Baseball’s charm comes in many forms, including through the sounds of a game-day atmosphere. The crack of the bat, an organist's rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” synchronized cheers from the crowd.

And sometimes, the bellow of a grunt coming from the guy on the mound.

BOSTON — If there’s any way to put an exclamation mark on the first half of your season, Kutter Crawford did it on Saturday afternoon against the Royals.

Following a standout start at Yankee Stadium in which he pounded the zone his last time out, Crawford held the Royals to two hits over seven-plus innings in Saturday’s 5-0 win.

BOSTON — Triston Casas values the importance of sticking with a routine.

Which is why when the Red Sox were taking on the Blue Jays in Toronto and facing off with the Rangers at Globe Life Field in mid-September, you could find Casas laying on the grass at an empty Fenway Park.

BOSTON — Around this time last season, there was question as to whether Tanner Houck would remain in the rotation or rejoin the bullpen, where he spent most of 2022.

One year later, Houck has left no room to question where he belongs on this staff. Instead, he’s cemented himself atop both the rotation and all MLB starters, and put himself into early Cy Young contender discussion.

LAS VEGAS — Having grown up an hour and a half away in Kingman, Ariz., Tarik Skubal is no stranger to Las Vegas. But this visit was unlike any other.

Standing on the red carpet at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on Thursday, Skubal was about to accept his selection to the All-MLB First Team presented by MGM Rewards at the second iteration of the All-MLB Team Awards show in Las Vegas.

BOSTON — At 5 years old, Bronson Arroyowas already a regular in the gym. By the age of 8, he was 55 pounds and squatting six times his weight. The 16-year Major Leaguer traces much of his success back to his father, who started him in the weight room and instilled discipline and positivity into Arroyo at a young age.

BOSTON — The Red Sox’s middle-infield picture became even more unclear Tuesday afternoon, when the club announced infielder Trevor Story underwent a successful internal bracing procedure of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow on Monday. Dr. Keith Meister performed the surgery at Texas Metroplex Institute in Arlington, Texas.

A quick scan of the Twins’ locker room would show much of what you’d expect to find in a Major League clubhouse. Jerseys hanging neatly in players’ lockers. Cleats and sneakers lined up at the foot of every chair. Shelves of sunflower seed packets and gallon buckets of Dubble Bubble.

But a closer look would reveal some unconventional items: an electric kettle, a manual coffee grinder and bags of beans from around the world.