Former Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo is getting a look from the Astros, with Bob Nightengale reporting yesterday that he will interview for Houston’s GM opening. Rizzo was fired in July of 2025, and even at 64 years old, he never seemed like someone ready to walk away from baseball.
That makes this a pretty intriguing fit to watch. Rizzo’s name is now back in the mix after a year on the sidelines, and Houston would give him a very different kind of stage.
The Nationals and Astros already share some history, most notably the 2019 World Series, when Rizzo’s Nats beat Houston. The two clubs also share a spring training site in West Palm Beach, which would make this even more interesting if he lands the job.
If that happens, Rizzo would be around the Astros a lot during spring training, and it would be fascinating to compare how each club operates at the same facility. Since Paul Toboni took over in Washington, a lot has changed. The “I don’t care how hard you throw ball four” signs have given way to Traject Machines and other technology.
Rizzo has never been the type to lean into innovation first, but that does not mean he could not have success in Houston. The Astros are a veteran group, and they are not shy about spending money. That kind of setup may be a better match for Rizzo than a younger club working with a smaller budget.
He may not be viewed as an innovator at this point, but he still has a feel for making trades and does strong work in pro scouting. The analytics side would almost certainly come up in his interview, and he would likely need to embrace that more than he did in Washington.
Maybe he has already learned some things since being let go in D.C. His interview is taking place today.
On paper, Rizzo has the kind of résumé that should put him in the conversation. He helped turn the Nationals into one of baseball’s best teams last decade. But the 2020s told a different story, with bad drafting and an inability to adapt costing him ground.
How much of that was on Rizzo and how much was tied to the Lerners is part of the larger question here. If he gets the Astros job, it could help answer it. He built a World Series champion and won the NL East four times, but there has not been much recent success attached to his name.
Still, the job is far from decided. Rizzo is just one of several candidates in Houston’s search, and nothing is locked in yet. Even so, the interest around him feels more real than the way he was mentioned for the A’s opening.
If he does get the call, there will be plenty of people rooting for him. Things ended badly in Washington, but the good years are part of the story too. For Astros fans, the hope would be that they are getting 2010’s Rizzo, not the 2020’s version.
In Other News...
Nationals Took A Risk On Luke Williams For One Big Reason
Paul Tobonis first draft with the Nationals came with a clear message: even with pitching the organizations most obvious need, he spent three of his picks on position players. One of the more intriguing names in that group is third-rounder Luke Williams, the Pennsylvania high school shortstop whose athleticism stood out enough to override the usual concerns that come with a prep bat. Washington sees enough in the tools to believe there is real upside here, even if the profile comes with more volatility than a safer, more polished college player.
Williams is expected to move to center field, a switch that makes sense for a player with his range and speed, and he has already flashed some power in exhibition games. Still, the questions are familiar for a young hitter who has not seen much high-level pitching, especially when his approach at the plate is still a work in progress. For the Nationals, the gamble is obvious: if the hit tool comes along, they may have found a dynamic everyday outfielder, but the road to get there is anything but certain. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Suddenly Face A Tough Abimelec Ortiz Decision
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Abimelec Ortiz is still part of Washingtons long-term plans, but his rough finish to the 2026 season left enough doubt that the club may prefer a short-term answer while it keeps developing the top prospect. For a team trying to add some consistency to a lineup that has too often had to patch holes on the fly, the first-base decision is becoming one of the more interesting ones on the board. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Face A Real Jake Irvin Decision This Offseason
Jake Irvin has been one of the more dependable arms the Nationals have had since his 2023 call-up, taking the ball regularly and giving the rotation a sense of stability. The broader picture, though, is harder to sort out. Over the past two seasons, his ERA has sat above 5, even as there have been signs of growth in areas the club values, including more strikeouts and a curveball that played well in 2024.
That leaves Washington with a real offseason choice on its hands, one that is part performance evaluation and part roster planning. A projected $3.4 million tender is not an overwhelming number, but it is enough to force a decision about whether Irvin still fits as a starter or might be better suited to a bullpen look. For a Nationals team trying to balance patience with progress, his case is one of the more interesting ones on the board. [Read more 🡒]