WASHINGTON -- The Nationals fired Derek Lilliquist as the team's pitching coach, and promoted Paul Menhart to fill the role for the remainder of the season.
The Nationals pitching has been an area of concern, and General Manager Mike Rizzo and Manager Davey Martinez think a new voice is needed.
"We felt really good about Paul's delivery, the way he feels about this organization," said Rizzo to reporters after the game. "And his knowledge both personally and professionally, and mechanically, of almost each and everyone of our pitchers at the big leagues."
"At this point we wanted a new voice, a new face," said Dave Martinez during his postgame press conference. "Someone to relay the message a different way."
The Nationals hope to reverse troubling trends in major pitching statistics.
The team ranks near the bottom of the National League in multiple categories.
They rank 13th in ERA (4.95), 11th in opponent batting average (.253), 12th in home runs allowed (35), and 15th in bullpen ERA (6.02).
There are 15 teams in the National League.
"Both the rotation and the bullpen, we thought that we had some flaws in there," said Rizzo. "We thought that there was preparation issues there."
The Nationals hope that Menhart can fix those flaws.
Paul Menhart is in his 14th season with the organization.
Since 2015, Menhart had been the organization's minor league pitching coordinator.
The Nationals begin a 10-game road trip Friday, in Philadelphia.
