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Dark Horse Team Could Make 'Push' to Acquire Nationals Ace

Originally posted on Washington Nationals on SI
By Brad Wakai | Last updated Oct 25, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The rumors and speculation regarding the Washington Nationals actually trading their ace MacKenzie Gore this offseason continues to run rampant.

There is nothing that suggests a move of that magnitude is going to happen. However, former MLB general manager Jim Bowden stated that shopping the left-hander will take place this winter, which has led to the natural connection of him being dealt to the Boston Red Sox.

New president of baseball operations Paul Toboni could likely maximize the return for Gore if he was dealt there considering his knowledge of that farm system, but it still feels like a mistake for the Nationals to get rid of someone with that pedigree considering how barren their starting rotation is heading into 2026.

If Washington does decide to ship out Gore, though, there will be more suitors than just the Red Sox. And that includes the lefty's former team getting back into the mix to acquire him, at least in the mind of Bowden.

Padres Viewed as Possible Suitor for MacKenzie Gore

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"If the Red Sox don't land him, watch for the Padres to push for a reunion," he wrote for The Athletic (subscription required).

That would be a full-circle moment for Gore, who was originally taken third overall by the San Diego Padres in the 2017 draft. While climbing his way up their pipeline, the left-hander became considered the best pitching prospect in the sport when he was ranked fifth overall in 2020. And two years later, he made his major league debut with the Padres.

But after pitching to a 4.50 ERA across 16 outings (13 starts) during the first part of the 2022 season, he was shipped to Washington as a headlining part of the return for Juan Soto.

The Juan Soto the @Padres trade is now official!

What do you think of the deal? pic.twitter.com/7uNqcT4zKv
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 2, 2022

Why San Diego would jump back into the Gore sweepstakes at this point in time isn't clear beyond the fact they are facing losses of both Dylan Cease and Michael King in free agency. It would take real prospect capital to acquire their former top prospect, which is something that was made a bit more scarce after the ambitious trade deadline approach the Padres had this past season.

Still, that is an aggressive front office in San Diego, and if they see someone they want to land in a deal, they are not shy about working to get something done. With that in mind, keep an eye on the Padres being further linked to the Nationals in Gore trade conversations.

Because even though it feels like a longshot right now, things can change in a hurry when dealing with a team like that.