The Washington Nationals have fired manager Dave Martinez and GM Mike Rizzo in a stunning move ahead of next week’s draft.
In a statement on Sunday, the Nationals’ Managing Principal Owner Mark Lerner said: ‘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.’
The statement also confirmed that ‘Senior Vice President & Assistant General Manager, Baseball Operations, Mike DeBartolo has been named Interim General Manager.
The Washington Nationals have fired GM Mike Rizzo in a stunning move ahead of the draft
Manager Dave Martinez has, similarly, been relieved of his duties by the MLB franchise
‘DeBartolo will oversee all aspects of baseball operations, including the upcoming MLB First-Year Player Draft, alongside other key members of the department. An announcement will be made on the interim manager sometime on Monday’.
Both Martinez and Rizzo have played a crucial role in the Nationals’ success over recent years and were in charge when they won the 2019 World Series.
Rizzo joined the Nationals as assistant GM back in 2006 before later being promoted to GM in 2013. He helped lead them to four playoff appearances.
However, their struggles this year – which has seen their record fall to 37-53 – proved enough for Lerner to pull the trigger.
Their most recent result saw them swept aside by the Boston Red Sox over the July 4th weekend.
Furthermore, the decision comes ahead of the MLB draft next week – where they will select first overall in Atlanta after winning the MLB Draft Lottery.
Interim GM DeBartolo worked closely with Rizzo so preparations for the draft will not go to waste.
