Washington Nationals owner Mark Lerner fired General Manager Mike Rizzo and Manager Davey Martinez in early July after the team finished June with a 7-19 record. The move came amid growing frustration over the Nationals’ ongoing struggles, as the team continues to slide toward its sixth consecutive losing season.
Rizzo had served as general manager since 2009, overseeing player acquisitions and organizational operations, while Martinez had managed the team since 2018. The Nationals have not announced permanent replacements, and interim GM Mike Debardolo and interim manager Miguel Cairo will oversee game-day operations as the team continues its season.
Many fans welcomed the Lerners’ decisive action, viewing it as a first step toward restoring the franchise’s competitiveness.
“Martinez has been an ineffective manager for years now,” senior Daniel Piho said. “Rizzo was a good GM, but the Nats player development under his leadership was some of the worst in the league.”
He added that multiple losses during the season were a direct product of bullpen misuse, a key responsibility of the manager.
However, as the team continues to fall in the standings as the season progresses, critics caution that the firings are only a partial solution.
“They’ve been trying to piece together a rebuild for a long time and show no signs of coming out of it,” ESPN analyst Bradford Doolittle told Sports Illustrated. He added that the flaws within the organization extend far beyond Rizzo and Martinez.
After the team went 9-15 in July, questions remain about whether the team will invest in veteran leadership and free-agent talent, or continue the pattern of trading established stars for younger prospects.
In recent years, the team has allowed several star players to leave, including high-profile trades such as Juan Soto, while focusing on younger prospects like Mackenzie Gore, C.J. Abrams and James Wood. While these players have become everyday starters and all-stars for the team, the Nationals’ payroll in 2025 is just over $100 million, according to USA Today, reflecting a broader pattern of limited spending on established talent.
“Well-run MLB franchises either spend big in free agency or invest in player development,” senior Trevor Minton said. “The Nationals’ ownership has done neither.”
