Fired Nationals GM Mike Rizzo wants to buy a ‘thank you’ round for fans before Home Run Derby

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fired Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo wants to buy a round for fans at two sports bars in Washington before next week’s All-Star Home Run Derby.

Rizzo posted on social media Friday an extended “thank you” to fans, which included an offer to buy a “Round on Riz” over a couple of hours before Monday’s Home Run Derby in Atlanta.

Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez were fired Sunday with the last-place Nationals headed for a sixth consecutive losing season since winning their first World Series in 2019.

The moves came with the Nats holding the No. 1 pick in this weekend’s amateur draft. Mike DeBartolo was named interim GM.

Rizzo had been general manager since 2009 and added the title of president of baseball operations four years later.

“From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank each and every fan who has supported my goal to lead this franchise to greatness with integrity, honesty and professionalism,” Rizzo wrote. “D.C. has become our home in every sense of the word and I could not imagine a better place to have done it all together than the nation’s capital.”

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB