Chicago Cubs “VERY INTERESTED” in MacKenzie Gore

Chicago Cubs “VERY INTERESTED” in MacKenzie Gore

The Cubs are very interested in McKenzie Gore. We tell you all about it. Cubs White Socks recap, Cubs Brewers preview, and more. Wow. You are Locked on Cubs, your daily Chicago Cubs podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day. You are Locked On Cubs, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network. Your team every day alongside Sam Olber. I’m Matt Cozy. Sam and I are lifelong fans taking our passion into discussion with you on all things Cubs. Hopefully Sam did the thumbs up there. Today’s episode is presented by Monarch Money. Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code locked on MLB at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year. Pack show. Cubs Brewers preview. Injury updates on a few players. recapping the Cubs series win over the White Socks. And we start with the latest trade chatter. We’re only a few days away from the trade deadline, which is 5:00 p. p.m. Central Thursday. And the rumblings regarding the Cubs are pretty loud. The latest is possibly adding a top top of the rotation arm who is under control through 2027 as the athletic has connected the Cubs to Nationals left-hander McKenzie Gore. Remember the Cubs have also been connected to other controllable arms Edward Cabrera, Mitch Keller, Sandy Alcantra among others. But the latest from Sahadv Sharma and Patrick Mooney on Gore is the Cubs are very interested and I will read you from some of their article uh in a little bit. But Sam, this is going to be a crazy week with Cubs Brewers and the trade deadline. Yeah, some would say the the most action-packed week we’ve had as as our tenure uh uh on this program. Uh you’re facing you’re facing That sounds right. the first place team in their house, which is really like our house. Uh, and then you got the trade deadline going on this week, and you’re wearing a shirt of a guy who hasn’t hit a home run since 1999. Uh, but um, yeah, I um, it’s exciting. It’s fun. I’m glad they salvage the series, which we’ll talk about. But but let let’s talk about McKenzie Gore. uh a blockbuster deal is what it would take to get Gore from the Nationals. Uh Money and Chararma report it’s unclear whether Washington’s interim setup there would be able to make such a decision like that, but they also point out he’s under the same uh he’s under the same contractual point as Juan Sodto was when the Nationals traded him uh to the Padres’s a few summers ago. McKenzie Gore ranks sixth in baseball and strikeout rate, 3.52 RA, would likely even improve with an elite Cubs defense behind him. I think he improves the rotation dramatically. According to fan graphs, the Cubs rotation would go from the 24th best to the ninth best if they acquire him. And this is what it’s about for me all week. all week. A player like this, yeah, you you could win the NL Central, but your your chances of winning the World Series increase. This is the only season you have Kyle Tucker. They have a good offense. They have great defense, great base running, resurgent bullpen. You have multiple players who are on expiring deals after this year and next year. There might not be a full season in 2027. If Gore is available, you make the move. Life is about the experience. Imagine the experience if they go all the way to the last series of the year. Would it be worth it? Yes. Yes, it would be. Let’s dive into Gore. Uh, so he do do you believe in diversity mixes with pitchers in terms of like, hey, you want to have a pitcher that has a really good uh a really good fast ball, you want to have a guy that gets ground balls, fly balls, or do you think guys that have the same repertoire, it could become redundant? Does that matter to you? No, they need to have diversity. Okay. Well, then McKenzie Gore is going to provide that because they need to have that for sure. Okay. because this is a guy he he is very different than what the p the the Cubs pitchers have right now just because he throws from the left side. He he will walk you but he will strike you out and what what he battles with really is just his his ability to kind of mitigate. I I I’m pretty famili familiar with Gore because I have him in fantasy. And you know, I mean, he had one of the better outings of anybody in baseball on opening day. Do you remember that? Um I don’t. He had like I think he had like 14ks in six innings. The problem with Gore is he’s prone to just that blowup start. And if you trade him uh a trade for him, you’re just you’re you’re making a wager and making sure he doesn’t have one of those um in October. Like for I I just have it pulled up right now. Let me let me read you his month of July. You ready? Yes. Five and a third, two earn. Okay, fine. Six innings, one earned, sevenks. Wonderful. Okay. Five innings, one earned, six walks, four Ks. Fine. Two and a third, eight earned. He He will have those. You go down to June, six innings, one earned. Beautiful. Five and two/3, six runs, five earned. Six innings, two earned. Six innings, two earned, seven shut out. Like, you know, it’s it’s that that’s the pattern. With all that being said, if you could bring in this southpaw to this rotation with his ability to miss bats, um I do think it’s significant. I really do. I I don’t think it’s quite the impact that a Joe Ryan would have. I Wow. See, I thought maybe they’d be in the same bucket. And I think Joe Ryan’s a level up just because Wow. Just because of the less traffic. You look at Joe Ryan’s whip versus McKenzie Gore’s whip. You know, Gorbis has more traffic. Um but yeah, I mean, he automatically slots in. He’s better. He He probably starts ahead of Imanaga. Wouldn’t Would getting Ryan or Gore make the Cubs the National League favorite? No. there. I don’t I don’t think there’s a move that may and when I when you say favorite, are you are you’re asking me literally on the odds, right? Yeah. Uh yes. To go to the World Series representing the national there’s nothing that they’re going to be able to do to overcome the public Dodgers unless they got the Dodgers, right? Maybe Suarez and Ryan, you know, maybe, but still the Dodgers are still very heavy favorites. Well, so Joe Ryan’s in his own category, you’re saying, followed by Gore, right? Yeah. In terms of talent. Yeah. Would And then it goes other controllable starters or is Cabrera in the same bucket as Gore? I think Cabrera is a notch down. Okay. And then it’s Keller Alcantra, right? I in terms of what they’re going to do this week, I think they’re going to try to go big with Ryan or Gore. After that is Cabrera Keller of Contra. Uh they’re I I think they’re going to get a controllable or rental reliever. Not sure if if there’ll be more than one reliever either way. Uh probably a bench infielder andor bench outfielder who’s capable of playing multiple spots as well. Not sure on Suarez yet. I am. And I think they get a rental starter like a Hower or Morton. And in those cases, maybe you can get your your bench guy, Lennin Sosa, Raone Aras, and a combo deal. I just think right now, Sam, the the Mariners, Brewers, Reds, and even Phillies with the bow injury all in better position to get Suarez and maybe in in more need. Let’s talk about that. All right, let’s do that right after this. joining us for every episode throughout the week. Before we get to Cubs white socks as the Cubs took two out of three on the south side. I believe a controllable starting pitcher is priority number one this week. And and with Matt Shaw’s resurgence, I just think a team like the Reds, Brewers, and Mariners especially, and maybe the Phillies, maybe the Tigers, maybe the Astros are going to overpay for Suarez. What says you? Oh, I don’t think anything that you just said is wrong, but I would counter and say that it’s priority number two. Um, and it and and by the way, what a job after seeing this bullpen this weekend. What a job by Matt Shaw, which we’ll talk about. Here’s why. Left field. If you go Ian H say Ian Hap is not getting benched. If What do you mean he’s not getting benched? They’re not going to bench him. If if Matt Shaw continues to glove it and play like this and you go get a Heno Suarez and you move Suzuki to left, he might what? Matt Matt I they they should bench but they will not. They will not do it. They shouldn’t do it now, but if they get Suarez, he’s batting 167 in July. He hit 208 in June. Shout out to Matt Cozy and Sam Olber, host of my favorite podcast, Locked on Cubs. This is a a a prominent offensive position that you’re not getting anything from. Matt Shaw is your best defender at third base. I if he continues to show flashes of offense like this, maybe Hap doesn’t get benched, but he’s in a little bit of a platoon. They’re not going to even platoon them. They’re too stubborn. They need another bat, Matt. They need another bat. They’re not scoring enough runs. Okay, I understand that they lead the way. They’re gonna get Raone Arias from the Orioles. Okay, fine. That’s fine. But but if if they can figure out a way to get Suarez in here, I’m ner a little nervous. Suzuki has not hit since the All-Star break. Um Tucker showed a little bit of signs. Um you know, Pete was good, but you know, man, I I think they need another guy offensively even with Shaw producing. Uh because you just you can’t have enough guys. You said you want to win the World Series. Yes, I do. You’re going to go up against guys uh uh with the Dodgers and the Phillies. You know, you you’re going to have to slug some games out and and and this a Heno Suarez loves to hit at Wrigley Field. It’s