The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms on a multi-year contract extension with Manager Dave Martinez, the club announced on Tuesday.

"Dave Martinez represents the Washington Nationals organization with class on and off the field, and we are thrilled that he will continue to serve as manager,” said Nationals Managing Principal Owner Mark D. Lerner. “We are especially proud of the way the club has played since the end of June, and the team’s play is a direct reflection of Davey’s leadership. He is determined, passionate and the right person to lead our current group of players as well as the next wave of talent coming to Washington, D.C.”

Martinez, 58, is in his sixth season as the manager of the Nationals. He is the longest tenured manager and has the most managerial wins (378) in team history (2005-pres.).

The Nationals boast a 29-21 (.580) record since June 24, tied for the third-best record in the National League over this stretch. The Nationals enter play tonight having won seven of their last nine and 12 of their last 17 games since August 2.

Martinez was named the seventh field manager in team history on Oct. 30, 2017. In nearly six full seasons, Martinez has led the club through a steady, unwavering approach, consistent strategy and never-ending positivity and support for players. That includes an improbable run to the 2019 World Series championship.

The 2023 season marks Martinez’s 35th season in professional baseball, including 10 years (2008-17) as a Major League bench coach. From 2015-17, he served as the bench coach for the Chicago Cubs, where he played an integral role in three Postseason appearances, two National League Central Division titles and the Cubs’ 2016 World Series championship. Prior to joining the Cubs, Martinez spent seven seasons (2008-14) as the bench coach for the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Washington Nationals acquired left-handed pitcher DJ Herz and shortstop Kevin Made from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for infielder Jeimer Candelario and cash considerations on Monday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Herz, 22, is 1-1 with a 3.97 ERA in 14 games (14 starts) for Double-A Tennessee. He has 80 strikeouts and a .216 opponents’ batting average in 59.0 innings pitched. He has pitched to a 0.90 ERA (1 ER/10.0 IP) with 17 strikeouts against just five walks and a .065 opponents’ batting average (2-for-31) over his last two starts. Herz struck out nine batters in 5.0 innings of one-hit ball in his most recent start on July 29 at Rocket City (LAA).

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound left-hander is rated as the No. 16 prospect in Chicago’s system per MLBPipeline.com and the No. 19 prospect according to Baseball America.

In 2022, Herz tied for the lead in Chicago’s Minor League system with 141 strikeouts in 95.1 innings pitched between High-A South Bend and Double-A Tennessee. In 66 starts across four professional seasons, Herz is 8-12 with a 3.80 ERA, 13.15 strikeouts per 9.0 innings and a .181 opponents’ batting average.

Herz was named Chicago’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2021 after leading the system with 131 strikeouts. He went 4-4 with a 3.31 ERA and a .157 opponents’ batting average in 21 starts in his first full professional season. 

The Washington Nationals recalled right-handed pitcher Hobie Harris from Triple-A Rochester and placed right-handed pitcher Trevor Williams on the Bereavement List on Monday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Harris, 30, returns for his second stint with Washington after making the Nationals’ 2023 Opening Day roster. He appeared in 15 games out of Washington’s bullpen, pitching to a 5.40 ERA. Harris allowed two earned runs in 7.1 innings (2.45 ERA) across his final six outings before being optioned to Triple-A Rochester on May 20.

In nine games with the Red Wings, Harris went 1-2 with a 8.10 ERA. He was placed on the Injured List on June 10 and was activated on July 22. Harris allowed two earned runs on three hits in 3.1 innings across three outings prior to being recalled. 

Harris enjoyed his best professional season in 2022, leading International League pitchers (min. 50.0 IP) and ranking second in Milwaukee’s Minor League system in ERA (2.04) and opponents’ batting average (.164).

Williams, 31, is 5-6 with a 4.72 ERA in 22 starts for the Nationals this season.

