Padres: Delay of Season Could Mean More MacKenzie Gore

We look at how the delay of the MLB season could mean that we get more out of MacKenzie Gore with the San Diego Padres in 2020.

Perhaps this is wishful thinking, but if the delay of this season goes into June, we could see more of MacKenzie Gore with the San Diego Padres.

Many thought Gore would get called up midway through the 2020 season, but if the season starts at the mid-way point would the Padres consider putting him on the “Opening Day” rotation?

Probably not as he still needs more work just to get ready for the season. He had only throw 1.2 innings in spring training before the shutdown.

But I also don’t think the Padres would continue to hold him down long once he is up to speed.

I’m not sure how the service time clock would work in the shortened season, but either way, there’s no real reason to keep him down at that point.

If the season is shortened, and the Padres want to make the playoffs, they have to be playing with a full deck from the beginning.

Gore gives the Padres another top of the rotation arm and someone who can make a huge difference.

Plus, you wouldn’t have to worry about him wasting all of his bullets with a shortened season. He’s not likely to throw more than 140 innings this year any way — depending on how MLB handles the schedule after the break.

Of course, this could also go the other way.

With the delay, and the fact San Diego delayed Gore in spring training to begin with, he’s even further behind than most.

It could need a month in the minors just to get his arm strength up. And at that point if it looks like the Padres aren’t going to be in the mix, and if Gore doesn’t look fantastic in what will basically be spring training work for him, then perhaps San Diego just leaves him down and waits until 2021.

There is certainly a lot of unknown at the moment, and what the Padres will do with Gore can be added that list.

But I think this could end up being a big benefit for San Diego and Padres fans if Gore can work his way into shape quickly and be ready when the season does finally start up (it will at some point, it has to … please).