MacKenzie Gore is being traded to the Rangers from the Nationals for prospects, AP source says

By Canadian Press on January 22, 2026.

WASHINGTON (AP) — All-Star left-hander MacKenzie Gore is headed to the Texas Rangers in a trade that sends five prospects back to the Nationals in the biggest move of new Washington president of baseball operations Paul Toboni’s roster rebuilding efforts, a person with knowledge of the swap told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been announced.

Gore gives Texas a starter who should be able to help the front end of their rotation.

Gore, who turns 27 next month, is 26-41 with a 4.19 ERA in four major league seasons, the past three with Washington. He was an NL All-Star last season, when he ended up going 5-15 with a 4.17 ERA and a career-best 185 strikeouts in 30 appearances, all starts.

He was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 amateur draft by the San Diego Padres and was sent to the Nationals in the 2022 trade that included Juan Soto.

The players Washington is receiving from Texas are Yeremy Cabrera, Gavin Fien, Devin Fitz-Gerald, Abimelec Ortiz, Alejandro Rosario.

Fien is an 18-year-old shortstop who was taken out of high school in the first round of last year’s draft.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press