The Chicago Cubs are looking to bolster their starting rotation ahead of the 2025 Major League Baseball trade deadline on July 31.
The Cubs are battling for the top spot in the NL Central, and a clear area of need is the rotation. Ahead of the deadline, Chicago has talked about trading for MacKenzie Gore of the Washington Nationals.
However, according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers and Kiley McDaniel, the Nationals want Matt Shaw as part of the trade package, and the Cubs have no plan to deal him.
“Of all their needs, the Cubs view finding help on the mound to be their biggest priority, according to sources familiar with their thinking,” Rogers wrote… “The return needed to land Gore would be astronomical and is prohibitive to a deal for the strikeout artist. ESPN's Kiley McDaniel has said that the key player the Nationals are rumored to want for Gore is third baseman Matt Shaw, who isn't on the table.”
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Gore would be a front-of-the-line rotation for the Cubs, and he has two more years of club control, so he’d be a key part of Chicago’s rotation for three playoff runs. However, as the ESPN insiders report, it’s unlikely the Cubs will trade for Gore despite their interest.
Gore was an All-Star in 2025 as he’s 4-10 with a 3.52 ERA in 21 starts this season.
Shaw, meanwhile, is 23 and is Chicago's starting third baseman. He's hitting .223 with 6 home runs and 25 RBIs.
Although the Cubs are unlikely to trade for Gore, one MLB executive expects Chicago to add to their rotation before the deadline.
"The Cubs are ready to pounce if the prices come down," another source said.
The Cubs are 62-45 and in second place in the NL Central.
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