Former Miami Marlins general manager Dan Jennings is going back to the National League East, joining the Washington Nationals as an assistant general manager.
The team confirmed the decision. Jon Morosi of Fox Sports first reported Jennings was expected to join Washington’s front office.
Jennings was general manager for the Marlins from 2013 through the end of last season. He also served as the team’s interim manager last year after Mike Redmond was fired, with Mike Berger taking over as general manager.
The Marlins fired Jennings after the season. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports cited a rift with owner Jeffrey Loria as one reason for his dismissal:
According to Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post, Jennings’ full role with the Nationals will be as a special assistant to general manager Mike Rizzo and pro scout.
Jennings comes from a scouting background, starting with his first MLB job as part of the Cincinnati Reds scouting staff in 1986. He went to the Marlins in 2002 and worked his way up the ladder before becoming general manager.
The Nationals’ hiring of Jennings is definitely a shrewd move, taking advantage of his knowledge about one of their National League East rivals and using his scouting expertise to help with potential free-agent signings and trades.
Even though Jennings won’t have the same amount of power he did with the Marlins, he’ll be used in a role that worked well for him in the past and is going to a much more stable situation where his voice can have more impact.
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