Buzz Break: 2021 Topps Opening Day MLB cards (blaster box)

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The box: 2021 Topps Opening Day baseball cards (blaster box)
First Buzz preview & Checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

Packs per box: 11
Cards per pack: 7
Cards in this box: 77
Base set completion: 
65 of 220 (30 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Mike Trout, Kris Bryant, Max Fried, Gavin Lux, Aaron Judge, Tyler Glasnow, Nick Solak, Stephen Strasburg, Luis Robert, Ozzie Albies, Albert Pujols, Brendan McKay

Rookie Cards (14) – Nick Madrigal, Daulton Varsho, Leody Taveras, Nate Pearson, Cristian Javier, Brandom Bielak, Luis Patino, Anderson Tejada, David Peterson, Beau Burrows, Keibert Ruiz, James Kaprielian, Codi Heuer, Dane Dunning

Insert/short-print cards: 12 (a sampling of everything in gallery below)
Opening Day parallel (1) – Adbert Alzolay
Mascots (3) – Dinger, Mr. Red, Paws
Legends of Baseball (4) – Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Cal Ripken Jr., Ted Williams
Outstanding Opening Day (1) – Albert Pujols
Opening Day (3) – Cubs, White Sox, Astros

Autographs/Memorabilia: None

What's Buzz-worthy: These blasters are only $10 so ultimately they deliver pretty well at that price point -- especially if you land a key name among the Rookie Cards or inserts -- but I felt like I needed some "other" type of card here (parallel?) in every pack as the rip still felt a bit like basic Topps this year. (It can feel really dry when opening.) The hobby box of this one definitely felt like a better rip when you saw the final results ... as it's three times larger. I'd suggest buying hobby or clearing the shelf here if you find them for the best Opening Day experience. ... As I noted last time, the mix is heavy on Series 1 Rookie Cards and the insert mix is a lot stronger than Series 1 though maybe not as wide in scope. Hits won't be found in every box but I have seen some mis-packed boxes with more than one, which shouldn't be possible based on the odds. The printing and cutting here seems cleaner than what I saw for Series 1 and that matters to me with RCs here -- and I'd speculate that Opening Day cards might be rarer than flagship given all the formats and factory sets and they might grade better, too. The Mascot set here is a simple and fun one but I didn't land the best card in the set, Orbit, but that's OK ... I intend to open more of this one. This approach -- one that isn't about hits -- gives you a more traditional collecting approach without any cliche kiddy inclusions or approaches like this brand seemingly used to have. (Mascots are part of the game and these cards aren't forced ... and they are a unique inclusion unlike elsewhere.) There are also rarer inserts and SPs that might blend in with the base so pay attention of you are ripping fast or in bulk.

Product Grade: A- (best stuff is still too rare)
Box Grade: B (small, affordable boxes but they need something different in the mix)
Fun Grade: B- (best when you rip in highest volume ... or grab a few boxes)

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