The most expensive player in baseball history, Sho Otani, signed a $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, showcasing the internationalization of the sport. Despite this, baseball is currently facing diversity issues domestically. In the music world, Beyonce and Boyzick Country are breaking barriers with distinctly black country songs, incorporating African roots like banjo, blues, and work songs.
Shohei Ohtani made his Dodger debut this week. His record-setting contract solidifies an international era for Major League Baseball, which hasn’t yet overcome a diversity problem at home.
This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Jesse Alejandro Cottrell, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Rob Byers and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.
Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained
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