Nationals' MacKenzie Gore: Yields three runs

Gore did not factor into the decision Monday against the Pirates, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out six.

Gore struggled to find a groove and work deep into his outing against the Pirates as he required 101 pitches to complete his 5.1 innings. However, the 25-year-old lefty's arsenal showed increased velocity over last season as he averaged 97-mph on his fastball (up from 95-mph in 2023) and 91.7-mph on his slider (up from 88.6-mph in 2023). Gore also mixed in his changeup more than last season, throwing it 16.8 percent of the time Monday versus 3.0 percent in 2023. He looks for better results from his new arsenal in his next scheduled start, tentatively slated to be at home against the Phillies.