The Washington Nationals team announced on Sunday that they are letting go of their General Manager, Mike Rizzo, and Manager Dave Martinez.
Here is what Team Owner Mike Lerner said in a statement.
“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. 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.”
They have named Miguel Cairo, Major League bench coach, as the interim manager. He held the same position for the White Sox at the end of the 2022 season. Before starting his hand at coaching, he played ball in the big league with a career spanning 17 years.
The team owner also announced that assistant general manager Mike DeBartolo will be replacing Rizzo on an interim basis. He will start working on running the draft room for next week’s MLB draft. Nationals will have the top pick in the draft.
“Mike DeBartolo is a smart and thoughtful executive, and we’re fortunate to have him as part of our organization. As we hold the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s MLB Draft and look ahead to the trade deadline, we are confident in his ability to lead the baseball operations staff through these next, important months.”
Dave Martinez had been with the Washington Nationals for 8 seasons. Over his stay at this team, he guided them to a record of 500-622 (.446). In the second season, he guided the team to a 93-win season and a World Series title.