The Washington Nationals selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Rico Garcia on Wednesday. Additionally, the Nationals placed right-handed pitcher Paolo Espino on the 15-day Injured List with a flexor strain of his fourth right finger and transferred catcher Israel Pineda to the 60-day Injured List. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements.

Garcia, 29, went 2-1 with six saves and a 2.93 ERA in 24 relief appearances between Triple-A Las Vegas (OAK) and Triple-A Rochester. He struck out 36 batters and held the opposition to a .182 average. This marks his third Major League stint of the season after appearing in seven games out of Oakland’s bullpen. He pitched to an 8.31 ERA with six strikeouts with the Athletics.

A native of Honolulu, Hawaii, Garcia has appeared in 27 games (one start) across four Major League seasons. He is 1-2 with a 6.89 ERA with Oakland (2023), Baltimore (2022), San Francisco (2020) and Colorado (2019).

Garcia was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 30^th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Hawaii Pacific University.

Espino, 36, has appeared in three games out of Washington’s bullpen, pitching to a 24.75 ERA.

The Washington Nationals selected 10 players on the third day of Major League Baseball’s 2023 First-Year Player Draft. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo, Assistant General Manager & Vice President of Scouting Operations Kris Kline and Director of Scouting Operations Eddie Longosz made the joint announcement.

The Nationals kicked off Tuesday’s action by selecting right-handed pitcher Gavin Adams from Indian River State College (FL) in the 11th round. In his second year in junior college, Adams went 2-1 with a 3.76 ERA and one save. He struck out 44 in 26.1 innings

In the 12th round, Washington selected right-handed pitcher Travis Sthele from the University of Texas. He went 3-5 with a 5.75 ERA and one save in 15 games (10 starts) for the Longhorns in 2023. He struck out 66 in 61.0 innings. 

With their 13th-round pick, the Nationals selected left-handed pitcher Liam Sullivan from the University of Georgia. Sullivan led the Bulldogs with a 5-2 record and 5.77 ERA in 14 starts. He worked 64.0 innings and struck out 75. His 2023 resume includes wins over national champion LSU (May 10: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 5 SO) and No. 10 Kentucky (April 9: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 8 SO). He also threw 7.0 hitless innings with 11 strikeouts against Princeton.

Washington selected outfielder Elijah Nunez from Texas Christian University in the 14th round. Nunez hit .289 with 17 doubles, two triples, three home runs, 36 RBI, 36 walks, 20 stolen bases and 59 runs scored while patrolling center field as a junior in 2023. He had two three-hit games in the conference tournament, earning All-Big 12 Tournament honors.

The Washington Nationals selected collegiate third baseman Yohandy Morales out of the University of Miami with the No. 40 pick in the 2023 First-Year Player Draft on Sunday. President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo, Assistant General Manager & Vice President of Scouting Operations Kris Kline and Director of Scouting Operations Eddie Longosz made the joint announcement.

Morales, 21, garnered Third-Team All-America honors from The American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings and First-Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference recognition following the 2023 season.

The No. 20 draft prospect according to MLBPipeline.com and No. 26 draft prospect according to Baseball America, Morales hit .408 with 13 doubles, 20 home runs, 70 RBI, 30 walks, 55 strikeouts, seven stolen bases and 58 runs scored in 61 games. He posted a .475 on-base percentage and a .713 slugging percentage. Morales ranked in the ACC in batting average (1^st, .408), slugging (3^rd, .713), OPS (3^rd, 1.187), RBI (4^th, 70) and home runs (6^th, 20).

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound junior reached base in 55 of his 61 games in 2023, hitting safely in 50 of those contests. Morales also posted four multi-home run games and 19 multi-RBI games, including three five-RBI performances.

As a sophomore in 2022, Morales was named Second-Team All-Region by ABCA/Rawlings and Second-Team All-ACC after he hit .329 with 17 doubles, three triples, 18 home runs, 59 RBI, 34 walks, six stolen base and 65 runs scored.

The Washington Nationals selected collegiate outfielder Dylan Crews out of Louisiana State University with the No. 2 pick in the 2023 First-Year Player Draft on Sunday. President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo, Assistant General Manager & Vice President of Scouting Operations Kris Kline and Director of Scouting Operations Eddie Longosz made the joint announcement.

Crews, 21, was the winner of the 2023 Golden Spikes Award, given annually to the top amateur player in the country. In addition, he garnered consensus First-Team All-American honors and won a Rawlings/ABCA Gold Glove following the 2023 season. Crews was named the 2023 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Year for the second consecutive season – becoming the first player to win the award in back-to-back seasons, and was a member of the SEC All-Defensive Team two years in a row (2022-23). He was a finalist for the Dick Howser Award (top collegiate player).

The No. 1 draft prospect according to Baseball America, Crews hit .426 with 16 doubles, two triples, 18 home runs, 70 RBI, 71 walks, 46 strikeouts, six stolen bases and 100 runs scored in 71 games as he helped lead LSU to its seventh national championship in the 2023 College World Series. He posted a .567 on-base percentage and a .713 slugging percentage. Crews led the SEC and ranked among NCAA Division I hitters in runs scored (1^st, 100), walks (1^st, 71), hits (2^nd, 110), on-base percentage (2^nd, .567) and batting average (3^rd, .426).

The six-foot, 205-pound junior reached base safely in all 71 games in 2023, a streak that extends to 75 games dating to the end of the 2022 season. Crews hit safely in 26 straight games from Feb. 19 to April 1 of this season. He hit .495 (49-for-99) with an .879 slugging percentage, 11 doubles, nine homers, 35 RBI, 27 walks, three stolen bases and 46 runs scored during the streak.

Crews was a consensus First-Team All-American and the SEC co-Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2022. He hit .349 with 11 doubles, four triples, 22 home runs, 72 RBI, 42 walks, five stolen bases and 73 runs scored in 62 games. He was Louisiana State’s first SEC Player of the Year since 2012, and his 22 home runs were the most by an LSU player since 2009.

The Washington Nationals recalled right-handed pitcher Joan Adon from Triple-A Rochester and optioned left-handed pitcher Joe La Sorsa to Triple-A Rochester on Friday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Adon, 24, joins the Nationals for the first time this season after beginning the season with Triple-A Rochester. In his last six outings for the Red Wings, Adon went 1–2 with a 3.44 ERA (13 ER/34.0 IP) with 27 strikeouts and 14 walks. He worked at least 5.0 innings in each of those starts, including four 6.0-inning performances. In all, Adon went 2–5 with a 4.81 ERA (41 ER/76.2 IP) with 67 strikeouts and 35 walks in 15 starts in Triple-A this season.

Adon made his first Opening Day roster in 2022 and recorded his first career win on April 19 vs. Arizona (6.1 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 SO). Adon finished the 2022 Triple-A season strong, going 2–0 with a 2.84 ERA and a .205 opponents’ average in his final five starts after Sept. 1.

La Sorsa, 25, was 0–0 with a 18.00 ERA in five games with the Nationals in 2023.

Today's 1:05 p.m. game vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks has been rescheduled due to the poor air quality in the Washington, D.C. area.

The game will be made up on Thursday, June 22 at 1:05 p.m. All tickets and parking passes for today's game will be honored for the rescheduled game.

The Washington Nationals recalled right-handed pitcher Cory Abbott from Triple-A Rochester and designated Erasmo Ramírez for assignment on Wednesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

In his last two starts for Triple-A Rochester, Abbott allowed just two hits and one run in 10.0 total innings (0.90 ERA), with 12 strikeouts. Since April 28, Abbott has allowed more than one run in a game just once, working at least 5.0 innings in four of his five starts. Over that span, he has struck out 33 in 23.0 innings. In total, Abbott’s 51 strikeouts this season ranks third in Washington’s Minor League system.

