Yankees Have New All-Star Trade Target to Counter Blue Jays

The New York Yankees just watched as the Toronto Blue Jays signed Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract in free agency. Was it a bit of an overpay for a pitcher who just logged a 4.55 ERA? Perhaps, but if the Blue Jays are getting the good version of Cease in 2026, they just became that much tougher to beat in the AL East.

The Yankees certainly cannot rest on their laurels as the Blue Jays — who won the division and beat New York in the ALDS this past season — continue to improve, and while re-signing Cody Bellinger may be the Yanks' top priority, you can bet that Brian Cashman is mulling other plans, as well.

Sure, Hal Steinbrenner recently said he loves the starting rotation and alluded to it looking very much the same heading into next season, but Cashman himself said that adding another starter will be a priority this winter, so we can probably trust that the Yankees will attempt to make a rather significant addition to their pitching staff.

While New York has been heavily linked to Japanese star Tatsuya Imai, it could also try and swing a trade for an established major-league starter. Sandy Alcantara, Freddy Peralta, Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez and even Tarik Skubal are names that have been floated as possibilities for the Yankees, but now, another hurler has emerged as a potential target: MacKenzie Gore.

Jon Heyman of The New York Post recently mentioned the Washington Nationals All-Star as a possible trade piece this winter, and if he does become available, you can bet the Bronx Bombers will at least check in on him.

Gore logged a 4.17 ERA while allowing 152 hits and racking up 185 strikeouts over 159.2 innings of work in 2025, managing a 3.74 FIP.

The 26-year-old was originally selected by the San Diego Padres with the third overall pick of the 2017 MLB Draft and broke into the big leagues with the Padres in 2022, but was traded to the Nationals in the deal that sent Juan Soto to San Diego in August of his rookie campaign.

Gore has not quite lived up to expectations just yet, owning a lifetime 4.19 ERA, but his 10.0 K/9 rate is impressive, and he is under club control through 2027.

The left-hander probably shouldn't be the Yankees' top target, but he would likely come cheaper than most of the other names listed, and he still has plenty of untapped potential.

There are far too many pitchers who will potentially be on the trade block for New York to not at least explore the trade route this offseason, and while Gore is not exactly Skubal, he would probably comprise an upgrade over Luis Gil and Will Warren.