WASHINGTON — The Lerner family, which has owned the Washington Nationals since 2006, is exploring the possibility of selling the Major League Baseball team.
Nationals manager Dave Martinez said before his team’s game in Atlanta that principal owner Mark Lerner called him Monday morning to tell him the news. Lerner, who took over from his father Ted, has indicated in recent years that the family is never going to sell the team.
“The least we can say is that I was in shock,” said Martinez. These are big decisions the Lerner family had to make. I will support them in any way. That doesn’t mean my relationship with the Lerner family is going away. I know she is as dedicated to this organization as I am. »
Forbes valued the team at US$2 billion. Steve Cohen bought the New York Mets for $2.4 billion in 2020.
The Lerner family bought the Major League Baseball Nationals for $450 million 16 years ago after the team moved from Montreal to Washington. The Nationals won their first World Series in 2019.
Martinez said he speaks daily with Mark Lerner and met with the coaches on Monday to tell them the news. It is his goal to prevent the sale from being a distraction for the players.
“We always talk about the circle of trust. The Lerner family and this organization are part of that circle, Martinez explained. That’s our main goal, so let’s get the guys ready to play and play good baseball. »
