Who is Sarah Langs? Baseball personality showered with love and tributes on Lou Gehrig Day

Until recently, MLB fans relied on Sarah Langs for her indepth statistical analysis of the game we love. Now, she is gaining a whole new kind of respect and admiration.

A graduate of the University of Chicago, Langs was hired by ESPN as a fresh graduate. Her hard-work and strong abilities were soon noted by Buster Olney, who invited her onto his podcast regularly.

In 2021, Sarah Langs was posted to the first-ever all-female game analysis crew on ESPN. Langs, who was 28 at the time, described the position as a "dream come true."

"We love you, Sarah. Get your Langs Star at StarsforSarah.org" - MLB

In addition to her deep and abiding understanding of the game, Sarah Langs quickly gained traction for her infectious enthusiasm and bubbly personality. Her catchphrase "Baseball is the best", also became rather well-known.

However, Langs' life took a massive turn in 2023, when she was diagnosed with ALS. ALS is a dehabilitating disease affecting about 5,000 new people a year. With most diagnosises involving people in their 40s and 50s, the case of Langs was certainly an outlier.

Ahead of the New York Mets' June 2 game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Langs was honored ahead of the game. Langs was seen on the field in a wheelchair rubbing shoulders with friends and players in the pre-game atmosphere.

"Baseball is the best because its people are the best. So grateful for my incredibly talented and wonderful colleagues on the MLB social squad who have become treasured friends" - Sarah Langs

June 2 is Lou Gehrig day, in honor of the New York Yankees legend who succumbed to ALS in 1941. The day is annually used to honor the achievements of Gehrig as well as to raise awareness for the horrid ailment.

In honor of the occasion, as well as Langs' condition, company Rotowear raised $57,000 for Project ALS, a research fundraiser. In a nod to Langs, Rotowear produced a T-Shirt that Sarah Langs was seen wearing before the game at Citi Field.

Sarah Langs' courage is an inspiration to us all

While many baseball fans felt that Langs' coverage and analysis was reason enough to be a fan, her new display of grace in the face of such a trying condition takes that reverance to a new level. Although her future may not be known, someone as educated and witty as Lang will surely be a asset to ESPN and the wider baseball world as long as she is around.