Gausman sets the tone as bats break out late in big win

DETROIT -- Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman was an All-Star last season, but this year has been about steering his own way back to course since a “weird” and nearly washed-out Spring Training took him out of rhythm.

Gausman has been improving since his slow start to the regular season, and he was dominant in Thursday night’s 9-1 win over the Tigers at Comerica Park -- including a no-hit bid though five innings.

Even though he didn’t feel he had his best stuff, Gausman was able to take command with his mental approach and register a season-high 10 strikeouts.

“You’ve got to keep that mentality no matter what,” Gausman said. “Even when I’m throwing 91 [mph], I’m throwing 100 mph [in my head]. So, I have to have that mentality. And if you don’t, these guys are sharks in the water. They’re going to eat you alive, and mound presence has always been a huge thing for me.

“Your teammates can kind of build off that, and we set the tone as starters. I always want to be that even-keel guy and not let my emotions get too high or low.”

Not even when you're carrying a no-hit bid.

It wasn’t until Gausman’s 77th pitch that Detroit put a hit up on the scoreboard. Javier Báez led off the sixth inning with a sharp single to left, and Carson Kelly followed him with a line single to nearly the same spot.

Just like that, Gausman was in a jam.

But he got dangerous leadoff hitter Riley Greene to go down swinging and retired Matt Vierling on a grounder to shortstop that allowed Kelly to move into scoring position.

The scoreless start was intact until Wenceel Pérez lashed a single to center, tying the game at 1-1. However, a perfect relay from center fielder Kevin Kiermaier to catcher Danny Jansen got Kelly at the plate.

Toronto’s offense, which ranks near the bottom in MLB in several categories, came to Gausman's support at that point.

Daulton Varsho had a two-run homer in the seventh, and Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. crushed a two-run homer to center in the ninth to highlight an attack that also had cleanup hitter Bo Bichette continue his surge with three singles.

Gausman (3-3) went a long way in deciding the outcome that gave Toronto (23-26) its fourth win in the past five games. He allowed one run on three hits with two walks over six innings. Gausman struck out five consecutive batters -- getting Colt Keith to end the second before striking out the side in the third and fanning Vierling to start the fourth.

“You don’t want to jinx a no-hitter through five,” said manager John Schneider. “But I thought he had a good mix with [catcher Danny Jansen] and every pitch really had a purpose. There were some weak outs up in the zone and swing and miss down in the zone.

“He kept doing that and he’s really good. He had big strikeouts in big spots, too, in the middle of the game -- which is what Kevin can do. He’s been one of the best in the order for a while.”

Gausman threw 98 pitches (60 strikes) on Thursday.

“He’s all the way built up, right?" Schneider said before the game. “Spring Training was weird. Beginning of the season was weird. I thought he was really good his last outing. But I think, overall, his stuff is where it should be. And I like the intent and the intensity he has right now.”

Gausman said he didn’t necessarily think he had “good stuff to maybe strike out 10 guys,” but he “made pitches” and “had command” while getting ahead in counts.

“And when you do that,” said Gausman, “you are the aggressor. You can get them on their heels. You get ahead and their averages go down even if you don’t necessarily have good stuff. … I knew my stuff wasn’t super electric, so I tried to be a lot more fine with that.”

It’s evident that one of baseball’s best pitchers in recent years is back.

Gausman was 12-9 with a 3.16 ERA in 2023, when his career-high 237 strikeouts led the American League and became the fourth-highest total by a Blue Jay.

After right shoulder fatigue delayed his Spring Training, he dealt with some inconsistencies early on in the regular season.

Now, he’s back on track.