The Washington Nationals just fired the president of baseball operations, Mike Rizzo, and their manager, Dave Martinez. They were the duo that delivered the franchise’s only World Series title in 2019. But with the team now buried in the NL East standings and a sluggish rebuild stuck in neutral, Nationals ownership decided the past wasn’t enough to justify the present.
Mike Rizzo didn’t just win the Nationals their first-ever World Series title. He also pulled off one of the most franchise-defining trades in modern baseball—and still got fired.
So again: what’s Brian Cashman still doing in charge of the New York Yankees?
Rizzo and Martinez were dismissed on Sunday as the Nationals continued to stumble through a slow rebuild and a 37-53 record. And while the firing surprised many, the message from Washington was clear: past glory only goes so far when the present is broken.
That kind of urgency would be welcome in the Bronx, where accountability seems to have disappeared.
Rizzo Made the Tough Decisions, Cashman Won’t
In 2022, Rizzo made the type of gutsy, forward-looking move that elite front offices get judged on. He traded superstar Juan Soto and first baseman Josh Bell to the Padres, bringing back a loaded package of top prospects: MacKenzie Gore, CJ Abrams, James Wood, Robert Hassell III, Jarlin Susana, and Luke Voit.
The painful but necessary deal signaled that the front office has a long-term vision and the courage to act on it.
And guess what? It’s kind of working. Gore and Abrams are already everyday players. Wood just made the All-Star team. The Nationals are still rebuilding, but they have a foundation forming. Rizzo gave them that. And he still lost his job.
Meanwhile, Cashman hasn’t come close to making a move of that magnitude or clarity. He continues to hedge, holding onto prospects for too long, overpaying for declining veterans, and refusing to commit to a direction. He’s stuck between buying and rebuilding, always managing the status quo but never reshaping the Yankees into a forward-thinking powerhouse.
Cashman Got to the 2024 World Series—But It’s Not Enough
Yes, the Yankees reached the World Series in 2024. But they lost to the Dodgers in five games and entered 2025 with the same issues that have plagued them for years: an inconsistent lineup, shaky development, and fragile stars. This season has been more of the same—underperformance, frustration, and no sign of long-term planning.
While Rizzo operated with a fraction of the Yankees’ payroll, he still managed to win it all and lay the groundwork for the future. Cashman, with nearly unlimited resources, has brought just one championship (2009) to New York since 2000. And yet, he remains bulletproof.
Yankees Fans Deserve Better Than Front Office Complacency
Hal Steinbrenner has praised Cashman’s process and defended his job security. But Yankee fans aren’t fooled. They’ve watched a decade-plus of stalled postseason runs, questionable trades, and squandered talent.
The Nationals, who owe their lone title to Rizzo, didn’t let nostalgia cloud their judgment. They moved on. In New York, Cashman continues to operate with complete job security, even as the team slips further from dominance and deeper into confusion.
The Yankees Need a Rizzo-Like Shakeup
Mike Rizzo won a title, rebuilt through bold moves, and still lost his job when expectations weren’t met. Brian Cashman has done less, with more, and continues to run the Yankees without real accountability.
If the bar is results—not reputation—then Cashman’s time should have run out long ago. It’s time for Hal Steinbrenner to ask the question Washington already answered: Is it time for a new voice to take the Yankees forward?
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