Toronto Blue Jays ace Kevin Gausman sets franchise record in Opening Day start

Kevin Gausman came out dominant from the start, striking out the side in the first inning and finishing the game with 11 strikeouts, the most ever by a Toronto Blue Jays pitcher in a season opener.

The previous record of nine strikeouts had been shared by Esteban Loaiza and Hall of Famer Roy Halladay.

Over his outing, Gausman allowed just one run on minimal hits. The only damage came in the fourth inning, when Shea Langeliers hit a solo home run.

This marked Gausman’s first Opening Day start since joining Toronto ahead of the 2022 season.

Earlier in his career, he also earned Opening Day nods with the Baltimore Orioles in 2017 and the San Francisco Giants in 2021.

The 35-year-old right-hander is coming off another strong campaign, leading the Blue Jays in 2025 with a 3.59 ERA and 189 strikeouts while posting a 10–11 record.

The Centennial, Colorado native also made five postseason starts during Toronto’s run to the American League pennant before they fell in seven games to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.

Since signing a five-year, $110 million deal in December 2021, Gausman has been a pillar of Toronto’s rotation.

The two-time All-Star has started at least 30 games in each of his four seasons with the club, including 32 starts during the 2025 regular season.

His durability may prove even more critical this year, as the Blue Jays opened the season with several key pitchers sidelined, including Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber, and José Berríos, who made last year’s Opening Day start.

Also read on Blue Jays Central :
Toronto Blue Jays sign veteran right-hander Austin Voth ahead of Opening Day