Washington Nationals announce a multi-year extension with manager Davey Martinez...

The Washington Nationals officially announced a multi-year extension with manager Davey Martinez this morning, a day after the news broke, and close to a year after the third-year skipper, who turned 56 today, led the club to the first World Series championship by a D.C.-based team since 1924.

“Three years ago when we selected Davey to be our Manager, he made a promise to our fans that he would bring a World Championship back to Washington, D.C.,” Managing Principal Owner Mark D. Lerner said in a press release on the extension this morning.

“There was never any doubt in my mind that he would make that dream a reality. Davey’s determination and unwavering support of his players is admirable. We are so fortunate to have him leading our clubhouse each and every day.”

Martinez has led the club to a 198-183 record overall in the three years since he was hired by the club, after having served as Joe Maddon’s bench coach in Tampa Bay and Chicago after a 16-year career as a major league infielder/outfielder.

“I can’t say enough about Davey’s leadership qualities and the poise he shows under pressure,” Nats’ President of Baseball Operations and GM Mike Rizzo said in the press release this morning.

“The players, coaches and staff have the utmost respect for him as a manager and a person. There is no one else our team would rather have at the helm.

“I look forward to our continued partnership as we work together to bring another World Series Championship to our fans.”

As noted in the press release this morning, Martinez, “with 198 [wins] entering Saturday... is just 27 wins shy of passing Davey Johnson for the most managerial wins (224) in Nationals’ history (2005-pres.). Early in the 2021 season, Martinez – with 381 games entering Saturday – will pass Johnson as the longest tenured manager in team history (407 games).”

Before the deal was announced this morning, Martinez spoke earlier this week about his desire to remain in the nation’s capital beyond the 2020 season.

There was an option in the three-year deal he signed in 2017 for the 2021 season, but Rizzo said, after signing on to his own extension, that priority number one was getting the Nats’ manager locked up long-term.

“I love it here,” Martinez said. “I don’t see myself going anywhere else. I appreciate the family, I appreciate this organization. And we’ve built a special relationship here.

“I hope I get a chance to stay here for many, many years ... the sooner the better though.”

Just days later, Martinez has inked what is reportedly a 3-year/$7.5M extension that will keep him in D.C.

Martinez and Rizzo are scheduled to talk to reporters at 12:30 PM this afternoon in a Zoom call from Nationals Park. More to come on the new extension...