We're just past the halfway mark of the 2021 MLB season and a few days from the All-Star break. Fans are back in ballparks, and the contenders are starting to separate themselves from the pretenders.
This season feels like a victory in and of itself considering the 60-game season in 2021. However, the season has been marred by controversy. Between sticky stuff, a rise in injuries and the deeply rooted cultural issues that have been exposed, it's been hard to feel too great about baseball at times.
Some of the narratives can be put in the past as we head into the second half.