Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider speaks on Kevin Gausman's struggles
Photo credit: https://motorcyclesports.net
Kevin Gausman allowed seven earned runs over 4 1/3 innings as the Toronto Blue Jays fell 9-5 against the Arizona DiamondBacks on Thursday, denying their sixth sweep of the season.
The Blue Jays' pitching depth is teetering, which makes it a bad time for one of their most reliable starters to be struggling
«I feel like everybody kind of did their job this series and I just didn't,» Gausman said. «We're playing really good right now and going for a sweep today and I go out there and do that. So I'm pretty frustrated.»
Kevin Gausman is experiencing his share of trouble this month
The 34-year-old gave up seven hits and three walks as his record dropped to 5-6. Manager John Schneider pulled him after he hit Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr., with a pitch to load the bases with one out in the fifth inning.
Both Schneider and Gausman pointed to the righty's command as the root of his recent struggles.
«When he's good, he's on the attack, he's getting ahead of you and then he's kind of dominating those 1-1 counts. And that hasn't been the case,» Schneider said.
Gausman has walked 12 batters in 20 June innings compared to one in 31 innings in May.
He's now allowed 17 earned runs through 20 innings over four starts this month, a rough follow-up to a sterling May in which he went 3-1 with a 2.81 ERA.
He said strike percentage has been «the story» of his season.
«June's been really ugly for me and so I need to take a deep look and figure some things out and get better. I feel like if I can get back to who I am, I think that's the next step for this team and I hope to be a big part of it and right now I feel like I'm not doing my end,» Gausman said.
Arizona's Eugenio Suarez and Pavin Smith combined for two home runs and seven RBIs in the victory, with the slugging Suarez, who ended the game a triple away from the cycle, especially proving to be a thorn in Gausman's side.
«He had a plan going in obviously and I think I kind of fed right into his plan just about every at-bat,» Gausman said.
The Rogers Centre roof opened about 20 minutes before the game, and Schneider mentioned windy conditions, with gusts up to 32 kilometres per hour at first pitch, as a factor in Gausman's outing.
«I've pitched plenty of games windy and I kinda need to make that adjustment,» Gausman said. «My split was moving a lot today, but I just couldn't make that adjustment to figure out how to throw it for a strike and then how to throw it for a ball.»
Gausman's next start is likely to come next week against the Cleveland Guardians, whose 277 runs entering Thursday were fourth fewest in the American League.
«(Gausman's) elite when he's ahead in counts, and I think just not getting there has been tough for him,» Schneider said.
The Blue Jays sit in the second wild-card position in the American League, one game back of the Tampa Bay Rays.
Will Kevin Guasman and Pete Walker make the proper adjustments to help him win in his next outing versus the Cleveland Guardians?
Tell us what you think in the Poll below.
Source: The Canadian Press
Gausman struggles as Blue Jays drop series finale to Diamondbacks
Gausman struggles as Blue Jays drop series finale to Diamondbacks
| POLL | ||
JUIN 19 | 154 ANSWERS Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider speaks on Kevin Gausman's struggles Will Kevin Guasman and Pete Walker make the proper adjustments to help him win in his next outing versus the Cleveland Guardians? | ||
| Yes | 108 | 70.1 % |
| No | 34 | 22.1 % |
| Too early to tell | 12 | 7.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
TRENDING NOW
