We have talked a lot about the potential of a MacKenzie Gore trade this offseason, but one team we have not considered is the Athletics. At first glance, it is easy to dismiss that idea, but the more you think about it, the more sense it makes. The A’s have a playoff caliber lineup, but badly need high end pitching.
Last season, the A’s were top 10 in most offensive categories, but finished the season 76-86 due to a poor pitching staff. Yesterday they made their lineup even deeper by trading for Jeff
McNeil. While McNeil is not a star, he is another above average hitter to add to an already deep lineup.
In addition to being deep, the A’s lineup is full of young and controllable talent. Players like Nick Kurtz, Tyler Soderstrom, Jacob Wilson, Shea Langeliers and Lawrence Butler make up a strong young core. There are also veterans like McNeil and Brent Rooker to supplement that young talent.
While the lineup is fearsome, the rotation is a different story. A projected rotation of Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs, Luis Morales, Jacob Lopez and Luis Medina is not October caliber. That is where MacKenzie Gore comes into play. The A’s need a cheap arm with top of the rotation upside and Gore is exactly that.
As baseball fans know, the A’s are not exactly an organization known for splashing the cash. Gore can be a strong option for them while being affordable financially. He is only projected to make $4.7 million in arbitration for 2026. Gore has another year of team control in 2027 and it will not be overly expensive.
With that in mind, Gore is a really strong fit for the A’s. Heading into his age 27 season, he fits the age range of this A’s core and can provide elite swing and miss ability at the top of their rotation. While Gore can be inconsistent, he can also be electric when he is at his best. The A’s do not have a guy like that in their rotation. Severino and Springs are solid, but they do not have much upside.
With the addition of McNeil, it is clear that the A’s want to push towards a playoff spot in 2026. That makes a lot of sense given the strength of their lineup. However, their rotation is a clear achilles heel and it needs to be upgraded.
It does take two to tango though, so would the Nats be interested in what the A’s have to offer? I think there are quite a few interesting pieces in the A’s farm system for the Nats to explore. The only prospect that is clearly off limits for the Nats is Leo De Vries, who the A’s got in the Mason Miller trade.
Even with De Vries off the table, I think there is a lot in the A’s system that the Nats would want. Their 2nd, 3rd and 4th ranked prospects are all pitchers, which should interest the Nats. At one point, Jamie Arnold was a candidate to go first overall, but the A’s managed to snag him at 11th overall. Gage Jump is another left handed pitcher who is a top 100 prospect.
Both Jump and Arnold are very unique arms with a lot of fun developmental potential. Arnold is a low slot lefty whose funky mechanics and dynamic three pitch mix can overwhelm hitters. Jump is the opposite, with an extreme over the top motion which gives his fastball a ton of late life. He also has a deep mix and strong command, but is smaller at just 6 feet tall.
However, the most interesting A’s young pitcher might be someone who just recently graduated in Luis Morales. He has an electric fastball and a very good sweeper. Morales averaged over 97 MPH on his heater. In 48.2 innings, Morales posted a 3.14 ERA.
However, the underlying numbers suggest there is more work to do. He posted a 4.68 FIP, a 4.54 xFIP and a 4.36 xERA. Those are not great, but if they were he would be off the table in Gore discussions. With his raw stuff, Morales still has a ton of upside and has already proven he can pitch in the big leagues at 23 years old.
I am not sure if he would be on the table for a Gore trade, but it is possible. If Morales is available, the Nats should jump all over that opportunity. He would immediately slide into the Nats rotation and has years of team control.
One of those arms would have to be the headliner, but an interesting secondary piece could be Tommy White. The man known as Tommy Tanks was a star at LSU, but defensive limitations and an aggressive approach made him slip to the second round in the 2024 draft.
White plays third base now, but he is likely to move to first base at some point. With Nick Kurtz at first and Brent Rooker at DH, White seems blocked with the A’s. However, he did show why he was highly touted in his first season. White hit .275 with a solid .773 OPS across two levels.
His combination of natural hitting ability and raw power is pretty rare. Sure, he does not walk as much as you would want, but he hits for a high average and can hit plenty of homers. White is not a guy you would want to headline a Gore deal, but would be a strong second or third piece. A package of Luis Morales and White would be something Paul Toboni would have to consider.
If Morales is off the table, a package of Gage Jump, Braden Nett and Tommy White would be an interesting one. They have not been mentioned as a candidate for Gore, but as we have laid out, the A’s make a lot of sense. Gore is a cheap arm with control, which the A’s will covet and they have prospect capital the Nats would appreciate. They are not the most likely team, but if it comes out that MacKenzie Gore has been traded to the A’s, do not be stunned.
