Washington Nationals announce two-year extension for GM Mike Rizzo...

With just hours to go before the 2018 home opener, the Washington Nationals announced a two-year extension for President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo.

Rizzo, 57, took over as GM in 2009, three years after the Lerner family hired him as an Assistant GM, making him “the first and most significant hire,“ as a press release on the extension today described it.

Rizzo’s current deal was set to expire at the end of the 2018 campaign, when he’ll likely be trying to negotiate a long-term deal with soon-to-be-free agent Bryce Harper.

“Mike’s commitment to our shared goal of bringing a World Championship to Washington, D.C. makes this an exciting day for our family and the Washington Nationals,” Managing Principal Owner of the Washington Nationals Theodore N. Lerner said in today’s press release. “Mike and his staff have built quite a team — one that brings excitement to our ballpark every night and gives our city something to be proud of.”

“I’m proud of the progress we’ve made in Washington, DC, building the Nationals from nearly expansion status into one of the winningest clubs in Major League Baseball,” Rizzo said. “I appreciate the Lerner family for giving me the continued opportunity to see what we can accomplish in the future.”

More information on the deal when it’s available.