It’s the tail end of Spring Training for teams around the league, and while the Washington Nationals are preparing for their home and home exhibition series with the Orioles, the front office is busy making some very tough decisions.
On paper, the Nats are having a "good" spring, as they currently lead the MLB in Spring Training ERA at a sparkling 3.00. But if you look closer at the latest transactions, and a much more confusing picture of the 2026 season begins to emerge. Paul Toboni and Blake Butera aren't just beating around the bush, they’re making decisions that are leaving fans scratching their heads.
The biggest surprise of the week to me personally wasn't a trade or a signing, it was the demotion of Josiah Gray to Triple-A Rochester. Gray, the 2024 Opening Day starter, was expected to be a cornerstone of this rotation’s comeback. Instead, after battling through injury recovery this spring, the team has decided he isn't ready for big league action. However, we should see him later this year after he builds up his arm.
By optioning Gray, the Nats have essentially admitted that the veteran safety net of Zack Littell and Miles Mikolas is now the plan until at least the trade deadline. It’s a massive step back for a player who was supposed to be one of the frontline arms of the rebuild just 24 months ago. If Gray can't find it in Rochester, the MacKenzie Gore trade could end up looking even more lopsided in hindsight.
If you wanted proof that this front office values "stuff" over "results," look no further than the release of veteran Drew Smith, one that we will cover soon enough.
Smith had been the definition of dominant this spring: 0.00 ERA, 5.1 innings, and 7 strikeouts. He looked like an absolute lock for a high leverage role in an inexperienced bullpen. Instead, the Nats granted him his unconditional release on Saturday. Why? Because Toboni would rather gamble on the upside of waiver claims and younger arms who still have options. It’s a cold move that screams "we don't care about your spring stats."
While the pitching staff is posting a 3.00 ERA, the hitters are currently dead last in the MLB with a pathetic .606 OPS.
The Nats are optioning the kids...Dylan Crews, Harry Ford, and Robert Hassell III have all been sent to Rochester in the last 48 hours. The message is clear: the front office doesn't think the "next generation" is ready to fix this lineup yet. We’re heading into 2026 with a rotation of veterans and a lineup that can't buy a run.
The 2026 Nationals are leaning into "efficient" pitching and "patient" hitting, but right now, it just feels like more of the same. By cutting a dominant veteran like Smith and demoting a former All-Star like Gray, the Nats are betting everything on their internal metrics.
If those metrics are wrong, it’s going to be a very quiet summer at Nationals Park.