Nationals to Activate MacKenzie Gore for Thursday’s Finale with Marlins

The Washington Nationals starting pitcher is returning from the injured list on time and will be back in the rotation on Thursday.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore (1) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The hope was that Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore’s season wasn’t done when he went on the 15-day injured list.

Turns out, Gore will be back. Interim manager Miguel Cairo told reporters in Miami, including MASN’s Mark Zuckerman, that Gore would be return for Thursday’s finale with the Miami Marlins. He will get the start on the first day he is eligible to be activated from the IL.

The Nationals placed Gore on the 15-day IL on Aug. 30, retroactive to Aug. 27, with left shoulder inflammation. It was his first trip to the IL since September of 2023, when an injury put him on the IL on Sept. 9 that season and he remained out until the end of the season. Assuming he has no setbacks, this will allow Gore to get in at least two more starts, perhaps three, as a springboard for 2026.

Why MacKenzie Gore is Returning Now

Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Cairo said that Gore had cleared every hurdle in his recovery from the shoulder inflammation. He made his last start on Aug. 26 against the New York Yankees. He took the loss as he pitched five innings, allowed three hits and three earned runs and walked two. He also struck out three.

“I think it was good to just let him make sure his shoulder was fine, and it wasn’t that bad,” Cairo said. “I’m glad that he’s back, and he’s going to start tomorrow.”

He was the subject of trade rumors at the deadline as there were questions about the direction of the franchise. That was exacerbated by the firings of manager Dave Martinez and general manager Mike Rizzo before the All-Star break. The Nationals are interviewing potential replacements at general manager. The interim GM, Mike DeBartolo, remains a candidate. But he now has external competition, including Chicago Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins, who works on president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer.

The 26-year-old Gore should be seen as a building block for the franchise’s future. He is 5-13 with a 4.15 ERA in 147.1 innings. Even with an under-.500 record, he made his first All-Star Game appearance in July on the strength of his ability to strike out hitters. His 173 strikeouts is among the Top 20 in MLB, even with the 15 days on the injured list. He has a shot, albeit it an outside one, to reach 200 strikeouts this season. Only three players are at 200 or more this season, led by Boston’s Garrett Crochet.