Padres should be all in on a blockbuster reunion with a familiar rotation weapon

On May 22, 2022, San Diego Padres fans buckled in for what they thought was the start of a superstar run from their highly-touted prospect. MacKenzie Gore, the third overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, had already made his MLB debut before that May start against the Giants, but he was on the brink of unlocking the woes that Padres fans had endured in their rotation for a few years.

A new light could be seen on the horizon. Gore handed in six innings that night with one run allowed, which was the catalyst of a dominant three-start stretch. Gore went on to accumulate 25 strikeouts across these three starts, allowing just one run spanning 19 innings. A star was born in San Diego, or so they thought.

Gore was traded two months later to the Washington Nationals as the key piece to a deal that included Juan Soto. Since then, Padres have missed the left-handed starter. In 2025, Gore was named to his first All-Star Game. All Friars fans could think about was what it would be like to have him in the rotation nowadays. San Diego even tried to add him at the 2025 trade deadline, but fell mightily short.

That doesn't mean the Padres should give up, though.

As the MLB offseason rumors continue to get hotter and more ludicrous, the Padres need to have their go at acquiring Gore. Half of the league is interested in him, so there's no reason that San Diego cannot be one of them, even in the midst of them listening to potential deals on their ace, Nick Pivetta.

Padres need to consider bringing back MacKenzie Gore for the 2026 season

It won't be easy, but the Padres could have a chance at a Gore reunion. What would the price be? Well, considering the hole that A.J. Preller has dug himself in as a trigger-happy GM who trades away his best prospects, a Gore acquisition may cost the franchise an Ethan Salas departure. Is that worth it? It's up for debate.

Salas is a Top 100 MLB prospect, but Gore is now fully into his prime. He will be 27 years old by the start of the 2026 season on the tails of his first All-Star appearance. He totaled his second-straight 180-plus strikeout season, generating a career-best 3.0 bWAR. He's also made 62 starts over the last two years, so his durability is becoming more reliable.

Not only is Gore's stuff elite, causing for hitters to swing and miss at a star level, but his fastball averages over 95 MPH. From the left side, too? That's every baseball fan's dream. Parting with Salas may be worth it, especially considering most other top prospects are already gone. The Padres have a window to win a championship now, so adding Gore will only push the franchise into that direction.