The Cubs will need to pony up a generous package of prospects to land Mackenzie Gore.
The Chicago Cubs appear to be in play for a trade deadline deal that would net a 26-year-old ace left-handed pitcher with two years remaining on his deal.
Just don't consider it a lock, by any means.
The Washington Nationals are in no hurry to trade ace lefty Mackenzie Gore, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman.
Cubs are among teams trying for Mackenzie Gore. With two plus years to go , no urgency to trade him. Told nothing close yet.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 31, 2025
There are plenty of reasons why the Nationals wouldn't be in a hurry to trade Gore. It is unusual even for sellers at the trade deadline to move 26-year-old aces with dominant strikeout numbers. This season, Gore has a 4-11 record on a struggling Nationals team, although his ERA (3.80), innings pitched (123), strikeouts (148), and WHIP (1.29) all allow for the Nationals to imagine Gore one day becoming a dominant left-hander on a winning team.
Gore's ERA has improved in each of his four MLB seasons, and he is on pace to set career highs in strikeouts, innings pitched, ERA, K/9, and WHIP. Gore currently ranks third in the National League in K/9 (10.83) and fifth in strikeouts.
Soto came over in the Nationals' trade of Juan Soto to San Diego in 2022. Gore is still very affordable for a front-of-the-rotation starter, earning $2.89 million in 2025 and still under team control for two more seasons.
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Category: Baseball
