
MLB Power Rankings: Rays crack top 10 while Braves continue free fall
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adminAs we start to approach the halfway point of the season, teams have mostly settled into their respective places. This week’s list, however, saw a fair bit of movement, including the Dodgers falling to their lowest ranking of the season … at No. 4.
The Tigers, meanwhile, remain in the No. 1 spot after a 2-1 series win against the Cubs, followed by a host of seven National League teams, interrupted only by the Yankees at No. 3.
Just like in our previous weeks’ rankings, four American League teams reside in the top 10. The same four? Not so much. While the Mariners dropped seven places to No. 15, the Rays found their way back to the top 10 for the first time since Week 1.
Outside of the top 10, improvements were made by teams like the Blue Jays and Astros, while the Braves fell to their lowest ranking of the season at No. 21.
Our expert panel has ranked every team based on a combination of what we’ve seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts Jorge Castillo, Alden Gonzalez and David Schoenfield to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.
Record: 44-25
Previous ranking: 1
Zach McKinstry has been a crucial part of Detroit’s improved offense, hitting .275/.362/.436 while leading the team’s position players with 1.6 WAR (and tied for the AL lead with seven triples). He has started games at five different positions (3B, RF, LF, SS, 2B) and hit well in high-leverage situations (around .400). McKinstry entered 2025 with a career OPS+ of 77, including just 74 last season, when he hit .215/.277/.337, so we’ll see if he can keep it up, but manager A.J. Hinch has been starting him nearly every game of late, including against left-handers. — Schoenfield
Record: 44-24
Previous ranking: 3
The Mets continue to play well and have opened up a bigger division lead over the slumping Phillies. New York leads the majors in ERA and the consistency of the starting pitching has been remarkable: Only twice all season has a Mets starter allowed more than four runs (Blade Tidwell allowed six making a fill-in start in a doubleheader and Griffin Canning allowed five on May 28 against the White Sox). Clay Holmes is looking like one of the bargains of the offseason and is now 7-3 with a 2.95 ERA. He’s making a push for All-Star consideration as a starter after twice making it as a reliever with the Yankees. — Schoenfield
Record: 41-25
Previous ranking: 4
Giancarlo Stanton, who began a rehab assignment Tuesday with Double-A Somerset, did not shut down the possibility of making his season debut this weekend against the Red Sox. Stanton has been on the injured list with severe tendon injuries in both of his elbows, and the Yankees have still posted the highest OPS and wRC+ in the majors. As the roster stands, his return will create a logjam in the DH spot with Stanton, Ben Rice, Jasson Dominguez and Aaron Judge — when manager Aaron Boone wants to get him off his feet — as options for the slot. — Castillo
Record: 41-28
Previous ranking: 2
Matt Sauer, a 26-year-old journeyman, threw a career-high 111 pitches while allowing nine runs on Tuesday. Enrique Hernandez, a utility player, then recorded the final seven outs. The following afternoon, it was Ben Casparius going as long as he could in yet another bullpen game. The Dodgers’ pitching situation is quite dire these days — but there is hope on the horizon. Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are off a mound and progressing. Shohei Ohtani, meanwhile, threw a 44-pitch simulated game earlier this week and should return at some point next month. Until then, the Dodgers must survive. — Gonzalez
Record: 41-27
Previous ranking: 6
We’ve reached the point in the calendar where the sample sizes mean something, and that means Pete Crow-Armstrong is a legitimate National League MVP candidate. PCA leads the NL in fWAR (3.6) for a Cubs team that has the second-best record in the NL. The 23-year-old center fielder is one of the best defenders in the sport at any position and a burner on the basepaths with 21 steals. His chase rate ranks among the highest in the majors, but he’s still producing at an elite level with a slash line of .271/.305/.545. Maybe the offense regresses, but since it’s been more than two months, it might just be for real. — Castillo
Record: 39-29
Previous ranking: 5
Are the Phillies good? They’re 7-0 against the Rockies and barely over .500 against everyone else. They have just the 14th-best run differential in the majors and only five series wins against teams that currently have a winning record (the Dodgers, Cubs twice, Rays and Guardians). Jesus Luzardo has suddenly lost it, allowing a remarkable 20 runs over consecutive starts (the Phillies believe he was tipping his pitches). Aaron Nola is still out with a stress reaction in a rib and won’t throw for at least two weeks. Bryce Harper just landed on the IL. The bullpen continues to scuffle. — Schoenfield
Record: 40-28
Previous ranking: 9
The Giants erupted for four ninth-inning runs against the Rockies on Tuesday night, giving them not only their sixth consecutive victory but their sixth consecutive one-run win — one shy of the major league record, set by the 1927 Cubs. The Giants lead the majors with 17 one-run wins this season. And though at least some of that is probably fluky, there’s also a very tangible reason for their success in those situations: Their bullpen continues to be lights out. Giants relievers boast the lowest ERA (2.34) and WHIP (1.09) in the majors this season. — Gonzalez
Record: 38-29
Previous ranking: 7
Yu Darvish and Michael King remain on the IL, and it seemed as if Manny Machado was single-handedly carrying the offense over these past few weeks. Yet, the Padres have found a way to win games. Heading into their showdown against the Dodgers this week, they had won 10 of 16 games. Six of those wins were decided by a single run. During that stretch, Padres relievers put up a 1.58 ERA, third lowest in the big leagues. — Gonzalez
Record: 37-30
Previous ranking: 10
The Astros’ offense continues to scuffle without Yordan Alvarez, who has been limited to 29 games because of a fracture in his right hand. But the pitching staff continues to keep this team afloat. This month alone, the Astros have received dominant starts from Hunter Brown, Framber Valdez and Lance McCullers Jr. while winning six of nine games and vaulting into first place in the AL West. Ronel Blanco‘s Tommy John surgery and Spencer Arrighetti‘s fractured thumb have forced Brandon Walter into the rotation, and he has responded with a 1.64 ERA in two starts. — Gonzalez
Record: 36-32
Previous ranking: 15
The Rays recently optioned rookie Chandler Simpson — one of the fastest players in baseball — after he stole 19 bases in just 35 games, but they’re not slowing down on the basepaths. Utilityman Jose Caballero leads the majors with 25 steals in 29 attempts while Jake Mangum, another rookie, is 10-for-10. The Rays, as a team, are tops in the majors with 96 stolen bases — 10 more than the second-ranked Brewers. That alone has helped them stay within striking distance of the first-place Yankees in the AL East. — Castillo
Record: 36-31
Previous ranking: 112
Minnesota’s pitching has led the way while the offense has been about league average, but what’s interesting is where the Twins are getting that offense from — a lot of so-called “free talent” acquisitions. Harrison Bader and Ty France signed in February as bargain basement free agents. Bader is second to Byron Buxton in WAR among position players while France is second in RBIs. Kody Clemens signed in late April after the Phillies waived him, and he has a 123 OPS+. The Twins signed Willi Castro ahead of the 2023 season after the Tigers let him go, and he’s consistently put up solid numbers. With Carlos Correa and Royce Lewis still scuffling, those four have been huge keys in the first half. — Schoenfield
Record: 33-26
Previous ranking: 11
For nearly a year, Ivan Herrera has quietly been one of the best hitters in the majors when healthy. Since June 1 of last year, the catcher/designated hitter’s 166 wRC+ is fifth in the majors among batters with at least 250 plate appearances. Only Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani and Ketel Marte have posted better marks. The problem is Herrera has played in just 66 games during that span compared to Judge, for example, who has played in 150-plus. This season, Herrera missed more than a month with a knee injury, but when he’s on the field he produces. In 35 games, he’s batting .317 with seven home runs and a .941 OPS. — Castillo
Record: 38-30
Previous ranking: 18
