HR hat trick 🤝 MVP edge. Plus: Tarik Skubal's emotional return

The Windup Newsletter ⚾ | This is The Athletic’s MLB newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Windup directly in your inbox.You’re never too old. That’s the lesson to take away from Max Scherzer’s brilliance, Justin Verlander’s bid to return and Sammy Sosa’s ability to live vicariously through Pete Crow-Armstrong. Even Greg Maddux proved he’s still got it … in a roundabout way.I’m Zack Meisel, coming out of the bullpen for Levi Weaver — welcome to The Windup!Big Swings: It’s PCA’s world, we’re just living in itLast season, Cal Raleigh went on a tear in September (10 homers, 1.030 OPS) in a bid to chase down the perennial AL MVP, Aaron Judge. Raleigh fell just short in the voting.This season, Pete Crow-Armstrong is trying to leave no doubt as he attempts to unseat the perennial MVP, Shohei O