The Washington Nationals’ offseason conversation has mostly centered on pitching, and for good reason. That was the club’s clearest weakness last year. But Paul Toboni doesn’t sound like a front office leader who wants to treat the offense as finished business.
Toboni has said at the end of the season and again this offseason that the Nationals can’t just assume the lineup will be as productive as it was last year. He repeated that point in an interview with the Nats Chat podcast, and it’s the kind of warning that feels worth taking seriously.
The Nationals probably won’t be diving into the very top of the position-player market. The budget isn’t unlimited, and a massive swing at the biggest names may not make much sense.
Still, if the right fit shows up, Toboni should be ready to move. Last year’s offense was strong, but there’s no guarantee that level of production simply carries over.
The lineup already took a hit when the Nationals traded Curtis Mead and Luis Garcia Jr. Both moves made sense, but they still left a dent in the offense. Garcia’s departure was the bigger blow, especially because Abimelec Ortiz didn’t hit well down the stretch.
If Washington wants to add on the offensive side, the left-handed first base spot looks like an obvious place to start. Even if the Nationals want to keep giving Ortiz chances, there should be options available to push him. Spencer Nusbaum identified a few possible targets in his look at the offense: Triston Casas, Kyle Manzardo and Nolan Schanuel.
Each of those bats would bring real competition for Ortiz. They’ve all shown flashes of success, but they’ve also hit rough patches. The Nationals have had some success helping players in that mold get back on track, and that makes one of those names feel like a reasonable fit.
There’s also the possibility that a Dylan Crews trade could change the picture. After the Jacob Young extension, that idea has been discussed, and if Crews were moved, Washington could target a big league ready first baseman as part of the return.
Sean Keys of the Blue Jays is one name that stands out. He’s 23, was excellent in the minors last year, and then struggled in his first big league look.
That profile would give the Nationals another option to challenge Ortiz.
A CJ Abrams trade would make the need even more urgent. His name has been in trade rumors for a long time, and there’s some long-term logic to moving him.
But doing so would leave a major hole in the offense for 2027. If that deal ever happens, Toboni would have a lot to figure out.
This is still a lineup that ranked top 10 in most offensive categories and top 5 in many of them. But the Nationals also benefited from pretty good injury luck and moved some important pieces out of that group. Plenty of fans will keep their eyes on pitching, yet Toboni seems well aware that the offense can’t just be left alone.
Pitching still feels like the area where the biggest moves need to happen. Even so, the offense shouldn’t be treated like a solved problem. James Wood will be back, but there’s a lot of uncertainty after that.
It’s not the loudest storyline of the winter, but what Toboni does with the offense will matter. The Nationals had a strong year at the plate, but there are still gaps to address, and prospects like Seaver King may help fill some of them. Paul Toboni has shown he’s more proactive than reactive, and that makes this one worth watching.
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Nationals Could Face A Tough Offseason Test In The Rotation Market
The Nationals are heading into the winter with the usual roster questions, but this one carries a little more urgency because the market itself may not cooperate. President of baseball operations Paul Toboni has already been active with roster moves and trades, and Washington is keeping an eye on Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan, a pitcher who could be available if the Twins decide to move him this offseason.
Ryans contract situation makes him especially interesting for clubs looking to add rotation help, since he is under team control through 2027. But the looming possibility of a labor lockout could make the timing tricky for Minnesota and for any team trying to strike a deal, which means the Nationals may have to navigate a market where the best arms are harder to pry loose and the window to do it may not stay open long. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Front Office Faces A Defining Vegas Test
The GM Meetings in Las Vegas have taken on a different kind of urgency this week, with trade talk reportedly moving faster than usual as clubs brace for an expected lockout in early December. For the Nationals, that means the usual November gathering is less about routine check-ins and more about whether the front office sees a chance to get ahead of the calendar and reshape the roster before the market freezes up.
Washingtons plans remain murky, but the stakes are clear enough: this is the kind of week that can reveal whether the Nationals are ready to be aggressive or content to wait. CJ Abrams is part of the conversation, and so is the broader direction of the club, with the next few days in Vegas likely to say plenty about how far the organization is willing to go before the lockout changes everything. [Read more 🡒]