Fansided

3 candidates to replace Dusty Baker as Washington Nationals manager

By Brad Berreman

CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 10: Manager Dusty Baker of the Washington Nationals looks on before game four of the National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 10, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 10: Manager Dusty Baker of the Washington Nationals looks on before game four of the National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 10, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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Mandatory Credit: Rich von Biberstein-Getty Images
Mandatory Credit: Rich von Biberstein-Getty Images /

1. Dave Martinez

As if by coincidence, Martinez is now easily available to be interviewed after the Chicago Cubs were eliminated from the postseason Thursday night. Joe Maddon’s long-time bench coach will land a managing gig at some point if he wants one, and maybe this will be the year.

Martinez started his coaching career as a spring training instructor for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2006, and he has been Maddon’s bench coach continuously since 2008 with the Rays and the Cubs. Since an interview with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2010, Martinez has been a rumored candidate for managerial jobs virtually every October.

One of Martinez’s previous managerial interviews was with the Nationals, in 2013 before Matt Williams was hired. If he made a strong impression back then, it will surely be remembered now as Washington looks for another new manager.

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Martinez might be the first man the Nationals want to interview as they seek a replacement for Baker, and the interest could be mutual. But if he wants real long-term job security as a manager, Martinez can’t be blamed if he’d rather stay at Maddon’s side for one more year.

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