The Chicago Cubs have been projected to trade for left-handed starter MacKenzie Gore from the Texas Rangers this offseason, according to a new column by Matt Johnson of Sportsnaut.
Johnson identified Gore as one of 10 potential trade candidates heading into the 2026-27 winter, pairing the 27-year-old with Chicago because of the club’s preference for short-term pitching additions.
Gore is under team control through the 2027 season, giving the acquiring club one full year of remaining service time before free agency.
In 2026 with the Rangers, he made 34 starts, posting a 4.58 ERA and a 23.2 percent strikeout rate while logging 173 innings with 174 strikeouts. Those numbers reflect a durable workload for a pitcher who has now logged full seasons in each of the past four campaigns.
Johnson wrote that Gore “very much fits what the Chicago Cubs would be looking for in a starting pitcher.”
The prediction marks the second consecutive winter in which Gore has been viewed as a trade candidate after earlier connections to Chicago while he was with the Washington Nationals.
Cubs’ Pitching Priorities Make Gore a Logical Fit
President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has publicly identified pitching quality and depth as the organization’s primary offseason focus. Chicago finished 2026 with significant rotation turnover, as multiple starters who ended the year in the rotation are free agents or option decisions.
Only a handful of arms who made at least eight starts last season are currently under club control for 2027, leaving the staff thin heading into next spring.
Gore’s profile of remaining control aligns with Chicago’s recent pattern of targeting pitchers who do not require long-term commitments or large prospect packages.
Johnson noted that the Cubs’ comparatively weaker farm system makes a player with only one year of control more attainable than longer-term assets.
A move for Gore would provide an immediate left-handed starter capable of logging 160-plus innings while the club rebuilds its internal pitching pipeline. His career strikeout rate has hovered near 25 percent across more than 700 major-league innings, offering swing-and-miss upside even in a year with a higher earned-run average.
Rangers’ Roster and Payroll Constraints Fuel Trade Speculation
Texas operates with several high-cost veteran contracts already on the books for 2027, including deals for Jacob deGrom and Corey Seager that limit flexibility. Projections place the Rangers’ 2027 payroll in the $170 million to $180 million range before significant external additions, leaving limited room under previous spending levels.
Johnson pointed to the club’s older roster composition and reduced payroll as factors that increase the likelihood of moving Gore.
Gore was acquired by Texas from Washington in a January 2026 trade, and his second consecutive winter on the market reflects the organization’s ongoing roster balancing. Trading a 27-year-old starter under control for one more season could return controllable talent or payroll relief without depleting the major-league core.
Rangers decision-makers have emphasized internal development as the farm system improves, which could make dealing a major-league starter more palatable.
Any deal would require the Cubs to part with prospects or major-league pieces, but Johnson’s projection centers on the mutual fit of control length and team needs.
The prediction remains speculative, as no trade has been completed and both clubs continue evaluating their full offseason options.
Cubs Predicted to Pull Off Trade for 27-Year-Old Starting Pitcher