The Blue Jays’ best hitter this season hasn’t been their $500 million first baseman (Vladimir Guerrero Jr.) or their big free agent acquisition (Anthony Santander) or their two-time All-Star shortstop (Bo Bichette). It’s been George Springer, a 35-year-old outfielder whose best years appeared to be behind him after a disappointing 2024 season. Springer is enjoying a rebound campaign with a .259/.366/.488 slash line and 10 home runs in 64 games. His .854 OPS leads the Blue Jays among qualified hitters and is 10th best among qualified outfielders across the majors. It’s been a throwback performance for the four-time All-Star. — Castillo
Record: 36-33
Previous ranking: 13
While the Brewers’ pitching carousel seemingly never stops, Freddy Peralta is still in Milwaukee churning out quality seasons — and this one might be his best. The veteran right-hander, who held the Padres to one hit over six scoreless innings Sunday, has a 2.69 ERA over 14 starts. Peralta, 29, is en route to his second All-Star appearance for a club that is once again exceeding expectations and in the postseason hunt. — Castillo
Record: 33-34
Previous ranking: 8
The Mariners were eight games above .500 and 3½ games up in the AL West when they beat the Astros on May 23. They have since dropped 13 of 17 games and sit four games back of Houston. Their offense has struggled, with Jorge Polanco in particular coming back down to Earth. But the biggest culprit has been the pitching staff — more specifically the bullpen, which has put up a major league-worst 5.98 ERA during that 28-game stretch. Making matters worse, Bryce Miller didn’t respond to a cortisone injection for his elbow inflammation and will be out for at least another month. — Gonzalez
Record: 35-34
Previous ranking: 21
Hunter Greene appeared on his way to a second straight All-Star nod before he landed on the IL last week with a groin strain for the second time this season. While a timetable for his return is not known, Greene left the Reds for Los Angeles on Monday to seek a second opinion on his groin and lower back, which began bothering him in his last start against the Brewers. The 25-year-old is one of the hardest-throwing starters in baseball and has a 2.72 ERA in 11 outings this season. The Reds, who have been hovering around .500 most of the season, will attempt to stay in the race without him. — Castillo
Record: 34-34
Previous ranking: 17
Noah Cameron had the first rough outing of his seven-start MLB career on Tuesday, serving up a two-run homer to Aaron Judge in the first inning and then a three-run homer to Austin Wells in the fourth. That raised his ERA up to 2.17 as the six runs he allowed doubled his total of three entering the start. Indeed, the 25-year-old lefty has been a nice surprise, a seventh-round pick in 2021 out of Central Arkansas who only sits at 92 mph with his fastball but relies on a five-pitch mix. The strikeout rate is low (25 in 37⅓ IP), so we’ll see if this last outing was a blip or the league making some adjustments. — Schoenfield
Record: 35-32
Previous ranking: 14
Tuesday’s 1-0 loss to the Reds ensured a third straight series loss for Cleveland after losing two of three to the Yankees and Astros. That was also the ninth game in a row where the Guardians failed to score more than four runs as they hit just .215 with a .289 OBP in that stretch. Slade Cecconi had his best start, allowing one run in five innings, but was issued zero runs of support for his second start in a row. Kyle Manzardo‘s slump has been a key reason for the offensive woes as he hit .164 with one home run and four RBIs over 19 games before his two-hit, two-RBI outing Wednesday that included a double. — Schoenfield
Record: 34-34
Previous ranking: 19
When Corbin Burnes decided to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery last Friday, the D-backs were a .500 team in a highly competitive NL West. Their rotation held the sixth-highest ERA in the majors. Arizona proceeded to get swept by the Reds, then bounced back by sweeping the Mariners, setting the Diamondbacks up for some really difficult decisions ahead of the trade deadline next month. If they decide to punt on 2025, the likes of Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen, Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez will be fascinating names to monitor. — Gonzalez
Record: 34-36
Previous ranking: 22
