Washington Nationals exercise option on GM and President of Baseball Ops Mike Rizzo

The Washington Nationals announced tonight that the team picked up the two-year contract option for GM and President of Baseball Operations Mike Rizzo, keeping him with the club through (at least) the 2018 season.

The two-year option, included in the two-year deal he signed for the 2015-16 seasons, had to be exercised or declined by June 15, 2016, according to multiple reports. Terms of the deal were not disclosed in the press release announcing that the Nats had picked up the option.

Rizzo talked about the press conference announcing the 7-year/$175M extension with Stephen Strasburg this week about the state of the organization he's run since 2009.

"We feel that we like our rotation and we think we put a guy on the mound every day that we think can win that night," Rizzo said.

"So to lock up a Strasburg, a [Max] Scherzer and have capable young pitchers like a [Joe] Ross, [Tanner] Roark and guys on the way like [Lucas] Giolito and have a Gio Gonzalez for multiple years, so we feel good about where we're at as far as roster construction.

"We like where our minor league system is... influx of players each year is important. And I think that we're in a good position, if healthy this year, to compete with anybody in the league and we have the system and the process in place to make it continuous and that was our goal all along."

He'll now continue to run the organization he's played a significant role in building for at least the next two-plus years.

"We are pleased with the job Mike has done over the past nine years," Managing Principal Owner Theodore N. Lerner said in a press release this evening.

"He and the baseball operations team have worked tirelessly to help build this organization into one of Major League Baseball’s elite clubs. We are fortunate to have him."

"I am honored by the Lerner family’s continued faith and confidence in me and am thrilled to be remaining with the Washington Nationals organization," Rizzo said in the same release.

"While I am proud of the work we have accomplished, we still must achieve the ultimate goal of bringing a World Series Championship back to Washington."

In Rizzo We Trust.