Hour 4 - Twin Killing

June 19, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Hour 4 - Twin Killing

The Minnesota Twins are a bad baseball team that just got worse, and their star outfielder Byron Buxton has made it clear he's not leaving. "I don't give an F," Buxton told beat reporters when asked about trade rumors. "The only way I'm getting out of here, they're going to have to come talk to me and tell me something else." That blunt rejection sets up the central tension of this hour: what happens when a player with a no-trade clause refuses to abandon a sinking ship, and whether the Twins should stage an intervention to change his mind before his trade value evaporates.

The Buxton Standoff

Byron Buxton is following the Mike Trout playbook, and Ben Maller isn't impressed. Trout, the multi-time MVP for the Angels, has repeatedly turned down opportunities to join contenders, preferring to stay in Anaheim despite the team's perpetual mediocrity. Buxton appears to be doing the same in Minnesota. He's having a relatively good season—on pace to beat his career high in home runs—and he's signed through 2028 at what Maller calls "a bargain" $15 million per year, assuming he stays healthy. That's a big assumption given Buxton's "rich history of injuries."

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What you'll learn

1 (02:52) **Twins Trade Chatter & Byron Buxton's Stance** - Ben introduces the topic of the Twins potentially trading Byron Buxton, who has publicly stated he will not accept a trade.
2 (13:11) **Sonny Gray Calls Out the Red Sox** - Ben discusses starting pitcher Sonny Gray's postgame honesty about the Red Sox being "not a good team."
3 (17:44) **MLB's Proposed Draft Overhaul & International Draft** - Ben explains MLB's push for a 12-round international draft with a $200 million bonus pool and a new age minimum of 20.
4 (31:05) **UFC Ratings & Media Skepticism** - Ben briefly comments on the reported 200 million viewers for UFC Freedom 250, expressing skepticism about inflated ratings in the streaming era.
5 (32:27) **Caller Segment: Vikings QB Debate & Tartan Army** - Ben takes calls from Hollering James (who is asleep), Frank the Tank, and Mike the Leprechaun.
6 (37:23) **Coop Scoop on Entertainment** - Coop delivers his weekly entertainment segment, covering new movie and TV releases.
7 (46:18) **Sports Jeopardy Game** - Ben hosts a quick trivia game with callers Sean and Joey, asking them to name the all-time leading scorer for various NBA franchises.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Ben Maller

Show Notes

Ben Maller talks about Byron Buxton declaring "I am a Twin" amid trade speculation, Sonny Gray pointing out that the Red Sox are a bad team, the push to streamline the MLB Draft, Coop's Scoop on Entertainment, Sports Jeopardy, and more!

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