Washington Nationals fire manager Dave Martinez and GM Mike Rizzo in astonishing move before draft

The Washington Nationals have fired manager Dave Martinez and GM Mike Rizzo in a stunning move ahead of next week's draft. 

In a statement on Sunday, the Nationals' Managing Principal Owner Mark Lerner said: 'On behalf of our family and the Washington Nationals organization, I first and foremost want to thank Mike and Davey for their contributions to our franchise and our city.

'Our family is eternally grateful for their years of dedication to the organization, including their roles in bringing a World Series trophy to Washington, D.C. 

'While we are appreciative of their past successes, the on-field performance has not been where we or our fans expect it to be. 

'This is a pivotal time for our Club, and we believe a fresh approach and new energy is the best course of action for our team moving forward.'

The statement also confirmed that 'Senior Vice President & Assistant General Manager, Baseball Operations, Mike DeBartolo has been named Interim General Manager. 

'DeBartolo will oversee all aspects of baseball operations, including the upcoming MLB First-Year Player Draft, alongside other key members of the department. An announcement will be made on the interim manager sometime on Monday'.

More to follow...