Cubs Reportedly 'Very Interested' in Acquiring Rising Ace MacKenzie Gore

It's hard to tell just how aggressive the Chicago Cubs are going to be ahead of the trade deadline.

The decision makers have let down this fanbase in the past with their passive approach to improving the roster. So even though there have been murmurs that the front office could be looking to make a splash, it's difficult to trust that is actually going to take place.

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With that in mind, this bit of information reported by The Athletic (subscription required) was notable.

"The Cubs are very interested in MacKenzie Gore, a top-of-the-rotation arm under team control through 2027. A blockbuster deal with the Washington Nationals would set the Cubs up for the playoffs and eliminate an offseason need," wrote Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney.

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If they are able to pull that off, it would be a complete game changer.

For one, MacKenzie Gore appears to be a rising ace in this sport, finally putting everything to together this season to meet his high prospect pedigree by being selected to his first All-Star Game while owning an ERA of 3.52 across his 21 starts, fanning 144 batters in 117 2/3 innings of work which puts him tied for fifth in Major League Baseball.

It would not come cheap, and despite Washington Nationals interim general manager Mike DeBartolo stating he's willing to listen to calls on the left-hander, there is no real indication they'd be willing to trade him.

Still, the fact this is being reported is notable.

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At the very least, this is a sign that the Cubs aren't willing to shop in the bargain isle, instead seeing what it would take to land an ace-caliber arm to lead their rotation into the future.

But whether it's Gore or not, Chicago has to make a splash if they are going to have a successful deadline.

This report indicates the Cubs will try to make that happen one way or another.

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