Nationals Finally Trade MacKenzie Gore in Monster Blockbuster Deal With Rangers
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Well, the biggest saga surrounding the Washington Nationals this offseason has been resolved.
As first reported by Jon Heyman of The New York Post, the Nationals have finally traded MacKenzie Gore. And they sent him to the Texas Rangers in what is a monster blockbuster deal involving five prospects, with many of three of them ranked in the team's top 30, per MLB Pipeline.
The possibility of trading their ace seemed all but certain earlier in the offseason, especially when some insiders were reporting that they were hearing it was going to be days and only a matter of time before the lefty was shipped out.
But despite the appearance that Washington might be choosing to hold onto Gore with so many suitors seemingly off the board, new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni was patient and is getting a return package that is going to reshape this farm system.
The Texas Rangers are acquiring MacKenzie Gore from the Washington Nationals for Gavin Fien, Alejandro Rosario, Abimelec Ortiz, Devin Fitz-Gerald and Yeremy Cabrera, according to sources familiar with the deal.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) January 22, 2026
Robert Murray of FanSided reported the full deal, and it involves the Rangers' No. 2 prospect third baseman Gavin Fien, No. 6 prospect right-handed pitcher Alejandro Roasario, No. 18 prospect infielder/outfielder Abimelic Ortiz, 20-year-old Single-A shortstop Devin Fitz-Gerald and 20-year-old Single-A outfielder Yeremy Cabrera.
Fien is the prize of the this haul. Selected 12th overall in the 2025 draft out of high school after winning MVP honors of the MLB High School All-American Game. His addition is a major shot in the arm for the Nationals' pipeline, who also is getting a boost by the addition of Rosario.
What This Means for Nationals
With Gore now in a different uniform, it's clear Washington is now officially focused on the future when it comes to roster building. The ace had two years of club control remaining, so there was no urgency to trade him. However, for what they got back, sending him out now and boosting the farm system was the correct decision.
The Nationals weren't going to make any noise this season, and it's unlikely they would have sniffed the playoffs during the two years Gore was on the roster. So using their best trade asset to get star prospects in return is the latest way Toboni has put his imprint on this franchise.
But, despite the optimism and excitedness that has surrounded ushering in this new era in Washington, the outlook during the next couple years is pretty bleak. Even with Gore, their rotation had the second worst ERA. And with him no longer in the picture, someone with lesser talent will be relied upon every fifth day throughout 2026.
Perhaps the fanbase can look past that now that there seems to be an actual direction the Nationals are headed in. And with Gore now finally traded, Toboni has firmly put his stamp on things in the nation's capital.
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Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai