If The Washington Nationals Optioned MacKenzie Gore I Wouldn't Be Upset & Here's Why

Intro as McKenzie Gore continues his 2024 summer struggles should the Nationals start considering moving him down in Triple A well it's certainly on the table 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 you can check us out over on YouTube just search locked on Nationals there and that is where you'll find your daily content for your Washington Nationals and of course again just search us wherever you get your podcast again that is locked on Nationals wherever you get your podcast a little bit later on in today's show you've got the Beltway series starting tonight two games up at Camden Yards one of the best ballparks and all of baseball we'll preview that and also kind of get into is the Rivalry still alive is there a rivalry anymore because it seems to me that at this point in time the Orioles and the Nets they're both one is really good and then one is really bad there's really no in between so is the Rivalry still alive we'll discuss that and tackle that a little bit later on in today's show but of course if you haven't been aware of this yet Siver King the Nationals first round pick the 10th overall pick in this year's draft and Caleb lovita the Nationals comp 1A pick they got for Hunter Harvey at this year's deadline they both make their debut tonight and I've got a little bit of a steaming hot take for you I'll give you that one in the second segment of today's show as the Nationals they have been in a little bit of a rut they did actually do pretty well against the LA Angels Anthony randone came back to town and they did decent but here's the thing we got to talk about McKenzie Gore because this has kind of been something on my mind I even mentioned it a few days ago that I would not be surprised and I would not really be upset if the Nationals did decide to option McKenzie Gore and this has been something that I've been really kind of going back and forth with in my head but should the Nationals option him at this point or is there a better option we'll discuss that but today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel make every moment more as playoffs have winded 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 Should The Nationals Option Gore started so here's where we kind of go off the rails a little bit should the Nationals consider option consider optioning McKenzie Gore at this point there's two different roads where the Nationals can go down at this point and here are the two options you option them down to triaa and the other road is you have a six-man rotation going to stretch out all of your starters and not just McKenzie Gore because let's face the truth here let's look ourselves in the mirror and if you're the Nationals you got to look yourselves in the mirror at this point McKenzie Gore has really struggled so far this summer there is no doubt about that Dave Martinez knows that Mike Rizzo knows that and McKenzie Gore also knows that he has been struggling but if you really look at the numbers since really the beginning of June they have been really bad over his last 13 starts he has 61 in the third Innings pitched 78 hits in that time frame as well he has a six erra and batters are batting over 300 against him with a 459 Slug and nearly a 40% on base percentage this is not a good time for McKenzie Gore and that's stating the obvious the slash line against him so far is nearly an All-Star caliber kind of hitter it's certainly not crazy to say that McKenzie Gore is broken right now now the Nationals they have to think for themselves here what is best for your potential future Ace which I still believe McKenzie or can be you have to tackle a lot of these different issues here let's start off with the Nationals front what hurts if the Nationals do decide to option him how will that hurt McKenzie Gore how will it hurt this rotation sitting here today well ultimately the Nationals are still building for the future so that has to be at the Forefront of this you're not in a wild card race in fact Nationals they probably won't say this but it's not bad losing at this point you have to consider your future right now in sitting here today August 13th you can't not tell me that McKenzie Gore is broken he is at this point in time he is not pitching well whatsoever 35 walks over his last 13 starts to 58 strikeouts McKenzie Gore at one point was striking out nearly 11 batters per nine innings that has gone away he is not generating swings and misses what he once was his seasoning ra has inflated up into the four FS there's something wrong here and even in his last start where he had no earned runs over the weekend he wasn't good he had a career high in walks I think the Nationals if they were really mature about this they should option McKenzie Gore that is the best road to go down if I was Dave Martinez I'd probably sit him down in my office and say listen this is not something where we want to do but we also need you to get right I would much rather mcken Gore try to find ways to get right down at Triple A than having him do it up in the major leagues at this point and I think this is kind of a caseby case basis by the way one thing about McKenzie Gore that I love about him the guy is a competitor he goes in he kind of has that Max Sher Bulldog mentality a little bit where he's like a kind of a goofy funloving guy four days out of the week but the day that he starts he kind of turns into that Bulldog guy who wants to go out there and win he's a competitor he's a pro baseball player this is someone who will be at the front of your rotation for hopefully the next five plus Seasons but also with McKenzie Gore Comes This someone who can get a little bit too high his emotions run High just a little bit too much in my opinion having him kind of get rocked face the media I don't think that does too well at this point and this is someone who is a fan but also a credential media member I I don't go in there after locker rooms after every game but I can tell you this you see it yourself you see the frustration with him now are these things that he could probably get done at the major league level I'm sure of it I'm sure that he can figure this out and if the Nationals do decide to not option him at this point that's probably a fair decision to make but I think the mature decision for the Nationals and the best interest of McKenzie Gore would be to option him now with the other road that we talked about getting a six-man rotation in that also wouldn't be bad as well and by the way I do kind of expect there to be a six-man rotation relatively soon because you have a lot of young guys sitting here