ESPN MLB analysts Eduardo Pérez, David Ross and Adam Ottavino, along with Mark Gross, ESPN Senior Vice President, Sports Production, were made available to media on a conference call Thursday morning to discuss ESPN’s upcoming Major League Baseball schedule, key storylines from around the league and the season’s biggest matchups.

As the home of Major League Baseball all summer long, ESPN will air 23 of its 30 regular-season games during the core months of June, July and August across ESPN and ABC. In addition, MLB.TV on the ESPN App provides fans access to more than 2,000 out-of-market regular-season games. View the most up-to-date MLB on ESPN schedule here.

MARK GROSS: Great. Thanks, Ben. Thanks, everybody, for joining us and showing interest in baseball on ESPN, and ABC to a certain degree.

As Ben said, our schedule is a little different. Probably not used to having a baseball conference call on June 11th but because 23 of our 30 games are in these core summer months of June to August, seemed like this is a good window for us.

We are excited about the next three years of baseball. Our schedule certainly is different. We have more baseball on our air, whether it’s linear or digital, than ever before, between the 30 games on ESPN and ABC, and then, certainly, the MLB.TV package product which is on the ESPN app. So it’s a good time with Major League Baseball and ESPN.

I think with the new schedule, with not having every Sunday night, it’s given us an opportunity to take a step back and reimagine what our coverage is like and who is doing games and when are they available. Some of these guys on the call have multiple roles whether it’s Major League Baseball or college baseball. So it’s been fun trying to figure out the various combinations and the various booths and so on and so forth.

Priorities-wise, they remain pretty much the same. The most important thing for us when we are out there doing a game, and we have a game tonight in Baltimore, is documenting the game. So that’s first and foremost. And secondly is covering the sport. We’re not on every Sunday. So we’re surfing in, we’re surfing out a little bit. So we have to make sure fans are watching our games. Simple things. They know what the standings look like and what the various leaders in different categories look like, so on and so forth.

So I think it’s important for us to cover the entire sport when we’re doing a game.

And then third, and then I’ll hand it back over and listen to everybody, but is just be flexible. You know, the landscape of baseball has changed dramatically in the last few years, whether it’s the rule changes, the pace of play, analytics and some other things. So we want to just be as flexible and open to the new way of how baseball operates as possible.

So we’ve got a few games, not a bunch, but we have a bunch coming up and we are excited to get rolling, starting tonight.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Mark.

All right. We’ll go into questions. I see some of you have used the raised hand function. I would ask that you either do that or just send me a message that you have a question. Otherwise, I’ll just get to as many folks as possible.

I know you had the Rays-Red Sox a few weeks ago but for the three analysts here, and I guess a related question, what do you think it will take for the Rays to sustain what they are doing and what moves would you recommend they make at the deadline to do so?

EDUARDO PEREZ: Wow, we’re talking deadline ball now. I’ll take this first.

EDUARDO PEREZ: No need to be shy, right. You look at the Rays and what they did at the beginning, I thought they were playing at the beginning of the season faster than all other teams. Seemed like they were catching teams off guard. Chandler Simpson has really emerged in the lineup especially against right-handed pitching at the top of the order, getting on, creating chaos.

We know the emergence of Junior because we saw at WBC and what we saw last year with the amount of power that he showed during the season.

Yandy with his biceps, always, always a major — continues to lift the baseball year after year putting the ball in play.

The offense with Jonathan from the left side, as well. It’s a top-heavy lineup that I think needs more production from the bottom half of the order from that standpoint. But I think the brilliancy of Kevin being able to manage his staff, putting their starters in positions to succeed. Nick Martinez doing what he has done at the beginning of the season, you’re getting the best out of him. McClanahan as well. These are guys that have to stay healthy in order for this team to win.

And with the deadline, I think you can always use bullpen because Kevin’s strength is being able to manage the bullpen. If you are able to stay in games, this is a team that can beat you, especially in a short series because of the speed that they provide in any ballpark. They can play well at home, just as well as they can play well on the road.

DAVID ROSS: There you go. My first inclination when you asked that question was just deep in the bottom of the lineup. What Eduardo said, they have got good pitching. They are well rounded with power and speed. Just some — maybe a little more power at the bottom of that lineup or somebody that hits for average and plays their type of baseball. Like Eduardo said, up and down the lineup, they have got a good mix.

And like you said, Chandler Simpson is a freaking stud.

You never see the Rays really make a splash move at the deadline, so they are probably going to do something on the fringe and just try to better their depth and a little bit lengthen their lineup.

