Kevin Gausman

At 33 years old, Kevin Gausman has this physical status:

Amateur career

Gausman attended Grandview High School in Aurora, Colorado, where he competed for the school's baseball team as a pitcher. He set a newbie's record in his sophomore year with a 2.79 earned run average (ERA). He was 7-2 with a 2.15 ERA in his junior year, and in 2010, he was 9-2 with a 3.12 ERA. In 145 plate appearances, he batted in.322/.576 with seven home runs and 40 runs batted in (RBIs).

Gausman was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the sixth round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft, but he did not sign. He attended Louisiana State University (LSU), where he played college baseball for the LSU Tigers baseball team. He played collegiate summer baseball with the Cape Cod Baseball League's Harwich Mariners in 2011. He was 12–2 as a sophomore at LSU in 2012 with a 2.77 ERA in 18 games (17 starts) and 135 strikeouts (leading the conference) in 123.2 innings. Gausman pitched in both Games 1 and 2 of the Baton Rouge Super Regional, winning in the rain-delayed first game and receiving a victory, but losing in the second game as LSU suffered a monumental upset at the hands of Stony Brook. In 2012, he became an All-American at LSU.

Professional career

Gausman was selected in the first round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft by the Baltimore Orioles, making him the fourth overall pick in the first round. On July 13, 2012, he signed with the Orioles for a signing bonus worth $4.32 million.

Gausman spent his 2013 season with the Bowie Baysox before being called back to the major leagues to meet the Blue Jays in Toronto on May 23, 2013. Gausman pitched five innings, four runs, and two walks, as well as five strikeouts in his first game against the Blue Jays. As the Orioles lost 12–6 to the Blue Jays, Gausman took the blame. Gausman was escorted to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides on June 14. On June 24, he was recalled. Gausman won his first Major League victory over the New York Yankees on June 28, taking out four out four runs and allowing no walks and three hits. On July 10, he was returned to Norfolk. On August 28, he was recalled from the Norfolk Tides for his second big league victory, but not at Yankee Stadium.

Gausman won his first game as a starting pitcher on June 7, 2014, throwing out six runs instead of one. Gausman pitched against the Toronto Blue Jays' all-around winning one run and striking out three runs, his best outing of his youth career. Gausman spit out of the Orioles' bullpen in the 2014 playoffs. Gausman played eight innings in three relief appearances, earning a 1.13 ERA and a 0.75 WHIP. In the ALDS, the Orioles would sweep the Tigers before being swept by the Kansas City Royals in the ALCS.

Gausman finished his 2014 season with 20 starts, five innings due to rain, and one complete game (five innings, due to rain), earning a 3.57 ERA and a 7–7 win–loss record.

Gausman made 25 appearances in 2015 (including five debuts). He had a moderate 4.25 ERA but came out with a 103 batter streak, averaging 8.3 K/9. As the Orioles finished 81–81 and didn't make the playoffs, he set a new record of 4–7.

Gausman started the 2016 season on the DL, but he was back to his best. He made his season debut against the Rays on April 25, losing only one run on three hits after going five innings and giving up only one run on three hits. The Orioles lost 8–7 against the White Sox, earning him no decision in his next game. Gausman went six innings, giving three runs (two earned). His next game was his best of his career, with eight shutout innings pitching just three hits, no walks, and striking out four batters. He made a tough no decision because the Orioles would eventually win the game 1–0 in the tenth inning.

Gausman achieved a 4.15 ERA in 15 games before the All Star Break began. His run support was extremely poor, with him having a difficult 1–6 record.

Gausman pitched 7 scoreless innings against the Yankees on August 28, extending his scoreless innings streak to 132. Gausman pitched six shutout innings in his next game against the Yankees, extending his scoreless innings streak to 192.3 innings. He hit eight batters and won his fourth straight start. Gausman won his seventh game of the year, while lowering his ERA to 3.58. He stretched his streak of scoreless innings against the Tigers to 2113 before allowing a run in the second inning of a 4-3 loss. In a 1–0 win over the Red Sox, he threw eight scoreless innings off the field to get the ball rolling. He improved to 8–10 on the year and lowered his ERA to 3.43.

