Nationals Might Not Trade MacKenzie Gore at Winter Meetings After All
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The Winter Meetings got underway on Sunday, and one of the biggest storylines surrounding this notable date on the MLB offseason calendar is what the Washington Nationals are going to do with their ace MacKenzie Gore.
All signs are pointing to him being traded this winter. The Nationals have already had conversations with multiple teams regarding his availability, and more than half of the clubs across the majors have some sort of interest in the left-hander.
It seems like only a matter of time before Gore is dealt, especially after Washington shipped their rising reliever Jose A. Ferrer out of town to get back star catching prospect Harry Ford and Single-A pitching prospect Isaac Lyon from the Seattle Mariners.
However, despite the speculation that Gore could be traded during the Winter Meetings, it's now starting to sound like that won't happen.
Insider Says MacKenzie Gore Trade at Winter Meetings Is Unlikely
"... executives don't believe either [MacKenzie Gore or CJ Abrams] will be traded at the meetings," reported Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
That is pretty surprising. For a while, there was a lot of momentum that suggested a deal was going to get done featuring Gore at the Winter Meetings since all the executives are gathered in one place. But this could also be a time when Nationals president of baseball operations Paul Toboni gets offers for Gore and CJ Abrams to see what is on the table.
"So, be prepared for plenty of talk, a lot of rumors, and an abundance of speculation, but the flurry of deals and signings are expected to happen in the following two weeks before the Christmas holidays," wrote Nightengale.
MacKenzie Gore, Nasty 85mph Changeup. 👌 pic.twitter.com/usqzxCbuKf
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 30, 2025
Of course, that doesn't mean a deal can't get made when it comes to Gore. While some executives don't believe the lefty is going to be dealt by Washington in the coming days, Toboni could decide to trade his ace if the right offer presents itself.
It seemed like the Ferrer move came together quickly, although it's not clear when he and the Mariners first started having conversations about the lefty reliever and what type of compensation the Nationals would want back in return.
Still, at least one long-standing general manager doesn't expect things to elevate beyond discussions this week, as he told Nightengale, "That's the way it always seems to happen. I don't see that changing this year, either."
Only time will tell what happens during the Winter Meetings, but based on this report, it seems like Gore will be part of the Nationals' roster for a little while longer.
