2026 Washington Nationals season

Last updated

2026  Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals Cap Insig.svg
League National League
Division East
Ballpark Nationals Park
CityWashington, D.C.
Owners Lerner Enterprises
President of baseball operations Paul Toboni
General manager Anirudh Kilambi
Manager Blake Butera
Television MASN
Radio 106.7 The Fan
Washington Nationals Radio Network
  2025

The 2026 Washington Nationals season will be the Nationals' 22nd season as the Major League Baseball franchise in the District of Columbia, the 19th season at Nationals Park, and the 58th since the original team was started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Contents

This will be the first season under new President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni, new general manager Anirudh Kilambi, and new manager Blake Butera.

Offseason

Front office

The Nationals finished out the 2025 season under interim general manager Mike DeBartolo, after dismissing president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez in July. [1]

Within days of their season ending with a 66–96 record, good for last place in the National League East Division, the Nationals announced the hiring of 35-year-old Boston Red Sox assistant general manager Paul Toboni as their new president of baseball operations, [2] with DeBartolo remaining with the organization as an assistant general manager and senior vice president. [3] [4] Several other members of the front office, including longtime assistant general managers Eddie Longosz and Mark Scialabba, were not retained. [5] Toboni made several key additions to his leadership team, including Philadelphia Phillies assistant general manager Anirudh Kilambi as general manager, [6] former colleague and Red Sox scouting director Devin Pearson [7] and Pittsburgh Pirates scouting director Justin Horowitz as assistant general managers, [8] and Red Sox field coordinator Andrew Wright as his special assistant. [4]

Coaching staff

The 2025 Nationals coaching staff's contracts expired after the end of the World Series. [9]

While Washington was linked in media reports to 2025 interim manager Miguel Cairo, former Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, former Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde, Portland Sea Dogs manager Chad Epperson, Cleveland Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz, and Los Angeles Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann, [10] Toboni's choice for the new manager of the Nationals was a surprise: 33-year-old Blake Butera, the Tampa Bay Rays senior director of player development and two-time Carolina League Manager of the Year. [11] Upon their hiring, both Butera and Toboni were the youngest people in Major League Baseball to hold their positions, respectively as team manager and top executive. [12]

As Butera's 13-man coaching staff came together, [13] Washington retained just one holdover from its 202425 coaches: former Nationals closer Sean Doolittle, who was given the position of assistant pitching coach after two seasons as a pitching strategist. [14] The average age of the coaching staff dropped from 51 in 2025 to about 36, as The Washington Post reported, with several of Butera's coaches still in their 20s and 30s. Many of the new coaches came to the Nationals from backgrounds in player development—such as minor league and winter league manager Víctor Estévez, hired as third base/infield coach, and Indiana University pitching coach Dustin Glant, joining Doolittle as an assistant pitching coach. [15]

Player development system

More than a dozen minor league coaches and player development staff members were dismissed early in the offseason. [16] Among other areas of the Nationals organization, Toboni moved to overhaul the player development side, staffing it with hitting and pitching coordinators for the lower and higher minor league levels, under directors to provide a cohesive approach up and down the minor league system. [17] [18]

The Nationals hired away minor league pitching coordinator Grayson Crawford from the division-rival New York Mets to be their new director of pitching. [19] They hired C. J. Gillman, previously a minor league hitting coordinator with the Seattle Mariners, [20] as their director of hitting. [17]

Washington also invested in more technology and training equipment, one of the major offseason priorities for Toboni and Pearson, to enhance player development. [18]

Roster

The Nationals removed several players from the roster before the end of the 2025 World Series: relievers Shinnosuke Ogasawara, Eduardo Salazar, and Mason Thompson and catchers Jorge Alfaro and C. J. Stubbs. [21] Reliever Derek Law, first baseman Josh Bell, and third baseman Paul DeJong became free agents as their contracts expired. [22] Relievers Zach Brzykcy and Ryan Loutos and infielder Trey Lipscomb were also trimmed from the roster days later. [23] Washington tendered new contracts to starting pitchers Cade Cavalli, MacKenzie Gore, Josiah Gray, and Jake Irvin and to infielders CJ Abrams and Luis García Jr., who were each eligible for arbitration. They agreed to terms with catcher Riley Adams on a one-year contract ahead of the non-tender deadline. [24]

