Washington Nationals’ Manager Search: Paul Toboni’s Deliberate Rebuild

The Washington Nationals are deep in the middle of a franchise-wide transformation, and while fans are waiting for answers, one question dominates the offseason: why haven’t they hired a new manager yet? The answer isn’t simple, but it says a lot about where the organization is headed. This delay isn’t about hesitation—it’s about deliberate intent.

Letting go of manager Davey Martinez and longtime GM Mike Rizzo marked the end of an era, but what followed went far beyond a routine leadership change. It became a full philosophical reboot. Enter Paul Toboni, the former Red Sox scouting director turned President of Baseball Operations. His vision for Washington is direct and ambitious: build a “player development monster.” To achieve that, Toboni is reimagining every part of the organization—from scouting and analytics to coaching and clubhouse culture. Finding the right manager is just one part of this larger picture, and Toboni is making sure that piece fits perfectly.

The search for a manager, then, isn’t about filling a vacancy. It’s about finding a leader who reflects the Nationals’ new organizational identity. Toboni has made player development the foundation of his approach. The next manager must be far more than an in-game tactician; they must be a teacher, communicator, and cultural architect. That’s why Toboni’s approach feels so methodical. He isn’t rushing to make a hire simply to move forward. Instead, he’s carefully evaluating candidates—those who can connect with a young, talented core that includes James Wood, Dylan Crews, CJ Abrams, and Daylen Lile; those who understand how to blend traditional scouting instincts with analytical insight; and those willing to grow alongside a team that’s rebuilding from the ground up.

That strategic alignment explains the length of the process. Candidates like Brandon Hyde and Miguel Cairo are known to be under consideration, though Toboni is almost certainly exploring other names behind the scenes. Hyde brings experience guiding a young Orioles team through a rebuild, while Cairo’s interview may reflect the symbolic nature of the Nationals’ front-office reset. Craig Albernaz, once considered a rising analytical leader, is now off the market after taking the Orioles job. Toboni’s openness to first-time managers expands the field but also increases the scrutiny—he wants someone whose skills complement his own and whose presence can help cultivate an entirely new culture.

The delay also stems from the sweeping overhaul Toboni enacted in the front office shortly after arriving. More than a dozen staff members were replaced or departed, including longtime assistant GMs Eddie Longosz and Mark Scialabba. This was not a reshuffling—it was a teardown of the Nationals’ baseball operations structure. In its place, Toboni has been assembling a front office built on trust and familiarity, bringing in colleagues from his Red Sox days such as Devin Pearson and Justin Horowitz, both strong voices in scouting and player development. Together, they signify a philosophical shift toward development, analytics, infrastructure, and fresh perspectives replacing legacy ones.

That kind of rebuild doesn’t happen overnight. Toboni isn’t just hiring a manager; he’s constructing an ecosystem designed to support that manager—a framework of data analysts, development coordinators, and scouting personnel all aligned under a unified direction. The new manager must fit into that system, not the other way around.

The Nationals’ approach makes sense when viewed through their roster’s potential. This isn’t a team starting over from scratch—it’s one reloading with young, promising talent. But potential only becomes performance under the right leadership. The next manager must be someone who inspires, teaches, and reinforces winning habits for players still learning how to compete at the highest level. Toboni’s patience reflects the magnitude of the decision. The manager he selects will help define the franchise’s identity for years to come, and rushing the process would undermine the foundation being built.

In an era when fans expect instant results, the Nationals’ slow, steady approach may feel uneasy. But it’s also a sign of maturity and long-term vision. Toboni isn’t merely assembling a team—he’s crafting a culture rooted in development, communication, and growth. Whoever ends up leading in the dugout will be at the center of that effort.

So while the wait continues, fans should see it for what it is: patience with purpose. Washington isn’t just searching for a manager. It’s searching for the right one. And that’s worth waiting for.