The Washington Nationals are moving on from pitching coach Paul Menhart when he contract expires on Oct. 31, according to Byron Kerr of MASN Sports.
Menhart had been with the Nationals organization since 2006. He served in various roles with the club, including minor league pitching coordinator. He was promoted to the Nationals pitching coach in May 2019 after the firing of Derek Lilliquist.
“I’m not sure how to take all of this,” Menhart stated, per The Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli. “It’s quite a shock. I have given 15 years to this organization starting from the bottom trying to help numerous pitchers achieve their major league dreams. Winning a World Series was the icing on the cake. This organization has been very kind to me and my family and I wish them luck in the future.”
Menhart was instrumental in the Nationals’ turnaround in 2019 after a 19-31 start that culminated in the team winning its first-ever World Series championship. He helped turn around the pitching staff that got off to a troubling start.
The bullpen’s ERA of 5.68 that year was overshadowed by the great pitching from its three stud starters — Max Scherzer, Patrick Corbin and the 2019 World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg. Still, the staff collectively made great strides under Menhart during their championship run.
The 2020 COVID-19-shortened season was not as productive for the Nationals. A rash of injuries that included Strasburg and reliever Sean Doolittle hampered the team’s efforts to repeat. Not to mention potential fifth starter Joe Ross opted out of the season.
In return, the Nationals had the fifth-highest ERA at 5.09 in MLB. Still, cutting ties with Menhart is a surprising move by the organization. He was well-liked by the club and had a hand in nearly every pitcher within the organization due to his lengthy background in the minors.
