MacKenzie Gore Takes the Mound as Rangers Fight to Get Back on Track

The Texas Rangers, once holders of the final AL Wild Card spot, have fallen on hard times at the worst moment. Following their loss Friday night to the Athletics, a divisional opponent, Texas' losing streak now sits at four games, as they fall three games below the .500 mark.

The Rangers aren't completely out of it, entering game two against the A's with a 60-63 record. But with the Houston Astros beginning to create distance in the AL West standings, Texas can't afford to lose too many games in a row if they want to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2023.

Looking to end the four-game skid will be the Rangers' biggest offseason addition, left-hander Mackenzie Gore. Gore's first season with the franchise hasn't gone tremendously well, entering his next start with a bloated 4.43 ERA, but there are many areas of his game that are still encouraging.

Gore = Laser Focused

Gore ranks 17th in Major League Baseball in strikeouts this season with 149 and holds the 35th-best WHIP, sitting at 1.24. Those numbers aren't by mistake; Gore is one of the better pitchers in the American League, so long as he's got his best stuff.

Thus far in August, after posting a July ERA of 6.82, Gore has been pitching much better. While he didn't get the decision in either start, the Rangers came through for the South Paw, securing victories.

This month, Gore holds a 0.79 ERA across 11.1 innings pitched, allowing seven hits, one run, which came on a solo shot against the Los Angeles Angels in his last start, and he's struck out 13. The Athletics are in the bottom 10 in the league in team strikeouts, so this matchup favors Gore well.

Gore will take the mound for the third time against the Athletics this season, as his first two starts against the divisional foe came back in April. In those starts combined, Gore pitched 9.2 innings, allowed nine hits, gave up five runs, and struck out 12.

The biggest issue in those first two starts was how often he walked batters, walking nine between two starts. In his first start of the season against the Athletics, he walked six batters, but Gore is facing a much different Athletics team than he did before.

The Athletics are flirting with last place in the division, so if there were a time for Texas to prove why they deserve to be in the playoff hunt, it's against a rival who's proven not to be a threat.

Add us as a preferred source on Google