DENVER -- For the second time in the last week, the Rangers had to put together an impromptu bullpen game.
Rangers starter MacKenzie Gore was removed in the second inning of the Rangers’ series-opening 7-6 loss to the Rockies on Monday due to left lat tightness. It is a precautionary move, though he will continue to be evaluated in the coming days.
“I felt kind of like a cramp in that behind-the-shoulder-blade, mid-back area,” Gore said. “I thought it was something I could probably pitch through. … It was uncomfortable, but it wasn't a pain, like I hurt myself or anything like that. It’s frustrating for that to happen right from the get-go in the first inning. But we probably made the right move.”
Gore allowed two runs on three hits and two walks in the first inning. He threw just 28 pitches, though his four-seam velocity was down 1.1 mph and his sinker velocity was down 1.4 mph from their respective season averages.
Gore said it wasn’t a feeling he had quite felt before, though he added that “sometimes your body does strange things.”
“It's more behind the shoulder blade and down mid-back, so not shoulder, not really the lat, but it's kind of in that area,” explained manager Skip Schumaker. “He said he was feeling OK, but with the weather and the conditions and everything, you hear that and just don't want to push it.”
Schumaker said that Gore will most likely get imaging Tuesday morning, just to make sure that everything is OK, but they’re optimistic he’ll be fine.
The bullpen put up an admirable effort in the final seven innings in Gore’s absence, but the defense didn’t do them any favors. Peyton Gray, Jalen Beeks, Gavin Collyer, Cole Winn and Jakob Junis combined to allow five runs, but only three were earned thanks to a pair of fielding errors by Josh Jung and Ezequiel Duran.
“Our whole bullpen obviously did really good for what they were given,” Schumaker said. “Obviously the notice wasn't ideal. They did really, really good. We just didn't play clean behind them.”
Gore was coming off his best start of the season, when he dealt eight innings of one-run ball in a May 12 win over the Diamondbacks at Globe Life Field.
The Rangers acquired Gore from the Nationals this offseason in return for a package of five prospects, though he’s struggled to a 4.78 ERA.
“He feels good now, which is a good sign,” Schumaker said “We'll see what it looks like tomorrow. … Again it's not in the actual shoulder. People hear lat or shoulder and they freak out. It's kind of a weird spot, but that's all I can really give you; doctors and everything will figure that out later.”