MacKenzie Gore. Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Rangers acquire All-Star LHP MacKenzie Gore in win-now move

By Mike J. Asti | Last updated Jan 22, 2026 5:29 PM ET

Coming off missing the playoffs in back-to-back years, the Texas Rangers are showing an increased interest in getting back to the World Series.

As part of that push, Texas acquired highly coveted pitcher MacKenzie Gore in a trade with the Washington Nationals.

In a five-for-one deal, the Rangers landed the All-Star left-handed pitcher in exchange for a slew of prospects, including third baseman Gavin Fien, the 12th overall pick in the most recent 2025 MLB Draft.

Trading for MacKenzie Gore is a low-risk/high-reward move for the Rangers

Gore will now head to Texas with two more years of team control and a 2026 salary of just $5.6 million, making the move a low-risk/high-reward endeavor, at least financially.

Full trade, per ESPN sources:

Rangers get: LHP MacKenzie Gore

Nationals get: 3B Gavin Fien, SS Devin Fitz-Gerald, RHP Alejandro Rosario, 1B Abimelec Ortiz and and OF Yeremy Cabrera

A big return for the Nationals. Fien was the 12th pick last year. Evaluators love Fitz-Gerald.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 22, 2026

While Gore is viewed as a potential top end-of-the-rotation guy, the Nationals can also be considered winners of the trade. They received a haul for a pitcher who only posted a 5-15 record in 2025 and suffered a second-half slump.

Texas is betting on MacKenzie Gore's upside

However, the Rangers were still interested due to his 185 strikeouts, the highest single-season output of his four-year career. He also registered a 4.17 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. Gore did record a better 3.90 ERA in 32 starts in 2024, a season he did win 10 games.

Gore is expected to join a Rangers rotation that currently includes two-time All-Star Nathan Eovaldi, two-time Cy Young winner and five-time All-Star Jacob deGrom and Jack Leiter.

Can the Rangers get back to the World Series as they start a new era?

After an improbable World Series run in 2023, one that culminated in capturing the franchise's first World Series title, the Rangers were 78-84 in 2024 and then 81-81 last season.

Upon the departure of future Hall of Fame manager Bruce Bochy, Texas hired Skip Schumaker as their next skipper in October. Schumaker will now have another arm to play with thanks to the addition of Gore.

Mike J. Asti

Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports. He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market

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