hard to see a path to getting like like Edward Cabrera and Suarez, but but if there is a even a glimmer of one this week, they should absolutely do it. I I really don’t care what the cost is. What if they Well, I have to list the reasons again. Well, well, let’s let’s what what Gore is going to be Casey’s going to be in the G. Gores would be so exciting. I I’ve said that Casey’s going to be in the Gore deal. Oh, he 100%. Well, he’d be in the Cabrera deal, too. So, yeah. And I’m not sure. He would maybe even go to the Pirates if they got Keller and Bedar. Yeah, I don’t want that. Um Oh, wow. Gore Gore. Now, I guess if you’re going to get both, you could get Suarez without, you know, you don’t have to break the bank for him. I hope you’re right. Um I just him in that lineup and doing the rotation where you do hide saying left. I I like that. I just I don’t see them doing it. Yeah, you don’t see him doing it. All right, that’s fair. I just wanted to and if Hap gets his feelings hurt when they walk down the hall this week and say, “Hey, would you accept the deal to Arizona? Would you accept a deal to to Pittsburgh or Miami? I I don’t care about his feelings. I’m trying to win a World Series.” Well, his What does his feelings matter? is just going to say no. Oh, you know, people don’t realize and I’m not trying to get on Ian with but with the money that he’s making and the Cubs positional situation, he clogs up the outfield. He makes a lot of money and he’s not producing. What’s your temperature check on them getting Suarez? Higher than yours. What? Higher than yours. Wow. Well, I hope you’re right. Well, I’m not saying it’s going to happen. I’m just I’m I I would put the percentage, you know, about 30%. Okay. And it sounds like you’re at about five. It’s going to be a crazy I’m about seven there. It’s going to be a crazy week. Um, don’t you think they still need another reliever? Yes, maybe two. I don’t want to watch Ryan Beler in a big spot. I know he’s done a nice job. Well, I’ll tell you this. I’ll tell you this. If they if they want to get a pitcher, I watched the Hall of Fame. uh uh stuff this morning. If they need to get if they need to get a pitcher to come in, you know, that might be cheap. At 89 years old, Sandy Kofax looks absolutely fantastic. Well, I’m serious. He looked He looked like he could throw two innings, no problem. And you made a lot of Kofax references on the show. Well, because he’s my one of my favorites. I mean, that guy keeps himself in pristine condition. And Billy Wagner, how was he looking? It was a good It was a good It was all good. But Cubs took two out of three from the White Socks over the weekend. Northsiders won the series despite a uh just a blowout loss Friday. Uh Cubs are now 62 and 43 on the season. They’re 23 and 20 since June 6th. Matt Shaw since the All-Star break, 12 for 27 with four homers. One of those homers jumpst started the series on Saturday night. And Sam, it was nice to see them bounce back despite a rocky road Friday. Yeah, Friday was a low point. No question about it. It was tough to watch. Um it almost felt like I was tipping pitches at times. I mean I mean everything everything was being hit hard. And then I thought Saturday was about the young guys. Uh Kade Horton stepping up, Matt Shaw stepping up uh to lead the Cubs past a win uh past the socks for a win. And then Sunday was kind of a it was an odd game. Give give Ben Brown credit, you know, he he bounced back um and threw the ball pretty well and you know felt like the game was in hand for a while. Man, Nico had a spectacular game. If you love if you love the game of baseball, you love the game that Nicoer had. Well, he’s having a great season. 14 pitch AB single. the presence of mind to let the ball drop on an infield fly rule. It kept Sosa going to third base out and then man on second, two out, right center field, base hit. I mean, those those are the things that this guy does that don’t show up in the analytics. They don’t show up in in the OPS. They don’t show up in barrel rate. They don’t show up in wobb. Uh it’s just good. It shows up in one thing, victories. Oh, this is great. So, and they need to seriously consider moving him to lead off spot fulltime. Michael Bush. Michael Bush ain’t it. Yeah. Did he struggle this weekend? Since moving to the leadoff spot, he’s Oh, man. I almost shudder to release this info. Five for 36. And it feels like all five of those were leading off the game. His at bats were putrid on Sunday especially. Yeah, just putrid. Well, maybe Tucker will hit a homer this week. Well, against the Brewers, that would be Jack. I mean, it’s Is that too much to ask? Kate Horton was phenomenal Saturday night. Really good. Um, I feel good about him in a playoff series. I think he is kind of inserted himself as a