2025-2026 Offseason Discussion Thread

[Natsinpwc]

He’ll be 33 coming off a left thumb injury that caused him to miss the second half. I just don’t see it.

Why not take a chance then? Any reason that think the thumb injury will linger? Not like he had any speed to lose.

[blue911]

Why not take a chance then? Any reason that think the thumb injury will linger? Not like he had any speed to lose.

Hand injuries usually take longer to fully recover from. It’s his left thumb, or the thumb on his bottom (power) hand. Any rehab work will take away training time. And on top of that, he’s a poor fielder.

[Slateman]

And they're gone

[Slateman]

https://www.si.com/mlb/nationals/news/nationals-could-have-complete-organizational-shake-up-early-october

Things could be happening very soon, too. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Nationals have told their scouts that they'll know by Oct. 1 if their contracts are going to be renewed or not. Based on Toboni's history in scouting, there's a good chance an overhaul takes place.

Its Nightengale, so huge grain of salt.

[varoadking]

https://www.si.com/mlb/nationals/news/nationals-could-have-complete-organizational-shake-up-early-october

Its Nightengale, so huge grain of salt.

"It's clear this rebuild has not gone as planned..."

This is utter bullcrap...this "Rebuild" went exactly as Mark Lerner had planned...on the cheap...

[Slateman]

"It's clear this rebuild has not gone as planned..."

This is utter bullcrap...this "Rebuild" went exactly as Mark Lerner had planned...on the cheap...

I genuinely don't think ownership planned anything. I think Rizzo came to them and was like, we either sign Soto to a deal or I'm trading him to rebuild. But beyond that, I don't think anyone in ownership planned anything. They just made arbitrary decisions whenever they could spare a moment.

[Slateman]

I'm loath to unload any players without at least seeing what a better coaching staff and player development program can do.

That being said, Luis Garcia, Jr. cannot be punted off this team fast enough

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I don't like to attribute disinterest to a player, but the tone of a lot of Cairo's comments in his post-games, especially the 3 homer game, suggested that he needed to train more. I think a team might look at him as a buy low candidate and think they could get him to patch some of his weaknesses.

I think LGJr and Abrams's fates are interconnected. If the team thinks Abrams has to move off SS, then LGJr is non-tendered. If they deal Abrams, then Garcia most likely stays. There has to be an upgrade in middle infield defense

[Slateman]

I don't like to attribute disinterest to a player, but the tone of a lot of Cairo's comments in his post-games, especially the 3 homer game, suggested that he needed to train more. I think a team might look at him as a buy low candidate and think they could get him to patch some of his weaknesses.

I think LGJr and Abrams's fates are interconnected. If the team thinks Abrams has to move off SS, then LGJr is non-tendered. If they deal Abrams, then Garcia most likely stays. There has to be an upgrade in middle infield defense

Thats been his issue the whole time. Its why I'm willing to just give up. Dude has had multiple hitting coaches and the only time he actually produced was when Rizzo told him he was a fatass and kicked him back to Triple A.

Abrams has to move off SS. But I do wonder if a team takes a chance on Garcia. I also think this team's cheapness allows them to move Garcia to 1B for half a season.

I would love to see if there is some way we could trade Young and Garcia and get McLain from the Reds.

[IanRubbish]

Bochy, BoMel, and Baldelli fired.  Yet somehow Cairo's not???

[Slateman]

Bochy, BoMel, and Baldelli fired.  Yet somehow Cairo's not???

Cairo will not be "fired." He has already been informed his contract will not be renewed

[IanRubbish]

Cairo will not be "fired." He has already been informed his contract will not be renewed

That's not what's being reported.

https://www.si.com/mlb/nationals/news/nationals-have-not-told-miguel-cairo-his-status-manager-going-forward

[Smithian]

Didn't some journo say scouts were told to expect the call on Oct 1?

The season has been over for two days. I don't see the massive rush here.

[Slateman]

Didn't some journo say scouts were told to expect the call on Oct 1?

The season has been over for two days. I don't see the massive rush here.

Nightengale.

I mean, there is a ton for Toboni to do, particularly the way he wants to do it. You say there isn't a massive rush, but free agency starts in a month. And I think a big part of Rizzo's front office problems was poor professional scouting. Think about how poorly all his free agent signing went. Poche, Sims, and Lopez in particular were so dreadful they got cut. And some of that scouting/analytics is to find guys like that, make a tweek, and get something out of them. Same thing for Lowe. That was a huge L of a trade. The back of the baseball card matched, but its clear that something was dropped on the scouting side that should have caught his complete lack of desire to be here.