The team protected three prospects eligible for the Rule 5 draft by adding them to the roster: pitchers Jake Bennett and Riley Cornelio and outfielder Christian Franklin. [25] The Nationals were active in the Rule 5 draft themselves, selecting Philadelphia pitching prospect Griff McGarry to the major league roster. [26]

Toboni executed his first trade at the helm of the Nationals on December 6, 2025, sending closer José A. Ferrer to the Seattle Mariners for prospects Harry Ford and Isaac Lyon. [27] He then traded Bennett to the Red Sox for another pitching prospect, Luis Perales. [28] Toboni also publicly acknowledged the Nationals were listening to offers for other players with multiple years of team control, with trade speculation focusing mainly on Gore and Abrams. [29]

The Nationals announced their first major league free agent signing under Toboni on December 22, 2025, signing starting pitcher Foster Griffin for a reported $5.5 million after Griffin spent three seasons overseas, pitching for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball. [30]

Offseason transactions

Game log

Legend
 Nationals win
 Nationals loss
 Postponement
BoldNationals team member
2026 Game Log: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)
March/April: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecordStreak
1March 26@ Cubs (—)(—)
2March 28@ Cubs (—)(—)
3March 29@ Cubs (—)(—)
4March 30@ Phillies (—)(—)
5March 31@ Phillies (—)(—)
6April 1@ Phillies (—)(—)
7April 3 Dodgers (—)(—)
8April 4 Dodgers (—)(—)
9April 5 Dodgers (—)(—)
10April 6 Cardinals (—)(—)
11April 7 Cardinals (—)(—)
12April 8 Cardinals (—)(—)
13April 10@ Brewers (—)(—)
14April 11@ Brewers (—)(—)
15April 12@ Brewers (—)(—)
16April 13@ Pirates (—)(—)
17April 14@ Pirates (—)(—)
18April 15@ Pirates (—)(—)
19April 16@ Pirates (—)(—)
20April 17 Giants (—)(—)
21April 18 Giants (—)(—)
22April 19 Giants (—)(—)
23April 20 Braves (—)(—)
24April 21 Braves (—)(—)
25April 22 Braves (—)(—)
26April 23 Braves (—)(—)
27April 24@ White Sox (—)(—)
28April 25@ White Sox (—)(—)
29April 26@ White Sox (—)(—)
30April 28@ Mets (—)(—)
31April 29@ Mets (—)(—)
32April 30@ Mets (—)(—)
May: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecordStreak
33May 1 Brewers (—)(—)
34May 2 Brewers (—)(—)
35May 3 Brewers (—)(—)
36May 5 Twins (—)(—)
37May 6 Twins (—)(—)
38May 7 Twins (—)(—)
39May 8@ Marlins (—)(—)
40May 9@ Marlins (—)(—)
41May 10@ Marlins (—)(—)
42May 12@ Reds (—)(—)
43May 13@ Reds (—)(—)
44May 14@ Reds (—)(—)
45May 15 Orioles (—)(—)
46May 16 Orioles (—)(—)
47May 17 Orioles (—)(—)
48May 18 Mets (—)(—)
49May 19 Mets (—)(—)
50May 20 Mets (—)(—)
51May 21 Mets (—)(—)
52May 22@ Braves (—)(—)
53May 23@ Braves (—)(—)
54May 24@ Braves (—)(—)
55May 25@ Guardians (—)(—)
56May 26@ Guardians (—)(—)
57May 27@ Guardians (—)(—)
58May 29 Padres (—)(—)
59May 30 Padres (—)(—)
60May 31 Padres (—)(—)
June: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecordStreak
61June 1 Marlins (—)(—)
62June 2 Marlins (—)(—)
63June 3 Marlins (—)(—)
64June 5@ Diamondbacks (—)(—)
65June 6@ Diamondbacks (—)(—)
66June 7@ Diamondbacks (—)(—)
67June 8@ Giants (—)(—)
68June 9@ Giants (—)(—)
69June 10@ Giants (—)(—)
70June 12 Mariners (—)(—)
71June 13 Mariners (—)(—)
72June 14 Mariners (—)(—)
