How Concerned Should The Washington Nationals Be About MacKenzie Gore's Struggles?

as 2024 has progressed for the Washington Nationals one guy in particular has kind of taken a step back and that is your Ace McKenzie Gore so how concerned should you be I'll tell you after this you are locked on Nationals your daily Washington Nationals podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day and thank you all for making lock on Nationals your first listen every single day as we are free and available wherever you get your podcast and of course I'm your host Ryan Clare you can catch me over on Twitter at Ryan clare1 and as well as our show page _ Nationals for our latest nationals news notes make sure to check us out over on Twitter and of course while you're at it make sure to search up locked on Nationals wherever you get your podcast including over on YouTube again just search locked on Nationals drop a thumbs up or even a thumbs down if you don't like the show it's no problem it's your podcast you decide what you like and what you don't like so that is the fun part of the show but again just search locked on Nationals while you're at it subscribe wherever you get your podcast and also catch me over on Twitter at Ryan Clary 11 later on in today's show we'll be discussing the Brewers in the national series as Milwaukee heads into DC tonight in the Nationals they open up a pretty big home stand so per usual on this Friday we'll preview that series starting tonight with Jake Irvin on the bump against Frankie Monto someone that we actually just faced here recently but we'll have that series preview for you a little bit later on in the show today as I just hiccup right then and there but second segment it is a Nat stock report Friday for your Washington Nationals prospects now if you're an everyday or out there you usually know the drill usually get three stock ups and two stock Downs the Nationals this time around we're going to change it up you've got four stock UPS because I cannot choose between some of these guys so four stock ups only one stock down and that stock down is a former first round pick and we'll discuss that in the second segment of today's show but we're going to start with of course McKenzie Gore mcken Gore as the season has progressed he has taken a step back he has and I think we all kind of noticed that but still before we get into it today's episode is brought to you by fandu will make every moment more as playoffs wind down the Sports Stop sportsing like we want them to but this summer FanDuel is hooking up all customers with a boost or a bonus daily that's right there's something for everyone every day all summer long just visit fanduel.com to get started so again we're going to get started right here discussing this kind of big deal that has been happening here recently this is something that has kind of been unfolding All Summer Long McKenzie Gore has taken a step back that is something that you cannot argue anymore my hand is up I thought Mckenzie Gore would be the Ace of the staff by now I thought he would take a bigger step up in the second half of this season and he still got has two months to prove himself but if you really look at the numbers overall How concerned are you about McKenzie Gore well I'll answer that right now I am a little concerned am I worried about the future of him as a starting pitcher not that concern but I've always said that I don't think the Nationals need to go get Ace I think the Nationals are just fine with McKenzie Gore as their one pitcher going forward I think I'm ready to kind of wave that white flag that's the concern level that I have is he going to be a good starting pitcher for this team down the road absolutely do I still think he has the highest ceiling of all the starting pitchers in this rotation check yes I do but what I am rethinking is him being the Ace of the staff I think now going into this off season you do need to go get your Max sherzer and that's what kind of got the Nationals over the hump over the last few seasons again looking back back in the 2012 and 2014 the Nationals in those postseason teams they were good they had solid starting pitching but you still kind of needed that home run hitter for a starting pitcher Mike Rizzo went out and he signed ma Sherer multiple sa Youngs later multiple no hits later and a World Series champion in a game seven starter later in the World Series you got your Max Scherzer I think the Nationals now need that and again some people may already out there be thinking well we knew that Ryan admittedly I did not I thought Mckenzie Gore had the opportunity to be your number one starter to be your Max Scherzer to be that big game kind of pitcher I'm not sure that's going to be the case now again can Gore still be that guy I still think there is an outside chance of him being that number one guy that teams covet that want to see get an extension or whatever it is McKenzie cor is still an above average pitcher in my opinion but you can't help but notice the flaws and the flaws that continue to bite him in the butt lack of throwing strikes walking a lot of guys this is now over two years now you saw the step up with Josiah gray as year two in his full season and he was an All-Star was it a little fluky sure McKenzie Gore has a higher ceiling though McKenzie Gore is just about as old as Josiah gray was this time last year when he was an All-Star but since June McKenzie Gore in 11 starts has a 636 ER 50 strikeouts to 27 walks in 52 and a third Innings pitch with 37 earned runs this has not been a good stretch whatsoever in fact he's only thrown strikes 63% of the time that's not good enough that's not good enough for any starting pitcher out there let alone to be a front line of the rotation kind of guy you need to see more now the underlying metric metrics rather of McKenzie Gore they're still pretty good one stat that I really like to look at especially for kind of a poor team which the Nationals we talked about it yesterday this is not that good of a baseball team we know that his Fielding independent pitching which really just kind of hones in on home runs hits and all the individual stats for a major league pitcher he's at a 402 right now that's relatively decent I think that does kind of show you a little bit of an underlying Factor here the Nationals defense isn't all that good we kind