Struggling Nationals Fire Manager Dave Martinez, GM Mike Rizzo

Dave Martinez, who managed the Washington Nationals to a surprise world championship in 2019, found himself out of a job before the end of the Independence Day weekend.

Both Martinez and general manager Mike Rizzo, both credited with resurrecting the moribund franchise by scouting and acquiring a selection of promising prospects, were let go by the Nats with just 10 days to go before the All-Star break.

Martinez, a former outfielder, is the fourth manager fired this season, along with Derek Shelton of Pittsburgh, Brandon Hyde of Baltimore, and Bud Black of Colorado.

His firing came on the same day two of the team’s most promising young stars, outfielder James Wood and pitcher Mackenzie Gore, made the National League All-Star team for the first time.

Promising Kids

Gore and Wood were part of the team’s haul when it decided to trade former NL batting champion Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres at the 2022 trade deadline. That deal also brought CJ Abrams, Robert Hassell III, and Jarlin Susana to the nation’s capital.

It followed by a year another payroll-slicing swap that sent Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Dodgers for Josiah Gray and Keibert Ruiz, among others.

The Nationals finished the weekend last in the National League East with a 37-53 record, suggesting a losing season for the sixth straight year since the wild-card world championship of 2019.

Two stars of that season, third baseman Anthony Rendon and starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg, made no further contributions when they hit free agency immediately after the World Series.

They received matching seven-year, $245 million contracts – Rendon from the Angels and Strasburg from the Nationals. But the pitcher suffered a series of injuries and won only one more game in three succeeding seasons.

In announcing the release of the Rizzo-Martinez tandem, principal owner Mark Lerner issued a statement thanking them for their service.

Losing Record

“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.

“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.”

The only teams with more losses than the Nationals are the White Sox and Rockies, both of whom also changed managers within the last calendar year.

The White Sox lost a 121 games, a major-league record, last year and the Rockies started so poorly this season that they seemed certain to do even worse.

Both Rizzo and Martinez had contracts containing club options for 2026 but the Nats decided they couldn’t wait. Assistant general manager Mike DeBartolo will serve as interim GM for the balance of the season, with a new manager to be named later. He began as a front-office intern in 2012 and became assistant GM seven years later – just in time for the World Series victory.

The Nationals have a history of high-profile pilots, including Davey Johnson and Dusty Baker, but also have a reputation for holding a short leash.

Hoping for a quick rebuild, ownership will pay close attention to next week’s draft of amateur free agents. Washington will get first pick in the draft, the same process that once brought Bryce Harper (now with Philadelphia) and Strasburg (now retired) to the club.

With the trade deadline just two weeks after the draft, the Nationals could make considerable changes in an effort to reverse their fortunes.

Free Agent Gambles

Free agency is another get-rich-quick scheme for potential contenders but only if the dollars, years, and health of the newly-signed player work out as planned. While Scherzer was a solid signing, Patrick Corbin and others did not deliver much return on investment.

Washington won four NL East titles during an eight-year streak of winning seasons from 2012-19 but gradually fell from contention after that.

Martinez, a former outfielder, succeeded Baker as Washington manager and almost lost his job early in 2019, when the team opened with a 19-31 record before clicking. The inability to keep Harper, who won his first MVP award with the Nationals, was a serious setback.

The final dagger for Martinez was an 11-game losing streak last month, when Washington went 7-19. He won 500 games with Washington in a tenure that lasted nearly eight years.

Whether Washington will be willing to raise its payroll either immediately or in post-season free agency remains to be seen. According to Roster Resource, the team ranks 22nd among the 30 clubs with a projected 2025 payroll tax payroll of $120 million.

In the NL East, the only team that pays its players less is the Miami Marlins, who rank last at $87 million. The Fish, fresh from a recent winning streak, have passed the favored Braves in the standings to rank third, trailing only the Phillies and Mets as the weekend ended.