The Washington Nationals exercised the 2023 contract options for President of Baseball Ops. and General Manager Mike Rizzo and skipper Dave Martinez, the club announced over the July 4 weekend.
Fan blog TalkNats.com further reports that the deal will make Martinez one of the 10 highest-paid managers in baseball.
"Mike and Davey have been leading the Washington Nationals for several years and it is only right to continue with them at the forefront," said Nationals Managing Principal owner Mark D. Lerner. "Mike has led us through many different phases of our organization and we believe his work during this current phase will pay off in the end. Davey has done a tremendous job in the clubhouse and in the dugout for five seasons. His continued determination and unwavering support of his players makes us proud. We are lucky to have Mike and Davey leading the way."
Rizzo, 61, is currently in his 14th season running Washington's baseball operations department, which in addition to a World Series championship has included four NL East division titles (2012, 2014, 2016, 2017) and a Wild Card berth in 2019. The Nats are 1,058-1,024 (.508) on the field during Rizzo's tenure. In June 2021, Rizzo earned his 1,000th win since taking over the club during spring training in 2009, making him the ninth active Preside of Baseball Ops./GM to reach that 1,000-win mark and the sixth active to do it with one team.
Rizzo was awarded Executive of the Year by Baseball America and the Boston chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) in 2019, as well as Executive of the Year by that same chapter of the BBWAA in 2012. Rizzo has also been recognized as a top executive with a host of other awards from inside the baseball industry.
Martinez, 57, is in his fifth season as the Nats manager and, hired in Oct. 2017, is the seventh field manager in team history. He became the longest-tenured manager in Nationals history (2005-present) in May 2021, passing Manny Acta, who managed 410 games from 2007 to 2009. He surpassed Davey Johnson (2011-13) for most managerial wins in Nationals history in June 2021 with 225 victories.
The 2022 season marks Martinez's 34th in professional baseball, including 10 years (2008-17) as a Major League bench coach, with the Chicago Cubs (2015-17) and the Tampa Bay Rays (2008-14). His lengthy career also includes a playing career that spanned 16 Major League seasons. A third-round selection by the Cubs in 1983, Martinez made his MLB debut as a player in June 1986. He played his final big league season for the Braves in 2001.
