This off-season, the Chicago Cubs, like everyone else, have found that the cost to acquire starting pitchers via free agency or trade is expensive. The cost begin by committing $20 million to Shota Imanaga, after he accepted the team’s qualifying offer. They then gave up three players, Owen Cassie, Cristian Hernandez, and Edgardo De Leon in exchange for three years of Edward Cabrera.
Around the league, Brandon Woodruff of the Milwaukee Brewers was another pitcher whom accepted a qualifying offer, but in free agency Dylan Cease received seven years, $210 million from the Toronto Blue Jays and more recently Ranger Suarez got five years, $130 million from the Red Sox.
In the trade department,the Orioles gave up four prospects and a draft pick for Shane Baz, who has three years of team control left. The Brewers also pulled off a blockbuster with the Mets, sending both Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers to New York in exchange for a pair of top 100 prospects.
Following all of this activity, the Washington Nationals struck a massive five for one deal with the Texas Rangers, that sent MacKenzie Gore packing. Interestingly, Gore was a trade target for the Cubs at last summers trade deadline, but a deal never came to fruition, and instead Chicago made less costly moves by acquiring  Michael Soroka, Andrew Kittredge, and Taylor Rogers. However, Bruce Levine of 670 The Score recently revealed what it would have cost the Cubs in order to acquire him last summer.
Chicago Cubs cost to acquire Mackenzie Gore from Washington Nationals revealed
Aug 21, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore (1) throws to the New York Mets during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images
At last year’s trade deadline, Chicago and Washington were discussing a deal involving Gore when he had 2.5 years of control left. Per Levine, their asking price at that time was four top players/prospects, which included Owen Caissie and Jaxon Wiggins. Caissie was formerly the Cubs first ranked prospect and Wiggins is currently their second ranked prospect.
In hindsight, this proposal looks like it would have been an overpay by Chicago. Overall, Washington got 18 year old Gavin Fien (No.5), Alejandro Rosario (No.11), Devin Fitz-Gerald (No.12), Yeremy Cabrera (No.17), and Abimelec Ortiz (No.24) from Texas. While Washington did get five players from Texas, the haul they got included numerous younger and less established prospects, indicating their is more risk for the Nationals in this deal, especially if some don’t pan out.
With that context, it’s clear the Cubs were wise to walk away. By exercising patience, Chicago later used Caissie in the Cabrera trade, and retained Wiggins, who could be a key contributor in the pitching staff in 2026.
Former Cubs trade acquisition sees offseason carousel continue
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