Nationals GM Rizzo: Martinez will be back

Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo indicated during a session with reporters Wednesday that first-year manager Dave Martinez will return next season.

“I haven’t considered any other scenario,” Rizzo responded when asked if Martinez would be back.

The Nationals, expected to contend for a third straight NL East title, are 69-71, 7 1/2 games behind Atlanta in the East and 9 games back in the wild card.

In addition to injuries to players including Daniel Murphy, Ryan Zimmerman, Stephen Strasburg and Sean Doolittle, Martinez’s work as a rookie skipper has come under scrutiny.

“I think Davey’s doing a great job in managing this team,” Rizzo said. “He’s managed them through a lot of trials and tribulations that a lot of first-year managers haven’t had to go through, and to have a team playing with the exuberance and energy level that they’re playing at at this point I think is a testament to Davey and the staff and the way that they feel about him in the clubhouse.”

The 53-year-old Martinez was the Cubs bench coach before he signed a three-year contract with the Nationals in October 2017. ANGELS’ OHTANI FACING TOMMY JOHN SURGERY >> Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani has new damage in his pitching elbow and the team says Tommy John surgery has been recommended. The Angels said Ohtani had an MRI that revealed the problem in his right ulnar collateral ligament.

“There’s more questions out there right now than answers. We’ll take it one step at a time,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “There’s a lot of consulting that Shohei will do with doctors and just see what the best course of action is, and we’ll see where we are.”

Hours after the announcement, Ohtani went 4 for 4, hit two home runs and scored four times as the DH in a 9-3 win over the Rangers.