The New York Yankees Have Discussed a MacKenzie Gore Trade With the Washington Nationals
The New York Yankees and Washington Nationals have discussed a trade for young southpaw MacKenzie Gore, per Andrew Golden of the Washington Post. The expectation is that the Nationals will trade Gore during the Winter Meetings and capitalize on his value while he’s under team control. Will Brian Cashman pull off a big-time trade this offseason?
Yankees Interested In Gore
Looking to add another starter, the Yankees have reached out to the Nationals regarding Gore, who Washington is reportedly open to moving as they continue their long rebuild. New York lines up well with Washington in a potential trade and has all the young talent that they covet. Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic reported what General Manager Paul Toboni could be looking for.
“To deal MacKenzie Gore, Toboni wants young, controllable players with high upside who can help Washington for years to come. If the Nationals’ new group is going to sell a rebuild of the rebuild they inherited, it has to be an organization-changing sort of move. Whether opposing clubs feel Gore is the guy they are willing to part with multiple top-tier prospects for remains to be seen.”
Two controllable players that the Yankees could trade this offseason are Outfielders Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones. On top of these two, Cashman has a ton of young pitching in the farm system that can be expendable in any big trade. Gore is not going to be cheap, as he does not hit the open market until after the 2027 season. With two big signings already this morning, the trade market could start to move quickly.
Gore Has Insane Potential
At just 26 years old, Gore has significant untapped potential. All of his off-speed pitches are considered elite, but his four-seam fastball and changeup struggled this past season. His curveball and slider were his most effective pitches and were nearly unhittable. With Pitching Coach Matt Blake’s guidance, Gore could reach his full potential and develop into the ace he was expected to become when he was traded for Juan Soto.
Notably, Gore’s ability to generate swings and misses gives him a high ceiling, especially if he can refine his command and consistency. He has already shown flashes of brilliance, racking up impressive strikeout totals and demonstrating poise on the mound. If he can harness his raw talent and make the necessary adjustments, Gore could become a cornerstone of the Yankees’ rotation for years to come.
His youth and evolving skill set position him as one of the most promising young arms the Yankees have acquired in recent years. If the Yankees decide to splurge on an outfielder this winter, whether it’s Cody Bellinger or Kyle Tucker, developing a young starter could give them more room to spend money on the bullpen, which is also a top need for them.
There will be a lot of moving parts for the Yankees this offseason, and I expect Cashman to work on many moves via both the trade and free agent markets. With the Winter Meetings ending tomorrow night, moves are expected to come quickly, and it only helps that Kyle Schwarber and Edwin Diaz both signed this morning.
