Matt Williams to be Next Nationals Manager

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Williams has served as Dbacks third base coach for past three seasons.

Ken Rosenthal tweets that sources have told him the Washington Nationals plan to hire Matt Williams as their next manager. He will be replacing the departing Davey Johnson. Washington had also interviewed bench coach Randy Knorr, third base coach Trent Jewett, Blue Jays bench coach DeMarlo Hale and Padres special assistant Brad Ausmus.

Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post later tweeted a confirmation with a link to a story of the hire. Kilgore also tweeted that Knorr does plan to stay with the Nationals. That was the organization’s hope.

Williams has no major league managerial experience. He did manage Arizona’s Double-A affiliate, the Mobile BayBears, for the final two months of the 2007 season. Those circumstances weren’t ideal as Williams took over for Brett Butler who suffered a heart attack. He also managed the Salt River Rafters in the Arizona Fall League last season, leading them to the championship game.

In his playing days (17 seasons), Williams compiled a triple slash of .268/.317/.489 with 378 HR and 1,218 RBI. He won four Gold Gloves, four Silver Sluggers and was selected to five All-Star Games. While a member of the San Francisco Giants, Williams finished second to Jeff Bagwell of the Houston Astros in the 1994 MVP voting.