Projected 2026 Rotation Has Nationals Completely Overhauling That Unit

This could potentially be a huge upgrade for the Washington Nationals.

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One of the biggest storylines surrounding the Washington Nationals this winter will be whether or not they decide to trade their ace MacKenzie Gore.

With two years of club control remaining, this is the perfect time on paper for new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni to get the maximum value from a team out there who believes they can help the left-hander reach his high ceiling.

There is a risk involved in dealing him away, though. Behind Gore, there isn't much in this starting staff that appears to be viable top-end MLB arms. So shipping out their best starter when the team is trying to instill a new culture is something that could backfire.

2026 Projected Nationals Rotation Features Three New Players

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However, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report has Washington completely overhauling their rotation this offseason. Version 1.0 of his 2026 starting rotation projections sees Gore getting shipped to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for a package that features up-and-coming left-hander Payton Tolle.

Two new faces are also in place, as he believes the Nationals could make a play for both Zack Littell and Dustin May in free agency to pair alongside holdovers Josiah Gray and Cade Cavalli.

• RHP Zack Littell
• RHP Josiah Gray
• RHP Dustin May
• LHP Payton Tolle
• RHP Cade Cavalli

"In this round of predictions, Gore is going to the Red Sox for a package built around young left-hander Payton Tolle. As for potential signings, Zack Littell has quietly logged a 3.73 ERA and 6.0 WAR in 343 innings the last two years, while Dustin May offers some of the more intriguing buy-low upside on the market entering his age-28 campaign," wrote Reuter.

This Rotation Would Be Clear Upgrade

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Because Reuter didn't reveal the rest of the Gore return package, it's hard to speculate if Nationals fans should get excited about it or not. However, there's no doubt that getting Tolle would be a good place to start.

The 23-year-old was a second-round pick in 2024. He was ranked No. 2 in the Red Sox's pipeline this campaign and dominated during his first professional season so much that Boston felt the need to call him up for his MLB debut this year on Aug. 29.

Tolle wasn't lights out in The Show by any means with a 6.06 ERA across seven outings (three starts). But he did strike out 19 batters in 16 1/3 innings pitched. His eight walks and a batting average against of .277 was a bit concerning. But he also was pushed quickly to the majors in his first professional baseball season.

Considering his age, adding him to the fold would be exciting for Washington, as there's a chance Tolle could be a high-end starting MLB pitcher throughout his career.

Payton Tolle has Fenway Park rockin' with his second strikeout of the inning 💪 https://t.co/5k7375Y85V pic.twitter.com/WNtHjX5cXb

— MLB (@MLB) August 29, 2025

Then there's the additions of Littell and May. Like Reuter mentioned, Littell has quietly been one of the most consistent starters in baseball the past two seasons with an ERA of 3.73 across 343 innings pitched. That would be welcome for this Washington group, which hasn't had a whole lot of that in recent years.

May is the high-upside play. When his stuff is on, he can be one of the most dominant starters in the game. But he has been riddled by injuries throughout his career and it's hard to believe he'll put together a full season where he sustains his elite stuff.

Still, Spotrac has May projected to get a one-year, $3.9 million contract this winter while Littell is projected to get a three-year, roughly $39.6 million deal. Both would be huge additions to this rotation, especially when factoring in the returning Gray and Cavalli, who flashed some bright moments to close out this past season.

All in all, this unit on paper is vastly improved compared to what the Nationals threw out there in 2025. Even with Gore out of the picture in this projected rotation, there's a lot for fans to get excited about in both the near and long-term future.