We're not even a week into the MLB season, but there are already odds up on who the first manager to be fired will be. I guess they wanted to get them up while they could, as Cincinnati's Bryan Price was canned just a few weeks into last season after a 3-15 start.
Leading the way this year is Dave Martinez of the Nationals. Despite losing Bryce Harper this offseason, they still had high hopes and were expected to contend for the NL East title.
Obviously they can still turn things around (they're 2-3 so far) because it's still very early in the season, but a managerial change could be in order considering they underperformed last year, too.
First Manager To Be Fired
Behind him is the trio of Don Mattingly, Andy Green and Mickey Callaway, each in a vastly different situations. Mattingly has literally no expectations with the Marlins, Green is in a transition year with a very young Padres squad and Callaway, like Martinez, is looking to contend in the NL East.
There's another big glut of skips between +1000 and +1200, with Gabe Kapler and Dave Roberts being the most notable. Kapler had an interesting first year with the Phillies in 2018, which included an ugly start and ugly finish.
Harper and the Phils are hot out of the gate this year, but it's possible he could get the boot if they enter a real ugly stretch. I find it rather unlikely he'd get fired early in the season.
Roberts has led the Dodgers to two straight World Series appearances, which makes it hard to believe he'd get fired before anyone else this year.
At the bottom of the list: Terry Francona, Alex Cora and Bruce Bochy. Tito just signed a two-year contract extension, Cora just won the World Series and Bochy is retiring after the season.
If you're hoping to cash a super longshot, this probably isn't the bet you want to risk it on.