today you've got Trevor Williams rehabing from injury at some point he will be back in healthy is he going to be back sometime this season I don't know at this point but you have someone named Brad Lord down in Triple A he seems pretty ready to make his major league debut he's climbed from high Wilmington all the way up to Triple A Rochester would it be a lot to shove him up into the majors at this point maybe but also with Brad Lord he's kind of one of those lottery ticket guys where the whole farm system isn't relying on him to shape up and to be a starting pitcher in the major leagues that would be a great thing to happen for this team but the ceiling for him maybe is a fifth starter in your rotation and that's a maybe he's had a great season he can continues to build on it in Triple A Rochester but if you wanted to space out Jake irvan who still just a few years removed from Tommy John surgery if you want to space out Mitchell Parker who's reaching his career high in Innings pitch same with DJ hers this would not be a bad situation to have to move to a six-man rotation and even when Trevor Williams is healthy maybe in a few weeks here maybe that's when you decide to option McKenzie Gore if he has not figured out his struggles at this point because I think we have to hit home on this point here as far as the rotation goes there's nobody as important as McKenzie Gore is the development that he takes the steps that he takes into being an ace for this team moving forward that is the priority of this rotation so if the Nationals do decide to go that route and option him it would not not make me upset whatsoever and in fact it would probably be in the best interest of McKenzie Gore the washing to Nationals because he can't just go out there and get rocked what is that going to do at the major league level it's not going to do all too much and by the way with his stats you know I don't think they care too much about his stats but Mike Rizzo and I believe talk Nets talked about this a little little bit early on in the week when you have someone out there who is walking the yard and Mike grizzo had the infamous sign this spring training that really ruffled some feathers of we don't care how fast you throw ball four McKenzie Gore's V is dipping just a little bit and he's throwing a lot of ball fors again 35 BLS in his last 13 starts something is not right with this guy it would not make me upset at all to see McKenzie Gore option at this point so let me know what you think you can tweet at me at Ryan Clary 11 or you can drop a comment on the YouTube page I'll try to get to those and respond to those as well but that is where I stand today and I'm interested to see what you may think about this situation because I do think it's developing and maybe just maybe the Nationals do decide to option the kid down to to AAA Rochester but let me know what you think in the comment section tweet at me at Ryan Clary 11 let's talk about some better things though the National's first round pick in Caleb lovita out of the University of California pick 39 in this year's draft class a first round kind of talent he makes his debut tonight in fredicksburg alongside top 10 pick Siver King I've got a little bit of a hot take for this and I'll discuss that after we tell you guys about some of our very good friends over at iata and guys we've talked about Ibata FanDuel ibata before you know the drill already there are sandals sunscreen snacks are for the kids but what do these all have in common you're probably buying a ton again this summer and the summer is not done yet but don't stress about the cost use ibata and get cash back on all of your purchases when you stock up on all of your summer Essentials with iata and you might be thinking well what is ibata ibata is a free app that lets you earn cash back every time you shop earn on hundreds of items from groceries to Beauty Supplies even toys 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partner of major leag League Siver King Caleb Lomov Baseball and Siver King and Caleb lomov to make their minor league debut tonight at single a Fredericksburg here is what you should expect well first and foremost Siver King let's talk about him the 10th overall pick at a wake force in this year's draft class he's going to be a working progress if you remember this time last year when Dylan Cruz Johan Morales first got to single we were expecting big things from them both them top 20 prospects Dylan Cruz in my opinion the or not even opinion it was a fact he was the second best Prospect in last year's draft right behind Paul SK his teammate there at LSU both winning the national championship we knew that they were going to fly through the system yandi Morales we didn't really think would fly through the system as fast as he did but here's the thing that's what the Nationals did I'm not expecting that with Siver King this year I think sver King will stay in Fredericksburg through the duration of the Season I'm not expecting a high a Wilmington call up here's what you should expect this is going to be a work in progress for Siver King it just will be now on the other side of the coin with Caleb blow Vita I think this is someone who actually could kind of make his way up to high a Wilmington a little bit quicker than what you may think but here's the thing it's going to have to be pretty quick if if the Nationals do decide to kind of work his way up through the system the reason why I think lomma Vita is a little bit more liable to being that guy who could be working his way up into the majors or into the minors a little bit quicker it's because this guy has three years of experience in division one baseball he is developed he is at the peak of his powers right now he is coming off a season in which he had a 981 Ops he just hit 15 home runs 52 RB eyes hell he even had 12 stolen bases this last year LMA Vita is a better Prospect today than what SI King is in my opinion now the prospect rankings won't indicate that but I think he is a more polished version of himself than what cver king is of himself at this point the reason why the Nationals took Siver King at number 10 is not because of who he is right now is because of what they think he will be down the road with the other hand of it LMA is a pretty developed guy at this point he is an established college player who killed the baseball in three years at the Pack 12 level for California this is someone who has pretty raw power also decent behind the dish but ultimately not a crazy defensive catcher who will be throwing guys out left and right but he is a more polished version of himself what Siver King is Siver King is going to be kind of think of