Blue Jays Select Kevin Gausman to Start Opening Day Against Athletics

The Toronto Blue Jays have decided to go with their long-time ace to open the regular season at home.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays had plenty of options when it came to their opening day starter against the Athletics on March 27.

In the end, they opted to go with one of their longest tenured starting pitchers.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters on Saturday that Kevin Gausman would take the ball in the opener during which the Blue Jays will raise their American League pennant and try to reach the World Series for the second straight season.

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It will be the first time Gausman has taken the ball opening day for the Blue Jays and will be the third opening day assignment of his career.

Kevin Gausman, Opening Day Starter

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman. | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

The Blue Jays had plenty of options for opening day. They could have gone with their top free agent signee, Dylan Cease, or with Cody Ponce, who they signed out of the KBO last offseason. Veteran starter Shane Bieber and rookie Trey Yesavage will continue their ramp-ups and will be on limited pitch counts to start the season. Veteran Max Scherzer just signed last week and while he’s already thrown four innings in a spring training game, he’s only in his second season with Toronto.

Starting pitcher José Berríos is preparing for a Tuesday examination by Dr. Keith Meister for an elbow issue.

Starting Gausman just made too much sense for the Blue Jays.

“I’m pumped for him, pumped for us. It’s about time he got one,” Schneider said to MLB.com.

Gausman is in the final year of his five-year contract with the Blue Jays. He has made practically every start since he joined the organization in 2022. Last season he went 10-11 with a 3.59 ERA in 32 starts. He struck out 189 and walked 50 in 193 innings. He’s won at least 10 games in each of his four seasons in Toronto.

The former first-round pick of the Baltimore Orioles was a key piece of the puzzle for the Blue Jays last season, as they won the AL pennant and reached the World Series for the first time since 1993. That series went seven games and is already remembered as one of the best in recent memory, even though the Blue Jays lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games.

Every offseason move Toronto made was with the intent of making a run back to the World Series and finishing the job. It starts on March 27 with a pitcher who has been the Blue Jays’ backbone for the past four seasons.