It's clear that new Washington Nationals president of baseball operations Paul Toboni wants to make major changes to the team's roster. He's already begun doing so by trading Jose A. Ferrer in exchange for Harry Ford, and with both MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams on the block, it feels like more moves are coming.
What if, instead of moving those two stars in separate deals, the Nationals combined them in what'd likely be this offseason's biggest blockbuster? Doing so is obviously improbable, but it would give Washington a chance to land a massive return. A team like the San Francisco Giants might be interested in acquiring both Gore and Abrams in one swoop and can offer the Nationals a package that's too appealing to turn down. Here's what that looks like.
Giants can offer Nationals package for MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams that's too good to pass on
As expected, the return in exchange for two young stars under club control through 2027 (Gore) and 2028 (Abrams) respectively, is quite high. It involves the Giants parting with a very serviceable mid-rotation arm, Landen Roupp, their No. 1 prospect, Bryce Eldridge, and two other prospects.
Yet, as steep as it may seem, in San Francisco's case, this is quite doable.
Why the Giants would consider doing this deal
After signing Willy Adames and trading for Rafael Devers last year, the Giants are clearly in win-now mode. Their problem, though, is that they have several roster holes. Their starting rotation is incredibly top-heavy, and their lineup is just not deep enough. Well, acquiring Gore and Abrams would help fix both of those issues.
Gore can help form one of the best rotation trios in the National League alongside Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, and Abrams can fill the void at the top of the order and set the table in front of Adames and Devers. Defense has been a concern with Abrams in the past, but moving him to second base with Adames locked in at shortstop might be for the best.
Acquiring both Gore and Abrams, two cost controlled players, would make the Giants substantially better, and since they're both cheap for the next couple of years, they should still have money to spend to address their rotation and bullpen.
This feels like a no-brainer for San Francisco, but it'd be disingenuous to act as if they wouldn't be parting with a lot. However, you have to give to get, and this package might be enough to sway Washington.
Why the Nationals would consider doing this deal
On the surface, this package might look a bit light from Washington's perspective, especially since the only somewhat proven MLB player they'd be receiving is Landen Roupp, a pitcher with only 157 big league innings under his belt and who profiles as nothing better than a mid-rotation arm at best. With that being said, Roupp had a sub-4.00 ERA in 22 starts for San Francisco last season, and would come with five years of control. He also wouldn't be the best piece Washington would add.
That player would be Bryce Eldridge, the Giants' top prospect and MLB's No. 12 prospect overall. There are concerns regarding Eldridge's hit tool and defense, but he has as much power as any prospect in the sport, making his ceiling immense. Having him alongside James Wood for the next half-decade or longer as two left-handed mashers can lead to special results, and the fact that Eldridge is a Virginia native is only a bonus.
Eldridge can be Washington's first baseman or DH on Opening Day, and with regular at-bats, it wouldn't be surprising to see him take off, much like Wood did in 2025. It might not be ideal to part with both Gore and Abrams in one deal, but I'm not sure they can get a prospect of Eldridge's caliber otherwise. He's that good. The best part of this deal is that Eldridge isn't even the only prospect who can make the Opening Day roster.
Carson Whisenhunt, a top-seven prospect in San Francisco's system, could also be big-league ready. He struggled in his first five big league starts for San Francisco last season, but just turned 25 years old in October and has good stuff.
In addition, the Nationals would receive Bo Davidson, a speedy outfield prospect who is only a year or two away from making it to the big leagues. The Nationals might not need Davidson given their glut of outfielders, but he could either be seen as their center fielder of the future or an attractive trade piece.
Eldridge is the crown jewel of this deal, but all four of these players have a lot of value. Trading away Gore and Abrams hurts, but if Washington were to part with both of them in one deal, this is the kind of return they can expect.