MLB · NL East · Washington, District of Columbia, US · Nationals Park
Reborn from the ashes of the Montreal Expos and validated by a 2019 championship run that ranks among the most improbable in postseason history, the Nationals brought baseball back to the nation's capital and proved that Washington is more than a political town—it is a baseball town, too.
Updated March 21, 2026
Washington installed the youngest president of baseball operations (Paul Toboni, 35), general manager (Anirudh Kilambi, 31), and manager (Blake Butera, 33) in the majors. It's a fresh start with new voices, but the learning curve could be steep for a franchise that slid to the third-worst record in baseball last season.
The Nationals' rebuild hinges on whether James Wood and CJ Abrams can develop into legitimate stars. Both have the tools and the pedigree, but Washington was leapfrogged by the upstart Marlins last season, and the timeline for contention keeps getting pushed back.
Trading MacKenzie Gore to the Rangers for prospects was a clear signal that the Nationals are prioritizing the future over the present. The rotation is thin and the lineup is young, but the prospect capital flowing in could accelerate the rebuild if Toboni and Kilambi draft and develop well.