News Nationals Team Notes

[Washington Nationals]

The Clutchest Washington Nationals of 2025 May Not Be Who You Expect

Everyone knows how bad Nathaniel Lowe’s tenure with the Nationals went, from posting career low marks in nearly every category to being released from the club in August. What many don’t know is that when it mattered the most, Nathaniel Lowe showed up more than almost anyone in 2025, tying with James Wood atop the “Clutch” leaderboards according to Fangraphs, a stat that measures a player’s performance in high leverage situations as compared to their performance in all other times.

In 54 high-leverage at-bats in 2025 (maybe a few with the Red Sox, but mostly with the Nats), Nathaniel Lowe hit .278 and posted a 135 wRC+, numbers much more in line with what Nationals fans expected out of him. Many of those big hits came early on in the season, such as his bases-clearing double in Miami or his go-ahead 3-run shot against the Phillies, both in April. Lowe’s problems arose in all other situations, as in low and medium-leverage at-bats, Lowe posted a 91 and 81 wRC+, respectively.

The difference is even more drastic when comparing his performance with runners on base versus with no one on, as with runners on base, he posted a 131 wRC+ in 245 at-bats, but with no one on, he posted a 56 wRC+ in 295 at-bats. Perhaps there is some explanation, such as Lowe being more locked in when the lights got bright, but the most likely solution is that’s just baseball.

Tied atop the “Clutch” leaderboards with Lowe is James Wood, who also happened to be the Nats’ best hitter period in 2025. While Wood’s numbers were respectable in low-leverage situations, posting a 108 wRC+ in 335 at-bats, he truly turned it on in the clutch, as he posted a 148 wRC+ in medium-leverage at-bats and an astonishing 162 wRC+ in high-leverage at-bats. The difference in Wood’s numbers between low and high leverage at-bats is vast, as he walked 12% more (perhaps due to teams pitching around him), struck out 9% less, and raised his OBP and SLG by over .100 points in high-leverage at-bats as compared to low-leverage ones.

On the other side of the spectrum, the least clutch Nationals offensively was Josh Bell, who performed great in low-leverage at-bats, posting a 121 wRC+, but struggled in all others, posting a 94 wRC+ in medium-leverage and 77 wRC+ in low-leverage at-bats. He slugged close to the same in higher leverage situations, with his slugging percentage dropping, but not drastically, but he struggled to get on base the same, posting a .261 on-base percentage in the clutch, well down from a .334 OBP and .325 OBP in low and medium-leverage at-bats, respectively.

On the pitching side of things, the clutchest National was one Nats fans may not have anticipated, as Jackson Rutledge edges out Cole Henry as the king of clutch for the 2025 Nationals pitching staff. Rutledge got rocked in low and medium-leverage situations in 2025, posting a 5.54 and 5.94 FIP in each, but when the going got tough, Rutledge got going, as in high-leverage situations, he posted a 3.56 FIP and allowed 0 home runs. His walk rate went up and his strikeout rate went down in high-leverage situations, so I wouldn’t expect this clutch factor to carry over to 2026, but it’s interesting to see how a reliever who seemingly struggled most of the year was able to turn it on when the club needed him to.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/general/86919/the-clutchest-nationals-2025-may-not-be-who-expect

 

[Washington Nationals]

Could the Washington Nationals follow the Giants lead and make an outside the box hire

While there has not been much noise about the Washington Nationals managerial hunt, there are hirings being finalized around the league. One of those hirings has me very intrigued and has made me think differently about candidates the Nats could look at. The Giants are closing in on a deal to hire Tony Vitello away from the University of Tennessee.

BREAKING: Tennessee head baseball coach Tony Vitello is closing in on deal to become the manager of the San Francisco Giants, per @TheAthletic pic.twitter.com/MgIgZSPAZj

— SleeperMLB (@SleeperMLB) October 18, 2025

This would be an unprecedented move. No MLB manager has been hired directly from college before without experience in the pro ranks. So this would certainly be an outside the box hire for the Giants. However, Vitello is a winner who turned the Tennessee program from an afterthought to college baseball royalty. In 2024, he won the College World Series.

His charismatic presence and winning has clearly made him a sought after candidate. That got me thinking, could this be the start of a wider trend or is this a one time thing? Could the Nationals get in on this trend and if they do, who should they look for?

Tony Vitello might be exactly what the Giants need pic.twitter.com/HeiZvvLKon

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) October 19, 2025

I will make this clear, it would be a big surprise if the Nats hired someone out of college, but with Vitello breaking the glass ceiling, anything is possible. If the Nationals were to go the college route, there are two outstanding candidates for me.

The first one would be Jay Johnson at LSU. He would be a very exciting appointment because it would reunite him with Dylan Crews. Johnson coached Crews to a National Championship at LSU in 2023. With Crews struggling in the MLB, maybe Johnson could be the guy to help Crews get his swagger back.

While Johnson has no professional experience, he has won everywhere he has been. He won at the University of Nevada before leaving for Arizona. Then he won at Arizona, even taking them to a College World Series before leaving for LSU. Johnson has taken things to the next level in Baton Rouge, winning two championships in four years.

Of course, this would be a risk, and an expensive risk at that. Johnson is the highest paid coach in college baseball, making over $3 million a year. To hire him, you would have to pay a buyout and make him a very rich man in DC. Even when Ted Lerner was running the show, the Nats were hesitant to pay managers, so this may just be a pipe dream.

Another coach in the SEC worth looking at is Wes Johnson at Georgia. Johnson has turned the Bulldogs program around in his two years in Athens. Unlike Vitello and Jay Johnson, he does have MLB experience.

Wes Johnson was actually the pitching coach for the Twins from 2019 to 2022. So Johnson knows the MLB game and has jumped from college to the pros before. He was the pitching coach at Arkansas before going to the Twins.

He seems more realistic than Jay Johnson, who seems pretty entrenched at LSU. I think Wes Johnson would be a solid outside the box candidate for the Nats to look at. He is a proven winner at the college level, a good pitching mind and has experience at the MLB level. Paul Toboni would be smart to give this guy a call. I would not be surprised if Wes Johnson is the next college coach to leave for the MLB.

Another outside the box candidate is Mark DeRosa. He does not come from the college game, but does not have a traditional background either. Of course, DeRosa has become a staple of MLB Network. His breakdowns are some of the best in the game and provide fans with great knowledge from a former player.

However, DeRosa does have some coaching experience. He coached Team USA at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. While they did not win, DeRosa was impressive and conducted himself well. Like Vitello, DeRosa has a natural charisma to him.

He also has a connection to the Nats. DeRosa was on the team in 2012, when the Nationals made the playoffs for the first time. He seems like a future manager, so the Nationals should look at making a swing for him now. The combination of Toboni and DeRosa would be a breath of fresh air in DC.

At the end of the day, the Nationals will probably make a boring hire. Maybe a former manager like David Ross or Brandon Hyde, or potentially a bench coach. However, if the Nats wanted to swing for the fences, there are some options available. It will be interesting to follow this managerial search and see what Paul Toboni decides to do.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/nat...nals-follow-giants-lead-make-outside-box-hire

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals legend Max Scherzer gave fans one more iconic moment

Last night, I had the privilege of watching my favorite player ever show he still had greatness in his body at 41 years old. With the Blue Jays needing a win to tie the series in hostile territory, they turned to Max Scherzer. As he did so many times for the Nationals, Mad Max delivered an iconic performance.

Going into the start, I was really worried for Max. He had a brutal finish to the regular season, with an ERA over 10 in September. After all the years of greatness, Max Scherzer, my favorite National of all time, looked like he had nothing more to give.

Most of the time, the storybook ending does not happen. Career’s end on a sad note, and I was worried that would happen with Max. I was praying that Scherzer would not look washed up and that Jays fans can see what Nats fans saw for all of those years. Thankfully, they did get to see Mad Max tonight, rather than a 41 year old man on his last legs.

Scherzer was always super amped up for playoff starts in DC, sometimes too amped up. We saw that in the first inning last night. He threw his hardest pitch since 2023, but his control was not there. Thankfully, he got a double play to get out of it.

I was more worried in that first inning than when he gave up a solo homer in the second. If you have watched Scherzer long enough, you would know that allowing solo homers is just something he does, even when he is pitching well. It was the one crack in his armor.

However, he would always bounce back and that is what he did last night. As the game went on, Scherzer got stronger. He started picking apart the Mariners lineup and looked like the Scherzer of old. His best pitch last night was actually his curveball, which is normally his 4th pitch.

It was a good Scherzer start through four innings, but in the 5th, we saw Mad Max. He was facing the bottom three hitters in the lineup for a second time. With the top of the order coming, Scherzer had a tight leash. After a leadoff single, Scherzer got two straight outs.

Then we saw magic happen. Blue Jays manager John Schneider got the full Mad Max experience when he came out to talk to him. With the top of the order coming up, Schneider went out to chat with Scherzer, but Max was having none of it. He shouted at his manager and told him to get back into the dugout. That moment made me feel like a kid again. Of course, Scherzer would strike out Randy Arozarena right after that to get out of the inning.

Max Scherzer was NOT coming out of this game

Facing his next hitter, he picks up the strikeout to end the 5th! pic.twitter.com/EbVoGMOno8

— MLB (@MLB) October 17, 2025

That competitive fire is what made me love Max Scherzer so much. When I pitched in high school, I wanted to be like Max. That was the kind of competitor I always wanted to be. Seeing him still have that fire after all those years was awesome.

Scherzer had a ton of moments like this in DC. However, this particular outburst reminded me of the one he had in 2019 during the regular season against the Reds. Scherzer saw red the second he saw Davey Martinez come out of the dugout just like he did tonight. Stuff like that is why I love Scherzer so much.

