About this episode
Former MLB Pitcher Josh Towers and Scott Seidenberg talk about the latest news in Major League Baseball with a look ahead to Best Bets in the market. The July 7 episode of The Inside Pitch with Scott Seidenberg and Josh Towers centered on the midseason shakeups in MLB, notably the firing of Nationals manager Davey Martinez and GM Mike Rizzo. Martinez's quote deflecting blame from coaches—“It’s never on coaching”—was harshly criticized by Towers, who emphasized the crucial role of coaching in player development. This led to a broader discussion on leadership accountability and the challenges of managing a young roster with high expectations. The hosts evaluated the Nationals' outlook following the firings. With a 37–53 record and 72 games remaining, Seidenberg questioned the team’s ability to reach their 68.5 win total, citing the fifth-toughest remaining schedule and looming trade possibilities. Towers countered that the team has foundational talent like Gore and Wood but agreed the over/under is razor-thin. They discussed interim manager Miguel Cairo and speculated on potential trade departures such as Josh Bell, Jake Irvin, and Mike Soroka, though Skenes and McCutcheon were deemed untouchable. The All-Star roster reveal sparked debates on snubs and systemic bias. Towers pointed out how dominant middle relievers like Drew Pomeranz get overlooked despite elite performance. They applauded the Home Run Derby format and early participants (Acuña, Wood, Cal Raleigh), with Seidenberg already looking to handicap the bracket once the field is announced. Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber have opted out, and the hosts emphasized the edge held by experienced derby hitters. The conversation shifted to awards betting. Joe Espada’s odds for AL Manager of the Year dropped from 50:1 to 38:1 after Seidenberg’s tip, bolstered by Houston’s 55–35 record and 15 players on the IL. Towers praised their 32–14 home record and resilience without stars like Yordan Alvarez. They questioned why AJ Hinch remains a heavy favorite despite similar adversity being handled better in Houston. Pitching excellence featured heavily. Zach Wheeler’s near-perfect game—12 Ks, no walks, 108 pitches—was dissected play-by-play. Towers highlighted his sequencing: late fastballs inside followed by slow curves to disrupt timing, calling it a clinic in in-out, soft-hard pitch selection. Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes were also celebrated for dominance and control. Skubal's K/BB ratio and Skenes' consistency paralleled deGrom's early Mets years, where low run support undermined elite outings. The Pirates became the first MLB team to record back-to-back three-game shutout sweeps both for and against—a historic anomaly. This led to a broader debate on whether the Pirates should trade Skenes. Towers warned doing so would cause fan revolt and questioned the club’s long-term willingness to build around him. Comparisons were made to past wasted rotations including Cole, Liriano, and Burnett. Power rankings closed the show. Tigers ranked first for Towers, followed by Astros and Dodgers. Seidenberg backed the Astros’ form and praised DeGrom’s consistency, calling first-five bets with him and Skenes reliable. Strikeout prop strategies were discussed, with Sanchez’s seven-game quality start streak singled out. Finally, the hosts previewed the coming All-Star Break special, which will feature full Home Run Derby betting breakdowns, midseason awards, and second-half predictions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices