Column: Padres starter MacKenzie Gore says uncertain situation ‘much bigger than me’

When MacKenzie Gore needed an ear to talk about the uncertain and unprecedented situation he’s found himself in with the Padres, veteran rotation leader Joe Musgrove offered two.

The two discussed the weight of expectations for someone who, for years, had been the organization’s version of can’t-miss prospect gold. They chewed on the roadblocks along the way that delayed, delayed and delayed his big-league debut.

Musgrove listened as Gore sorted through delivering on all that promise to start 2022, only to be caught in a dogpile of starting pitching riches the organization has only dreamed about.

“It is a little frustrating for MacKenzie, being that swing man who might have to go to the pen or might have to go down,” Musgrove said Sunday, before the Cubs beat the Padres 7-5 at Petco Park. “It’s definitely not something that’s performance based. I don’t feel like he deserves it, but sometimes that’s just how it goes.

“The most important thing is how you approach it mentally. You can’t let it discourage you.”

At the moment the 23-year-old Gore is doing exactly what he’s supposed to do, a staff about to find itself seven deep with the recent return of Mike Clevinger and pending arrival of Blake Snell is doing the same.

If real estate revolves around location, location, location, starting pitching for the Padres has become timing, timing, timing.

“I have to understand that this is much bigger than me,” Gore said. “I’m a piece of this puzzle. It’s not about me. I’ve just got to stay ready.”

Gore said he has not heard about his status or role changing for the upcoming road trip, though it clearly has to be on his mind.

If he’s sent down, it’s hinges on calculus involving rotation depth, a rare opportunity for in-season rest and protecting an arm they could need down the stretch and long into the future.

“We’re in a good place with a lot of depth,” said Ryan Christenson, acting manager while Bob Melvin works to return from prostate surgery. “We have a lot of tough decisions to make and a lot of options at the same time.”

Musgrove, who spent six and a half seasons in the minor leagues, shared some advice about the unpredictable path ahead.

“We talked about it for a little while (Saturday),” he said. “I just told him, if that’s what ends up happening, just try to use that time to your advantage and work on some things you want to work on, sharpen up some of your stuff and mentally stay ready to jump right back in, because you’re bad outing or one injury away from getting back.”

There’s a splash of potentially cruel fate that Gore has had to work this hard for this long to earn his shot, then watch it teeter because the Padres finally have a staff delivering quality starts with the dependability of the U.S. Postal Service.

Gore’s done it. He’s made it. And it might not be enough … for now.

“MacKenzie’s super mature for his age and amount of time in the big leagues,” Musgrove said of Gore, who was not as his locker during pregame media availability Sunday. “He handles himself really well. He prepares really well. I don’t see him as the type of guy who’s going to get bent out of shape about it.”

Internally, though, it must grate to the degree Gore allows.

The 2.42 ERA is the best among all Padres starters with at least 26 innings not named Musgrove. Gore has averaged nearly 10 strikeouts per nine innings. This season, Musgrove leads baseball in percentage of quality starts, while Yu Darvish and Sean Manaea are among those tied for second. The previous three seasons, the Padres averaged quality starts just 43.3 percent of the time.

“My situation, I’ve just got to be ready when my number’s called,” he said. “That’s kind of what (Musgrove and I) talked about. There’s some unknown. We have a lot of starters. I just need to continue to prepare the right way.”

Everyone knows Gore’s best days surely are to come, even though the current days clearly seem MLB ready.

“Last year we thought we were in the same position, having a ton of starting pitching and a lot of options,” Musgrove said. “By the end of the year, we found ourselves with one starter standing in the rotation. You really can’t have enough starting pitching.”

Pitching coach Ruben Niebla hung out with Gore while perched on the clubhouse railing Sunday. Niebla patted him on the back a time or two as they talked throughout the game.

Stay engaged. Keep confidence fueled. See what happens.

“Obviously, throwing as well as he’s thrown, he wants to continue to pitch in the big leagues and continue to get more experience and learn,” Musgrove said. “So that part’s a little frustrating. But your mental approach is everything, to dictate how you come back from it.

“If he sulked and complained about why he shouldn’t be out of the rotation (if bounced to the minors), it’s not as productive as spending that time improving.”

Musgrove said Gore’s mental makeup arms him well for the unknown.

“He’s done extremely well, especially given what he went through last year,” Musgrove said. “I know he didn’t feel like himself. I know he had a lot of voices coming at him with different approaches, or wanting him to try different things, or changing his delivery.

“It’s all perspective, how you look at things. How you view it can make a world of difference.”

The Padres could ask someone who has accepted the need for patience to find a bit more.

“I’m not really sure what’s going to happen,” Gore said. “Just got to stay locked in.”

Sounds like someone who could be in the big leagues for a long time.