The Washington Nationals have hit the reset button on their organization, hiring a new president of baseball operations and manager. Their next move could be trading away one of their best assets.
MacKenzie Gore is coming off of his first All-Star appearance for the Nationals. But as Washington looks to shake things up, Gore would bring the greatest trade return. That seems to be where the franchise's head is at entering the offseason, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
“The Nationals have a whole new front office, new coaching staff and new ideas,” Nightengale wrote. “They are expected to use Gore, who has two more years of club control, as the trade bait to kick-start their new era.”
Gore is set to make just under $7 million in 2026. The fact he is under team control through 2028 will only entice teams further. Any franchise acquiring Gore will look for him to command a spot atop their rotation.
During his All-Star season, the left-hander pitched to a 4.17 ERA with a career-high 185 strikeouts compared to 64 walks. Over his entire four years with the Nationals, Gore has recorded a 4.19 ERA and a 589/233 K/BB ratio.
Only 26-years-old, Gore could just as well lead Washington's rotation. But the Nationals know they need major changes. Since winning the World Series in 2019, the Nats haven't finished higher than fourth in the NL East. President Paul Toboni and manager Blake Butera know they must take a different approach to turn the franchise around.
A Gore trade would certainly start the fire of a new era. But it could be exactly what the Nationals need to jumpstart their rebuild.
