‘They don’t appear to be very good’: The Nats’ 2025–2026 off season in review

Opening day, March 26, is upon us, so it’s time for my annual review of the Nationals’ acquisitions and departures since the end of the 2025 season.

New management

The hiring of Paul Toboni as the new president of baseball operations happened at the end of last season and was briefly discussed in my September in review article. The news in the first half of the off season was dominated by the repercussions of that change, as almost the entire front office and field staff was turned over. The new hires were mostly very young, reflecting the youth of Toboni, who just turned 36 years old. Ani Kilambi, a 31-year-old assistant GM from the Phillies organization, was hired as the new general manager and will work under Toboni. Mike DeBartolo, the Nats interim GM for the last half of the 2025 season, remained with the organization as senior vice president and assistant GM.

On October 31, the Nationals announced that their new manager would be Blake Butera, who at age 33 became the youngest MLB manager since Frank Quilici managed the Twins in 1972. Butera comes from the Rays organization, where at age 25 in 2018 he became the youngest manager in minor league baseball. He managed the Class A short season Hudson Valley Renegades for two seasons, followed by two seasons with the Class A Charleston Riverdogs in the Carolina League. In 2023 he served as assistant field coordinator, and in 2024 he was promoted to senior director of player development.

I won’t list all the names, but Butera’s new coaching staff is similarly young. One notable holdover is Sean Doolittle, who remains with the organization as assistant pitching coach. Simon Mathews, age 30 and formerly with the Reds organization, is the new pitching coach. Another huge change is the Nats’ adoption of technology, such as the Trajekt Arc pitching machine. which is capable of mirroring the delivery and release point of any selected major league pitcher. This type of technology had already been adopted by most of the other MLB teams, so the Nats are playing catch up. The hiring of the new, young staff was clearly aimed at bringing in people who are comfortable with technology and analytics.

New players acquired

The biggest free agent acquisition of the off season came quite late, on March 10, when 30-year-old right-handed pitcher Zack Littell signed a 1-year contract for $7 million guaranteed plus incentives for innings pitched that could increase its value to $9.5 million. There’s also a mutual option for 2027, though such options are seldom exercised by both parties. Littell has 8 seasons of MLB experience with the Twins, Giants, Red Sox, Rays, and Reds. He spent his first few seasons as a reliever, but in 2023 with the Rays he converted to a starter. Over the last three seasons he went 21–24, averaging 30 games and 25 starts per season with 144 IP, 115 SO, and only 25 BB, with an ERA of 3.80 (ERA+ of 109), a 4.34 FIP, and a 1.171 WHIP. A question going into the season is how ready he will be to start games after an abbreviated spring training.

On December 22, the Nats signed the 30-year-old left-handed pitcher Foster Griffin to a 1-year contract for $5.5 million plus incentives. Griffin pitched 7 MLB games in relief for the Royals and Blue Jays in 2020 and 2022 with an ERA of 6.75 but has reinvented himself as a starting pitcher over the last three seasons in Japan. Pitching for the Yomiuri Giants, Foster went 18–10, averaging 18 games, 105 IP, 106 SO, 23 BB, with an ERA of 2.57 and a WHIP of 1.033. We’ll soon find out how well that performance translates to the MLB context.

The third player to join the team as a major league free agent was another starting pitcher, right-hander Miles Mikolas, who signed for $2.25 million plus incentives. At 37-years old, Mikolas will be the old man of the Nats clubhouse. Over ten major league seasons (2012–14, 2018–19, and 2021–25) he pitched for the Padres, Rangers, and Cardinals (for whom he’s pitched since 2018). From 2015–17 he pitched in Japan for the Yomiuri Giants (the same team that Griffin would pitch for), and in 2020 he sat out the pandemic season with an injury. During his first two MLB seasons he pitched from the bullpen but since then has been used almost exclusively as a starter and has started 213 of his 241 career games. His career record is 72–75 with a 4.24 ERA. Over the last three seasons his record was 27–35 while averaging 33 starts, 120 strikeouts, and 176 innings per season with a 4,98 ERA, 4.49 FIP, and 1.304 WHIP.

Leading the additions to the bullpen is the 29-year-old left hander, Cionel Pérez. Over 8 seasons from 2018 to 2025, he pitched 257 games for the Astros, Reds, and Orioles with a 15–6 record and a 4.22 ERA. Over the last three seasons his record was 6–2 with 5 saves as he’s averaged 37 strikeouts in 42 innings per season with a 4.76 ERA, 3.94 FIP, and 1.585 WHIP. He came to camp on a minor league contract and at the end of spring training was added to the Nats roster with a $1.9 million contract.

