LHP MacKenzie Gore, who has left elbow inflammation, is slated to begin playing catch on Friday with the Nationals at Nats Park, according to Washington Nationals Manager Davey Martinez.

Gore has been on the 15-day injured list since July 26 due to inflammation in his throwing elbow, and as a result he “won’t throw…for a couple of weeks,” manager Bob Melvin told Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune and other reporters.  “Structurally, everything looked pretty good in there compared to the past.  Low-grade strain, and I think we caught a break as far as that goes.”

LHP MacKenzie Gore was traded to the Washington Nationals for Juan Soto and Josh Bell from the San Diego Padres.

Though Gore has been considered one of baseball’s best pitching prospects ever since the Padres drafted him third overall in 2017, questions began to surface when Gore ran into some major mechanics issues in 2020, necessitating a big overhaul and a trip back down the minor league ladder in 2021.

He got back on track enough to make his MLB debut this season, with Gore posting a 4.50 ERA and 23.3% strikeout rate over 70 innings, starting 13 of 16 games.