Kevin Gausman

Gausman attended Grandview High School in Centennial, Colorado, where he played for the school's baseball team as a pitcher.[1] In 2010, his senior year, he was 9–2 with a 3.12 ERA.[2]

The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Gausman in the sixth round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft, but he did not sign.[1] He attended Louisiana State University (LSU), where he played college baseball for the LSU Tigers baseball team. In 2011, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[3] In 2012, as a sophomore at LSU, he was 12–2 with a 2.77 ERA in 18 games (17 starts).[4] Gausman pitched in both Game 1 and Game 2 of the Baton Rouge Super Regional, coming out of relief in the completion of the rain-delayed first game and earning a win, but took a loss in the second game as LSU would go on to suffer a historic upset at the hands of Stony Brook.[5]

Gausman was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles fourth overall in the 2012 MLB Draft.[6] He was an All-American in 2012 at LSU.[7] He signed with the Orioles for $4.32 million on July 13, 2012.[8]

Gausman started the 2013 season with the Double-A Bowie Baysox until the Orioles promoted him to the major leagues to make his debut in Toronto against the Blue Jays on May 23, 2013.[9] In his debut against the Blue Jays, Gausman pitched five innings and allowed seven hits, four runs, and two walks, also adding five strikeouts.[10] Gausman picked up the loss as the Orioles fell 12–6 to the Blue Jays. On June 14, Gausman was optioned to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides.[11] He was recalled on June 24.[12] On June 28, Gausman earned his first Major League win, against the New York Yankees, pitching in relief of T. J. McFarland, going 4 1/3 innings, striking out four and allowing no walks and three hits.[13] He was optioned back to Norfolk on July 10. He was again recalled from the Norfolk Tides on August 28, and earned his second big league win on September 1, also against the Yankees, but at Yankee Stadium.[14]

On June 7, 2014, Gausman earned his first win as a starting pitcher, going seven innings against the Oakland Athletics, allowing only one run, walking one, and striking out six.[15] Following the best outing of his young career, Gausman pitched against the AL East leading Toronto Blue Jays where he went six innings, again allowing one run and striking out three. In the 2014 postseason, Gausman pitched out of the bullpen for the Orioles.[16][17] Gausman pitched eight innings in three relief appearances, posting a 1.13 ERA and an 0.75 WHIP. The Orioles would sweep the Tigers in the ALDS before being swept in the ALCS by the Kansas City Royals.[18][19]

Gausman finished the 2014 campaign having made 20 starts, with one complete game (five innings, due to rain), posting a 3.57 ERA and a 7–7 win/loss record.[20]

Gausman made 25 appearances in 2015 (17 starts). He posted a moderate 4.25 ERA, but struck out a career-high 103 batters, averaging 8.3 K/9. He posted a 4–7 record, as the Orioles finished 81–81 and didn't make the playoffs.[21]

Gausman pitching for the Baltimore Orioles in 2016

Gausman started the season on the DL, but returned ready to prove he was at his best. He made his season debut on April 25 against the Rays, earning a tough loss after going five innings and giving up only one run on three hits. He earned a no decision in his very next start as the Orioles lost 8–7 against the White Sox. Gausman went six innings, allowing three runs (two earned). His very next start was the best of his career, as he pitched eight shutout innings, allowing only three hits, no walks, and striking out four batters. He earned a tough no decision, as the Orioles would eventually win the game 1–0 in the tenth inning.

Gausman pitched to a 4.15 ERA in 15 pre-All Star Break starts. He had a tough 1–6 record, as his run support was very low.

On August 28, Gausman pitched 7 scoreless innings against the Yankees, raising his scoreless innings streak to 13​²⁄₃ innings. In his very next start against the Yankees, Gausman pitched six shutout innings, raising his scoreless innings streak to 19​²⁄₃ innings. He fanned eight batters and won his career-high fourth straight start. Gausman also tied his career high with his seventh win of the year, while lowering his ERA down to 3.58. He extended the scoreless innings streak to 21​¹⁄₃ against the Tigers, before allowing a run in the second inning of a 4–3 loss. Following this start, he threw eight scoreless innings in a 1–0 victory over the Red Sox. He improved to 8–10 on the year and lowered his ERA to 3.43.

Gausman finished the year 11–12, despite pitching to a 3.61 ERA due to low run support. He pitched a career-high in innings and struck out a career-high 174 batters.

On March 28, 2017, Gausman was named the Orioles' Opening Day starting pitcher for the first time in his career.[22] He pitched 5.1 innings on Opening Day, allowing two runs on five hits and four walks, while also striking out four batters. Gausman earned the no decision. On May 3, Gausman was ejected for the first time in his Major League career after hitting Xander Bogaerts with a pitch.[23] On July 29, Gausman pitched the longest outing of his career against the Texas Rangers, going 8​²⁄₃ shutout innings while striking out eight batters and earning the victory.

For the season, he had the lowest percentage of balls pulled against him (33.3%) among major league pitchers.[24]

Before the 2018 season, Gausman changed from his old number of 39 to 34, in honor of the late former Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay.[25] On April 23, in a start against the Cleveland Indians, Gausman threw the 90th immaculate inning in MLB history, striking out three batters in one inning on just nine pitches.[26][27]

On July 31, 2018, Gausman along with Darren O'Day, was traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for minor leaguers Brett Cumberland, Jean Carlos Encarnacion, Evan Phillips, Bruce Zimmermann, and international signing money.[28]

During spring training in 2019, Gausman dealt with a sore shoulder.[29] He began the season rehabilitating in the minor leagues, and made his season debut on April 5.[30][31] On May 3, 2019, Gausman was ejected from a game against the Miami Marlins by umpire Jeff Nelson for throwing behind José Ureña. He and Ureña had last faced each other on August 15, 2018, when Ureña hit the Braves' Ronald Acuña, with a pitch.[32][33] Major League Baseball fined and suspended Gausman for five games after he threw at Ureña. Gausman appealed the suspension.[34][35] On May 12, Gausman dropped his appeal of the penalty.[36][37] In 16 starts, he was 3–7 with a 6.19 ERA.

On August 5, 2019, the Cincinnati Reds claimed Gausman off waivers from the Braves.[38][39] With the Reds, Gausman became a reliever.[40] In a relief appearance against the St. Louis Cardinals on August 18, Gausman pitched his second career immaculate inning, while striking out all six batters he faced.[41] Gausman was non-tendered on December 2, 2019, and became a free agent.[42]

On December 10, 2019, Gausman signed a one-year contract with the San Francisco Giants.[43] During the shortened 2020 season, Gausman was 3–3 with a 3.62 ERA and 79 strikeouts in ​59 ²⁄₃ innings. On November 11, 2020, Gausman accepted a qualifying offer worth $18.9 million from the Giants.[44]