The Red Sox finally did it. Less than a month after his 21st birthday, Roman Anthony got called up. After banging on the big league door for weeks, baseball’s consensus No. 1 prospect drove from Worcester to Boston on Monday to make his long-awaited debut at Fenway Park against the Rays. He batted fifth and played right field despite primarily playing in left and center field in the minors this season. Anthony went hitless in his debut before recording his first career hit — a two-run double — Tuesday. Fans were eagerly awaiting his arrival, and the pressure is high to deliver for a team with postseason aspirations. — Castillo
Record: 29-38
Previous ranking: 16
The Braves had a disastrous seven-game losing streak, mirroring their 0-7 start to the season, which dropped them well back in the NL wild-card race. They have a stretch of games coming up against the Mets and Phillies that will no doubt determine their trade deadline decisions. Among those losses was arguably the worst defeat of 2025 for any team: The Braves blew a 10-4 lead at home to Arizona in the ninth inning as Scott Blewett and Raisel Iglesias gave up seven runs. Back-to-back walk-off losses to the Giants followed, including Pierce Johnson blowing a ninth-inning lead on Matt Chapman‘s home run. — Schoenfield
Record: 32-36
Previous ranking: 20
A Rangers offense that had spent most of the year in a comatose state erupted for 16 runs against the Twins on Tuesday night, during which Evan Carter supplied three hits — including a home run — and a walk. The Rangers have been waiting for Carter to live up to the promise he displayed during the stretch run of the 2023 season. He struggled while dealing with a back injury last year, then struggled again before injuring his quad this year. Since coming back up from the IL, though, Carter is 9-for-21 with four extra-base hits. If he can keep that going, the Rangers might just make a run in the division. — Gonzalez
Record: 30-37
Previous ranking: 23
Where might the Nationals be if they had a better bullpen? Tuesday’s loss was indicative of the season as they blew a 4-2 lead to the Mets, allowing two runs in the eighth and then suffering a walk-off loss in the 10th. Only the A’s have a worse bullpen ERA, and the Nationals rank in the bottom third of the majors in bullpen win probability added. The Nats did get close to .500 — they were 28-30 as recently as May 31 — but Tuesday’s loss dropped them back to six games under .500 as the offense has gone back into a deep slump after exploding for 38 runs in four games at the end of May. — Schoenfield
Record: 33-34
Previous ranking: 24
Jo Adell has always displayed a propensity to run hot and cold, and at this point, he’s on a real heater. The Angels’ enigmatic young outfielder is slashing .325/.413/.875 with seven home runs since May 30, raising his season OPS by 136 points. His team is 8-4 during that stretch, which should come as no surprise — the Angels’ offense looks very different when Adell is supplying consistent production from the bottom third of the lineup. The hope is he can ride this stretch just a little bit longer to help L.A. creep back over .500. — Gonzalez
Record: 27-39
Previous ranking: 25
Heston Kjerstad, the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft, was given his first long runway in the majors to start this season, and he struggled mightily before he was optioned to Triple-A on Tuesday. The outfielder batted .192 with a .566 OPS in 54 games. His 59 wRC+ was tied for 13th worst in the majors among players with at least 160 plate appearances this season, and his minus-1.1 fWAR was tied for the third lowest. The Orioles hope a stint in Norfolk can get him back on track. — Castillo
Record: 28-41
Previous ranking: 26
Paul Skenes has given up seven runs (six earned) in 48⅓ innings across his past seven starts, maintaining a pristine 1.12 ERA. He hasn’t surrendered more than two runs in any of the six outings. The Pirates’ record in those games? They are 3-4. Skenes was credited with just one of those wins and is 4-6 on the season despite a 1.88 ERA over a major league-leading 91 innings. The Pirates have improved under interim manager Don Kelly — they’re 15-15 after going 12-26 with Derek Shelton at the helm — but the offense has left wins on the table with their 23-year-old right-hander on the mound. –– Castillo
Record: 25-41
Previous ranking: 27
