Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman did an exclusive interview with Dan Connolly of Sportskeeda where he spoke about the current season, the team's struggles, and even his performances from this season. There is no doubt that the Blue Jays have underperformed as Gausman is candid when talking about the state of the group as the season is after the All-Star break.
Gausman currently is throwing a 4.56 earned run average (ERA) to go along with 119 strikeouts and has a 9-8 record so far this season. He would say to Sportskeeda that the start of the MLB season was not on a “great note,” citing some “shoulder problems” that he dealt with and even had some regrets on how it should have been handled.
“To be honest, I didn't necessarily start the year on a great note,” Gausman said. “I had some shoulder problems in spring and, look back, I probably could have benefitted from a rehab stint or maybe just missing a couple starts to get my feet under me.”
Where Blue Jays' Gausman feels he's been inconsistent
The 33-year old pitcher has been in the league since 2013 where his first six seasons were spent with the Baltimore Orioles which led to stints with such teams as the Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, and the San Francisco Giants. Now in his third season with the Blue Jays, he is coming off of an impeccable 2023 campaign where he had a 3.16 ERA on top of throwing a career-high 237 strikeouts and had a 12-9 record.
“The biggest thing is being inconsistent with my fastball,” Gausman said about his predicability. “The book is out on me. Hitters know I'm gonna throw a split and I'm gonna throw it a lot. So, I'm finding out how teams are really trying to eliminate that and that has been an adjustment for me.”
Gausman confident he's getting better
Talking about the impressive 2023 season, Gausman would theorize that since teams have seen the most he is capable of doing up until that point, others are scouting more deeply on him. For the Colorado native, he admits it has been an “adjustment,” especially since he has not “been in a great spot” in terms of mechanics.
“After the year I had last year, teams are ready and wanting to have success against me,” Gausman said via Sportskeeda. “That's been an adjustment. I'm trying to make that adjustment and mechanically I haven't been in a great spot.”
However, it would not be smart to count Gausman out yet since he could pick it up at any point with Toronto to make a quick turnaround. Gausman himself would say that he feels “like I'm getting there” and he knows where his ceiling is at.
“But I feel like I'm getting there,” Gausman said. “And I definitely have been better in the second half than I was the first. Last year was only last year. It's all still in there. I know what I'm capable of. I've just got to go out there and compete and win as many games as I have left.”
At any rate, the Blue Jays are currently 51-60 which puts them last in the AL East as their next game is tomorrow afternoon against the New York Yankees.
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