The Washington Nationals are just over one month removed from hiring former Tampa Bay Rays player development director Blake Butera as the team’s new manager, making him the youngest manager in the major leagues since Frank Quilici in 1972, but he could have his work cut out for him with ESPN predicting a pair of key players could land elsewhere ahead of the 2026 season.
ESPN included left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore and shortstop CJ Abrams among 15 players who could be traded this offseason with the Nationals looking to turn a new leaf under Butera.
Gore checked in at ninth overall on the list with ESPN predicting a 30% chance of a trade with New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks among the best team fits. The speculation came on the same day that ESPN reported Nationals baseball operations Paul Toboni has discussed the 26-year-old pitcher as a “logical trade candidate,” per Darragh McDonald.
“Teams expect Gore to be wearing a different uniform by the end of 2026. They just aren't sure whether a deal will happen now or at the trade deadline in July,” ESPN wrote. “New Washington president of baseball operations Paul Toboni has held discussions with multiple teams about Gore, but the ask is understandably high. Gore's impending free agency after 2027 complicates things somewhat.”
Gore is coming off a stellar first half of the season after entering the All-Star break with a 3.02 ERA to go with a 7.7% walk rate and 30.5% strikeout rate. But injuries held him back the second half of the season, first due to shoulder inflammation then a right ankle injury. Abrams has struggled defensively as a National but finished 14th in the league with 31 stolen bases.
ESPN also predicted a 35% chance that Abrams will get traded with the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Guardians among the best fits.
“Abrams made his first All-Star team in 2024 and followed with a nearly identical 2025. And at just 25, he's in his prime. So why isn't he higher on this list? His defense at shortstop is not good, and the Nationals -- with a dearth of quality big league players -- will not trade one to teams unwilling to pay a premium for his age, position and control,” ESPN wrote.
ESPN’s scouting report of Gore: Gore was the No. 3 pick in the 2017 draft but didn't find big league success until 2024. He has been solid the past two years, ranking 23rd in pitcher WAR in that span, but hasn't quite made the jump to a frontline starter that some envisioned years ago. Gore throws at least 80% fastball/slider to lefties and at least 80% fastball/curveball to righties, so developing a fourth viable pitch shape could be the key; the best pitching development clubs excel at this.
ESPN’s scouting report of Abrams: Abrams has been the worst defensive shortstop over the past three seasons (-31 runs), with the next-closest player at -15 runs. But he is a solid hitter, with close to average power and on-base figures, and is also an elite baserunner, ranking sixth in baseball over the past three seasons (+18 runs) due in large part to his 109 stolen bases in that span. If he were to excel defensively in center field while leveling up at the plate, he could still grow into a star, but those are two pretty big ifs.