Max Scherzer/Davey Martinez Mound Visit (abbreviated version). pic.twitter.com/O2SZq6kAxL

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 3, 2019

If the Blue Jays end up going to the World Series, their fans will remember that moment for years to come. Seeing their fans fall in love with Max warms my heart. It was also cool to see John Schneider talk about it after the game. He clearly loved the moment and seemed honored to be berated by a legend.

John Schneider on his 5th inning mound visit with Max Scherzer:

“I've been waiting for that moment… It was awesome, I thought he was going to kill me. It was great.” pic.twitter.com/cYrFMDFwpN

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 17, 2025

However, that moment was not the end of Scherzer’s night. He talked his way into coming out for the 6th inning. After retiring Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez, the Mariners two best hitters, he walked Jorge Polanco. Josh Naylor, who gave Scherzer fits was coming up and the future Hall of Famer was taken out. Reliever Mason Fluharty allowed that runner to score, which hurt Scherzer’s final line and made me upset.

However, the Blue Jays had a comfortable lead at that point, so Scherzer’s win was safe. This was actually Scherzer’s first playoff win since Game 1 of the 2019 World Series, which surprised me. His heroics, combined with the Jays offense tied up the series.

At this point, Scherzer has reached living legend status. He is going to be a first ballot Hall of Famer, hopefully wearing a Nationals cap into Cooperstown. Scherzer has nothing to prove, yet pitched like his life depended on it last night. That is just the kind of competitor Mad Max is, even at 41.

It was awesome to see my favorite player get his flowers. He reminded everyone how great he is. That moment with Schneider was also so memorable. The internet had a field day with it and made some very funny posts.

John Schneider trying to take Max Scherzer out of a game pic.twitter.com/ALZZBhGHPi

— Rob Wong (@RobWong34) October 17, 2025

Last night, I was hoping to see Mad Max one more time and he delivered like he almost always does. If Scherzer does not retire, I would love to see him for one last season in DC. He would be such a great mentor to a young roster and would get the fans excited.

Scherzer is the best National of all time. Watching him perform last night was so much fun, but also made me miss the good old days. I love Max Scherzer and will root for him wherever he goes. Hopefully, we can see him take the field in DC again next season. Even at 41 years old, Max Scherzer is a legendary pitcher.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/mlb...s-legend-max-scherzer-gave-fans-iconic-moment

 

[Washington Nationals]

Does Keibert Ruiz have a future with the Washington Nationals?

Of all their young players over the last half decade or so, the Washington Nationals have only extended one of them. That would be catcher Keibert Ruiz, who the Nationals gave an 8-year $50 million deal to before the 2023 season. However, just three years in, that deal looks like an anchor rather than an asset.

Heading into 2026, there are so many questions about Keibert Ruiz. 2025 was a brutal year for him performance wise and health wise. Despite having $37 million on his deal, Ruiz does not look like a starting caliber catcher and there are now questions about whether he will even be able to catch moving forward due to concussions.

Keibert Ruiz’s 2025 started hot — but ended in heartbreak after multiple concussions and offensive struggles. Now, with $37M still owed, big questions loom about his future as the Nats’ catcher. pic.twitter.com/0m7yiShoAr

— natsfanatics (@natsfanatics_) October 18, 2025

Last season was close to a make or break season for Keibert Ruiz, and things broke. However, things looked so promising at the beginning of the year. For the first few weeks of the season things looked so promising. On May 1st his average was actually above .300 and his defense was showing signs of life.

The peak of Ruiz’s season came in March, which is never a good sign. Both of his home runs this season came before April 1st. After that, the Nats catcher was shutout for the season. That is surprising for a guy who had hit double-digit homers in each of the last two seasons.

KEIBERT RUIZ VS. ZACK WHEELER:
Ball
Ball
Ball
Called Strike
Foul
Foul
Foul
Foul
Foul
Foul
Foul
Home Runpic.twitter.com/t5xR5d6335

— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) March 27, 2025

After April, things just got ugly on both sides of the ball. Most fans thought 2024 would be rock bottom for Ruiz’s bat. That .619 OPS seemed like an aberration that was partially due to an illness Ruiz rushed back from.

In 2024 Ruiz actually improved a bit on the defensive side of the ball, even if still wasn’t great. The hope going into 2025 was that we would get the 2023 bat, which was good for a catcher with the serviceable defense of 2024.

However, we ended up getting even worse hitting than 2024. Ruiz posted a dismal .595 OPS on the season and had -1 fWAR. His defense was also closer to the awful levels of 2023 than the passable play he showed in 2024.

As if things could not get any worse, the injury bug hit Ruiz hard this summer. It all started when Josh Bell hit a foul ball into the dugout. The ball hit Ruiz in the head in a freak accident, which caused a concussion. That concussion was on June 23rd. Ruiz came back into the lineup on July 4th.

That was clearly too quick because Ruiz only played two more games before suffering another concussion after taking a foul tip to the mask. These concussions lingered for a while. Ruiz suffered post-concussion syndrome, which left him on the shelf for months. When he was finally ready for a rehab assignment, he had to be shut down again after a few games due to the symptoms coming back.

Ruiz is clearly a guy who wants to play every day. He takes days off as an insult and will never say he is not good to go. Based on how Davey Martinez talked, it seemed like he would always take Ruiz at his word. This led to him being overplayed and wearing down. It also may have led to him returning from injury too quickly.

These concussions can threaten catchers’ careers. Guys like Joe Mauer had to leave catching behind due to those injuries. However, Mauer still hit enough to have value elsewhere on the field. That has not been the case for Ruiz.

Between the injuries and the on field struggles, the Nats are in a tricky spot this offseason. At this point, Ruiz should not be your starting catcher, but you are financially committed to him. There are no elite catchers in free agency, but the Nats should pick up a veteran to start behind the plate. Guys like Danny Jansen, Victor Caratini and JT Realmuto would all be upgrades.

You also need to consider the option of DFA’ing Ruiz and letting him try to find his game in AAA. Ruiz is out of options, so you would need to DFA him if you were to send him down. However, this would not be an unprecedented situation. We have seen guys whose extensions did not work out finish those contracts in the minors. Players like Scott Kingery, Evan White and Rusney Castillo are examples of this.

It may not be time to do that with Ruiz yet, but we are getting there. In each of his three years during the extension, Ruiz has put up negative fWAR. I hate that it has gotten to this point, but it is time for some uncomfortable conversations.

Paul Toboni does not have the kind of attachment to Ruiz that Mike Rizzo did, so it is easier to move on. Before, it was tough to move on from a guy who was the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade that you also gave $50 million to. Now the people that made those decisions are gone and new leadership has a fresh slate.

Ruiz’s contract runs until 2030, and at this rate it does not look like he will be in the MLB for that whole contract. Keibert Ruiz seems like a great guy. The moment where his parents got to see him play was very heartwarming. All the coaches and his teammates seem to really respect him.

At the end of the day though, this is a results based business, and he has not been getting results. Frankly, if he did not have that contract he would probably be a non-tender candidate. However, that contract might give him one more chance to prove himself. After 2025, the Nats are in a rough spot with Keibert Ruiz, a guy they placed so much faith in.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...rt-ruiz-have-future-with-washington-nationals

 

[Washington Nationals]

Former Washington Nationals World Series winner Kurt Suzuki to become Angels manager

So there has been some news regarding the Washington Nationals and a managerial hire. However, it was not the team making a hire. It is a former National becoming a manager elsewhere. Multiple reports have now indicated that former Nat Kurt Suzuki will become the manager of the Los Angeles Angels.

The Los Angeles Angels are hiring Kurt Suzuki as manager, sources tell ESPN. Suzuki, 42, spent 16 years as a major league catcher and has spent the last three seasons as a special assistant to Angels general manager Perry Minasian.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 21, 2025

That is not only a name the Nats can no longer hire, but it is also cool to see a former Nat get a managerial job. This is only the third former Nat to manage in the MLB. The other two are Aaron Boone and Alex Cora. This one is a little bit different though, because Suzuki was a much more memorable Nat than those guys.

Suzuki actually had two stints with the team. The first one came when he was picked up at the 2012 trade deadline from Oakland. He was on the 2012 team and actually was on the 2013 team as well before being traded back to Oakland at the trade deadline.

However, that first stint was mostly a footnote. His second stint was much more memorable. Suzuki was on the team in 2019 and 2020, but the 2019 season is all we really care about here.

Suzuki was in a catching tandem with Yan Gomes. He was the offensive catcher while Gomes was more known for his glove. It was a successful tandem and obviously led to a World Series title.

Suzuki’s most memorable moment as a Nat came in September, when his homer off of Edwin Diaz capped off an insane comeback against the Mets. For me, that was the moment when I truly thought that the 2019 team was special. It was my favorite regular season moment from that season.

Random Nationals Highlight Day #93:

Kurt Suzuki’s Walk Off Homer Caps a 7 Run 9th Inning Comeback to Beat the Mets- 09/03/2019

An offensive eruption in the 9th and a 3 run walk off homer off Edwin Diaz led to the larger comeback in Nationals history.

2019 was so special. pic.twitter.com/8kEdUIfgMe

— Talkin Nats (@TalkinNats) March 25, 2023

Seeing Suzuki as a manager now is going to be weird because that moment still feels like yesterday, but it was over six years ago now. In a strange twist of fate, Suzuki will technically be Anthony Rendon’s manager, though Rendon probably won’t play much, if he even plays.

