Yankees trade talks: First-time Nationals All-Star for catcher, rookies

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NEW YORK — The New York Yankees enter the 2026 season facing a major rotation problem.

Gerrit Cole, the ace of the staff, missed all of 2025 following Tommy John surgery in spring training. Even if he returns on schedule, there’s no guarantee he’ll pitch at the same dominant level and the Yankees need backup.

Luis Gil struggled through a high-grade lat strain that reduced his effectiveness, and Clarke Schmidt’s own Tommy John surgery in July means he’s not expected back until at least mid-2026.

Carlos Rodon also underwent surgery and is likely to open next season on the injured list. With so many injuries, the Yankees are staring at a thin pitching core and an uncertain future.

At midseason, their farm system ranked 25th in baseball and lacked upper-minors pitching depth. General manager Brian Cashman has few internal arms to turn to. The Yankees relied on rookies for 46 starts in 2025, the fourth-highest total in the majors, which exposed their lack of major league-ready depth.

MacKenzie Gore could fill Yankees’ rotation void

One name drawing attention is Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore.

Gore, 26, earned his first All-Star selection in 2025 after recording a 3.02 ERA and 185 strikeouts in 30 starts. The southpaw could give the Yankees a controllable starter through 2027, providing stability behind Max Fried and helping offset the rotation losses.

“Nationals All-Star left-hander MacKenzie Gore is a possible option if the Yankees are willing to pay a steep price,” ESPN’s Jorge Castillo reported. The price, it appears, would indeed be steep.

Yankees would part with catching depth and top prospects

The Yankees are believed to be considering a trade that would send backup catcher J.C. Escarra and two top prospects to Washington in exchange for Gore.

Such a deal would address the Yankees’ desperate need for a reliable starter while offering the Nationals an immediate catching upgrade and future assets to aid their rebuild.

Under the proposed structure, Washington would acquire right-hander Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, the Yankees’ No. 3 pitching prospect. Rodriguez-Cruz, 22, finished 2025 with a 2.58 ERA and 176 strikeouts across 150 innings split between High-A and Double-A. The Puerto Rican native was named the Yankees’ Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America and ranks No. 97 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects list.

He features a deep six-pitch mix that includes a mid-90s sinker topping out near 98 mph, plus a sweeper, curveball, splitter, and gyro slider. At 6-foot-3 with a strong, projectable frame, he’s on track to compete for a major league role by 2026.

The Nationals would also receive 30-year-old Escarra, who made his big league debut on March 29, 2025. In his rookie year, he hit .202 with a .296 on-base percentage and .333 slugging, adding 11 RBIs over 40 games and 84 at-bats. Though modest at the plate, Escarra would help fill one of Washington’s biggest weaknesses behind the plate.

Completing the package is shortstop Dax Kilby, the Yankees’ No. 8 prospect and 39th overall selection in the 2025 draft. The 18-year-old left-handed hitter from Newnan High School impressed in his first professional season with Low-A Tampa, batting .348 with a .434 OBP and showing advanced strike-zone awareness for his age.

Nationals’ catching woes hit record low in 2025

Washington’s catching depth has reached a crisis.

The Nationals posted a league-worst negative-1.2 fWAR from their catchers in 2025, ranking dead last in the majors and on pace for one of the poorest seasons by any catching group in MLB history.

Keibert Ruiz, signed to an eight-year, $50 million extension, hit just .595 OPS and struggled defensively. Backup Riley Adams performed even worse, managing only a .560 OPS in 83 games.

“The Nats’ best chance to strike is with a contending team undergoing a roster crunch to their 40-man and cannot afford to add a young backstop to it,” wrote Paul Cubbage of Federal Baseball. Escarra fits that profile as an MLB-ready catcher who could immediately challenge Ruiz for playing time.

The situation grew dire enough that former GM Mike Rizzo admitted before his July dismissal, “I think we’ve got to get better catching-wise, I really do.” New President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni, hired in October, has since made improving the position his top priority.

Gore’s All-Star campaign hides late-season struggles

Although Gore’s first half earned him All-Star recognition, his performance declined after the break. He posted a 6.75 ERA in his final 11 starts and missed time in August and September with shoulder and ankle injuries.

He finished 2025 with a 4.17 ERA over 159.2 innings—respectable numbers, but a clear drop from his first-half dominance. The late-season velocity and spin rate dips raised durability concerns.

More concerning for the Nationals is Gore’s limited team control. He’s eligible for free agency after the 2027 season. With Washington finishing 66-96 for its sixth straight losing season, his timeline doesn’t align with the organization’s rebuild.

“MacKenzie Gore is due to be a free agent after the 2027 season, probably before the Nationals are actually good again,” wrote Boston Globe’s Tim Healey when discussing trade scenarios.

Represented by agent Scott Boras, Gore is unlikely to accept a team-friendly extension from a rebuilding club. According to Baseball Trade Values, his surplus value sits near $77.9 million, meaning Washington could seek a substantial return if they decide to move him while his market value remains high.

Yankees’ rotation depth remains dangerously thin

The Yankees’ pitching issues extend well beyond Cole’s absence.

Schmidt’s Tommy John recovery rules him out until mid-2026, and Rodón’s elbow bone spur surgery delayed his throwing schedule by nearly two months. His availability for Opening Day 2026 remains uncertain.

New York’s upper-minor pitching ranks remain shallow. Beyond Rodriguez-Cruz, few arms are considered major league ready. The Yankees leaned heavily on inexperienced pitchers like Will Warren last season, a sign of their lack of established depth.

Cashman admitted at the trade deadline that the market offered “very little available” starting pitching, while payroll and luxury tax limitations restricted spending. For that reason, trading from the organization’s catching depth and position player surplus to acquire a controllable All-Star like Gore makes strategic sense.

“The New York Yankees are also shopping for a starting pitcher,” ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel reported. “If they change that stance, they could be a dark horse fit with the Nats on Gore.”

Trade talks remain active but uncertain

Multiple reports confirm the Yankees’ interest, but no trade is imminent. Washington entertained offers for Gore at the July deadline from teams like the Cubs and Padres but chose to hold firm.

Interim GM Mike DeBartolo said at the time, “We value MacKenzie so highly and just thought it was better for the Nationals to keep him.”

It’s unclear if new leadership under Toboni will shift strategy this offseason. A package built around Rodriguez-Cruz, Escarra, and Kilby would address multiple Nationals needs and give the Yankees a much-needed left-handed starter behind Fried.

For a team hungry to return to postseason contention after losing Juan Soto to the rival Mets, a move for Gore could be the kind of aggressive swing that changes the course of the Yankees’ 2026 season.

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