Losers of six straight games heading into Saturday afternoon's matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Washington Nationals are certainly going through the ringer right now. Friday night's series opening loss to the Rays stung just a little more in front of the home crowd. Coming off a 1-5 road trip, the Nationals surely hoped to rebound Friday, but now they will have to settle for a Saturday victory. Unfortunately, staff ace MacKenzie Gore is now the latest contributor to hit the injured list. According to team beat reporter Mark Zuckerman on X (formerly Twitter), Gore is dealing with left shoulder inflammation.

“MacKenzie Gore has been placed on the 15-day IL with left shoulder inflammation,” reported Zuckerman on Saturday. “Not good news for the All-Star lefty, who has been struggling over the last month. Mason Thompson recalled from Triple-A to take his roster spot.”

With the Nationals still reeling, this latest blow will not help them out of this skid. Thompson will join the bullpen as a middle reliever, so Gore's spot still needs to be filled. Perhaps former first rounder Jackson Rutledge will be stretched out. Their entire starting rotation, including Gore, is under 30. The lack of experience could hurt them a bit as the season progresses but will only help in the long run. Can the Nats finish 2025 strong, possibly without the services of Gore?

Nationals sustain big blow with MacKenzie Gore's injury

Washington Nationals pitcher Mason Thompson (71) throws during the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Nationals Park.
Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

For now, the Nationals' starting rotation consists of Cade Cavalli, Brad Lord, Jake Irvin and Mitchell Parker. All four are 25 to 28 years old. While each of them have shown flashes of potential, consistency is still needed from all four. Gore finally unlocked his potential after a few years of ups and downs. Now, it's clear that he's the number one starter for Washington.

That's why losing the left-hander is such a big blow. The Nationals are 24.5 games behind the division-leading Philadelphia Phillies. It's clear that 2026 and beyond is the focus. Ownership needs to make permanent decisions for a new head of baseball operations, manager and possibly a general manager as well. Whenever Gore returns, will he be able to help lead a Washington roster that continues to grow into a future contender?

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