Abbott, 27, joins the Nationals for the third time this season after two previous stints in May. He has allowed three hits and one run in 4.0 total innings in two appearances for Washington so far in 2023. Abbott was selected off waivers from the San Francisco Giants on May 4, 2022, and went on to enjoy five stints with Washington last season. He made nine starts (0-5, 6.00 ERA, 36 SO) and seven relief appearances (2.00 ERA, 9 SO), held opponents to a .186 average at home. In his last two starts of 2022, Abbott struck out a total of 13 (seven in 5.0 IP vs. Atlanta, Sept. 26 and six in 4.0 IP at New York (NL), Oct. 4).

Ramírez, 33, was 2-3 with a 6.33 ERA in 23 games this season.

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi will throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the Washington Nationals’ Night OUT celebration on Tuesday, June 6, as a special guest of the game’s presenting partner, Team DC.

This year’s Night OUT celebration is the club’s 18^th, making it the longest-running Pride event in Major League Baseball. The first 20,000 fans in attendance will receive a Screech Night OUT bobblehead, and fans who purchase a special Night OUT ticket will also receive an exclusive t-shirt with $5 of every special ticket purchased donated to Team DC, a charitable organization that educates the LGBTQ community on the benefits of individual and team sports participation.

Speaker Emerita Pelosi is being recognized for her long-standing commitment to fighting for the rights and dignities of the LGBTQ+ community, dating from her first congressional speech in 1987 on the AIDS crisis, up through leading recent legislation guaranteeing civil rights protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

The Washington Nationals recalled infielder Jeter Downs from Triple-A Rochester and placed infielder/outfielder Ildemaro Vargas on the 10-day Injured List (retroactive to April 10) with a left shoulder strain on Tuesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Downs, 24, joins the Nationals for the first time this season after being claimed off waivers from the Boston Red Sox on Dec. 22, 2022. He entered the 2023 season as one of only three Minor Leaguers with at least 80 doubles, 70 home runs and 100 stolen bases since the start of 2017. Downs was rated as high as the No. 2 prospect in Boston’s Minor League system, according to Baseball America, in 2020 before coming in at No. 3 in 2021 and No. 6 in 2022.

Downs appeared in six games for Triple-A Rochester this season, going 2-for-19 (.105) with two doubles, two walks, one stolen base and one run scored. He played five games at shortstop and one in center field.

The right-handed hitting Downs made his Major League debut on June 22, 2022 vs. Detroit and went on to enjoy two stints with Boston last season. He hit .154 (6-for-39) with one double, one homer, four RBI, one walk and four runs scored in 14 Major League games.

A native of San Andrés, Colombia, Downs was selected in the first round (No. 32 overall) of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft. He graduated from Monsignor Edward Pace (FL) High School in Miami.

Washington Nationals Philanthropies, the official charitable arm of the Washington Nationals Baseball Club, hosted its annual signature fundraising event Tuesday night, honoring former Nationals player Ryan Zimmerman with its Power of Baseball Award. The Nationals Homecoming Gala, held at The Anthem at The Wharf, raised nearly $1 million to further Nationals Philanthropies’ community impact work and was attended by members of the Lerner family, the Washington Nationals baseball club and front office, and representatives from several prominent local organizations and philanthropists. Auction items can continue to be bid upon until 8 p.m. ET tomorrow, March 30, at nats.com/Homecoming.

The Power of Baseball Award, presented by The Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Foundation, is Washington Nationals Philanthropies’ most illustrious award, and recognizes an individual, corporation, organization or local group that embodies the positive character and level of achievement exemplified throughout the game of baseball.

The first-ever player drafted by the Nationals, Zimmerman played 17 seasons with the organization – including a historic World Series championship run – before retiring in 2022. Aptly nicknamed “Mr. National,” Zimmerman has proven himself a leader on the field and in the community. He is the first current or former player to receive the foundation’s Power of Baseball Award.