ADAM OTTAVINO: If I’m going to jump in here, I think it’s health-related. They can’t afford to use Yandy or Junior for me. Those are the two mainstays they have. Without them, they are a very different looking team. They are not going to be able to overpower you offensively.

I like their starting pitcher. I’m not worried about the bullpen, the Rays do that all the time, where they will get four or five more arms, somehow, you know, to mitigate all the usage they have with the bullpen. I don’t see them having one lockdown guy out there, and it’s kind of interesting that they are moving Jax around a little bit in the rotation. So maybe that can revert back later if need be.

I know they will solve it in the bullpen, at least enough to get in the playoffs with the weak American League. If they lose Yandy or Junior, that’s what changes their team. For me that’s the biggest thing.

I asked you this earlier in the season, Adam, and I’m curious about everybody else’s response. With ABS, are we seeing pitchers adjust, and what trends are you seeing them adjust to? And kind of how will we see a difference at the end of the year from how they pitched last year to how they are pitching this year?

EDUARDO PEREZ: You guys want me to go first? I’ll head it.

I think it’s personality-driven, as well as far as emotions, and we’ve seen in some games, just watching a great example yesterday. You look at the Yankee game it was Grisham who would have struck out on a pitch that he challenged. Next thing you know he ends up hitting a triple and he ends up scoring.

It changes games. It changes outcomes of games. I think emotionally, it’s definitely helped the hitter I believe more than the pitcher. You have a lot of organizations where in spring training they were told, pitchers, you are not allowed to challenge. It goes to the catcher and it goes to the hitter.

I think we are going to see organizations evolve more in it. We have seen already video out there of the Red Sox a couple weeks ago looking at the ABS system and trying to train their catchers and teach them when to challenge, when not, what is a strike, what is not, as far as the ABS is concerned.

But I think this is really good for baseball. I think it takes the doubt away. Sometimes we look at in the first couple innings like, why didn’t you challenge something that you should have. The catchers don’t do it or the hitter doesn’t do it because it’s an organizational belief not to do it early.

I think you have to trust some of the players, especially some of the veteran players who know the zone really well. But I’m a big fan of the ABS. I think it’s engaging. I’m a big fan of the U.S. Open when it comes to tennis. Grossy can attest to it, he’s seen me there, and replays, it sort of makes you feel a part of it.

I’m hoping that we as fans in baseball also start clapping when the ABS is challenged, like the tennis side of it and see a little bit more emotions, but the oohs and aahs of fans are pretty darn cool, and we are getting it right and I think that’s the most important thing.

DAVID ROSS: I’ll chime in here. I think as a former catcher, where was this when I was playing? I absolutely love it. I love the accountability. I love it not falling on the umpire all the time. We’ve definitely seen a tendency for, you know, the good catchers that know the zone and how they can impact games, which I love.

And to Eduardo’s point, when you have the fans hanging just kind of in suspense for five to ten seconds, waiting on that big call in the big moment for either a walk or a strikeout, I think it just adds an element to our game.

I don’t know that it’s changed the pitching dynamic or from what I’ve seen, I feel still like guys are, you know, trying to get in the zone. I think the walks were up the last time I checked. You know, it is difficult to get it in the zone and the umpires are doing a pretty good job from what I’ve noticed, and I love the accountability of that. I think it’s had them shine a little bit, and the catchers that know the zone and the intangibles that catchers have that they bring to a winning team, I think their value has even gone up within this.

It’s been awesome for me to watch as a guy who was a little bit skeptical and thought the visual was going to be bad for TV and they were just going to put a bat behind the plate; it’s been anything but.

EDUARDO PEREZ: I have to go there, though, David, you’ve got to let her know, also, you said that you would be great at this.

DAVID ROSS: I did (laughing). I tooted my own horn the other night, like this would have been right up my alley, I already know how great I would have been.

But I also would have had fight to Jon Lester in the dugout every day when he wanted to challenge one and I wouldn’t let him or something. That would have been a tough conversation with the big horse.

ADAM OTTAVINO: It’s kind of like what I told you before, there’s no real clear usage change or anything I’m seeing from the pitchers. Overall this has benefitted the hitters. They have a lot more confidence to take a close pitch, knowing they have a chance to challenge. I like the system overall.

Maybe you see a little bit of high breaking balls because the pick-up point being a little further back, the eight and a half inches back. I’ve seen a little bit of that but not a lot of pitchers buy into doing that on purpose. So few and far in between to call it a real trend.

With the new-look schedule, how are you guys approaching this season differently from a production perspective and games airing on ABC, will it be a bigger production in terms of total cameras and resources?

MARK GROSS: It’s a little bigger for the games that are on ABC. Production-wise, pretty similar. We are operating the same way, for the most part, that we operate every Sunday. So some of the games are ready, like we did just about all Sunday night games last year.