of know that and now you take out laye Thomas of the equation one of your better Defenders even though the metrics may say otherwise but how sure are we about right field now when you have a gold glove finalist who you just traded away in the short run with McKenzie Gore over the course of this season I am concerned he needs to finish strong and again I don't know if it's the summer heating up the ball flying because he started off this season looking like the guy that I always thought he would be r224 version of Max Scherzer but he has now taking that step back and he's looking like a 2014 version of a Dan her and if you remember that name there were some expectations with them McKenzie Gore he has way higher expectations than Dan Heron ever will but sitting here today I have to be a little concerned about where your Ace is right now over the long run though I still think McKenzie Gore will be a middle rotation two to three starter kind of guy and I think the Nationals have all the faith in the world of him being that but I was under the impression that he could be your Ace I don't think that's the case anymore so my concern love it's not too high but it's also not low I am just genuinely concerned because again this is now a track record walking too many guys not throwing enough strikes which kind of marry each other obviously when things get bad they get bad it's a snowball rolling down a hill that eventually becomes some massive wrecking ball those are what McKenzie Gore's bad starts are and that's what he needs to improve on kind of keep a level ahead and try to see if he can get through the rough patches because ultimately there have been some very tough patches with this kid and he's just gonna have to find a way to work his way through it but we'll just have to see what McKenzie Gore does but of course to answer the question long run am I overly concerned concerned not all too much but in the short term I am concerned I still think he's going to be a very good MLB pitcher but over his last 11 starts he has been getting rocked around rocked and that might be an understatement thank you all for making lock on Nationals your first listen every single day as we are free and available wherever you get your podcast so on Fridays we always get you a Nat's Prospect stock report as we have our eyes in the future here with locked on Nationals there's no better coverage here on daily Nationals content than right here unlocked on Nationals and of course we'll have a Brewers natat series preview in the third segment but next is your Nats Prospect stock report and this time you've got four stock ups and only one stock down that's how good the kids have been down in the minor so we'll cat you we'll catch you up on some of the action there but before we do that I'm going to tell you some of our very good friends over at FanDuel and guys we've talked about FanDuel all the time and you know that I love sports and you love them and we love them so much and we never want them to stop but as the playoffs are done we have fewer games and of course maybe even some Olympic Games and the sports aren't really sportsing like I want them to but FanDuel lets me keep the sports going whenever I want all I have to do is open the app and dream up bets anytime I'm in the mood and this summer FanDuel is hooking up all customers with a boost or a bonus daily that's right there's something for everyone every day all summer long maybe you want to go in tonight's game and you think James Wood hits a home run against Frankie monos I can tell you this you're going to be getting some nice plus money on that 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about it today and we start off with a stock up for Brady house Brady houseon is getting promoted to trip Rochester has been killing the baseball he's got a 316 batting average A 333 OBP a 474 slug which is what I want to see from Brady house and an 807 Ops he's got two home runs 11 RBI three doubles 13 strikeouts to two walks I'd like to see him walk a little more cut down of the strikeouts just a little bit because Brady house has this impact swing and I've always said this I feel like Brady house at the big league level even more so than James Wood and Dylan Cruz I think Brady house could be the best overall hitter up in the major leagues that might be a crazy thing to think even to say but I think he is that special of a hitter I think he is a unique talent I'm really really liking what he is doing so far in Triple A and if he keeps it up at this pace he's going to be in the majors for a few weeks here in September that's how close we are I could see Brady house doing it and maybe depending how he does competing for that opening day Third Base spot we'll see what the Nationals ultimately do with that but Brady house has been a huge huge plus here recently getting up to Rochester has been awesome for him so it's good to see that speaking of someone who's in Rochester in another for former first round pick 2019 first round pick gets a stock down his name is Jackson rutage are we done with him as a starting pitcher he's got roughly a 70 ra on the season he has 60 hits in his last 55 in a third Innings pitch he's got 30 walks in that time frame as well he's got a 163 whip on the season or on his last 11 starts watch me as I sit my coffee I'm done with it I don't know what else to say long-term reliever yoan adone that's kind of what I'm expecting with Jackson rutage the experiment is over you've had your time to develop he has not developed even though he did actually look good in his one major league start down in Milwaukee but when are we going to give up because for me the time to give up is now he's not going to be a starter in the get him that long-term reliever role and see what he can do so it has not been good but now we've got three stock UPS to give you and one of them being one of your better prospects who just made the return off the ilil yaddi yoyo ralis two games in Fredericksburg for his rehab two home runs four RBI a stolen base and a single now it's only two games but you're coming off the iil you're down in low a fredicksburg and you hit two home runs you've already matched your season total for home runs and even then last year yandi Morales in the 40 plus games that he played across Fredericksburg haa and as well as dable he was the National's best hitter