Report: Astros interviewing Mike Rizzo for GM vacancy

Field Level Media|published: 10/26/2026, 11:16am EDT

Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo observes batting practice before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

The Houston Astros are interviewing former Washington Nationals executive Mike Rizzo for their vacant general manager job, USA Today reported Monday.

Rizzo, 65, was the architect of the Nationals' 2019 World Series championship, when Washington beat the Astros in seven games.

He was the general manager in the nation's capital from 2009-25, adding president of baseball operations to his title in 2013.

According to the report, Rizzo has informed friends of his "deep desire" to work for the Astros, who fired general manager Dana Brown in August.

Rizzo and his family live in West Palm Beach, Fla., home of the spring-training complexes for both the Astros and Nationals.

Rizzo originally joined the Nationals as an assistant GM in 2006 before replacing Jim Bowden as GM three years later. His teams won the National League East in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017.

Rizzo drafted Bryce Harper (2010) and Stephen Strasburg (2009) as No. 1 overall picks in back-to-back years and engineered the 2022 trade that sent Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres in exchange for a package that included James Wood, C.J. Abrams and MacKenzie Gore.

The Nationals fired Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez on July 6, 2025 following a 37-53 start to the season.

--Field Level Media