Who will Washington hire as its next manager? 2 candidates apply

The Washington Nationals finished the 2025 season with a losing record for the sixth consecutive year. Washington hasn’t reached the playoffs since winning the World Series in 2019. After a poor 37-53 start this season, Nationals fire manager Dave Martinez and longtime general manager Mike Rizzo.

The the hunt is on for the new manager in Washington. The team interviewed Cleveland Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz and interim manager Miguel Cairo for the position this week, according to Andrew Golden of the Washington Post. The organization may consider additional candidates.

Cairo has been promoted to interim manager after Martinez was fired in July. He originally joined the national championship as the team’s bench coach for the 2024 season. Although he was in a difficult position after a difficult start to the year, Cairo could not improve the team. Washington finished the season 29-43 with Cairo at the helm.

Citizens are looking for a new manager during the main office renovation

The The Nationals signed Paul Toboni to replace Ritz as president of baseball operations. Toboni comes from the Red Sox organization, where he served as an assistant GM.

Washington’s turnaround didn’t stop at the manager and GM. Since taking over as team president, Toboni overhauled the front office. The Nationals have moved on from two of the longest-tenured managers in the organization as half a dozen employees were let go.

Toboni initiated the complete dismantling of the operating side of the franchise in his first month at the helm. The moves make it hard to believe the team will hire Cairo, as the big changes are partly symbolic of a team in need of a fresh start. Although, Cairo was only in Washington for two seasons, so he may not be viewed as part of the old guard.

Martinez was hired to manage the Nationals in 2018. The following year, he won the only World Series championship in team history. Since then, he hasn’t won much at all, finishing with a 500-622 record as Washington’s captain.

Martinez was by far the team’s longest tenured manager since the Lerner family bought the franchise in 2006. In fact, he was the only manager to last more than three seasons with the Nationals. Martinez was fired midway through his eighth season in Washington.

Rizzo joined the franchise in 2007, just two years after leaving Montreal for the Washington Nationals. He started as assistant general manager and advanced to GM in 2009. Rizzo became GM and president of baseball operations in 2013.