Andrew Golden

The Nationals are planning to introduce their new manager Blake Butera on Monday at 1:30.

Can confirm @ken-rosenthal.bsky.social’s report that Michael Johns will be the Nationals’ new bench coach.

He was the Rays’ first-base coach the past two seasons. He was also TB’s minor league field coordinator during Blake Butera’s 4 years as an A-ball manager.

James Wood was a finalist for an NL Silver Slugger but didn’t win the award. Juan Soto, Corbin Carroll and Kyle Tucker are the 2025 NL outfield recipients. Here’s how he stacked up against Carroll/Tucker:

A few roster moves from the Nationals:

Trey Lipscomb cleared outright waivers, assigned outright to Triple-A Rochester.

The Mariners claimed Ryan Loutos off of outright waivers.

Four players reinstated from 60-day IL: Josiah Gray, DJ Herz, Drew Millas, and Trevor Williams

Paul Toboni said that, for the time being, he is not planning a general manager under him.

Paul Toboni also said he actually scouted Blake Butera when he was working for the Red Sox.

Doesn't have the scouting report anymore, but does remember Butera playing well one year in the playoffs when he watched him play on the Cape.

If you can barely run, just hit it out. Smart strategy from Bo Bichette.

We just finished this up, feel free to read through the answers from @spencernusbaum.bsky.social and me:

Nationals expected to hire Blake Butera, 33, as their next manager The skipper, chosen by new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni, has much to address as his tenure with Washington begins.

The Washington Nationals are finalizing a deal to hire Blake Butera, 33, as their next manager, tasking him with guiding their young roster at a critical moment for the franchise.

More here from @spencernusbaum.bsky.social and me on the hire:

The Nationals are finalizing a deal to hire Blake Butera as manager, per multiple sources. @jeffpasan.bsky.social had it first.

Butera, 33, served as the Rays senior director of player development for the last two seasons. Had a 258-144 record in four seasons as a minor league manager.

Twins choose Derek Shelton as their next manager The rebuilding team picked the former skipper of the Pirates who drew praise as a coach under Twins managers Paul Molitor and Rocco Baldelli.

Rocco Baldelli on Derek Shelton’s hiring (per @leneal3.bsky.social): “I believe he’ll bring the best out of a lot of guys in that clubhouse and I’ll be pulling for him.”

More in the story: www.startribune.com/twins-derek-...

Adding another name into the mix: The Nationals also interviewed Red Sox Double-A manager Chad Epperson for their managerial opening, per multiple sources.

Epperson, 53, has managed Class AA Portland since 2022. Spent 2010-2021 as Boston’s MiLB catching coordinator.

Washington has some interesting Rule 5 protection options:

Jake Bennett (2022 2nd-rounder pitching in AFL), Riley Cornelio (jumped from High-A to AAA in 2024), Christian Franklin (Soroka trade, in AAA), Cayden Wallace (Hunter Harvey trade, strong final 2 months in AA)

By my count, that leaves 41 players (18 position players, 23 pitchers) on the 40-man roster including 60-day IL guys.

Three free agents (Bell, DeJong, Law) will bring them to 38 after the World Series. And the Nationals could make more moves to protect Rule-5 eligible players.

Miguel Cairo is out of the running for Nats manager as search continues Cairo served as interim manager after Dave Martinez was fired in July. He interviewed for the job but has been told he’s no longer under consideration.

Miguel Cairo has been informed he won't be the Nats' next manager, per sources.

Most of last year's staff, including Darnell Coles and Jim Hickey, was informed they won't return unless the next manager opts to keep them. More on the staff and search here:

Nats hire another scouting mind with Boston ties as front office grows Justin Horowitz, who is joining Washington as an assistant general manager, has previously worked for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox.

Paul Toboni wants to build a scouting and development monster in Washington.

Justin Horowitz, coming over from the Pirates and set to become an AGM with the Nationals, is the latest exec who fits that mold (and has worked with Toboni before):
www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

Some Nationals manager news: hearing Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz and interim manager Miguel Cairo interviewed for the job this week.

Not necessarily the full list, but the Nats are pushing forward with their manager search.

James Wood has been named an NL Silver Slugger finalist after his first full season in the majors. Award winners will be announced on November 6.

The other finalists: Corbin Carroll (ARI), Pete Crow-Armstrong (CHC), Juan Soto (NYM), Kyle Stowers (MIA) and Kyle Tucker (CHC).

New Nationals baseball chief makes his first hire — from his old team Paul Toboni, the Nationals’ new baseball chief, turns to his old employer for his first front office hire — Devin Pearson, Boston’s former director of amateur scouting.

Can confirm that Devin Pearson is expected to join the Washington Nationals as an assistant general manager. First with the news was @alexspeier.bsky.social.

Pearson had been Boston’s scouting director since 2023.

What a win!!!

Nats part with player development staff amid organizational overhaul The decisions follow the departures of a handful of top executives on Wednesday, including assistant general manager Mark Scialabba.

We've now learned of 15 MiLB staffers who will not return to the Nats, as well as 3 MiLB managers who will return in unknown roles.

That, plus more on the MLB staff, a catching kerfuffle and an internal analytics debate.

Via @andrewgolden.bsky.social and me:
www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

Come for the word kerfuffle in Spencer's post, stay for our updated story on the minor league system this season and more:

When asked if previous MLB manager experience is important: "Not the end all be all, but it's a feather in the cap." Said experience can in different ways: minor league manager, major league bench coach, front office exec.

Paul Toboni said he had a conversation with interim manager Miguel Cairo and told him he'd be a candidate within an extensive search for a new manager.

Said he hopes the search will kick off "soon."

Here's what Paul Toboni said when @granthpaulsen.bsky.social asked him if he made decisions on the staff changes or if he received help from others in the process:

Nats part with player development staff amid organizational overhaul The decisions follow the departures of a handful of top executives on Wednesday, including assistant general manager Mark Scialabba.

The Nationals have let go of at least 12 members of their player development staff and four members of their international scouting department, sources tell @spencernusbaum.bsky.social and me.

The names we know, and more, in here:

Washington Nationals begin sweeping organizational overhaul Assistant GMs Eddie Longosz and Mark Scialabba are among those affected by the organizational overhaul.

The Nationals began a massive overhaul of the organization today. Scouts, execs and others have been told they won’t be back.

“I think I was a Rizzo guy. Maybe they want to move on from all things Rizzo.”

Hearing at least four scouts have been let go: Dan Jennings, Kasey McKeon, Steve Arnieri, Jay Robertson. Could be more coming.

The Nationals are making sweeping changes to their front office today. Among them: AGM Mark Scialabba and farm director Eddie Longosz have been informed that they aren't returning next season, sources tell
@spencernusbaum.bsky.social and me.

Stay here for updates.

Paul Toboni’s vision for the Nats? A ‘scouting and player development monster.’ “We have a lot of work to do, that’s okay,” said Paul Toboni, Washington’s new president of baseball operations. “We’re going to embrace it.”

In the coming weeks, Paul Toboni will need to answer the team’s most pressing offseason questions.

But on Wednesday — just a few hours after he was officially announced as the Nationals’ POBO — he didn’t have them all. Just a vision for the future: