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Former MLB GM Gives Nationals Shocking Offseason Grade

Originally posted on Washington Nationals on SI
By Brad Wakai | Last updated Feb 7, 2026 7:00 PM ET

There hasn't been a whole lot done by the Washington Nationals this winter.

The busiest they've been following the restructuring of their front office and coaching staff early in the offseason has involved the waiver wire. That's where the new regime has operated with a churn and burn approach, as they look to improve the overall talent on the 40-man roster and create depth throughout the organization.

Foster Griffin -- who hasn't pitched in the MLB since 2022 -- is the Nationals' most notable free agency addition. They landed him on a one-year, $5.5 million deal to be a key part of this rotation. Beyond that, the only other move that will impact the big league club was their trade to bring star catching prospect Harry Ford to town.

Still, the quiet offseason Washington had didn't stop former MLB general manager Jim Bowden from giving them a shockingly high grade in his article for The Athletic (subscription required).

Nationals Given 'A-' Grade for Their Offseason

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"The Nationals made three significant trades under their new front office leadership. In the first two, they acquired one of the best offensive catching prospects in the game, Harry Ford, and one of the best pitching prospects in the Red Sox farm system, Luis Perales. The best trade the Nationals made was the swap with the Rangers that landed them 2025 first-round pick Gavin Fien, ...," Bowden wrote.

The fact not much was expected out of the Nationals this winter might have skewed things a bit. However, considering this is a franchise that is aggressively looking to further their rebuild, their ability to acquire Ford and multiple high-upside prospects was a job well done for Paul Toboni and his front office during their first offseason in charge.

Trade Breakdown

Luis Perales | RHP | 22 yo | AAA

Perales only logged 2.1 IP this year following his return from TJS he underwent in 2024.

Here’s a 2024 start

Strikeouts come easy for Luis with his excellent FB/SL/SPL combo, but command is an issue.pic.twitter.com/dJdxDs2LGr
— Nats Of The Future (@NatsOfTheFuture) December 16, 2025

Bowden still doesn't expect much out of Washington during the 2026 campaign. He predicted they will finish last in the division once again, which would be the sixth time they finished in fifth-place since they won the World Series in 2019.

But Toboni wasn't hired to get things turned around quickly. He was brought in to build something sustainable for the long-term, which is likely why Bowden was impressed with the haul of young talent the Nationals received in the three trades they made this winter.

Time will tell if those prospects can turn into impact players at the major league level for Washington. But for right now, things seem to be on the right track in the nation's capital as this rebuild rages on.