2019 MLB Season: Rating the NL East general managers
By Bill Felber
2019 MLB Season: The NL East’s best GM
Mike Rizzo, Washington Nationals
Irrespective of anything Rizzo did during the 2019 MLB season, he’ll probably be best remembered for something he didn’t do. When the team lost 19 of its first 50 games, Rizzo didn’t fire manager Dave Martinez. The Nats responded to that vote of confidence by finishing 74-38 and winning the first NL wild card.
It was a smart hands-off move, and it capped a decent, if not spectacular year for Rizzo, who has established himself as a consistent short-term artist. Following a rocky debut as GM in 2010, Rizzo has improved the Nats short-term in eight of the ensuing nine seasons, and by an average of more than four games per season.
His 3.1 game upgrade in 2019 was pretty much in line with that history.
Rizzo did it by working two areas: free agency and his farm system. From the Nats’ system came the heralded Victor Robles, contributing 2.1 WAA as the regular center fielder. Less heralded but nearly as impactful was the September promotion of minor league journeyman pitcher Austin Voth. He started four games down the stretch, compiling a 3.30 ERA and +0.9 WAA.
At the free agent table, Rizzo made three steals. The most heralded was his December signing of pitcher Patrick Corbin through 2024 at amounts varying from $12 million to $35 million annually. In the short-term, anyway, Corbin made Rizzo look like a genius, going 14-7 with a 3.25 ERA.
Less heralded, but also useful, was Rizzo’s signing of Anibal Sanchez for two years at $13 million. Sanchez delivered an 11-8 record and +2.3 WAA. And as a fillip, he got Asdrubal Cabrera on the cheap three days after Texas released him in August. Cabrera batted .323 during the pennant stretch and contributed 1.0 WAA.
Short-term acquisitions: 0.0
Short-term trade losses: -1.6
Short-term free agent signings: +3.2
Short-term free agent losses: -0.2
Short-term rookie production: +1.7
Short-term total: +3.1