Amazon Has Ego’s Fully-Electric Lawn Mower on Sale for a Rare 40% Off

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In This Story

Why It’s a Big Deal

Electric lawn mowers are becoming a popular choice among homeowners for their minimal upkeep and ease of use. Greenworks is one of the leading brands in the space, but those with serious yards to tackle need to look at Ego Power+. Ego’s lawn and garden tools are known for their foolproof reliability, and although they’re pricey, Amazon recently cut the price of the brand’s massive mower that comes with multiple batteries and a charger.

The Ego Power+ 21-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Set is now just $650, a 40% discount from the full price of $1,080, and, according to Amazon, the lowest price in the last 90 days. This No. 1 bestselling kit includes a 21-inch cutting mower deck and two batteries (which will generally run you a couple of hundred bucks each). Shoppers can’t help but rave about its performance, giving it nearly 500 5-star ratings because it tackles tall grass like “a beast.”

Ego Power+ 21-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Set, $650 (was $1,080) on Amazon

The Ego Power+ 21-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Set.

Courtesy of Amazon

What to Know Before Buying

  • Power: Electric (battery)
  • Operation: Self-propelled
  • Run Time: Appx. 1 hour
  • Width: 21 inches
  • Adjustable: Yes, from 1 to 4 inches
  • Included: Lawn mower (1), 56V 7.5Ah ARC Lithium Ion battery (1), 56V 5Ah ARC Lithium Ion battery (1), charger (1)
  • Best For: Small to medium lawns

A self-propelled electric lawn mower alone at this price would be a phenomenal deal, but add the fact that it comes with two batteries and a charger, and you have one heck of a bargain.

The mower deck can be adjusted to eight cutting heights from 1 to 4 inches, and can cut in three modes—mulch, bag, and side discharge. It features a touch drive mode, which barely requires energy to hang on and operate, while you simply walk behind and supervise. The larger 7.5Ah battery also gives you up to 60 minutes of runtime on a single charge, too.

We’d recommend a lawn mower like this for small to medium-sized lawns, simply because it runs on battery power, and the runtime is limited to recharging times. With that said, these batteries are said to recharge fast—about 30 minutes or so—and one full battery should get you about a third of an acre mowed in one go.

Related: I Worked in Landscaping—This $73 Cordless String Trimmer Is a Must-Have for Anyone With a Yard

What Users Are Saying

“I have St. Augustine grass, and if it grows too high, it can be quite the chore to push a mower through it, but this machine pushes through with ease!” exclaimed one shopper. “It is quiet too—there’s no loud engine noise to upset the neighbors.”

Another user who lives on a sloped lot pointed out the good battery performance. “This thing rips,” they began. “I started with the smaller capacity battery to see how long it would last. It made it all the way through the front yard, and about half of the back. Pretty impressive considering how not flat my yard is…plenty of power to mow thick overgrown areas.”

This limited-time deal won’t last long—make sure to grab your Ego Power+ 21-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Set before this deal, or inventory, disappears.

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Author: Jeff Turbett

Retire? New AC Milan Deal? Luka Modrić’s Big Decision As World Cup Looms

Luka Modrić is facing a major decision about his future after suffering a facial injury while playing for AC Milan. The 40-year-old Croatian must now choose between extending his stay at San Siro or bringing his remarkable career to an end. Injury setback leaves Modric considering next step Modric has been ruled out for the remainder of the Serie A season after suffering a fractured cheekbone in a collision with Manuel Locatelli during AC Milan’s 0–0 draw with Juventus. The Croatian midfielder requires surgery and will miss Milan’s final four domestic matches. Despite the setback, the injury has not diminished the 40-year-old’s desire to continue playing. La Gazzetta dello Sport indicate that the former Real Madrid star is leaning towards activating a one-year extension clause in his Milan contract. Modric has played a key role in the Rossoneri midfield this season, logging more minutes than in any of his final five campaigns in Madrid. The veteran remains determined to end his career on his own terms. Modric’s motivation to keep playing The report also claimed that Modric’s primary motivation is the opportunity to finish his career competing at the highest level of European football. Remaining at San Siro would allow him to chase one final run in the Champions League. The midfielder has reportedly developed a strong tactical understanding with Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri, who has relied heavily on the Croatian to control the tempo of the team’s play. Milan’s hierarchy are also believed to be prepared to extend Modric’s stay only with the player’s approval, reflecting the mutual respect built since his arrival at the club. Champions League ambition shaping decision A potential return to the Champions League appears to be a major factor in Modric’s thinking. With Milan pushing for a top-four finish, the chance to lead the club back into Europe’s elite competition remains an attractive prospect. Beyond his on-pitch contributions, Modric has become an influential figure in the dressing room. Younger players view the former Ballon d’Or winner as both a mentor and a model professional, adding further value to his presence within the squad. Interest from former club Dinamo Zagreb has surfaced, but Modric is reportedly focused on finishing his career at the highest competitive level. World Cup focus before final decision Before making a final decision on his club future, Modric is expected to prioritise regaining fitness ahead of the 2026 World Cup with Croatia national football team, which could mark his final international tournament. The choice appears increasingly clear: extend his stay with Milan for one final season or retire from professional football. Should he opt to walk away, he could be announcing his retirement in front of the San Siro crowd.

