What the A's Hiring Mike Rizzo Would Signal — And the Questions it Would Raise

The Athletics are on the prowl for a new GM, and former Washington Nationals GM Mike Rizzo is reportedly in the mix after interviewing with the team. One reason we've already pointed out for Rizzo being an interesting fit is that the Nationals spent a number of years in the top 10 in payroll, which had been a catalyst for the club's success. 

Under Rizzo, the Nationals went 879-740 from 2010 to 2019, culminating in the 2019 World Series win. That's good for a .543 winning percentage and 88 wins per season. 

Since 2016, the A's have topped out at 23rd, and from 2022–25 they ranked 29th or 30th. In 2026 they have climbed to 27th, according to Spotrac. When Nationals ownership started spending less following the Covid-shortened 2020 campaign, the team's record also dipped, resulting in Rizzo's firing in 2025. 

From 2021–25, Rizzo's Nationals went 328-482, topping out at 71 wins in both 2023 and 2024 after bottoming out at 107 losses in 2022. 

On paper, this match doesn't make a ton of sense, given the A's upcoming move to the smallest market in MLB in 2028. Ownership has said for years they will spend more money when a new ballpark is built, but there is still a sizable difference between league average and top 10 or even top 5. 

If the A's were to hire Rizzo, that would be a clear indication of two things: they are legitimately willing to spend, and they want to be in the Scott Boras business. 

During his time with the Nationals, Rizzo and Boras were frequently linked, with the Nats being at least in on a number of Boras clients. The A's big Boras guy is Shea Langeliers, who will be a free agent following the 2028 campaign. A Rizzo hiring could be seen as a way to get an extension worked out.

If Rizzo is hired and extending Langeliers is the plan, that would be a smart play by the A's, as they would be showing Boras that they're ready to ante up for some of his clients, which would put the organization on a different level of free agent targets. 

At the same time, Rizzo has plenty of flaws that were showcased in his time with Washington, like a lack of focus on player development until 2023. The A's will need to nail down player development in the coming year or so, with the move to Las Vegas meaning a brand new ballpark and unknown park factors at a higher elevation. 

Having the systems in place (which will have to be approved by ownership) to implement those development strategies will be another part of the process. The A's need to be a destination team in a destination city when they arrive, otherwise they risk losing the relevance they're after. 

At the same time, if the A's can somehow marry the two — excellent player development with that built-in Boras connection — they could become a real player year after year.