Washington Nationals news & notes: Mike Rizzo extension official; Jackson Rutledge arrives + more…

Mike Rizzo Expansion Official:

Mike Rizzo has made it clear throughout the process that he believes a new contract will be signed at the right time, and although it took a little longer than expected, Mike Rizzo, director of baseball operations and D.C. and Washington National The team’s GM announced a multi-year contract extension earlier Wednesday. morning.

“Mike and I have talked to and worked with each other almost every day for 17 years,” Nationals managing principal owner Mark D. Lerner said in a press release about the deal.

“Along with my family and the entire Nationals staff, we have always shared the same dream: to make the Washington Nationals a team that our fans love and are proud of. have worked together to develop what is essentially a non-major league expansion team into a contender and then into a team. world series champion.

“We went through a tough losing season and came together to lift the pennant and get through it.

“We are working hard again to build a championship contender in Washington, D.C. We are currently at the beginning of a roster filled with promising young players and exciting prospects at nearly every position. We once talked about winning a World Series ring for my baseball-loving father, but Mike’s family and our family now have a lot to offer to our children and grandchildren. , and of course, we look forward to winning more rings for all the Nationals-loving fans and families around the world. We are excited about our future. ”

“I love being a member of the Washington Nationals,” Rizzo said in his statement regarding the contract extension.

“Nearly 17 years ago, Ted Lerner and his family asked me to help build the Nats into a winning team. Together we achieved success in just a few years, winning multiple division titles. , ultimately giving DC their first World Series victory since 1924.

“It was a great privilege to work with ownership as we put the pieces together for early team building and operations. We now believe we are developing the next generation of contenders and champions. . We believe deeply in our process and progress. The next few years are going to be unmissable for Nationals fans. My family and I are committed to supporting the Lerner, Cohen and Tannenbaum families, Alan Gottlieb, I want to thank the Nationals management team for their confidence and dedication to winning the World Series. I’m excited to be a part of that effort.”

Shortly after the deal was announced, Rizzo spoke with reporters on a Zoom call and shared his thoughts on formalizing the extension.

“We are honored and honored to have this extension,” Rizzo said. “I am honored that the Lerner family has entrusted me with the keys to this franchise over the years. I hope that I have been a good steward to them in the past, and I look forward to continuing to serve the Washington, D.C. area and the Nationals.” I hope to continue to bring respect and fame.

“My goal, like any other owner or front office, is to put out a product that our fan base can be proud of, win a lot of games and bring another parade to Washington, D.C.”

Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images

As mentioned above, Rizzo and others in the front office have done it once before, and with the organization currently undergoing a rebuild, the GM is excited about the opportunity to see the reboot through to completion.

“We just want to experience the struggles of rebuilding and have the opportunity to experience the glory that comes with rebuilding,” Rizzo explained.

“That was my thought process. Rebuilding is never fun. No general manager or field manager likes the word ‘rebuild.’ Because rebuilding usually means losing a lot of games over a significant number of years.

“This is my second rebuild, so I experienced a loss, but it was worth it to maintain excellence and competitiveness for eight to 10 years and play a competitive game at the end of the season.” It’s worth it.”

“All the struggles and struggles you go through are immeasurable to the glory you get when No. 27 goes into that guy’s mitt in Game 7 of the World Series.

“That’s why it was so important for me to be here to see this situation through to the end. And hopefully the next successor can be a really competitive team in a really competitive division and be able to make it to the Nationals.” I hope we get to see him win another ring for his fan base.”

As he previously said when Martinez’s contract extension was announced, Rizzo reiterated that he believes it is important to first lock down the manager in the capital before terminating his own contract. .

“I was confident that the extension was going to happen. It was just out of reach to get a final deal done,” Rizzo explained.

Photo by Rob Kerr/Getty Images

“We thought it was important to get Davey.” [Martinez’s extension] This was possible thanks to the chemistry in the clubhouse and being a lame duck coach for three months. [left on his contract] That’s not how you want to go through something like this and hone, coach and develop players at the big league level. It had to be done and I’m glad I did it sooner rather than later. I was always confident about my contract. ”

Martinez told reporters before last night’s game in Pittsburgh that he was pleased to have also finalized a deal with Rizzo.

“I have a great relationship with Mike,” the manager said. Quoted by MASN’s Bobby Blanco.

“I’m really glad they went through with it and we can work together for many more years and build something again. Because we won championships together. , we can do it again here and we can do it again pretty quickly.”

Jackson Rutledge makes his MLB debut:

On Wednesday, during a Zoom call announcing a multi-year contract extension with the Nationals, general manager Mike Rizzo said last night at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park that 2019 first-round draft pick Jackson Rutledge will have the opportunity to make his first major league appearance in his MLB debut. I talked briefly about what I had learned.

Rutledge, 24, has dealt with his fair share of injuries both before the draft and during his professional career, but he has stepped up from A-ball last year to Double-A and Triple-A this season, and is currently winning awards. There is. He will get a chance to work in the majors for a few weeks to finish his fourth season in the Nats’ system.

