Left-handed starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore has become the No. 1 target for the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline, but there’s a reason ESPN is putting a 10% chance of the Washington Nationals actually trading him this week. The Cubs may have several intriguing prospects to offer, but fans will wince once they realize what the asking price is for the 26-year-old All-Star.

ESPN has been releasing updates on the latest news and rumors leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline and now that Gore’s name has emerged as a potential target fans are locked into what it could take to get him. Well, forget about top-rated Cubs prospect Owen Caissie or rising pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins, according to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel the Nationals are rumored to be asking for the red-hot rookie hitter on the Cubs.

MacKenzie Gore cost includes Matt Shaw

Cubs fans went into a frenzy over the potential of adding Gore at the trade deadline ever since Jeff Passan named the left-handed pitcher as the best fit for them.

Gore, 26, is under contract through the 2027 season as he has two more years of arbitration eligibility remaining. He was part of the Juan Soto trade between the Nationals and San Diego Padres in 2022, and has been a strikeout machine for the past three seasons. Gore has taken his game to the next level this year, posting a 29.3 K% in 21 starts with a 3.52 ERA in 117.2 innings.

Prior to a recent blowup against the Padres in July, Gore had a 3.02 ERA with 118 strikeouts in his first 19 starts of the season.

So, what would the Cubs have to give up for the talented starter? Apparently it begins with Matt Shaw.

Via ESPN.

Jesse Rogers noted below (July 24 update) that the Chicago Cubs are looking to add a starting pitcher with years of control and would consider including a young position player, though hopefully not a top prospect, to make that happen. MacKenzie Gore is one of those targets, and the key player the Washington Nationals are rumored to want in a return package is Matt Shaw, who isn’t yet on the table and graduated from prospect status this season with 71 MLB games.

And that final line is the key to this rumor surrounding Gore. The Cubs aren’t trading away Shaw and if that’s the asking price, then the Nationals are simply going to hold on to Gore because other teams are also not likely to pay up. They’re under no pressure to trade Gore this summer and if they do deal him away it’ll be because a team will blow them away with a trade package.

It’s just so rare that you’ll see talented starting pitchers who are also cost-controlled via arbitration being traded away.

We’re also seeing trade rumors heating up all around the league surrounding the Cubs’ plans to add pitching. There’s no doubt that there’s some negotiating through the media going on right now as front offices try to gain as much leverage as possible.

As for Shaw, how great has he been since the break, huh? The third baseman extended his hit-streak to nine games on Sunday with an RBI-double in a 5-4 win over the White Sox. Shaw has been on fire at the plate, going 12-for-27, with four HR and two doubles since the All-Star break. He’s been much more aggressive, pulling the ball in the air and Shaw’s been rewarded by slugging more than he ever has during his rookie year.

You don’t need me saying this, but Shaw is off the table in trade talks. I mean, unless Paul Skenes suddenly becomes available.

Jed Hoyer’s future with the Chicago Cubs has been somewhat forgotten about as the trade deadline has taken up many of the headlines in July, but the lame-duck president of baseball operations has now secured a contract extension.

According to The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma, the Cubs and Hoyer have agreed to a multi-year extension. Hoyer, who took over the top spot in the front office after Theo Epstein left in 2020, was in the final year of his original five-year contract with the Cubs.

It’s taken a while for Hoyer to put a legit winner on the field, but after trading for Kyle Tucker, signing Matthew Boyd and re-shaping the bullpen with the underrated moves, the 2025 Cubs enter the final week of the trade deadline with the best record in the National League.

Hoyer’s club is batting the Milwaukee Brewers atop the NL Central and the Cubs have reportedly been active in the trade market looking to upgrade the pitching staff. Several top prospects have been rumored to be discussed in trade talks and now we’ll see how Hoyer acts, if at all differently, now that he has a contract extension.

Whether it’s selling, buying, a combo of both, Hoyer’s front office has been active during every trade deadline under his watch. Now that the Cubs are in a prime spot to really go for it in 2025, fans are anxiously waiting to see how the team will improve for the stretch run.

The Cubs have officially announced the extension.

Hoyer has had to fight off criticism from the fan base since he was the one calling the shots in 2021, when the World Series core was traded off. The Cubs went into a rebuild that summer, but never really tanked to the degree that they did after 2011. After a 74-88 season in 2022, the Cubs won 83 games in back-to-back years, but failed to reach the postseason in either campaign.

