It was business as usual for Toronto Blue Jays ace Kevin Gausman on Sunday.
Making his regular-season debut in the series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays, Gausman allowed one run on two hits while recording six strikeouts in 4.1 innings.
The 33-year-old got a late start to spring training while dealing with shoulder soreness, which made his availability for a start during the first rotation uncertain. But after feeling good throwing a side session Friday at Tropicana Field, he got the ball in Sunday’s game.
Gausman didn’t make a start against Tampa Bay in 2023 but has squared off against the Rays 21 times in his career, with a 3.79 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 111.2 innings against Toronto’s AL East rival.
In Gausman’s career against the hitters currently on Tampa Bay’s roster, he has allowed just a .208 average against, while registering strikeouts in 22.4 per cent of those at-bats.
In 31 starts last season, Gausman struck out an American League-best 237 hitters and finished the year with a 3.16 ERA. He came third in Cy Young voting, finishing behind the New York Yankees’ Gerrit Cole and the Minnesota Twins’ Sonny Gray.
By starting Gausman on Sunday, the Blue Jays will have Bowden Francis make his first career MLB start on Monday when they travel to Houston to start a three-game series with the Astros.
