The Washington Nationals fired GM Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez on July 12, 2025, just before the MLB Draft. Who will new leadership pick at #1 overall?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just when you thought the 2025 season couldn't get any more tumultuous for the Washington Nationals, the organization dropped an absolute bombshell. In a move that sent shockwaves through the league, the team fired longtime general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez, handing the reins to interim GM Mike DeBartolo just days before the most important MLB Draft in recent memory.
The Nationals hold the No. 1 overall pick on Sunday, but the architect of their last rebuild and the manager of their World Series team won't be there to make it.
The decision to part ways with Mike Rizzo and Dave Martinez marks a seismic shift for the franchise. Rizzo, the architect of the 2019 World Series team, and Martinez, the skipper who led them there, have been the faces of the front office and dugout for years. The timing, just ahead of the draft, is particularly stunning. The responsibility now falls on Mike DeBartolo, the former assistant GM, who has been tasked with navigating the draft and steering the club through this turbulent period. DeBartolo has stated he'll lean on his scouting department but that the final call on the No. 1 pick rests with him.
This front-office upheaval adds an incredible layer of drama to what was already a pivotal weekend for the Nats. On Sunday, the team will be on the clock with the first overall pick, a direct consequence of their recent struggles. The consensus top prospect is prep shortstop Ethan Holliday, a potential franchise cornerstone. With new leadership in place, will the plan change? DeBartolo's first major act as interim GM will be to make a selection that could define the next decade of Nationals baseball.
While the drama unfolded off the field, the product on it remained a familiar struggle. The Nationals fell 8-3 to the division-leading Brewers in Milwaukee on Friday night. A disastrous six-run third inning doomed starter Mitchell Parker (5-10), and the offense couldn't muster any sustained pressure, collecting just six scattered hits. The loss dropped the Nats to 38-56, underscoring exactly why this weekend's draft is so critical. They'll send Shota Ogasawara (0-1, 13.50 ERA) to the mound Saturday to face the Brewers' ace, Brandon Woodruff.
Amid the big-league woes and front-office chaos, there is some genuinely good news brewing in the minor league system. Top prospects Travis Sykora and Marquis Grissom Jr. were named to the MLB All-Star Futures Game, a showcase of baseball's best young talent. Sykora, the club's No. 1 prospect, has looked sharp since returning from a hip injury, while Grissom Jr. is also turning heads. It's a crucial reminder that while the rebuild is painful at the major league level, the player development pipeline is beginning to bear fruit.
Where do the Nationals go from here? The immediate task is trying to salvage a game against a tough Brewers team on Saturday. But the real story is what happens Sunday. With new leadership, a franchise-altering draft pick on the line, and a farm system showing promise, this weekend feels like a true turning point. The 2025 season may be a loss on the field, but the decisions made in the next 24 hours will shape the future of Washington baseball for years to come.