Toboni needs something in place to start making some of these deals. And the player development needs to start now. Guys need to know what to work on in the offseason.

[aspenbubba]

Nightengale.

I mean, there is a ton for Toboni to do, particularly the way he wants to do it. You say there isn't a massive rush, but free agency starts in a month. And I think a big part of Rizzo's front office problems was poor professional scouting. Think about how poorly all his free agent signing went. Poche, Sims, and Lopez in particular were so dreadful they got cut. And some of that scouting/analytics is to find guys like that, make a tweek, and get something out of them. Same thing for Lowe. That was a huge L of a trade. The back of the baseball card matched, but its clear that something was dropped on the scouting side that should have caught his complete lack of desire to be here.

Toboni needs something in place to start making some of these deals. And the player development needs to start now. Guys need to know what to work on in the offseason.

The last I checked Lowe did pretty well in Boston though the HR's were there. Could he have been pissed that he lost his arb case and / or bad coaching by Coles?

[blue911]

The last I checked Lowe did pretty well in Boston though the HR's were there. Could he have been pissed that he lost his arb case and / or bad coaching by Coles?

More like being traded from the penthouse to the outhouse. Kind of hard to get enthusiastic about being traded twice in 9 months, which would have been the case if he matched career numbers.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

More like being traded from the penthouse to the outhouse. Kind of hard to get enthusiastic about being traded twice in 9 months, which would have been the case if he matched career numbers.

Well, the nickname  for Yankee stadium on SoSH is "The Toilet," so I suppose that may make Fenway the Outhouse.

I think basically Lowe isn't capable of being the Leader/ the Man like he was asked to be here, and that sliding back to his normal role as a good extra let him just do his stuff well in Boston.

[blue911]

Well, the nickname  for Yankee stadium on SoSH is "The Toilet," so I suppose that may make Fenway the Outhouse.

I think basically Lowe isn't capable of being the Leader/ the Man like he was asked to be here, and that sliding back to his normal role as a good extra let him just do his stuff well in Boston.

Could be. I think AB was onto something with the arbitration hearing. Nothing beats being traded to a crappy team then have them trash you. Really bad call to take him to arbitration.

[IanRubbish]

Really bad call to take him to arbitration.

But they saved a few hundred k!

Can only imagine how the Lerners would have reacted if he submitted an expense report for extra baseballs.

[Slateman]

The last I checked Lowe did pretty well in Boston though the HR's were there. Could he have been pissed that he lost his arb case and / or bad coaching by Coles?

He definitely seemed like he didnt want to be here. The most enthusiastic thing he did was eat a freaking hot dog.

Will never forget his sarcastic response to Kolko during the 11 game losing streak. "Im gonna try my best."

Seems really clear why Texas was so quick to dump him

[welch]

Tobonis has said nice things about DeBatolo.

“What I would say about Mike, and I've told Mike this prior to me accepting this job, I had about 10 people reach out just saying unbelievable things about him as a person and as a baseball mind. I told him he was shooting 10-for-10 from the line. This is before I even met him. In my early interactions with him -- once again, it’s just been two or three days -- I see a lot of that and I think the world of him. So I’m excited to work alongside him.”

Camerato at MLB.com

[Slateman]

Pirates let their pitching coach go

[welch]

Mets have just dropped a bunch of their MLB coaches.

Hitting coaches Jeremy Barnes and Eric Chavez and pitching coach Jeremy Hefner are among those who will not return, the team announced. The Mets are also parting ways with bench coach John Gibbons and third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh, while catching instructor Glenn Sherlock is retiring.

https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/eric-chavez-jeremy-hefner-mets-hitting-pitching-coaches-not-returning-in-2026

[Smithian]

If you’re dumping that many assistants, just drop the manager.

In hindsight, Nats should have blown it all up after 2023 instead of just a turnover of staff below both Rizzo and Martinez.

[Slateman]

If you’re dumping that many assistants, just drop the manager.

In hindsight, Nats should have blown it all up after 2023 instead of just a turnover of staff below both Rizzo and Martinez.

There was no turnover of staff. That was the problem