Washington Nationals news & notes: Davey Martinez reportedly gets extension; GM Mike Rizzo and Nats close…

Davey Extend. Lizzo is close to signing:

With all the work they’ve done since starting to reboot the organization at the 2021 trade deadline – selling expired deals and revitalizing the process with an influx of young high-end talent – The prospect they added through a term deal is over, but GM Mike Rizzo this week looks back at the past two years and the players he’s picked up in the first-year and international drafts, and the club is getting back on track. He said that he thinkswon the World Series in 2019,) Finished 5th for 3 consecutive years with 5 teams in the National League East.

In addition to the young talents who have already made it to the majors (CJ Abrams, Keibert Lewis, Mackenzie Gore)said there are well-received prospects in the pipeline and Rizzo sees their plans coming together.

“We went deeper than we’ve ever been in many positions. And when you talk about it, [2023 1st Round pick Dylan] with the crew [James] wood and [Robert Hassell III] (both acquired in a trade of Juan Soto to San Diego last summer), [2021 1st Round pick Brady] house and its group Lizzo told 106.7 fans on DC’s Sports Junkies This week, “…they’re not only young, they’re advanced for their level, they’re playing well. When you’re talking about going back to the club, you can see the light nearing the end of the tunnel.”

“We have a lot of good young players and some of the guys that are coming in that I’m really, really looking forward to,” manager Davey Martinez recently said of the organization’s status heading to the home line. told reporters. This season. “Some of the core players that we got in Double A are doing well and we are excited about them. So it looks like the plan is moving pretty quickly. I think, we play here, we compete every day, the guys go out and play hard, and I love that about them, so we keep going forward, We have to keep improving.”

Lizzo, Martinez and everyone in the organization are tired of losing and the club is ready to win again, Martinez added.

“We don’t like to lose,” Martinez said. “Not really. So, like I said, we started this and we had a plan.

“The plan was not to wait five or six years. The plan was to try and get it done. And now we are really happy with where we are.

The major league clubs are 12-6 again this month, winning 23 of their last 37 games.

Apparently, the Nationals’ owners’ group are happy enough with the club’s progress to keep Lizzo and Martinez in to see it through.

According to multiple reports last night (first seen by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Brittany Guiroli), the team had already agreed to a two-year (plus?) contract extension with Martinez. , Rizzo and the Nationals are nearing a similar deal, the sources said. transaction.

According to Mark Zuckerman of MASN.Citing a “source familiar with the terms,” ​​said Martinez’s deal “includes an option for a third year and Lizzo is close to signing a deal of similar length.”

Joey Menez Section:

Joey Meneses took the nation’s capital by storm last summer, making his MLB debut after a decade in the minors, batting .324/.367/.563 in 56 games, 240 with 14 doubles. , left a record of 13 home runs. appearance of the plate. Although his 2023 production wasn’t on the same level…

After 117 games and 508 penalties, the 31-year-old slugger is batting .285/.331/.421 with 29 doubles and 11 home runs. He has made 9 of his 11 HRs this season, but has made 182 HRs in the last two months after just 2 in the first three months (326 PAs).

Meneses manager Davey Martinez told reporters in early June that the designated hitter was taking time to adapt to the DH role and was working together to start putting the ball up again.

“Interesting,” Martinez said. “I saw what he did last year and [he’s doing this year].he can no longer hit the ball [hard] He’s just not getting the ball in the air as much as he did last year, which is something the team is working on, but he’s hitting the ball really hard. At this point, I think he feels like he knows he can hit here, and he’s who he really is. We’re going to have him start trying to get the ball high again. “

“And that’s what he works hard for. [Hitting coaches Darnell Coles and Pat Roessler]added the captain. [Meneses has] It was great. he was great

“And like I said, he’s learning how to do DH and getting into the routine.

As I mentioned above, the momentum has increased in the last two months. After Meneses hit two doubles last week against the Red Sox and hit five of the club’s 10 points, Martinez said at the postgame press conference that DH’s batting power was down despite having runners. Said it wasn’t the same. Was in scoring position all year (361/.383/.481 in RISP for the season, his .361 AVG is the 10th best among eligible hitters in MLB).

“I always tell him, ‘Hey, it’s about RBIs, RBIs.’ Some people have a knack for it, some really don’t, and he’s one of those guys on base who sticks out and hits the ball hard.”

Although he hasn’t had the power numbers he had last season, the manager said Meneses has improved as a player since he first made it to the big leagues last August.

“He’s come a long way,” Martinez said.

“He got an opportunity here with us and made the most of it. Last year and this year, he’s done really, really well.”