Five Names Nationals Boss Paul Toboni Could Pursue for Manager
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Now that the Washington Nationals have hired their president of baseball operations, Paul Toboni, the next task is to hire a new manager.
The Nationals have not indicated if they intend to keep interim manager Miguel Cairo, who was named the interim manager after Davey Martinez was fired in July. Toboni said in his introductory press conference that he wants to create a “player development monster.” He also expressed admiration for the team’s young core. How that translates to his managerial search remains to be seen.
Toboni has never hired a manager on his own before. But, as he starts his search, here are five names to keep in mind, especially now that most teams have made their decisions to retain or fire managers.
Rocco Baldelli
He and the Minnesota Twins parted ways this week. The former player led the Twins for seven years and went 524-502. He guided Minnesota two three AL Central crowns and a pair of trips to the American League Division Series. Minnesota went 70-92 in 2025, and the franchise traded off several key players as the deadline. There was also an uncertain ownership situation before the Pohlad family announced it would hang onto the team.
Baldelli is 44 and not so far removed from his playing days (2003-10) that he can’t connect with younger players. The former first-round pick and rookie phenom can help players like James Wood and C.J. Abrams handle the rigors of being young stars.
Bob Melvin
The long-time bay area skipper was led go by the San Francisco Giants after the season, shortly after his option was picked up for 2026. Now 63 years old, he has won 1,678 games as a manager, with eight playoff berths across 22 seasons. His greatest success was with the Athletics, where he had to work magic with limited budgets.
He’s more of a CEO type of manager, so hiring the right coaching staff around him would be key. But he would bring credibility to the organization right away, much the same way that Davey Johnson and Dusty Baker did.
Ramón Vázquez
Now that the Boston Red Sox are out of the playoffs, Toboni could make a move to try and lure a member of the coaching staff to take over as Nationals manager. Vázquez, the Red Sox’s bench coach under Alex Cora, is the likely favorite if Toboni goes that direction.
The former MLB infielder (2001-09) got into coaching with the San Diego Padres in 2017 and joined the Red Sox in 2018 when Cora took over as manager. He’s been Boston’s bench coach since 2022. Bench coach is a traditional pathway to the manager’s chair and his experience and relationship with Toboni could make a difference. Like Baldelli, his time as a former player can help a mentor a young team.
David Ross
The former Chicago Cubs manager seems eager to get back into the game after two seasons away. The former catcher managed the Cubs from 2020-23 and went 262-284. He led the Cubs to a NL Central title in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
He was fired after the 2023 season, the same day that the Cubs hired Craig Counsell away from the Milwaukee Brewers. He was a well-respected player who also had the respect of his players in Chicago and would likely connect with a young locker room like the Nationals. The success of Stephen Vogt in Cleveland is making former catchers a trendy managerial choice.
Craig Albernaz
The success in Cleveland the last two seasons is likely to make Craig Albernaz, the bench coach, a hot candidate now that the Guardians are out of the playoffs. He never played in the Majors. But, like his boss, Stephen Vogt, he has catcher credentials, both in college baseball and in the minor leagues as a player.
His coaching career took him to San Francisco, where he worked under Gabe Kapler for four seasons as the bullpen and catching coach. He caught on with the Guardians in 2024 as the bench coach and his new title is associate manager. He’s been positioned to take over his club at some point, perhaps this season.
Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist who covers Major League Baseball for OnSI. He also covers the Big 12 Conference for Heartland College Sports.
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