The Nationals fired key leaders amid ongoing chaos from fragmented family ownership with no clear authority.

The Washington Nationals are restructuring their front office after firing longtime leaders Mike Rizzo and Davey Martinez, with interim GM Mike DeBartolo among candidates for the permanent role. However, deep-rooted leadership issues persist due to a fragmented ownership structure involving up to 10 Lerner family members, none of whom holds clear authority. This decentralized control has led to inefficiency, conflicting directions, and a lack of strategic focus, with no team president since 2010. Former employees describe the process as chaotic, and only one candidate, Josh Byrnes, reportedly met with the family in person. Despite awareness of the problems, no changes to the ownership structure are expected, leaving the team’s long-term direction uncertain.