We have now seen a couple managerial positions get filled in the last couple weeks. The Pirates are sticking with their interim boss Don Kelly and the Rangers are turning to Skip Schumaker. For the Nationals, it has been pretty much radio silence on the managerial hunt.

There are names that make sense that I can speculate about. For example, Brandon Hyde, David Ross and any assistant coach with ties to the Red Sox are names I would watch. However, we have not gotten any real links yet.

In a Google Doc tracking all of the news on the managerial front, there is a lot of blank text next to the Nationals. With a new GM as well, this process will take longer than teams with more settled situations. After all, Paul Toboni has to rebuild the front office as well.

I am sure there is work going on behind the scenes though. There is a decent chance we get more news in the next few days before the World Series. I would expect a hire shortly after the Fall Classic. However, we have nothing yet. Congrats to Kurt Suzuki and I hope he kills it in Anaheim.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/mlb...orld-series-winner-kurt-suzuki-angels-manager

 

[Washington Nationals]

Nationals Grades: Clayton Beeter showed swing and miss stuff after trade deadline arrival

While the Nationals bullpen was disastrous in 2025, Clayton Beeter was a bright spot for the unit down the stretch. After arriving in a deadline deal that sent Amed Rosario to the Bronx, Beeter quickly went from a prospect to a trusted bullpen arm. He brought swing and miss stuff to a bullpen that desperately needed that.

His arrival to the Nats was a funny example of the reality of the deadline. He was pitching for the Yankees AAA team when he got traded. His team was actually playing against the Nats AAA team in Rochester when he was traded. So all Beeter had to do was switch dugouts and jerseys. The next day Beeter was pitching against his old teammates and fired a scoreless inning.

Clayton Beeter switched dugouts last night and pitched a scoreless inning today! pic.twitter.com/xyd5z6yI6s

— Allsports Roc (@AllsportsRoc) July 27, 2025

In his 24 Nationals appearances, we got a good idea of the Clayton Beeter experience. A lot of strikeouts, a lot of walks and not many hits. Watching him struggle to find the strike zone can be frustrating, but he can make up for his mistakes by just overwhelming hitters.

He struck out 38.1% of hitters with the Nats, while walking an alarming 16.7% of batters. Beeter was able to make up for that crazy walk rate by simply not allowing hits. In DC, batters hit just .114 against him. That is a crazy number, and probably not sustainable, even if I think Beeter will keep his batting average against numbers low.

With that in mind, Beeter will need to throw more strikes in 2026. He does not have to be some command specialist, or even an average strike thrower. A realistic goal should be to get that walk rate to around 11 or 12 percent rather than over 16%. He can live in that 12% range and have plenty of success because of how nasty he is.

Beeter had a crazy 14 game run where he was just unbeatable. He did not allow a run in those outings and only surrendered two hits in 13.2 innings. When he was on, Beeter was just blowing guys away with his simple two pitch mix.

Clayton Beeter slams the door for his 1st career save 13.2 straight scoreless, 20 Ks, just 2 hits allowed since joining the Nats. 96+ heat, filthy slider. The kid’s nasty. #NATITUDE pic.twitter.com/JtgcqKPGN7

— natsfanatics (@natsfanatics_) September 15, 2025

So how does Beeter blow guys away? Well, he does it with a two pitch mix of a fastball and slider. As many pitchers are adding more pitches, Beeter just throws a 4-seamer and slider. That is all he needs because those two pitches work so well as a tandem. He tunnels them so well, which makes his slider particularly devastating.

The fastball averages 96.5 MPH and gets good carry at the top of the zone. However, the slider is the real star of the show here. He throws it 46% of the time and it is lethal. Batters hit just .098 against the pitch and whiffed over 49% of the time. Beeter got 29 of his 33 strikeouts on the pitch.

His slider is a true bullet slider, meaning it has a lot of vertical drop without moving much horizontally. The pitch just drops off the table. That slider is going to be his money-maker in the big leagues. If he can get ahead of hitters, he has no problem putting them away.

The next step for him will be to get ahead more often. If he can do that, Beeter can be a leverage arm in the Nats bullpen for a long time. However, if that walk rate remains over 15%, Beeter will be a frustrating arm who shows glimpses of dominance, but someone you can never fully trust. I am interested to see what he can do in 2026, because he gave a good first impression, even if the command was spotty.

Season Grade: A-

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...eeter-swing-miss-stuff-trade-deadline-arrival

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals slugger James Wood nominated for a Silver Slugger

After Jacob Young was nominated for a Gold Glove a week and a half ago, another Nationals player is being nominated for some hardware. It was announced that James Wood is being nominated for an NL Silver Slugger in the outfield. He is one of six NL outfielders nominated. The three winners will be announced on November 6th.

James Wood has been named an NL Silver Slugger finalist after his first full season in the majors. Award winners will be announced on November 6.

— Spencer Nusbaum (@spencernusbaum_) October 22, 2025

Despite tailing off in the second half due to swing and miss problems, Wood still put together a very impressive season which is being recognized. The All-Star left fielder hit 31 home runs and posted an .825 OPS in his first full season. He was the first National to hit 30 home runs since 2019.

His batted ball data is also highly impressive. While the Silver Slugger is about production, it is worth noting that Wood had some crazy exit velocity data. His average exit velocity of 94.3 MPH ranked in the 98th percentile, as did his 56.3% hard hit rate. That crazy raw power is why he hit 31 home runs despite not elevating the ball consistently.

ain't gotta knock on pic.twitter.com/br8msmADGk

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) October 22, 2025

The other contenders for the award are Juan Soto, Corbin Carroll, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kyle Stowers and Kyle Tucker. Soto and Carroll are pretty straight forward choices as they were clearly the two best offensive outfielders in the league. Wood will be in the mix with Stowers and Tucker for that third spot.

Stowers has by far the best rate stats and also hit 25 home runs, but he only played 117 games. Voters may choose to ignore that and choose Stowers due to that .912 OPS. Tucker and Wood are quite close when you compare them. Wood hit for more power, but Tucker’s OPS was slightly higher.

I would be a bit surprised if Wood was one of the three winners, but it also would not be shocking. Even with his impressive power numbers, voters could hold a tough second half and his 221 strikeouts against him. He did not exactly leave a strong final impression for voters, which could sway them.

Even if it is not this year, Wood should win this award at some point in his career. His tools are just ridiculous. He hit some totally insane home runs this year, especially to the opposite field. There are some guys where the ball sounds different off their bat and Wood is one of those guys.

WELCOME TO HOLLY WOOD pic.twitter.com/iBqECOCbbp

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 22, 2025

To be a surefire winner next year, Wood will have to improve a few things. First and foremost, he has to cut down on the swing and miss. He struck out 32.1% of the time for the season and that number was close to 40% in the second half. Cutting out the backwards K’s and being more aggressive in the strike zone would go a long way towards accomplishing this.

The sky is the limit for James Wood. At 23 years old, he is just getting started. Hopefully he can be more consistent next season. If he can do that, he will easily win a Silver Slugger and maybe even push towards an MVP.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/was...s-slugger-james-wood-nominated-silver-slugger

 

[Washington Nationals]

Trade Rumors around Washington Nationals ace MacKenzie Gore re-emerge

Remember all of those MacKenzie Gore trade rumors at the deadline, well they are back as we approach the offseason. In the last 24 hours, we have gotten even more smoke about the Nationals trading their 26 year old ace. The Nats were close to trading Gore at the deadline, but did not pull the trigger. However, it looks like there is still a good chance Gore is moved.

In a recent live stream, MLB insider Jon Heyman said that he would not be surprised if Gore is traded this offseason and that the Nationals should do it. On the surface, it does not make a ton of sense to trade your up and coming left handed starter, but there is more than what meets the eye.

Per Jon Heyman, MacKenzie Gore “should” be traded this offseason pic.twitter.com/L3Hon7C3UR

— Kev (@klwoodjr) October 23, 2025

MacKenzie Gore becomes a free agent after the 2027 season, which means that he only has two years of team control remaining. This creates a dilemma for Paul Toboni. Does he think that the Nationals can win in those two years with Gore, or would trading him for a prospect laden package be better for the long term outlook of the team. Gore is represented by super agent Scott Boras, and his clients tend to hit the open market, so an extension is unlikely.

Heyman is not the only person to mention Gore as an offseason trade candidate. Jim Bowden put him on his list of 10 players who could be traded this offseason. In his piece, he said it was only a matter of time before Paul Toboni starts shopping Gore.

Top 10 players likely to be traded this offseason according to Jim Bowden

1) Tarik Skubal
2) Freddy Peralta
3) Hunter Greene
4) Jarren Duran
5) Mackenzie Gore
6) Sandy Alcantara
7) Sonny Gray
8) Brandon Lowe
9) Alec Bohm
10) Jo Adell pic.twitter.com/3ac1BlII1B

— AT (@YankeeWRLD) October 23, 2025

Bowden also mentioned the Red Sox as a possible landing spot. They need a number 2 starter behind Garrett Crochet, and Gore has the potential to fit the bill. Coming from Boston, Toboni is also deeply familiar with the Red Sox farm system. He knows which guys are worth targeting, even if they aren’t necessarily the highest rated. Heyman also mentioned the Astros as a fit, but their farm system is quite weak.

With that in mind, what would a Gore package look like? Well, it probably won’t be as strong as it would have been if the Nats moved him at the deadline. For one, you are now getting two playoff runs with Gore instead of three.

Also, Gore struggled tremendously in the second half. He posted a 6.75 ERA after the All-Star break, which continued a trend of Gore falling off after a hot start to the season. Seeing this pattern continue could spook some teams. However, with his strikeout stuff and two years of control, the Nationals should be able to get a top 100 prospect as well as a couple other solid pieces to go along with that.

