Nationals Hire Anirudh Kilambi as New General Manager

The Nationals are set to hire Anirudh Kilambi as their new general manager, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Kilambi, previously an assistant general manager with the Phillies, will serve as the second-in-command under president of baseball operations Paul Toboni.

At just 31 years old, Kilambi began his career with the Rays in 2015, climbing the ranks to become assistant director of baseball research and development. In November 2021, he was hired by the Phillies as assistant general manager at the age of 27.

This hiring is part of a broader overhaul of the Nationals' front office, which saw the firing of president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez midseason. Toboni and Blake Butera were brought in to lead the organization, with Kilambi now filling the general manager role.

The Nationals' new leadership team is notably young, with Toboni at 35, Butera at 33, and new pitching coach Simon Mathews at 30. Kilambi shares the same age as new first base coach Corey Ray. While the youth of the new staff was not a deliberate strategy, it signifies a shift away from the previous regime led by the 65-year-old Rizzo, who was perceived as lagging behind in data and analytics.

Kilambi’s background in research and development represents a fresh approach as the Nationals aim for a brighter future.