This offseason has brought a heap of change for the Washington Nationals. First, ownership hired Boston Red Sox assistant GM Paul Toboni as the team's new president of baseball operations. Then, Toboni hired manager Blake Butera from the Tampa Bay Rays' organization, followed by the selection of Ani Kilambi from the Philadelphia Phillies' front office as the new general manager. Now, the focus is on finishing the Nationals rebuild. MLB insider Jon Morosi shared the team's progress on a potential trade of ace MacKenzie Gore, which MLB Network posted on its X, formerly Twitter, page.

“@jonmorosi reports that the Nationals “remain engaged with multiple teams” on a potential MacKenzie Gore trade,” the network posted on Tuesday afternoon.

According to Morosi, “no deal is close” at the moment. Still, there are certainly a number of interested teams in the hunt for Gore. The lefty is coming off the best season of his career, notching a 3.0 WAR in 30 starts. The 5-15 record is due to the severe lack of run support that Gore had in most of his starts. If Toboni and Kilambi can pull of a Gore trade, what type of return would help the Nationals get back to contention?

Nationals look to continue rebuild under new leadership

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Nationals hire Ani Kilambi as new GM, joining Paul Toboni after a tough season; former Phillies exec brings analytics to Washington rebuild.
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

 

Even with Gore in the rotation, it's clear that the Nationals' roster needs a lot of work. Both the pitching staff and lineup are filled with young players looking to prove themselves. Shortstop CJ Abrams is a former All-Star and could be a long-term piece. So could players like third baseman Brady House, not to mention outfielders James Wood and Dylan Crews.

However, dealing Gore would bring in even more young and unproven players. It's clear that there is talent on the Nationals roster. It's up to Toboni and the team's new leadership to add to it. While pursuing high-end free agents like outfielder Kyle Tucker or starting pitcher Framber Valdez is unlikely, there are still plenty of veterans out there who can improve Washington's roster. Will Toboni and Kilambi elect to trade their current ace, or build around him for years to come?