It is no secret that the Nationals will be listening to trade offers for of the 2026 MLB season. The two hottest names on the team should surprise no one — MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams. ESPN's Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan recently released a list of top trade candidates, as well as their projected chances of getting dealt. Both Gore and Abrams land highly on this list, so we will delve into the likelihood of saying goodbye to these veterans stars.
Will MacKenzie Gore Get Traded?
On December 2nd, McDaniel and Passan released their rankings of players that can get traded. Gore lands 9th on this list with a 30% chance to be dealt. This definitely seems fair given the rumors that have floated around the fanbase of recent.
Paul Toboni recently interviewed with Buster Olney of ESPN. In this interview, Toboni was asked if he has talked to Gore about trade rumors and he responded with a comfortable "yes". The two have spoken and it appears that Toboni would love to keep Gore, but he will also have to listen to offers. It is only right for the GM to listen to offers, understandably so.
"We're going to listen cause that's a part of our job."@Nationals President of Baseball Ops, Paul Toboni, on trade talks about Mackenzie Gore and his conversations with Gore about that.@Buster_ESPN https://t.co/UXRnpFbdjl pic.twitter.com/kahMmV5ilY
— ESPN Podcasts (@espnpodcasts) December 4, 2025
Gore has been great as the ace, but he has not nearly met "elite" status. Gore had an ERA of 4.17 in 2025, tailing off towards the end of season. This has been a theme of Gore to tail off in the second half. Nonetheless, he is good, but could be dealt if the returns outweigh the perceived value. Time will tell, but this rumor will surely drag on well into 2026.
Likely In-Organization Replacements:
Cade Cavalli, Brad Lord, Josiah Gray
The "Ace" position would very much be up for grabs if Gore is dealt. If the team signs no pivotal pitcher, it could be a war for the job, and that may not be a bad thing.
Will CJ Abrams Get Traded?
In the same ESPN article, Abrams stands 12th on the list with a 35% chance to get dealt. Like Gore, this seems only right. Abrams is a great player, but everything is for sale in this world, as Abrams lives in it.
Abrams has an offensive rating that has continuously increased over his career, recently landing himself at a +12.9, per Fangraphs. However, Abrams lacks in his defense rating, landing himself in the negatives every year of his career. The Nationals would surely entertain a trade if it nets great returns and an opportunity to up the defensive standing of the shortstop position.
Likely In-Organization Replacements
Nasim Nunez, Jose Tena (Unlikely to be called up so soon)
The Nationals would likely need to see a shortstop sent back if they deal Abrams. They can surely fiddle with the position for the time being, but Nunez and Tena appear to be the only true fill-ins on the current projected roster.
In conclusion, should the Nationals look to actually pull the trigger on a trade for either one of their stars? It certainly depends on what the return looks like. If they get blown away with a prospect package similar to what Garrett Crochet got for the Chicago White Sox last winter, the Nationals should not hesitate to pull the trigger. If they get something slightly below that, They probably should still do it as well. I do not think that Abrams should be dealt as of now, due to the lack of sufficient replacements in the realm of possibility at the moment.