MacKenzie Gore may have arrived in Arlington as part of a massive trade haul, but he’s also already doing work off the mound for the Rangers.
According to Trevor Williams, Gore was a major reason the right-hander ended up signing with Texas after being designated for assignment by Washington on August 30. Williams, who was Gore’s teammate with the Nationals, said the lefty kept selling him on the organization and the state of Texas until the deal got done.
“All year, MacKenzie has been blowing up my phone about how great Texas is and this organization.”
That kind of endorsement carries some weight, especially with the Rangers’ reputation getting picked apart for much of the last couple of years. Since the 2023 World Championship run, plenty has been said about a clubhouse that supposedly lost its edge, about a roster that lacked a clear identity, and about a front office that wasn’t aggressive enough in adding impact talent. Kevin Pillar, after being DFA’d last season, even said he was surprised by how fractured things looked after that title run.
None of that seemed to matter to Gore. Williams made it clear the Rangers left a strong impression on him, and that pitch helped Texas land a useful arm this late in the season.
Williams’ first outing wasn’t clean, but there’s context there. He had only thrown 17 innings for Washington after returning from internal brace surgery, and even in that short stretch he posted a 2.65 ERA. He’ll wear No. 51 for Texas and said he stayed ready by playing catch between gigs at a San Diego high school.
The Rangers are getting a veteran who can cover more than one role. Williams has worked as both a starter and a reliever, and that flexibility matters with injuries affecting Cole Winn and Peyton Gray. He’s built around off-speed stuff, with everything sitting at 90 mph or below, and when he’s locating, he’s tough to square up.
There’s also reason to think there’s more in the tank. In 2024, Williams put together a 2.03 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP over 66.2 innings, along with a 2.5 bWAR. Texas doesn’t have that kind of long-relief option now that Cal Quantrill has earned a spot in the rotation, so Williams could fill a useful need if he settles in.
With 22 games left, the Rangers are still chasing the Astros in the AL West and trying to position themselves for the final wild-card spot. Gore’s recruiting job may not show up in the box score, but it could end up mattering just as much.
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