Two MLB GMs 'Fully Expect' Nationals to Trade MacKenzie Gore, CJ Abrams
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The Winter Meetings continue to roll on before the Rule 5 Draft takes place on Wednesday where the Washington Nationals are expected to add a key member to their organization.
Coming into this high-profile event, the Nationals were the talk of the league. Not only did they make a surprising trade by moving Jose A. Ferrer to the Seattle Mariners for Harry Ford and Isaac Lyon, but speculation continues to run rampant that both MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams will be dealt.
Because the trade interest in Gore is so high at the moment, there was some thought that the left-hander might be moved at the Winter Meetings. However, that was tempered a bit despite the fact that some of Washington's NL East rivals have made some notable decisions during this event.
Both MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams Are Expected to Be Traded
When it comes to the potential trades of Gore and Abrams, it seemed like a given that Gore would be dealt at some point this winter, while the notion that Abrams would actually get moved seemed a bit more questionable based on the outlook of this roster and prospect pipeline behind him.
However, with interest in the star shortstop now increasing, there is a good chance new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni decides to ship both Abrams and Gore out of town to get back key pieces of this rebuild.
"The Washington Nationals have aggressively been engaged in trade talks with teams involving All-Star pitcher MacKenzie Gore and shortstop CJ Abrams, with two general managers saying Monday morning that they now fully expect the two players to be traded," reported Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
Make that back-to-back blasts!
— MLB (@MLB) May 18, 2025
CJ Abrams leaves the yard AGAIN 😤 pic.twitter.com/UupCLqzL84
If both Gore and Abrams do get traded this offseason, it will be interesting to see what they get back in return. Based on the fact the Nationals got back a star catching prospect in Ford from the Mariners for a rising reliever who still has holes in his game, hope is high Washington can get a massive haul.
What type of a return Toboni is targeting isn't clear. Conventional wisdom would suggest he and his front office would want some younger types of prospects to get them into their new developmental system at the early stages of their careers. But if they can get a ready-made major league player or two like Ford at a position of need, then that would be hard to turn down.
Until something actually gets done on the Gore and Abrams front, everything is going to be speculative. But it's notable that at least two MLB general managers believe both star players are going to be traded this offseason.
