TORONTO — Kevin Gausman’s final batter on Sunday was emblematic of his season.
The Toronto Blue Jays right-hander fired a first-pitch strike to DJ LeMahieu and then quickly pinned a 1-2 count on the New York Yankees’ No. 8 hitter.
LeMahieu fought back, though, fouling off a few pitches and working himself into a full count before ripping a fastball to centre field that drove in a run and chased Gausman from the game.
That fifth-inning at-bat seemed all too familiar during what’s been an inconsistent season for the veteran hurler. He got ahead in the count, but simply couldn’t put away the opposing hitter.
Gausman was relieved by left-hander Genesis Cabrera, who promptly allowed a double from Trent Grisham off the right-centre field wall that cashed in two more runs, closed the book on Gausman’s line and essentially put the game out of reach in what was an eventual 8-1 Yankees win over the Blue Jays in front of 38,534 at Rogers Centre.
Following two dominant seasons with the Blue Jays, Gausman just hasn’t quite looked right in 2024. He was sidelined for most of spring training with right shoulder fatigue and instead of beginning the season on the injured list, the right-hander opened the campaign at the back end of the rotation and used his first few starts to build himself up. The Blue Jays lacked starting pitching depth and Gausman felt the need to step up, a decision he later expressed regret over.
The result has been a season that can be classified as uneven. There were highs, like the complete-game shutout he offered in Oakland earlier this month, but there have also been plenty of lows.
The right-hander got off to a rough start in the first inning on Sunday when he allowed a single to Juan Soto and then a 423-foot home run to Aaron Judge. The Yankees tacked on two more runs in the second on LeMahieu’s run-scoring single and Soto’s bases-loaded walk. It was the third walk Gausman surrendered in the inning en route to a season-high five on the afternoon.
In total, the right-hander allowed seven runs on seven hits over 4.1 innings while striking out seven. His season ERA rose to 4.75, a figure that’s well above the other regular members of Toronto’s rotation — Chris Bassitt (3.24), José Berríos (3.38) and Yusei Kikuchi (4.18).
It’s not too difficult to deduce what’s different with Gausman this season. After leading the American League in strikeouts last season and posting a 31.1 strikeout rate, the right-hander has seen that figure plummet to just 23 per cent.
Meanwhile, Gausman’s counterpart on Sunday, Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, stifled the Blue Jays over his five innings, allowing just one run on three hits, walking one and striking out six. It was Cole’s third start of the season after missing more than two-and-a-half months due to nerve irritation and edema in his right elbow.
The win allowed the Yankees (54-32) to split the four-game series with the Blue Jays, who fell to 38-45 and remain in last place in the AL East.
Next up for the Blue Jays is Monday’s Canada Day contest with the Houston Astros in the opener of another four-game set.
