The Lead

Last week, when Yermin Mercedes of the White Sox homered on a 3-0 pitch in a blowout win over the Twins, it put the team — and manager Tony La Russa — at the center of the latest heated debate over baseball’s unwritten rules. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s James Fegan to look at all the fallout from last week’s incident, and whether it’s only a matter of time until there’s more conflict in the Chicago clubhouse. Read James Fegan’s story about the White Sox and baseball’s unwritten rules: https://theathletic.com/2597980/2021/05/18/tony-la-russas-enforcement-of-unwritten-rules-put-him-at-odds-with-his-own-yermin-mercedes/?source=theleadpodcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Over the second half of the NBA season, not many teams have been as hot as the Atlanta Hawks, who posted a 27-11 record under interim coach Nate McMillan after going 14-20 (with a ton of late-game collapses) under previous head coach Lloyd Pierce. Today, The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner on all the ups and downs of the Hawks season, and just how dangerous Trae Young, Bogdan Bogdanovic and John Collins could be as they take on the Knicks in the playoffs. Read Chris Kirschner’s story about the Hawks’ long road to the playoffs: https://theathletic.com/2584324/2021/05/13/the-long-winding-journey-of-rebuilding-hawks-to-playoff-berth-were-here-now/?source=theleadpodcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When the San Francisco 49ers selected North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance with the third overall pick at the 2021 NFL Draft, it made headlines across the country. But nowhere did it generate more excitement than in his hometown of Marshall, Minnesota. The Athletic’s Dan Hayes recently traveled from the Twin Cities to the rural town that gave birth to one of college football's biggest stars, and Dan joins us today to talk about the town, why Trey Lance was so overlooked there, and how folks in Marshall rang in draft night.Read Dan Hayes' full story about Trey Lance and 'Trey Day': https://theathletic.com/2579305/2021/05/14/buzzer-beaters-and-trey-day-how-49ers-qb-trey-lance-was-groomed-and-celebrated-by-his-minnesota-hometown/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Major League Baseball's current home run leader is also... one of its best starting pitchers? It might seem too strange to be believed, but Shohei Ohtani is changing everything we thought we knew about what's possible in professional baseball. Today, we're joined by The Athletic's Jayson Stark who tells us about some of the Angels superstar's most impressive achievements and whether or not he can sustain his two-way play for an entire 162 game season.Read all of Jayson Stark's Major League Baseball coverage here: https://theathletic.com/author/jayson-stark/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers got LeBron James back on the court over the weekend, but they’re in a position that very people would have expected heading into this season, having to scrap their way into the playoffs — and into a play-in tournament matchup against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Today, The Athletic’s Bill Oram on all the adversity that LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers have faced this season, and why they’re still confident heading toward the playoffs.Follow Bill Oram’s coverage of the Lakers: https://theathletic.com/author/bill-oram/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The NHL Playoffs began this weekend, and the first few games have not disappointed. The Athletic's James Mirtle joins us today to break down the biggest and most fascinating storylines to follow in this year's playoffs. Can Connor McDavid's individual brilliance lift the Edmonton Oilers above mediocrity? Can the offensively talented Pittsburgh Penguins give "Sid the Kid" a fourth shot at the Cup? Will the Toronto Maple Leafs break their epic playoff drought at the expense of their oldest rival? And can anyone stop the Colorado Avalanche? Plus, we hear what NHL goalies say makes Leafs star Auston Matthews so difficult to stop.More from James Mirtle: https://theathletic.com/author/james-mirtle/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Early on this season, Anthony Edwards looked like a 19-year-old rookie trying to figure things out in the NBA. But lately, the number one pick in the 2020 NBA Draft has flipped the switch. Today, The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski on how Edwards managed to level up his game and make a run at Rookie of the Year, and what the team’s core of Edwards, D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns is trying to prove during the final days of the regular season. Read Jon Krawczynski’s story about Anthony Edwards’s run at Rookie of the Year: https://theathletic.com/2570240/2021/05/06/anthony-edwards-is-making-one-final-push-for-the-rookie-of-the-year-award/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So far, 2021 has been the year of the pitcher -- and none have been better than Mets ace Jacob DeGrom. But what has made DeGrom's performance this year so remarkable is that, among other things, he’s throwing harder as he gets older. Tim Britton, who covers the Mets for The Athletic, recently spoke with people who know DeGrom and have worked with him over the years, to try and figure out how DeGrom is adding velocity as he moves into his mid-thirties, if it's an anomaly or part of a trend, and what all of this could mean for the future of baseball.More from Tim Britton:https://theathletic.com/author/tim-britton/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Will the Seattle Storm (and their big three of Breanna Stewart, Sue Bird, and Jewell Loyd) repeat their dominance from last season? What will young superstar Sabrina Ionescu look like this season after missing almost all of last year with an injury? And who will bring home MVP, Rookie of the Year, and Championship honors in 2021? The Athletic's Chantel Jennings joins us to answer all of these questions and more.More from Chantel Jennings:https://theathletic.com/author/chantel-jennings/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Carolina Panthers turned some heads in the 2021 NFL Draft by selecting cornerback Jaycee Horn eighth overall, when Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields was among the players still available. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Joe Person to look at why the Panthers made Horn their choice, and how he was groomed for success by his dad — former New Orleans Saints Pro Bowl wide receiver Joe Horn — through a combination of grit, competitiveness, Red Bull and an unconventional approach to youth sports.Read Joe Person’s full story about Jaycee and Joe Horn: https://theathletic.com/2569369/2021/05/06/red-bull-games-in-the-hood-and-a-fathers-touch-how-jaycee-horn-became-panthers-top-dog/?source=theleadpodcaastListen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/theleadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.