In a surprising move, the Washington Nationals are hiring 33-year-old Blake Butera to be their new manager for the 2026 season, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.
Report: Nationals to Hire Blake Butera as New Manager
BREAKING: The Washington Nationals are finalizing a deal to hire Blake Butera as manager, sources tell ESPN. Butera, 33, will be the youngest manager in MLB in more than 50 years. In four seasons as a minor league manager in the Rays organization, his teams had a 258-144 record.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 30, 2025
This marks the second unexpected managerial hire this cycle, following the San Francisco Giants’ decision to go off the traditional path by bringing on University of Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello as their new skipper. Teams choosing leaders they truly believe in sends a powerful message — it shows players the front office believes in its vision and its people.
Butera earned widespread respect as a minor league manager in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, guiding his clubs to a combined 258-144 record over four seasons.
Butera was born on August 7, 1992, in Metairie, Louisiana. He entered pro ball when the Rays drafted him in the 35th round in 2015 out of Boston College. After spending parts of two seasons as a minor league infielder, he shifted into coaching and managing. He joined the Rays’ system as a coach in 2017. He then became the organization’s Senior Director of Player Development by 2023. Butera, 33, will become the youngest MLB manager since Frank Quilici, who took over the Minnesota Twins in 1972 at the same age. Coincidentally, the Twins also filled their managerial vacancy this week, hiring former Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton, who formerly served as a coach for Minnesota.
His rapid rise through the developmental ranks showed how much faith the Rays placed in him to shape young talent. Now, the Nationals are counting on that expertise to translate to the major-league stage.
Main Photo Credit: © Patrick Oehler/Poughkeepsie Journal/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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