Kevin Gausman | |
---|---|
Toronto Blue Jays – No. 34 | |
Pitcher | |
Born: Centennial, Colorado, U.S. | January 6, 1991|
Bats: Left Throws: Right | |
MLB debut | |
May 23, 2013, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
MLB statistics (through August 19,2024) | |
Win–loss record | 99–100 |
Earned run average | 3.88 |
Strikeouts | 1,734 |
Teams | |
| |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
Kevin John Gausman (born January 6,1991),nicknamed "Gaus", [1] is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Baltimore Orioles,Atlanta Braves,Cincinnati Reds,and San Francisco Giants. Before his professional career,Gausman attended Louisiana State University (LSU) and played college baseball for the LSU Tigers,with whom he was an All-American. The Orioles selected him in the first round (4th overall) of the 2012 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2013. He was an All-Star in 2021 and 2023.
Gausman attended Grandview High School in Aurora,Colorado,where he played for the school's baseball team as a pitcher. [2] In his sophomore year he pitched to a 5–2 win–loss record with a 2.79 earned run average (ERA). In his junior year,he was 7–2 with a 2.15 ERA,and in 2010,his senior year,he was 9–2 with a 3.12 ERA. [3] As a batter,playing for his high school varsity,he hit .322/.431/.576 with seven home runs and 40 runs batted in (RBIs) in 145 plate appearances. [4]
The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Gausman in the sixth round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft,but he did not sign. [2]
He attended Louisiana State University (LSU),where he played college baseball for the LSU Tigers baseball team. In 2011,he played collegiate summer baseball with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League. [5] In 2012,as a sophomore at LSU,he was 12–2 (leading the Southeastern Conference in wins) with a 2.77 ERA in 18 games (17 starts) and 135 strikeouts (leading the Conference) in 123.2 innings. [6] [7] He was named an All-American in 2012. [8]
Gausman pitched in both Games 1 and 2 of the Baton Rouge Super Regional,coming out in relief in the completion of the rain-delayed first game and earning a win,but taking a loss in the second game as LSU suffered a historic upset at the hands of Stony Brook. [9] In an interview with Jake Arrieta ten years later,Gausman said,"That's probably the one thing in baseball that I constantly look back on." [10]
The Baltimore Orioles selected Gausman in the first round with the fourth overall selection in the 2012 Major League Baseball draft. [11] He signed with the Orioles for a signing bonus of $4.32 million on July 13,2012. [12]
Gausman started the 2013 season with the Double-A Bowie Baysox.
The Orioles promoted Gausman to the major leagues to make his debut in Toronto against the Blue Jays on May 23,2013. [13] Gausman pitched five innings and allowed seven hits,four runs,and two walks,while striking out five. [14] He picked up the loss as the Orioles fell 12–6 to the Blue Jays. On June 14,Gausman was optioned to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides. [15] He was recalled again on June 24, [16] and on June 28 he earned his first Major League win,against the New York Yankees,pitching in relief of T. J. McFarland,going 4+1⁄3 innings, striking out four and allowing no walks and three hits. [17] Gausman was optioned back to Norfolk on July 10. He was again recalled from the Norfolk Tides on August 28 and earned his second big league win, on September 1, also against the Yankees, this time at Yankee Stadium. [18]
On June 7, 2014, Gausman earned his first win as a starting pitcher, going seven innings against the Oakland Athletics, allowing only one run, walking one, and striking out six. [19] Following the best outing of his young career, Gausman pitched against the AL East leading Toronto Blue Jays where he went six innings, again allowing one run and striking out three. In the 2014 postseason, Gausman pitched out of the bullpen for the Orioles. [20] [21] Gausman pitched eight innings in three relief appearances, posting a 1.13 ERA and an 0.75 WHIP. The Orioles would sweep the Tigers in the ALDS before being swept in the ALCS by the Kansas City Royals. [22] [23]
Gausman finished the 2014 campaign having made 20 starts, with one complete game (five innings, due to rain), posting a 3.57 ERA and a 7–7 win–loss record. [24]
Gausman made 25 appearances in 2015 (17 starts). He posted a moderate 4.25 ERA, but struck out a career-high 103 batters, averaging 8.3 K/9. He posted a 4–7 record, as the Orioles finished 81–81 and didn't make the playoffs. [25]
Gausman started the 2016 season on the disabled list. He made his season debut on April 25 against the Rays, earning a tough loss after going five innings and giving up one run on three hits. He earned a no decision in his next start, as the Orioles lost 8–7 against the White Sox. Gausman went six innings, allowing three runs (two earned). His next start was the best of his career, as he pitched eight shutout innings, allowing only three hits along with no walks and four strikeouts. He earned a no decision, though, as the Orioles eventually won the game 1–0 in the tenth inning.