73June 15 Royals (—)(—)
74June 16 Royals (—)(—)
75June 17 Royals (—)(—)
76June 19@ Rays (—)(—)
77June 20@ Rays (—)(—)
78June 21@ Rays (—)(—)
79June 22 Phillies (—)(—)
80June 23 Phillies (—)(—)
81June 24 Phillies (—)(—)
82June 25 Phillies (—)(—)
83June 26@ Orioles (—)(—)
84June 27@ Orioles (—)(—)
85June 28@ Orioles (—)(—)
86June 29@ Red Sox (—)(—)
87June 30@ Red Sox (—)(—)
July: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecordStreak
88July 1@ Red Sox (—)(—)
89July 3 Pirates (—)(—)
90July 4 Pirates (—)(—)
91July 5 Pirates (—)(—)
92July 6 Astros (—)(—)
93July 7 Astros (—)(—)
94July 8 Astros (—)(—)
95July 10 Yankees (—)(—)
96July 11 Yankees (—)(—)
97July 12 Yankees (—)(—)
All–Star Break (July 13–16)
98July 17@ Athletics (—)(—)
99July 18@ Athletics (—)(—)
100July 19@ Athletics (—)(—)
101July 20@ Rockies (—)(—)
102July 21@ Rockies (—)(—)
103July 22@ Rockies (—)(—)
104July 24 Diamondbacks (—)(—)
105July 25 Diamondbacks (—)(—)
106July 26 Diamondbacks (—)(—)
107July 27 Blue Jays (—)(—)
108July 28 Blue Jays (—)(—)
109July 29 Blue Jays (—)(—)
110July 30@ Braves (—)(—)
111July 31@ Braves (—)(—)
August: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecordStreak
112August 1@ Braves (—)(—)
113August 2@ Braves (—)(—)
114August 3@ Phillies (—)(—)
115August 4@ Phillies (—)(—)
116August 5@ Phillies (—)(—)
117August 6@ Phillies (—)(—)
118August 7 Reds (—)(—)
119August 8 Reds (—)(—)
120August 9 Reds (—)(—)
121August 11 Cubs (—)(—)
122August 12 Cubs (—)(—)
123August 13 Cubs (—)(—)
124August 14@ Mets (—)(—)
125August 15@ Mets (—)(—)
126August 16@ Mets (—)(—)
127August 18@ Rangers (—)(—)
128August 19@ Rangers (—)(—)
129August 20@ Rangers (—)(—)
130August 21@ Marlins (—)(—)
131August 22@ Marlins (—)(—)
132August 23@ Marlins (—)(—)
133August 24 Rockies (—)(—)
134August 25 Rockies (—)(—)
135August 26 Rockies (—)(—)
136August 27 Rockies (—)(—)
137August 28 Marlins (—)(—)
138August 29 Marlins (—)(—)
139August 30 Marlins (—)(—)
140August 31 Marlins (—)(—)
September: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecordStreak
141September 1 Braves (—)(—)
142September 2 Braves (—)(—)
143September 4@ Dodgers (—)(—)
144September 5@ Dodgers (—)(—)
145September 6@ Dodgers (—)(—)
146September 7@ Padres (—)(—)
147September 8@ Padres (—)(—)
148September 9@ Padres (—)(—)
149September 11 Angels (—)(—)
150September 12 Angels (—)(—)
151September 13 Angels (—)(—)
152September 15 Phillies (—)(—)
153September 16 Phillies (—)(—)
154September 18@ Cardinals (—)(—)
155September 19@ Cardinals (—)(—)
156September 20@ Cardinals (—)(—)
157September 21@ Tigers (—)(—)
158September 22@ Tigers (—)(—)
159September 23@ Tigers (—)(—)
160September 25 Mets (—)(—)
161September 26 Mets (—)(—)
162September 27 Mets (—)(—)

Current roster

40-man rosterNon-roster inviteesCoaches / other

Pitchers

Infielders


Manager

Coaches


Farm system

LevelTeamLeagueManager
Triple-A Rochester Red Wings International League
Double-A Harrisburg Senators Eastern League
High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks South Atlantic League
Low-A Fredericksburg Nationals Carolina League
Rookie FCL Nationals Florida Complex League
Rookie DSL Nationals Dominican Summer League

References

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