgers' World Series hopes? Meanwhile, Freddy Peralta has emerged as the Tampa Bay Rays' new ace, and Edward Egros wants to know why. What changed in Peralta's pitching arsenal, mechanics, and approach? Did the Rays wave their magic wand and transform another pitcher, or does the data reveal something more interesting? Edward breaks down the numbers behind Peralta's evolution and what it means for Tampa Bay's postseason run. Special guest Ryan Vaughn, founder of 9Strap, joins Injury Territory to discuss his journey to Shark Tank, the inspiration behind his innovative baseball safety product, and the challenges of bringing a new piece of protective equipment to market. Vaughn shares the story behind 9Strap, how his invention aims to improve player safety, and what he's learned about entrepreneurship, innovation, and the business of protecting athletes. It's a fascinating conversation about the intersection of baseball, sports medicine, and technology. (www.9strap.com) Will and Edward also tackle the latest MLB managerial openings, the search for the Athletics' next general manager in Las Vegas, and the front-office decisions that could reshape baseball heading into 2027. With the 2026 American League and National League Championship Series underway, Injury Territory goes beyond the box scores to explain the injuries, analytics, innovations, and decisions shaping October baseball. Injury Territory, hosted by injury expert Will Carroll and sports analyst Edward Egros, combines sports medicine, advanced analytics, and insider baseball knowledge to explain what's really happening behind the headlines. Subscribe for MLB injury news, Statcast analysis, NFL injury updates, sports technology interviews, and the stories that matter beyond the scoreboard. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount 18+ only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Please carefully consider if it is appropriate for you in light of your personal financial circumstances. Kalshi products are not available in all jurisdictions. See kalshi.com/regulatory for more information.