For the Red Sox, a package consisting of Connelly Early, Luis Perales and Mikey Romero could make some sense. However, Toboni will know the hidden gems of the Boston system better than me.

For the Astros, it is tough to find an inspiring package. Their top two prospects are Brice Matthews and Jacob Melton, neither of whom inspire me much. However, we will see what plays out this offseason.

I am actually curious to see how the league values Gore. At his best, he can be a dominant arm. He led the MLB in strikeouts for the first couple of months. However, he has never been able to put it all together for a full season. Is there a team out there that thinks they can make Gore the ace the Nats have been unable to?

MacKenzie Gore collects his 10th strikeout of the day pic.twitter.com/hVomMMH04I

— MLB (@MLB) August 10, 2025

There is a pretty good chance Gore gets traded this offseason in my opinion. They probably should have done it at the deadline, but not having a full time GM complicated things. The Nats just aren’t ready to compete while Gore is under team control and have virtually no chance of extending him.

It is an admission that the famed Nats rebuild has gone wrong, but it is time to admit that. There is a reason the Nats have cleaned house. The plan was not working and the rebuild had stagnated. Now it is time for the Nats to reboot this rebuild before they have to trade even more young stars.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/nat...-washington-nationals-mackenzie-gore-reemerge

 

[Washington Nationals]

Drew Millas Deserves A Chance To Compete For The Washington Nationals Starting Catcher Role

To put it simply, the catching position was a disaster for the Washington Nationals in 2025. As a positional group, Nats catchers finished last in wRC+ with 65 and 28th in Defensive WAR, resulting in a league-worst -1.4 fWAR, worse in the league and one of only 2 teams to be in the negatives, with the Angels at -1.3 fWAR not too far behind. They got off to a solid start with a strong April by Keibert Ruiz and a resurgence by Riley Adams and Drew Millas in July, but outside those 2 months, it was a lot of bad.

The one, and perhaps only, bright spot behind the dish for the Nats in 2025 was Drew Millas, who was limited to just 18 games on the year due to splitting reps with Riley Adams upon his callup and suffering a season-ending finger injury in August, but when he played, he was the most productive of all Nats backstops. Defensively, Millas is miles ahead of Ruiz and Adams, who both grade poorly behind the dish due to their lackluster framing.

While Ruiz and Adams both finished with -9 framing runs above average each, Millas put up 2 framing runs above average in just 16 games behind the dish, a pace that would’ve had him comfortably 2nd in the league in framing runs even if he only caught 130ish games across a season. It is yet to be seen how the new ABS challenge system coming to MLB will affect the skillset of defense-first catchers such as Millas, but if I had to guess, it will still be a huge advantage to have a catcher who can steal those edge of the zone pitches for you, rather than one who can’t and forces you to get aggresive with your challenges.

Offensively, Millas somewhat outhit his expected numbers, but was still the most productive hitting backstop for the Nationals in 2025. While Ruiz and Adams finished with OPSs in the .500s, Millas put up an impressive .807 OPS, good for 25% better than the league average hitter in 2025, and much, much better than the average catcher. Millas’ offensive skillset is much more reminiscent of the contact hitting Keibert Ruiz than the power hitting Riley Adams, but the difference between Ruiz and Millas is Millas’ ability to avoid chasing outside the zone, along with his great bat-to-ball skills. The home run power wasn’t there for Millas this season, and likely never will be a strong suit of his, but that didn’t stop him from racking up extra base hits, getting 6 in total in 49 at-bats.

Even on the basepaths, Millas proved to be a valuable asset for the Nats in 2025. Millas ranked in the 47th percentile for average sprint speed in 2025, a good amount better than the average catcher, and a large amount better than starting catcher Keibert Ruiz, who finished in the 3rd percentile. Millas had 9 singles and 4 walks this season, meaning he only had 13 opportunities to steal second (less when you consider runners being ahead of him on the bases), but he still showed off some wheels, stealing 2 bases and not being caught once. Millas is now 6 for 6 stealing bases in his big league career, going 4 for 4 in 2024 as well. Baserunning is the least important aspect of the game for catchers, but having a catcher that you don’t need to pinch run for late in games because they are a liability is a real advantage.

All in all, I would like for the Nationals to explore the catchers market in free agency, as no stone should go unturned in improving this ballclub. However, based on the rather weak class of backstops, as well as the fact that trading for good, young, controllable catching is next to impossible, I want the Nationals to give Millas the opportunity to compete for the starting catcher position in 2025 if no additions are made. He’s shown the best defensive and baserunning abilities of the trio of him, Ruiz, and Adams, and even if his bat regresses across a full season of at-bats, he is likely to still be in line with where Ruiz and Adams have been.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...e-compete-for-nationals-starting-catcher-role

 

[Washington Nationals]

Paul Toboni Continues Staff Additions, Brings in Justin Horowitz From Pirates As Assistant GM

Back in late September, I wrote an article, which can be found here, that brokedown 4 potential candidates for the Nationals vacant General Manager position. They quickly kept one of those candidates, Mike DeBartolo, in the organization as an assistant general manager, a win as he did a fine job in his short term as the teams interim GM. Then, they snagged another candidate from my list, Boston Red Sox director of amateur scouting Devin Pearson, except they were able to get him in an assistant general manager role, another victory as it kept the GM position open for another strong baseball mind.

Well, Toboni has done it again, as he brings in yet another name from my list as an assistant general manager, this one being Pittsburgh Pirates director of amateur scouting, Justin Horowitz. Horowitz has been running the draft for the Pirates for the last 2 years, and although it is difficult to judge draft classes so soon since they occured, the results so far have been stellar, as in his first draft, he selected Shortstop Konnor Griffin 9th overall, who is now one of the consensus best prospects in the sport. He also selected prep right handed pitcher Seth Hernandez 6th overall in 2025, who I believe may have the highest ceiling of anyone from that draft.

Horowitz grew up in California, but has DC roots from his 4 years at Georgetown University, where he played club baseball and got a degree in Finance. He began his career in baseball in 2012 as a Red Sox baseball operations intern, and worked his way up through the Red Sox system all the way to special assistant of amateur scouting in 2023. It was during this time he crossed paths with Toboni, and the 2 became good friends during their 9 years together in Boston. In late 2023, Horowitz joined the Pirates as their director of amateur scouting, and while time will tell how his classes turn out, it already looks like he has some impressive hits on his resume.

With the first 2 assistant general manager hirings by Paul Toboni being scouting directors, he clearly recognizes the neccessity for change on the scouting and player development side of things in the Nationals organization. To build a strong foundation like the one in place in Boston, the team needs to be able to develop its own talent rather than acquiring it from other organizations constantly, and Toboni is bringing in some of the best young minds in the sport to make that happen for the Nats.

So with 3 of the 4 candidates for the General Manager position I wrote about in the Nationals organization, just none of them as GM, the question remains; who will take the GM role for the Washington Nationals? The final name from my previou article, Brian O’Halloran, would be a strong choice for the position, as he has experience as a GM from when Chaim Bloom was in charge of baseball operations in Boston. Toboni, however, seems focused on bringing in “his” guys currently, people who fit his vision, and O’Halloran may not fit that vision due to him being an older fellow and being largely tied to a different regime.

With a figure from outside the Red Sox organization now on Toboni’s staff in DC, Horowitz could perhaps provide insight on candidates from outside Boston to be considered for the General Manager position, such as current Pirates front office members or front office people in different clubs that he has crossed paths with. While I would still expect Toboni to be looking for “his” guy again to fill the GM vacancy, it is interesting he brought in assistants who could help him fill that role first, rather than the other way around. Whatever does happen, Horowitz is an excellent addition to the front office for the Nationals, and I am already excited for the draft classes he, Toboni, and the rest of the staff put together in future years.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...-justin-horowitz-from-pirates-as-assistant-gm

 

[Washington Nationals]

Will the Washington Nationals hire a GM under Paul Toboni?

When Paul Toboni was hired as the Washington Nationals President of Baseball Operations, a lot of people assumed he would hire a GM underneath him. That structure has become very popular in the modern game. The POBO is the big boss, who makes all of the biggest decisions, while the GM is more involved with day to day operations.

However, as we get more news on Toboni’s hirings, I am not so sure that he will hire a GM. Instead, it looks like Toboni will rely on a strong group of Assistant GM’s that he has a lot of familiarity with. Toboni has now hired two high profile AGM’s in Justin Horowitz and Devin Pearson. These are two people Toboni has worked with in the past and are young minds with big reputations in the sport.

They were also two natural candidates for that GM position, if it were something Toboni wanted to do. We wrote a story about potential candidates for the GM job after Toboni was hired. Both Horowitz and Pearson were on that list, as was former Interim GM Mike DeBartolo, who is staying in the organization.

We were spot on about Horowitz and Pearson coming to the organization, but neither got that GM role. That is very interesting to me and tells me that the GM role may not be filled. DeBartolo has not been assigned a new role in the organization yet, but I would be pretty surprised if he was the GM at this point.

It seems more likely that DeBartolo would be another AGM. His skillset would be useful in this new group. Horowitz and Pearson both came from scouting director positions, so both are very familiar with the draft. On the other hand, Toboni is more familiar with the MLB side of things, especially after his stint as Interim GM. He knows what it is like to run the day to day side of things.

DeBartolo is good at managing the 40 man roster and making some of these smaller moves. As Interim GM, we saw DeBartolo very active with waiver claims and trying to churn through relievers. He hit on some of those arms like PJ Poulin and Luis Garcia. That pro experience would be useful in rounding out the group.

