MacKenzie Gore

MacKenzie Gore

25-Year-Old PitcherSP
Washington Nationals
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Part of the Nationals' return from the Padres for Juan Soto in August of 2022, Gore is coming off a good-not-great first full MLB season. Well, it wasn't actually a completely full season because the Nats shut him down in early September due to a blister on his left index finger. That's a non-issue now, though, and the young southpaw will be looking to build this year on the things he did best in 2023. One of the hardest-throwing lefties in the sport, Gore used his fastball and power slider to strike out 151 batters over 136.1 innings, delivering a 26.0 strikeout percentage that ranked top-20 among the 87 big-league pitchers who logged more than 130 innings last year. If he can rein in his command and find more trust in the other elements of his five-pitch arsenal, the groundwork will be laid for Gore to quickly rise up the ranks of dependable fantasy starters. At the moment, the dependability is still a bit in question. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Rest of Season From Preseason
#276
ADP
$Signed a one-year contract with the Nationals in March of 2024.
Throws six scoreless in no-decision
PWashington Nationals
September 28, 2024
Gore did not factor into the decision in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Phillies, allowing three hits and one walk with nine strikeouts over six scoreless innings.
ANALYSIS
Gore generated a ridiculous 24 whiffs on 91 pitches and departed with a 2-0 lead that his bullpen was unable to hold. The southpaw was fantastic in September, logging four quality starts and allowing just four total earned runs across five outings. He'll finish the season with a 3.90 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 181:65 K:BB and 10 wins across 166.1 innings.
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Pitching Stats
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2024
2023
2022
2024 MLB Game Log
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2023 MLB Game Log
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2022 MLB Game Log
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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
94
Last 10 Games
90
Last 5 Games
93
How many pitches does MacKenzie Gore generally throw?
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
What part of the game does MacKenzie Gore generally pitch?
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-10%
BAA vs RHP
2024
 
 
-9%
BAA vs RHP
2023
 
 
-24%
BAA vs RHP
2022
 
 
-27%
BAA vs LHP
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2022vs Left .279 388 93 50 93 15 4 10
Since 2022vs Right .252 1234 311 109 278 49 3 39
2024vs Left .282 185 40 19 46 8 2 6
2024vs Right .257 546 141 46 125 28 1 9
2023vs Left .319 132 38 18 36 6 0 4
2023vs Right .241 450 113 39 98 13 2 23
2022vs Left .193 71 15 13 11 1 2 0
2022vs Right .263 238 57 24 55 8 0 7
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-4%
ERA at Home
2024
 
 
-9%
ERA at Home
2023
 
 
-21%
ERA at Home
2022
 
 
-39%
ERA on Road
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2022Home 4.11 1.52 186.0 10 13 0 9.8 4.2 1.1
Since 2022Away 4.29 1.33 186.2 11 13 0 9.7 3.5 1.3
2024Home 3.73 1.56 94.0 7 6 0 10.0 4.1 0.9
2024Away 4.11 1.23 72.1 3 6 0 9.6 2.7 0.7
2023Home 3.84 1.43 58.2 2 4 0 9.8 4.0 1.7
2023Away 4.87 1.38 77.2 5 6 0 10.1 3.6 1.9
2022Home 5.67 1.53 33.1 1 3 0 9.5 4.9 0.8
2022Away 3.44 1.42 36.2 3 1 0 9.1 4.7 1.0
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Stat Review
How does MacKenzie Gore compare to other starting pitchers?
This section compares his stats with all starting pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 120 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 120 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • K/BB
    Strikeout to walk ratio.
  • K/9
    Average strikeouts per nine innings.
  • BB/9
    Average walks per nine innings.
  • HR/9
    Average home runs allowed per nine innings.
  • Fastball
    Average fastball velocity.
  • ERA
    Earned run average. The average earned runs allowed per nine innings.
  • WHIP
    Walks plus hits per inning pitched.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many balls in play against a pitcher go for hits.
  • GB/FB
    Groundball to flyball ratio. The higher the number, the more likely a pitcher is to induce groundballs.
  • Left On Base
    The percentage of base runners that a pitcher strands on base over the course of a season.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Barrels/BBE
    The percentage of batted ball events resulting in a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Spin Rate
    Spin Rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released. It is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
  • Balls Hit 95+ MPH
    The percentage of batted balls hit that met or exceeded the 95 MPH threshold.
  • Swinging Strike
    The percentage of pitches that result in a swing and a miss.
K/BB
2.78
 
