Nationals Emerging Young Ace Dominating With Two Elite Pitches in Arsenal
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The Washington Nationals have to feel good about their outlook when it comes to their starting rotation.
A solid trio has emerged at the Major League level with MacKenzie Gore, Jake Irvin and Mitchell Parker. If Cade Cavalli, Josiah Gray and DJ Herz can bounce back from their respective elbow surgeries, it is even more impressive depth to add to the mix.
Don’t forget the youngsters making their way through the minor league system, such as top prospects Travis Sykora, Jarlin Susana and Alex Clemmey.
The Nationals have the makings of what could be an incredibly young and talented starting rotation that looks like it will be anchored by Gore for years to come.
One of the pieces in the blockbuster return package from the San Diego Padres in the Juan Soto deal, the talented lefty has really come into his own during the 2025 season.
Possessing ace stuff, he is showcasing just how productive he can be, building off of a strong 2024 campaign and taking his performance to another level.
Through nine starts, Gore has a 3.59 ERA across 52.2 innings. His 1.4 WAR is already better than what he produced last year and he is leading baseball with 75 strikeouts and a stellar 12.8 K/9 ratio.
He is on pace to shatter his previous career highs when it comes to punchouts, and his 35.2% strikeout rate is nearly 10% higher than his previous single-season best mark.
It is encouraging that his increase in strikeouts is also coming with his continued decrease in walks, improving his control and generating more swings on pitches out of the zone because of his good his stuff is.
How Has MacKenzie Gore Taken His Game to the Next Level This Season?
What has led to the breakout campaign and the incredible jump in strikeout numbers is elite breaking pitches.
As shared by Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required), Gore is dominating opponents with his curveball and slider.
“Batters are hitting .216 against his curveball with a 51.1 percent whiff rate and .107 against his slider with a 47.4 percent whiff rate,” the former MLB executive wrote.
His Breaking Run Value of +4 is in the 93rd percentile of baseball. It is more than making up for an average +1 Fastball Run Value that is in the 56th percentile and poor Offspeed Run Value of -2 that is in the 17th percentile.
Possessing a five-pitch mix, Gore’s breaking stuff has turned into some of the nastiest in the MLB. If he can hone the rest of his arsenal in a similar fashion, he will become one of the best in the game.