“Throughout his career, Ryan Zimmerman was a leader, an inspiration, and a tireless advocate for our community,” said Tal Alter, CEO of Nationals Philanthropies. “Off the field, Ryan’s dedication to numerous charitable initiatives including his own ziMS Foundation show that he is a driving force for good. It is with great pleasure that we recognize his contributions to the region and the game of baseball with the 2023 Power of Baseball Award.”

Zimmerman is the largest individual donor to Nationals Philanthropies over the past decade and has been a consistent supporter of Scholar Athletes at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, having visited the program numerous times over the years. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Zimmerman and his wife Heather spearheaded a relief campaign to provide health care professionals with support, resources and meals. During his playing career, Zimmerman was the club’s Roberto Clemente Award nominee six times and received the “Good Guy” Award by D.C. media twice since it was first established in 2016.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United States Oksana Markarova will throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the Washington Nationals Opening Day game on Thursday, March 30, at 1:05 p.m ET.

“We are honored to have Ambassador Markarova join us as we celebrate the start of the baseball season,” said Washington Nationals managing principal owner Mark D. Lerner. “We deeply admire Ambassador Markarova’s leadership and courage, and the strength of all Ukrainian people, during this most difficult time, and we are proud to lend our support as we stand with Ukraine.”

Ambassador Oksana Markarova will be joined on the field by her daughter Anna, as well as Oleksandr Rozhkov, Military Attaché at the Embassy of Ukraine to the United States.

“I am honored to start this Opening Day, and I am sincerely grateful to all Americans for standing with Ukraine as we fight for our homes, dignity, freedom, and independence. This war has already claimed the lives of hundreds of Ukrainian athletes and coaches, including one baseball player who fought within the ranks of Ukrainian armed forces. Since the very first days of Russia’s large-scale military aggression, thousands of Ukrainian athletes volunteered to defend their country, 56 baseball players among them. We share the passion for freedom and baseball with the USA, and we will win together,” said the Ambassador.

Oksana Markarova was appointed the Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States and arrived in Washington, D.C. on Apr 20, 2021. She served in Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance in 2015-20 as First deputy Minister and Government commissioner on investments and then since 2018 as a Minister of Finance. Ambassador Markarova serves on the Boards of UkraineHouse DC foundation in Washington D.C.; Kyiv-Mohyla Academy; Ukrainian Development Foundation and supports Ukrainian Catholic University and Ukrainian Press Museum-Archive. She holds BS and MS degrees in Environmental Science from Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine and MPA in public finance from Indiana University with academic excellency and best international student awards. Markarova is married with four children and a grandson.

The Washington Nationals are back in West Palm Beach, Fla., for their seventh season of Spring Training at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. The Nationals open their spring schedule this week against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, Feb. 25, in Jupiter, Fla., before returning to The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches one day later to face the defending World Series champion Houston Astros in a split-squad matchup. Tickets for all games are available now at nationals.com/Spring.

Fans not making the trip to Florida can catch the action on TV and radio, as Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), 106.7 The Fan, The Team 980 and nationals.com combine to present 15 games from Florida. The Nationals’ Spring Training schedule features three games televised by MASN and a combined 14 radio broadcasts airing on 106.7 The Fan, The Team 980 or streaming on nationals.com. MASN and 106.7 The Fan will also carry the Nationals final tune-up before the regular season, an exhibition vs. the New York Yankees on Tuesday, March 28, at Nationals Park.

In addition to game programming, 106.7 The Fan will host four editions of “Nats Spring Training Live!” from E.R. Bradley’s Saloon located at 104 S Clematis St. in downtown West Palm Beach. The 60-minute talk shows hosted by Nationals radio voices Dave Jageler and Charlie Slowes are live Sundays, Feb. 26, March 5, March 12 and March 19, from 6:00-7:00 p.m. “Nats Spring Training Live!” programs are free to attend in-person and feature special guest appearances by Nationals players, coaches and personalities.

