Nationals fans will wake up to some long-anticipated news Thursday: The club has extended Mike Rizzo, General Manager and President of Baseball Operations, 106.7 The Fan has learned.
Rizzo has agreed to a two-year contract extension, keeping him with the club through the 2020 season.
LISTEN: Mike Rizzzo Talks Contract Extension
"I'm proud of the progress we've made in Washington, D.C., building the Nationals from nearly expansion status into one of the winningest clubs in Major League Baseball," Rizzo said. "I appreciate the Lerner family for giving me the continued opportunity to see what we can accomplish in the future."
"Mike's commitment to our shared goal of bringing a World Championship to Washington, D.C. makes this an exciting day for our family and the Washington Nationals," said Theodore N. Lerner, Managing Principal Owner of the Washington Nationals. "Mike and his staff have built quite a team — one that brings excitement to our ballpark every night and gives our city something to be proud of."
The Nationals entered 2018 with three huge free agent questions looming: In 2019, where will Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy and Mike Rizzo be? The latter has been answered.
Rizzo, the architect of one of the winningest clubs in baseball since 2012, who has shepherded the Nationals from the dog days of the Jim Bowden era and 100-loss seasons, oversaw the drafting of phenoms Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper, and their successful transition into everyday big-league stars, will remain with the club for the foreseeable future.
Although Rizzo rarely speaks publicly about his personal contract situation, he made clear his intentions in January: "I want to stay here. I just think I deserve to be treated like some of the best GMs in the game are, too."
Rizzo is set to join The Sports Junkies exclusively on 106.7 The Fan at 9 a.m. Listen here.
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