Rangers bold rotation move sets MacKenzie Gore up for shot at redemption ahead of All-Star Break

There's simply no getting around that MacKenzie Gore has been a massive disappointment in his first four months as a member of the Texas Rangers. He is coming off his worst start as a Ranger, giving up 7 earned runs in 5 innings in the 13-1 drubbing at the hands of the cellar-dwelling LA Angels. However, with Jacob deGrom being scratched with glute soreness, Gore is being given a shot on short rest to redeem himself with the final start of the first half against the Astros.

Nobody is feeling the heat more than Gore, who came to the Rangers at a steep price that included five top minor league prospects. Most of whom are developing nicely in the Washington Nationals system. He really needs to have a solid start on Sunday to remind Chris Young and the Rangers fanbase why they gutted their farm system to bring this lefty to Arlington.

MacKenzie Gore must shake off inconsistency to become the impact starter the Rangers need in the second half

The best thing Gore can do with this opportunity heading into the All-Star break is leave a good impression by going out and pitching up to his potential. So far this season, he has posted an awful 5-8 record, 4.72 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and a woeful 0.3 bWAR. He has shown flashes of the quality stuff that made him so pricey to land, as he has fanned 11 hitters over 101 innings pitched, but has been far too wild and inconsistent, delivering a team-high 40 free passes.

The hard-throwing southpaw should be viewing this unexpected start as a golden opportunity to shift his first-half narrative. Right now, he is being viewed as a trade bust by the fans, and we're sure that Ray Davis and company aren't terribly pleased with what they have seen so far either.

He will be facing a stout Astro lineup that includes the first-half AL MVP Yordan Alvarez, who continues to mash Ranger pitching at Globe Life Field. It will also be stacked with potent right-handed bats like Jeremy Pena, Christian Walker, and Jose Altuve. Of his 11 home runs given up, 10 have come against righties. With Jack Leiter on the IL and Kumar Rocker struggling, Gore has to be that third arm behind deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi.

If Gore can go out to the bump and deliver seven innings of quality pitching, it will go a long way toward reshaping the way he is being viewed. It would also send the Rangers to the break on a positive note with a solid grasp on the top spot in the AL West.

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