Some of them are productions on the road: The Dodger game that Joe Buck did, the first game we did on the road, but comparable in scope to Sunday Night Baseball for sure.

I think anyone in or around Philadelphia knew just how good Cristopher Sánchez has been and will be going forward. Did you guys feel like maybe he wasn’t getting the national coverage that he deserved and it was the scoreless-inning streak that really got him there?

EDUARDO PEREZ: Adam, you want to start this one, being a pitcher?

ADAM OTTAVINO: Sure. I don’t know if I’m surprised he didn’t the coverage, necessarily. This has been like a slow build for him. I remember watching him in ’22 and he was kind of the guy you had to beat on the Phillies when he started the game.

What’s crazy to me and what’s impressive to me is the pitch hasn’t changed, in a world in which where every other pitcher is throwing five or six pitches and he’s got the two, the sinker and the changeup. Him and J.T. have gotten so good at knowing exactly how every pitch leads to the next. It’s kind of beautiful to watch.

Yeah, the streak is ridiculous, third-longest all time. I hope people take notice of that. At the moment right now, he’s probably the best pitcher in the world at the moment. Short sample, obviously. It’s just really impressive. He’s not even playing — not chess, more checkers but he’s got you cornered pretty well. It’s amazing what velocity can do for you when you already know how to locate. It’s amazing.

EDUARDO PEREZ: I’ll take it from a hitter’s perspective, and also knowing his agent well, Gene Mato, and I think a lot changed when he went to Gene. There was more conversations happening of conviction, and I remember before he was — he was that No. 5 guy, right, in the rotation, when he was a guy that didn’t know what they were going to get because of control issues. I remember Geno telling me, look, this is a guy we are going to have to continuously talk to him and let him know how great he is and how superb he is with it, and that really caught my attention.

The other thing that caught my attention when I was coaching with the Marlins, the pitching coach was Randy St. Clair, he told me, left-handed tall, lanky pitchers take longer to develop than right-handed pitchers that are big. Don’t ask me why but if you look through the history, left-handed tall pitchers, they tend to peak at the age of 28-plus and it’s sustainable for a long time. We saw in spring training, he came in with more velo, more conviction with his pitches, more conviction with the sinker and more conviction with the changeup and slider, as well.

He knows that it’s win day when he takes the mound. Every time we go to Philly, he comes up and you know that he belongs. And that’s the hardest thing, walking into a big league clubhouse and knowing that you belong in that clubhouse, and he knew that he belonged in the All-Star Game last year. The snub thing, the Phillies picking up that bonus money, I think showed him loyalty, as well.

The physical side is great but the mental side of what Cristopher has right now in his back pocket has taken him to another level.

DAVID ROSS: Small point from me. He was on the map. His coming-out party was last year for me. The amount of starts he’s made the last couple years posting every fifth day, that’s what horses do, and they show up and dominate the game.

Win day is right. I thought last year was just like, whoa, this guy has some of the nastiest stuff on the planet, and obviously he’s showing it this year.

Mark, you mentioned about being flexible in coverage. When teams surprise, like the White Sox this season, what flexibility are you allowed in your schedule to insert them at some point?

MARK GROSS: That’s a good question, and there’s nobody from programming on the call but there is a bending of the rules. There is some flexibility to flex, like, many days out from the defending champion. But it’s not as if we can flex out of a game a week before the game. It’s many more days than that.

So there is some flexibility, but the way the schedule plays out the different promises, the RSNs, NBC, and the other broadcasters, it’s not full flexibility but there is some flexibility built in.

David, the game you have Sunday with the Cubs and Giants, the Cubs appear to be in dire straits. Is there anything you’re seeing that’s catching your attention as to what the issues might be?

DAVID ROSS: Yeah, of course, there’s always reasons, right? I mean, the offense is scuffling right now. The guys that were producing early on just don’t seem to be in rhythm right now. Got some fluctuation in just kind of how they are a little streaky, right. You’ve seen they looked like the best team on the planet early on this season and right now they can’t seem to win a game.

I think there’s just a lot to baseball, too. It’s not who you play, it’s when you play them. The Cubs are that team right now that you didn’t want to play early on and now just doesn’t seem like they can get across a W.

You know, I think the health of that pitching staff is always going to carry the day with Steeley not coming back. I know that was a big one, Cade Horton being out. You know, Boyd. They just had a number of injuries from guys in that starting rotation, and we all know starting rotation kind of carries the day. It keeps you out of these kind of losing streaks, and you’ve got a lot of guys in there that are going to give you a chance to compete.

