WASHINGTON -- The Nationals' road trip took manager Blake Butera to a very familiar city, yet in an extremely different role.
This weekend, Butera returns to Tampa for the first time as a Major League manager.
“I spent 11 years there and know pretty much everybody over there pretty well,” said Butera. “It’s going to be a weird feeling, for sure, going back there.”
Butera, 33, was hired by the Nationals in October after quickly advancing in the Rays' organization. He has led the Nationals to a turnaround season.
The Nats enter the three-game series 39-36. This week, they attained a record three games above .500 for the first time since 2019. He has implemented strategies that he learned from his time in Tampa, such as the use of an opener.
“I’m looking forward to seeing everybody,” said Butera. “But then once the game starts, we’ve got business to take care of and want to see our guys play well.”
Before being hired by the Nationals, Butera had most recently held the role of Rays senior director of player development from October 2023-25.
For his first Major League staff, Butera entrusted Michael Johns as bench coach. Johns most recently had been the Rays’ first-base coach from 2024-25, also overseeing outfield and baserunning.
“Blake was a Minor League coach when I was on the big league staff,” said Royals manager Matt Quatraro, who faced the Nationals this week. “They're all real quality guys, hard workers and really good baseball minds."
Butera’s lengthy resume also included one year as the Rays' assistant field coordinator and four seasons as a Minor League manager (Single-A Charleston and Class A Short-Season Hudson Valley). Butera led his clubs to the 2021 and ‘22 Carolina League championships and won Manager of the Year honors each season.
Prior to becoming the youngest manager in the Major Leagues since 1972, Butera was the youngest manager in Minor League Baseball. He became manager of Hudson Valley in 2018 at age 25.
“I’m also thankful for everything they’ve done for me and the relationships I have with almost everybody over there,” Butera said of the Rays. “But at the end of the day, our focus is on playing well and coming out of there with some wins.”