As the Toronto Blue Jays wrap up their season-opening four-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, Kevin Gausman takes the mound looking to salvage a series split.
The 33-year-old got a late start to spring training while dealing with shoulder soreness, and was questionable to make his start the first time through the rotation. But after feeling good throwing a side session Friday at Tropicana Field, the team announced Saturday that he would get the ball in Sunday’s game.
Gausman didn’t make a start against Tampa Bay in 2023 but has squared off against the Rays 21 times in his career, with a 3.79 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 111.2 innings against Toronto’s AL East rival.
In Gausman’s career against the hitters currently on Tampa Bay’s roster, he has allowed just a .208 average against, while registering strikeouts in 22.4 per cent of those at-bats.
In 31 starts last season, Gausman struck out an American League-best 237 hitters and finished the year with a 3.16 ERA. He came third in Cy Young voting, finishing behind the New York Yankees’ Gerrit Cole and the Minnesota Twins’ Sonny Gray.
By starting Gausman on Sunday, the Blue Jays will have Bowden Francis make his first career MLB start on Monday when they travel to Houston to start a three-game series with the Astros.
The Blue Jays are also switching things up a little behind Gausman, as Davis Schneider will make his season debut, batting seventh and playing left field.
George Springer will be getting his first game as the team’s designated hitter, so Toronto is moving Justin Turner to third base, Isiah Kiner-Falefa to second and Cavan Biggio to right field.
Rays left-hander Tyler Alexander is expected to pitch the bulk of the innings after righty Shawn Armstrong serves as an opener, so the Blue Jays are sitting Kevin Kiermaier and sliding Daulton Varsho over to centre field, as well.
Turner pinch hit in Saturday’s 5-1 loss before playing the final two innings at third base. He made an error on Jose Caballero’s bunt in the seventh inning.
Kiner-Falefa, who started the first two games of the season at third, played just one inning at second base with the New York Yankees in 2023, but has logged 171.1 career MLB innings at the position.
While Schneider spent the bulk of his time with Toronto playing second base in 2023, he did play 15 innings in left field. He finished his abbreviated rookie campaign with eight home runs and a 1.008 OPS in 116 at-bats. The 24-year-old also fared extremely well against southpaws, posting a .326/.463/.837 slash line in off-handed matchups.
You can watch as Gausman and the Blue Jays look to split the series in Tampa Bay on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+, starting at 1:30 p.m. ET and 10:30 a.m. PT.
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