Cubs Named ‘Best Fit’ for Nationals Left-Handed Ace

Starting pitching will be the biggest need for the Chicago Cubs at this season’s trade deadline.

Team president Jed Hoyer has made that known on several occasions and the Cubs are still expected to head down the path of improving their rotation.

One name that has begun to surface in trade rumors is Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore and ESPN’s MLB insider Jeff Passan thinks Gore’s best fit is in Chicago.

Passan notes that it would be extremely difficult to Chicago acquire a high-end arm such as Gore, as well as noting that the Cubs have the prospects available to make a deal.

“The prospect of the Cubs getting a starter such as Gore from Washington or Joe Ryan from the Minnesota Twins is unlikely because of the exorbitant cost landing those players would demand and Chicago’s propensity to play things safe amid budgetary constraints,” Passan wrote.

“In outfielder Owen Caissie, Chicago has the sort of prospect around which a package for a controllable arm can be built. If not Gore or Ryan, perhaps it’s Mitch Keller from Pittsburgh. Regardless, the motivation for the Cubs is there,” he wrote.

Gore would certainly be a welcome addition to a Chicago rotation that outside of Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd, has struggled quite a bit.

Gore’s 4-9 record doesn’t tell the full story of his season, as he has just a 3.59 ERA. He allowed eight runs across 2 1/3 innings in his most recent start against the San Diego Padres, easily his worst performance of the season.

Take away his blow-up outing from Sunday and you’re looking at one of the top left-handed pitchers across baseball this season.

The lefty trio of Gore, Boyd and Imanaga could help the Cubs hold off the Brewers in the NL Central and secure a postseason berth for the first time since the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

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