Nationals appoint interim manager one day after firing Manager Dave Martinez and GM Mike Rizzo
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Mike DeBartolo was announced as interim GM in the same announcement. The opportunity arrives at a crucial time for the franchise, which has the No. 1 overall pick in the next MLB Draft.
Miguel Cairo brings experience as interim manager and former MLB infielder
Miguel Cairo played 16 MLB seasons from 1996 to 2012 and spent the last two years as the Nationals' bench coach. Cairo made stops with 10 different organizations, was known for his versatility as a player, and finished his playing career with the Cincinnati Reds.
He now enters his second interim managerial stint, the first last year when he replaced Tony La Russa, when La Russa stepped away for medical reasons, for the Chicago White Sox.
Cairo knows the clubhouse, and leadership seems like the obvious choice to shepherd a team that has had a rough season. The front office came to this conclusion after Washington fell to 37-53, one of the worst records in Major League Baseball, with a 6-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.
The Nationals start a three-game road series in St. Louis on Tuesday, which will be Cairo's first true challenge.
Nationals seek fresh direction ahead of MLB Draft under new leadership
These decisions should carry extra weight because of the timing of the firings, a week before the MLB Draft. Owner Mark Lerner explained that the team is looking for a fresh approach going forward, saying in a statement:
'While we are appreciative of their past success, the on-field performance has not been where we or our fans expect it to be.'
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Washington is still in the tough race for the first pick overall in 2025, a pick that could help realign the team's future under interim GM Mike DeBartolo.
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Dave Martinez was in his eighth season at the helm of the Nationals and is best known for guiding the franchise to its first-ever title in 2019. Longtime executive Mike Rizzo has been with the organization since 2006 and has been the GM since 2009. Both were coming to the end of their contracts. As Washington aims to use its new ownership to carry over some momentum before the All-Star break, games against the Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers are next on the agenda before the team gets a midseason break.
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