Yankees Tabbed Top Trade Destination for Young Strikeout Artist

The New York Yankees have yet to make any truly impactful moves this offseason, but general manager Brian Cashman is certainly working the phones trying to get something done.

Things are just moving at a snail's pace.

It's not just the Yankees, either, as much of the market is at a standstill right now, but that doesn't mean the wheels aren't churning.

New York is said to be on the hunt for a starting pitcher, but with prices being hiked thanks to the Baltimore Orioles trading four prospects and a competitive balance pick to the Tampa Bay Rays for Shane Baz, the going is tough at the moment.

But perhaps at some point, the Yankees will be able to get some team to soften its stance when it comes to its trade demands.

Could that team be the Washington Nationals?

Nationals pitcher MacKenzie Gore has been tabbed as a player of interest for New York this winter, and Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly feels that the Yanks represent the best trade fit for him.

"Trading for Gore would give the Yankees a pitcher that's made at least 30 starts in consecutive seasons," Kelly wrote. "He did struggle after the All-Star Break, but the pitcher who posted a 3.02 ERA over 19 first-half starts looked like a top-of-the-rotation arm. Gore could benefit from going to a contending organization that might help to unlock his ace potential on a more consistent basis."

There is definitely quite a bit to like about Gore.

He is a former first-round pick who has averaged 10 strikeouts per nine innings over the course of his first four big-league campaigns, and this past year, he logged a career-high 10.4 after fanning 185 hitters over 159.2 innings of work.

Gore also turns 27 years old in February and is under club control through 2027, and he has been pretty durable throughout the early stages of his career.

On the flip side, though, the left-hander has also been somewhat disappointing thus far in his major-league tenure, owning a lifetime 4.19 ERA and an alarming 1.401 WHIP.

Considering what the Orioles surrendered for Baz, who hasn't even been as good as Gore thus far in his career, Washington will almost certainly be seeking a similar return for Gore.

Does that mean the Nationals will get it? Not necessarily, but you can bet there is one heck of a staring contest underway between the Yankees and the Nats right now. Assuming New York has contacted Washington about Gore, of course.

There are definitely more intriguing options out there, but they also have drawbacks of their own.

A big part of the appeal of Gore is that he will not really put a dent in the Yankees' payroll right now, as he is slated to earn just $6.5 million in 2026 and doesn't hit free agency until 2028.

But would New York part with a package that includes one of Jasson Dominguez or Spencer Jones and multiple top prospects just to land him? It seems pretty doubtful.