MLB’s newest trophy is a guitar. Obviously, Eddie Vedder had to give it a test drive

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Prior to being awarded in the contest between the Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres, the new MLB trophy was previously handled by Pearl Jam’s lead vocalist, Eddie Vedder.

As a devoted fan, I had the privilege of playing the personalized Fender Telecaster guitar, affectionately known as the Vedder Cup, for roughly an hour. After that enchanting moment, this cherished instrument was carefully sent on its journey to T-Mobile Park in Seattle.

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George Webb, the equipment manager for Pearl Jam, shared with the Seattle Times on Monday that he had thoroughly played with the instrument. He usually prefers to infuse some personal energy, or spiritual energy as you might call it, into the instruments he uses. So instead of simply handing over a brand-new, untouched item, he spends some time playing it. On this occasion, he spent around an hour doing so and had a pleasant experience.

The trophy showcases numerous tributes from the veteran musician who is now 60. These include a custom “crashing wave” artwork and an arrow and mod symbol, which represent Vedder’s homage to The Who on his custom guitar. On the reverse side, the logos of the Padres and Mariners are displayed alongside text personally penned by the singer-guitarist: “The Vedder Cup, Established in 2025 by Major League Baseball.

Additionally, it features a logo from the EB Research Partnership, a charitable organization jointly established by Vedder and his spouse, Jill, following the birth of their childhood friend’s son with epidermolysis bullosa – a painful skin condition. This organization supports research into this particular disease.

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In a thrilling showdown, Seattle Mariners’ catcher Cal Raleigh, the current Major League Baseball (MLB) home-run champion, clinched victory in the MLB All-Star Home Run Derby. He outperformed Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero in the final round.

In a statement released in March, Trevor Gooby, Executive Vice President and COO of the Mariners, stated that the cup was designed to foster “significant understanding” about the relatively uncommon condition, as the rivalry between us officially commenced at that time.

Erik Greupner, our CEO, is eagerly anticipating the expansion of the intense competition between our team and the Mariners. He’s excited about the prospect of facing off against them in the Vedder Cup.

As a cinephile enthusiast, let me rephrase that for you: It all started when the friendly competition, seemingly part nature, part nurture, kicked off between the cities I hold near and dear – San Diego, where I was raised, and Seattle, my new home that welcomed me as I formed Pearl Jam with Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament. And that’s how the “Vedder” Cup came to be!

In the late ’90s, Major League Baseball (MLB) sought out “organic” competition between teams such as the Padres and Mariners upon the advent of interleague play. This year, the league officially recognized this rivalry that is believed to have originated due to their shared West Coast locations, according to Reuters.

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Since 1997, these two teams have typically faced each other nearly every year. In their overall record, Seattle is ahead with 68 wins compared to 63 wins by their opponent. Furthermore, they both possess a shared training facility in Peoria, Arizona.

Some spectators are still questioning the reasons behind the event’s formalization, with one fan on Reddit suggesting that San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants supporters seem indifferent towards each other.

Still, they conceded it is “likely the most meaningless and yet kinda fun thing in MLB.”

On Monday, the trophy stole the show during the fourth face-off between the teams this season. The Mariners clinched a thrilling 9-6 win against the Padres, securing their dominance over them after three earlier victories in San Diego. However, the Padres managed to beat the Mariners on Tuesday with a score of 7-6. The final game is scheduled for Wednesday, but its outcome has been determined. Cal Raleigh, the Mariners’ powerhouse catcher, affectionately known as “Big Dumper,” proudly displayed and celebrated with the trophy on Monday evening after their victory.

Music

Andy Summers, a guitarist, and Stewart Copeland, a drummer, assert that they were not given proper songwriting recognition for their band’s 1983 hit single, which was one of the most popular songs of the ’80s.

The design for both the name and the logo on the cup was initially unveiled in March, but it wasn’t until the weeks prior to the match that the final version of the design was completed.

In a typical custom build project like this one, it usually takes us around six months or so to acquire the wood, plan everything meticulously before starting, ensure the process is thoroughly checked, apply graphics, and conduct some trial runs, as explained by Chase Paul, Fender’s director of product development, to the Seattle Times. However, for this specific project, we started working on it simultaneously with testing and production, which allowed us to get things ready more quickly.

Altogether, it required approximately two months for Fender to complete the task. Paul admired this as an “extraordinarily impressive feat” by the shop’s dedicated team.

Of course, Vedder isn’t keen on the prize guitar gathering dust in storage during the Mariners’ tenure. As Webb puts it, “He prefers it to be used.

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He consistently maintains this same approach towards everything, treating it like a living, breathing entity. And let me tell you, the sound it produces is fantastic.

For an extra treat for fans, the league declared they’d distribute exclusive Vedder Cup caps at the final matchup between the teams on Wednesday (2025).

To no surprise, the exclusive ticket package that included the hats has sold out.

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2025-08-28 01:01