from the second half of the minor league system yoyo is going to be a legit guy he is going to be a very good hitter the problem is or really not the problem what I want to see is more power and through his first two games he hit two home runs and last year he never even hit a home run and his slugging was way up and one of the better ones over the second half of the season for the Nationals so Johan Morales is back he's playing solid over at third base he's hitting for power he's stealing bases this is what you want to see this is the farb system that I have always dreamed of over the last few years and it's starting to come into fruition right here and right now Johan Morales was a second round pick by the way we have another second round pick by the name of dalen Lyle stock up for him over his last nine games in double A he's got 10 hits in total at 313 371 438 and 809 Ops in those nine games D ly is starting to turn it up a little bit in double A Harrisburg 21 years old young Prospect a lot of skills a lot of talents a lot of tools that he possesses he is a flashy player and again you're starting to see him shine at that double a level my big concern with dalen ly is I don't know how much room we really have for now you could talk about Robert Hassel I third he's been hurt I still like Hassel II third as a prospect I still like what he can be down the road but dalen Lyall is one of those guys where if the Nationals are competing next year or maybe this offseason they want to go and get a starting pitcher similar to what the Orioles did to me I think dalen ly is that guy where they trade away and try to get a veteran starting pitcher in the door with a little bit of control left dalon V is a wellth thought of prospect right now again a Gatorade Player of the Year out of high school in Kentucky he's got a lot of talent he's really starting to come into his own growing into his body he's gotten a lot bigger I mean Dal l is one of those guys where you're going to have to keep an eye on him because he has been very impressive so far in dou a speaking of impressive talk about this 17-year-old that in the DSL it's not the sealed tahada it's Angel Feliz one of your top prospects in the DSL one of your better ones in fact and over his last 10 games he's batting 296 a 375 OBP a 481 Slug and 856 in that time frame as well he's got nine stolen bases four walks fourks he's got a triple he's got a home run as well Angel fleece was a mid tier kind of guy when the Nationals signed him in the international signing class 17 years old he has been very impressive down in the Dominican Republic I don't know what the deal is and why the Nationals never really kind of rushed these guys up I do know there are some complicating matters outside of baseball with the just figuring out your passport and your visa and all that stuff so maybe that's part of this issue right now why the Nationals haven't flown this kid up but find a way because this kid is really good he was a DSL Allstar for you alongside de seal tahada as well who a lot of Nationals fans have been following closely but don't forget about angel Feliz this kid has been really good and again he's got a little bit of power he's got stolen base potential really good defensively getting on base he is slugging he was doing all the things you want him to do and that is why he gets a stock up on today's Nats Prospect stock report thank you all for being locked on Nationals your first listen every single day is we are free and available wherever you get your podcast let's get you a series preview as the Nationals take on the Brewers today will it asholes with this is a tough series you're going to pretty solid starting pitching so we'll discuss that but before that I'm going to tell you guys about our friends over at liquid IV and of course if you're like me get to work out or maybe you go over to a baseball game you're taking America's P time you cannot forget to hydrate with liquid IV and of course get hydrated with electrolytes essential vitamins and clinically tested nutrients from the number one powdered hydration brand in America I can tell you this I go to workout every morning and when I do I pour a little bit of liquid IV in my and it is number one it 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individual performances all the way through the end of September through the end of the regular season through all the games game 162 whatever way you look at it Frankie montos against Jake Irving Jake irin needs to Pound The Zone which he has done a very good job of by the way but when he does Pound The Zone he tends to get pounded as well that is not all too great but still Jake Irving go out there deliver a quality start Dave Martinez there's nothing to lose don't go to your Bullpen you've gutted the bullpen you don't really have all too many guys that are going to help you out at this point but then in tomorrow's game Aaron savali against DJ hers similar equation there DJ hers has been really good in my opinion a lot better than what the numbers indicate but then on Sunday right-handed pitcher Tobias Myers against your Lefty Mitchell Parker money-making Mitch marijuana Mitch whichever Mitch you want to go with I'll go with as well Mitchell Parker if he has a rough start some people may think this is crazy you may be upset if Mitchell Parker has a really tough start on Monday we might have to have a conversation about him being option in triaa it's not that crazy at this point and it's not because he's bad this is someone I think is going to be in the starting rotation going into next year pretty easily but at this point in time you don't want the kid to go out there and just get SL slacked every time that's kind of what it has been like he has not been himself and again it's been overwhelmingly not not that great so look forward to that I want to see him really bounce back and kind of just be good because his first 10 11 12 starts of the Season were wildly impressive but since then he's kind of taken a step back and you're starting to notice it with his numbers in 2024 so we'll see what he does but you guys get to watch this series it's a weekend Series against the Brew Crew we'll see what the Nationals can do but ultimately let's see what the kids do have fun play baseball enjoy the weather enjoy Nat's baseball catch you on the flip side have a good one