Davey Martinez is Nationals' pick for manager

ByEddie Matz ESPN logo
Sunday, October 29, 2017

Davey Martinez will be announced as the new manager of the Washington Nationals after the World Series, a source told ESPN, confirming multiple reports.



FanRag Sports first reported the news.



Martinez has agreed to a three-year deal with an option, the source told ESPN, confirming a report by The Washington Post.The value of the pact, which includes an option for a fourth year, has not been disclosed.



Martinez becomes the seventh full-time manager for the Nats since they moved from Montreal before the 2005 season. A former outfielder who played for nine different teams during his 16 years in the majors, he spent three and a half seasons with the Expos. Martinez's 431 games played for the Expos are his most for any franchise. Martinez ranks among the top 20 in franchise history in several categories, including his 22 triples (tied for 15th), his 68 stolen bases (18th) and his 70.83 stolen-base percentage (17th).



Martinez, 53, served as the bench coach under manager Joe Maddon for the past decade, starting with Tampa Bay from 2008 through 2014. When Maddon became the Chicago Cubs' skipper before the 2015 season, Martinez followed him there, where together the pair helped lead the Cubs to the 2016 World Series title, the team's first championship in 108 years.



Martinez has been a candidate for several managerial openings in recent years. After the 2014 season, he interviewed to be Washington's skipper, but the job ultimately went to first-time manager Matt Williams.



After the 2015 season, Williams was replaced by Dusty Baker, who won 192 games in two seasons and led the club to two straight National League East pennants. But the Nats were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs both times under Baker. Earlier in October, eight days after Washington lost 9-8 to the Cubs in Game 5 of the NLDS, the team announced that Baker would not be returning next season.



New York Mets hitting coach Kevin Long and former Boston Red Sox skipper John Farrell were also candidates for the Nationals' job.



Despite having no previous managerial experience, Martinez becomes the first Nationals manager to be awarded a contract with more than two years guaranteed since the Lerner family took over ownership of the team in 2016.



None of the coaches who served under Baker were retained by the team, and no new coaching hires have been announced yet.



Martinez's departure continues an overhaul of the Cubs' coaching staff. Pitching coach Chris Bosio, hitting coach John Mallee and third-base coach Gary Jones have been fired. The Cubs have hired Jim Hickey, who worked with Maddon in Tampa, as their new pitching coach, while hitting coach Chili Davis and third-base coach Brian Butterfield came over from the Boston Red Sox.



ESPN's Jerry Crasnick and ESPN Stats & Information contributed to this report.



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