Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Nationals leadership changes:
Yesterday, the Nationals made the decision to part ways with both GM Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez. The team has already named Mike DeBartolo as the team’s interim GM who will handle baseball operations for the remainder of the season. He’ll be thrown right into the thick of things, with the 2025 draft (where the Nationals have the first overall pick) just a week away and trade season already upon us. It seems one of his first tasks while in charge will be selecting an interim manager to help guide the club, as the Nationals did not initially announce a replacement for Martinez. That decision is expected sometime today, and whoever is selected will join Warren Schaeffer, Don Kelly, and Tony Mansolino as in-season managerial hires this year.
2. Series Preview: Tigers vs Rays
A series between two of the AL’s top contenders begins today as the Rays head to Detroit for a three-game set against the Tigers. Tampa enters the series having recently pulled into a tie with the Yankees for second place in the AL East, just three games back of the division-leading Blue Jays. Detroit, meanwhile, has the best record in the majors and has won seven of their last ten games. The Rays, meanwhile, have gone just 4-6 in that time. The series kicks off later today with right-hander Shane Baz (4.33 ERA) on the mound for Tampa. The Tigers don’t have an announced starter for today’s game but could turn to Dietrich Enns (who has a 7.00 ERA in nine innings this year) for bulk innings if they opt for a bullpen game. The series will have more traditional pitching matchups the rest of the way, with right-hander Ryan Pepiot (3.34 ERA) taking on Jack Flaherty (4.84 ERA) tomorrow. The series wraps up Wednesday with right-hander Zack Littell (3.50 ERA) on the mound against righty Reese Olson (2.89 ERA in ten starts).
3. Pitchers’ Duel in Milwaukee:
Another series between two contending clubs is taking place today in Milwaukee, where the Dodgers will be taking on the Brewers in a series that will kick off with an exciting pitchers’ duel today between two hurlers who will represent the National League in this year’s All-Star game. Right-hander Freddy Peralta is on the mound for the Brewers against Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Yamamoto has made just 17 starts this year as the Dodgers have monitored his workload closely, but those starts have been dominant with a 2.51 ERA and a 28.6% strikeout rate. Peralta has been no slouch either, as he’s posted a 2.91 ERA in 99 innings of work with a 25.5% strikeout rate. First pitch in this intriguing matchup is scheduled for 6:40pm local time.
The Rays hosting a short wild card series playing the Yankees at Steinbrenner Field would be absolutely Manfred Perfect.
The logistics alone would be worth it to watch. I’m hoping the Rays get a Wild Card spot just so this happens!
It would be more perfect if there were pitch clock violations, leading to extra innings, where the Manfred runner wins the game on a soft grounder with the remanufactured deal ball….. thankfully, there’s no Manfred runner in the playoffs.
Who the Nats think will be better mid-season will be interesting. Also timing seems weird as the draft is around the corner. How prepared will the new guy be for that?
He’s been the AGM for many years now.
Hopefully they have included him in the draft prep. Some front offices have the AGM in charge of specific things and they don’t always get the total picture. Not sure how they do things there (none of my former minor league teammates work in THAT front office like in some places).
fljay – What about Mark Scialabba?
He’s AGM as well.
I’d expect that the baseball ops team has already had several meetings about draft prep prior to Rizzo’s departure. So I imagine DeBartolo will be starting from a pretty solid foundation there.
What’s a last time game?
Is Jesus coming?
He is…. Not even the Son knows the date or time, but only the Father.
Hey quick question why is this guy trending on Baseball Reference?
baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=bec…
Is he really EIGHT feet 4 inches tall? Does he really exist? Thanks
I throw my hat in the ring for the Nats’ job opening. I cite my ability to roll out of bed with no extra training or experience added and still out-do Craig Breslow.
Troy – Ironically the Nats may have helped Breslow keep his job a while longer.
How so? Rizzo would be an improvement over Breslow (go ahead and apply to Yale, kids. They do, in fact let f***ing idiots in).
Troy – Sox just swept the Nats by a combined score of 27-9, so Breslow is suddenly a genius again … and likely will continue to be for the next three games against the Rockies.
I understand now.
At least until they bench Narvaez/Abreu/Bregman/put Nick Sogard in the lineup for “scheduled days off” during a bullpen game.
Fever: The White Sox just won two of three from the Rockies to win the Toilet Bowl. We softened them up for your Sox You’re welcome.
@Troy Percival’s iPad
Apparently, ownership won’t blame overpaid players for not doing their job. Would make more sense to trade the underperforming players.
Who is overpaid on the Nats? Strasburg? The part of Scherzer’s contract they’re still paying?
@Troy Percival’s iPad
All the professional players.
I think they’ve got the bones of something good in DC. The next GM and coach may be set up with a solid platform to build on- if the Lerners will start spending again.
@rondon
The potential is there but the players need to be held accountable so they play to their potential. Martinez was right when he said that the coaching staff can’t hit for the players. Can’t field for them either or pitch.
just saying Yamamoto has 96 innings to Peralta’s 99, not sure why you mentioned his workload there
It also said Yamamoto has made “just” 17 starts this year which seems like a full workload to this point.
I have to imagine it will be Miguel Cairo named interim Manager as he is the only member of the coaching staff with any managerial experience (subbing fir 34 games for Tony LaRussa in Chicago in 2022)
Miguel is a good dude, he deserves a shot at the manager position.
Miguel Cairo wasn’t overwhelmed when he did it in Chicago. He may surprise the new FO down the stretch connecting with young core if they don’t have a strong preference for who to hire from the outside in offseason.
Trashman is back, and suffice it to say, this stinks. here are the points:
1. DeBartolo is a known hater of womens nylons… do we really think this is a good fit for the Nationals?
2. Rays players are either smoking Punjabi Mustafa Ganja or Stuart Sternberg and co. have spies in each clubhouse.
3. I saw Yamamoto betting with Ippei Mizuhara at the Nagoya Guild Thursday night, March 21st, 11:59pm, he threw two cards at the floor and ran off into the night after losing 30k in blackjack. (He said “hold” when he had 7″)
Please pass the bong, not sharing the good stuff is just being mean to the rest of us!
Jimmy: “Do we really think this is a good fit for the Nationals?” Maybe the Nats should try wearing nylons. It might prevent hamstring injuries. Other than hair popping through them, it might be a good look.
Omg, you shave first. Don’t you know anything?
Not to mention Kershaw vs. MIZ tomorrow!
Saving that for tomorrow ‘s Opener.
I’d love to see the Nats pick Ryan Zimmerman or Sean Dolittle to manage the rest of the season. Both are super smart and seem to relate well to the players. And they’re fan favorites.
I also think that now even more than before, who the Nats take with the first pick will be telling. If it’s Holliday, they’re saying they’re still years away from contending. If that’s the pick and the case, they should absolutely trade McKenzie Gore for a major haul at the deadline. If the pick is one of the college pitchers, I think it means they do think they can contend for a wildcard next year and should hold onto Gore.
Interestingly, they sent out a survey to season ticket holders last week and asked a lot of questions about what we think of the team’s direction and if we planned to renew. I blasted the owners (not Rizzo or Martinez) and said if ownership doesn’t spend on players, I won’t spend on tickets — and we’ve had ours for the entire 20 years they’ve been here.
If Montero pitches well tonight, imo he should stick as number 5 vs being sent back down. Next up, Minton.
“Meanwhile” must START the sentence. It cannot come in the middle, between commas. How do you mess this up TWICE in back-to-back sentences, Deeds? Think of a new word.