“I’m happy with his progress and growth,” Rizzo told reporters. “I think he’s earned the opportunity to pitch in the big leagues. It’ll be fun to see him pitch in the big leagues a few times before this season is over.”

Before his Zoom call, Lizzo spoke with 106.7 Fan of Sports Junkies in DC Rutledge, who was selected with the 17th overall pick out of San Jacinto Junior College in 2019, talks about his path to the majors.

Rutledge acquired all the prospects in trades and was a top pick in the draft the past few years. Ranked 13th in the organization by MLB Pipeline Scoutsthe shadow has become faint (Or, as one of the junkies said, ignored.) But Lizzo said she doesn’t see it that way.

“He’s been fired before — I wouldn’t say fired — but when you’re in the minor leagues,” he said. If you’re from an SEC program or that type of thing, he’s had some injuries and struggled with it, but the last two years he’s been solid. He picks up the ball every five days. What we’re trying to accomplish for these pitchers here at the major league level and at the minor league level — because so many pitchers get injured — is for them to finish a full season happy and healthy. You’re moving in the right direction.and I think this [Rutledge] He’s shown progression from A-ball to Double-A to Triple-A and has earned the right to make his major league debut, and no matter what this year turns out to be, he’s going to be a big part of what we do here. It will be. The Nationals will move forward with the rest of their young rotation and young minor league players.

“We’re excited about it [Josiah] gray, [MacKenzie] Goa, [Jake] In the big leagues, you have Irvin, and Rutledge and Cole Henry, and [Jake] with Mr. Bennett [Cade] Cavalli and a group of players who will all be in the big leagues in the near future. ”

Rizzo also provided a brief scouting report on the right-handed pitcher for those unfamiliar with the tall pitcher.

“He’s a 6-foot-7 guy who can hit really downhill against hitters because he has a big angle,” Rizzo said.

“He has a very deceptive, short-arm delivery that kind of spits the ball out of his jersey. His fastball is in the mid-to-high 90s, good breaking ball, versatile breaking ball, And he’s got a changeup that has really come into play over the last year or so, so we’re looking forward to seeing him play, making his debut in the wet and starting a few games in the big leagues before the season ends. And then he comes to spring training trying to compete for one of the five starting spots available in 2024.”

“He’s worked really hard to get to this point,” coach Davey Martinez said. Quoted by MASN’s Bobby Blancobefore the third of four games against the Pirates at PNC Park.

“He’s done really well in the minor leagues. He’s started to put it together really well this year, so he’ll get a chance to go out and start for us today. He threw four good pitches. It’s a combination. The big thing with him, I didn’t really talk about anything, was just attack the strike zone like all the young kids.

“Try to get one strike to every batter and just have fun. I’m really looking forward to watching him pitch.”

Regardless of the outcome, Coach Martinez said Rutledge will get a few more chances in the future.

“Let’s see how it goes today,” he said. “But I want to give him a chance to pitch a few games here. And then let’s see what happens after that.”

Things didn’t go as everyone on the Nationals side expected, with Rutledge giving up 4 of his 7 total runs overall in 33 pitches in the first inning, with some good pitches and a few hits. And he ended up allowing 3 hits and 10 hits. ²⁄₃ Bucs batters hit two doubles and a two-run home run. But Rutledge said afterwards that it was almost exactly what he dreamed.

“Honestly, it was what I expected,” Rutledge said.

“Beautiful stadium, beautiful place to play. Of course I dreamed of a better first innings, but like I said, it will be better next time.”

“We just fell behind,” coach Martinez said of Rutledge’s play. “I was a little late. I was really getting a little bit of adrenaline.”

Once the adrenaline wears off, Rutledge may feel a little sore in the back of his head. In a terrifying moment, he ducked to avoid a throw to second base by catcher Drew Millas, who was attempting to steal a base, and snatched the ball over his head. The ball was strong enough to ricochet into the outfield, but he was able to stay on defense. game.

“He’s fine,” Martinez said of the play, allowing Rutledge to stay in the game.

“But I didn’t want to finish him. Unless there was something wrong with him, I wanted him to finish some way on the mound and I didn’t want to put him down there.

“But overall his stuff is good. We’ve got to get him to throw more strikes and stay ahead of the hitters. In the first inning, he threw pretty good pitches. He pitched there. Just hurt a little bit. But overall, I thought he was okay in the first game, and I was really okay. I’m not going to see any runs. But he pitched pretty well. . So we’ll have him back in the field within five or six days.”

“Obviously I fell further behind than I wanted to,” Rutledge said.

“A leadoff hitter who got behind. But he fought back and showed he can throw every pitch in the zone. Obviously, he didn’t have the best feel on his breaking ball today. He whiffed on his fastball. But sometimes things like that happen. Especially with 11 days between openings. We didn’t get the last start because of the rain and everything. But the first innings is just about establishing yourself in the zone.”