Nationals Manager Has Blunt Response to Role Coaching Has Played in Team's Struggles

Nationals manager Dave Martinez on the team's offensive struggles: "It's never on coaching."

Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez. / Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Don't put any of the blame for the Washington Nationals' recent struggles on the coaching staff.

At least, that's the message Nationals manager Dave Martinez made clear following the team's 4-3 loss to the Miami Marlins on Saturday, their seventh consecutive loss. So far this month, the Nationals are last in MLB in runs, on-base percentage and slug rate, and second-last in batting average and home runs.

When asked how much of the team's offensive struggle fall on players or coaching, Martinez immediately responded that the blame is never on the coaching. Instead, he emphasized how hard the coaching staff works, and that it's up to the players to play better.

"It's never on coaching," Martinez said Saturday. "Coaches work their assess off every single day. We're not going to finger point here and say it's on the coaches. It's never on the coaches. They work hard, the message is clear, all the work is done prior. Sometimes, they've got to go out there and play the game. It's always been about the players. Always."

Davey Martinez on the Nationals offensive struggles after their 7th straight loss:

"It's never on coaching. Coaches work their assess off every single day. We're not going to finger point here and say it's on the coaches. It's never on the coaches... Sometimes you got to put the… pic.twitter.com/WFt7KrMUs0

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 14, 2025

Martinez continued: "I've played this game a long time. Never once have I blamed a coach for anything. ... They gave us information and we used it. These guys understand what the game is. I never had such a group of coaches that work as hard as they do. ... I know every coaching staff is like that. Sometimes you got to put the onus on the players. ... We can't hit for them, we can't catch the ball for them, we can't pitch for them, we can't throw strikes for them. They gotta do that."

Martinez's comments stand out not only for their blunt nature, but because it's common for managers and coaches across many sports to take accountability for the team's errors, even if it's not their fault or fully their responsibility. Martinez took the complete opposite route, and instead put the onus on the players.

Though Martinez has seen success as the Nationals' manager—highlighted by winning the World Series in 2019—the team has had five straight losing seasons since that title victory and are on pace for another with a 30-40 record. Regardless of the players' performance day in and day out, he is hardly faultless for the Nationals' struggles over the last five years.

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