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Washington Nationals relieve Matt Williams, coaching staff of their duties

One day after the end of a disappointing season in the nation's capital, the Washington Nationals have cleaned house, relieving Matt Williams and the entire coaching staff of their duties as reported by multiple sources and now the Nats as well.

By Patrick Reddington
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

According to a report by Washington Post writer James Wagner this morning the Washington Nationals dismissed manager Matt Williams less than twenty-four hours after the end of a disappointing run in his second season on the bench in the nation's capital:

When GM Mike Rizzo spoke to reporters before yesterday's season finale he said that a decision on Williams' future would be made sooner than later.

"We’re going to evaluate each aspect of the organization," Rizzo said, as quoted by NatsInsider.com's Mark Zuckerman.

"Any decision we make, we’re going to be decisive and make decisions sooner rather than later about personnel, both on the field and off the field and in the front office. We’re not going to let people twist in the wind. We want to make our decisions and move on and get moving into 2016."

Rizzo did, however, say that the ultimate decision would be his own.

"We have a process that we go through," he explained. "Ownership has some involvement. Baseball operations obviously is responsible for it. And ultimately I make the final choice."

When Williams was asked what he thought his future held after the season finale, he declined to comment.

"Mike talk to you today?" he asked the reporter who wondered, referring to the GM's conversation. "Okay, so I'm with him in that everything will be evaluated. So, we'll get home and evaluate everything."

While there has been no official announcement from the team, several reports since Wagner's original have confirmed the news:

The Nationals will now need to begin a search for their third manager in the last three years after Davey Johnson in 2011-13 and Williams the past two seasons.

UPDATE: The Nationals have now officially confirmed Matt Williams' dismissal as well as the dismissal of his/their entire coaching staff:

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