Washington Nationals Set To Name Cubs Bench Coach Dave Martinez New Manager

The Washington Nationals are expected to name Davey Martinez the team’s new manager after the World Series between the L.A. Dodgers and Houston Astros comes to an end.

Several media outlets have reported the Chicago Cubs bench coach has reached a three-year deal with a team option for a fourth season.

The veteran Martinez takes over after the team announced they would not be bringing back Dusty Baker as manager after the Nats were banished by the Cubs in the opening round of the National League playoffs.

Martinez becomes the seventh full-time skipper Washington has had since the team relocated there from Montreal just over a decade ago.

The 53-year-old Martinez also played 16 major-league seasons, including nearly four years with the Expos. The former outfielder is among the franchise’s all-time leaders in triples, stolen bases and stolen base percentage.

Over the last decade, Martinez has served as bench coach for Cubs manager Joe Maddon during stops in Chicago and Tampa Bay.

Martinez has been a candidate for the Nationals before, interviewing with the team in 2014 before the job ultimately went to then rookie manager Matt Williams.

Though he also has no big-league managerial experience, Martinez becomes the first Nationals manager to be awarded a contract with more than two years guaranteed since new management took over the franchise in 2016.

During his time under Maddon, Martinez appeared in the World Series with the Devil Rays and more recently the Cubs, who in 2016 broke the team’s run of nearly a century with no World Series’ appearances.

Yahoo reports Martinez beat out former Boston Red Sox manager Jim Farrell and New York Mets hitting coach Kevin Long for the job.

Martinez’s departure from Chicago continues a trend that has seen the Cubs nearly turn over the team’s entire coaching staff since being ousted in the division championship by the Dodgers.

Gone are pitching coach Chris Bosio, hitting coach John Mallee and third base coach Gary Jones, all fired over the last several weeks.

The Cubs recently announced Jim Hickey as new pitching coach, Chilli Davis as hitting coach, and Brian Butterfield as third base coach.

[Featured Image by J. Meric/Getty Images]