Nats announce extension for GM Rizzo
The Nationals have agreed to phrases on a contract extension with common supervisor and president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo, the group introduced on Wednesday.
Rizzo’s tenure with the Nationals dates to 2006, when he grew to become the Lerner household’s first rent. After elevating from assistant GM to GM/senior vice chairman on Aug. 20, 2009, and GM/government vice chairman of baseball operations on Oct. 19, 2010, Rizzo was promoted to his present function on Aug. 1, 2013.
“Mike and I have talked and worked with each other almost daily for 17 years,” Washington Nationals managing principal proprietor Mark D. Lerner mentioned in a group launch.” Together with my family and the entire Nationals staff, we’ve always shared the same dream: to make the Washington Nationals a team that our fans could love and be proud of. We have all worked collectively to build what was essentially an expansion team with no Major League depth into a contender, and then into a World Series champion. We’ve experienced some tough losing seasons and we’ve hung championship banners, and we’ve done it all together.”
Under Rizzo from 2012-19, Washington’s .563 profitable proportion was the second-best in Major League Baseball behind solely the Los Angeles Dodgers (.584). During that point, the Nationals received 4 National League East titles (2012, ‘14, ‘16, ‘17), and their first World Series title in ‘19.
Along the best way, Rizzo constructed the group by notable trades, Draft picks and signings. These transactions helped attain the World Series victory after which construct towards the group’s subsequent chapter within the seasons that adopted.
“I love being part of the Washington Nationals organization,” Rizzo mentioned in a group launch. “Nearly 17 years in the past, Ted Lerner and his household requested me to assist construct the Nats right into a profitable group. Together, we managed to search out success inside only a few years, profitable a number of divisional titles and, in the end, bringing D.C. its first World Series championship since 1924.”
In strikes main as much as the World Series, the Nationals inked outfielder Jayson Werth to a seven-year deal in 2010, signed infielder Ryan Zimmerman to a six-year contract extension in ‘12, acquired shortstop Trea Turner and right-hander Joe Ross in a three-team deal in ‘14, landed righty Max Scherzer on a seven-year contract in ‘15 and signed southpaw Patrick Corbin to a six-year contract in ‘18.
Following the World Series, the Nationals signed right-hander Stephen Strasburg to a seven-year contract in December 2019.
The Nats entered their subsequent chapter in 2021, marked by sending Scherzer and Turner to the Dodgers in a megatrade to amass beginning right-hander Josiah Gray and catcher Keibert Ruiz. The following season, they traded outfielder Juan Soto and first baseman Josh Bell to the Padres in a blockbuster that included shortstop CJ Abrams, left-hander MacKenzie Gore and prospect outfielders James Wood (No. 7 total) and Robert Hassell III (Nationals’ No. 8) coming to Washington.
This July, the Nats chosen LSU star outfielder Dylan Crews with the No. 2 total choose, including to notable first-round alternatives that embrace Strasburg (2009), Bryce Harper (‘10), Anthony Rendon (‘11), Cade Cavalli (‘20) and Brady House (‘21).
“Now, we believe we are developing the next generation of contenders and champions,” Rizzo said. “We deeply believe in our process and in our progress. The next few years are going to be ones no Nationals fan will want to miss. My family and I want to thank the Lerner, Cohen and Tanenbaum families, Alan Gottlieb and Nationals management for their trust and commitment to winning another World Series. I am excited to be a part of that commitment.”
