Yesterday, we saw a big name starting pitcher get traded by an NL East team, but it was not MacKenzie Gore. Instead, the Marlins decided to trade Edward Cabrera to the Cubs for a prospect package headlined by outfielder Owen Caissie. This takes another potential Gore suitor out of contention, while also setting the market for the left hander.
Like Shane Baz, who was traded a couple weeks ago, Cabrera’s trade value is comparable to Gore’s. That means it is important to keep an eye on the package. In the Baz trade, the Rays went for quantity over quality. There was not a true headliner in that package, but the Rays got five solid pieces.
The Marlins went for a different approach. Owen Caissie was by far the most valuable piece in the return. He is a top 50 prospect according to MLB Pipeline and has already made his MLB debut. Caissie has spent multiple years in AAA and would have gotten more time in the MLB if the Cubs did not have such a crowded outfield.
The Marlins decided to pick up a plug and play option for their outfield which also has a very high ceiling. Neither of the other two pieces in the deal are anything special, but Caissie is a big get for the Fish. The Cabrera and Baz deals give the Nats two different routes to explore in a Gore deal. They can go for quantity and deepen their system while hoping one of the guys breaks out. The other option is to take a swing on a true blue chip guy.
I would prefer to chase the blue chip talent. If a guy like Bryce Eldridge from the Giants is available, I would take a big swing on him. It is important to note that Gore probably has slightly more value than Cabrera and Baz. Cabrera was the most effective of the three pitchers in 2025, but has pretty serious injury question marks. Baz also has injury concerns and is not a proven commodity.
Gore provides teams with a greater proof of concept, as well as serious upside. He has thrown at least 135 innings in each of the last three seasons. Gore has also shown an All-Star ceiling. Despite having a bit less team control than Baz or Cabrera, he should be slightly more valuable. Paul Toboni seems to understand this, with Chelsea Janes saying his asking price is high.
That high asking price is probably why Gore has not been dealt yet. Sure, he has question marks, but Baz and Cabrera also do. It seems like Toboni wants a decent bit more in return for Gore than those guys got. That makes sense and good for Toboni for sticking to his guns.
When Gore is right, he can be one of the better left handed starters in the sport. Over the last two seasons, Gore is one of six southpaws with a k/9 over 10. The other five names are some of the premier starters in our game. This shows just how high Gore’s upside is.
As Nats fans know, Gore has not put it all together yet. It looked like he had in 2025, when he made his first All-Star team. However, Gore fell off a cliff in the second half, a common theme for the southpaw. Hitting a wall midseason has become an alarming pattern for Gore, and it is something rival teams are well aware of.
Despite this, as well as Gore only having two years of team control, the Nats do not have to move him. Lance Brozdowski pointed out that Toboni might want to make some adjustments with Gore to improve his value going into the deadline. He pointed to dropping his fastball usage as an example of something they could do.
There is logic here, but it is also quite risky. Pitchers come with serious injury risk, and if Gore suffers a major injury, the value would be pretty much gone. Gore would have to stay healthy and pitch very well for this gamble to pay off.
Even if Gore does pitch well in the first half, how much would that prove? We have seen Gore come out of the gates red hot the past few seasons. Teams know what Gore can do the first 2-3 months of the season. Would a strong first half really improve his value that much?
Teams value what they have seen most recently, but they will also be aware of Gore’s history. If Gore’s success comes with usage tweaks, that could help calm doubts, but they would still exist. I think the Nats should trade Gore this offseason and get what they can.
There is a chance that Gore has more value at the deadline, but that is a major risk. He would have to stay healthy, perform very well with a new arsenal and have a team that is willing to look past his history of second half woes. I don’t think the difference in value will be enough to make up for the risk.
With starting pitchers coming off the board, there should be plenty of teams calling the Nats about Gore. The Giants and Yankees are two teams that would certainly be interested. I still like my theory that the A’s could be a surprise suitor as well.
Regardless of the suitors, I think the Nats should be looking to move Gore. If the offers are not there, you can hold onto him. However, I would be pretty surprised if teams are not very interested in him. They are probably able to get slightly more than the returns for Cabrera and Baz. Assuming that is on the table, the Nats should trade MacKenzie Gore.
