This new manager, who’ll replace Dusty Baker after just two (winning) seasons, will be the franchise’s seventh since 2006. Let’s just say the new guy will probably rent in D.C., not buy. Even with that giant red flag, this is a fascinating opening because the Nationals’ 2018 roster is very, very capable of winning a World Series.
The talent is there, without a doubt.
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Much of that talent is leaving soon, though. Bryce Harper’s a free agent after the 2018 season, and the chances of the Nationals giving him the $450 million it will take to keep him are about as remote as finding the ax George Washington used to chop down that cherry tree. Daniel Murphy is a free agent after 2018, too, as are Gio Gonzalez, Ryan Madsen and Matt Wieters.
The cupboard isn’t all bare, of course. Aces Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg are locked up through at least the next four years, and that’s a good place to start.
Anyway, here’s a look at some of the names you’ll hear connected to the job.
Tony La Russa
Why he’s here: Yep, this is outside the box and probably not going to happen. But as we talked about in the intro, the Nationals have a very small window with their current core of stars, and who knows more about getting to — and winning — a World Series than La Russa? He won the championship with the A’s in 1989 and with the Cardinals in 2006 and 2011. He took teams to the World Series three other times, too. Considering the Nationals haven’t even won a playoff series since the franchise moved to D.C., that’s desirable. And he’s very available; his term in Arizona’s front office ended with a press release earlier this week.
Dave Martinez
Why he’s here: Martinez has been Joe Maddon’s right-hand man in Chicago for a long time now, helping the Rays to the World Series in 2008 and helping the Cubs win it all in 2016. He’s very well-regarded in baseball circles, and even though he doesn’t have MLB managerial experience, it’s easy to imagine that there wouldn’t by much of a transition struggle in his first job. Martinez is a guy who could help the Nationals reach the World Series in 2018, and he can be the guy who helps them get back for many years down the road.
Alex Cora
Why he’s here: Cora is the hottest name on the manager rumor mill right now, and the Nationals might actually be too late; Cora’s considered one of the favorites for the Red Sox job. He’s in his first year as Houston’s bench coach, so his focus is on helping the Astros rally past the Yankees in the ALCS. Houston manager A.J. Hinch was asked about Cora’s contributions early in the playoffs, and his reply certainly sounded like he was describing a future manager: “His first year of coaching has gone well given his ability to connect with players and given his baseball intellect. He’s very sharp, sees the game in an extraordinarily deep way, has really connected well with players in our clubhouse and spent a lot of time developing relationships and being the bench coach liaison to the clubhouse that I asked him to be.”
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Sandy Alomar, Jr.
Why he’s here: Alomar has earned an incredibly high level of respect in baseball, not just during his playing career but as a coach, too. He’s been on the shortlist for other manager jobs — in Chicago, Boston (before John Farrell was hired), Cleveland and Toronto — but has yet to get the job. Alomar would be a home-run hire for Detroit. Here’s the problem, though. He’s the first-base coach in Cleveland right now.
Brad Ausmus
Why he’s here: Yes, he was just fired after four seasons in Detroit, and while it’s true that Ausmus’ time with Detroit didn’t produce a championship (or even a single playoff victory), he’s still well-regarded in the sport, and there’s a long history of managers doing much, much better in their second or third job after struggling to win in their first opportunity or two (hi, Joe Torre!). To be honest, though, this doesn’t feel like a good fit.
