Nationals Boss Makes It Clear What Role They Want Brad Lord To Have

The Washington Nationals seem to know what role they want Brad Lord to have this season.

Brad Lord of the Washington Nationals | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Washington Nationals haven't stopped making moves despite spring training arriving.

First, they were able to trade right-handed pitcher George Soriano in exchange for reliever Andre Granillo. Then, they added veteran starting pitcher Miles Mikolas to the mix in a move that boosts their rotation.

How things look before Opening Day arrives is anyone's guess. The new coaching staff and front office will need to evaluate a lot of things when it comes to the upcoming 2026 season and setting up this franchise for long-term success.

One of the biggest questions facing the Nationals is what role Brad Lord is going to have this year. But president of baseball operations Paul Toboni made it clear that he wants the right-hander to be a starting pitcher.

Brad Lord Seems Locked Into Starting Role

Brad Lord of the Washington Nationals | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

"We're going to give [Lord] every shot to start," Toboni said, per Jessica Camerato of MLB.com.

That is a clear statement regarding how they view the 25-year-old after he made his major league debut this past season. During the 2025 campaign, Lord shifted between the starting rotation and bullpen, with most of his success coming as a reliever.

He finished the year with an ERA of 4.34 across 48 appearances (19 starts). But his ERA coming out of the bullpen was 2.79 compared to the figure of 4.99 he put up as a starter. Because of that, there was some thought that Washington might permanently move him into a relief role since that area of their team is the weakest on paper. However, the new regime seems to view Lord as a rotation arm.

Paul Toboni Leaves Door Open for Possible Role Change for Lord

Brad Lord of the Washington Nationals | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Despite the vote of confidence from Toboni, the door was left open for a possible role change when it comes to Lord. The new executive made it clear that evaluations are going to be made throughout the spring, and performance will be a huge part in determining things.

"So basically, we're going to see how it all shakes out with our starting rotation, and if Brad's a part of it, great. And if not, he might have an opportunity to help us in the 'pen," Toboni said, per Camerato. "But we're going to see how this goes over the course of the next few weeks and then make a decision."

It's hard to imagine Lord won't be in the starting rotation on Opening Day, though. There isn't a whole lot of competition he's facing, and the fact Toboni basically said they want him to be a starter is telling. However, if the righty struggles early on in the season, then a role change could be coming.