There have been trade rumors at the MLB Winter Meetings about a few potential blockbuster trade targets who fit several of the Braves’ needs.
The Washington Nationals appear to be flirting with yet another full-scale rebuild, and two names keep coming up in conversations: starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore and shortstop CJ Abrams.
“The Washington Nationals aren’t simply drawing heavy interest in left-hander MacKenzie Gore,” Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon report. “They are also getting pushed aggressively on shortstop CJ Abrams, according to people familiar with their discussions.
“The Nationals are open to conversations on both players, but the bar is high, league sources told The Athletic on Monday.”
Gore is one of the most talented arms on the planet, even if he hasn’t quite put it all together yet. In 30 starts this year, he posted a 4.17 ERA with a 10.4 K/9 and 3.0 WAR. He still has two years of team control remaining and is set to make just $6.5 million in 2026. Abrams, meanwhile, has delivered three straight seasons of at least 3.4 WAR at shortstop. He would be a significant upgrade over what the Braves currently have and comes with three more years of team control.
The fact that the Nationals are an NL East rival will undoubtedly be a hurdle for the Braves, but it doesn’t make a deal impossible. We’ve seen multiple blockbuster trades inside the division in recent years.
Additionally, Jon Morosi reports that the Diamondbacks are listening to offers on star second baseman Ketel Marte.
The DBacks are willing to engage with teams on Ketel Marte, but the price tag is high — with an emphasis on starting pitchers who are at (or near) the major-league level. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 8, 2025
Marte is the best second baseman in baseball, and while the Braves don’t have a glaring need at the position with Ozzie Albies, Marte is the kind of player every team should be interested in. He comes with five more years of relatively affordable control, and his production is elite. Marte has received MVP votes in each of the last two seasons, finishing third last year after delivering 6.8 WAR while hitting just under .300 with 36 homers and a .932 OPS.
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