Nationals 2023 Spring Training Broadcast Schedule*

We are grateful for the generous outpouring of love and support we have received since the passing of Ted Lerner – husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and Nationals founding managing principal owner.

So much has been said about his accomplishments as a businessman and philanthropist. He, of course, would have been the first to acknowledge that none of it was achieved alone, and that is certainly true when it comes to the story of the Washington Nationals. It was a team effort to bring our national pastime back to the Nation’s capital; a team that consisted of City officials, business leaders and, most importantly, devoted fans from around the District, Maryland and Virginia.

We know he was grateful for all of the hard work that made it possible for him to realize a lifelong dream. Today we want to express our gratitude as well, for the support from so many, for the enthusiasm of Nationals fans, for the love and sympathy we have felt over the past number of days, and for the incomparable life lived by Ted Lerner.

The Family of Theodore N. Lerner

Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. issued the following statement today regarding the passing of Washington Nationals Founding Principal Owner Ted Lerner, who was 97:

“Ted Lerner was a proud product of Washington, DC, an avid baseball fan, and an extraordinary American success story. In 2006, this onetime usher at Griffith Stadium took ownership in the nation’s capital and, in 2008, made Nationals Park a first-class destination. The Nationals’ era of winning baseball culminated in the 2019 World Series Championship, the first for baseball fans in the District since 1924. Most importantly, the Nationals have always remained loyal to Ted’s vision of unity, philanthropy and civic pride in Washington.

“I have great appreciation for Ted’s impact on his hometown and the game he loved. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to Ted’s entire family, including Annette Lerner, Mark Lerner and Judy Lenkin Lerner, Marla Lerner Tanenbaum and Robert Tanenbaum, and Debra Lerner Cohen and Edward Cohen.”

It is with great sadness that the Washington Nationals today announce the passing of Founding Managing Principal Owner, Theodore N. Lerner.

Mr. Lerner is survived by his beloved wife of 71 years, Annette Morris Lerner; his children Mark D. Lerner (Judy) and Debra Lerner Cohen (Edward) of Washington, D.C., and Marla Lerner Tanenbaum (Robert) of Bethesda, Maryland; his nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

From his humble beginnings as an usher in Washington D.C.’s old Griffith Stadium, to the ushering in of a new era of championship baseball in his hometown, Mr. Lerner literally and figuratively built a legacy through his signature mix of tenacity and humility. Guided by love for his family and passion for his hometown, Mr. Lerner dedicated his life to the creation of a better city and a winning ball club.

Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Lerner was a graduate of the George Washington University and had a law degree from the George Washington University National Law Center. In 1952, he founded Lerner Enterprises, which went on to become one of the largest private real estate development companies in the D.C. area. Mr. Lerner was named Managing Principal Owner of the Washington Nationals on May 3, 2006, and worked tirelessly from that day forward to build a world-class baseball team in his beloved Washington, D.C. He created the framework that brought the 2019 World Series to the nation’s capital, and the championship ball club he helped create stands as a reminder of the love he had for this great game and the passion he had for giving back to his hometown.

In addition to his many accomplishments in business and in sports, Mr. Lerner championed the creation of opportunities for all residents of the region and was instrumental in the foundation of the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, which provides year-round programming and resources in one of the city’s most underserved neighborhoods. Mr. Lerner led by example through his family’s own private philanthropy and set the tone for the ball club’s company-wide culture of giving, which still extends into the clubhouse, front office and in the stands. He was honored with the Washington Nationals Philanthropies “Power of Baseball Award” in 2022 in recognition of the many ways he’s improved the city of Washington, D.C. and the lives of its residents. 

The Washington Nationals announced their 2023 Minor League player development staff on Wednesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo and Director of Player Development De Jon Watson made the joint announcement.