‘Nightcaps’ is a daily column that catches you up on the biggest sports, news and culture stories you may have missed while pretending to do work at your desk. It runs Monday–Friday on OutKick.com.
Happy MLB Trade Deadline day to all who celebrate!
Sure, I know that’s a niche topic, but man — there is nothing better than a trade deadline day in sports. Any sport, really. Take your pick.
The NFL trade deadline in October used to be a waste of time, but not anymore. The baseball deadline has always been electric, and this year is no different.
In fact, people are on edge from coast to coast right now because of the Tarik Skubal trade over the weekend. Did you hear about that?
SENDING ACE PITCHER TARIK SKUBAL TO THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS WOULD OFFICIALLY RUIN BASEBALL
Of course you did! Fans are FUMING right now. Folks are ready to lock it down. They want a salary cap. They want the Dodgers relegated forever. Even LA fans are walking on eggshells.
Speaking of … welcome to a Monday Nightcaps — the one where Maggie Sajak bleeds Dodger blue in secrecy as baseball barrels towards a lost season. We’ll get into it.
What else? I’ve got a Mexican League player sucker punching a third baseman during a rundown (seriously), ESPN Radio bringing back Mike Golic out of nowhere, and how about the insane gushing by the World Wide (Woke) Leader over the Minnesota coach yesterday?
My God. These people are just nuts. It’s amazing.
OK, grab you a chocolate chip cookie for National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, and settle in for a Monday ‘Cap!
Pat Sajak’s daughter Maggie Sajak recently stepped in for Vanna White on “Wheel of Fortune.” (Christopher Willard)
Where do we stand on the Dodgers after this weekend?
My wife made some sort of healthy, chickpea/almond flour/protein powder chocolate chip cookies today for the kids, and they were good. Fair is fair, and they got the job done. MAHA Mom!
That being said, the healthy stuff doesn’t hold a candle to the old school ingredients. Not even close.
Mount Rushmore of Cookies? Sure, why not? It’s the first Monday of August, after all.
1. Heath Bar (the ones from Publix deserve to be in the Hall of Fame)
2. Sugar (needs to be soft and a little doughy, though)
3. Peanut Butter (see above)
4. Oatmeal Raisin (probably won’t be popular but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong)
There you have it. You are welcome! Another great Ted Talk in the books to start August.
Now, let’s get this class started by checking in with Maggie Sajak and the LA Dodgers, who are officially the most villainous team in sports since … the ’90s Yankees?
Can’t say I’ve ever seen this before on the diamond
Does Maggie speak for all Dodgers fans today? Are you embarrassed by your team?
Look, I’m not Dodger fan. I’m actually a Red Sox fan, which has been just incredible over the past six weeks. 28-5 since June 26! Just amazing.
Anyway, I don’t blame the Dodgers. Some folks are furious with them today. Everyone is convinced they’re ruining baseball and pushing us towards a lockout this winter.
That may be the case, but the Skubal trade has nothing to do with it. Literally any team in baseball could A) afford to have taken on Skubal’s $9 million salary for the rest of this year, and B) put together a package to match what the Dodgers gave up …
… mainly because it was a pretty crappy package.
Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers celebrates as he leaves the field in the fifth inning during Game 2 of the Division Series presented by Booking.com between the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Monday, October 7, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/MLB Photos via Getty Images) (Lauren Leigh Bacho/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
So, why were the Dodgers the only team to step up to the plate? Or, better yet, why did the Tigers jump at that trade? I have no clue, but I do have a conspiracy theory.
The rabbit hole in me thinks the rest of the owners allowed the Dodgers to make this trade because they want the public on their side during these upcoming negotiations. They were thinking long term.
These lockouts are always about perception. It dictates everything, and it’s usually on the players’ side.
This looming lockout — and there will 100% be a lockout — could be the first time in history where the fans side with the owners.
Regardless, don’t blame the Dodgers for picking up the phone and making the call. They gave up peanuts for a two-time Cy Young award winner. Every other team could’ve done it, and they chose not to.
At least the LA faithful packed the stadium yesterday to show their appreciation!
Lordy. Look at that stadium! It was half-empty for a Sunday afternoon game against the Red Sox! Boots on the ground tell me that a bunch of fans didn’t show up because it was “hot” and “sunny.”
Give me a break. Hilarious.
OK, let’s leave LA and head across the border, where Mexican League outfielder Danry Vasquez punched his way out of a pickle this weekend:
ESPN is all over the place right now & RIP Thurm!
Whoaaaaaaaaaaa Nellie! I’ve been in baseball for a long time now — as a player and now a Big J writer — and I can confidently say that I’ve never seen someone do that. What a brawl.
And how about the shot Vasquez took after landing the initial punch? Just gets pummeled from behind. Absolute beatdown.
Now, peeling back the curtain a bit here, I’d normally go into a long diatribe breaking this fight down — punch by punch. I’d have some fun with it.
Danry Vasquez of Venezuela celebrates after hitting a home run during the game between Venezuela and Puerto Rico as part of the Serie del Caribe 2025 at Estadio El Nido de los Aguila on Feb. 3, 2025, in Mexicali, Mexico. (Getty Images)
BUT, some digging showed me that this Danry Vasquez is an absolute scumbag and has done some really disgusting things in the past. Yes, there is video. Yes, it involved his girlfriend. No, I will not be showing it here.
You can find it on your own if you’d like, it’s not hard. It’s a tough watch. I’d suggest you just take my word for it.
Seems like this guy shouldn’t ever be allowed near a baseball field again.
OK, let’s rapid-fire this Monday class into a big Monday night of trading! First up? I can’t get over the wokes over at ESPN gushing over the Lynx coach wearing a ‘protect trans kids’ shirt during yesterday’s game:
SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM TAKES VICIOUS ELBOW TO FACE, AND FANS FUME AT WHAT REFS DID NEXT
“I would encourage to go and listen to Cheryl Reeve’s comments.”
Yeah, no … we’re good. Thanks, though, ESPN! And how about the stones on Cheryl giving Sophie Cunningham a lecture before the game?
What did Trump say during his SOTU earlier this year?
“These people are CRAZY.”
They really are. Just insane.
Speaking of ESPN … anyone notice who was back on the FM/AM airwaves this morning?
Mike Golic! Wow. What a throwback. I hadn’t heard Golic on ESPN in a decade. Lordy, do I miss those days.
I can vividly remember waking up every day at the crack of dawn and going to school in the old 1997 jeep wrangler with the top down and listening to a static “Mike & Mike” on AM radio. It was a staple in our car for years. Then we’d get Cowherd on the drive home.
Perhaps this is the latest sign that ESPN is moving back to that era? I hope so, but I’ll believe it when I see it.
Sports broadcasters Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic speak as they are inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Broadcasting Hall of Fame during the NAB Show Radio Luncheon at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino on April 19, 2016, in Las Vegas, Nev. (Getty Images)
After all, we did have an announcer treating Cheryl Reeves wearing a pro-trans shirt like the falling of the Berlin wall just 24 hours ago, so I won’t be holding my breath.
OK, that’s it for today. Good start to the week. Good start to August.
Here’s an old broadcast of the night that Yankees great Thurman Munson died to take us into the week.
Incredible scene.
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RIP!
Are the Dodgers to blame for the Skubal trade? Email me at Zach.Dean@OutKick.com.