Nationals Boss Admits He Is Thinking About Playoffs
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The Washington Nationals entered Saturday one game out of the final NL Wild Card spot with a record of 35-35
They got themselves to the point where they were tied for the third playoff position just a few days ago, but a historic collapse in their finale against the San Francisco Giants and a loss in their opener against the Seattle Mariners changed that. However, the Nationals have been able to bounce back this year, and if they continue to perform the way they have so far during the 2026 campaign, then they will remain in the postseason picture this summer.
President of baseball operations Paul Toboni would have a tough decision to make when it comes to what Washington might do ahead of the trade deadline if that's the case. And the boss admitted he's thinking about the playoffs with his team in the race.
Playoffs Now Creeping Into Minds of Nationals Decision Makers
"Obviously, it's all in the back of our minds," Toboni said to Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic (subscription required).
It would be hard for that not to be the case. The Nationals were expected to be one of the worst teams in baseball this season. Toboni was hired to get this rebuild on track, which officially began under his watch when he traded ace MacKenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers over the winter. And with one of the youngest rosters in the majors, this year was seen as a developmental one.
Yet, despite all that, Washington is hovering around a Wild Card spot midway through June. And even though a sell off ahead of the trade deadline was expected, plans might have to change if they continue to remain in the playoff picture when the calendar flips to August.
Nationals Will Let Play on the Field Decide Their Upcoming Decisions
There's still a lot of time remaining before the Nationals get to that point. They have been carried by their dominant offense throughout the season. And while it doesn't appear like they are going to slow down anytime soon, there's a chance that happens, which would be a disaster since the pitching staff is a clear work in progress.
Because of that, Toboni is going to let things play out over the next two months, as he told Nusbaum, "So it sounds cliche, but we're really just focused on, like, 'Hey, let's win today,' ... and then the cards are going to fall where they will at the end of July, and we'll make a decision."
That's the smart way for the first-year executive to approach this situation. And while that might not be a surprise to some, it's interesting that Toboni came out and said he has at least thought about the possibility of his team making the playoffs this season.
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Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai