MacKenzie Gore's performance is driving Rangers trade deadline need no one is talking about

Well, you don't want to say that Chris Young and the Rangers gutted their minor league system for a guy who went 5-15 last season and has brought that same mediocrity to Arlington, but it's already pretty clear that lefty MacKenzie Gore is not what fans had hoped for.

While many fans look at ways to upgrade the offense or add established relievers to the pen, the need for greater stability in the rotation is just as pressing. Much of that has to do with Gore not fulfilling the promise Texas thought it was getting when it acquired him in the offseason blockbuster.

As the August 3 MLB trade deadline slowly gets closer and closer, it's time to look for a reliable third starter who you can feel confident in going into a best three-out-of-five or four-out-of-seven game series. Will ownership and management correct their mistake? If they do, there are several affordable rentals available.

MacKenzie Gore's inconsistency is obvious, and the Rangers should be shopping for a new No. 3 starter

If - and that's big "if" - the Rangers stay relatively healthy and continue to compete for a playoff spot, then Chris Young and ownership will have no choice but to be buyers at the deadline. Otherwise, why would you throw everything but the kitchen sink into getting Gore here in the first place?

But the question come deadline time, will Young and Ray Davis be able to claim mea culpa and admit that they made a massive mistake in giving up so much for a guy who is sporting a 4.23 ERA and 1.29 WHIP? And it's not like this is an anomaly for the hard-throwing southpaw. For his career, he is 30-46 with a 4.20 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. He has an alarming 253 walks allowed in 598.1 innings pitched.

They bought Gore based on pure potential, based on one half of a season when he made it to the All-Star Game in 2025 with a 3.02 ERA, but then had the wheels come off in the second half and finished with a mark of 4.17.

Gore is 27 now, and this is his 4th full major league season. He still has the same control issues he had as a rookie in 2022. In his last five starts for the Rangers, he has allowed 12 earned runs in 26 innings pitched (4.15 ERA) and walked 12 more. It's not overwhelmingly awful, but for what you gave up and what you are expecting, it's not looking good.

It's never too soon to be looking at guys who can come in and be that third guy behind Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi. So, let's take a look at who might be a realistic option for the frugal Ranger franchise. The key will be Young and Davis's pride, and whether they would be willing to correct the mistake mid-season.

Joe Ryan, we are looking at you and your situation very closely. The Twins right-hander is a high-octane pitcher with a 3.02 ERA and 1.00 WHIP while fanning 84 batters over 76.1 innings pitched. He has a live arm and a four-seamer that can hit 97 mph. He is under club control through 2027, but the Twins aren't going anywhere this year, and could make him available.

Freddy Peralta is a workhorse coming off a 17-6 season with a 2.70 ERA and 204 Ks in 176.2 innings. So far in 2026, he has notched a 3.63 ERA while getting accustomed to playing for the lowly Mets. He hasn't been as sharp as usual, but he has an excellent track record as a high-volume guy who doesn't give up free passes. He is currently playing on an $8 million base salary for the 2026 season, which is the final year of a club option. He will become an unrestricted free agent in 2027. That is very affordable.

The one hitch is that Mets' president of baseball operations, David Stearns, has said he's not interested in trading Peralta at this time. To us, that seems like a negotiating ploy as the wheels fall off in Queens.

The Rangers just knocked around the Royals' Michael Wacha and will see him again on this upcoming road trip. He has struggled of late, but still has a 3.44 ERA and has a proven track record with a 115-69 record over 14 major league seasons. Wacha is in the middle of a 3-year $51 million deal, but the Royals have regressed badly this season, and could be looking to get younger.

These are just three of the arms that will likely be available come August, and Chris Young and Rangers fans should be keeping an eye on them as they could be that third guy that you need should the Rangers continue to compete into the second half of 2026.

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