Managerial career[edit]
Washington Nationals[edit]
The Washington Nationals elected not to extend manager Dusty Baker's contract after a second consecutive season in which the Nationals reached the National League Division Series and lost in five games (in 2016 to the Los Angeles Dodgers; in 2017 to Martinez's Cubs).[60] Martinez was one of just a handful of candidates mentioned for the open managerial job. On October 30, 2017, the Nationals announced they had come to terms with Martinez on a three-year managing contract starting with the 2018 season, with a club option for the 2021 season.[61]
Martinez returned to the Nationals franchise after playing with the club from 1988 to 1991 when it was the Expos. He earned his first win as a major league manager in his first career game managed, as the Nationals shut out the Cincinnati Reds 2–0 on March 30, 2018, to begin the season.[62] Throughout his first season, Martinez has made major lineup moves. These include placing Bryce Harper in the leadoff spot for the first time in over four years on May 1, 2018,[63] and allowing ace Max Scherzer to throw 121 pitches on May 19, 2018.[64] The Nationals finished the 2018 season with an 82-80 record.[65]
The Nationals began the 2019 season 19-31, and public calls began to call for Martinez to be fired.[66] The Nationals rebounded and reached the 2019 World Series. In game 6 of the best-of-7 series, Martinez was ejected after an argument with an umpire over a controversial call.[67] The next night, Martinez and the Nationals captured the 2019 World Series championship by defeating the Houston Astros in game 7. The Nationals won all four games as the visiting team, the first time that this has happened in a World Series.[68]
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