MLB The Show podcast Stephen Ruderman: Nats fire Martinez ex manager says it wasn’t the coaches fault; Betts and Soto not selected to All Star Game but Kershaw is; plus more news

Former Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez was fired by Nats general manager Mike Rizzo on Sun Jul 6, 2025. Martinez heads back to the Washington dugout after making a pitching change against the Boston Red Sox. Martinez was fired after the game. (AP News photo)

MLB The Show podcast Stephen Ruderman:

#1 The Washington Nationals Sunday night fired manager Dave Martinez. Martinez was fired by general manager Mike Rizzo, Rizzo in turned was fired by the Nationals after firing Martinez. The firing came after the Nats got swept by the Boston Red Sox in a 6-4 loss. Martinez told the assembled reporters after the game that’s it’s not the coaching or the coaches fault. The Nats are in fifth place in the NL East as they prepare to face the St Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.

#2 The roster for the 2025 All Star Game will have 19 players who will be at the Summer Classic for the first time. While the Los Angeles Dodgers Mookie Betts and the New York Mets Juan Soto were not selected Dodgers left hand pitcher Clayton Kershaw was. Kershaw a three time Cy Young Award winner and made his first All Star appearance in 2011.

#3 What a way to come back Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler pitched a one hitter in his first complete game. The last time Wheeler had a complete game was in 2021. Wheeler and the Phillies got a 3-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds Sunday. Wheeler who improved his record to 9-2 was the NL pitcher of the month in June. Wheeler struck out 12 hitters and didn’t walk anyone and threw 108 pitches.

#4 Another well pitched game as Milwaukee Brewers right pitcher Brandon Woodruf struck out eight hitters, gave up only two hits in six innings against the Miami Marlins Sunday. Woodruff picked his first win since September 23, 2023 after recovering from shoulder surgery in the 2023 season.

#5  Pittsburgh Pirates centerfielder Oneil Cruz threw a 105.2 mph out to catcher Henry Davis as the Seattle Mariners JP Crawford tried to score at the plate. The ball was the second hardest thrown ball for assisted out from the outfield since statcast kept track since 2015. No doubt about it Cruz has a rifle for an arm.

Stephen Ruderman is a MLB podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

MLB The Show podcast Michael Duca Fri May 30, 2025: Trout expected back in line up tonight for Angels; Braves Sale strikes out 2,500th batter; plus more news

Mike Trout (right) talks with batting coach Johnny Washington (left) in the Los Angeles Angels dugout before their game against the Seattle Mariners on Wed April 30, 2025 at T Mobile Field in Seattle. Trout is expected back in the line up for Fri May 30, 2025 game against the Cleveland Guardians after suffering a left knee injury. (AP News photo)

MLB The Show podcast Michael Duca Fri May 30, 2025:

#1 The Los Angeles Angels are expected to activate outfielder Mike Trout Friday night before their game against the Cleveland Guardians. The Angels have optioned Matthew Lugo to Triple-A Salt Lake City on Thursday. Trout suffered left knee soreness on April 30th and had to leave the game against the Seattle Mariners in the fourth inning. Trout last season had to have two surgeries on the knee due to a meniscus tear.

#2 What a great career for Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale who is the fastest pitcher to strikeout 2,500 batters. Sale pitched six inning of shutout ball against the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday in a 9-3 win in the night cap of a doubleheader which which the Phillies won the front game 5-4. In the sixth inning of the second game Sale struck out Edmundo Sosa in the sixth inning it was Sale’s eighth strikeout of the game to reach the 2,500 career strikeouts mark. Sale joins three other active pitchers to have achieved the record, Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.

#3 The Seattle Mariners shortstop JP Crawford was livid over a third strike call by umpire Andy Fletcher on Thursday night on a pitch that Crawford argued was outside. Fletcher didn’t waste anytime into the argument and tossed Crawford from the game. With runners at the corners in the sixth inning against the Washington Nationals with a 2-0 lead. Nats pitcher MacKenzie Gore threw a pitch to Crawford that the pitch chart showed was outside. You could hear Crawford on the crowd mic yelling “That’s not a strike man” to which the argument was too close for comfort and manager Dan Wilson had to come out and restrain Crawford.

#3 Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper was out of Thursday’s first game of a doubleheader versus the Atlanta Braves and was also not in the starting line up in the second game. This after being hit in the elbow with a pitch on Tuesday. Harper took a 95.3 fastball in the elbow from Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider. Harper had suffered swelling and pain.

#4 The Sacramento A’s continue to struggle losing their 14 out 15th game on Thursday night against the Toronto Blue Jays 12-0 at Rogers Centre in Toronto. The Jays cut through the A’s pitching like butter with four home runs and a eight run second inning. The first two pitchers for the A’s were lit up. Starter Jacob Lopez in 1.2 innings of work allowed six hits and seven earned runs. A’s reliever Anthony Maldonado pitched an inning allowing four hits and four earned runs. Question how will manager Mark Kotsay stop the bleeding?

#5 The San Francisco Giants Kyle Harrison (0-1 ERA 3.86) gets the start again against the Miami Marlins on Friday night in Miami. Harrison in his last game pitched four innings allowing five hits and two earned runs. Giants have lost six of their last ten games. How do you see Harrison Friday night against the Marlins to open the series?

Join Michael Duca for the MLB The Show podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Mariners nip the A’s 4-3 to sweep the 2-game series

photo from yahoosports.com: Seattle Mariners closing pitcher Roenis Elias reacts as stadium lights flash after the team’s baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Seattle. Elias earned the save as the Mariners won 4-3.

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland  A’s road woes continued as they fell to the Seattle Mariners 4-3 in Seattle Tuesday night. The A’s, who were 1-8 on their last nine-game road trip, started this road trip 0-2. The A’s are off on Wednesday and will start a four-game set with the Tigers in Detroit before finishing the trip with three games with the Cleveland Indians.

Brett Anderson was on the mound for Oakland Tuesday night. Anderson gave the A’s six innings, and he allowed six hits and four runs. He was the losing pitcher, and his record dropped to 4-3. Mike Leake started for Seattle, and he picked up his third win of the year. Leake went 6 2/3 innings and allowed five hits and three runs (one earned).

The M’s put two on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Anderson gave up solo homers to Daniel Vogelbach and Tim Beckham.

The A’s tied the game in the top of the fifth. Leake walked Ramon Laureano and gave up a single to Robbie Grossman. Both runners advanced when Josh Phegley flew out to deep center field. Marcus Semien reached on Beckham’s throwing error, and that allowed Laureano and Grossman to score.

The game didn’t stay tied for long. With one out, Anderson walked J.P. Crawford. M’s centerfielder, Mitch Haniger, who loves to play against Oakland, hit his second home of the series to give the Mariners the lead 4-2.

The A’s scored a run in the top of the seventh. Stephen Piscotty led off with a double. Robbie Grossman singled to drive in Piscotty. The A’s trail 4-3.

The M’s brought in Roenis Elias to pitch with two-out in the seventh. Elias responded by getting the final seven outs of the game to preserve the win for Seattle.

The A’s drop to 19-24 while the M’s improve to 21-23.

Time of game was two hours and 37 minutes. 11,355 fans were in attendance.

Up Next: The A’s will have the day off on Wednesday before heading to Detroit and Comerica Park. Starting for the A’s on Thursday night Chris Bassitt (1-1, 2.55 ERA). The Tigers starter is yet to be determined.

Jerry Feitelberg is the Oakland A’s beat reporter for http://www.sportsradioservice.com