I am interested to see what other hires are coming. A lot of these early hires have had some overlap. Everyone Toboni has hired so far has a history in the Red Sox organization. It is probably easier to hire people you know as your first hires because you do not need to vet them as much. Just because everyone so far has Red Sox ties does not necessarily mean he will exclusively hire people he has worked with before.

Also, there is still a chance that Toboni does hire a GM. He might be looking for someone he does not have as much experience working with, which would make the vetting process longer. However, it felt like Pearson and Horowitz would have been natural candidates for that GM role, but they are coming to DC to be AGM’s.

Despite the AGM title, I think these guys will have a lot of power in the organization. Things will be less centralized than they were under Rizzo, who ruled the Nats with an iron fist for most of his tenure. We will be hearing about these AGM’s contributions more than we heard about AGM’s under Rizzo.

These guys would not come to DC if they were not taking on increased authority. Both Horowitz and Pearson were running successful draft rooms, so it would take an exciting project to attract them. While their relationship with Toboni certainly helped, these guys are also coming to further their career ambitions.

It is exciting to see such a young and fresh front office as well. All of these new hires are in their 30’s and are on the cutting edge of the game. Regardless of whether Toboni hires a GM, it is an exciting time to be a fan. However, I am less confident that Toboni hires a GM than I was when he took the job.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/was...ashington-nationals-hire-gm-under-paul-toboni

 

[Washington Nationals]

Nationals Grades: Andrew Alvarez was a rare bright spot in the rotation

It has been well established that the Washington Nationals pitching staff was a disaster in 2025. They posted a 5.35 ERA as a team, which was the worst in team history. Unsurprisingly, there were not a ton of bright spots on this staff. However, Andrew Alvarez was the rare exception, as he was lights out in his first taste of MLB action.

The 26 year old Alvarez had to scratch and claw to make the Majors. He was a 12th round pick out of Cal Poly in 2021. Guys like that are supposed to be organizational depth, not future big leaguers. However, Alvarez made it against the odds.

Despite not being a highly touted prospect, Alvarez did have success in the Minor Leagues. His breakout year was in 2023, where he posted a sub-3 ERA across two levels and won the Nationals Minor League pitcher of the year award.

Pitcher of the Year

Andrew Alvarez pic.twitter.com/mR5EEN10Vw

— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) September 24, 2023

Alvarez was solid again in 2024, posting a sub-4 ERA, but hit a bit of a wall when he hit Triple-A. His ERA in AAA was above 4.5 in 2024, which made him less exciting as a prospect. A guy like Alvarez will never get the benefit of the doubt because he was not a high pick and he does not throw very hard.

In 2025, Alvarez was solid but not spectacular in AAA, posting a 4.10 ERA. However, he improved as the season went along and had a great August in Rochester. That, as well as injuries and underperformance in the Nats rotation gave him an opportunity to be a big leaguer.

After getting called up, Alvarez took full advantage of it. He was a revelation in September, posting a 2.31 ERA in his 5 starts. A lot of the underlying numbers bought into his success as well. He posted a 3.39 FIP and 2.78 xERA. Right from his first outing against the Marlins, Alvarez looked like he belonged.

What a debut!

Andrew Alvarez throws 5 scoreless innings in his MLB debut—1 hit, 2 BB, 4 K. First Nat ever to do it in their first game (2005-pres.) pic.twitter.com/LCrSRVNGV2

— natsfanatics (@natsfanatics_) September 1, 2025

So how did Alvarez succeed in the MLB? Well, it certainly was not because of his velocity. Alvarez’s fastball only averaged 91.3 MPH in the MLB, well below average. With a light fastball, Alvarez has really learned the art of pitching.

A lot of Nationals pitchers had predictable pitch mixes and relied too much on their mediocre fastballs, but not Alvarez. My favorite thing about him is that he did a great job mixing things up. He threw his 4-seamer 34% of the time, his slider 29% of the time, his curve 27% of the time, while throwing a changeup and sinker both at a 5% clip.

That is a really deep mix and all of those pitchers were useful. Against righties, who he saw a lot of, Alvarez did a great job mixing his heater and breaking balls. That kept hitters off balance and led to a lot of weak contact. They simply did not know what was coming. Against lefties, Alvarez used his slider as his primary pitch. He also threw his sinker a lot more, which is a smart strategy. Sinkers tend to work better against same side hitters.

While the curveball and slider are in a similar velocity range, they have two distinct shapes, which makes things tricky for hitters. Another thing that made Alvarez successful was his ground ball generating abilities. He posted an elite 58.2 GB% this year. Getting ground balls was also something he was very good at in his MILB career, consistently posting GB rates above 50%.

So how sustainable is this? Well, I am not so sure. The fact he was not elite in AAA makes me skeptical. Alvarez did not go deep into games either, averaging under 5 innings per start. With that in mind, I do not believe in him in a traditional starter role.

However, I do think Alvarez should get a shot in a long relief role. He is a unique look that can throw hitters off if they only face him once or twice. However, his lack of power stuff will be exposed if he goes deeper into games. Alvarez is also not the most efficient pitcher. He tends to nibble to compensate for his lower velocity.

Alvarez showed that he can be successful in the MLB. I think he would be a good bulk man if the Nats wanted to use the opener strategy more in 2026. Andrew Alvarez has put himself in a position where he will be battling for a roster spot in 2026.

He will have to earn it next spring, but he will be in the mix. I honestly think he would be a better long relief option than guys like Parker and Irvin. The fact that Alvarez is even in the mix is a big win for the former 12th rounder.

Season Grade: A

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...s-andrew-alvarez-rare-bright-spot-in-rotation

 

[Washington Nationals]

Could the Washington Nationals dive into the Japanese free agent market?

We have talked a bit about some of the names on the free agent market. Players like Dylan Cease, Pete Alonso and Alex Bregman would be dream targets for the Nats. However, there is another side of free agency we have not touched on. Every year, we see new Japanese stars come over to the States, and this year is no different.

With a change in regime, could the Nationals get more involved in the Japanese market? While the Red Sox did not tap into the Asian market like the Dodgers while Paul Toboni was there, he does have some experience with Japanese players. The Red Sox invested heavily in Masataka Yoshida in 2023, a move that has had mixed results.

Could Toboni try and get aggressive in the Asian market, and if so, who could be some targets? Well, the Nationals have not historically been involved in the Asian market. In fact, they did not sign a player directly out of Asia until Shinnosuke Ogasawara signed last winter. However, with a new regime and some strong names, now could be the time to strike.

The three most exciting names from Japan this winter are Tatsuya Imai, Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto. Lance Brozdowski made a great video breaking down those three, as well as a couple of other players to keep an eye on.

Dove deep into the advanced data on some NPB stars that could impact MLB in 2026!

️ Munetaka Murakami – Huge pop + scary contact
️ Tatsuya Imai – "wrong way" slider & flat-approach 4S
️ Hiroto Saiki – 55° arm angle … no whiffs?!

Tease below, full vid in thread! pic.twitter.com/T2YhDxcPom

— Lance Brozdowski (@LanceBroz) October 20, 2025

My favorite of the trio is Imai, who is a right handed pitcher. In the last few years, we have seen many Japanese arms have very smooth transitions. Guys like Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga took to the MLB like ducks to water. Imai seems like he could be the next guy to do this.

As a 27 year old, Imai posted a sub-2 ERA in the NPB and also had plenty of strikeouts. Despite being a small 5’11 154 pounds, pitchers like Yamamoto have shown that size is not everything. Even with that slight frame, he averaged 95 MPH on his fastball this past season.

Who is this Japanese star pitcher that could be a top free agent this winter?@Jack_McMullen11 broke down the profile of Tatsuya Imai on the Just Baseball Show pic.twitter.com/1Aax90aTGf

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) September 10, 2025

One of the most unique things about Imai is his low release height. His 5 foot release height is well below the MLB average. That gives him plenty of deception and helps his heater play up. Imai also has a very good slider and splitter, as well as good command. He seems like one of those Japanese arms that is ready to go right from the rip.

It will probably cost over $100 million to sign him, so that will probably scare off the frugal Lerner family. However, he might be the best starter on the market. His combination of youth, stuff and command is unmatched. Imai is worth that big price tag.

The next guy I am going to talk about is the most famous player of the three. Munetaka Murakami has been considered a big talent out of Japan for a long time. He is one of the best sluggers Japan has seen in a long time. At just 25 years old, Murakami has hit 246 NPB home runs. In 2022, Murakami hit 56 home runs.

Another positive for Murakami is that youth. Out of all these players, he fits the Nats timeline the best. He will be just 26 years old next season, so he could be the Nats first baseman for years to come.

The slugger also had some big moments in the 2023 WBC, including a home run against team USA. Murakami hit an absolute moonshot against Merrill Kelly. That raw power is the main attraction for teams. He can absolutely be a 30 plus home run bat in the MLB.

Munetaka Murakami vs Merrill Kelly, 2nd Inning of the WBC Championship

• Swing Speed: 82.0 mph
• Bat Speed: 92.9 mph
• Exit Velocity: 115.1 mph
• Smash Factor: 1.24
• Attack Angle: 16°
• Launch Angle: 25°
• Distance: 432 ft

Result: No Doubter#WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/ZVVorQnJG3

— Pitch Profiler (@pitchprofiler) March 22, 2023

However, there are some holes in his game. Since that 2022 season, Murakami has not been quite the same. His contact rates are very low and raise some serious red flags. If he is striking out a lot against NPB pitching, what will happen when he sees MLB pitching?

He is also likely to be a first baseman or DH, despite playing some third base in Japan. For a guy who will get well over $100 million, Murakami is a big risk. If he hits, he could be a 40 home run slugger in the middle of a lineup. However, there is some big bust potential here, which is why I would be wary.