it as a high school Prospect coming out I don't think he'll be on the timeline of that like I don't think we see sver King until 2028 in the majors I'm not saying that but I think you will see lovita work his way through the miners a lot quicker than sver King and that's not a knock on him by the way because again the main point is this Siver King the Nationals did not draft him for what he is right now they're drafting for what he could be down the road that is the whole thing with the Nationals that is the approach that they took in this year's draft whoever they had in mind at taking at number 10 whether it been a high school prepster from Mississippi or the short stop from Harvard West Lake High School I don't know at this point but Siver King is a project so at this point I would not be surprised to see Lov Vita in high a Wilmington at some point this season but here's the thing he's going to have to really kill the baseball and play solid defensively the plate I don't know how many innings he will get behind home plate I would expect him to probably DH a little bit more than what we're expecting at this point because he just got done with a full College season they probably don't really want this guy squatting all season long he'll get obviously a lot of opportunities he had basically a month two months of rest here over the last summer here but I expect lomov to work his way through a lot quicker than Siver King will and that's not a knock on King by the way I want to really hit that point here that is not a knock on sver King that is just the expectation that I have put on them at this point sver King is a project I realize that we should probably realize that as a whole Lov Vita is not really a project he is a first round Talent who slipped to the Nationals at number 39 and I think if the Nats do decide to kind of work their way a little bit quicker with L Vita that's not a crazy thing to think at this point don't be surprised if lovita gets off to a really hot start and Siver King does not again this is not a knock on Siver King his ceiling is much higher than Caleb lovita in my opinion soone who could have a very surprising raw power in his back toolbox there lovita already kind of has that but Siver King again the ceiling much higher than lomov Vita but do not be thrown off whatsoever if he makes his high a Wilmington debut a little bit sooner than what Siver King does we'll see what the Nationals do decide to do but I'll be really interested to see what they do tonight in their debut again for the Fredericksburg Nationals that will be a very interesting series to watch so thank you all for making lock on NS your are first listen every single day as we are free and available wherever you get your podcast and now let me tell you guys about the orial series The Nationals head up to Camden Yards in my opinion one of the best ballparks in all of baseball and I'm sure youve probably been up there if you're in the DC area it is a hell of a ballpark I love Camden Yards unfortunately I will not be able to make it up to that series but we'll discuss it after we tell you guys about Supply House our friends over at supply house and guys get supplies from the site that's made for the 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series the Beltway series that we all look forward to in town and is it still a rivalry let's get into that a little bit later on but first the pitching matchups for the series You've Got Jake Irvin against left-handed pitcher Trevor Rogers one of the Orioles main tra trade deadline Acquisitions and that was a really intriguing kind of deadline move by the way they gave up one of their top prospects a couple of them in fact to the Miami Marlins for Trevor Rogers now Mike Elias in my opinion is one of if not the best GM in all of baseball at this point he has been the hot hand he has turned that Orioles team around completely they still have a loaded farm system this will be a very interesting pitching match up tonight as the Nationals have Jake Irvin on the bump as well as far as the Oriols go though this matchup should scare anybody we have to go against gunar Henderson Jackson holiday you've got a ton of different guys Anthony santand there has been absolutely on fire the entire season which by the way watch his name in the free agent Market I would not be surprised the Nationals go after him a little bit later on but still the gats you've got a tough one tonight and then of course tomorrow you have DJ hers who has been your better pitcher so far over the last few weeks here against Dean Kramer who has kind of taken a little bit of a step back in my opinion this year I thought he was going to be one of their best pitchers which he has been good he hasn't been great in my opinion he has the ability to be great but he just hasn't been that at this point and maybe that's my Baltimore rivalry coming out of me because I'm I don't hate the Orioles but let's kind of get into it is the Rivalry alive is there even a rivalry anymore I think Baltimore hates DC a lot more than what DC hates Baltimore for and this kind of stems back from the days where the M when the Baltimore Orioles were the team of DC and a lot of people who may be Nationals fans now grew up as Orioles fans that changed that flip-flop DC now is its own team they've won a World Series and they are the bigger Market we are the bigger Market than what Baltimore is so they've always kind of been treated like a little bit of a younger stepbrother you could say but at the end of the day Baltimore hates DC a lot more than what DC hates Baltimore for I've always kind of liked the Orioles do I get annoyed of them a little bit do I get annoyed of their fans probably a little bit more but at the end of the day it's not that big of a deal I don't really see this as a rivalry anymore now if there was some beef between the teams which you know the mass and debacle over the last few years you could certainly say there has been beef but with their new owner I do expect that to change and lighten up maybe just a little bit but with the Nationals right now I don't see this as a rivalry I just don't maybe you feel differently you can let me know you can tweet at me Ryan clare1 or and drop a comment in the YouTube section is the Nats O's Beltway series little rivalry still a rivalry we'll discuss that and of course let me know in the comment just search locked on Nationals drop a comment on YouTube or search me up over on Twitter just tweet at me DM me Ryan Clary 11 that is where you'll find me and of course enjoy the Beltway series enjoy the Rivalry maybe whatever you want to say it's up to you I'll catch you on the flip side have a one