In a stunning but perhaps overdue move, the Washington Nationals fired both manager Dave Martinez and general manager Mike Rizzo on Sunday night, bringing an end to one of MLB’s longest-running partnerships. Their shared tenure included the franchise’s first and only World Series title in 2019, but the years since have been plagued by losing records, failed free agent signings, and stalled development. With the Nats falling to 37–53 and sitting last in the NL East, ownership declared it was time for “a fresh approach and new energy” to lead the team into a new chapter. Mike DeBartolo, Rizzo’s longtime assistant, takes over as interim GM, with an interim manager to be named Monday.
The timing raised eyebrows, coming just hours after James Wood and MacKenzie Gore were named All-Stars — a rare bright spot in a bleak season. Martinez, who recently clashed with media and players over accountability, finishes with a 500–622 record as the longest-tenured manager in club history. Rizzo, the architect of the 2019 title and several rebuilds, now exits amid criticism over recent failures in scouting, development, and player acquisitions. With the No. 1 overall pick looming and the trade deadline ahead, the Nationals face one of the most pivotal stretches in franchise history — and this house-cleaning signals they plan to face it with new leadership, new voices, and a reset from top to bottom.
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