The Nats acquired the 25-year-old right hander, Andre Granillo, in a trade with the Cardinals for right-handed pitcher George Soriano, whom the Nats had just claimed off waivers from the Braves. In 2021, Granillo was drafted in the 14th round by the Cardinals and in 2025 pitched in 14 games for them, going 1–0 with 18 strikeouts in 21 innings, a 4.71 ERA, 4.42 FIP, and 1.381 WHIP.

The probable opening day bullpen was completed by adding two pitchers acquired via waiver claims. Mike Rizzo had used waiver claims somewhat sparingly, but Paul Toboni appears to follow the more aggressive approach used by a number of teams of claiming a quite a few players off waivers, then designating them for assignment if a more favorable prospect becomes available. This sets off a sort of game of musical chairs, in which players move on paper from team to team until they finally land at a team that is willing to keep them. The relief pitchers acquired off waivers were:

• Gus Varland, a 29-year-old right hander claimed from the Diamondbacks. Varland was a 14th round draft pick by the A’s in 2018 and pitched in the majors in 2023–24 for the Brewers, Dodgers, and White Sox. In 42 career games he has a 2–1 record, 47 strikeouts in 46⅔ innings, a 4.82 ERA, 4.25 FIP, and 1.736 WHIP. He spent the most of the 2025 season on the injured list, pitching in just 8 minor league games in the White Sox system.
• Ken Waldichuk is a 28-year-old left hander claimed from the Rays. Waldichuk was a 5th round draft pick by the Yankees in 2019 and pitched in the majors in 2022–23 for the A’s. Over two seasons, he pitched 42 games, including 29 starts, striking out 165 in 175⅔ innings with a 5.28 ERA, 5.10 FIP, and 1.491 WHIP. He missed the 2024 season, having Tommy John surgery, and returned to the minor leagues in the last half of 2025 to pitch 17 games, including 16 starts.

The Nationals were less active in acquiring position players, but they acquired a couple of players via trades:

• Jorbit Vivas, a 25-year-old infielder who mostly plays second base and third base and bats left-handed, was acquired from the Yankees in a trade for pitching prospect Sean Paul Liñan (whom the Nats had acquired last summer from the Dodgers in the Alex Call trade). Vivas profiles as a light-hitting infielder with good on-base skills but little power. In 18 career major league games, he hit .227/.370/.273 in 27 plate appearances. Over the last three seasons at the Triple-A level, he hit .246/.365/.356 with 14 home runs in 993 plate appearances. Vivas is out of options, so he can’t be optioned to the minor leagues, which places him in the same category as the Nats’ other 25-year-old left-handed-hitting second and third baseman, José Tena, who is also out of options. It will be interesting to see whether both of them manage to remain on the active roster, or if one of them supplants the other.
• Harry Ford, a 23-year-old right-handed hitting catcher, was acquired from the Mariners in a trade for Jose A. Ferrer. Ford was a first round draft pick by the Mariners in 2021 (12th pick overall) and is ranked in MLB Pipeline’s top 100 prospects list at # 71. In the Mariners system, he was stuck behind star catcher Cal Raleigh, making him available for a trade. He appeared in 8 major league games in late 2025, going 1 for 6. In one season at the Triple-A level he hit .283/.408/.460 in 458 plate appearances. He will start the season in Rochester, but reporters say we should expect to see him playing for the Nats later this season.

The outfield was augmented by adding Joey Wiemer, a 27-year-old right-handed-hitting center fielder who was claimed off waivers from the Giants. Wiemer was drafted by the Brewers in the 4th round in 2020 and has played in 3 seasons (2023–25) for the Brewers, Reds and Marlins. In 180 games (499 plate appearances) he hit .205/.279/.359 with 16 home runs and 54 RBI.

Departures

The most notable departure this off-season was the Nats’ pitching ace, left-hander MacKenzie Gore, who was traded on January 22 to the Rangers for five prospects. During the 3 seasons that Gore played for the Nats, he pitched 89 games (all of them starts), going 22–37 and striking out 517 in 462⅓ innings with a 4.15 ERA, 4.01 FIP, and 1.391 WHIP. The most prominent of the prospects that the Nats obtained was infielder Gavin Fien, who will be 19 years old during the 2026 season and will probably start the year in Single-A. Fien was drafted by the Rangers in the first round of the 2025 draft (12th overall) and appears in Keith Law’s list of top 100 prospects for The Athletic at # 76.

As we’ve already mentioned, another departing pitcher was Jose A. Ferrer, who was traded to the Mariners for Harry Ford and another prospect. In three seasons with the Nats (2023–25) he pitched in 142 games, going 8–4 and striking out 121 in 142⅓ innings with a 4.36 ERA, 3.33 FIP, and 1.265 WHIP.

