When Cade Cavalli climbed the Nationals Park mound for the first time Friday, another piece of what the Washington Nationals hope will be their rotation of the future made a highly anticipated debut. Watching from the dugout were two more pitchers — Josiah Gray and MacKenzie Gore — the Nationals believe will join Cavalli in that group.
MacKenzie Gore, still sidelined, is eager to show the Nats what he can do
Gore has been on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation since July 26 — a week before the San Diego Padres sent him to the Nationals in the Juan Soto trade. A day after Cavalli’s first start, Gore was at Nationals Park doing something he hadn’t done since joining the team — throwing off a mound during a bullpen session.
Gore has yet to make his Nationals debut but could find himself in the rotation before the end of the season if he continues to progress. He said everything felt great Saturday.
“We’re taking it day by day right now and trying not to get ahead of ourselves, so I’m not sure,” he said. “It’ll be some time, but definitely on the right track.”
The 23-year-old southpaw threw about 25 pitches with members of the Nationals’ staff watching, including Manager Dave Martinez. The next step will be to throw an extended bullpen session of 35 to 40 pitches.
Seeing Gore, like Cavalli, pitch in a game would be a welcome sign for the Nationals. As the No. 3 selection in the 2017 draft who quickly moved through the Padres’ farm system, Gore is accustomed to high expectations. And early on in his big league career, he more than lived up to the billing.
He made his major league debut in April and had a 1.50 ERA in his first nine appearances, eight of them starts. Then he struggled, posting an 11.05 ERA over seven trips to the mound, and his season mark ballooned to 4.50 before the injury. All of that is a reminder — just like Gray’s body of work this season and fellow 24-year-0ld Cavalli’s debut in a loss to Cincinnati — that it takes time for young pitchers to become the best version of themselves.
Cavalli has the next month to work through some kinks at the major league level. As the Nationals try to limit Gray’s innings down the stretch, he is currently skipping a turn but has made adjustments on the fly all year. Gore will, too, once he returns.
“We all have some work to do, a lot of work to do,” Gore said Saturday. “We just got to take advantage of these last 35 games or so to get better. If we can continue to take it day by day and get better, then we can make a jump next year.”
The Nationals built their contenders of the 2010s around the starting rotation. General Manager Mike Rizzo has shown his commitment to doing so through the draft and with monster signings such as Patrick Corbin’s free agent contract (six years, $140 million) and Stephen Strasburg’s deal (seven years, $245 million) after he was named 2019 World Series MVP — though neither move looks good in hindsight.
When Washington started its rebuild last season, Rizzo centered his trade of ace Max Scherzer and star shortstop Trea Turner to the Los Angeles Dodgers around catcher Keibert Ruiz and Gray. Gore came over in this summer’s blockbuster, as did 18-year-old fireballer Jarlin Susana, who is a ways away at Class A Fredericksburg.
One of the tough parts about the trade for Gore was his inability to contribute immediately. Washington was cautious with his rehab, striving to make sure he is fully himself when he returns. The organization has been careful with Gray and Cavalli, too, limiting their innings at times.
Gore said he put his injury in perspective by reminding himself that there are many worse than what he’s experiencing now. He used the extra time to get to know some of his teammates better, even though he already knew Gray and former Padres teammates CJ Abrams and Luke Voit.
Martinez knows Gore is eager to get out there. When Gore finally makes his Nationals debut, he knows expectations will be high as he and his fellow young pitchers mature.
“Yeah, there’s some talent,” he said of the young core. “Talent does not necessarily mean anything. We all have to play well and do what we need to do to go out there and give us a chance to win every day. But there’s some talented guys, which is a spark.”
Source: WP