It was great to see Eury Perez back in the majors, making his first start since September 2023 after he blew out his right elbow in spring training in 2024. He allowed four runs in three innings against the Pirates, with five strikeouts and two walks, and fought his command as he threw 70 pitches. His four-seamer averaged 98.5 mph — up 1 mph from what he averaged as a rookie. Still, it was a reminder of how good he was back in 2023. Unfortunately for Miami, right as Perez returns, Max Meyer (hip impingement) and Ryan Weathers (shoulder and lat strain) landed on the IL. — Schoenfield
28. Athletics
Record: 26-44
Previous ranking: 28
Jacob Wilson, the biggest bright spot in a suddenly spiraling season, has missed the past two games with tightness in his left hamstring but is expected back in the lineup by Friday. Since the start of May, his batting average is precisely .400, tops among qualified hitters. For the year, the 23-year-old shortstop is batting .366, with Aaron Judge (.394) the only player standing in the way of a batting title. Wilson’s walk and strikeout rates are comically low, but this isn’t some reincarnation of Luis Arraez; Wilson is also slugging .520, the 13th highest mark in the majors. — Gonzalez
Record: 23-45
Previous ranking: 29
Two offseason acquisitions are paying off nicely for the White Sox. Shane Smith was a Rule 5 pick from the Brewers and, after allowing one run in six innings to beat the Astros on Tuesday, he improved to 3-3 with a 2.37 ERA. Seven unearned runs have helped that ERA, but he’s done a nice job keeping the ball in the park with just four home runs in 68⅓ innings. Chase Meidroth was an afterthought in the Garrett Crochet trade but he was consistently getting on base in the minors and is doing that with the White Sox, hitting .296 with a .385 OBP. — Schoenfield
Record: 12-55
Previous ranking: 30
A rare bright spot emerged last week. The Rockies won all three of their games against the Marlins, giving them their first series win of the season and their first sweep in over a year. Unfortunately, good feelings don’t last very long in Colorado these days. The Rockies proceeded to lose five in a row against the Mets and Giants. They’ve already had eight losing streaks of four or more games this season. Four of them have spanned eight games. And it’s only June. — Gonzalez
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Sports
2025 MLB All-Star rosters: Biggest snubs and other takeaways
Published
3 hours agoon
July 7, 2025By
admin
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Bradford DoolittleJul 6, 2025, 05:38 PM ET
Close- MLB writer and analyst for ESPN.com
- Former NBA writer and analyst for ESPN.com
- Been with ESPN since 2013
The initial 2025 MLB All-Star Game rosters are out, the product of the collaborative process between fans, players and the league. How did this annual confab do?
We already know that injuries will prevent some of these selectees from appearing in Atlanta, and replacement choices will be announced in the coming days. By the end of this post-selection period, we’ll wind up with something like 70 to 75 All-Stars for this season.
These first-draft rosters contain 65 players, the odd number stemming from the decision to send Clayton Kershaw to the festivities as a “Legend” pick. First reaction: Baseball’s newest member of the 3,000 strikeout club has earned everything he gets.
Now, on to the nitpicking.
American League
Biggest oversight: Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins
The Twins’ lone representative on the initial rosters is outfielder Byron Buxton, a worthy selection. Ryan (8-4, 2.76 ERA) fell into a group of similar performers including Kansas City’s Kris Bubic and the Texas duo of Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi. Bubic and deGrom made it, which is great, and Bubic in particular is quite a story.
But Ryan and Eovaldi didn’t make it, and both were probably a little more deserving that Seattle’s Bryan Woo, whose superficial numbers (8-4, 2.77) are very close to Ryan’s. But Woo plays in a more friendly pitching park, and the under-the-hood metrics favor Ryan.
The main takeaway: If this is the biggest discrepancy, the process worked well.
Second-biggest oversight: Many-way tie between several hitters
The every-team-gets-a-player rule, along with positional requirements, always knocks out worthy performers from teams with multiple candidates. Thus, a few picks on the position side might have gone differently.