The last guy I am going to talk about is another slugger in Kazuma Okamoto. Like Murakami, he is a 3B/1B type, but his defense is seen as better. Okamoto also makes a lot more contact than Murakami, which makes his projection a lot safer.

He turns 30 years old in June, but we have seen older Japanese free agents thrive in the MLB. A lot of his profile reminds me a lot of Seiya Suzuki. While he does not have the raw power of Suzuki, he still has juice and that feel to hit. He seems like a high probability bet to be a contributor in an MLB lineup.

He will not be as expensive as Imai or Murakami, but he is older. Something like a 4-year $60 million would make some sense. That would entice me if I were the Nats. He could immediately slide in and provide stability at first base, a position the Nats have needed for a while.

Will the Nats sign any of these guys, or anyone from Japan, probably not, but it is worth exploring. If the Nats are more willing to spend, but don’t want older free agents like Bregman, Alonso or Framber Valdez, these Japanese players are worth considering. They also do not have qualifying offers attached to them, which means the Nats can sign them without giving up draft picks.

Given Toboni’s background and how he is building his front office, building through the draft will be prioritized. Signing these Japanese players is a way to get premium talent without giving up draft capital. With a new forward thinking front office, this could be something to watch this winter.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...ationals-dive-into-japanese-free-agent-market

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals interview three candidates for their managerial opening

So we are finally starting to get some updates on the Washington Nationals managerial search. For a while, there was radio silence as Paul Toboni was settling into his role as Nats President of Baseball Operations. However, three candidates for the job have become public. They are former interim boss Miguel Cairo, former Orioles manager Brandon Hyde and current Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz.

Yesterday, it was reported that all three have interviewed for the job. Hyde was the first name to become public. Jon Heyman reported that Hyde interviewed for the role Yesterday, which was the first public report of an interview. Hyde was the Orioles manager from 2019-2025, when he was fired after a slow start.

Nationals Interview Brandon Hyde https://t.co/lhP0eKuJDT pic.twitter.com/5FBY4d3fEz

— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) October 25, 2025

Hyde would be an interesting appointment. He certainly would not be the sexy hire after the way his time with the O’s ended. After a magical run in 2023, where Hyde won manager of the year and a strong follow up season in 2024, things really got stale in 2025. Hyde was fired after a 15-28 start to the season. While Mike Elias set up Hyde to fail with a poor pitching staff, the O’s were still underperforming their talent level.

Despite the ugly ending, Hyde’s experience in Baltimore will be useful as Nationals manager. He oversaw a rebuilding team with young talent and eventually brought them to the playoffs in 2023, when the O’s won 101 games. Sure, Hyde has limitations and may not be the man to bring a World Series back to DC, but he has proven he can take a young team to the playoffs.

Hyde is also familiar with this area having managed the Orioles. That is always a useful quality to have as well. For me, Hyde would be the definition of a solid hire. Not a home run hire necessarily, but a decent manager who can get things back on track.

Later in the afternoon, two more interviews became public. Andrew Golden of the Washington Post reported that the Nats had interviewed Miguel Cairo, as well as Craig Albernaz of the Guardians.

Some Nationals manager news: hearing Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz and interim manager Miguel Cairo interviewed for the job this week.

Not necessarily the full list, but the Nats are pushing forward with their manager search.

— Andrew Golden (@andrewcgolden) October 25, 2025

It would be very surprising if Cairo got the job, but it seems like Toboni is letting him be part of the process. I am not sure whether he is a real candidate or if this is more of a courtesy interview. Regardless, the more interesting name of that duo is Albernaz.

Craig Albernaz is the Guardians associate manager, and seems like a real up and coming managerial talent. Despite only being in coaching since 2020, Albernaz seems like a real star. After only one year as Guardians bench coach, he became a finalist for the Marlins job and eventually got promoted to associate manager.

It's Craig Albernaz vs. Will Venable for the Marlins managerial job, per @CraigMish.

Who's your pick? pic.twitter.com/6eRPS2ZXcj

— Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) October 28, 2024

He is one of those guys who is almost certainly going to be a manager someday. It is a matter of when, not if. This seems like a guy that would be very attractive for Paul Toboni. At just 42 years old, he is a young guy for the position. A lot of Toboni’s first hires have been young guys, so Albernaz would continue that trend.

Working for the Guardians also gives him a more analytical background. Cleveland is known as one of the more analytical organizations in the league. That background is very attractive for the Nats, who need an infusion of data in the organization.

Right now, Albernaz is my favorite candidate of the trio, but Hyde is also a solid candidate. With information coming out now, it seems like the managerial search is starting to really heat up. That is a good sign and hopefully the Nats can get someone in place in the next couple weeks.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/was...rview-three-candidates-for-managerial-opening

 

[Washington Nationals]

What impact could the return of DJ Herz and Josiah Gray make for the Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals season was sunk by many things, but a poor pitching staff was the biggest culprit. They posted a 5.35 ERA as a team, the highest in franchise history. It will take a lot to fix that, including help from outside the organization. However, there is help on the way from a couple guys returning from injury.

Both Josiah Gray and DJ Herz have shown glimpses of being quality MLB pitchers at points in their Nationals career. However, neither of them threw a pitch in 2025 due to Tommy John recovery. Both should be back at some time in 2026, and could make an impact.

I want to start with Herz because he is actually the guy I am higher on right now. He was acquired at the 2023 trade deadline in a move that sent Jeimer Candelario to the Cubs. It quickly turned into one of those Mike Rizzo masterclass moves. Candelario was decent for a couple months in Chicago before leaving in free agency, while Herz broke out in 2024.

DJ Herz was someone I was so excited for in 2025. His 2024 season provided so much promise. He threw 88.2 innings while posting a 4.16 ERA and struck out 106 batters. It was not perfect, as his command was inconsistent. However, when he was on, Herz could be dominant. We saw that in his masterclass against the Marlins where he struck out 13 and walked nobody.

all
13
DJ Herz
Ks pic.twitter.com/7VmBVTV3OB

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 15, 2024

Despite the 4.16 ERA, a lot of the metrics thought he was better than that. His xERA was 3.26 and his FIP was 3.71. Herz’s mid-90’s fastball created so much deception and got whiffs at over a 30% clip. His changeup was also very solid, and was seen as his best pitch by most scouts. Herz had a level of swing and miss in his game that only MacKenzie Gore could rival among Nats pitchers.

He was one of my breakout picks heading into 2025. However, his season was over before it started. After a rough Spring Training where his velocity was down and his command was all over the place, Herz was shut down with elbow soreness. Eventually, he had to go under the knife, which cost him the whole 2025 season.

Since he got the surgery so early in the season, there is a chance Herz is back by Opening Day. However, a return in May or June feels more likely. As we saw with Cade Cavalli, Tommy John recovery can be tricky and the timeline is fluid. We should see Herz pitch at some point in 2026 though.

Assuming the stuff looks like it did in 2024, he will be a big piece of the rotation. Strike throwing has always been a question with him, but it was better than expected in his MLB stint. I am super excited to see DJ back on the mound because he is super fun to watch when he is on his game.

While Josiah Gray is a bigger name than Herz, I have more questions about him. He had his surgery all the way back in the summer of 2024, but did not appear in any games last season. Having only made two starts in 2024, he has basically lost two full seasons. Even before that, I was bearish about Gray.

While he was an All-Star in 2023 and posted a sub-4 ERA in 159 innings, there was plenty of luck involved. His FIP and xERA were both around 5 that season. Gray was also striking out fewer guys and walking more guys. His velocity was also dipping.

There were a lot of red flags in his profile, and now the injury adds another one. Gray came to the Nats in the Max Scherzer/Trea Turner trade. He was supposed to be a plug and play MLB starter who could immediately be a middle of the rotation arm.

His stuff was really good early on, but the results weren’t there. The fastball was in the mid 90’s, touching 97 and his slider could be a wipeout pitch. However, he had a big problem with home runs, especially on that fastball.

Josiah Gray is going to be a problem in the league pic.twitter.com/sTYsBQEYts

— Kev (@klwoodjr) August 14, 2021

Over the years, he added a lot of different pitches and became more of a junk baller. That was a reaction to his home run problem and his velocity falling over a tick from 2021 to 2023. By 2023, Gray was throwing 7 different pitches. He had some success, but it did not feel sustainable, at least to me.

While Gray did not pitch in the MLB this season, he did throw in some rehab starts at the end of the year. We got some pitch data, and the velocity was not pretty. It is important to keep in mind that he was making his first outings after Tommy John, but his fastball was in the 90-91 MPH range. In that AAA rehab start, Gray also leaned almost exclusively on his secondary pitches, only throwing 4 fastballs in 45 pitches.

pic.twitter.com/gpQj7zhBlo

— Spencer Nusbaum (@spencernusbaum_) September 19, 2025

Gray’s velocity will be one of the things I am going to watch for in Spring Training. If it is still in that 90 MPH range, I am not going to be high on him at all. It is very hard to succeed throwing 90 MPH in today’s game, especially as a right handed pitcher.

If Gray can show up throwing around 93-95, I would be much more encouraged. With his deep mix, he can survive in that range. I am curious how the Nats will use Gray next year. He is going to have to earn back his rotation spot after all of his time out.

While they both have question marks, DJ Herz and Josiah Gray should at least be somewhat helpful in getting the Nats rotation back to respectability. Neither should stop the team from investing in starting pitching, but both are useful options for the team. It will be interesting to see how the pitching staff shakes itself out in 2026.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...erz-josiah-gray-make-for-washington-nationals

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals lose out on Craig Albernaz to rival Baltimore Orioles

So the Craig Albernaz dreams died pretty quickly for the Washington Nationals. Just a day after it was reported that he interviewed for the job, Jeff Passan reported that he was taking the Baltimore Orioles job instead. I wrote that Albernaz was my favorite candidate, so seeing him go to a rival is tough.

The Baltimore Orioles are finalizing a deal to hire Craig Albernaz as manager, sources tell ESPN. Albernaz, 42, was previously associate manager with Cleveland and was a widely sought-after candidate for open managerial jobs. He joins a O's team coming off a 75-87 season.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 27, 2025

Albernaz was one of the hottest names this managerial cycle after earning a big reputation with his work as Steven Vogt’s right hand man in Cleveland. The Guardians have constantly punched above their weight the last few years, and it seems like Albernaz has been a big part of that since he arrived in 2024.

Based on all the buzz around his name, it feels like Albernaz could take his pick of managerial gigs. He interviewed for a number of jobs, including the Nats. It was just a couple days ago that Andrew Golden reported that he had interviewed with the team.

Some Nationals manager news: hearing Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz and interim manager Miguel Cairo interviewed for the job this week.

Not necessarily the full list, but the Nats are pushing forward with their manager search.

— Andrew Golden (@andrewcgolden) October 25, 2025

Albernaz must have decided that the Orioles job was better. Honestly, he is probably right about that. For the 2026 season, the O’s have a much better chance of winning. While 2025 was a weird year for them, it is easy to imagine them being bounce back candidates. They made the playoffs in 2023 and 2024. Assuming Mike Elias learns from his mistakes and builds a better pitching staff, they will be right back in the mix in a tough AL East division.

The Nats are much less of a win now team. They have not had a winning season since 2019 and regressed in the win column in 2025. While the idea of being tied at the hip with Toboni could be exciting, it will take a little while for the Nats to become serious contenders.

With Albernaz out of the picture, who will be the Nats manager? Well, speaking of Baltimore, their old manager is probably the favorite right now. It was recently reported that Brandon Hyde interviewed for the job. The old O’s manager helped steward their rebuild and lead them back to the playoffs. He has a lot of experience working with young players, which is a feather in his cap.

Now that Albernaz is out of the picture, Hyde and Miguel Cairo are the only candidates we know the Nats have interviewed. I would be pretty stunned if the Nats hired Cairo, so Hyde is definitely a name to circle. It will be interesting to see if more interviews become public now too.

Red Sox bench coach Ramon Vazquez is certainly a name to circle. He has gotten interviews this cycle and we know Toboni is more than willing to hire from his old team. Another guy I would like to see interviewed is former Twins manager Rocco Baldelli. He did a good job in Minnesota and is a good combination of youth and experience.

Losing out on Albernaz to a rival is a blow, but there are still plenty of names out there. Now that the interviews are becoming public and more jobs are starting to fill, this process will start to accelerate. I am very curious to see who Paul Toboni hires as manager of the Washington Nationals.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/mlb...se-out-craig-albernaz-rival-baltimore-orioles

 

[Washington Nationals]

The Washington Nationals Need Bullpen Help. Here Are Their Options

Building strong bullpens was never a strong suit of Nationals’ former GM Mike Rizzo, and that fact was on clear display this season, as the Nats’ relief unit was as bad as bullpens come, finishing last in baseball with a 5.59 ERA and second to last with a 4.86 FIP. While some additions to the group, such as Cole Henry and Clayton Beeter, provided solid performances in the present and hope for the future, the loss of key arms such as Kyle Finnegan, Andrew Chafin, and Luis Garcia at the deadline was a detrimental blow to an already shaky group.

Entering 2026, Paul Toboni and his staff are now charged with turning one of the worst bullpens in the sport into at least a group that can tread water. In the long term, the best way to achieve this goal is to continually take chances on high upside arms through the draft, internationally, and through waiver claims, eventually creating a system that can turn out relief arms almost at will, In the short term, however, the focus will need to be on developing the arms currently in-house and taking a chance on relievers in free agency. Let’s take a look at some impending free agent arms I’d like the Nats to take a chance on this winter.

RHP Phil Maton

One name I want the Nationals to be all over this offseason is Phil Maton, who, after years of being a good, not great reliever, broke out in 2025 for the Rangers, as over 61 1/3 innings he posted a 2.79 ERA, 3.04 FIP, and struck out over 11 batters per 9 innings, all career bests. These results were no fluke either, as the underlying numbers for Maton were as good as they get, with him ranking in the 99th percentile for average exit velo, 98th percentile in whiff rate, and 95th percentile strikeout rate. Despite sitting under 90mph with his fastball, Maton was nails out of the bullpen for the Rangers in 2025, and is an easy bet to at least come close to repeating his performance in 2026. Turning 33 right before next season, Maton could provide value for the Nats over multiple season if given a multiyear contract, perhaps even fetching some prospects at the trade deadline if need be.

RHP Devin Williams

Seasons don’t get much unluckier than the one Williams had in 2025, as in 62 innings pitched, he posted a career worst 4.79 ERA, but an impressive 2.68 FIP. It’s hard to pinpoint what exactly caused Williams failures this season in the Bronx, as struck out as many hitters as ever, walked fewer hitters than ever, and his home run rate only went up slightly, but overall an increase in barrells allowed and some bad BABIP luck led to Williams crumbling in situations where he usually thrived. He now hits the market at 31 years old with his value at its lowest point, and the Nats have an ideal chance to buy low on a reliever with potential to be one of the best right handed relievers in baseball again.

LHP Hoby Milner

Another one of my favorite leoptions for the Nats to target in free agency is Hoby Milner, a funky lefty who was very consistent for the Rangers in 2025, posting a 3.84 ERA and 3.39 FIP across 70 1/3 innings pitched. Milner, like Maton, does not throw hard at all, sitting high 80s with his fastball, but it does not matter because he doesn’t rely on his fastball to get outs, and excels in all other aspects of the game, including limiting hard contact and keeping the ball on the ground. An underrated aspect of Milner’s game is how different a look he can be for hitters, going from facing hard throwing righties constantly to a lefty reliever who relies on breaking balls, making him an ideal pitcher to follow arms like Cade Cavalli in games. Entering his age 35 season, Milner is older than the other 2 options on this list, but could be a weapon out of the bullpen for the Nats in 2026.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/general/87084/the-nationals-need-bullpen-help-here-their-options

 

[Washington Nationals]

The Washington Nationals are being screwed by the new MLB Draft system

As a fan of a struggling team you get to learn a lot about the MLB Draft every year. It is what provides fans of rebuilding teams hope. While you can’t get the instant impact from draft picks like NBA or NFL teams do, you can still strike gold. However, the new draft system is something that frustrates me.

Despite finishing the season with a 66-96 record, the Washington Nationals are locked into the 11th pick. This is due to the new MLB Draft rules. Going into the 2023 Draft, the MLB introduced a draft lottery like what they have in the NBA and NHL. However, there were some anti-tanking measures put in. This makes sense, you don’t want to reward teams too much for being awful.

That part is not the issue for me. The issue is the distinction between teams that pay revenue sharing and teams that receive revenue sharing. Teams that pay revenue sharing can only pick inside the top 10 one year before they are booted out. However, teams that receive revenue sharing can pick in the top 10 two years in a row.

The league is basically rigging the process for small market teams. As a team that pays revenue sharing, the Nats can’t pick in the top 10 back to back years. For me, this is just totally unfair for our fans. The franchise has been in a tough spot these last couple years, and picking at the top of the draft is something that could help us out.

In 2024, when they did the lottery drawing, the Nationals actually “won” the lottery in two straight drawings. However, since they were ineligible, they had to re-do the process and the Guardians ended up getting the first pick that year. The Nationals definitely needed that first pick a whole lot more than a Guardians team that is constantly competitive.

So ….

The Nationals actually won the draft lottery but weren't eligible for a lottery pick.

The second drawing, the Guardians won the #1 pick.

When they did the drawing for the 2nd overall pick… the Nationals won again

They will pick 10th https://t.co/WHwETy7x1v

— Savannah McCann (@savjaye) December 5, 2023

The process is just screwing over Nationals fans. Why should teams like the A’s and Pirates be able to pick inside the top 10 back to back years, but not the Nats? The Nats had the 24th highest payroll in 2025 and the second lowest active payroll. They are not some financial juggernaut that needs to be limited by the MLB.

The fact the Dodgers get to do some of the stuff they do, but the Nationals can’t pick in the top 10 back to back years is ridiculous. Imagine a Nationals team with a guy like Chase Burns, Travis Bazzana, JJ Wetherholt or Nick Kurtz. We would have a lot more hope for the future. The reason we could not get those guys was because of a silly MLB rule.

The 2026 draft is being talked about as a very good draft. Roch Cholowsky is seen as one of the best college shortstop prospects in the last decade. However, the Nationals have no chance at him because they are picking 11th. Sure, the Nats still need to do a better job at hitting on these first round picks, but we are being screwed over.

Thankfully, the Nats got some lottery luck in 2025 and were able to pick Eli Willits first overall. It would be even more frustrating if the Nats were picking 7th or 8th and then got kicked out of the lottery.

The Washington Nationals select SS Eli Willits with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 MLB draft pic.twitter.com/Z8OXA7DamG

— ESPN (@espn) July 13, 2025

However, the fact that 2024 and 2026 are stronger at the top of the draft than 2025 ticks me off. I wish the Nats had an opportunity to grab some of the true blue chippers at the top of those drafts. Unfortunately, they will not be able to because of a silly rule. Paul Toboni will have to nail the 11th pick in his first draft, which is harder to do than a top 5 pick.

