The MLB trade deadline is just hours away and the Boston Red Sox have remained relatively quiet. Rumors have surfaced about chief baseball officer Craig Breslow's top priorities for the club, but no moves have followed.
Starting pitchers with multiple years of control on their contracts were high on Breslow's wishlist in the weeks leading up to the July 31 deadline, but there aren't many options on this year's market. Luckily for Boston, one of the few pitchers on a long-term contract has been named a good fit.
ESPN reporters Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel listed the Red Sox as the best fit for Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore. Unfortunately, they also place his odds of being traded at just 10%, but that doesn't mean Breslow isn't interested.
The Nationals acquired Gore, 26, as part of their return in the Juan Soto trade with the Padres. He's posted a 3.52 ERA with 144 strikeouts and 44 walks over 117.2 innings. The lefty's command isn't perfect (although he's having his best season yet in that regard), but his chase, whiff and strikeout percentages all rank in the upper quartile of the league.
Red Sox named among best fits for Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore
Washington is among the clearest sellers at this year's trade deadline, and its status has put Gore on the radars of many opposing teams. The Chicago Cubs are one of the teams most vocally interested in the young pitcher, and they're in win-now mode with Kyle Tucker on an expiring contract and they held first place in the National League Central for quite some time this season.
But the Red Sox can offer the Nats a better trade package. Boston has one of the best farm systems in the league, even after its three top prospects graduated from prospect status. Breslow in 2024-25 drafted multiple college pitchers who could be big-league ready in a season or two, and could effectively replace Gore in the Nationals' rotation in due time. Payton Tolle, Brandon Clarke and Kyson Witherspoon are just a few examples. Gore has two more years of control on his contract after 2025, and it would take multiple top-to-high-level prospects to entice Washington into a deal.
Gore would easily slot into the No. 2 spot in the Red Sox's rotation — he and Garrett Crochet, two lefty strike-throwing machines — would be a deadly combination for hitters across the league. Passan and McDaniel only give him a 10% chance to be traded, but if Boston can convince the Nationals to deal Gore before the deadline, it should bring him in to balance the rotation for the rest of the season and beyond.