CJ Abrams may not be available for Nationals vs. Angels

After going winless in July, left-hander MacKenzie Gore will try for two straight wins in August when he takes the mound for the Washington Nationals in the finale of their three-game series against the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.

Gore (7-9, 4.66 ERA) is coming off an 11-5 win against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, his first win since June 14 against the Miami Marlins.

He had gone 0-4 in his previous eight starts with a 7.24 ERA.

"At some point, we need to quit having these conversations about making progress, because I'm better than this," Gore said after his win against San Francisco.

Gore allowed five runs (four earned) and eight hits in five innings against the Giants.

He got off to a rough start in his last outing, giving up a solo home run to Heliot Ramos and a three-run blast to Michael Conforto to put the Nationals in a 4-0 hole.

Gore recovered, however, and allowed just one unearned run over the next four innings.

"Just started going at guys," Gore said. "We gave up four and said, ‘Screw it; go at them.'"

Gore has made just one start in his career against the Angels and did not get a decision in the 3-2 loss on April 12, 2023. He allowed two runs on four hits in the game.

Brandon Drury is the only player on the Angels who has faced Gore more than twice, going 2-for-8 with five strikeouts.

The Nationals could be without shortstop and leadoff hitter CJ Abrams.

Abrams is dealing with tightness in his upper back that first arose during a rain delay on Thursday. He did not start the past two games, though he pinch-ran in the 10th inning on Saturday night and scored the game-winning run in the 5-4 victory.

Abrams, a first-time All-Star this season, leads Washington in home runs (17) and RBIs (59).

The Angels also lost in 10 innings on Friday, failing to score in the top half of the inning before the Nationals pushed across the game-winner in their half.

Los Angeles recalled right-hander Jack Kochanowicz from Double-A Rocket City on Saturday and he'll start on Sunday.

Kochanowicz (0-2, 14.14) has been roughed up in both his major league starts.

He gave up five runs (four earned) and seven hits in three innings in his debut on July 11 against the Seattle Mariners and the Angels lost 11-0.

Nine days later, the 6-foot-7, 228-pounder allowed seven runs and seven hits in four innings of an 8-2 loss to the Oakland A's.

"I thought it was an improved outing, obviously not exactly what I wanted," Kochanowicz said after his most recent MLB start. "It's something to build on."

Angels shortstop Zach Neto continues to be the hottest player in the batting order.

He went 3-for-5 on Saturday and belted his 17th home run of the season.

He's hitting .448 in the past seven games to raise his batting average from .252 to .267.

Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe, on the other hand, went 0-for-3 with two walks and is riding a 2-for-35 skid.

--Field Level Media