It's certainly an interesting time in the Major League Baseball calendar.
With the trade deadline quickly approaching, the vast majority of the noise out there is going to be centered around which hypothetical deal could get done or which team could sell. No matter where you look, pretty much all of the headlines out there — regardless of whichever outlet you're reading — will likely focus on trade rumors, speculation, mock trades, etc.
Once the deadline comes and goes on Aug. 3, the big topics around the league will shift toward the playoff push and the ongoing negotiations between the league and the MLBPA, with the collective bargaining agreement set to expire after the 2026 season comes to a close. Then, baseball is up in the air.
In professional sports media, you tend to see a lot of the same out there. Look around, you'll start to notice it, too. There's a lot of good out there, but the media landscape in general could always improve. Pundits, analysts, talking heads, and fans alike come together to discuss a lot of the same topics, with transactions being the most prominent. You'll find endless articles about similar topics across almost every outlet. But what do the players want to see? Garrett Crochet of the Boston Red Sox answered that very question while speaking to Baseball Now on Thursday.
We asked how Crochet would like a media company such as Baseball Now to operate, and the ace gave a nod to one of the most respected reporters in baseball.
"I feel like, you know who I admire, who's here in Boston, is Rob Bradford," Crochet said. "With 'Baseball Isn't Boring.' I feel like he's got a kind of a new take on it where it's less, I guess, hard-hitting. Which don't get me wrong, you need that too, especially here in Boston. We're in a really big market, and you know guys need to be held accountable for things.
"But with Rob, it's a little bit more lighthearted, I suppose. I feel like that's kind of what helps, especially kids, grow attached to the game. And today, you're getting attached to players more so than teams. So, I guess when you approach it like that, it's a little bit easier to interest the younger fans. It's like Instagram, little minute-long videos. You don't got to be locked in for long. It's perfect."
When it comes to Bradford, especially, Crochet isn't wrong. The "Baseball Isn't Boring" podcast is one of the biggest baseball podcasts out there for a reason. And his brand has taken the league by storm in recent years. While Bradford covers the Red Sox, the podcast has grown to the point where players all across the league join in. For example, Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins spoke with Bradford earlier in the week.
What a difference a year makes for Joe Ryan (and the Twins) @BBisntBoring pic.twitter.com/Iwj6PuHmn0
— Rob Bradford (@bradfo) July 15, 2026
The hard-hitting stuff is important, but let's inject some more fun into the baseball media landscape. We could all take a page from Bradford's book.