Gausman pitched to a 4.15 ERA and 1–6 record in 15 pre-All Star Break starts.
On August 28, Gausman pitched seven scoreless innings against the Yankees, raising his scoreless innings streak to 132⁄3 innings. In his next start against the Yankees, Gausman pitched six shutout innings, raising his scoreless innings streak to 192⁄3 innings. He struck out eight batters and won his career-high fourth straight start. Gausman also tied his career high with his seventh win of the year, while lowering his ERA to 3.58. He extended the scoreless innings streak to 211⁄3 against the Tigers before allowing a run in the second inning of a 4–3 loss. Following this start, he threw eight scoreless innings in a 1–0 victory over the Red Sox, improving to 8–10 on the year and lowering his ERA to 3.43.
Gausman finished the year 11–12, despite pitching to a 3.61 ERA, due to low run support. He pitched a career-high in innings, and struck out a career-high 174 batters. His 8.716 K/9 and his 3.706 K/BB were both 10th in the AL. [26]
On March 28, 2017, Gausman was named the Orioles' Opening Day starting pitcher for the first time in his career. [27] He pitched 5.1 innings on Opening Day, allowing two runs on five hits and four walks, while also striking out four batters. Gausman earned the no decision. On May 3, Gausman was ejected for the first time in his Major League career after hitting Xander Bogaerts with a pitch. [28] On July 29, Gausman pitched the longest outing of his career against the Texas Rangers, going 82⁄3 shutout innings while striking out eight batters and earning the victory.
For the season, he led the league with 34 starts, and his 179 strikeouts and 186.7 innings pitched were both 10th in the AL. [26] He had the lowest percentage of balls pulled against him (33.3%) among major league pitchers. [29] His 8.630 K/9 was 10th in the AL. [26]
Before the 2018 season, Gausman changed from his old number of 39 to 34, in honor of the late former Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies pitcher, and fellow Coloradan Roy Halladay. [30] On April 23, in a start against the Cleveland Indians, Gausman threw the 90th immaculate inning in MLB history, striking out three batters in one inning on just nine pitches. [31] [32]
On July 31, 2018, Gausman along with Darren O'Day, was traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for minor leaguers Brett Cumberland, Jean Carlos Encarnacion, Evan Phillips, Bruce Zimmermann, and international signing money. [33]
During spring training in 2019, Gausman dealt with a sore shoulder. [34] He began the season rehabilitating in the minor leagues, and made his season debut on April 5. [35] [36]
On May 3, 2019, Gausman was ejected from a game against the Miami Marlins by umpire Jeff Nelson for throwing behind José Ureña. He and Ureña had last faced each other on August 15, 2018, when Ureña hit the Braves' Ronald Acuña with a pitch. [37] [38] Major League Baseball fined and suspended Gausman for five games. Gausman initially appealed the suspension. [39] [40] On May 12, Gausman dropped his appeal. [41] [42] In 16 starts, he was 3–7 with a career-high 6.19 ERA. and struck out 85 batters in 80 innings. [26]
In August Gausman was designated for assignment by the Braves following a stretch in which he allowed 47 hits and 29 earned runs over 26 innings [43] and was overall 3–7 with a 6.219 ERA in 16 starts in 2019 for the Braves. [44]
On August 5, 2019, the Cincinnati Reds claimed Gausman off waivers from the Braves. [45] [46] With the Reds, Gausman became a reliever. [47] In an appearance against the St. Louis Cardinals on August 18, Gausman struck out all six batters he faced, including tossing his second career immaculate inning. [48]
In 2019 with Cincinnati he was 0–2 with a 4.03 ERA in 15 games (one start) in which he threw 22+1⁄3 innings, walked five batters, and struck out 29 batters. [26] Gausman was non-tendered on December 2, 2019, and became a free agent. [49]
On December 10, 2019, Gausman signed a one-year $9 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. [50]
During the shortened 2020 season, Gausman had a major bounce-back season, in which he was 3–3 with a 3.62 ERA and 15 walks and 79 strikeouts in 59+2⁄3 innings in 12 games (10 starts), and a career-low 1.106 WHIP along with a career-high 11.9 K/9. [26] On November 11, 2020, Gausman accepted a qualifying $18.9 million offer from the Giants. [51]
Gausman was the 2021 Opening Day starter for the Giants. [52] He was named the National League Pitcher of the Month for the month of May 2021. He won five games during the month, maintained an ERA of 0.73, and allowed an opponent slash line of .165/.201/.241. [53] He was a 2021 National League All Star. [26]
On September 17, 2021, Gausman was on the bench as the Giants took on the Braves. When the Giants ran out of position players, having already pinch-hit five times, [54] Gausman, slashing .184/.212/.184 as a batter, was called upon to pinch-hit in the bottom of the 11th with the bases loaded and one out, and the game tied 5–5. On a full count, he hit his first career sacrifice fly, scoring Brandon Crawford to win the game. Gausman described it as "the coolest thing I've ever done in my entire career". [55]
In the regular season in 2021, Gausman was 14–6 with a 2.81 ERA (6th in the NL), in a National League-leading 33 starts he pitched 192 innings (5th) and had 227 strikeouts (4th). [26] His 14 wins and 10.641 K/9 were fifth in the league, and his .700 win-loss percentage was sixth, as he gave up 7.031 hits per 9 innings (sixth). [26]
On December 1, 2021, Gausman signed a five-year, $110 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. [56] In 2022, Gausman made 31 starts during the regular season with a 12–10 win-loss record and a 3.35 ERA. He also made one postseason start for the Blue Jays during the Wild Card Series against the Seattle Mariners.
