Rangers Acquire Pitcher MacKenzie Gore From Nationals for Prospects

Still just 26, the 2025 All-Star is headed southwest.

MacKenzie Gore made his first National League All-Star team in 2025. | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Just four years after acquiring him from the Padres, the Nationals are reportedly shipping out pitcher MacKenzie Gore.

The Rangers are acquiring Gore from Washington for five minor-league players, according to Thursday afternoon reports from Jon Heyman of The New York Post and Jeff Passan of ESPN. The five prospects are outfielder Yeremy Cabrera, shortstop and designated hitter Gavin Fien, infielder Devin Fitz-Gerald, first baseman and outfielder Abimelec Ortiz and pitcher Alejandro Rosario.

Gore, 26, made his first All-Star team in 2025. He went 5–15 with 4.17 ERA and 185 strikeouts in 159 2/3 innings, opening his season with 13 strikeouts in an extra-inning loss to the Phillies on March 27.

The Padres acquired Gore—along with shortstop CJ Abrams and left fielder James Wood—from the Nationals in Aug. 2022 as part of a deal for star right fielder Juan Soto. All three of those players have made All-Star teams, but Washington’s rebuild writ large has widely been regarded as a failure, and the Nationals dismissed longtime general manager Mike Rizzo on July 6.

Texas, on the other hand, has not made the playoffs since winning the World Series since 2023. The Rangers are scheduled to open the ‘26 season on March 26 against the Phillies.

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