guy. Um, absolutely. You know, and a guy you trust. I mean, ZRA’s in the high threes. He see he seems not to at all be affected by the moment at all. No, he’s got a great presence. Yeah, great presence out there. He was good. He’s got such an interesting pitch mix with that uh the way his fast ball naturally kind of cuts. Um he was good. He was good. Pete had a couple moments there on on Sunday and um yeah, you know, what’s Seya’s numbers like in the second half? I could pull that up. Well, we talked about that on Friday. Yeah. Well, and it didn’t get better. Not good. Uh, by the way, Sam, Nicoer is the fourth best OBP on the team. Wow, great nugget, Matthew. He needs if you need another reason for him to lead off. How about the continued success for Caleb Thebar and Daniel Palencio got the final four outs on Sunday. Talked about Palencia on the short. Fieldbar only four runs allowed his last 27.2 innings. Palencia only two runs his last 22. Felbar looks the part, too. like it doesn’t look Pome Pomearance. It looked a little fluky when it was happening. Thebar just comes in. It’s just it’s just business business. I It’s him and Palencia are the clear leverage guys right now. Uh maybe Keller’s third then some combo of Presley Pomerance. Well, Keller’s in there for sure. Yeah, Brazier would be next. Uh you know, he had a weird appearance on Sunday even though he had been great before that. Suzuki has uh two hits since the opener against the Red Sox in the second half. So he has how many hits total? Four, five? Four. Okay. He went into the second He went into the second half with an 867 OPS. It’s now down to 837. Yeah. And part of the reason it gets Suarez, too. Exactly. You know, I and I I I I just I just have to think that Cubs Brewers is going to be the lead of every show this week. Yeah. But another reason to get Suarez would be because of these other dudes in the lineup. But also besides, you know, the Mariners, Astros, and Tigers, if they’re really in it, does Jed make that move just to keep him away from the other NL teams? I think there’s an argument for it. There’s an argument for You don’t want to see him on the Reds or the the Brewers. And there’s an argument. Can you imagine if he walks in to Amfam Field on Monday and puts a Brewers uniform on? No. It’d be it’d be really hard to to to stomach that. And it gives you insurance on a guy like what if Seiya is getting a little bit tired? What if Bush is getting a little bit tired? What if they are going to be in a funk here for a month? Well, now you have insurance on that. Yeah. And you think Tucker’s looking better? I thought he showed some signs this weekend. I thought Sunday. Yeah. Yeah. I thought he showed some signs. Okay. All right. Coming up next. Or actually, let me do this first. So, Javier Assad rehab start Wednesday at Triple A. Miguela is going to join Triple A Tuesday. Jameson Tyion is going to join Triple A as soon as this weekend as well. So, uh, Cubs are going to get reinforcements and if they make a, you know, even shoot, even if they make one trade and all those guys I just mentioned come back, uh, I’m going to have to get my my my my, uh, depth chart out because there’s going to be a lot of roster moves. Oh, it’ll feel like it’s New Year’s Day. Yes, I kind of missed that. Cubs Brewers. Oh, no. I’m really soaking up the summer here in the actual business. I I love the January 16th. Matt tells me who’s on the roster. Cubs Brewers next. I’ll take that as a compliment. Today’s episode is brought to you by Game Day Hugh and so is this are tied for first place in the NL Central. They meet Milwaukee three times. 6:40 Monday, 6:40 Tuesday, 110 getaway day on Wednesday. Boyd and Miserowski, Ray Prister, Iaga Peralta. And the Brewers did lose two out of three to the Marlins. Big showdown this week goes without saying. This is the first three of eight remaining against them. And there’s only 57 games left of the whole year. Uh first read on this series for you, Sam. This is what it’s all about. Yep. This is this is why you do this. This is why we go get cameras and open up the laptops and and get the mics going. This is why these guys, you know, this is it. Cubs, Brewers, you know, lot of lot of talk between the fan bases these last couple weeks. Well, there there’s nothing to talk about now. It’s all going to be settled when the ump rolls out the ball for the top of the first. And here’s the best part about it. Game one, young phenom, Mizarowski, the talk of the league verse the best pitcher on the Cubs right now. And and and somebody that I think most of the league doesn’t realize has a legitimate top three, top four Sai Young case. I haven’t looked at the line yet. I bet you it’s dead even. I don’t think Vegas has any idea what to do with this this game, let alone this series. Um