WASHINGTON (AP) — Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo indicated during a session with reporters Wednesday that first-year manager Dave
Martinez will return next season.“I haven’t considered any other
scenario
Josh Rosen Jersey Limited ,” Rizzo responded when asked if Martinez would be back.The Nationals, expected to contend for a third straight NL East title,
entered Wednesday with a 69-70 record, 7 1/2 games behind Atlanta in the East
and eight games back in the wild card.In addition to injuries to players
including Daniel Murphy, Ryan Zimmerman, Stephen Strasburg and Sean Doolittle,
Martinez’s work as a rookie skipper has come under scrutiny.“I think Davey’s
doing a great job in managing this team,” Rizzo said. “He’s managed them through
a lot of trials and tribulations that a lot of first-year managers haven’t had
to go through
Authentic Julio Jones Jersey , and to have a team playing with the exuberance and energy level that they’re playing at at this point I think is a testament to
Davey and the staff and the way that they feel about him in the clubhouse.”The
53-year-old Martinez was the Chicago Cubs bench coach before he signed a
three-year contract with the Nationals in October 2017. Martinez replaced
veteran manager Dusty Baker, who went 192-132 in two seasons with Washington,
but was unable to win a postseason series either year.This year’s team was 33-22
after winning their sixth straight game on May 30. They haven’t won as many as
four in a row since. Both the Braves and second-place Philadelphia have played
sub-.500 baseball since Aug. 15, but the Nationals have failed to make a big
move, going 9-9.“We thought all along we had a chance to catch those teams,”
Rizzo said, “and if we played the way we’re supposed to be playing that we’d
have an opportunity to make this a race and it’s frustrating that we haven’t put
anything together to really push them to the limits that we thought we
should.”The Nationals stood pat at the July trade deadline and Rizzo expressed
confidence in the team as constituted, but a run did not materialize and the
team has since traded away a number of veterans
Julio Jones Jersey Limited , among them Murphy, Matt Adams, Ryan Madson and Gio Gonzalez, saving significant payroll dollars.Outfielder Bryce Harper, who
entered Wednesday with 31 homers and 89 RBIs, will be a free agent after this
season and third baseman Anthony Rendon’s turn will come after next season.“If
we have or we haven’t, we’re certainly not going to discuss it in this venue,”
Rizzo said when asked if he’s made an effort to sign the pair to long-term
contracts. “Suffice it to say both of those guys are near and dear to our heart
and we’d love to have them long-term.” LAS VEGAS (AP) — All-Star outfielder
Andrew McCutchen and the Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to a $50
million
http://www.atlantafalconsteamonline.com/julio-jones-jersey , three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated
Press.The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the
agreement, which includes a club option for 2022, is subject to a successful
physical.The 32-year-old McCutchen was an All-Star each season from 2011-15,
topping .300 in batting average from 2012-14. He was the NL MVP in
2013.McCutchen nine years with Pittsburgh before he was traded to San Francisco
last winter. He was dealt to the New York Yankees on Aug. 31 and hit .255 with
20 homers and 65 RBIs in 155 games overall this year.McCutchen has 223 homers, a
.287 average and 790 RBIs in 10 major league seasons.Philadelphia remains
interested in Bryce Harper, the top free agent on the market, but has a surplus
of outfielders
Authentic Matt Ryan Jersey , including Odubel Herrera, Nick Williams, Aaron Altherr and Roman Quinn.Rhys Hoskins is moving from left field to first base
after the team traded Carlos Santana to Seattle for infielder Jean Segura last
week.Herrera, a former All-Star, is a trade candidate. He struggled in the
second half last season and finished with career lows in batting average (.255)
and on-base percentage (.310).Philadelphia pursued Patrick Corbin and is still
seeking a left-handed starter.
