Washington Nationals Managing Principal Owner Theodore N. Lerner announced Saturday that the team has picked up President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo's contract option, keeping him with the club through the 2018 season. The Nationals exercised the option before the June 15^th deadline, according to plan. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. 
"We are pleased with the job Mike has done over the past nine years," said Lerner. "He and the baseball operations team have worked tirelessly to help build this organization into one of Major League Baseball's elite clubs. We are fortunate to have him." 
"I am honored by the Lerner family's continued faith and confidence in me and am thrilled to be remaining with the Washington Nationals organization," said Rizzo. "While I am proud of the work we have accomplished, we still must achieve the ultimate goal of bringing a World Series Championship back to Washington."  
Under Rizzo's leadership, the Nationals have earned two National League East division championships, and held the best record in the National League two of the past four years. Additionally, he has built one of the preeminent farm systems in Major League Baseball, which was ranked fifth entering the 2016 season by Baseball America. In 2012, he was named MLB Executive of the Year by the Boston chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America.