ARLINGTON, Texas — MacKenzie Gore pitched through muscle spasms in his back and the area under his shoulder Wednesday night, Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. The Texas Rangers went on to beat the Boston Red Sox 7-3 at Globe Life Field.
Gore did not record an out in the fifth inning. He was charged with 3 runs on 2 hits over 4-plus innings. He walked 3, did not strike out a batter, and threw 36 of his 69 pitches for strikes.
Schumaker did not give an update on Gore’s status beyond Wednesday. The spasms were affecting Gore’s control, Schumaker said.
“He had muscle spasms that were going on kind of in the back and his shoulder area,” Schumaker said. “Not the actual shoulder, but underneath the shoulder. And a little bit similar to what he had in Colorado a few months ago when we pulled him. It calmed down after the second inning, and he didn’t feel anything in the third inning. Kind of came back a little bit in the fourth.”
“And then his overall line, I know what he gave, four runs or four innings and two runs, but he only gave up a couple of hits,” Schumaker continued. “The walks were, it was affecting his control a little bit, what he was talking about. And so once I heard that, then that’s kind of when we were getting Junis going and made the move.”
MacKenzie Gore Grabbed At His Back In The Second Inning
In the first inning, Willson Contreras hit a two-run homer off Gore. It was his team-high 27th.
Gore grabbed at his back after a 2-1 pitch to Caleb Durbin in the second, MLB.com reported. Schumaker, pitching coach Jordan Tiegs, and head trainer Matt Lucero went to the mound. Gore stayed in the game, and his velocity remained down.
Jakob Junis took over in the fifth with Durbin on third base. Junis dropped the ball while on the rubber, and the balk sent Durbin home for a 3-2 Boston lead.
Texas tied it in the bottom of the inning, and Gore did not factor in the decision. He is 8-11 on the season. His 32 starts are tied for the most in the majors.
In his previous start, Sept. 11 at Chase Field, Gore allowed 4 runs on 5 hits in 4-plus innings of a 9-1 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. All 4 runs came in the fourth inning, when Arizona hit four doubles.
MacKenzie Gore Left A May Start In Colorado
On May 18 at Coors Field, Gore came out after one inning against the Colorado Rockies because of left lat tightness. He allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks in that inning, and Colorado won 7-6.
After that game, Gore described the feeling to MLB.com as something like a cramp in his mid-back, behind the shoulder blade. The Rangers called the move precautionary at the time.
Texas acquired Gore from the Washington Nationals in an offseason trade.
At 76-76, the Rangers are tied with the Houston Astros for first place in the American League West. Houston holds the tiebreaker.
Schumaker said after the game that Cody Bradford would start Thursday’s series finale, Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports reported. The club later announced left-hander Tyler Alexander as its scheduled starter against Boston right-hander Sonny Gray. First pitch is 7:05 p.m. CT on Rangers Sports Network.
