The Washington Nationals are making it clear they won’t entertain offers for their emerging young stars ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. However, while it may sound like a stabilizing message for the fan base, the decision could be a costly misstep for a franchise stuck between rebuilding and regaining relevance.
A Public Commitment to the Core
Interim GM Mike DeBartolo, who stepped in after the surprise firing of longtime president Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez, emphasized that Washington is not shopping cornerstone players like James Wood, CJ Abrams, Dylan Crews, or MacKenzie Gore. Speaking to reporters over the weekend, DeBartolo said to The Washington Post, “I’m looking to keep the young, core group of our best players together.”
The sentiment isn’t surprising. The Nationals have invested years and made trades—including the Juan Soto blockbuster—to assemble this young core. With Crews and Wood under team control through 2030, Abrams signed through 2028, and Gore in his arbitration years until 2027, the group represents a potential new era for the Nats.
But that’s also where the risk lies.
Gore, a 26-year-old southpaw represented by Scott Boras, is enjoying a career year. His rising value would make him arguably the most attractive arm on the trade market. Trading him now could yield a haul that redefines the farm system overnight. But the Nationals are choosing instead to keep him, despite little sign that a long-term extension is anywhere on the horizon.
The gamble? If the Nats hold onto Gore and fail to contend before his 2027 free agency, they may lose him for nothing more than a qualifying offer — the exact outcome smart deadline deals are designed to avoid.
A Familiar Path With Uncertain Rewards
The decision to hold steady raises broader questions about Washington’s strategy under DeBartolo. Is this a case of long-term vision or short-term paralysis by instability? The Nats haven’t had a winning season since 2019. They’re in full seller mode again this summer, reportedly making short-term veterans like Kyle Finnegan, Michael Soroka, Josh Bell, and Amed Rosario available. Yet, they’re not committing to a full rebuild, either.
And that’s what makes their “no-sell” stance on core players so murky.
Keeping the core sounds good—unless the organization fails to build around it quickly enough. If prospects like Crews and Wood become stars, they’ll command top dollar. If Gore walks or declines before Washington contends again, they’ll have missed a window of opportunity. And if no one emerges as a true franchise face, they’ll have spent years protecting the wrong pieces.
DeBartolo said, “My goal is to build future competitive teams and be in that playoff mix,” but that’s easier said than done without bold moves. And while the interim tag suggests he may not be the one making those bold decisions long-term, the clock doesn’t stop ticking on the trade value of young players.
By holding firm now, Washington risks missing its best chance to maximize value and reset the franchise trajectory. This deadline won’t just shape their roster—it may define their next era. The true cost of their decision will only come into focus when opportunity, and perhaps some stars, have slipped away.
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