StonesJournal

A young and fiery left-hander could be on the way out of Washington, D.C. Who needs a strikeout machine at the top of their rotation?

Written By: AJ Stone (12/28/25)

Introduction:

Mackenzie Gore has emerged as a potential star while donning the Washington D.C. cherry blossoms. Gore debuted for Washington in 2023 after being acquired in a box office trade package that sent one of the game’s greats back to San Diego in Juan Soto. Since being thrust into the rotation, Gore has continuously racked up innings and strikeouts like there’s no tomorrow. His repertoire has “ace potential” written all over it, even if he hasn’t quite put it all together yet. There’s a good reason why the rest of Major League Baseball has been blowing up new General Manager Paul Toboni’s phone. The Nationals seem to be on the cusp of something great. A dynamic young offensive core encapsulates an electric atmosphere in our nation’s capital, paired with a young arsenal of talented arms with room to grow. Washington currently holds all the cards in accordance with Gore. He’s at peak value, and although it’s for good reason, the package he may net could demand a trade versus an extension.

Suitor 1: Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles are the clear favorite to add Gore to their rotation. Baltimore has an open spot for the young southpaw. They also have enough prospect capital to make the deal without losing key contributors. After adding former New York slugger Pete Alonso, the O’s have multiple first basemen who are now expendable. Washington projects Luis Garcia Jr. as their 2026 first baseman, but he may be more valuable at second or third base. Gore would likely become the new ace of the staff in Baltimore, a team looking for a big bounce-back. The Nationals should expect young, MLB-ready talent and high-level prospects from Baltimore’s strong minor league system.

Mock Trade:

Orioles Receive: Mackenzie Gore (SP), Nasim Nunez (2B)

Nationals Receive: Coby Mayo (1B), Ike Irish (BAL #2, C/OF), Creed Williams (BAL #30, C/1B)

Breakdown:

The Orioles add a new ace to their pitching staff for an immediate 2026 run. On the other end, Washington gains two players who could impact 2026 and a future prospect. Coby Mayo has long been MLB-ready and possesses raw power. He’ll likely spend his career at first base and designated hitter. The Nationals would target Mayo for his offense. Creed Williams may make the Orioles’ roster next season, but he lacks a clear path to playing time. As a National, he could back up current catcher Keibert Ruiz or platoon at first base with Mayo. Ike Irish is the real prize here. The Orioles acquired Irish this past draft, and his hit tool leads their minor league system. He may be far from an MLB debut, but he could be the catcher of the future. The Ruiz experiment has not worked, so now is the time to create parallel options behind the plate.

Suitor 2: Philadelphia Phillies

Philadelphia is coming off the heels of a rather disappointing season. 2026 has seen some key players depart to enter free agency, including Ranger Suarez (Unsigned), JT Realmuto (Unsigned), and Harrison Bader (Unsigned). Current President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski was able to retain the talents of star slugger Kyle Schwarber on a five-year, $150 million contract. That kind of money is no joke for any franchise (other than the Dodgers, of course), and the Phillies might look to add via the trade market to save some money. Philadelphia has plenty of young arms who are ready to come up and perform, but they are also in win-now mode. This kind of predicament is a tough spot for any front office to be in. Young right-hander Andrew Painter looks primed to make a serious impact in 2026, but can the Philadelphia faithful truly justify placing the weight of their season on unproven talent while Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber only get older? Mackenzie Gore would demand the movement of one of the Phillies’ top pitching prospects, although he would provide a much safer option for the next two seasons for a team aiming to win a World Series. Taijuan Walker could move to the bullpen in a bulk innings role, and a spot would be ripe for Gore’s taking.

