Blue Jays' Kevin Gausman shines in spring training debut versus Marlins

Kevin Gausman struck out three batters in his lone inning of work as the Toronto Blue Jays dropped an 8-7 decision to the visiting Miami Marlins.

The Blue Jays' starter began his outing by fanning Otto Lopez. After allowing a single to Kyle Stowers and issuing a walk to Esteury Ruiz, Gausman regrouped and worked out of the jam by striking out Canadians Liam Hicks and Owen Caissie to end the inning unscathed.

The 33-year-old is coming off a solid 2025 campaign in which he posted a 10-11 record with a 3.59 ERA over the regular season.

He elevated his game in October, going 2-3 with a 2.93 ERA as Toronto pushed all the way to Game 7 of the World Series.

Gausman is once again expected to anchor what projects to be one of the club's biggest strengths, its starting rotation.

Offensively, Toronto struck early. Catcher Andres Gimenez put the Blue Jays on the board with a two-run double in the bottom of the first inning.

Reliever Tyler Rogers followed with a clean second frame, striking out two, and the Blue Jays extended their advantage with a three-run outburst in the inning.

Andres Gimenez launched a solo home run, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. delivered an RBI single, and Guerrero later crossed the plate on an Addison Barger groundout.

One of Toronto's headline off-season additions, Kazuma Okamoto, pushed the lead to 7-2 in the fourth inning with a two-run double.

However, Miami chipped away late. An RBI single from Jay Beshears and a three-run triple by Chase Jaworsky trimmed the deficit to 7-6 heading into the ninth.

Bennett Hostetler then tied it with an RBI single and eventually scored the winning run on a forceout, completing the Marlins' comeback.

Toronto (1-4-1) will look to rebound Friday afternoon when it visits the Tampa Bay Rays in Port Charlotte, Florida.

Also read on Blue Jays Central :
Interview: Max Scherzer talks about reunion with Toronto Blue Jays