ARLINGTON, Texas – MacKenzie Gore had been kept abreast of things all winter. So when Paul Toboni called him in late-January, there was no mystery what he was about to be told.
“When I saw his name pop up, I knew it was happening,” the left-hander said. “So I wasn’t necessarily surprised.”
Gore had been the subject of trade rumors almost from the moment Toboni was hired as the Nationals’ president of baseball operations. With a new front office prioritizing long-term development over short-term success, Gore was a prime candidate to be moved to another club.
It took most of the winter, but the deal did come together barely two weeks before the start of spring training. Gore would be traded to the Rangers in exchange for five prospects: infielders Devin Fitz-Gerald and Gavin Fien, outfielder Yeremy Cabrera, right-hander Alejandro Rosario and first baseman Abimelec Ortiz.
