The third of those three?<\/p>\n
The Texas Rangers swung a deal to land him this winter<\/a> in what manager Skip Schumaker described as \u201ca big pickup for us.\u201d MacKenzie Gore \u2014 the only one in that trio who earned an All-Star nod last season \u2014 made it tricky to argue otherwise in his debut.<\/p>\n Rangers<\/p>\n By signing up, you agree to our\u00a0Terms of Service<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Privacy Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n Gore pitched 5 1\/3 innings of two-run ball, no-hit the Phillies through five of them and struck out seven batters in an 8-3 win anchored by fresh faces<\/a>. He pitched into the sixth inning on a day in which his team needed length and showcased the sky-high potential that the Rangers saw as enough reason to ship five prospects to the Washington Nationals for him. <\/p>\n Related<\/p>\n \u201cWe faced two good lefties over there,\u201d Schumaker said Sunday afternoon. \u201cHe\u2019s just as good as some of the names in the league.\u201d<\/p>\n The Rangers \u201cneeded him to get into at least the sixth inning,\u201d Schumaker said, with a thin bullpen created by right-hander Jacob deGrom\u2019s stiff neck<\/a> and an extra-innings win the day before. Gore strolled into the sixth with a no-hit bid until Phillies center fielder Justin Crawford reached on what amounted to a swinging bunt chopped between third base and the mound. He exited four batters later after a walk, single and hit by pitch scored a run and forced right-hander Cole Winn into the game. <\/p>\n Texas Rangers pitcher MacKenzie Gore throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo\/Laurence Kesterson)<\/p>\n Laurence Kesterson \/ AP<\/p>\n \u201cI understood where we were at, but it\u2019s just a one pitch at a time thing, you know?\u201d Gore said. \u201cI kind of gave it every pitch I had today.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s not hyperbole. The 27-year-old used five pitches \u2014 fastball, curveball, slider, cutter and changeup \u2014 to elicit strikeouts. He was efficient early and retired the first six Phillies he faced in order on just 24 total pitches. Gore walked catcher J.T. Realmuto to lead off the third but responded with consecutive strikeouts (one with his cutter and another with his fastball) before a flyout from shortstop Trea Turner ended the frame. In the fourth, he struck out designated hitter Kyle Schwarber with his slider, and in the fifth, he spun a changeup away to strike out second baseman Edmundo Sosa. <\/p>\n Rangers right fielder Brandon Nimmo, who hit a two-run home run in Sunday\u2019s game, faced Gore for three seasons while with the New York Mets. He offered a gleeful \u201coh man\u201d when asked for his review of the new perspective behind Gore on defense. <\/p>\n \u201cHis talent level, and with the stuff that he\u2019s got, the sky is the limit,\u201d right fielder Brandon Nimmo said. \u201cTo be able to come out, five innings of no-hit ball with your new team, I don\u2019t think you could draw up a better start.\u201d<\/p>\n Gore fell behind nearly half of the batters he faced with just 12 first-pitch strikes but rallied for strikeouts four different times when behind and field outs in three others. <\/p>\n \u201cThat just tells you what kind of stuff he has to get out of innings, get out of jams, against a really good lineup,\u201d Schumaker said. \u201cI\u2019m excited that he\u2019s a Ranger.\u201d<\/p>\n Twitter\/X: @McFarland_Shawn<\/a><\/p>\n Brandon Nimmo, Andrew McCutchen and MacKenzie Gore led an impressive opening-series win in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n All weekend, it seemed Garc\u00eda, a key part of Texas\u2019 2023 World Series team, kept coming up in key moments against his former team.<\/p>\n Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Texas](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774853836_694_6UUBG6MT7NG6JNL4FE5H7P7NSU.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Texas](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774853836_155_6UUBG6MT7NG6JNL4FE5H7P7NSU.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Texas](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/R4DLJHKIE5AIRHZ235MO22SCFE.jpg\")
<\/a>After tightly budgeted offseason, Rangers\u2019 newest contributors bully big-moneyed Phillies<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Philadelphia](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774853837_907_YCSI6RX6CNHILDJKOZS7RJ6WJQ.jpg\")
<\/a>Rangers get the best of Adolis Garc\u00eda in reunion during opening series vs. Phillies<\/a><\/p>\n