Nationals Star MacKenzie Gore 'Attracting Serious Interest' Ahead of Trade Deadline
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The Washington Nationals have already made a few moves ahead of the MLB trade deadline, attempting to make the most of a lost season.
They shipped Amed Rosario to the New York Yankees in exchange for right-handed pitcher Clayton Beeter and prospect outfielder Browm Martinez.
In their second deal, they traded two veteran relief pitchers, lefty Andrew Chafin and righty Luis Garcia, to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for left-handed pitcher Jake Eder and first baseman Sam Brown.
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Both deals were well-received, with the Nationals turning those veteran acquisitions into some solid value.
Rosario signed a deal in free agency for only $2 million and turned in the most productive offensive campaign of his career. Chafin originally signed a minor league deal and Garcia was a waiver claim.
More moves are expected from Washington ahead of the deadline, but they could be of the smaller variety with first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, designated hitter Josh Bell, infielder Paul DeJong and closer Kyle Finnegan.
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The player who could shake up the organization and the MLB trade deadline as a whole is ace MacKenzie Gore.
There haven’t been any true game-changing starting pitchers moved yet, but Gore would provide a major impact on the mound if he were to be dealt.
He is coming into his own in 2025 as an emerging ace and one of the best strikeout artists in baseball.
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The asking price is through the roof to pry him away from the Nationals, but that isn’t stopping teams from inquiring about his availability.
“Washington Nationals All-Star left-hander MacKenzie Gore is another starter attracting serious interest. Whether the Nats are willing to move him under interim GM Mike DeBartolo is unclear,” wrote Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required).
He has made 22 starts this season with a 3.80 ERA across 123 innings. 148 strikeouts have bene recorded and he has already compiled a career-high 2.7 bWAR.
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Trading him would seem counteractive to the rebuilding effort Washington is about to embark on, but keep in mind, he is under team control for as long as Juan Soto was when the Nationals traded him to the San Diego Padres for a massive prospect haul, which included Gore.
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