Nationals Ace Sets Franchise Opening Day Record, Ties Legendary Hall of Famer

Washington Nationals ace MacKenzie Gore made his first Opening Day Start against the Philadelphia Phillies and had a memorable outing.

Sep 10, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore (1) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning at Nationals Park. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

There is no question that MacKenzie Gore is the ace of the Washington Nationals’ starting rotation, which made his first Opening Day start a significant milestone in his career.

The goal for Gore is to make the leap toward becoming an elite pitcher in Major League Baseball.

He rose to the challenge in the opener, breaking a Nationals’ record for strikeouts on Opening Day with 13, surpassing the previous record set by Max Scherzer in 2019 with 12.

Gore tied the mark set by Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1967 as the only two pitchers in AL/NL history to ring up 13 batters without issuing a walk.

Washington’s ace displayed exceptional performance, throwing all five of his pitches with confidence and location. He finished with six shutout innings, allowing just one hit while walking none and striking out 13.

Gore threw 93 pitches, including 41 four-seam fastballs that averaged 95.8 mph and topped out at 98.0 mph. Against right-handed hitters, he showcased his full repertoire, while against left-handed hitters, he primarily relied on his fastball and explosive slider.

Incredibly, he gave up just one significant contact during his outing.

Kyle Schwarber managed a base hit in the second inning with an exit velocity of 112.5 mph, but the Philadelphia Phillies only put the ball in play three more times thereafter.

With a whiff rate of 80% on his 23 sliders, Gore's effectiveness was evident.

His proStuff+ ratings also reflect his talent: Fastball – 128, Slider – 107, Curveball – 93, Changeup – 116, and Cutter – 110.

Notably, he also faced a formidable opponent since this Phillies lineup is regarded as one of the best in baseball.

MacKenzie Gore had an Opening Day for the history books!

The Nationals’ ace was electric, generating 20 whiffs and racking up 13 strikeouts over six dominant innings. It’s no wonder so many have him pegged as a dark horse Cy Young candidate! pic.twitter.com/K5UvRQmTM5

— Pitch Profiler (@pitchprofiler) March 27, 2025

One area Gore still needs to work on is pitch location.

Of his 93 pitches, 63 were strikes, yet he must continue to eliminate "misses" that catch too much of the plate.

What stood out most was his composure, appearing as if he had performed at this level countless times before.

In the past, he has struggled with nerves, but this version of Gore displayed maturity and poise.

These traits are ideal for a pitcher responsible for leading the rotation throughout the year and stepping up when needed. This dominant performance is precisely what the Nationals require from Gore — not necessarily perfection every time he pitches but the ability to anchor the staff, especially as younger pitchers integrate into the rotation.

Gore exited the game with a 1-0 lead, leaving it to Washington’s bullpen to secure the win.

That didn't happen with Lucas Sims immediately giving up the game-tying home run to Bryce Harper, but the result of the contest shouldn't take away from what the Nationals star accomplished in the opener.