The Rays are playing so well they probably deserve more than one player. Their most deserving pick made it — infielder Jonathan Aranda — along with veteran second baseman Brandon Lowe. Infielders such as J.P. Crawford (Seattle), Isaac Paredes (Houston) and Zach McKinstry (Detroit) had good cases to make it ahead of Lowe, whose power numbers (19 homers, 54 RBIs) swayed the players.
While acknowledging that Gunnar Henderson has had a disappointing season, I still think he deserved to be the Orioles’ default pick instead of Ryan O’Hearn. But the latter was selected as the AL’s starting DH by the fans, and Baltimore doesn’t deserve two players. It’s a great story that O’Hearn will be a first-time All-Star just a couple of weeks before his 32nd birthday.
Other thoughts
• The default White Sox selection is rookie starter Shane Smith, a Rule 5 pick from Milwaukee last winter. Smith is my lowest-rated player on the AL squad, but he has been consistently solid. Adrian Houser, an in-season pickup, has been great for Chicago and has arguably produced more value than Smith. But I like honoring the rookie who has been there the whole campaign.
• The Athletics’ Jacob Wilson was elected as a starter and is easily the most deserving player from that squad. I’m not sure I see a second pick there, but Brent Rooker made it as a DH. Rooker has been fine, but his spot could have gone to one of the overlooked hitters already mentioned, or perhaps Kansas City’s Maikel Garcia.
• Houston’s Jeremy Pena is a deserving choice and arguably should be the AL’s starter at shortstop instead of Wilson. Alas, he’s on the injured list, and though reports say he might soon resume baseball activities, it’s likely Pena will be replaced. Any of the above-mentioned overlooked hitters will do.
• As for the starters, the fans do a great job nowadays. I disagreed with them on a couple of spots, though. I would have gone with a keystone combo of Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Pena rather than Gleyber Torres and Wilson, but I’d have them all on the team. And I would have definitely started Buxton over Javier Baez in the outfield.
National League
Biggest oversight: Juan Soto, New York Mets
Not sure how this happens, but I’m guessing Soto is a victim of his own standards. Yes, he signed a contract for an unfathomable amount of money, and so far, he hasn’t reinvented the game as a member of the Mets. He has just been lower-end Juan Soto, which is still one of the best players in the sport. His OBP is, as ever, north of .400, he leads the league in walks and it sure seems as if Pete Alonso has very much enjoyed hitting behind him.
The All-Star Game was invented for players like Soto, and though you might leave out someone like him if he is having a truly poor season, that’s not the case here. It is kind of amazing that he didn’t make it, while MacKenzie Gore and James Wood — both part of the trade that sent Soto from Washington to San Diego — did. They deserve it, and you can make a strong argument that a third player the Nats picked up in the trade — CJ Abrams — does as well. But Soto deserves it too.
Finally, the Marlins’ most-deserving pick is outfielder Kyle Stowers, who indeed ended up as their default selection. But he probably ended up with Soto’s slot.
Second-biggest oversight: Andy Pages, Los Angeles Dodgers
It’s hard to overlook anyone on the Dodgers, but somehow Pages slipped through the cracks despite his fantastic all-around first half for the defending champs.
It was just a numbers game. I’ve got five NL outfielders rated ahead of Pages, and all but Soto made it, so no additional quibbles there. The fans voted in Ronald Acuna Jr. to start at his home ballpark. Having Acuna there in front of the fans in Atlanta makes sense. But he has played only half of the first half.
Other thoughts
• The shortstop position is loaded in the NL, but the only pure shortstops to make it were starter Francisco Lindor and Elly De La Cruz. Both are good selections, but the Phillies’ Trea Turner has been just as outstanding. Abrams and Arizona’s Geraldo Perdomo are also deserving. The position has been so good that the player with the most career value currently playing shortstop in the NL — Mookie Betts — barely merits a mention. Betts has had a subpar half, but who will be surprised if he’s topping this list by the end of the season?