After a 2023 season in which Gausman had a 3.16 ERA over 185 innings and an AL-best 237 strikeouts, he went on to place third in 2023 Cy Young Award voting. [57]
According to Statcast, Gausman currently throws four pitches: a four-seam fastball at 92–98 miles per hour (148–158 km/h), a splitter at 82–86 miles per hour (132–138 km/h), a slider at 80–86 miles per hour (129–138 km/h), and a changeup at 84–88 miles per hour (135–142 km/h). [58]
In 2020, he increased the average velocity and spin rate (as compared to 2019) on his four-seam fastball by simply bending his right leg, while tucking the front foot at the level of the back leg's knee. [59]
In December 2016, Gausman married Taylor North, and they have two daughters. [60] [61]
Gausman grew up a Colorado Rockies fan. He is the son of former college football official Clair Gausman. [62]
José Dennis Martínez Ortiz, nicknamed "El Presidente", is a Nicaraguan former professional baseball pitcher. Martínez played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles, Montreal Expos, Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners, and Atlanta Braves from 1976 to 1998. He threw a perfect game in 1991, and was a four-time MLB All-Star. He was the first Nicaraguan to play in the majors.
Tony Lee Cloninger was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from 1961 through 1972 for the Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals.
Milton Steven Pappas was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from 1957 through 1973. Nicknamed "Gimpy", the 17-year veteran pitched for the Baltimore Orioles (1957–1965), Cincinnati Reds (1966–1968), Atlanta Braves (1968–1970) and Chicago Cubs (1970–1973). A control specialist, Pappas pitched in 520 games, starting 465, with 209 wins, 164 losses, 43 shutouts, 1,728 strikeouts and a 3.40 ERA in 3,186 innings pitched. He was a three-time All-Star player for the Orioles and was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 1985. He was also a member of the 1960's Baltimore Orioles Kiddie Korps.
Jason Aaron Hammel is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays, Colorado Rockies, Baltimore Orioles, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and Kansas City Royals.
Peter Thomas Harnisch is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played in college at Fordham University from 1984 through 1987, and was an All-American pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball from 1988 through 2001 for the Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds.
Ubaldo Jiménez García is a Dominican-American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies, Cleveland Indians and Baltimore Orioles. Jiménez was an MLB All-Star in 2010. That year, he pitched the first no-hitter in Rockies' franchise history.
Yovani Gallardo is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher. He was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the second round of the 2004 Major League Baseball draft out of Trimble Technical High School in Fort Worth, Texas. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, and Cincinnati Reds. Gallardo was an All-Star in 2010, and won the Silver Slugger Award for pitchers that year.
Darren Christopher O'Day is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, New York Mets, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, and Atlanta Braves.
Jacob Joseph Arrieta is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Diego Padres.
Christopher Steven Tillman is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Baltimore Orioles in 2009, and played with them until 2018. He was named an All-Star in 2013.
Dylan Matthew Bundy is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Angels and Minnesota Twins.
Wade Allen Miley is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, and Chicago Cubs.
Brad Brach is a former American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, and Cincinnati Reds. Brach was an All-Star in 2016.
Eduardo José Rodríguez Hernández, nicknamed "E-Rod", is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers.
José Miguel Ureña Rodríguez is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Miami Marlins, Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies, and Chicago White Sox.
Dean Junior Kremer is an Israeli–American professional baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). In 2015, he became the first Israeli drafted by an MLB team. He made his MLB debut in September 2020.
Evan John Phillips is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, and Tampa Bay Rays.
Bruce Anthony Zimmermann is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Baltimore Orioles organization.
John Alan Means is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Orioles selected Means in the 11th round of the 2014 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2018.
Joseph Tucker Davidson is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, Kansas City Royals, and Baltimore Orioles. Davidson played college baseball at Midland College. He was drafted by the Braves in the 19th round of the 2016 MLB draft, and made his MLB debut with them in 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)