Expectations were high for Dave Martinez‘s first season with the Washington Nationals. Unfortunately, he didn’t come anywhere close to meeting them and is now likely to be under even more scrutiny in 2019.
Despite having a rookie manager, most media outlets had Martinez’s team running away with the National League East. However, his Nationals team finished the season with an 82-80 record that left them a distant second in their division.
Yes, there were several reasons that contributed to the team’s disappointing year. The team’s rotation underperformed early and the bullpen collapsed late while injuries were a constant issue for the team, all of these were likely more responsible for the underperformance than the manager.