Paul Toboni On The Latest Nationals News

Paul Toboni, President of Baseball Ops for the Washington Nationals, joined The Sports Junkies to discuss the team's recent performance and roster developments. He highlighted the strong offensive surge, particularly from James Wood, who has four home runs and is hitting near .200, as well as contributions from CJ Abrams, Lyle Overbay, and Joey Meneses. Toboni emphasized the team’s consistency against top pitching staffs like the Dodgers, Phillies, and Cardinals. He also discussed the importance of player extensions, especially for young stars like Wood, while acknowledging the challenges of negotiations and the influence of external offers like the Pirates’ $150 million deal for 19-year-old Connor Griffin. On the pitching side, Toboni critiqued the bullpen’s inability to finish games, citing issues with walking batters and failing to put away hitters in two-strike counts. He praised Cade Smith’s potential and the need for better command early in counts. Toboni also shared insights into his daily routines, including pre-game meetings and post-game reviews, and reflected on the youth and maturity of the current coaching staff and players. Finally, he expressed cautious optimism about Dylan’s return, noting his improved mental approach and recent strong performances, though he declined to commit to a specific timeline.