Major League Baseball’s hot stove season is finally here. The Chicago Cubs are a team to keep an eye on this offseason, as their front office has many key decisions to make. First is what will happen with the top free agent, Kyle Tucker? The early reports show the Cubs may not be in the race for the Tucker sweepstakes. Another thing Chicago needs to address is the starting rotation.
With the recent contract decisions surrounding left-handed starter Shota Imanaga, if Imanaga does not accept his qualifying offer, he will become a free agent. Over the past few seasons in MLB, there have been several impactful trades across the league that have improved contenders’ status headed into the next season. The Washington Nationals are thought to be considering moving off MacKenzie Gore. Could the Cubs be interested in acquiring the southpaw All-Star starter?
Cubs Trade Proposal Lands MacKenzie Gore to Bolster Chicago’s Rotation
Justin Steele missed essentially the entirety of the 2025 season after Tommy John Surgery, and that left Chicago’s rotation thin. If the Cubs and Imanaga don’t agree, that may leave Chicago in need of a replacement option. Nationals’ MacKenzie Gore could be that option.
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In a recent MLBTradeRumors.com article, writer Steve Adams names MacKenzie Gore the top trade candidate headed into the offseason. A handful of teams in MLB need starting pitching, and Gore is a great option to make just about any rotation deeper:
“One of the most sought-after names at the 2025 trade deadline, Gore is a former No. 3 overall pick by the Padres who spent several years as one of the top-ranked â if not the top-ranked â pitching prospects in baseball. His development didnât go as smoothly as possible, due largely to some mechanical struggles that set him back in his latter minor league seasons.”
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)Fans of the Chicago Cubs show their support from the stands as Drew Pomeranz #45 of the Chicago Cubs walks off the field in game three of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field on October 08, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
Gore had another quality season as a starter in 2025. Over 159.2 innings, Gore posted a 4.17 ERA with 185 strikeouts. That’s now back-to-back seasons of 150+ innings, 25+ starts, and 180+ strikeouts.
What Would Chicago Have to Give Up?
It would make sense as to why the Chicago Cubs would want to hold onto Gore, as he could be seen as a future ace for years to come, but since Dave Martinez and Mike Rizzo got fired, there’s a completely new front office leader in Washington. This could be new GM Paul Toboni’s chance to reload the farm system for the Nationals.
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Chicago has had one of the best farm systems in MLB over the last few seasons, so they could afford to give up either outfielder Kevin Alcantara or James Triantos, along with a player like Ben Brown or Jordan Wicks.
Last offseason, the Boston Red Sox made a big-time trade for Garrett Crochet, and it helped propel them to a playoff spot. The Chicago Cubs are looking to compete for a National League Pennant in 2026, and making a trade like this could swing their chances drastically.
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