Reports: Nationals hire Phillies front office member for GM role

The Nationals are hiring Phillies assistant general manager Ani Kilambi to be their general manager, according to multiple reports. ESPN’s Jeff Passan was first to report the news.

Kilambi was hired by the Phillies in Nov. 2021 as an assistant general manager to lead the organization’s research and development department. Before joining the Phillies, the now 31-year-old spent seven years in the Rays front office.

Since Kilambi is getting a promotion, the Phillies couldn’t block the Nationals from hiring him.

Kilambi joins a new front office group in Washington, led by president of baseball operations Paul Toboni, who was hired in September after serving in the Red Sox front office.

Last November, Philadelphia announced a front office realignment, promoting Preston Mattingly to general manager and vice president. Mattingly is currently sharing GM responsibilities with Sam Fuld, who’ll become the team’s president of business operations after he completes his master’s degree at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School in May.