In the wake of the shocking double firing of manager Davey Martinez and longtime GM Mike Rizzo, the Washington Nationals have named bench coach Miguel Cairo as interim manager. Cairo, a former big league infielder with 17 seasons of MLB experience and a quiet, respected presence in the dugout, will begin his 72-game audition Tuesday in St. Louis. He inherits a coaching staff entirely handpicked by Martinez, keeping continuity in a clubhouse still reeling from instability. Cairo previously served as interim manager for the White Sox in 2022 and earned praise for his leadership during that stretch.

Meanwhile, new interim GM Mike DeBartolo steps into a massive month for the franchise. The Nationals hold the No. 1 overall pick in this Sunday’s MLB Draft — their first since selecting Harper and Strasburg — and the trade deadline looms on July 31. DeBartolo’s immediate challenge is steering a sinking team (currently 37-53) toward relevance, while evaluating whether Cairo could be a long-term fit. With tension building and big decisions ahead, this new-look Nationals leadership group has a chance to reshape the team’s direction — or risk falling even further behind in their rebuild.