The Nationals have watched their path to the playoffs grow more difficult as the trade deadline nears. Now, with the MLB deadline looming at 6 p.m. on Monday, Nationals President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni must dictate Washington’s path forward.
The Nationals entered the season — the first under Toboni and new manager Blake Butera — with minimal expectations. But an offensive explosion saw Washington draw within two games of the National League’s final wild-card spot last month.
Washington’s unexpected relevance allowed Toboni to sit on the fence, refusing to indicate whether his front office would become buyers or sellers at the deadline.
“We’re in this interesting spot, where we’re trying to find ways to upgrade our team but also still want to build for the future,” Toboni told “The Sports Junkies” last week. “It can be a tough needle to thread, but we want to try and do it.”
That strategy manifested with a trade with the Boston Red Sox late last month. Washington sent corner infielder Curtis Mead to Boston in exchange for starting pitcher Connelly Early, a 24-year-old southpaw who started a playoff game last year.
“We believe in this team and we want to give them a shot,” Toboni said at the time. “Connelly, I think, helps with that.”
But the Nationals (55-58) have lost five straight games. They found themselves four games back in the postseason hunt after Sunday’s loss against the Atlanta Braves.
Few names have appeared as easy targets for the Nationals, who will likely look to bolster one of the weakest bullpens and starting pitching rotations in the league.
But contending teams have narrowed in on the same handful of players in Washington’s clubhouse, according to rumors throughout the league.
Luis Garcia Jr.: Garcia’s time in Washington appears finished after the Nationals scratched him from Sunday’s lineup just hours before first pitch. The hard-hitting first baseman is the longest-tenured player on the team and has enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2026.
The 26-year-old has posted career highs with a .283 batting average, 23 home runs and 76 RBIs. He was named the NL Player of the Week for a red-hot stretch in late June that saw him smash six homers in six games.
Garcia entered Sunday leading the National League in slugging percentage.
“All the credit, honestly, goes to him for being willing to try something new and spend the amount of time that he spends in the cage, in the weight room to address these things,” Butera said of Garcia on Saturday.
That work has turned him into an attractive trade chip for opposing teams looking to add a power hitter. The New York Yankees have inquired about Garcia, according to MLB Network, alongside the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Foster Griffin: No MLB pitcher has boosted their stock more than Griffin over the last six months. The 31-year-old rookie was unheralded when he signed a one-year deal with the Nationals this offseason after spending the last three years playing in Japan.
He was named an All-Star last month. He ranks second in the NL with 12 wins through 22 starts, posting an impressive 3.06 ERA with 1.075 walks and hits per inning pitched.
But Griffin’s contract expires at the end of the season. Toboni has noted that they’ve discussed extending the lefty, but a deal hasn’t materialized. Still, Washington’s chief decision-maker bristled at reports that negotiations between the two sides fizzled quickly.
“That’s not to say that Foster is necessarily going to be here forever, but personally I do think that there’s a chance that he’s here beyond this year,” Toboni said. “Is it a greater chance than whether he’s here just until the end of the year or being traded? I don’t know. We’ll obviously find out these next few days.”
He described the situation as a win-win for the Nationals. Either they retain a player who revitalized his career in Washington or land a substantial haul in return.
“I’ve been telling everyone inside our organization, it’s kind of like running the [run-pass option] in football,” Toboni said. “You could think about extending him; you could think about keeping him until the end of the year. Then, if somebody blows you away with a trade package, you consider that.”
C.J. Abrams: Griffin and Garcia are the Nationals widely viewed as the most likely to change teams at the deadline. But shortstop Abrams could be the most impactful addition for an opposing team.
The Nationals’ two-time All-Star has become an offensive engine this year. The potential was evident over the last two seasons, but his production fizzled after the All-Star Break.
Not this season.
Abrams has maintained an MVP-worthy pace with an NL-leading 85 RBIs to accompany his .287 batting average and personal-best 28 home runs.
MLB insiders across the country have painted him as the potential gem of this year’s trade deadline — if the Nationals are willing to move him.
According to Toboni, that’d be unlikely.
“It’s not just about whether the trade makes sense on paper for C.J. What I mean by that is, I think more than most athletes in D.C., he means a lot to this city, the fanbase, and that’s really important,” he said. “We have some momentum going as an organization, and if that’s going to take a bit of a hit, you have to feel exceptionally good about the return you’re getting back.”
Toboni has a tough task for his first trade deadline in charge. He’ll be trying to keep the Nationals in the playoff hunt this season, while loading up on prospects and controllable talent for the future.
“Realistically, what that means, is probably trying to do a little bit of buying and selling to try and upgrade our team for this year but also be smart about the future. … ” he told “The Sports Junkies.” “It’s tough to do in practice. We’ll see how it actually works.”
Contact the author
Please read our comment policy before commenting.