For me, the fix is pretty obvious. There should be the same set of rules for all teams. It should not matter where you stand on the revenue sharing totem pole. Whether you are kicked out after one year or two years, the rules should be the same for all teams. If you are picking in the top 10 multiple years in a row, you clearly need that pick, regardless of market size.

Teams like the White Sox and Nationals are being particularly screwed over by this. While they are revenue payers, they are not being run like big market teams, so we need to build in the draft. The White Sox finished 41-121 in 2024, but were booted to the 10th pick. That just makes absolutely no sense.

The Rockies not being able to pick inside the top 10 after a third straight horrible year makes more sense, but the White Sox were picking 15th overall in 2023. They should have been eligible to get the number one pick.

This will have to be sorted out in the next collective bargaining agreement because it is simply ridiculous. There are going to be more high profile issues that are discussed, but this needs to be something that is tweaked. The lottery system has some things I like about it, but this revenue sharing part is just screwing over Washington Nationals fans.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/mlb...tionals-being-screwed-by-new-mlb-draft-system

 

[Washington Nationals]

Miguel Cairo is out of the Washington Nationals managerial hunt as Paul Toboni shakes up the staff

It was expected, but Paul Toboni has shaken up the Nationals coaching staff. Along with that, Andrew Golden of the Washington Post revealed that Miguel Cairo is out of the running for the Nationals managerial job. None of this is surprising news given the team’s front office overhaul and 66-96 record in 2025.

Miguel Cairo has been informed he won't be the Nats' next manager, per sources.

Most of last year's staff, including Darnell Coles and Jim Hickey, was informed they won't return unless the next manager opts to keep them. More on the staff and search here:https://t.co/51jCzAmHL6

— Andrew Golden (@andrewcgolden) October 29, 2025

A lot of coaches from last year’s staff have been told they are not returning unless the next manager opts to keep them around. The biggest names of the group are hitting coach Darnell Coles, pitching coach Jim Hickey and first base coach Gerardo Parra. Hickey had been the pitching coach since 2021 and Coles had been in charge of the hitters since 2022.

Both of those guys were Davey Martinez hires through and through. Hickey and Martinez worked together in Tampa Bay and Chicago. Both were on Joe Maddon’s staff and had built up a relationship. Coles’ contact hitting philosophy aligned with Martinez’s views on hitting. The pair were also teammates on the 1992 Cincinnati Reds.

Cairo was also a former Martinez teammate and ally. While Paul Toboni interviewed him for the job, he was never seen as a serious candidate. He was too aligned with Martinez and did not get enough out of the team in his stint as interim boss to justify staying around.

In the Washington Post piece, it was revealed that the Nationals have interest in former Twins manager Rocco Baldelli and Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann. Former Orioles manager Brandon Hyde has also interviewed for the job. It seems like the manager hunt is starting to accelerate. I would not be surprised to see a new manager announced in the days following the World Series.

However, Hickey, Coles, and Parra are not the only staff members to leave. Henry Blanco, Ricky Gutierrez and Ricky Bones are also out. All of those guys have been around for multiple seasons and were Martinez allies.

Two coaches who are not out quite yet are pitching strategist Sean Doolittle and assistant hitting coach Chris Johnson. While their futures are uncertain, they are not out just yet. Those two coaches were seen as more analytically inclined.

It will be interesting to monitor the rest of this coaching search. When will the Nats get a new manager and what kind of staff will they assemble? We will get the answers to those questions in the coming weeks.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/was...s-managerial-hunt-paul-toboni-shakes-up-staff

 

[Washington Nationals]

Making of a Manager: How Blake Butera became the Washington Nationals manager at 33 years old

The Washington Nationals have a new manager! According to multiple reports, the team has decided to hire Blake Butera, a former minor league manager and player development guru with the Tampa Bay Rays. My first reaction was ‘who is that guy’ and I am sure I am not alone. We will dive into who Blake Butera really is.

The first thing that stands out about Blake Butera is that he is young, really young. At 33 years old, Butera is the youngest MLB manager since 1972. This is a big call by new POBO Paul Toboni, who is also very young at just 35. Clearly, the Nats are all in on a youth movement, not only on the field, but in the dugout and in the front office. The Louisiana born Butera is a perfect fit for this youth movement.

The Washington Nationals are hiring 33-year-old Blake Butera as their next manager, per @JeffPassan, making him the youngest manager since Frank Quilici of the Minnesota
Twins in 1972

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) October 30, 2025

So how did Butera get enough experience to be remotely qualified for this job at such a young age? As you would expect, he got into coaching at a young age. In fact, he got his first Minor League manager job at just 25 years old in short season ball in 2018. Getting that level of trust at such a young age is a crazy feat.

The Nationals are hiring Blake Butera to be their manager, per @JeffPassan.

Butera is just 33 years old, the youngest manager in MLB in over 50 years, and first became a manager at 25 years old for the Rays Single-A team. pic.twitter.com/5Rj0MhEpD4

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) October 30, 2025

He was able to be a manager in the Rays minor league system at such a young age because the organization knew the person. After a four year career at Boston College, Butera was drafted by the Rays in the 35th round of the 2015 draft. He played a couple seasons in the Rays minor league system, but at the end of the day, he was not good enough.

However, his baseball journey did not stop there. In his short career, he played four games for the Hudson Valley Renegades. That is important because he would be managing that same club just two seasons later in 2018. In those two seasons, Butera was a winner, finishing in first place both years. He went 45-30 and 43-32 in his two seasons there.

After the pandemic wiped away the 2020 Minor League season, Butera began managing the Rays Low-A team, the Charlestown RiverDogs. He spent two seasons there, and once again was a winning machine. Butera finished in first place both years and finished with records of 82-38 and 88-44. In his managerial career, he has worked with future stars such as Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero.

A lot to like about the hiring of Blake Butera as the Nationals' new manager

️ Ran player development for Rays elite player development machine.

️ Managed 4 seasons in minors (starting at 25 years old) and finished first 4 times and won 2 championships.

️ Has a lot in…

— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) October 30, 2025

However, the Nationals did not just hire Butera because he won a lot of games at the Minor League level. Instead, they chose him in large part due to his prowess at developing players. That is something Paul Toboni has really emphasized and is something Butera will look to do.

In fact, Butera’s latest job with the Rays was not as a Minor League manager. It was in a player development role. His official title was the Senior Director of Player Development, a job he had for two seasons. Before that, he spent a season as a Minor League Field Coordinator.

In his opening press conference, Paul Toboni said he wanted to build a “scouting and player development monster”. The hire of Butera is certainly in line with that statement. Instead of going after a former MLB manager, he found a 33 year old, who is an expert at developing players. Butera fits a Toboni pattern of going after young and ambitious voices.

Blake Butera's hiring is another step towards Paul Tobani's vision of creating a "scouting and player development monster". I'm all on board. https://t.co/J7VglrAXuM pic.twitter.com/eZKC2KG3hC

— Minor League Sports Town (@DCSportsCast) October 30, 2025

Honestly, it would not surprise me if Butera was originally interviewed for a front office position and Toboni was so impressed he thought Butera would work as a manager. Butera had been working in a front office role for a few years, but it seems like Toboni saw him as a coach. This reminds me of when Toboni talked about how this business is built around people. Toboni clearly values relationships and must have had a great rapport with Butera.

Speaking of relationships, Butera has built plenty of them over the years. He actually worked under Hall of Famer Mike Piazza for team Italy in the World Baseball Classic. Piazza was the manager, while Butera was his bench coach. Piazza had very nice things to say about Butera earlier today after the hire was announced.

Another person who had nice things to say about Butera was a future rival in new Orioles manager Craig Albernaz. The two crossed paths in Hudson Valley and became good friends. Albernaz tweeted about how much he loved Butera after the hire was announced. It will be exciting to see those two battle in the Battle of the Beltway for the next few years.

My guy!!! Elite human, friend, husband, and teacher. I hope the rest of the league is ready for this impact. I’m proud of you brother. https://t.co/mc67wLnpMI

— Craig Albernaz (@CraigAlbernaz) October 30, 2025

While Butera is extremely young and does not have a traditional pathway to becoming an MLB manager, he clearly has experience. He also has a lot of advocates around baseball that know him as an up and coming mind.

This is a guy who was clearly going to be an MLB manager at some point, so why not grab him early. Butera can grow with a young roster and learn along with them. It is not like the Nationals have playoff or bust expectations in 2026. Next season will be all about player development, and that is right in Butera’s lane.

However, it will be important for Butera to have some experience around him. I am going to be very curious who the bench coach is on this staff. Hopefully it is someone with a long history of experience in the big leagues. If Brandon Hyde or David Ross do not get managerial jobs, they should certainly give them a call.

For the hitting and pitching coaches I think the Nats should and probably will go young. It would fit the Toboni ethos and is something the Nats need. Jim Hickey and Darnell Coles were both in their 60’s and had an old school mentality. We need coaches with modern ideas in those positions.

I am truly fascinated to see how this Blake Butera hire goes. It is a boom or bust hire for sure. There is a chance that Butera is just not ready for the job and does not have the seniority to handle an MLB locker room. However, this could also be the perfect fit for a young team. If it goes well, Butera could be a dynastic manager for the Nats.

Clearly, Paul Toboni is not afraid to think outside the box and I love that. When he said he wanted a scouting and player development monster, he really meant. Toboni has already hired so many young, fresh voices. This is something I have wanted for years. Even if it does not work out, I love how ambitious these hires are. Nationals fans have wanted change for a long time, and they are getting it with Blake Butera.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/was...ame-washington-nationals-manager-33-years-old