The Chicago Cubs are known to be looking for a starting pitcher before the July 31 trade deadline, and they're "very interested in" Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore, according to Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic. Whether a trade is realistic in this case is very much in question. The Nationals would get a haul for Gore, but it would be a risk to let interim general manager Mike DeBartolo pull the trigger on such a significant transaction. Beyond that, there's no rush for the Nats to ship out Gore, who has two years of arbitration control left after this season. The 26-year-old made the All-Star team in the first half and has put up a 3.52 ERA with 144 strikeouts against 44 walks over 117 2/3 innings. Gore's 4-10 record would likely improve on the contending Cubs, which would please fantasy managers.

Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore (4-9) posted his worst start of the season and took his ninth loss in an 8-1 blowout versus the San Diego Padres on Sunday. Gore lasted just 2 1/3 innings against his former team and coughed up eight earned runs on eight hits, including two homers, with three walks and two strikeouts. It was Gore's first time out since he pitched a perfect frame in the All-Star Game on Tuesday. Gore earned his way on the NL team with a 3.02 ERA in the first half of the season, but that number has quickly risen to a still-solid 3.59 as a result of Sunday's ugly showing. Also still sporting an above-average 1.27 WHIP and a terrific 140:38 K:BB, Gore will try to bounce back on the road against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore could be on the move ahead of this year's trade deadline. According to Jon Heyman, several teams have called the Nats to see the availability of Gore. New Nats general manager Mike DeBartolo said he prefers to keep the core group together, but is always willing to listen. Gore still has two years of control left, so it seems unlikely that anyone could pry him away unless they overpay. Currently, Gore holds a 3.02 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and a 138/35 K/BB ratio across 19 starts with the Nats this season. He's only 26 years old and earned his first All-Star selection this season. It would certainly need to be a good package for the Nats to let go of Gore right now.

Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore tossed a gem in an 8-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday. Gore allowed one run on five hits over six innings of work while striking out seven and walking one to earn his fourth win of the season. The 26-year-old southpaw heads into the All-Star break with a 4-8 record, 3.02 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 138 strikeouts across 110 1/3 innings of work. He has been even more dominant of late, posting a 2.79 ERA over his past seven starts. Gore has the looks of a true ace in fantasy, although a weak Washington team limits his upside a bit.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore pitched seven scoreless innings and struck out seven in a 2-0 win over the Cubs on Wednesday. He allowed three hits and walked one. This was his second straight scoreless outing and third straight quality start, lowering his ERA to 2.87. The strikeout specialist has been one of the most effective pitchers in baseball this season, allowing more than three runs in an outing only twice while posting an elite 35.4% strikeout rate. The 26-year-old finally seems to be breaking out and should be viewed at least as a top-30 option at the position moving forward. He'll look to keep the scoreless streak alive in his next start, currently set to be against the Mets.

Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore continues to showcase his ace potential thus far in 2025. In his start Thursday night against the Seattle Mariners, he punched out eight batters in six innings of work, allowing only four hits and no runs. He left the ball game with the Nationals up 2-0, and they proceeded to cough up the lead as soon as he left the game. They would eventually win 9-3 in extra innings, as the Nationals' offense exploded in the top of the tenth, scoring seven runs. Gore now owns an impressive 36.3 percent strikeout rate (97th percentile), 34.7 percent whiff rate (95th percentile), a 3.16 ERA, and a 1.20 WHIP. Based on his 200.0 ADP, according to NFBC, Gore has been an absolute steal for fantasy managers and remains a must-start with elite strikeout upside.

Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore (leg) was pulled from his start early on Friday versus the visiting San Francisco Giants after his leg tightened up on from being hit by a comebacker in the second inning. Gore walked off the mound after being checked on by manager Dave Martinez and a trainer, but MASN's Mark Zuckerman writes that it doesn't sound like the team is very concerned. The 26-year-old southpaw also said he's not concerned with the injury, which already is a nice welt on the side of his upper left leg. Gore took his second loss of the year on Friday night but he was excellent, allowing just an earned run on two hits while walking three and striking out nine in six innings of work. It sounds like Gore should be able to make his next scheduled start next Thursday in a difficult matchup against the Seattle Mariners, but fantasy managers will want to check back on Gore's status.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore had mixed results in Sunday's start against the St. Louis Cardinals, tossing 6 innings of four-run ball and taking the loss in a 6-1 defeat. Gore was looking decent before the seventh, but ran into some trouble that made his line look a little worse. He ended his outing with five hits and three walks allowed and struck out seven. The strikeout artist is now 2-4 with a 3.59 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 75 strikeouts in 52 IP. After a brilliant start to his season, the 26-year-old has been more human lately and has shown some flaws that we've seen from him in years past, namely his lack of control and inability to limit home runs. Gore still has a ton of talent and will likely go on a nice run again later in the year, but don't expect him to be an ace. He should certainly still be started in all fantasy formats most weeks, though. His next matchup will likely come in Baltimore against the Orioles next Friday.

Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore (ankle) will make his next start this Sunday on the road in St. Louis against the Cardinals, according to MASN's Mark Zuckerman. Gore was a little sore following his last start against the Cincinnati Reds after tweaking his ankle, but he's been cleared to make his next start to close out the weekend series against the Cardinals. The 26-year-old southpaw made it through five innings last Saturday against Cincy, allowing an earned run on four hits while walking a season-high four and striking out nine. Overall, the former first-rounder by the San Diego Padres in 2017 has been strong for the Nats in 2025 through his first eight starts, posting a 3.33 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 68 punchouts in his 46 innings of work. The Cardinals currently hold the 11th-best OPS (.732) in the league, but Gore should be started in fantasy lineups.

Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez said on Monday that left-hander MacKenzie Gore (ankle) is dealing with a sore ankle, but he's feeling a lot better. Gore slipped on a wet mound during his outing on Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds in the fifth inning, but he appears to have avoided a serious injury and should be able to make his next scheduled start this Sunday versus the St. Louis Cardinals. The 26-year-old southpaw and former third overall pick by the San Diego Padres in 2017 picked up a no-decision on Sunday against the Reds by allowing one earned run on four hits while walking four and striking out nine in five innings of work. Gore has looked good in his third year with the Nats and has posted a career-best 3.33 ERA (2.72 FIP) and 1.15 WHIP with a league-high 68 K's and 13 walks in eight starts over 46 innings. Start Gore on Sunday if he's cleared.

Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore turned in a quality start in a 2-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday. Gore allowed two runs on four hits over six innings of work while striking out eight and walking one but wound up with a tough-luck loss in the low-scoring affair. Gore notched a game-high 14 swinging strikes in the contest. The veteran hurler now has a 2-3 record, 3.34 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts over 35 innings of work as he looks to continue to build upon a breakout year in 2024. Gore will look to stay hot in his next start, which is scheduled for Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore allowed just two runs on four hits in six solid innings in Denver, striking out 13 in a dominant performance. He left the game with a commanding 12-2 lead after striking out his 13th batter to end the sixth inning, but the Nationals' bullpen almost let the game get away before holding on for the 12-11 win. Gore improved to 2-2 with the win and has a 3.41 ERA, 2.30 FIP, and 1.21 WHIP in his five starts. He has an impressive 13.97 K/9 rate, which is the highest mark of qualified pitchers so far this season. Gore had no trouble with the strikeout-prone Rockies and will draw the Orioles at home in his next outing, which is currently scheduled for Thursday. Even in that tougher matchup, Gore is a must-start in all formats after his strong start so far.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore was fantastic on the mound during Thursday's season opener against the Philadelphia Phillies. Gore recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts over six shutout innings in a no-decision. Gore only allowed one hit during his time on the mound as he looked nearly flawless out there. Sadly for Gore, the Nats bullpen was unable to hold the lead for him. Despite that, Gore puts his name in the history books with his franchise-record 13 punchouts. The 26-year-old will certainly be a popular waiver wire pickup after that performance. He'll look to keep it going next week against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez announced that left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore will start on Opening Day as the Nationals play host to the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, March 27. Gore, a former first-round pick by the San Diego Padres in 2017, will be entering his third season with the Nationals and look to start the season on a high note. During the 2024 season, Gore was 10-12 with a 3.90 ERA, 3.53 FIP, and a 10.8 K/9. Gore has been in the big leagues since 2022, and we have continued to see him improve year over year. At NFBC, Gore's ADP is 205 overall, aligning with RotoBaller's current overall rankings of 207 for Gore. Fantasy managers looking for a young arm with upside will want to target him in their upcoming drafts.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore is set to make his spring debut on Saturday. The Nationals will play in split-squad games against the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals that day. Gore has yet to pitch in a spring training game but has remained active on the mound. He threw two innings against live hitters earlier this week and noted that everything feels "normal" and that he is on the "same schedule as everybody." Gore is expected to serve as the ace of the rotation once again. Last season, the southpaw held a 3.90 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP across 166 1/3 innings of work. He tallied an impressive 181 punchouts but had a high 8.9 percent walk rate. He also generated a modest 4.50 xERA and a .252 xBA, which placed him in the 39th and 31st percentile. Fantasy managers should view Gore as a late-round target when looking to bolster their rotation and increase their strikeout production.

