At this point, there's so much noise around a MacKenzie Gore trade that it'd be surprising if he stayed put with the Washington Nationals.
As ESPN's Jeff Passan put it in a new article: "Where there is smoke, there is fire."
At this point, the suspense appears to be more about where Gore ends up than whether he moves or not.
MORE: These 4 legends played in NFL, MLB, NHL as grandfathers before Philip Rivers
The good news for Gore is that he may not have to move cross-country at the end of a deal. Passan thinks the Baltimore Orioles are the favorite for Gore, with the New York Yankees in the picture, too.
"His name came up a lot in Orlando and there are enough motivated teams in part because he's good and affordable," Passan writes. "An American League East team, such as the New York Yankees or Orioles, fits for Gore -- especially the latter, which might have an extra hitter or two to spare after signing (Pete) Alonso. Gore fits in Baltimore on several levels."
Gore has two years remaining on his contract, so he's more than just a rental-type player.
The Orioles, as Passan said, have a loaded setup of hitters. It was a bit of a surprise that they devoted money to Alonso just because their pitching appears to be the clear need, not their hitting.
But maybe the Alonso signing will free the Orioles up to move a hitter or two to land a guy like Gore.
MORE: Mets have lost so much more than just Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz
For the Nationals, it's all about finding talented younger pieces to include in their core group, one they hope can start contending sooner rather than later.
Moving Gore could set the Nats' rotation back a bit for 2026, but if it helps down the road, it could be worth it.
More MLB news:
- Dodgers' payroll is even more loaded with Edwin Diaz
- It's a good day to remember Bob Feller's brilliance and his time in the U.S. Navy
- How Aroldis Chapman is able to pitch for Great Britain in the WBC
- What the Kyle Schwarber signing means for the Pittsburgh Pirates
- Poetic paragraph reveals Cody Bellinger's free agent landing spots
- A chicken sandwich at the Winter Meetings costs way more than you could imagine