The Washington Nationals are undergoing an organizational shakeup that initially included at least a dozen front-office personnel. The club is also changing its coaching staff.
According to Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic, the Nats have informed several coaches their contracts won’t get renewed. The coaches not reporting are longtime bench coach Tim Bogar, third base coach Gary Disarcina, assistant hitting coach Pat Roessier, and first base coach Eric Young Jr.
Bogar joined the Nats with manager Dave Martinez in 2018 as the club’s first base coach. The two coached together on the Tampa Bay Rays’ staff in 2008.
Bogar held that position as the Nationals won its lone World Series championship in 2019. Bogar got moved to bench coach in 2020.
Young and Discarina joined Martinez’s staff in 2022. Young also handled the team’s baserunning and coached the outfield. After a ten-year career in the Majors that ended in 2019, Young joined the coaching ranks. The Nats being his first stint. He is the son of Atlanta Braves longtime coach Eric Young Sr., who also played 15 seasons.
The news wasn’t all bad for the Nats coaching staff. Jim Hickey expects to return for his fourth season as pitching coach.
Dave Martinez signed a two-year extension in August, keeping him as the Nats skipper through the 2025 season.
The Nats still have to decide the futures of hitting coach, Darnell Coles, catching and strategy coach Henry Blanco, and bullpen coach Ricky Bones. The entire coaching staff contracts are due to expire on Oct. 31.
The 2023 season was a year to rebuild for the Nats. The team finished with a respectable 71-91 record. Its offensive production was up and down.
The Nats were fifth in the National League with 1,401 hits and a .254 batting average. However, Washington was 12th in OPS (.709), as well as home runs (151), and last with 151 home runs.
Meanwhile, the starting pitching progressed behind the young arms of Josiah Gray, McKenzie Gore, and Jake Irvin. Still, the team posted a 5.02 ERA, which was 14th out of 15 NL teams. The pitching staff also gave up an NL-high 254 home runs.
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