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Ryl Tea Debuts Three Jolly Rancher-Flavored Teas

Get ready to taste the candy of your childhood in a can. This week, Ryl Tea unleashed three new flavors inspired by the popular hard candy brand Jolly Rancher.

Consumers can purchase Cherry, Green Apple, and Blue Raspberry flavors to quench their thirst (and ignite their sweet tooth). Best of all, these teas are plant-based and gluten-free, with zero sugar, zero sodium, and zero calories. Each can contains 20mg of caffeine, along with 18mg of vitamin C and 200mg of antioxidants.

On The Ryl Company site, the brand describes the Jolly Rancher Blue Raspberry flavor as “bursting with berry-bold sweetness, this craveable blend delivers huge fruit flavor— and zero sugar. Brewed with Ryl’s Antioxidant Superblend and Vitamin C for a smooth, unmistakably Jolly Rancher taste you can feel good about.” The Jolly Rancher Green Apple flavor also bursts “with crisp green apple goodness.” Each 12-pack is $29.99 and consists of 16 oz. cans.

Unfortunately, the Jolly Rancher Cherry flavor is only available at Target, where it exclusively launched. It will have a wider release at major retailers later this summer. You can buy Blue Raspberry and Green Apple on the Ryl site and retailers like Walmart, Target, Amazon, and even the TikTok shop.

The Ryl Company founder and CEO, Blodin Ukella, had this to say regarding the partnership with Hershey for this launch:

“Jolly Rancher is one of the most recognizable and beloved candy brands, and we’re thrilled to partner with Hershey to reimagine these legendary flavors for modern refreshment. We built Ryl to deliver bold flavor with zero sugar and clean-label ingredients you can feel good about, and this partnership brings that to life in something that feels both nostalgic and completely new for today’s consumer.”

Ryl Tea has also introduced another nostalgic flavor: Rocket Pop Iced Tea, which is inspired by the classic Bomb Pop popsicle.

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Author: Melody McCune

The Swiftie Stake? How Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Rumors Are Impacting Kentucky Derby Odds

The Kentucky Derby odds board has shifted in a big way, and a surprising off-track rumor may be part of the reason why. Whispers currently echoing through the Churchill Downs backside and social media speculation suggest that power couple Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift have taken a 10% ownership stake in Derby contender ‘The Puma.’ While this rumor remains unconfirmed by official ownership groups, racing connections or verified insiders, the betting public isn’t waiting for a press release. The speculation gained significant traction when the horse’s co-owner, Michael Iavarone, took to Instagram with a cryptic story post that set the racing world on fire. Sharing a photo of the colt, Iavarone addressed the rumors directly (sort of): “OK people. Everyone asking me if Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are partners on The Puma… all I can say is I signed an NDA, so I can’t confirm or deny.” The “Swiftie Effect” has already fundamentally altered the odds board of the 152nd Run for the Roses. The Puma opened at +1000 on the morning line earlier this week, ranking fifth on the odds board. Following the social media firestorm, the horse surged to a +350 favorite on Wednesday before settling into its current position around +600. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. What This Means for Bettors For seasoned bettors, this celebrity-driven surge is a red flag. FOX Sports wagering expert Chris “The Bear” Fallica notes that the rumor has effectively stripped the value away from a once-attractive longshot. “The rumored purchase of an interest in the horse by Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift means the price here is going to be seriously slashed,” Fallica said. “And that isn’t the type of play I’m looking to make on Derby Day in a 20-horse field.” This type of movement creates a rare opportunity for bettors looking to find real value. ‘The Puma’s’ odds jump appears to be driven more by buzz surrounding the Taylor Swift–Travis Kelce connection than by being the clear best horse in the field. When public attention floods in like this, odds can become inflated in the wrong direction. Other contenders with stronger on-track profiles are now offering more attractive numbers than they should. This has created a major edge. Horses that may actually have a better chance to win are now sitting at longer odds simply because the spotlight has shifted elsewhere. For bettors willing to look past the hype, this creates a chance to back higher-quality contenders at a better price. The Kentucky Derby is one of the few events each year when public-driven betting can noticeably distort the market. With casual money pouring in, narratives can sometimes carry more weight than performance. In this case, it opens the door for sharper bettors to take advantage of mispriced odds and target true value elsewhere on the board. Whether this ends up being a definitive storyline or factor on Derby Day remains to be seen, but it is certainly something to watch in the final hours before post time as the odds continue to take shape.

