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Yesterday, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the Washington Nationals are set to hire Boston Red Sox assistant general manager Paul Toboni as their new Head of Baseball Operations. He will replace longtime executive Mike Rizzo, who was dismissed in July after 15 years at the helm. Toboni, 37, has earned a strong reputation across the league as one of baseball’s sharpest young executives, credited with drafting high-upside players such as Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, and Kristian Campbell. His scouting and front-office acumen also played a role in Boston’s ability to acquire left-handed ace Garrett Crochet, an early move that reshaped the Red Sox’s rotation.

While the Nationals have yet to officially confirm the hiring, Toboni’s arrival represents a pivotal moment for a franchise at a crossroads. With just over five weeks until free agency, Washington can now begin its managerial search and map out an offseason strategy. The timing is critical: the Nationals are attempting to shift from a drawn-out rebuild into the early stages of contention, and front-office alignment will dictate whether progress accelerates or stalls.

The challenges facing Toboni are extensive. His first task will be to help ownership identify both a general manager and a field manager who share a long-term vision for remaking the organization. In many respects, this is more than just a routine front-office shuffle—this decision could prove to be the Nationals’ most consequential since the franchise relocated from Montreal two decades ago. The pressure will be immense, not only to rebuild a roster capable of competing in the near future but also to modernize the team’s infrastructure at every level of operation.

The overarching question surrounding Toboni’s hiring is how much control he will actually wield. Will he be empowered to execute a full-scale reset—making aggressive moves in roster construction, player development, and organizational culture—or will he face constraints from ownership that limit his authority? For a franchise still working to reconnect with its fanbase and reestablish its place among contenders, the answer will shape not just Toboni’s tenure but the Nationals’ trajectory for years to come.

As this pivotal offseason unfolds, The Nats Report will provide complete coverage, from front-office changes and managerial hires to free agency updates and roster analysis. Stay locked in with us to follow how Paul Toboni’s hiring reshapes baseball in Washington. Subscribe to Nats Report+ for exclusive analysis and insider reporting, and don’t forget to bookmark our Offseason Hub to stay on top of every move the Nationals make.

What do you think of the hire?

The Washington Nationals ended their last road trip of the 2025 season with a Curly W against the Atlanta Braves snapping the Braves 10 game winning streak thanks to home runs by Josh Bell and James Wood.

Andrew Alvarez delivered a steady outing over 4 ⅓ innings, while Josh Bell and James Wood powered the offense with three combined home runs as the Nationals edged their division rivals, 4-3, in front of 32,898 fans at Truist Park.

“It was nice to come away with a .500 road trip,” interim manager Miguel Cairo said. “Taking two out of three against the Mets and grabbing one here was awesome. The guys fought, we hit the ball hard, and the pitching—from the starter to the bullpen—was strong. It was a complete team win.”

Making his fifth career start, Alvarez showed a bounce-back effort after a rough outing in New York last week, when he allowed six runs (four earned) over just 3 ⅓ innings against the Mets.

Back in July, Nationals fans and analysts were locked in debate over who Washington should select with the first overall pick. The discussion largely centered around Ethan Holliday and Kade Anderson, although Eli Willits had a smaller, passionate following. Ultimately, it was Willits who heard his name called.

While some embraced the move, others in the Nationals community were outraged, particularly critics who misunderstood how the MLB Draft bonus pool works, framing the decision as ownership simply cutting costs. Now that we’re a few months removed from the chaos of draft week, let’s revisit the Nationals’ decision to choose Willits over Holliday.

Read the full article here exclusively for Nats Report+ subscribers.

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