Mock Trade:

Phillies Receive: Mackenzie Gore (SP), Riley Adams (C)

Nationals Receive: Gage Wood (PHI #4, SP), Aroon Escobar (PHI #5, 2B), Moises Chace (PHI #8, SP)

Breakdown:

The Phillies would add a left-handed strikeout specialist to an already stacked rotation that is currently awaiting the reintroduction of postseason legend Zack Wheeler from the injured list. As an organization, Philadelphia has made it clear they are looking to win right now. None of the pieces they are parting with are involved in plans for 2026 or even 2027. Riley Adams could also provide catching depth for a team that currently lost the ropes on longtime backstop JT Realmuto. The Nationals bring back young fireballer Gage Wood, stocky second baseman Aroon Escobar, and a near MLB-ready pitcher in Moises Chance. Wood is projected to reach the big leagues by 2028 and is already touching 98mph with his fastball. His college career saw him find success as a closer before he joined an Arkansas rotation that he became the head of. Wood is most famously known for his 19-strikeout no-hitter against Murray State in the College World Series. Scouts have deemed he has the tools to find success as an MLB starter and just needs to show he can remain healthy for a full season. Escobar is a short and stocky second baseman who broke out in 2024. He owns an advanced approach that negates swing-and-miss and promotes contact. Escobar struggled to find the barrel early on in his minor-league career, but has recently found his swing and has been behind the baseball a lot better. This has enabled him to tap into his always-present raw power. As a second baseman, Escobar possesses a unique offensive profile that could carry him over to the hot corner if he continues to progress as a hitter. He could find serious playing time for the Nationals in 2026 and, if nothing else, be a September call-up. Chance has shown the profile of a potential big-league starter and impressed the Phillies front office when first being acquired from the Orioles. His arsenal consists of a fastball that registers well above-average RPMs, a sweeper, a hard cutter, and a changeup that most scouts believe to be a pitch of the future for the young righty. Chance struggles to find the zone at times, but could work through his problems in a bullpen role with the Nats in 2026, giving him ample resources to find his control and hone in on his natural arm talent. This deal benefits both sides by giving Philadelphia a chance to win now and, in turn, presenting Washington with the opportunity to build around new pieces.

Suitor 3: Chicago Cubs

The Cubs have perplexed me this offseason. After stating they wouldn’t be very involved in the bullpen market, Chicago has gone on to sign relief pitchers Hunter Harvey, Jacob Webb, Hoby Milner, Caleb Thielbar, and Phil Maton. Now that they’ve almost entirely retooled their entire bullpen, the Cubs’ staff is rather crowded all of a sudden. Even though their starting five screams consistency, they lack the high ceiling and strikeout potential that pay dividends in the postseason. Mackenzie Gore doesn’t necessarily have an open spot in the Cubs’ overflowing rotation, but that could be addressed via the trade. The boys in the windy city need some strikeout stuff, and if there’s anything the young southpaw in Washington knows about, it’s the way of the K. Chicago has plenty of young position players and a few young arms they could relay back to the Nationals that could fit right in to a team that’s on the top step of a rebuild and looking to launch themselves back into relevancy.

Mock Trade:

Cubs Receive: Mackenzie Gore (SP)

Nationals Receive: Javier Assad (SP/RP), Owen Caissie (CHI #1, OF)

Breakdown:

The price might seem a bit hefty initially, but let me break it down. Chicago is desperate for a front-of-the-rotation arm with high strikeout potential. The free agent market doesn’t really hold any guys like that anymore after names like Dylan Cease and Michael King have both found homes this winter. Mackenzie Gore fits the bill for what the baby bears need and also has two years of control. The Cubs have no use for Javier Assad and Colin Rea if they were to bring in Gore. In all likelihood, the Nationals would want the younger of the two right-handers in Assad to plug into their own rotation. This would allow the Cubs to move Rea to the bullpen to take on bulk innings and provide depth in case of injury to their starting rotation. In terms of Chicago moving on from their #1 prospect, I don’t see a path for Caissie to get the playing time he deserves in Chi-Town. The outfield is cluttered with stars like Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, and Pete Crow-Armstrong. This is also a team coming off a season where they were one of the fiercest offenses across all of baseball. An equation that Caissie was not a part of. Moving on from Caissie at peak value to bring back a piece that helps you in the present would be a good business move on Chicago’s part and could propel this team to World Series contention in 2026. The Nationals bring back a starting pitcher who would be instituted into their rotation right away. To pair with that, Owen Caissie could pivot to first base and fill a dire hole in their current lineup.

Conclusion:

If Mackenzie Gore gets traded, he’ll net a massive return. The Nationals aren’t moving on from Gore because they don’t believe in him, nor are they parting ways because they are punting on 2026. This move would be a pure business decision that would flip an asset at peak value to bring back a return that could aid Washington for years to come.