There’s a growing possibility the Chicago Cubs could see their general manager depart in the offseason.
USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale reported Tuesday that Carter Hawkins has been named a finalist for the general manager vacancy in the Washington Nationals’ front office after interviewing for the role last week.
Nightengale reported hours earlier that the Nationals had begun interviewing candidates to replace interim GM Mike DeBartolo.
DeBartolo was named to the role in July after the organization fired Mike Rizzo in tandem with manager Dave Martinez. Rizzo had worked in the Nationals front office since 2007, but a 37-53 start to 2025 and zero winning seasons since the Nationals’ 2019 World Series title were driving factors in the midseason decision.
Hawkins is in his fourth season as the Cubs’ general manager, joining the club in the 2021 offseason after spending five years as the Cleveland Guardians’ assistant general manager. The organizational change came after longtime team president Theo Epstein stepped down, which led to Jed Hoyer taking Epstein’s role.
Hawkins and Hoyer made their first free agency splash ahead of the 2022 season when they signed Marcus Stroman to a 3-year, $71 million deal. Later that offseason, the duo inked Seiya Suzuki to a 5-year deal worth $85 million. In the 2022 offseason, the Cubs signed Dansby Swanson to a 7-year, $177 million contract.
The Cubs’ front office will face a tall task this offseason when Kyle Tucker — whom Hawkins and Hoyer acquired from the Houston Astros on Dec. 13, 2024 — hits free agency.
They faced an early blip with Tucker in contract negotiations back in January, when the two parties were initially stalemated in their arbitration numbers. It was reported that Tucker’s camp asked for $17.5 million per year while the Cubs responded with $15 million, with the two eventually agreeing on a 1-year, $16.5 million deal on Jan. 16 to avoid arbitration.