Nationals Star MacKenzie Gore Trying to Block Out Trade Deadline Talk

The Washington Nationals starting pitcher made his final start before the MLB trade deadline on Wednesday against the Houston Astros.

Jul 30, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore (1) pitches against the Houston Astros in the first inning at Daikin Park. | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

MacKenzie Gore’s latest start for the Washington Nationals was not his best work.  

If it was an audition for teams trying to determine whether to trade for him at Thursday’s trade deadline, well it might give them pause.

Gore pitched 5.1 innings in the 9-1 loss, allowing eight hits and six earned runs. He struck out four and walked one. His ERA went up to 3.80.

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Gore’s name has been floated by insiders as a potential trade deadline acquisition for a contender. Earlier this month, interim general manager Mike DeBartolo said he wanted to keep his team’s young core of players together. He considers Gore to be a part of that core.

"I’m looking to keep the young, core group of our best players together,” he told The Washington Post (subscription required) earlier this month. “Certainly [with] my job, if someone calls, you always listen to what they have to say. But trading away our really high-quality young players is not something I’m looking to do right now."

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That hasn’t stopped speculation. Gore has heard the talk. His approach has been to block it out.

“This is something that is completely out of my control,” he said to the Post and other reporters in Houston. “I’ll get ready for the next one and see what happens.”

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The fact that Gore pitched on Wednesday could be seen as a positive sign that either the Nats are set to hang onto him or that a potential deal is nowhere close to getting done. Had Washington been close to a deal, it likely would have scratched him from the start.

Whether he’s in D.C. or with another team once the MLB trade deadline passes at 6 p.m. eastern on Thursday, Gore won’t be able to pitch until at least Monday on normal rest.

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Part of the reason teams are interested in Gore — and why the Nats might entertain an offer — is that Gore has two years of team control beyond this season. In fact, Gore is at the same level of service time that outfielder Juan Soto had when Washington traded him to the San Diego Padres in 2022.

That was about signability. The Nats made him a lucrative extension offer, and he refused. To avoid losing him for nothing, Washington traded him to the Padres, along with Josh Bell, for a raft of prospects — which included Gore.

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