Nationals, GM Mike Rizzo agree to multi-year extension

Mike Rizzo is staying put as the Washington Nationals general manager and president of baseball operations, agreeing to a multi-year contract extension Wednesday.

Rizzo has been the GM of the Nationals since 2009, adding president of baseball operations to his job title in 2013. The 62-year-old helped build the 2019 World Series championship team.

"I love being part of the Washington Nationals organization," Rizzo said in a statement, according to MLB.com's Jessica Camerato.

He added: "We deeply believe in our process and in our progress. The next few years are going to be ones no Nationals fan will want to miss. My family and I want to thank the Lerner, Cohen and Tanenbaum families, Alan Gottlieb, and Nationals management for their trust and commitment to winning another World Series. I am excited to be a part of that commitment."

Rizzo was in the final season of his current deal with the Nats, exercising his option for the 2023 campaign last July.

He initially joined Washington as assistant GM in 2007, making this campaign his 17th with the organization. The club has won the NL East four times in that span.

"Mike and I have talked and worked with each other almost daily for 17 years," Nationals owner Mark Lerner said in a statement. "Together with my family and the entire Nationals staff, we've always shared the same dream: to make the Washington Nationals a team that our fans could love and be proud of."

Rizzo previously worked for both the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox as a scout and the Arizona Diamondbacks as scouting director.

Notable moves Rizzo has made during his tenure as the top executive in Washington's front office include signing Max Scherzer to a seven-year, $210-million deal, drafting Stephen Strasburg, trading for Trea Turner, and promoting Juan Soto to the majors as a teenager.

The Nationals also recently extended manager Davey Martinez on a multi-year deal.

This year, the team is 65-80 heading into the final stretch with one of the worst records in the National League.