The Washington Nationals previously named left-hander MacKenzie Gore as the starter for their Grapefruit League opener on Saturday against the Houston Astros, but he's being pushed back because he wants to be able to go two innings in his debut. Instead, right-hander Jake Irvin will make the start on Saturday. Gore and Irvin will be Washington's top two starting pitchers heading into the 2025 season, with Gore most likely getting the nod to pitch on Opening Day on March 27 at home against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies. The 25-year-old southpaw will be looking to take the next step in his third year in D.C. after going 10-12 with a career-best 3.90 ERA (3.53 FIP) and 1.42 WHIP with a career-high 181 strikeouts and 65 walks in 166 1/3 innings over 32 starts. Opponents had a high .340 BABIP against him, but he also had the third-worst WHIP in baseball. Gore is RotoBaller's No. 69 fantasy starting pitcher.

Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore will start the team's Grapefruit League opener on Saturday against the Houston Astros. Gore and right-hander Jake Irvin figure to be the top candidates to start on Opening Day of the regular season as well. The 25-year-old southpaw was a bit better for the Nats in his second season with the team in 2024, going 10-12 with a career-best 3.90 ERA (3.53 FIP) and 1.42 WHIP with a career-high 181 strikeouts and 65 walks in 166 1/3 innings over 32 starts. He continues to refine his repertoire and could be even better for Washington in 2025, considering hitters had a very high .340 BABIP against him. In order to take the next step, though, Gore will need to show better control of all of his pitches. At the start of spring training games this week, RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 69 fantasy starting pitcher.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore was solid on Saturday afternoon as he struck out nine Cubs in the Nationals' 5-1 win over Chicago. Gore went seven deep and allowed just one hit as he improved his record to 10-12 on the season. The young lefty now has five straight starts in a row allowing two earned runs or fewer. Gore has been a solid arm for the Nationals as Washington works to continue their rebuild in the NL East. His 160.1 innings pitched mark a career high for him. He's also posted a career best mark with a 3.62 FIP, suggesting that his 4.04 ERA could be even better going forward. Fantasy managers that need starting pitching help in the last week of the season may want to ensure Gore's in their lineups. Dynasty managers need to ensure Gore stays on their roster as the dynamic lefty will have plenty of value going forward. His final start of the 2024 season will come on Saturday when the Nationals host the Philadelphia Phillies.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore tossed six innings of one-hit ball in Wednesday's 4-3 loss to the Marlins, allowing just one run and one walk while striking out nine batters, but did not factor into the decision. It marked the third consecutive quality start for the 25-year-old after collecting just five quality starts over his first 25 games. The southpaw lowered his ERA on the season to 4.32, although his FIP (3.56) and xFIP (3.90) suggest he's been better than that. The former third-overall draft pick also has a 1.50 WHIP and 15.4% K-BB% for the year. His next start will come at home against Atlanta next Tuesday. He's faced the Braves three times this year, dominating them for a 1.65 ERA over three starts, allowing three earned runs on 19 hits and one walk while striking out 21 in 16 1/3 innings pitched.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore turned in a solid rebound start but came away with a no-decision in Monday's 9-7 extra-innings loss to the Mets. Gore pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk with eight strikeouts. The 25-year-old has yielded encouraging results this season, going 6-7 with a 3.47 ERA, a 10.62 K/9 rate, and a 2.88 BB9 rate in 17 starts and 90 2/3 IP. Gore has started showing more consistently why he was a former top fantasy prospect. He should have a chance for another solid outing in his next scheduled start against the Cardinals.