The Washington Nationals are finalizing a deal with the Boston Red Sox assistant GM Paul Toboni to become their new head of baseball operations, according to reports from ESPN. The official announcement from the team is still pending. Previously, the Nationals dismissed longtime GM Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez in July.
Toboni, age 35, began his career with the Red Sox as an intern in 2015, gradually growing into more responsible roles. He led the team’s amateur scouting department from 2019 to 2022, during which time they drafted notable players such as Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, and Kristian Campbell, before being promoted to Assistant GM in 2023. Before joining Boston, he also had experience with the Athletics, known for their analytical approach.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora recently highlighted Toboni’s creativity and impact within the front office, saying, “Ultra-aggressive with his ideas. He’s a soundboard to a lot of people in the front office.”
Despite their disappointing 64-94 record, the Nationals are equipped with promising young talents like shortstop CJ Abrams, outfielders Dylan Crews and James Wood, and left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore. They also secured shortstop Eli Willits with the No. 1 pick in the recent draft. Assistant GM Mike DeBartolo has been overseeing baseball operations on an interim basis since Rizzo’s departure.