Just a bad mix right now with just young starting pitching or inexperienced starting pitchers. Some guys that they weren’t relying on: Colin Rea has done a nice job but he was going to be a bullpen piece for them and a swing man for them. Shota is struggling and not having his best year and the lack of consistency from him, which he’s been a staple for them for a little while now.

Jameson Taillon, going on the IL. Just guys being a little bit inconsistent from the pitching staff and missing some of those horses, and the offense just isn’t flowing right now.

EDUARDO PEREZ: You answered that like a manager. That was awesome.

MARK GROSS: And we’ll get you specifics on the number of days in which we can flex out of games.

I am out here in Denver. I cover the Rockies. I’m curious, it’s been such a long time since we’ve seen the Rockies on national TV. Will we see the Rockies on ESPN any time soon? And of course, I do have the question of, what do you see the Rockies doing right now as trending in the right direction as compared to the past couple of seasons?

MARK GROSS: I don’t see them, unless I’m missing them, I don’t see them currently on the schedule, our schedule.

EDUARDO PEREZ: Yeah.

DAVID ROSS: Real quick, I think some of the changes, Schaeffer, Paul DePodesta, who he I know well, was one of my first managers in L.A. I talked to Paul a little bit this off-season, just congratulating him, and the way he’s looking at this thing. You know, building internally and changing some of the — catching them up analytically a little bit. The move forward, you can see there’s been some glimpses this year, some really good baseball from them. I don’t know if they will sustain it but we’ll watch that and kind of follow them along.

I’ve got a lot of ties in Colorado, been out there and followed them a little bit. Looks like the confidence is kind of turning around out there and a lot of belief, feels like it’s coming from the organization.

EDUARDO PEREZ: The beauty of Colorado is the fan support, right. No matter how they have done, the one thing that they have been able to get is that fan support there, and just to piggyback real quick on Rossy, the leadership has taken the role, also, how do we fix the infrastructure in the minor leagues, the player development side of it? And they are going from the bottom up. I think little by little, you’re going to see that product get to Colorado.

But Schaeff has them playing really good baseball, aggressive baseball. Really big fan of Tovar at short. Really big fan of the way they play defense up the middle.

I think the leadership, especially behind the plate with Hunter Goodman is fun. He’s one of the guys that I have conversations with during the off-season. He’s up in the cabin doing his thing.

And even though they are not on national TV, we have an eye on them. We keep tabs and see how they are doing as an organization and to see how they are going to grow from what they were to what they are going to be but we have to give them time. This isn’t a one-year, two-year, three-year project, I want to see where they are at, four years consistently, in a really difficult division.

ADAM OTTAVINO: I played for Colorado for seven years, I don’t remember being on national television, maybe one time. I think we played the Dodgers once.

I think they are having a great season, as funny as that is to say. Obviously I know a lot about it. They are doing much better. They have totally revamped a lot of their thinking and I’m excited about some of their young players. They just called up Carrigg and eventually we are going to see Condon. That’s the lifeblood of that team. All the good teams they have ever had have been internally developed and they can add to that. It’s a great place to play when they are playing pretty well.

I know that being in last place or tied for last, whatever they are now with the Giants, for most people that, would be pretty low. But for them, considering where they have been, I think that this is an improvement for sure.

It looks like we are headed towards a fairly contentious labor negotiation at the end of this year. From former players’ perspectives, can you give us reasons for optimism that we don’t have missed games in 2027?

ADAM OTTAVINO: Well, for one thing, I think the sport is in a great place, from the business side, that’s got to be added into the equation, no way around it. Missing games next year would be damaging to something that’s on an upward trajectory. But just because you’re on an upward trajectory doesn’t mean you don’t have to protect that. NBA felt dead until last night, right, so you never know.

But at the same time, I also think that from the players’ side, I’m not a hundred percent convinced that we are in a world anymore that they are going to buckle down to the level they have in the past. We’ll see. It’s a lot of young people. There’s a seat at the table for the Minor Leaguers, and I think that both sides have a lot of overall incentive to be playing. No matter how ugly it might get, I think that reality still looms large.

EDUARDO PEREZ: I went through a lockout in the ’94-’95 season as a player and I agree a hundred percent with what Adam said. With the Minor Leaguers having a seat there, as well. Times do change. But I will say that you look at what really bailed out baseball after that, it was a slugfest, right after the lockout, that people fell in love with.

You wonder if there is, what’s going to be the next love-fest in baseball. We’ve done so many big strides to get the fans back. The Commissioner’s office has done a great job of being able to implement the new rulings that we know with the clock, with the ABS, and eventually the check swing will work its way into Major League Baseball, as well.

