Astros blockbuster trade pitch sends Brice Matthews and three more players to Nationals for 26-year-old All-Star originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Houston Astros probably won't do anything crazy this winter, but they've also shown they won't hesitate to get aggressive after the past few years.
With questions lingering in the rotation, it's not hard to see why Houston keeps coming up in rumors to add talent. With Framber Valdez likely leaving, Houston has to add to its rotation this winter.
A proposal from Ryan Phillips of Sports Illustrated would add Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore , a pitcher who has all the stuff to be very good one day, even if he hasn't been as consistent as most want.
Astros receive:– SP MacKenzie Gore
Nationals receive:
– SP Spencer Arrighetti
– 2B Brice Matthews
(Astros' No. 1 prospect)
– SP Anderson Brito (No. 7)
– OF Kevin Alvarez (No. 8)
"The 26-year-old Gore was excellent in the first half of 2025. During his first 19 starts, he recorded a 3.02 ERA, 2.96 FIP and 138 strikeouts against 35 walks in 110 1/3 innings. Then things fell apart in the second half. In his final 11 starts, Gore had a 6.75 ERA, with 47 strikeouts against 29 walks in 49 1/3 innings. He has ace stuff, but Houston would need to help him be more consistent. Gore is under team control through the 2027 season, so the Astros would have him around for two seasons," he wrote .
Gore has been really good for a really long time, but he hasn't put it all together. The stuff is legit, though, and the control through the next two years fits the Astros' timeline.
Giving up Brice Matthews would hurt, but this is the type of deal the Astros should look to make.
