J.T. Realmuto returns to Starkville this week, joining Jayson Stark and Doug Glanville to talk about everything from his last appearance on the show (which happened on a golf course) to catching Cristopher Sánchez, facing Jacob Misiorowski, and the unforgettable time Freddie Freeman kicked dirt on him.Plus, Jayson and Doug weigh in on Manny Machado's criticism of analytics and what it says about the modern game, and Jo Adell makes another appearance in Strange But True — though this chapter of the story isn't nearly as triumphant as the last one.Rundown:2:50 Manny Machado Dislikes Analytics13:55 J.T. Realmuto Joins the Show14:48 Golfing with Kyle Schwarber16:58 From Thomson to Mattingly21:30 Catching Cristopher Sánchez25:11 Sánchez vs. Misiorowski29:12 Adjusting to ABS32:38 Being a Catcher in 202637:41 2026 Team Expectations41:21 Realmuto & Freeman’s Dust-Up43:10 Strange But True: Jo AdellFollow Jayson on Bluesky: @jaysonst.bsky.socialFollow Doug on Bluesky: @dougglanville.bsky.socialE-mail: starkville@theathletic.comStarkville Hotline: (347) 313-8371Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Jayson Stark & Doug GlanvilleWith: J.T. RealmutoProducer: Jason Potere Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
