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Texas Rangers add ace MacKenzie Gore to bolster pitching staff
Talented lefty joins Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi to form one of baseball's best rotations, but the team still needs offensive production to become a true contender.
Jan. 29, 2026 at 6:47pm
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The Texas Rangers have acquired 27-year-old left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore from the Washington Nationals, adding him to a starting rotation that already includes aces Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi. While the Rangers' pitching staff is now considered one of the best in the American League, team executives caution that the team will need significant contributions from its young offensive players to truly become a contender in 2026.
Why it matters
The Rangers are betting big on their pitching staff to carry them to the playoffs, but they know that won't be enough on its own. The team will need breakout seasons from its young hitters to complement the dominant rotation and become a complete, well-rounded squad capable of making a deep postseason run.
The details
The Rangers gave up a significant package of prospects to acquire Gore from the Nationals, where he had struggled with run support despite strong individual numbers. In Texas, Gore is expected to benefit from pitching behind deGrom and Eovaldi, as well as playing in the more pitcher-friendly Globe Life Field. The Rangers are hopeful that Gore can take another step forward and solidify the team's rotation as one of the best in baseball.
- The trade for MacKenzie Gore was completed on January 29, 2026.
The players
MacKenzie Gore
A 27-year-old left-handed pitcher who was recently acquired by the Texas Rangers in a trade with the Washington Nationals.
Jacob deGrom
A veteran right-handed pitcher and ace of the Texas Rangers' starting rotation.
Nathan Eovaldi
A veteran right-handed pitcher and another ace of the Texas Rangers' starting rotation.
Chris Young
The general manager of the Texas Rangers, who emphasized the need for the team to be well-rounded and avoid any "fatal flaws" in order to contend for a World Series.
Jack Leiter
A young right-handed pitcher who became the Rangers' No. 3 starter for most of the 2025 season.
What they’re saying
“We can't have any fatal flaws. We can't have a team that is good in three areas and terrible in another. We have to be a complete team, and so it's not necessarily striving to be the best in every one of those categories. It's about collectively, being a solid team all around that day in, day out, can beat you in a number of different ways.”
— Chris Young, General Manager, Texas Rangers
“You could say all those things could help. But at the end of the day, I've got to go out there and execute and do my job. You control what you can control. And if I do my job, good things will happen.”
— MacKenzie Gore
What’s next
The Rangers will need to ensure that their young offensive players, particularly those from the Gen Z generation, make significant progress in order to complement the team's dominant pitching staff and become a true World Series contender.
The takeaway
The Texas Rangers have assembled one of the most talented pitching rotations in baseball, but they know that their success will ultimately depend on the development of their young hitters. If the Rangers can get production from their entire roster, they have the potential to be a force to be reckoned with in 2026 and beyond.
