The Athletic Reporter Accidently Added to Center Field Group Chat

Earlier this week (on the latest episode of Gleeman and the Geek), Aaron Gleeman and John Bonnes riffed on a fictional “Center Fielders United” group chat where every snagged line drive and every towering no-doubter gets instant applause.  

Cue the cosmic joke: Gleeman’s phone binged with an invite link, and before he could text back his trusty “Let me check my schedule,” he was in. Suddenly, the guy who usually writes about the Twins’ outfield upgrades found himself among the best in the business. He was just one message away from Byron Buxton bragging about his latest highlight-reel catch.  

Buxton’s Brag (and Flashy GIF)  
Byron Buxton wasted zero time. As soon as the “Welcome!” ping faded, Buxton dropped a slo-mo clip of his game-saving catch from Tuesday night, accompanied by the ominous caption:  

“Sorry y’all, that line drive wasn’t falling in tonight. #DidItForTheNorthSide.” Buxton has put some of the best numbers of his career against the White Sox, and that has played out this week. He then followed up with a flex: “A healthy Buxton is the game’s best center fielder.” 

Harris II Fires Back  
Michael Harris II, who was fresh off turning the Twins’ lineup into his personal highlight reel this past weekend, didn’t let Buxton hog the spotlight: “Nice snag, Byron. But how many hits did you take away from the Twins? I’ll wait.” Harris also bragged about his own defensive metrics: “8 outs above average in 48 innings versus Minnesota. Someone send me their group chat link for where to submit MVP votes.”  And just like that, the chat was ablaze with smack-talk.

Trout’s “Greatest Ever” Interruption  
No elite-defender pow-wow would be complete without Mike Trout making it all about Mike Trout:  “Hey lads, congrats on the catches. But let’s not pretend any of y’all have done it more consistently than me. 12 consecutive seasons of 8+ dWAR, uncatchable homers listed in WWE moves…come on.” Trout punctuated his message with a shrug emoji and a link to his Hall of Fame résumé. The other members collectively groaned at the humblebrag.

Julio’s Chill Check-In  
Julio Rodríguez, who was MLB Network’s top-ranked center fielder entering the season, weighed in with perspective: “You guys coolin’ on the highlight-worthy catches, but I’m just here making sure the grass is mowed and the sun’s in the right spot. @MikeTrout, maybe save some GOAT talk for after we finish the season?” Julio’s dry humor kept things from devolving into a pure ego-fest—at least until the next round of video highlights.  

The Bader Bye-Bye  
Mid-conversation, a new notification popped up: “Harrison Bader removed from group.”  Naturally, Gleeman, now deeply invested in this quorum of outfield royalty, asked why. The consensus:  

1. Position Shift: Bader’s recent left field duties in Minnesota mean he’s no longer a full-time center fielder.  
2. Chat Guidelines: Rule 1—actually play CF regularly; Rule 2—don’t make us miss your defense.

Buxton piped up: “Bader, thanks for the memories, but you can’t sit with us.”  Trout added, “Maybe try the ‘Left Fielders’ chat?” And just like that, Bader vanished into the void, until an injury forces him to take over in center field.  

Gleeman is reportedly considering his next move: request an exit from the group chat or start taking notes based on his unprecedented access to the game’s best defenders. Either way, this accidental clubhouse pass may be the best clubhouse story he’s ever covered.