Is this hope? I hope so. I think the players want to play. It’s a year you don’t get back of your life. We are, as Marisa Tomei would say in My Cousin Vinny, our biological clock is ticking, and it will continue to tick when it comes to our ability play the game, and in this case, the younger players to play this game.

So I’m hoping that we can figure out a way to get two sides to come together and realize that, fans first, and try to figure this one out. But you know, always fingers crossed. Being very hopeful.

DAVID ROSS: Adam, did you catch that? ’94-’95 lockout? Do you hear how old Eduardo is? Marisa Tomei reference? We’re dealing with the old veterano here.

EDUARDO PEREZ: By the way, as I said that, I was tapping my foot at the same time. It was pounding.

DAVID ROSS: I think some of the leadership change, like both those guys said, the game is in a good place, and nobody wants that when you’re going into a negotiation, and that’s the least-wanted outcome by the two parties. I think there’s an ability to come together.

I don’t know if Rob has hinted at it being his kind of last contract and wanting to do some other things. So I don’t know if he wants to go out like that. So I think there’s a lot of incentive to get the guys on the field and to get a deal done.

But same thing. I hope that doesn’t happen. I hope we play baseball and there’s some kind of deal to be had in the off-season.

EDUARDO PEREZ: That being said, if a lockout happens, so be it. We just don’t want it to be long. Keep it condensed. If it starts in December, then, you know, there’s always hope that by January, by early February, we can get something done and get those guys in spring training so we do not miss any games.

There’s a narrative about Yandy Diaz down here, besides being the new Eduardo Perez, there’s another narrative about him, that he’s the best hitter that people around the whole game don’t know of. What do you think of what he’s done and the consistency with which he’s done it? He’s right now leading the league for a second batting title in three years.

EDUARDO PEREZ: Really impressive and from the right side, as well. You look at pound for pound you wouldn’t think this is a guy that’s a contact hitter when you look at him and he is. He uses the entire field. I remember the knock when he was in Cleveland is he can’t lift a baseball and that’s one of the reasons why his launch — they were open to trading him, and they did. And it’s to the Tampa Bay Rays’ benefit that they have.

But this is a guy the other day against Connelly Early, first pitch, you think he’s going to take because that’s what he does and he ambushes him and it’s 1-0, and he’s hugging everybody, giving hearts to the camera, the whole thing.

But he’s a joyful guy. Obviously sometimes the media attention in Tampa, because it’s been controlled only by Marc Topkin the entire time, you’ve kept him to yourself. And I think the entire — the country is seeing it.

Now, the problem is he plays the DH position. There’s a guy in Houston that’s having a monster season, as well, Yordan Alvarez. You would hope that Major League Baseball would recognize and said, maybe we’ll take two All Stars that are in the DH position. Hard to do but still possible, and it’s because of what Yandy has done with production, and I hope he doesn’t get quote, unquote, snubbed in the All-Star because of it.

He’s well-deserving. The attention is well-deserved. But there are some other really good players that have had really good starts, and we’ll find out how many All Stars the Tampa Bay Rays get. But this guy, he’s for real.

The other 29 teams, no, they talk about him in meetings.

Don’t want to flood you guys with Philly questions but wanted to grasp from the national level, what have you made of what Brandon Marsh has been able to do, getting more playing time this year? And your reaction to that, top five in baseball history in batting average and balls in play surrounded by four other Hall of Famers?

ADAM OTTAVINO: I think it’s super weird. I’ve thought about it a little bit recently because the number is so weird, like you want to know, is there something to it, you know.

I’ve been watching him hit a little bit recently and he does hit like those low line drives. He tends to hit them in that perfect band. I don’t know if that’s just a function of his swing path or if he’s trying to do that or what.

I don’t know, it’s super interesting because that’s thought to be a stat that’s hard to be on the extreme end of. So, I don’t know, pretty amazing to watch, and they need it. They need it. It’s cool to see.

DAVID ROSS: Whatever they have done in Philly have unlocked him and obviously, it’s well documented what a great hitting coach they have. He’s a stud. Since he’s been at Philly, he’s been an absolute beast for him.

EDUARDO PEREZ: If you would have put this on the Bingo card, I would have said, what? There’s no chance. But he’s in the middle of the lineup now. He’s using the entire field real well.

You talk about what I said earlier with Sánchez and the conviction that knowing he now belongs, he’s known this the entire time but he’s getting opportunity now. I don’t know if it’s change of hierarchy there where you get Donnie Baseball now as your manager, but he’s become that everyday player. The power that’s what’s impressive for me. I agree with Adam on the super weird when it comes to the analytical numbers.

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