The Nationals are excited for the baseball world to see what they appreciate about ace MacKenzie Gore when he makes his debut in the 2025 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard on Tuesday.
Gore, 26, was named the Nationals’ Opening Day starter in his fourth Major League season. No stranger to earning accolades, Gore was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 Draft (by the Padres) and the 2017 Gatorade Male Athlete of the Year.
Gore said fans who are watching the All-Star Game will see “a left-hander that throws hard.” His teammates shared insight into what they hope the viewers notice.
RHP closer Kyle Finnegan
“I want to see how he goes about his inning – if he just sticks with the fastball and tries to see how hard he can throw. Or obviously, he’s got good breaking stuff; let’s see if he uses that.
“We know how good he is, but I don’t know that the entire league has seen him on full display yet. So I think he’s going to open some eyes. I think there’s a lot of guys that have heard of him and know that he’s having a good year. But as soon as they see him, they’re going to be like, ‘OK, this guy’s the real deal.’ So I’m excited for him for that.
“He’ll get to pick the brains of the best pitchers in the league, so maybe it’ll come out of it with some new nuggets to carry him through the rest of the year. But I’m just happy for him. He earned it.”
Catcher Riley Adams
“He’s got elite stuff. Every single pitch he can strike somebody out with, and he’s got control of all his stuff. Personally, I really enjoy catching him and working with him, and it’ll be fun to see everyone see that.”
First baseman Nathaniel Lowe
“It’s a wide mix of pitches. It’s a pretty balanced attack. It’s a hard fastball, good slider, good changeup and good curveball. Obviously, the left-handed guys, they seem to have a higher price tag.
“It’s exciting for him; it’s exciting for the game as a whole, and it’s exciting for the players for him to go out there and showcase it on the biggest stage, aside from the postseason. It’s really exciting, and we’re happy for him.”
LHP reliever Jose A. Ferrer
“First of all, he’s done a good job this season. He is always very focused. I’m very proud of him because, in reality, he deserves it for his numbers, for the person he is and who he is as a teammate.”
RHP reliever Cole Henry
“I think the world has seen a lot of MacKenzie, so I don’t think they’re going to be seeing anything new, but I think they will just see how special of a player and pitcher he is. Hopefully, he can be our teammate for a long time and give us a great chance to win every time he’s out there. …
“He’s a very competitive person. You can tell he goes out there and he’s trying to dominate every single hitter. I think that’s what makes a pitcher really good. He goes out there, tries to dominate and he does dominate – and it’s impressive to watch. As a bullpen guy, we love to see that out of our starters. He goes deep, and he keeps us in the game for a long time. So [I] love it.”
RHP reliever Brad Lord
“It’s a huge accomplishment. As a team, we’re all just so excited for him to get out there and just show how good of a pitcher he is – because he’s a true ace. We’re all excited to see him represent us as a team and represent himself, too. …
“You know what you’re getting every time he goes out. He’s going to keep you in the ballgame. He’s going to keep it a close score. And just overall, his presence.”
LHP starter Mitchell Parker
“From a starter standpoint, it’s cool to watch him go out there and be able to fully enjoy watching him do his thing and watch him be a good athlete out there. … He goes out there, he wants to win every pitch of every game. Especially as a starter, I’ve been trying to learn new things from him. He’s obviously a great guy to learn from.”
RHP reliever Jackson Rutledge
“[I am looking forward to everyone seeing him] punching some tickets. He does that really well. … He’s just so confident. His stuff is so good. He works north-south with the best of them.”