During his negotiations with possession, Mike Rizzo insists that the subject of whether or not the Lerners would promote the Washington Nationals by no means got here up. The common supervisor didn’t want any assurances concerning the household’s long-term dedication to signal a brand new multi-year contract, which was introduced Wednesday.

Besides, Rizzo indicated he knew higher than anybody how a lot possession was nonetheless “all-in” for the franchise. 

“I’ve never seen the Lerner family and ownership more involved and more focused and more into this thing than I have seen this year, in the last couple of years,” Rizzo mentioned. 

“Believe me, when reports come out that they have one foot in and one foot out, that’s not the people I’m dealing with on a daily basis.”

Rizzo’s contract extension ought to present some stability for the Nationals — a franchise that's nonetheless seemingly on the market and has currently been swept up in a myriad of controversies. 

Over the previous few weeks, the Nationals abruptly canceled a deliberate retirement press convention for Stephen Strasburg, tried to do harm management on Strasburg’s retirement by sending out a press release from proprietor Mark Lerner and let go of greater than a dozen of Rizzo’s employees as a part of a front-office shakeup. Before Rizzo agreed to a brand new contract, longtime worldwide scouting director John DiPuglia handed in his resignation and scouting director Kris Kline was shifted into a brand new advisory position. 

Adding to the uncertainty, there was a two-week hole between the Nationals asserting a brand new contract for supervisor Dave Martinez and Rizzo’s contract turning into finalized. 

But Rizzo and the Nationals had been capable of get a deal accomplished — strengthening the chances the overall supervisor will have the ability to see the staff’s newest rebuild via. 

“It’s an honor the Lerner family has entrusted me for so many years with the keys to the franchise,” mentioned Rizzo, who has been Washington’s common supervisor since 2009. “I hope I’ve been a good caretaker for them thus far and hopefully continue to bring respect and prominence to the Washington D.C. area and the Nationals.”

Rizzo mentioned this has been “an encouraging season” for the Nationals. Washington entered Wednesday’s sport in opposition to the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 65-80 file — already a 10-win enchancment over final 12 months’s membership. Rizzo mentioned he was happy with the event of the membership’s youthful gamers and the general energy of Washington’s farm system. 

Rizzo, 62, is within the strategy of overseeing his second main rebuild of the Nationals. This teardown included buying and selling stars equivalent to Juan Soto, Max Scherzer and Trea Turner. But these offers netted the muse that Washington hopes can lead it again to competition ultimately.

Rizzo mentioned he was all the time assured that his extension would get accomplished, even after the Nationals introduced Martinez’s deal first — an uncommon step for MLB groups.  The Nationals didn't disclose specifics of Rizzo’s contract, together with the size. 

As for the entrance workplace modifications the Nationals will bear, Rizzo mentioned that’s a part of baseball. He known as the strikes “an organizational restructuring,” including the staff took a deep dive into the way it might be extra environment friendly sooner or later. Those modifications will embody a “refined” strategy to the scouting course of, Rizzo mentioned. 

But Rizzo pushed again in opposition to sure perceptions of the Nationals, specifically the staff’s dealing with of Strasburg’s canceled retirement press convention. The Athletic reported that the Nationals needed to alter the phrases of Strasburg’s seven-year, $245 million contract and work out a settlement settlement due to the nerve damage that has successfully ended the pitcher’s profession. 

Rizzo mentioned the saga was “unnecessary controversy,” telling reporters there was “miscommunication” and “misinformation” all through the method. Last week, Lerner launched a press release that mentioned the Nationals “will ensure that he receives what is due to him,” including they look ahead to seeing Strasburg “at spring training.” Strasburg has but to formally announce his retirement. 

“It was unfortunate and I think it was unnecessary,” Rizzo mentioned. “But the player is the one that retires. Teams don’t retire players. Players retire. Both sides know how these things play out when there’s a player that’s considering retiring on the 40-man roster, there’s a protocol that’s in the [collective bargaining agreement] that has to be undertaken before we can make any announcements or take the next step.”

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