Can the Cubs nab Nationals' ace at the deadline?

The Washington Nationals reaped the rewards of a Juan Soto trade that landed them numerous studs. In the trade sending Soto and Josh Bell to the Padres, Washington received Luke Voit, MacKenzie Gore, C.J. Abrams, James Wood, Robert Hassell III and Jarlin Susana.

Needless to say, this trade worked out well for the Nats. Abrams, Gore and Wood have become highly productive members of the team, with Hassell just now reaching the majors. The only player involved in the return package who is no longer with the team is Voit. However, despite the success of Abrams, Gore and Wood, the team is still in last place in the NL East with a 41-61 record. Because of this, the Nats may be willing to part with one of their organization’s cornerstones. MLB insider Jeff Passan had this to report in an article on ESPN:

“Trading (MacKenzie) Gore is a long shot, yes, but interim GM Mike DeBartolo at very least is listening because A) that's what good organizations do and B) the Nationals need a lot of help.”

Gore isn’t Soto, but he could still bring a worthwhile package to Washington. The 26-year-old strikeout artist owns a 3.59 ERA with 140 strikeouts in 112.2 innings this year. In addition, he is under contract through 2027.

In his article, Passan connected Gore as a best fit for the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs have an obvious need for pitching with Justin Steele out for the season, but can they pull off a blockbuster for Gore?

As Passan notes, a deal for Gore is unlikely. However, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer may have offered a notion that a deal like this could actually work. When asked about trading prospects, Hoyer said that “no one’s untouchable.” What does this mean?

Cubs’ top prospect, Owen Caissie, is one name that has been frequently discussed after Hoyer’s recent remarks. His game-changing power (he has 20 home runs this year in Triple-A) is a perk, but with three top prospects roaming the outfield in Washington - James Wood, Robert Hassell III, Dylan Crews (currently injured) - he might not be a seamless fit. 

No. 2 prospect, Moisés Ballesteros, would make perfect sense as he doesn’t appear to have a path leading to the Cubs’ big-league roster any time soon, given his defensive shortcomings. Boasting a .337 average, he could slot into the Nationals' DH spot this year. But what about recent top prospect Matt Shaw? 

Shaw was, in all appearances, looking like the third baseman of the future. In the minors, he hit for average and power, was a productive base-stealer, and drew walks at a flooring rate. He was thrust into the hot corner due to the Cubs' middle-infield logjam and despite his "fringy" arm strength, but he can be moved back to shortstop or second for the Nats. 

With the clock running down on one year of Kyle Tucker, the Cubs are in a win-now position, and they seem willing to do anything possible to do just that. As promising as he was in the minors, Shaw doesn’t seem to fit into his team’s plans for this year. His rookie struggles have forced the Cubs to instead scour the trade market to replace him, though he has been heating up after the All-Star break. But does this mean they would consider trading him?

If the Cubs are going to land Gore, the package is going to need to be substantial. As for the questions surrounding Gore’s availability and Hoyer’s definition of “untouchable,” we’ll need to wait until the trade deadline to find out. But if the Cubs are willing to part with Shaw, among others, for Gore, chances of seeing the Nationals’ ace take the mound for Chicago are that much brighter.