Washington may not move MacKenzie Gore, though.
The Washington Nationals are unquestioned sellers ahead of the MLB trade deadline. They've already sent out Amed Rosario to the Yankees.
The only real question has been, which guys exactly will they be selling?
The Athletic's Jim Bowden provided some clarity in his latest report on X: "The Nationals are expected to move both right-handed pitchers Mike Soroka and Kyle Finnegan by 6 pm Thursday."
Neither of those names are particularly surprising.
Finnegan is the classic trade deadline reliever move, a guy who is good enough to be the closer on a non-contender but will move into a key setup role for whichever playoff-seeking team acquires him.
With a fastball that gets into the high-90s, the righty Finnegan has been viewed as a potential trade chip for a couple seasons. It sounds like the Nats will finally be sending him on his way now.
Soroka is a more intriguing piece if only because of how he fits into various pictures.
He was once a star young pitcher for the Braves, but injury has changed his career. Now, Soroka is capable of both being a starter but also being a versatile bullpen weapon who can provide length.
He has trade value because of that versatility, but it means it's a bit harder to peg what team might want him. Since he can fill multiple pitching roles, pretty much any contender might be interested in Soroka.
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Maybe more interesting in Bowden's report is the name that isn't in it, MacKenzie Gore.
There've been conflicting reports in recent days on Gore's available. USA Today's Bob Nightengale wrote Sunday that Gore won't be traded, but other rumors this week have suggested otherwise.
Gore, the lefty ace, still has two years of club control after this one, and he can helm the rotation as the Nats try to return to relevance around their young position player core.
To be sure, a team could send an impossible-to-refuse offer Washington's way that still results in a Gore deal.
But right now, Gore does seem to be staying put, which is a positive for the Nats' future.
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