The Washington Nationals were missing their manager on Monday night, but it was for a very important reason. Per ESPN, Dave Martinez had a heart procedure done and he did not travel with the team for their series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Team general manager Mike Rizzo said Martinez had a “minor cardiac catheterization Monday in Washington.”
Martinez was experiencing chest pains in the team’s game against the Atlanta Braves. He left in the sixth inning and was taken to a local hospital. As of Monday, Martinez remained in the hospital for further testing and there is no timetable for when he’ll return.
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“Speaking to [Martinez] today, it really reassured me that he’s doing great,” Rizzo said via MLB.com. “He’s a tough, strong guy. I think that looking at what transpired today, we’re happy and optimistic and hoping that he’ll be able to make a full recovery.”
The Nats ended up beating the Braves 7-0 on Sunday and they remain on top of the wild card race. The players will continue to fight for a playoff spot while Martinez recovers from the procedure, but they hope to have him back soon.
“I don’t know how different it’ll be without him, but … that easygoing attitude and positivity that he brings, I think, is always good for us,” shortstop Trea Turner said. “No matter if we’re up by 10 or down by 10, he’s the same guy. Like I’ve said throughout this year, that’s one thing that we really, really love about him — he’s always the same guy. And he’s positive as well. We’re going to miss that, and hopefully he’ll be back soon.”
Martinez was hired to be the Nats manager in 2018 after spending time as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs. He was part of the Cubs coaching staff in 2016 when they won the World Series. In his first season as manager for the Nationals, the team finished with an 82-80 record and were second in the NL East.
As a player, Martinez spent time with multiple teams including the Cubs, Braves and San Francisco Giants. In his playing career, Martinez recorded a .276 batting average with 91 home runs and 580 RBIs. He starting playing in the major leagues in 1986, and his career ended in 2001.