This was a huge year for Hoyer as he entered 2025 without an extension and pressure to deliver a winning team. So far, so good as Craig Counsell has managed to the team to the top of the league in his second year after Hoyer stole him away from the Brewers. The job isn’t done though as the Cubs need to add to the roster and now Hoyer doesn’t have to think about his future at least for a bit longer.

So, you can cross off Emmanuel Clase from your trade deadline wishlist as the Cleveland Guardians closer has been placed on paid leave as part of a sports-betting investigation. Clase is now the second pitcher for the Guardians to be under investigation this year, joining right-handed starter Luis Ortiz.

For now, Clase won’t be eligible to return until September. ESPN’s Jeff Passan broke the news on Monday.

Clase, 27, has pitched for Cleveland since 2021, and has turned into one of the top closers in MLB. The right-hander currently has a 3.23 ERA with 24 saves. In 2024, Clase had an incredible season, recording a 0.61 ERA in 74.1 innings and went 47-for-50 in save opportunities.

Clase’s teammate came under investigation after there were some large bets placed on a few different first pitch prop bets. Internet sleuths have uncovered a trend from Clase this season that could be in connection to his investigation.

The Cubs have reportedly been trying to engage in trade talks with the Guardians this year for Clase. The team has had interest in acquiring Clase since the 2023-24 offseason. Clase is under contract through the 2028 season.

The Guardians released a statement on Clase’s paid-leave. Interestingly enough the team included the following in their message.

(Previous Update)

The Chicago Cubs are exploring several avenues to improve the team at the trade deadline and although Jed Hoyer must upgrade the starting rotation he may also look to boost the bullpen. According to the latest trade rumor the Cubs may be big-game hunting as they’re reportedly one of the teams most interested in Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase.

According to Francys Romero the Cubs are all over Cleveland’s reliever as we approach the trade deadline.

The Cubs explored a trade for Clase prior to the 2024 season, but the Guardians were asking for a huge trade package that eventually led to the talks fading in the offseason. The right-hander was unbelievable last season, posting a ridiculous 0.61 ERA in 74.1 innings. Clase was 47-for-50 in save opportunities.

In 2025, Clase has taken a small step back, but that’s almost inconsequential following his historic year. He has a 2.80 ERA in 45 appearances so far this season and continues to be an elite closer, saving 22 of 26 chances. Since April 26, Clase has a 1.30 ERA in 34.2 innings with 36 strikeouts to only seven walks.

Daniel Palencia has been marvelous this year, stepping into the closer role after veteran Ryan Pressly was demoted and Porter Hodge was sidelined with an injury. The 25-year-old blew his first save opportunity of the year on May 19, but since then Palencia has been perfect in 13 consecutive chances. His only other blemish came in an extra-innings loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on June 9.

Sure, adding another reliever may not be the top priority for the Cubs, but going after one of the top high-leverage arms in the game would be a big difference-maker for the team down the stretch. Chicago’s bullpen has been great since April, but we’re seeing signs that a few guys may not be reliable.

Drew Pomeranz and Chris Flexen were incredible for a couple months, but it would be silly to believe they’ll continue to pitch well as the season progresses. Pressly has good numbers since his brutal outing against the San Francisco Giants in May, but the veteran doesn’t necessarily ooze confidence when he’s on the mound.

If the Cubs can pair Palencia with Clase, then Craig Counsell could really shorten games in the final few innings. Yet, it’s difficult to come up with the cost for Clase. He’s elite, relatively young turning 27-years-old in March and he’s under team control through 2028. Clase will earn $6.4 million in 2026 and then has a $10 million club option for 2027 and 2028.

In related news the Cubs have also been connected to Washington Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan. The Cubs were reportedly interested in signing Finnegan in the offseason, but he returned to Washington on a one-year, $6 million deal. The right-hander has struggled in 2025, posting a 4.62 ERA in 37 innings. Finnegan does have a good ground ball rate of 46.8%, which could be great with the Cubs’ infield, but there are certainly some red flags in Finnegan’s profile.

The Cubs may have to cough up multiple top-100 prospects for Clase. Would that be worth it for another elite arm in the bullpen?