With only one scheduled start remaining to Kevin Gausman’s season, more than a few eyebrows were raised when the veteran right-hander was not on the mound to begin the sixth inning Thursday in Arlington, Texas.
He had just pitched five no-hit innings against the Texas Rangers, requiring a tidy 58 pitches to retire the Rangers with relative ease and efficiency.
Dillon Tate, making his debut for the Jays, pitched a clean sixth inning.
But the focus was on Gausman, even as Toronto won 4-0 to avoid getting swept by Texas.
Per the club, Gausman had experienced lower back tightness, which is never good for any pitcher, let alone someone who will turn 34 in January.
One supposes it could have been worse at a time when bad news seems to be piling up.
Toronto’s win was capped off by a mammoth home run in the ninth inning to deep centre field by Vladimir Guerrero, his second of the game, to give him 30 home runs on the season. Guerrero is one RBI shy of 100.
Texas had just two hits in the game: One in the seventh inning off Genesis Cabrera, and one in the ninth off Chad Green, who was on the mound in a non-save situation.
The Jays’ season was encapsulated in Thursday’s starting lineup.
Consider the nine hitters in the order and only one, Vlad Jr., is an absolute lock to be on the team in 2025, barring an off-season trade.
In fact, Vlad Jr. was Thursday’s lone everyday incumbent when the 2024 season began. George Springer was given the day off on his 35th birthday. Tyler Heineman, beginning his third tour of duty with Toronto, was at catcher.
Injuries, trades and poor performance sent the Jays’ roster into complete disarray in the many months leading up to the series finale at Globe Life Field.