• Both leagues had three pitching staff slots given to relievers. The group in the AL (Aroldis Chapman, Josh Hader and Andres Munoz) was much more clear-cut than the one in the NL, which ended up with the Giants’ Randy Rodriguez, the Mets’ Edwin Diaz and the Padres’ Jason Adam. It made sense to honor someone from San Diego’s dominant bullpen, and you could have flipped a coin to pick between Adam and Adrian Morejon.
• Picking these rosters while meeting all the requirements and needs for teams and positions is hard. I don’t have any real issue with the pitchers selected for the NL. One of them is Atlanta’s Chris Sale, who is on the IL and will have to be replaced. My pick would be Philadelphia’s Cristopher Sanchez (7-2, 2.68 ERA).
• And for the starting position players, Alonso should have gotten the nod over Freddie Freeman at first base, though it will be great to see Freeman’s reception when he takes the field in Atlanta. For that matter, the Cubs’ Michael Busch has had a better first half than Freeman at this point, though that became true only in the past few days, thanks to his explosion at Wrigley Field. I would have gone with Turner at short, but it’s close. And I’d have started Wood in place of Acuna.
Sports
Nats seek ‘fresh approach,’ fire Martinez, Rizzo
Published
8 hours agoon
July 7, 2025By
admin
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Jesse RogersJul 6, 2025, 06:35 PM ET
Close- Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com.
The last-place Washington Nationals fired president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez, the team announced Sunday.
Rizzo, 64, and Martinez, 60, won a World Series with the Nationals in 2019, but the team has floundered in recent years. This season, the Nationals are 37-53 and stuck at the bottom of the National League East after getting swept by the Boston Red Sox this weekend at home. Washington hasn’t finished higher than fourth in the division since winning the World Series.
“On behalf of our family and the Washington Nationals organization, I first and foremost want to thank Mike and Davey for their contributions to our franchise and our city,” principal owner Mark Lerner said in a statement. “Our family is eternally grateful for their years of dedication to the organization, including their roles in bringing a World Series trophy to Washington, D.C.
“While we are appreciative of their past successes, the on-field performance has not been where we or our fans expect it to be. This is a pivotal time for our club, and we believe a fresh approach and new energy is the best course of action for our team moving forward.”
Mike DeBartolo, the club’s senior vice president and assistant general manager, was named interim GM on Sunday night. DeBartolo will oversee all aspects of baseball operations, including the MLB draft. An announcement will be made on the interim manager Monday, a day before the club begins a series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Rizzo has been the top decision-maker in Washington since 2013, and Martinez has been on board since 2018. Under Rizzo’s leadership, the team made the postseason four times: in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019. The latter season was Martinez’s lone playoff appearance.
“When our family assumed control of the team, nearly 20 years ago, Mike was the first hire we made,” Lerner said. “Over two decades, he was with us as we went from a fledging team in a new city to World Series champion. Mike helped make us who we are as an organization, and we’re so thankful to him for his hard work and dedication — not just on the field and in the front office, but in the community as well.”
The Nationals are in the midst of a rebuild that has moved slower than expected, though the team didn’t augment its young core much during the winter. Led by All-Stars James Wood and MacKenzie Gore, Washington has the second-youngest group of hitters in MLB and the sixth-youngest pitching staff.
The team lost 11 straight games in a forgettable stretch last month. And during a 2-10 run in June, Washington averaged just 2.5 runs. Since June 1, the Nationals have scored one run or been shut out seven times. In Sunday’s 6-4 loss to Boston, they left 15 runners on base.
There was industry speculation over the winter that the Nationals would spend money on free agents for the first time in several years, but that never materialized. Instead, the team made minor moves, signing free agents Josh Bell and Michael Soroka, trading for first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and re-signing closer Kyle Finnegan. Now, the hope is a new management team, both on and off the field, can help change the franchise’s fortunes.
