This story was excerpted from Jessica Camerato’s Nationals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
BOSTON -- The 2026 MLB Trade Deadline is one month away on Aug. 3. In recent years, the Nationals have been sellers, overhauling the team with blockbuster trades to rebuild their foundation.
This season is different, though. The Nationals have a new front office, a new coaching staff and a new level of success. They have exceeded preseason projections and are playing .500 baseball, competing in the mix of NL Wild Card contention.
Paul Toboni is in his first year as the Nationals' president of baseball operations. During his return to Boston, where he rose through the front office ranks with the Red Sox, he looked ahead to the upcoming Trade Deadline.
On Trade Deadline outlook
“We were pretty careful about not setting expectations too high or too low coming into this, just kind of see how it went with every passing day,” Toboni said this week. “I've been pretty vocal about it: We just want to get the best out of our roster. That, in conjunction with the fact that we're just still more than a month away, I don't know what we're going to be thinking a month from now. So the same mindset remains. We're just going to keep going over the course the next month and change, and then see where we're at and we'll go from there.”
On CJ Abrams
This winter, shortstop CJ Abrams was at the center of trade buzz -- especially after the Nationals moved left-hander MacKenzie Gore to the Rangers. But Abrams is having another All-Star-caliber season. Not only is he the leading vote-getter among NL shortstops, he is a leader on the Nationals.
“I think we saw a lot of the things that the whole industry sees,” Toboni said. “He's just an incredible athlete; he puts his bat on the ball, he's got an advanced feel to hit, all these things. I think what he's done a really good job of this year -- that he's been good at in the past, but not necessarily to this degree -- is his ability to get on base and take his walks. But then also when he's letting it loose in the zone, damaging balls. So, not to say he's exceeded our expectations. I think we had pretty high expectations for him. But it's just been really fun to see him deliver on these goals that he's had, because it's made him a really good player over the course of the first half.”
On Foster Griffin
In the past, the most glaring options of trade candidates were players on expiring contracts. This season, that includes breakout southpaw Foster Griffin. The 30-year-old is one of baseball’s top pitchers in his return to the Majors after three years reestablishing himself in Japan.
When asked if there is a possibility Griffin could be part of the Nationals’ long-term plans, Toboni said, “Honestly, I think the answer is yes, and that goes for everyone on this club. We’re obviously not at the point where we have to make a decision on that, but Foster's been awesome for us. I couldn't say enough great things about him, and he's going to thrive wherever he is in the future. So, we'll see what comes as we get toward the end of the year and go from there.”