The rumor is back on the table, and the fit still makes too much sense.
If the San Diego Padres are actually serious about front-loading the 2026 rotation, the move is obvious: pick up the phone and circle back on MacKenzie Gore. It wouldn’t be nostalgia driving this — it’s timing, control, and a front office that still believes Gore’s peak looks a lot like a playoff tone-setter at Petco Park.
The fit is obvious.