Five First-Time Managers Nationals Could Pursue to Replace Dave Martinez

When the Washington Nationals hired Dave Martinez in 2018, he was a first-time manager. That worked out well

Two years later, he guided the Nationals to a World Series title.

Now that he’s out the door, Washington must hire a new manager. It could with someone experienced or it could go the same route it went with Martinez — a first-timer, most likely a current bench coach.

It will most likely be up to the new general manager, which must be hired by owner Mark Lerner, to determine who replaces Martinez permanently. Interim coach Miguel Cairo remains a candidate, and he’ll get his audition the rest of the season.

Here are five bench coaches that could get the call to interview to replace Martinez, a list that is by no means exhaustive.

Rickie Weeks

A former Golden Spikes award winner in college, he was a first-round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers, spent more than a decade with the franchise as a player and — guess what? — he is currently Milwaukee’s associate manager under manager Pat Murphy. Before that he was on the Brewers’ player development staff.

Working against him is that he’s only been on Murphy’s bench since he took over for Craig Counsell in 2024. But he’s well-respected and is likely to get a managerial job one day.

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Robinson Chirinos

The long-time Major League catcher is in his first year as Baltimore’s bench coach. It’s been an interesting year in the Charm City, as manager Brandon Hyde was fired, and third-base coach Tony Mansolino is the interim manager.

Chirinos is thought of in baseball much the way that current Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt was thought of — a highly-intelligent baseball player that could become a manager fast. It took Vogt two years.

Could it work the same way for Chirinos?

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George Lombard

Lombard ended his estimable playing career with the Nationals in 2006. Since then, he’s emerged as one of the top coaches in the game. He spent five years as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ first-base coach and helped that franchise win a World Series.

He left L.A. to join the Detroit Tigers as their bench coach in 2021 and now he’s helping manager A.J. Hinch with one of the best teams in baseball. The Tigers could get him his second ring.

The move to Detroit was to position him to become a manager one day. His experience as a player, minor league coach and Major League coach can help him connect with a young team.

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Ryan Flaherty

Another Major League player that had a journeyman career — in this case eight years that ended with Cleveland in 2019 — is also quickly making his way up the coaching ranks.

He joined the San Diego Padres in 2019 as a development coach. He then moved up to then-manager Bob Melvin’s staff in 2020 and managed a game in 2022 when Melvin missed a game due to COVID protocols. He spent 2023 as Melvin’s bench coach before joining Counsell with the Cubs.

When it comes to new managers, owners and general managers tend to look at coaches that have worked with winning organizations. Flaherty fits that description.

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David Lehmann

Speaking of winning organizations, Lehmann has two World Series rings with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020 and 2024.

He played college baseball at Rice, was drafted in 2007 by the Minnesota Twins but he never reached the Majors as a player.

He’s spent his entire post-playing career with the Dodgers. He worked his way up from advanced video scout to game planning and communications coach to special assistant. He joined manager Dave Roberts on the bench in 2020 and became the team’s bench coach in 2023.

If the Dodgers win another World Series, he’ll start getting interviews for every open job.

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