Pitcher Sean Doolittle of the Washington Nationals

Episode notes

Sean Doolittle #63 of the Washington Nationals pitches during a baseball game against the New York Mets at the Nationals Park on April 8, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Sean Doolittle played a decade in the major leagues. 

He was a beloved weirdo and all-star with the Oakland A’s. Then, a World Series champion with the Washington Nationals. And in the later years of his career, he was a vagabond, drifting between Cleveland, Seattle, and back to D.C..

Doolittle was good as a pitcher. He held a 3.20 career ERA. And above all, he was a great guy on and off the field. 

During his time in baseball, Doolittle was a voice of conscience for the league. He visited injured veterans, spoke up fervently for the rights of minor leaguers, and advocated for the rights of queer and trans people.

He was the type of player you root for, even when he’s not on your team. 

Last month, Doolittle announced his retirement from baseball. Check out his Twitter account to follow his next steps. 

On Bullseye, we’re celebrating his long career by throwing it back to our conversation with him in 2017. Sean Doolittle stopped by to talk about his time in the MLB, and the tenacity he had to build after a number of career-threatening injuries. Plus, he reminisced about the first time he got to play in the majors and how it was almost one of the most terrifying ways a new player could start off.