After watching yet another dominant starting pitching performance by the Los Angeles Dodgers neverending well of elite, top of the line starters, and taking a look at the staff the Nationals have lined up as of October 28th, 2025 for next season, it becomes clear that a bona fide number one ace is needed if there is any hope for this franchise to begin to turn a corner and show signs of life out of the rebuild.
What better way to kick off off-season hopes and dreams for our beloved Nats then a hypothetical, never gonna happen in a million years, theoretical scenario where the Washington Nationals acquire the best pitcher in baseball. The glory days where the Nationals could roll out guys like Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg every five days are unfortunately past us and the reality of the current starting pitching situation is a rotation that finished bottom five in nearly every major statistical category in the 2025 season.
MacKenzie Gore, the opening day starter and all star this year undoubtedly had his moments and showed flashes of potential ace stuff, and not only is he rumored to be traded this season, but behind him the Nats rolled out batting practice machine after batting practice machine. Trevor Williams and DJ Herz going down with injuries certainly didn't help the already slim pickings but nonetheless, it's hard to win games when you give up 5.14 a game according to TeamRankings.com.
MacKenzie Gore collects his 10th strikeout of the day 😤 pic.twitter.com/hVomMMH04I
— MLB (@MLB) August 10, 2025
If it's already rumored that the Nats are looking to move on from the closest thing that they have to an ace right now in MacKenzie Gore, why not call Scott Harris and the Detroit Tigers up and look to land the soon to be back to back AL Cy Young Award winner? It would take some work on the Nats end for sure, but we've seen crazy trades happen over these past few years, from Juan Soto to Rafael Devers. It's not entirely impossible, but we're still over a hundred and fifty days away from the Opening Day of Nationals baseball, so let's have at it. Here's a hypothetical (and completely unrealistic) trade:
Detroit Tigers Receive: (LHP) MacKenzie Gore, (OF) James Wood, (3B) Brady House, (RHP) Jarlin Susana
Washington Nationals Receive: (LHP) Tarik Skubal
The Tigers get a corner outfielder power bat to pair with Riley Greene in James Wood, MacKenzie Gore a LHP with front of the rotation potential, Brady House can provide another option for third base in the future for the Tigers, and Jarlin Susana a 6'6" RHP also has high-end potential but is further down the road.
This would provide the biggest possible help to starting pitching for the Nats and shift the entire dynamic of the rebiudl to a dire win now season. Skubal almost surely helps to make this Nats team an immediate contender with another surefire Cy Young caliber season in his back pocket.