Despite pitching to a 3.61 ERA due to poor run support, Gausman ended the year 11-12. He batted a career-high in innings and smashed out a career-best 174 batters. His 8.716 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched and his 3.706 strikeouts/walk were tied for 10th in the AL, and his 3.706 strikeouts/walk were both 10th in the AL.

Gausman was named Orioles starting pitcher on March 28, 2017, for the first time in his career. On Opening Day, he pitched 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on five hits and four walks while still striking out four batters. Gausman received the no decision. Gausman was suspended for the first time in his Major League career after striking Xander Bogaerts with a pitch on May 3. Gausman pitched his longest outing innings against the Texas Rangers on July 29, knocking out eight batters and winning the match.

He made the league's most starts with 34 starts, while his 179 strikeouts and 186.7 innings pitched were both top 10th in the AL. He had the fewest balls pulled against him (33.3%) among major league pitchers. His 8.630 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched were the 10th in the AL.

Gausman went from 39 to 34 in honor of the late former Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay, who died before the 2018 season. Gausman threw the 90th immaculate inning in MLB history on April 23, knocking out three batters in a single inning on just nine pitches, starting against the Cleveland Indians.

Gausman and Darren O'Day were traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for minor leaguers Brett Cumberland, Jean Carlos Encarnacion, Evan Phillips, Bruce Zimmermann, and international signing funds on July 31, 2018.

Gausman complained of a swollen shoulder during spring training in 2019. He began the season by rehabilitating in the minor leagues and made his season debut on April 5.

Gausman was suspended from a match against the Miami Marlins by umpire Jeff Nelson for tossing behind José Uriba. When U.A. struck Ronald Acu'a with a pitch on August 15, 2018, he and U.A. had last met together. Gausman has been fined and suspended for five games in Major League Baseball. Gausman pleaded with the suspension for the first time. Gausman's appeal was dismissed on May 12, 2011. He was 3–7 with a career-high 6.19 ERA in 16 starts. In 80 innings, he struck out 85 batters.

Gausman was released on waivers from the Braves by the Cincinnati Reds on August 5, 2019. Gausman became a reliever with the Reds. Gausman struck out all six batters he faced on August 18, including tossing his second straight immaculate inning in a relief appearance against the St. Louis Cardinals.

He was 0-2 in 15 games (one start) in which he threw 22.1 innings, walked five batters, and struck out 29 batters in 2019. Gausman became a free agent on December 2, 2019, after being non-tendered.

Gausman signed a one-year $9 million deal with the San Francisco Giants on December 10, 2019.

Gausman had a major bounce back season in 2020, with a 3.62 ERA, 15 walks, and 79 strikeouts in 59+217 innings (10 starts), as well as a career-low 11.9 strikeouts per 9 innings. Gausman accepted a qualifying $18.9 million bid from the Giants on November 11, 2020.

Gausman was the Giants' 2021 Opening Day starter. For the month of May 2021, he was named National League Pitcher of the Month. He played five games in the month, had an ERA of 0.73, and allowed an opponent a slash line of.165/.241.241. He was a 2021 National League All Star.

Gausman was on the bench for the Giants' match against the Braves on September 17, 2021. Gausman, slashing.186/.184/.184/.184/.184/.184/.184 as a batter, was scalled on 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 made his first career sacrifice fly, beating Brandon Crawford to win the game. Gausman described it as "the coolest thing I've ever done in my entire career."

Gausman was 14-6 (1st in the NL) in the regular season in 2021, his sixth in the NL), in a National League-leading 33 starts, he pitched 192 innings (5th) and had 227 strikeouts (4th). His 14 victories and 10.641 strikeouts per 9 innings ranked 5th in the league, and his.700 won-loss percentage was 6th, despite giving up 7.031 hits per 9 innings (6th).

Gausman signed a five-year, $110 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on December 1, 2021.

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