The Nationals also bid adieu to four players who became free agents at the end of their contracts:

• Catcher Jorge Alfaro appeared in 14 games for the Nationals in late 2025, hitting .256/.256/.308 with 3 RBI in 14 games and 39 plate appearances. He signed a minor league contract with the Royals.
• DH and first baseman Josh Bell appeared in 387 games over three seasons (2021–22 and 2025) for the Nationals. He hit .264/.350/.460 with 63 home runs and 208 RBI in 1,538 plate appearances and was a fan favorite during his time with the team. Bell signed a major league contract with the Twins.
• Infielder Paul DeJong appeared in 57 games for the Nats in 2025, hitting .228/.269/.373 with 6 home runs and 23 RBI in 208 plate appearances. He signed a minor league contract with the Yankees.
• Right-handed relief pitcher Derek Law appeared in 75 games for the Nats in 2024, going 7–4 with a 2.60 ERA and 1.178 WHIP. He missed the 2025 season with a partial tear of his flexor tendon that ultimately required surgery. He is still recovering from the surgery and, as far as I know, hasn’t yet been signed for 2026.

Left-handed relief pitcher Konnor Pilkington elected free agency after being designated for assignment. In 2025 he pitched 32 games for the Nats going 2–0 with a 4.45 ERA and 1.376 WHIP. He has signed a minor league contract with the Tigers.

Right-handed relief pitcher Sauryn Lao was released by the Nationals so that he could pursue a playing opportunity in Japan. In 2025 he pitched 6 games for the Nats going 1–0 with a 3.52 ERA and 1.174 WHIP. He signed to play for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.

A couple of Nats players departed via waiver claims made by other teams:

• Right-handed relief pitcher Zach Brzykcy was claimed off waivers by the Marlins. In 2024 and 2025, Brzykcy pitched 32 games for the Nats, going 0–1 with a 10.05 ERA and 1.814 WHIP.
• Right-handed relief pitcher Ryan Loutos was claimed off waivers by the Mariners. In 2025 Loutos pitched 10 games for the Nats, going 1–0 with a 12.00 ERA and 2.444 WHIP.

Several Nats minor leaguers who had previously played for the major league team also became free agents:

• Right-handed pitcher Joan Adon elected free agency. In four seasons with the Nats (2021–24) he pitched in 35 games, making 26 starts and going 3–16 with a 6.66 ERA and 1.693 WHIP. As far as I’m aware, he hasn’t signed a 2026 contract.
• Catcher CJ Stubbs elected free agency. He played just a single game for the Nats, but it was a memorable one. On September 1, 2025, he and starting pitcher Andrew Alvarez both made their major league debuts, with Stubbs getting unexpectedly called up after an injury left the Nats without a catcher. Alvarez pitched 5 innings and Stubbs caught the complete game, going 0 for 3 at the plate, as the Nats shut out the Marlins by a 2–0 score. Stubbs has signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays.
• First baseman and DH Juan Yepez elected free agency. In 2024 he played 62 games for the Nats, hitting .283/.335/.429 with 6 home runs and 26 RBI. He signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays, but they have just released him at the end of spring training.

Finally, we bid adieu to former interim manager Miguel Cairo and the other coaches and staff who were let go by the new administration. Cairo served as the Nationals bench coach in 2024 and 2025 and took over as interim manager on July 7, 2025. During his time as interim manager, the team had a 29–43 record. He has been hired by the Orioles as their infield coach.

Starting the season on the 60-day disabled list

At the end of spring training, we were disappointed to learn that Josiah Gray had to go on the 60-day disabled list with a right flexor strain. He missed most of the 2024 and 2025 seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery and an internal brace procedure and made only three minor league rehab starts in September. Things had seemingly gone well for Gray in spring training, as he pitched well in a couple of starts and was looking forward to building up his strength in Rochester before hopefully returning to the Nats rotation. We hope that he will be able to recover and return from this setback.

The other two names on the 60-day disabled list were not surprises, as DJ Herz (Tommy John surgery) and Trevor Williams (internal brace procedure) each continue their recoveries from surgery.

The biggest surprise from spring training

Going into spring training, Dylan Crews had seemed like a lock to start the season as one of the regular outfielders. But after struggling at the plate all spring (and following a disappointing rookie season in which he battled injuries and hit only .208/.280/.352), he was optioned to Rochester to start the 2026 season. Butera expressed confidence that Crews would work out his batting issues and return to the major league team.

Looking at the overall state of the team entering the new season, we continue to see only a handful of potential stars on the active roster. We hope that they and their teammates can catch some luck and that our minor league talent continues to develop.