K/9
9.8
 
BB/9
3.5
 
HR/9
0.8
 
Fastball
96.1 mph
 
ERA
3.90
 
WHIP
1.42
 
BABIP
.351
 
GB/FB
1.25
 
Left On Base
66.5%
 
Exit Velocity
81.4 mph
 
Barrels/BBE
3.2%
 
Spin Rate
2264 rpm
 
Balls Hit 95+ MPH
20.0%
 
Swinging Strike
12.9%
 
Prospect Rankings History
Advanced Pitching Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
Say it with us: there is no such thing as a pitching prospect. For all the hype Gore has had in the minors, he has averaged 50 innings a season in the minors over five seasons of work at that level and his time in the majors this past season was also disrupted by an elbow issue. While he was able to avoid surgery, his fantasy outlook certainly changed when he was traded from the situation in San Diego to the mess in Washington for the forseeable future. Gore's fastball performed decently enough, but his breaking stuff was simply too hittable as both his curveball and slider had actual and expected batting averages .250 or higher. Remove the name from the situation, and you have a pitcher whose secondary stuff is still developing pitching for a team that is very likely to finish last in its division, maybe even by a healthy margin. Reset leagues should have little to no interest in this situation for 2023 while keeper and dynasty leagues can approach things differently if he is not already rostered in either situation.
Gore was the consensus top pitching prospect in baseball in 2019, but he struggled so much in 2021 that he spent time in the Arizona Complex League and didn't necessarily look like a future starter against rookie-level hitters. Through nine innings of big-league spring training, he has elevated his stock, striking out 11 while giving up just two runs and five baserunners. At the very least, he is back on the redraft radar and could push for starts early this season. Whether he can successfully turn a big-league lineup over twice remains to be seen, but at least for now, things are trending up.
Those highest on Gore thought he would debut in 2020, even in a shortened season, so the fact that he did not is relevant. The Padres maintain Gore was not promoted in part because they want him to debut in the rotation, not the bullpen, which is supposedly why Luis Patino got the call over him in August. He was on the postseason taxi squad, but it was Ryan Weathers whom the Padres turned to when they allowed a left-handed pitching prospect to make his MLB debut in a playoff game, not Gore. If they thought Gore was up for debuting in the rotation, they would have found room for him, so the fact is, he was kept down for performance reasons. He struggled with his command for much of the summer and needs to get more consistent with his secondary offerings. Gore's upside remains high and there have been no reports of an injury, so he will once again be a player to track this spring.
Gore turns 21 in February and finished 2019 with five starts at Double-A, so he is well ahead of schedule. Even so, one pitcher under 23 qualified for leaderboards last year, so we should never assume that a 21- or 22-year-old pitcher is ready to provide positive fantasy value. Other than left-handedness, there is nothing we would say about Gore that we wouldn't have said about Forrest Whitley a year ago, and we know how Whitley's 2019 played out. Gore has prototypical size (6-foot-3, 195 pounds), four plus pitches and plus control. If he avoids significant arm injuries, he should be one of the game's top starting pitchers during his prime, but realistically we are still a few years away from the beginning of his prime. San Diego likes to aggressively promote prospects, so there is a scenario where he spends a good chunk of the year in the big-league rotation, but don't pay for the best-case scenario.
In early April, farm director Sam Geaney said publicly that the Padres were intent on fast-tracking Gore through the minor-league ranks. Unfortunately, injuries -- namely blister issues -- got in the way. A blister on Gore's left hand forced him to the DL to begin the season, and he struggled mightily in two starts upon his return before the issue put him right back on the shelf. Gore went on a brilliant run shortly after his return in June, posting a 2.25 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 43:13 K:BB over a seven-start stretch (32 innings) and reminding everyone why he is one of the most highly-regarded left-handed pitching prospects in the game. Gore's season ended prematurely due to a fingernail problem and he finished with just 60.2 innings, all at the Low-A level. The lost development time likely takes a 2019 debut off the table, but if he can build up past 110 innings or so this season, Gore could be a rotation regular for most of 2020.
The 2017 draft had a lot of high-end pitching talent, but Gore stands out as the cream of the crop. A prep product from North Carolina, Gore was drafted third overall by the Padres, receiving a slightly over-slot $6.7 million bonus. The 6-foot-2 lefty made his pro debut in the AZL and struck out five or more in five of his seven starts, despite never going more than four innings. Gore utilizes a mid-90s fastball and a knee-buckling curveball, both of which are at least plus pitches. He features a unique, straightened leg kick that comes up to his chin -- a timing mechanism that he is able to repeat from pitch to pitch. Gore’s intensity on the mound is another separator among his peers. In just 21.1 innings, he has already established himself as one of the game’s best pitching prospects. He should be one of the first few players from last year’s draft to come off the board in dynasty leagues, and has the potential to cruise to the upper levels of the minors.
More Fantasy News
Flirts with no-hitter
PWashington Nationals
September 21, 2024
Gore (10-12) got the win Saturday against the Cubs, allowing one run on one hit and three walks while striking out nine over seven innings.
ANALYSIS
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Throws six strong innings
PWashington Nationals
September 15, 2024
Gore (9-12) picked up the win Sunday against Miami, allowing one unearned run on two hits and two walks across six innings. He struck out five.
ANALYSIS
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Early exit in Tuesday's loss
PWashington Nationals
September 11, 2024
Gore (8-12) took the loss Tuesday, coughing up seven runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks over 3.2 innings as the Nationals were routed 12-0 by Atlanta. He struck out three.
ANALYSIS
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Sharp in no-decision
PWashington Nationals
September 5, 2024
Gore came away with a no-decision in Wednesday's 4-3 extra-inning loss to the Marlins, allowing one run on one hit and one walk over six innings. He struck out nine.
ANALYSIS
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Tames Yankees for eighth victory
PWashington Nationals
August 28, 2024
Gore (8-11) earned the win over the Yankees on Wednesday, allowing two runs on six hits and one walk while striking out six batters over six innings.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Showing growth
PWashington Nationals
April 24, 2023
Gore has logged a 3.43 ERA across 21.0 innings through four starts this season. Command is still an issue for the 24-year-old, issuing 14 walks over that span.
ANALYSIS
Gore's 0.56 BB/K ratio disguises Gore's improved strikeout numbers. His 29.1 percent strikeout rate is a noticeable jump from 23.3 percent last season, and he ranks among the top-15 pitchers league-wide in generating whiffs. Gore's control issues are a serious trend to monitor, but other green flags are in the picture as well.
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