First 2023 MLB manager fired odds: Tigers' A.J. Hinch, Nationals' Dave Martinez on the hottest seats
Last season, it took until early June for the first managerial firing in Major League Baseball (the Phillies' Joe Girardi). It's not often a manager is fired in April, but both Detroit's A.J. Hinch and Washington's Dave Martinez are on very hot seats just a few weeks into the 2023 campaign, and they are the two clear favorites via SportsLine oddsmakers to be the first manager fired.
Hinch won a World Series while managing the Houston Astros in 2017 but was fired after being suspended for the 2020 season for his role in the team's electronic sign-stealing scandal. The Tigers hired Hinch before the 2021 season. Detroit finished 77-85 in Hinch's first year, which doesn't sound great but was a huge improvement over the 2020 team by winning percentage. The Tigers were one of the AL's best teams in the second half of '21.
Thus, playoff contention was expected last year, but the Tigers slid to 66-96 and this season are on a much worse pace at 2-9 entering Thursday's series finale in Toronto.
Someone has to get the blame for how many of the Tigers' young players having underachieved since the start of last season. Hinch also wasn't brought on by Detroit's current president of baseball operations Scott Harris, who was hired away from the Giants last September. New front office leaders tend to want to pick their own mangers.
Washington was expected to be lousy this year as it rebuilds and is 4-9. Martinez led the franchise to the World Series title in 2019, but the club has finished well below .500 every year since. There was talk Martinez might be fired after a brutal 55-107 mark in 2022. Mike Rizzo has been running the show in Washington since 2009 so he has ties to Martinez, but the contracts for both are up after this year and the team is for sale.
Cincinnati's David Bell has been on a list like this for years, it seems, but the Reds honestly might be too cheap of a franchise to simply eat the rest of his contract for this year. Bell's deal is up after 2023, and he likely will not be back in 2024.
The Colorado Rockies are on pace for their fifth straight losing season under manager Bud Black. After the Red Sox finished last in the AL East last year, Red Sox president Sam Kennedy felt it necessary to declare that both chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and manager Alex Cora weren't going anywhere, but the Sox don't look much better in 2023.
Via SportsLine oddsmakers: Who will be the first MLB manager fired this season?
- A.J. Hinch, Tigers +300
- Dave Martinez, Nationals +400
- Bud Black, Rockies +700
- Alex Cora, Red Sox +9000
- David Bell, Reds +1000
- Gabe Kapler, Giants +1100
- Mark Kotsay, A's +1300
Get more out of your SportsLine subscription!
Early Edge: YouTube | Apple Podcasts
Qualifying SportsLine members receive a 30-day free trial of Paramount+ premium. Sync your account right here.