you’re facing their three best pitchers right now. No shock. And um what they’re tied right now, right? So yes, you know, you you win two you here’s the way to look at it. If you go in and win two out of three, you’re essentially two games up because you’ll have the tiebreaker well in hand at that point. You know, unless you lost four out of five at home, uh which I don’t think you’re going to do. So you win two out of three, you’re feeling really good. Um, I think if you win two out of three, the league and everyone kind of goes back to, yes, the Cubs are going to find a way to win this division. It was really comforting to see them get beat. They almost got swept, by the way. Correct. You know, so so maybe they’re coming down to earth a little bit here and um I’m excited. I’m excited. The key is going to be especially Monday night. Can you generate enough offense? you know. Yeah. You can this guy maybe get over amped and walk a couple dudes, you know, something like that. Yeah. I think the Cubs have to play the tape from his start, Misowski’s July 2nd outing against the Metropolitans in which he got roughed up a bit, walked a few guys. You know, what happened that time out that hasn’t at all happened the other times for him where he’s been pretty much dominant. Uh is he on an 80 85 pitch ceiling and how far in the game does that get him? Maybe it only gets him to the fourth or the fifth inning because the Cubs grind through it like they have a few other guys uh this year really more than that and they put on a show at times with with that sort of thing. Um I working backwards like I have all the respect for the team. I have respect for Peralta as an individual pitcher all these years. He’s going against a guy that got shelled on on this past Friday. Uh, don’t like that matchup on Wednesday. Okay. Tuesday, the Cubs shelled Quinn Pier the first time out, but that was very soon after he was acquired by them. And now since he’s been under their roof getting development and and major league development, he’s been outstanding and he’s facing Colin Ray. I’m not a huge fan of that matchup. Mhm. So, it comes all the way back and shout out to Carrie Grove, it comes all the way back to for me to to Matthew Boyd and and it could be a two to one win tomorrow. If it is, great. Uh and and I think to start off this series with a win and then and then seeing what happens in a way would would that that would be okay, especially on the road. know when you have a fivegame series with them next month and maybe Tuesday is more of a slugfest. That would be interesting. I don’t care the score of these games at all. Yeah, they win. They could win something invented 0.5 to zero and I’ll be thrilled. Okay. Um yeah, how they get to a win. Yeah, it’s it’s it’s irrelevant in your mind. Yeah, these are playoff type games. Even if I get shelled again, they win 109 Wednesday. That’s okay. Yes. Okay. Yes. If you beat the Brewers, you get that means this offense found a way to get 10 off Peralta or whoever. Yeah, probably. Right. Yes. And I I’m going to say it right now. Well, it is a it Well, it is a talk show. I think we’re gonna gonna take two out of three. Two out of three. The Cubs are going to win two or three. All right. Listen, I I don’t know if I could stick around. I I think they’re going to win this series. I think Matty Boyd Oh my gosh. is gonna set the tone. I think they’re going to find a way to win this series. The The only thing when I say it out loud is I just really hope Suzuki, Bush, or Tucker, one of them’s got to get out of it. Yeah. Especially Bush in my opinion. Yeah. Um to start games. Yeah. Right. He’s been awful. No, you made that clear. Um, yeah, I think I I’m positive attitude going in. Take two of three from these guys. Flex the tiebreaker and um, you know, I don’t even I I I don’t even know who they have this weekend. Suarez, Cabrera, and a reliever. Call good. Yeah, Suarez, you know, hits a homer off the Orioles or something. Okay. Well, if they get Suarez, I might have to go this weekend. Who hits the next Cubs homer, Tucker, Bush, or Suarez? Wow. Or Suzuki. This is locked on Cubs. Better be Tucker Podcast Network. Your team. Yeah, I think he hits one in the first inning on Monday. Oh, would that be a statement? Schwarber is about 60 for your second. Check out the all new lockdown game night. Is he close to 40 now? I think he’s got 36. Every game, every night, all season long. Get local analysis on a national scale. Find MLB Game Night on the Lock on MLB channel on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcast. All right, keep it locked on right here. All the latest trade chatter, trade news, and Cubs brewers this week. He’s Sam Olber. I’m Matt Cozy. This is Locked On Cub. Go Cubs.

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