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By Jon Paul Hoornstra
Contributing Sports Writer
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When the Washington Nationals hired Paul Toboni to be their president of baseball operations on Oct. 1, 2025, the 36-year-old executive figured to be spending the weeks leading up to his first trade deadline dealing for minor league prospects.
Ten months later, Toboni still isn't sure how the Aug. 3 deadline will play out in D.C.
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“I don’t know what we’re going to be thinking a month from now,” Toboni told reporters June 29.
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Toboni's Nationals are 43-43 through June 29, 2.5 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals and the Miami Marlins for the final National League Wild Card berth. For a team that was projected to finish last in its division for the sixth time in the last seven seasons, that's no small feat.
It's important for an executive to straddle the line between hope and pragmatism. The Nats can tip Toboni's instincts in either direction, depending on how they play over the next month.
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While Toboni would not want to signal to his players that he's prematurely giving up on their chances of a playoff run in 2026, he must also realize their relative youth. Washington's position player core is the youngest in MLB.
Mortgaging the future for the present would be dangerous. It's a tricky line to straddle.
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"We were pretty careful about not setting expectations too high or too low coming in to this," Toboni said. "Just kind of see how it went with every passing day. I've been pretty vocal about it.”
The Nationals' lack of an established closer is a glaring weakness. Their bullpen's 22 losses collectively rank as the most in MLB, tied with the Kansas City Royals. Trading for a couple veteran relievers, and shifting their best current arms into lower-leverage situations, would immediately help.
The Nationals' middling farm system isn't in dire need of restocking. Their bullpen is — an upgrade that might not cost them their best prospects. For a franchise that hasn't reached the postseason since it won the 2019 World Series — and holds two of the top 42 picks in the July draft — the case to acquire relief help is strong.
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