2016 Cubs World Series coach just got canned in rough Nationals shake-up

Few expected the Washington Nationals to challenge for a World Series championship in 2025, but it's safe to say the team's talented youth movement had many optimistic the team could flirt with .500 this year, setting the stage for a return to true relevancy in 2026.

Instead, the club quickly floundered - and just days prior to the 2025 MLB Draft and weeks ahead of the July 31 trade deadline, it cost president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez their jobs.

Martinez delivered winning records in his first two years at the helm, 2018 and 2019, with the latter culminating in a World Series title. But the results - and the roster he's had to work with - have been middling for much of the time since, putting the former Chicago Cubs bench coach in a less-than-ideal situation.

This year, though, behind the loaded group of prospects that came back in the Juan Soto trade in 2022, including James Wood, Mackenzie Gore and CJ Abrams. The club inched its way back from a 13-18 record in March and April, pulling within two games of .500 on May 31. Since, though, it's been a disaster in D.C., with the Nats going 9-23 since.

Former Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez has 2 World Series rings already

After working as Joe Maddon's right-hand man in 2016 and 2017 in Chicago, when he was hired as the Nationals' manager, he was widely viewed as one of the game's up-and-coming managerial candidates. The 2019 title only fueled those flames, but disappointment ultimately reigned and, once the team traded Soto, Max Scherzer and Trea Turner and Stephen Strasburg's career fizzled out because of injuries, a new direction was clear: re-tool and rebuild.

"I've always appreciated and admired Davey's passion for the game of baseball and the love he has for his players,” said managing principal owner Mark Lerner in a statement. “For almost eight years, he's led our organization during some of our greatest moments, including a 2019 season we'll never forget. Davey's ability to connect with our staff, our players, our fans and our community set him apart. While this chapter has come to an end, we know that it doesn't close the book on what should continue to be a long and successful career in baseball."

Martinez was replaced on an interim basis by another name with Cubs ties, former White Sox bench coach Miguel Cairo. Cairo played for the North Siders in a pair of stints, coming in 1997 and 2001. In 82 games with the Cubs, he slashed .276/.355/.355 and saw action at second, third and shortstop.