The Washington Nationals don't have a ton of tough decisions to make this offseason.
But deciding what to do with left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore? That's tough.
Gore is under club control for two more seasons. Do the Nats think they'll be good enough in 2026 and 2027 that keeping him around is worthwhile? Or do they pursue assets that can help them years down the road?
The general thinking is that Gore is a logical trade candidate. But The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal spelled out in a new article why the Nats might hold Gore, at least for now:
Gore, who turns 27 in February, is one of the Nats players new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni believes might find “another gear.” The interest in him at the trade deadline, when free-agent alternatives are not available, should be even more intense. And naturally, the Nats think Gore might benefit from working with their new pitching coach, Simon Mathews.
The risk in keeping Gore, of course, is that he might get hurt, sinking his trade value. And that risk might outweigh every other factor for the Nats — who unlike, say, the Tigers — do not expect to contend.
Gore was a top prospect in the Padres system who came to the Nationals in the Juan Soto trade. In 2025, he showed his high upside with a handful of strikeout-dominant outings.
If the Nats' young players get up to speed quickly, they could surprise and contend earlier than planned. That's another reason to hang onto Gore. If Washington starts 2025 hot, they could always choose to keep Gore at the deadline and go on a run of their own.
The injury downside is there, as Rosenthal writes. But there'd definitely be a benefit to keeping Gore around until July, too.
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