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2026 Kentucky Derby Odds, Predictions: Favorites, Picks

The 152nd running of the “Run for the Roses” takes place this Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown and is famously known as the “most exciting two minutes in sports,” as well as the oldest continuously held sporting event in the United States. After the draw set the official post positions, here are the updated live odds for the 2026 Kentucky Derby as of May 1. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Kentucky Derby live odds: Renegade: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total) So Happy: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total) Further Ado: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)Commandment: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total) The Puma: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total) Chief Wallabee: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total) Emerging Market: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total) Danon Bourbon: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)Wonder Dean: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total) Potente: +2300 (bet $10 to win $240 total) Right to Party: +2600 (bet $10 to win $270 total)Incredibolt: +2700 (bet $10 to win $280 total) Great White: +2900 (bet $10 to win $300 total) Litmus Test: +3400 (bet $10 to win $350 total)Golden Tempo: +3600 (bet $10 to win $370 total) Six Speed: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)Albus: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)Ocelli:+5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)Pavlovian: +5200 (bet $10 to win $530 total)Intrepido: +5550 (bet $10 to win $560 total) For bettors eyeing the favorite, Renegade is the horse currently at the top of the board. Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Renegade boasts one of the strongest trainer-jockey pairings in the field, along with prominent co-owner Mike Repole. Pletcher, one of the most accomplished trainers in American horse racing history with more than 5,500 career wins, has won the Kentucky Derby twice. Ortiz, meanwhile, remains in search of his first Derby victory despite being widely regarded as one of the sport’s top jockeys. It’s worth noting that no favorite has won the Kentucky Derby since 2018. Renegade will also break from the No. 1 post position, a spot that has historically been challenging. The last horse to win from the rail was Ferdinand in 1986. Second on the oddsboard is Further Ado at +700. Further Ado is coming off a major win in the Grade 1 Kentucky Blue Grass Stakes. He is trained by Brad Cox and ridden by legendary jockey John Velazquez. Cox, one of the sport’s top trainers, has one official Kentucky Derby win, though his lone victory came via disqualification and not by crossing the line first. Velazquez, meanwhile, is a three-time Derby winner. Further Ado should get an ideal trip from post 18, likely sitting just behind the early leaders, conserving energy before making his big move at the top of the stretch. It is important to note that Irad Oritz Jr., who previously rode Further Ado in his previous four races, has chosen to ride Renegade over him. A few longer shots that might be worth considering are Chief Wallabee (+900) and Potente (+2300). Chief Wallabee shares the same trainer-jockey pairing as last year’s Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty, with Bill Mott and Junior Alvarado. They’ll look to become the first trainer-jockey duo to win back-to-back Derbies since Ron Turcotte and Lucien Laurin, who accomplished the feat with Riva Ridge in 1972 and Secretariat in 1973. Despite barely losing his last two races, Chief Wallabee has posted some of the fastest speed figures in the entire field in those races. Lastly, Potente offers strong value, as Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert looks to make history with a potential seventh Kentucky Derby win in 2026. Originally purchased for $2.4 million, Potente has early speed and should be forwardly placed in this race. He finished second in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and has reportedly impressed in his first trip to Churchill Downs, “setting the track ablaze” with a sharp morning workout that suggests he’s rounding into great form before the biggest race of his life. As history has shown, it’s never wise to doubt Baffert.

