Nationals Open to Trade Talks on MacKenzie Gore
With the MLB trade deadline fast approaching on July 31, front offices all over baseball are working overtime. The Washington Nationals, deep in the throes of a rebuild, are making headlines by indicating they're open to trade offers for All-Star pitcher MacKenzie Gore. The left-hander, just 26 years old, has put together a standout year: a 3.59 ERA and 140 strikeouts over 112 innings have cemented him as one of the team’s true bright spots and, for the first time in his career, earned him a trip to the midsummer classic.
Gore is under team control through the end of 2027, making him especially appealing to teams looking beyond just this season. He arrived in D.C. as a centerpiece of the Juan Soto trade and, alongside young stars like James Wood and C.J. Abrams, is part of the Nationals’ current rebuilding core.
But it’s rare for a team in last place—like the Nationals, struggling to stay relevant in the tough NL East—to have a chip as valuable as Gore. Interim GM Mike DeBartolo didn’t mince words, telling the media the team is listening to offers. It isn’t a fire sale, and there’s no drive to just move Gore out the door, but with the market as crazy as it gets in late July, the Nationals want to see if a desperate contender might crack open the farm system for a package that could seriously speed up their rebuild.
Potential Suitors and Steep Price Tags
The Cubs are one team that’s come up in conversations. Their starting rotation has been hit by injuries and underperformance, and adding someone with Gore’s talent and youth could tip the scales in a tight division race. But Washington’s asking price is sky-high, as it should be for a homegrown ace with years of control left. Unless a team gets truly aggressive, it feels more like a test of the market—and a way for the Nats to signal that nobody’s off-limits if the price is right.
It’s not just about what contenders can give up; the Nationals have to balance trading their best young pitcher against the need to anchor the rotation for the next wave of prospects. It’s a delicate dance as they juggle future ambitions with the pressure to speed up their rebuild.
Meanwhile, in the same division, the Philadelphia Phillies are shopping the outfield market. Slumping offense has forced them to cast a wide net: they’re reportedly looking at both short-term rentals and potential long-term fixtures to give the lineup some punch. Specific names haven’t surfaced yet, but with the Phillies fighting to keep pace in a crowded NL East, they can’t afford to swing and miss.
With just weeks to go before the deadline, both the Nationals and Phillies find themselves at crossroads. Washington is holding all the cards with MacKenzie Gore, while Philadelphia is on the hunt for that one deal to put them over the top. Expect rumors, tension, and maybe a blockbuster or two as the calendar ticks down.