Five Former Managers Nationals Could Pursue After Firing Dave Martinez

Davey Martinez became just become the third manager in franchise history to reach 500 victories when the Washington Nationals fired him on Sunday.

Now, the Nats must search for a new manager for the first time since it hired Martinez from the Chicago Cubs as their bench coach to replace Dusty Baker before the 2018 season.

Mike Rizzo hired Martinez. With Rizzo out, too, it’s a brave new world for owner Mark Lerner, who has been the franchise’s manager general partner since 2018.

Assuming Washington hires a new general manager first, the manager would follow. Here are five former MLB managers that new GM could consider, assuming interim manager Miguel Cairo doesn’t get the job. This list is by no means exhaustive. Other candidates will be explored in future articles.

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Skip Schumaker

The former Miami Marlins manager will be on everyone’s radar this offseason. He led the Marlins to a playoff berth in 2023 and opted not to return after the 2024 season. He’s now a senior advisor to Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young.

To outsiders, he is seen as a potential successor to Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, who is in the final year of his deal. Bochy has repeatedly said he won’t make any decisions until after the season. If Bochy stays, Schumaker becomes a prime target.

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David Ross

The former catcher managed the Chicago Cubs from 2020-23 and went 262-284. He led the Cubs to a NL Central title in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

He was fired after the 2023 season, the same day that the Cubs hired Craig Counsell away from the Milwaukee Brewers. He was a well-respected player who also had the respect of his players and would likely connect with a young locker room like the Nationals.

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Brad Ausmus

Another former MLB catcher, he led Detroit from 2014-17 and the Los Angeles Angles in 2019. He piloted the Tigers to 90 wins and the AL Central title in 2014, before the lost to the Baltimore Orioles in the AL Division Series.

He is 386-422 all-time as a manager. He’s still in baseball as Aaron Boone’s bench coach with the New York Yankees. He has been considered for managerial positions before, but a lack of consistency after his sharp debut in 2014 has likely held him back.

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Joe Maddon

Maddon led two different franchises to the World Series. He piloted the small-market, small-spending Tampa Bay Rays for nearly a decade and took them to the playoffs four times.

Then, he went to the Chicago Cubs and broke the Curse of the Billy Goat in his second season, leading the Cubs to a World Series title. His three rather forgettable years with the Angels aside, he has more than 1,300 managerial wins. He would be the perfect experienced hand to lead a franchise full of young stars.

The real question is him. At 71 years old, does he want one more go-round? After all, he’s one year older than Bochy.

David Bell

A third-generation Major League player, he is a second-generation manager who led the Cincinnati Reds for six seasons before he was fired last year. He led the Reds to a playoff berth in the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season. But he had a habit of making sure the Reds were competitive each season, even in a small market.

He’s also been a hitting coach, a VP of player development and an assistant general manager, his current role in Toronto. His versatility could be an asset for the Nationals.  

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