Orioles should pounce as Nationals’ new direction puts key pitcher in play

It's no secret that the Baltimore Orioles will be looking for front-line pitching this offseason. After letting Corbin Burnes leave via free agency this past winter, Baltimore's front office is fixated on replacing him and pairing another arm alongside Trevor Rogers to form a 1-2 punch atop the Orioles' starting rotation.

How exactly the Orioles upgrade the rotation is still up for debate. Obviously, Baltimore could finally look to spend some money in free agency, though that is oftentimes the more expensive route. A trade isn't out of the realm of possibilities either, and one of the O's biggest rivals could be key to helping them acquire a top-tier starting pitcher.

The Washington Nationals appear set to rebuild from the ground up once again, and their electric left-hander MacKenzie Gore has been the subject of trade rumors already this offseason. Adding Gore to the O's rotation would certainly bolster Baltimore's chances heading into the 2026 season.

Orioles should pounce as Nationals’ new direction and trade for MacKenzie Gore

The Nats just hired Paul Toboni to run their baseball operations. A fresh-faced 35-year-old executive, Toboni spent the last several years with the Boston Red Sox, but it's unlikely Washington will have an appetite for the type of free agent spending the O's AL East rival undertakes every offseason.

Many experts and pundits expect the Nationals' new boss to take a more measured approach this offseason, and with the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies set to lead the way in the NL East once again in 2026, Toboni may decide to sell high on Gore this winter.

The lefty had an up-and-down season a year ago — though most of that could be attributed to playing for the last-place Nats — going 5-15 with a 4.17 ERA in 30 starts. Gore, however, posted 185 strikeouts over 159⅔ innings of work and eclipsed 135 innings pitched for the third straight season. Gore won't be the only starter on the trade block this offseason, but with two years of team control and a solid track record, he's sure to garner plenty of attention.

It's not every day you see a rotation with two southpaws at the top of the ticket, but if Baltimore were able to swing a deal for Gore, he and Rogers could be sandwiched around right-hander Grayson Rodriguez and create a formidable trio for the Orioles next season.