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Are the Red Sox About to Land Nationals’ Biggest Offseason Trade Piece?

Originally posted on Washington Nationals on SI
By Scott Roche | Last updated Oct 14, 2025 7:00 PM ET

It figures to be a big offseason of changes for the Washington Nationals under Paul Toboni. Some of them began last week with sweeping changes through the front office. There are sure to be more to come.

Toboni will eventually turn to the roster for changes, whether it's through trades or free agency, it will be a different-looking roster than the one that ended the 2025 season a few weeks ago at home against the Chicago White Sox.

There is a young core of talent in place for Toboni to build around, but there are decisions to be made not only for 2026 but also for the long-term future. Left-hander pitcher MacKenzie Gore is arbitration-eligible through 2027, and it's not guaranteed that he'll be in the nation's capital past then.

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report listed 25 trade chips for the offseason, and Gore came in at No. 6. Trading him is not out of the question for Toboni, and one baseball writer, Tim Healey of the Boston Globe (subscription required), sees a path for Gore heading to the Boston Red Sox.

MacKenzie Gore Listed as 2025 Offseason Trade Chip With Red Sox a Potential Destination

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Gore is coming off a season where he established himself as a future top-of-the-rotation starter. He finished 2025 with a 3.02 ERA with 185 strikeouts in 189.2 innings with 30 starts.

He is a Scott Boras client, which should raise some flags about his likelihood of signing long-term with Washington and testing free agency at his first available opportunity. Healey makes a compelling argument as to why the Red Sox could be a landing spot this winter in a trade.

"With former Red Sox assistant GM Paul Toboni now running the Nationals, is there a deal to be made? MacKenzie Gore is due to be a free agent after the 2027 season, probably before the Nationals are actually good again. Toboni, of course, would know what talent from the Sox farm system he would like to pluck,'' wrote Healy.

Boston has Garrett Crochet and Brayan Bello locked up at the top of the rotation. They also have some rising prospects in Connelly Early and Peyton Tolle, who made some big starts down the stretch, but with them likely moving on from Lucas Giolito, they need starting pitching.

That's where Gore comes in, and one of the big pieces of the Juan Soto trade with the San Diego Padres could fetch some prospects back from the Red Sox. That's a system that Toboni knows very well after his time there. It feels like a perfect match and one deal that the Nationals could get a return that is worth it.