MacKenzie Gore ripped through the Philadelphia Phillies at a historic pace on Opening Day.
The 26-year-old racked up 13 strikeouts over six innings for the Washington Nationals, allowing just one hit on Thursday afternoon.
He became the first pitcher since Bob Gibson in 1967 to hit 13 K’s without issuing a walk on Opening Day, and it’s the most from a left-hander since Randy Johnson in 1996.
Not only is it a career-high for Gore in his fourth big-league season, but it’s a Nationals opening-day record for most K’s recorded on Opening Day.
Gore was pulled after the sixth inning following 93 pitches with the Nationals holding a 1-0 lead but it was quickly squandered by the bullpen in the seventh.
The third-overall pick by the San Diego Padres in 2017, Gore was acquired by the Nationals in the blockbuster trade that sent back Juan Soto in August 2022.
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