Leading Off: Minor League Baseball Is Back

For more than a year, Minor League stadiums hosted everything, it seemed, but actual Minor League games. That finally changed in May.

For more than a year, minor league stadiums hosted drive-in movies, wine and beer tastings, pop-up golf courses (regular and disc) and vaccination drives—everything, it seemed, but actual minor league games.  That finally changed in May. With just 120 clubs affiliated with big league franchises (42 fewer than in 2019), business in the minors is far from stable. But once the players took the field, the games proved to be as invigorating as ever.

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The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp visited Durham, N.C., for the Durham Bulls' home opener May 11. 

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The Cedar Rapids Kernels stand for the national anthem before their game against the Quad Cities River Bandits at Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, Iowa, on May 13. 

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The Brooklyn Cyclones stand for the national anthem before their home opener against the Hudson Valley Renegades at Maimonides Park on Coney Island, N.Y., on May 18. 

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Michael Massey of the Quad Cities River Bandits prepares to bat against the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, Iowa, on May 13. 

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The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp visited Durham, N.C., for the Durham Bulls' home opener on May 11. 

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A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp player warms up before their game against the Durham Bulls at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in North Carolina on May 11. 

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The Somerset Patriots play against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester, N.H., on May 12. 

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Fans shield their eyes from the sun at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, N.C., during the Bulls' home opener on May 11.

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Eric Yardley of the Nashville Sounds pitches to Austin Dean of the Memphis Redbirds at First Horizon Park in Nashville on May 14. 

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The Fresno Grizzlies play against the San Jose Giants at Excite Ballpark in San Jose, Calif., on May 7. 

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Wander Franco of the Durham Bulls in action at Durham Bulls Athletic Park on May 11. 

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The Somerset Patriots play against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester, N.H., on May 12. 

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Members of the Brooklyn Cyclones warm up before their game against the Hudson Valley Renegades at Maimonides Park on Coney Island on May 7.

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The exterior of Excite Ballpark in San Jose, Calif., on May 7. 

Photograph by Brad Mangin/Sports Illustrated

A mural of Jackie Robinson at Excite Ballpark in San Jose, Calif., on May 7. 

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Coaching staff for the Fresno Grizzlies watch as they play against the San Jose Giants at Excite Ballpark in San Jose, Calif., on May 7.

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A Hudson Valley Renegades player prepares to bat against the Brooklyn Cyclones at Maimonides Park on May 18. 

Photograph by David E. Klutho/Sports Illustrated

Quad Cities River Bandits manager Chris Widger takes notes during their game against the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, Iowa, on May 13. 

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The Brooklyn Cyclones play against the Hudson Valley Renegades during the Cyclones' home opener May 18 at Maimonides Park on Coney Island. 

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Eddy Alvarez of the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp is tagged out by Wander Franco of the Durham Bulls at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, N.C., on May 11. 

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Brooklyn Cyclones players watch their teammates play against the Hudson Valley Renegades during the Cyclones' home opener at Maimonides Park on Coney Island, N.Y. on May 18. 

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Hudson Valley Renegades players watch their fellow teammates play against the Brooklyn Cyclones during the Cyclones' home opener on May 18. 

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Members of the San Jose Giants warm up before their game against the Fresno Grizzlies at Excite Ballpark in San Jose, Calif., on May 7. 

Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

The Hudson Valley Renegades play against the Brooklyn Cyclones during the Cyclones' home opener at Maimonides Park on May 18. 

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The Durham Bulls mascot, Wool E. Bull, interacts with fans during the team's home opener in Durham, N.C., on May 11.