The Rundown Lite: PCA for Team USA, MLB Players Could Be Olympians, Caught Stealing Trailer

I’m currently prepping for my second gum graft procedure and will likely have to finish this afterwards, so pardon me if things seem a little disjointed. The Home Run Derby was fine and I was disappointed by Chef Reactions’ choice of the Tigers as his new favorite team, so I’m hoping the All-Star Game itself offers some more compelling action. Just seeing Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes facing off at the start should provide a good deal of entertainment.

Having two Cubs in the starting lineup is a very good thing as well, though batting them in the bottom third of the order strikes me as odd. Not that it really matters one way or the other, though it does greatly decrease the possibility of seeing either Kyle Tucker or Pete Crow-Armstrong collecting more than one plate appearance apiece.

PCA Wants to Play for Team USA

The next World Baseball Classic will take place from March 5-17, 2026, and Team USA is coming together quite nicely. Aaron Judge will captain a squad that includes Paul Skenes, Bobby Witt Jr., and Cal Raleigh, with many more still to be announced. Due to his incredible talent and international appeal, Crow-Armstrong should be among the invitees for the showcase.

“Yeah, no question,” PCA told Chris Rose. “Having done the Team USA thing in youth ball, besides [playing in MLB], the best, most meaningful, amazing baseball experience ever. And I’ve also played on really good Team USAs, so, abso-f—ing-lutely, I would say yes in a heartbeat. Any position, any role, I would just go catch the ball.”

In speaking with the Intentional Talk crew in Atlanta on Monday, the budding superstar talked about his combination of speed and power. Though he still prefers to showcase his legs and glove, showing off the bat is something he worked on this offseason.

“I’m using the ground,” PCA said when asked about his power surge. “Last year, I had that big leg kick in the second half, and it worked for two months. But, ultimately, that’s not the most repeatable move. So I starting hitting tee again this year, and that’s just to hopefully mimic what’s closest to perfect as you can get.”

MLB Exploring Player Participation in 2028 LA Olympics

Both MLB and the players union have met with organizers of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics about the possibility of having MLB players participate in the games. The tournament is scheduled from July 15-20 and Dodger Stadium, which would mean interrupting the season to allow for what figures to be a great deal of absences by top players from several countries.

Of course, that should also be right around the time of the All-Star Game. What about punting on the Midsummer Classic and embracing the international hoopla for a few extra days? They probably can’t do that, but you have to figure the ASG would end up being a whole bunch of fill-ins.

“I think it is an opportunity to market the game on a really global stage,” Manfred told media members on Tuesday. “Obviously the clubs are going to have to endorse this. I mean, this is a big deal.”

Other Odds & Ends

Union chief Tony Clark decried the league’s “institutionalized collusion” when asked about the possibility of a salary cap in the next CBA. If any books are taking bets on whether there will be a strike and/or lockout, put everything you have on yes.

Former Cub David Robertson remains a free agent and is drawing interest from several clubs as he preps for a throwing showcase in the near future. The 40-year-old reliever went unsigned this past offseason and could be an attractive alternative to the trade market.

In case you want more PCA, GQ did a great profile on him.

This part was started after I returned from the periodontist and I’m starting to feel a little uncomfortable, so I’m declining to add more.

Trailer Time

In the interest of just knocking this out, I’m going to jump right into today’s trailer. Caught Stealing is the latest movie from director Darren Aronofsky and starring Austin Butler as a former baseball player who finds himself embroiled in New York’s criminal underworld when he does a favor for his neighbor.