Sports
Kershaw gets special ASG invite; no Soto, Betts
Published
8 hours agoon
July 7, 2025By
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David SchoenfieldJul 6, 2025, 05:38 PM ET
Close- Covers MLB for ESPN.com
- Former deputy editor of Page 2
- Been with ESPN.com since 1995
The rosters for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game will feature 19 first-timers — and one legend — as the pitchers and reserves were announced Sunday for the July 15 contest at Truist Park in Atlanta.
Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner who made his first All-Star team in 2011, was named to his 11th National League roster as a special commissioner’s selection.
Kershaw, who became only the fourth left-hander to amass 3,000 career strikeouts, is 4-0 with a 3.43 ERA in nine starts after beginning the season on the injured list. He joins Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera as a legend choice, after the pair of sluggers were selected in 2022.
Kershaw said he didn’t want to discuss the selection Sunday.
Among the first-time All-Stars announced Sunday: Dodgers teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto; Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood and left-hander MacKenzie Gore; Houston Astros ace Hunter Brown and shortstop Jeremy Pena; and Chicago Cubs 34-year-old left-hander Matthew Boyd.
“It’ll just be cool being around some of the best players in the game,” Wood said.
First-time All-Stars previously elected to start by the fans include Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson, Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn and Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.
Overall, the 19 first-time All-Stars is a drop from the 32 first-time selections on the initial rosters in 2024.
Kershaw would be the sentimental choice to start for the National League, although Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who leads NL pitchers in ERA and WAR, might be in line to start his second straight contest. Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler, a three-time All-Star, is 9-3 with a 2.17 ERA after Sunday’s complete-game victory and also would be a strong candidate to start.
“I think it would be stupid to say no to that. It’s a pretty cool opportunity,” Skenes said about the possibility of being asked to start by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “I didn’t make plans over the All-Star break or anything. So, yeah, I’m super stoked.”
Kershaw has made one All-Star start in his career, in 2022 at Dodger Stadium.
Among standout players not selected were New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto, who signed a $765 million contract as a free agent in the offseason, and Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts, who had made eight consecutive All-Star rosters since 2016.
Soto got off to a slow start but was the National League Player of the Month in June and entered Sunday ranked sixth in the NL in WAR among position players while ranking second in OBP, eighth in OPS and third in runs scored.
The players vote for the reserves at each position and selected Wood, Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres as the backup outfielders. Kyle Stowers also made it as a backup outfielder as the representative for the Miami Marlins.
Unless Soto later is added as an injury replacement, he’ll miss his first All-Star Game since his first full season in 2019.
The Dodgers lead all teams with five representatives: Kershaw, Yamamoto and starters Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith. The AL-leading Detroit Tigers (57-34) and Mariners have four each.
Tigers ace Tarik Skubal will join AL starters Riley Greene, Gleyber Torres and Javier Baez, while Raleigh, the AL’s starting catcher, will be joined by Seattle teammates Bryan Woo, Andres Munoz and Julio Rodriguez.
Earning his fifth career selection but first since 2021 is Texas Rangers righty Jacob deGrom, who is finally healthy after making only nine starts in his first two seasons with the Rangers and is 9-2 with a 2.13 ERA. He has never started an All-Star Game, although Skubal or Brown would be the favorite to start for the AL.
The hometown Braves will have three All-Stars in Acuna, pitcher Chris Sale (his ninth selection, tied with Freeman for the second most behind Kershaw) and first baseman Matt Olson. The San Francisco Giants had three pitchers selected: Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and reliever Randy Rodriguez.
The slumping New York Yankees ended up with three All-Stars: Aaron Judge, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Max Fried. The Mets also earned three All-Star selections: Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz.
“Red carpet, that’s my thing,” Chisholm said. “I do have a ‘fit in mind.”
Rosters are expanded from 26 to 32 for the All-Star Game. They include starters elected by fans, 17 players (five starting pitchers, three relievers and a backup for each position) chosen in a player vote and six players (four pitchers and two position players) selected by league officials. Every club must be represented.
Acuna, Wood and Raleigh are the three All-Stars who have so far committed to participating in the Home Run Derby.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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