Blue Jays’ Kevin Gausman rebounds with brilliance after brutal 53-pitch inning in last start

TORONTO — Kevin Gausman’s final pitch was a 97.8 mph fastball at the bottom corner of the zone. It was a called strike to freeze Nolan Jones, earning Gausman his ninth and final strikeout.

That was the pitch that eluded Gausman in his last outing — the start where his day ended with a historic 53-pitch inning and an ejection . On Saturday, in the Toronto Blue Jays’ 5-3 loss to the Cleveland Guardians, the misses were gone and the innings were efficient. Rebounding from the longest inning in Blue Jays history, Gausman was nearly perfect.



More importantly, he was healthy. Advertisement “We weren’t expecting a diminished version of Kevin today,” manager John Schneider said. “What we do know is how much we trust these guys and how much communication we have with them and how they’re feeling.

So I thought it was a great outing for him.” Bouncing back from a sideways start like Gausman’s New York marathon was uncharted territory. The right-hander hadn’t logged more than 50 pitches in a single inning ever in his baseball life.

The Blue Jays pushed his start back a day for extra rest, and he took time off before throwing a side session Thursday. Before Saturday’s start, Schneider said Gausman felt good and was ready to pitch. Saying you’re healthy and looking like it are two different things.

Against the Guardians, Gausman backed up the talk. Gausy's in elite company 💯 pic.twitter.

com/y1mfLqY6PC — Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) May 3, 2025 “I know it’s easy for you guys to write about 53 pitches in an inning for five days,” Schneider said. “And Kevin Gausman is a f—ing good pitcher, so he showed it today.” As Gausman slogged through his brutal inning against the Yankees on April 27, the righty’s fastball velocity waned as he pulled pitches wide of the zone and abandoned on his mislocating splitters.

He ended up sitting 94.3 mph in the start, and his final pitch was 94.4.

After a scoreless first inning Saturday, Gausman knew he was back to normal, he said. His fastball averaged 95.2 mph in the outing, a full tick above his season average, and he threw two heaters over 97 in his final frame.

Gausman finished his start with that leg-locking fastball to Jones, heading down the dugout steps for a manager’s handshake. He ended six shutout innings of one-hit ball at 94 pitches. In some circumstances, Schneider could’ve asked the starter for more, but that was never going to happen after Gausman’s last outing.

This is about the long game, having Gausman healthy in September, not May. Advertisement The Blue Jays have pushed their core starters this year, with Gausman’s marathon inning the biggest ask to date. Gausman, José Berríos and Chris Bassitt are all on pace for over 190 innings.

Bowden Francis is on pace for nearly 150, with his MLB career high at 103 2/3 before this year. Even if new pitching additions like Spencer Turnbull and José Ureña can spell the core four , Toronto’s top starters will continue to carry the load. “We always want to go 100-plus pitches,” Bassitt said.

“All four of us. But I think it’s just a really good managing job of just keeping us healthy.” Figuring out when to push and pull the workhorses may decide Toronto’s rotation longevity.

Against the Yankees, Gausman was pushed to new levels. He came out unscathed with brilliance against the Guardians, but don’t expect any more 50-pitch innings. “I won’t do that to him again, or anyone,” Schneider said.

Schneemann snaps streak The Blue Jays were an out away from a fourth-straight victory when Daniel Schneemann hit a ninth-inning grand slam off Yimi García. The Blue Jays’ bullpen hadn’t let one slip away in weeks, with Toronto performing all the late-inning heroics the last few nights. García had a 0.

00 ERA before Saturday, and Jeff Hoffman is still perfect in seven save attempts. Schneemann’s slam pushed Toronto to 16-17, back under .500.

(Photo: Cole Burston / Getty Images).