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How Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick in the Wall’ Was Banned in South Africa 46 Years Ago

Protest songs have always been a major part of music, rock and roll in particular. Over the years, certain rock songs have become rallying cries for various groups of oppressed or downtrodden people around the world.

In November 1979, Pink Floyd released The Wall, its 11th studio album. The record produced the English band’s biggest worldwide hit, “Another Brick in the Wall (Part II),”which went No. 1 in eight different countries.

The song spoke out against cruel teachers and abusive schooling methods. Not everyone appreciated the track’s message, however.

On May 1, 1980, the South African government officially banned “Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)” amid ongoing protests against the country’s apartheid state.

Setting the scene

South Africa’s apartheid government had created a profoundly segregated educational system. By 1980, groups of protesters began mobilizing against the unjust learning conditions.

As nationwide demonstrations began, activists were spurred on by the message of “Another Brick in the Wall.”

We don’t need no education
We don’t need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teacher, leave them kids alone

Hey, teacher, leave them kids alone
All in all, it’s just another brick in the wall
All in all, you’re just another brick in the wall

“Boycotts at black schools started at Cape Town’s Hanover Park in February 1980, just as Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” entered the South African charts,” wrote Ultimate Classic Rock. “A month later, the song reached No. 1 there, and by then protests had spread across the nation – with Waters’ lyric as a rallying cry. South Africa’s Directorate of Publications held sweeping power in that era to ban books, movies, plays, posters, articles of clothing and, yes, music, that it deemed “politically or morally undesirable.” “Another Brick in the Wall” quickly came into its cross-hairs.”

The ban goes into place

Forty-six years ago today, the South African Directorate of Publications banned “Another Brick in the Wall,” and eventually the entire The Wall album, along with other pieces of media leaders found to be unsavory.

Roger Waters, Pink Floyd’s bassist and vocalist who wrote the song, eventually called the government’s move “a cultural blockade, so to speak.”

What happened afterwards?

The Directorate of Publications’ decision led to Waters being one of the artists to publicly refuse to play the Sun City luxury resort in South Africa until apartheid was ended.

Eventually, following the fall of apartheid in 1991, the ban on “Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)” was lifted. The song has continued to be an anthem for causes around the globe, with Waters performing it in Berlin in 1990 and the West Bank in 2006.

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Author: Matt Hladik

2025-26 NBA Playoff Odds: Back Rockets to Force 7, Philly-Boston Slugfest

Round 1 of the NBA playoffs will wrap up this weekend, as four teams have already advanced to Round 2. The Knicks embarrassed the Hawks in a Game 6 blowout to move on, while the short-handed Timberwolves pulled off a major upset to eliminate the Nuggets. In addition, the Thunder and Spurs made quick work of their respective opponents, as we got one step closer to them meeting in what would be a much anticipated Western Conference finals. With a handful of exciting games on deck this weekend, let’s take a look at a few bets I like. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. No. 4 Los Angeles @ No. 5 HoustonGame 6 The Rockets are looking to make history, and the Lakers are looking to avoid it. No team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit, with only four teams ever even forcing a Game 7. I believe the Rockets will become the fifth team, as their clear advantages in youth and athleticism have finally presented themselves over the last two games. Lakers guard Luke Kennard was a major factor early in the series, helping to lead the Lakers to a 3-0 lead. But since then, Kennard has been hunted defensively and quiet offensively, as the Rockets have fought back into this series. With home-court advantage in Game 6, I like the revitalized Rockets to give themselves a chance to make history and force Game 7. PICK: Rockets (-3.5) to win by more than 3.5 points No. 7 Philadelphia @ No. 2 BostonGame 7 The Celtics were -900 series favorites prior to Game 1. But after taking a commanding 3-1 series lead, the Celtics lost Game 5 as 11-point favorites, then lost Game 6 as 7-point favorites. The Celtics now return home and must win a Game 7 to avoid a stunning upset. While it’s hard to see Boston losing a third consecutive game as a big favorite, it’s equally hard to trust it right now, especially laying points. I like under 206.5 here, as Game 7 historically trends to being lower scoring. There are nerves on each side, and defensively, teams usually bring maximum intensity in a winner-take-all game. That’s a good recipe for a game that stays Under the total. PICK: Under 206.5 combined points scored

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‘The Future of Baseball’: Will Marlins’ Pitch-calling System Become the Norm?

