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Washington Nationals axe Mike Rizzo, and Dave Martinez: Who will lead now?
The Washington Nationals have fired president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez following a disappointing season.
The Washington Nationals, who finished in last place in the National League, fired both president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez, the team announced Sunday.
The decision comes as the team continues to spiral, capped by a 21-5 run differential in the last two games of the 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,” said principal owner Mark Lerner in an official statement, per the New York Post.
“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”
Who will replace Mike Rizzo, and Dave Martinez?
Mike DeBartolo, the team's current senior vice president and assistant general manager, will take over as interim general manager. A permanent decision on who will manage the team moving forward is expected on Monday.
“Mike DeBartolo is a smart and thoughtful executive, and we’re fortunate to have him as part of our organization,” Lerner said as the Nationals hold the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming MLB Draft.
“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.”
Working with the organisation since 2007 and appointed to the position of GM in 2009, Rizzo was one of the geniuses behind Washington in the 2019 World Series. On the other hand, Martinez was the assistant in the dugout in that championship season, and he has been the team manager since 2018.
However, the Nationals began a rebuild in 2021 and haven’t finished above fourth place in the NL East since. This season, they sit at 37-53 and in last place, having lost five of their last six games.
ALSO READ| MLB Nationals fire manager Martinez, GM Rizzo after loss
“I’ve always appreciated and admired Davey’s passion for the game of baseball and the love he has for his players,” Lerner said. “For almost eight years, he’s led our organization during some of our greatest moments, including a 2019 season we’ll never forget.”
“While this chapter has come to an end, we know that it doesn’t close the book on what should continue to be a long and successful career in baseball,” Lerner concluded.
