A day after a major organizational shakeup, the Nationals named Miguel Cairo as the interim manager on Monday.
Interim general manager Mike DeBartolo, who replaced Rizzo on Sunday, made the announcement.
“Miguel is well-respected in our organization and around baseball,” DeBartolo said in a statement. “A diligent worker and student of the game, he has a proven track record of showing strong leadership in a variety of situations, and I believe that his voice and energy will serve as a catalyst to our team and our fan base in the second half of the season.”
Cairo, 51, has interim managerial experience. During his time as the White Sox bench coach, he went 18-16 as the team’s acting manager for the final 34 games of the 2022 season.
Cairo played 17 seasons in the Major Leagues with the Blue Jays, Cubs, Rays, Cardinals, Yankees, Mets, Mariners, Phillies and Reds.
After retiring in 2013, he joined the Reds as a special assistant to the general manager until ‘17. He then became a Minor League infield coordinator for the Yankees in 2020, bench coach for the White Sox from 2021-22 and Minor League infield coordinator for the Mets in ‘23.
The Nationals will play their first game with Cairo as interim manager on Tuesday in St. Louis against the Cardinals.
It’s a significant week for the organization, as the Nationals also hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 Draft, which begins Sunday.
