Rizzo's Hard Work Is Capitol's Gain

The Nats’ GM comes from a family of scouts, but he built the franchise’s first World Series-winner with a blend of scouting, player development and analytics

- LACY LUSK

When the Lerner family took ownership of the Nationals in 2006, their first hire was Mike Rizzo as assistant general manager. That turned out to be the initial step in building Washington’s first World Series champion in 95 years.

Rizzo, now the team’s general manager and president of baseball operations, joined a franchise that had the lowest-rated farm system in baseball, played in dilapidated RFK Stadium and was in its first of five straight seasons with at least 89 losses.

Rizzo ascended to GM in 2009 and led Washington to National League East division titles in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017.

Those four NL East champions all fell in the best-of-five Division Series, three of them in heartbreaking Game 5s at Nationals Park. But this October, with a blend of veterans and young standouts, Washington made history by winning five elimination games in which it trailed.

Manager Dave Martinez’s second Nationals team showed the same tenacity and commitment that the Chicago native Rizzo is known for, rebounding from a 19-31 start to win the first World Series in franchise history.

For putting together such a club, the 58-year-old Rizzo is this year’s Major League Executive of the Year.

“It really does take a village,” Rizzo said. “So many intertwining people have to be on the same page. Our drills and philosophies are the same from the major leagues down to the Dominican Summer League. Up and down the system, everyone knows what to expect. So whether you're a 19-year-old phenom or a 25-year-old who went step by step through the minors, you can make a smooth transition.”