A month into the season, the Miami Marlins’ polarizing pitch-calling system has received both commendation and criticism. But it has gone mostly to plan. From the dugout, assistant pitching coach Rob Marcello uses his fingers to relay his desired pitch type and location to the catcher, who checks his wristband for the corresponding number before transmitting the selection to the pitcher via PitchCom. The premise is simple: Pitching coaches do most of the preparation leading into a series and have more information at their disposal than the players on the field — literally on a card in their hands in the dugout. So, why shouldn’t they be the ones suggesting the pitches, too? “I don’t think you’re ever going to solve pitch calling — that’s not what this is about,” Marlins pitching coach Daniel Moskos told me. “We just decided there was a way we felt like we could make it better.” It’s an innovative idea that bucks tradition, and one that most veteran catchers accustomed to calling games are sure to despise, but it’s hard to argue with the results so far. A year ago, the youthful Marlins ranked 25th in ERA and 20th in opponents’ batting average; they currently rank ninth and fourth, respectively, in those categories. Their pitchers have also gone from the seventh-lowest whiff rate in MLB last year to the eighth highest early in 2026. It’s hard to know with any certainty how much credit their new system deserves, but it’s not changing anytime soon. “I’m committed to us running this play out,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough told me. “We’ll never know if we had … continued the other way how much different it would have been, but I do have a belief that doing this is going to yield the results that we want — giving up the fewest amount of runs that we can.” The Marlins tested their dugout pitch-calling apparatus in the minor leagues last year, when Marcello was calling pitches as the team’s Triple-A pitching coach, before bringing the trailblazing concept to the big leagues for the final nine games of the 2025 season. Alon Leichman, the Marlins’ assistant pitching coach last season, was calling the pitches over those nine games — during which Miami had a 3.11 ERA — and believed enough in the process that he took it to Colorado as the Rockies’ new pitching coach this year. Colorado’s unsightly 5.97 ERA last year, by far the worst mark in MLB, has dropped to 4.19 early this season. Other teams have experimented with the idea in spring training and in the minor leagues. Soon, many Marlins players and coaches believe, more clubs will start to adopt the practice. “It’s the future of baseball,” Moskos said, “until there’s a better way to do it. I envision a future where there’s someone in the dugout with a pitcher transmitter PitchCom relaying it that way, and you’ll see the numbers system go away.” For now, though, this is what the Marlins believe works best. Over the offseason, they informed every free agent they spoke with about their intentions, laying out their reasoning for calling pitches from the dugout. They were willing to live with the result if a player decided it wasn’t for him. “We knew we were going to get a lot of questions about it, and there’s going to be a lot of noise surrounding it,” McCullough said. “And I felt that for us, to try to get a competitive advantage, if it helps us win two more games this year, then it’s worth it. You get two or three more wins over the course of a season by doing some different things, that might be the difference in us continuing to play beyond the regular season or going home.” Last year, an inexperienced Marlins group far outpaced projections by winning 79 games. Miami finished just four games out of a playoff spot. A better first half could have changed the outcome. The Marlins ended April 2025 on a five-game losing streak after getting swept at Dodger Stadium and surrendering 34 runs over their three games in Los Angeles. This season, the Marlins ended April with a series win at Dodger Stadium, during which they held the high-powered Dodgers lineup to eight runs over three games. Was their new pitch-calling system responsible? And how will they judge its success? Those are questions they’re still discussing. Once or twice a series, they’re holding pitch-usage feedback calls with front office staff and analysts to discuss trends and what others might be seeing from a distance that coaches on the field might be missing. “You want to track numbers, metrics, key performance indicators that we value internally as an organization,” Moskos said. “We’re using a usage model, we’re evaluating how much we’re adhering to that usage model, and then grading out how the games go and making adjustments and little tweaks along the way.” For the process to operate efficiently in the pitch-clock era, swiftness is essential. “You do it enough times, Rob knows how much time he has to give me a pitch, and I know how quick I need to be,” said catcher Liam Hicks. “Sometimes I get it with more time on the clock, and I’ll really take my time and check. But as I’ve gotten familiar with the card, it’s pretty easy.” As the pitching coaches discuss strategy and look over reports throughout the game, Moskos is careful not to distract Marcello when it’s time to relay pitch calls. “I know that I have a window after he