Nationals Reportedly Planning to Interview Cubs GM Carter Hawkins

The Washington Nationals fired Mike Rizzo, the general manager who led the team to a World Series title in 2019, back in July. This happened just before the draft, in which the Nationals held the first overall pick. Mike DeBartolo, who has worked in the organization for over a decade, took over as the interim GM. Bob Nightengale has reported that the Nationals are beginning their search for a permanent replacement, with one of the main candidates being Carter Hawkins.

The Washington Nationals have begun interviewing GM candidates after firing Mike Rizzo in July. He was replaced on an interim basis with Mike DeBartolo.
Chicago Cubs GM Carter Hawkins is on the Nationals short list.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) September 9, 2025

Hawkins was hired by the Cubs after the 2021 season, a year in which Jed Hoyer worked alone while conducting the selloff of the 2016 World Series core. Hawkins has been under a lot of scrutiny over the past few months, especially after a trade deadline that failed to meet fans’ expectations.

Some fans have said that Jed Hoyer needs someone more “aggressive” to help lead the team, or that Hawkins’ background in Cleveland suggests he isn’t built for a large market. I guess we’ll have to wait until 2032 to find out if he was truly the right man for the job.

In my next life when I'm a consultant for pro sports teams, I'm going to tell would-be GMs two things:

1. Be nice to your scouts so they don't torch you anonymously after you fire them.

2. Don't say you need to make sure the 2032 Cubs are good too.

— jon greenberg (@jon_greenberg) September 6, 2025