Mackenzie Gore was caught off guard in a trade last August that brought his left-hander and four other prospects (plus Luke Voight) to Washington, D.C., and sent Juan Soto and Josh Bell to San Diego. .
Shortly after joining the Nationals, the realities of the trade began and he told reporters it had been an emotional few days.
“San Diego has been like home since I was 18,” said the 24-year-old Padres first-round pick in 2017. [in North Carolina]There were a lot of good things, but yeah, it was an emotional day. ”
Joined the Nationals and has been a core part of the club’s reboot, rebuild and reset alongside shortstop CJ Abrams, outfielders James Wood and Robert Hassell III, and pitcher Jarlyn Susana, the most recent three. are currently ranked 1st, 2nd and 6th. , respectively, with the Nationals’ system through the MLB pipeline, Gore was excited about his future with the new club.
“It’s definitely exciting,” he said last August. “It means we have work to do and we have to get out there and play well. Everyone thinks so.
“But that’s good.
Gore was injured in a trade and started rehab in the minors at the end of the year, but it was only this season that he made his major league debut with a new team, and he was to start for the first time against his old team. The left-hander, who made his MLB debut last year, has a 3.69 ERA, 3.67 FIP, 4.47 BB/9, 11.27 K/9 and a .251/.337/.383 batting average in nine starts. 46 1⁄3 IP ever.
Nats captain Davey Martínez said last weekend if he had any advice for Gore ahead of the Padres game.
“He’s going to be a little nervous,” Martinez said. We had to monitor him and slow his heart rate a bit. I know he wants to get out there and do well against the team in front of him. I’ve been there, and we’ve all been there, but we had to control his heart rate a little bit and just say to him, ”
Martinez said he also spoke with Abrams to make sure Abrams and Gore are in the right brain space ahead of three games against the Padres in the capital.
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“Yeah, yeah, sure,” he said. “And I’m going to have that conversation with them today, and leave them alone.” [know]”I know there are ex-players coming in and there’s a lot of guys out there. Just remember you’re playing for the Washington Nationals now. You’re doing great. No need to change anything.’ I understand, like I said, we’ll keep an eye on them, but they are who they are, right? For me, when Tuesday comes around, I’m going to let them play outside and see how they react. ”
Before last night’s game, the sixth-grade captain said he thinks Gore is doing well while he prepares to start, but that he tends to keep his distance on starting days.
“So far so good. I saw him today and he seemed relaxed. He’s doing his usual routine.
“The day they throw, I don’t tell them much. I’m just watching what he’s doing, but he seems okay.” prize. Like I said before, Mackenzie, he’s very energetic and he’s very competitive, so we need to get his heart rate under control a little bit, but hopefully today he calms down early and we need him. I hope I can get an out to do it. ”
Gore didn’t last long in this game, allowing seven hits, four walks and three earned runs in just four games. 2⁄3 In the IP, he threw 103 balls, allowed 5 strikeouts and 2 home runs.
He had 16 swing strikes, 7 each on the fastball and slider, 2 on the curveball, 16 cold strikes, 6 on the fastball, and 10 on the slider, but had 52 in the first two innings. Threw. He didn’t make it through the fifth inning, losing 7-4 without a decision.
“He throws a lot of pitches to get outs,” Martinez said after the series opener.
“We had to get him in the zone more and we had to get him down. But as we all know his stuff is electric. pitching a ball 2⁄3 There are many innings. ”
“I just grew up,” Gore said. Quoted by Mark Zuckerman of MASN After the game.
“I’m trying to throw a really good pitch instead of just doing it. The execution part just doesn’t exist yet. Things are fine, the vero was good. All that’s left is to do it.”
Martinez said he tried to talk to Gore during the game to keep him calm and focused.
“We came in, I said, ‘Hey, hit the strike zone, stay in the strike zone.’ But he comes in and overreacts. I mean, this is the first time. No, even though he’s playing against his former team, we’ve seen it happen, so we had to calm him down and like I said And put him in the strike zone.”
When asked about the two home runs Gore allowed, the first was a 98 mph, 3-for-2, knee-high fastball on the outside, which Xander Bogaerts hit hard rightward to break the opposing field. The other was a 403-foot shot to center by Brandon Dixon. Regarding the center-cut first pitch, Gore said he thinks the first pitch was actually a good one.
“Bogaerts is a good hitter,” Martinez said. “That ball flew pretty well.
Abrams faced Padres starter Yu Darvish in the first inning, hitting a 95 mph heater and being ruled three strikes, and in the second, he homered a 0-1 slider into right field for fifth. That year, San Diego hit two runs, and after being one point behind 3-2 San Diego, Lane Thomas hit a solo shot to tie the score at the next at-bat.
Martinez said Abrams’ 393-foot shot was “amazing.” “Hey, he hits when he can. The biggest thing is that after his first at-bat, he hit a fastball. Yu Darvish can throw anything at any time, but we’re going to give him a shot.” , said, “Hey, you can stay fastball, you can adapt to the curveball, and for the second time.” He stepped back and hit the ball into the right field seat, which was great.
“He had a good swing all day, I thought. [Josh] Hader, I thought it was a good swing, but he popped it off. ”
“It’s exciting,” said Abrams, as quoted by MASN.
“I just enjoy playing against former teammates and friends.
