Rizzo expresses frustration with season, support for Martinez

That the question was asked at all is evidence of the disappointment that has been the Nationals' 2018 season. But given the events of the last five months, not to mention the organization's history of changing managers, Mike Rizzo couldn't have been surprised today when he was asked during a wide-ranging scrum on the field at Nationals Park whether Davey Martinez will return in 2019.

Rizzo's reply: "I haven't considered any other scenario."

Skeptics will immediately dig up Rizzo's quotes about Dusty Baker one year ago, and point out that ownership, not the general manager, made the call to fire Baker last October. So it would be irresponsible to declare that Rizzo's statement of support today for Martinez guarantees his return for a second season in the Nationals dugout.

But Rizzo's support for his rookie skipper is genuine, and he went into more detail today why he has continued to feel that way even during a brutal summer for the franchise.

"I think Davey has done a great job managing this team," Rizzo said. "He's managed them through a lot of trials and tribulations that a lot of first-year managers haven't had to go through. To have the team playing with the exuberance and energy level that they're playing at, at this point, I think, is a testament to Davey and the staff and the way that they feel about him in the clubhouse."

The Nationals, to their credit, have often played inspired baseball over the last month, even as prominent veterans Daniel Murphy, Matt Adams, Gio Gonzalez and Ryan Madson were traded. Even in losses, they seem always to bring the tying run to the plate (as they did Tuesday night despite entering the bottom of the ninth trailing the Cardinals 11-5).

The club's actual record, though, underscores a wasted opportunity for a team that repeatedly had chances to get itself back into the thick of the National League East race. Since Aug. 15, the Braves have gone 8-12, the Phillies 7-12. The Nats have gone 9-9, unable to get any closer than seven games back in a division that may have been there for the taking all along.

"We thought all along we had a chance to catch those teams," Rizzo said. "If we played the way we were supposed to be playing, that we'd have an opportunity to make this a race. And that's frustrating that we haven't put anything together. That we haven't really pushed them to the limits that we thought we should."

Though the coaching staff and players have proceeded as though they were still in the race, the front office has all but conceded with each trade made over the last month. Those trades have brought second- or third-level prospects back in return. They've also saved the Nationals roughly $11.4 million in player salaries this season, plus another $5 million in 2019.

"Those moves, painful like all the moves at this time of year, they do a few things for us," Rizzo said. "They obviously give us some minor league talent that some of our scouts liked to kind of replenish our minor league system. Give us some financial flexibility to utilize those dollars in 2019. And also gives us a chance to see some of our young future pitchers that are going to take their place and perform in their spot. That's always the reason that you do those deals at this time of year, and that was it for them."

The Nationals may have saved money as a result of the trades, but Rizzo maintained again they weren't made in an attempt to get the club under Major League Baseball's $197 million luxury tax threshold.

"We've always had the sense that those deals we've made, and the deals that we could've made, were not going to get us under the luxury tax," he said.

The threshold goes up to $206 million in 2019, and the Nationals are due to shed a significant amount of money in salaries with more prominent players becoming free agents this winter. Rizzo said the club would ideally like get under that number and ensure it isn't subject to a 40 percent tax as a third-time offender, but he quickly added that ownership has been willing to exceed it if necessary.

As for the Nationals' intentions this offseason, Rizzo suggested the plan will be to add select pieces to what's already in place roster-wise, not perform a massive overhaul after a hugely disappointing season.

"We have a good, young core group of guys here," he said. "We've got a good mixture of veteran talent and young and up-and-coming guys. When you can run out there five position players that have a lot of ability, three starters and back-of-the-bullpen guys you have a lot of confidence in, I think you build around the fringes of that roster. ...

"I think the core is in place to have a championship-caliber club. I think the process that we have here in D.C. that we've shown here in the past is: We're capable of putting together a championship-caliber club, and I think we'll do so this offseason."