puts up his fingers,” Moskos explained. “I know that I’ve got 10 seconds to be able to get a conversation in or ask a question. And then if there’s a new batter, I’ve got 30 seconds to potentially talk about what we feel like we want to deploy. But at the end of the day, he’s done a phenomenal job and cares deeply about this. I couldn’t be happier with how it’s gone so far.” On Tuesday night, Marlins starter Janson Junk held the Dodgers scoreless over six innings. Last September, he was on the mound when the Marlins first took the new pitch-calling operation into a big-league game. Miami won that game 6-4, and Junk threw seven innings of one-run ball. “I feel like people overanalyze it a little bit, just because it’s a very up-and-coming thing,” Junk told me. “I know personally a lot of teams either are starting to implement it or want to do it.” For Junk, it doesn’t matter to him whether the catcher or the pitching coach calls the pitch. “The only thing is in-game stuff,” Junk said. “A catcher might be able to see if you missed arm-side, and you can’t really see from the dugout where the miss is.” That’s where communication between innings becomes vital. “But you can see a decent amount of stuff from the sideline — if a guy’s late, if a guy’s early, if it looks like they’re diving out over breaking stuff or sitting on a certain pitch,” Junk said. “At the end of the day, it’s up to the pitcher to execute the game plan that we go in talking about. Overall, I think it’s been a pretty smooth process, and I think the catchers here don’t mind it, either.” Between innings, the pitching coaches often check in with the catcher to receive input and discuss strategy for the upcoming stretch of hitters. Hicks said the process has gotten easier and more efficient over time, and he still believes his opinion is valued, even though he’s no longer the one calling pitches. “I don’t feel like I’m someone sitting back there having no effect on the game,” Hicks told me. “I think there’s a lot that I have during the game to say about the pitcher that they take into account, so that’s really good.” Hicks no longer has to scout opposing hitters the way he did coming up through the minors. While some question whether that might hinder the development of the Marlins’ young catchers — Hicks, 26, and Agustín Ramírez, 24, are both in their second big-league seasons — the team views it as taking something off their plates. For what it’s worth, Hicks now sports a .941 OPS that ranks second among all qualified catchers. “Whether it’s receiving, throwing, blocking, hitting, it’s freed up some bandwidth for them to go use that in other areas to help them become a better player,” McCullough said. “They’re involved in every pregame meeting. They’re involved in the between-innings meetings. They’re very much involved in this.” The Marlins’ coaches have also tried to make the new concept as palatable as possible for Miami pitchers by explaining the benefits. “We can’t read their minds,” Moskos said. “That’s the one layer of complexity that we didn’t really have a solve for when rolling this out. We can’t tap into the pitcher’s mind and what he’s feeling out there. We can’t see through the catcher’s eyes what’s happening as the ball’s coming to home plate or maybe what the hitter’s doing. “We’ll get that in-between innings, but we might not get it in the middle of an at-bat. So we’re trying to figure out a way to glean as much of that as possible, ultimately knowing there’s going to be some things that slip through the cracks.” Junk said the pitching coaches don’t mind if he shakes off a selection, and he feels like he has enough time to do that if he wants, though he rarely does. Other pitchers are more wary. “It’s been done another way for a very long time, so we knew there were still going to be challenges even with the members of our group who were here last year and knew we were going to be rolling this out,” McCullough said. “I think that’s OK. We continue to take those on, and in a lot of ways it’s forced us to communicate more.” So far, the Marlins have three pitch-clock violations, which puts them in the top half of MLB teams. The Angels have the most at six, followed by the Astros and Orioles with five apiece. The only Miami starter who has been penalized is Eury Perez. In early April, Perez hit Yankees star Aaron Judge with a pitch to bring in a run and then immediately got called for a pitch-clock violation as a frustrating inning began to unravel. Perez told me he has since stopped shaking off pitches out of concern for time. “Sometimes, I think you have to obey the signals and whatever they’re giving you,” Perez said through an interpreter. “But sometimes you get upset because they give you a pitch that you might not want to pitch. It’s hard because they’re not in your mind, so it’s difficult sometimes to be on the same page.” The Marlins’ coaches, however, are steadfast about sticking with the concept. They know it’s on them to create the buy-in, and they know it’s not perfect. But the operation has gotten cleaner with time, and they believe it’s the best way to win games. “We’re still working through the kinks,” Moskos said. “We’re a month into the season. No one’s got anything solved, but I do like the trend that we’re on.”

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