Aug 12, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A Washington Nationals hat and glove in the dugout before a game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

Key Nationals General Manager Target Now No Longer in the Mix

Originally posted on Washington Nationals on SI
By Sean O'Leary | Last updated Sep 17, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Washington Nationals have a long and important offseason ahead of them. It's a critical point in the franchises' rebuild. The young major league core looks fantastic and there is even more talent on the way via the farm system.

Now comes time to supplement that roster with surrounding major league talent, and more importantly, find leadership in the general manager and manager roles.

The manager position, held by interim Miguel Cairo, won't get underway likely until after the postseason. However, the search for a general manager is well underway in the nation's capitol.

There have been several reports on who the Nationals are targeting for the open front office role, including Paul Toboni of the Boston Red Sox and Matt Forman of the Cleveland Guardians.

One of the bigger names in consideration for the role was Chicago Cubs GM Carter Hawkins, though that doesn't appear to be the case anymore.

Carter Hawkins Will Remain With Chicago Cubs

Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan reported on Tuesday that Hawkins is no longer in the running for the Nationals job as he will stay in Chicago.

Hawkins was going to be one of the top targets available to take over teams this offseason.

The executive's career began in Cleveland as a scout where he worked his way up to the assistant GM role. He then left for Chicago to take the GM position after Theo Epstein left and Jed Hoyer was promoted to President of Baseball Operations.

Hoyer was extended around the trade deadline, but there is not any clarity on the status of Hawkins' contract as most of that information for executives is not public knowledge.

Despite what his situation may be, Hawkins opting out takes away a strong target for the Nationals as they go through the biggest franchise transition since moving to Washington.

The Washington Nationals have begun interviewing GM candidates after firing Mike Rizzo in July. He was replaced on an interim basis with Mike DeBartolo.
Chicago Cubs GM Carter Hawkins is on the Nationals short list.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) September 9, 2025

For the first time since 2007, Washington will enter a new season in 2026 without Mike Rizzo as a part of the organization. It will be the first time since 2009 that he is not the GM. Rizzo was able to find real success with Washington, building one of the most consistent winners of the 2010s.

From drafting superstars like Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg, signing Max Scherzer and finding Juan Soto, Rizzo was able to bring a World Series to Washington for the first time ever in 2019.

Things have taken a down turn since, and as they continued to fall behind in many aspects of the game, it was time for a change.

The search for a new GM is likely far from over and there will be more names that pop up in connection with the team, but now there will be one less executive in the running.