Blue Jays: Kevin Gausman named as ALCS Game 1 starter against Mariners

On a surface level, Gausman has been good this season, but has been better for the Blue Jays in the past. In 193 innings pitched over 32 games, the 34-year-old right-handed pitcher authored a 3.59 ERA and 3.41 FIP, with a 24.4 K% and 6.5 BB%, down from his K% that sat around 29% in his first season with the Jays.

Although he has been good this season, his overall stats don’t tell the whole story. In the second half of the season, Gausman has a 2.81 ERA and 2.76 FIP in 83.1 innings pitched, along with a 26.2 K% and a 4.9 BB%.

After his performance against the Houston Astros on September 11, where he pitched nine scoreless innings with two hits allowed, Gausman became the Blue Jays’ Game 1 starter for the postseason run.  In his start against the Yankees, Gausman pitched five and two-thirds innings, giving up one earned run while striking out three and walking two. 

He departed that game with two outs and the bases loaded, with Louis Varland striking out Giancarlo Stanton to maintain the Blue Jays’ 2-1 lead in an eventual 10-1 victory.

However, it’s worth looking at how Gausman has done against the Mariners, at least since joining the Blue Jays. This season, he pitched one game against the Mariners on May 9, throwing five and one-third innings with three earned runs allowed and three strikeouts.

This won’t be the first time Gausman has started against the Mariners in the postseason. Gausman started Game 2 of the 2022 American League Wild Card Series, yes, that game. Overall, he finished with five and two-thirds innings pitched, giving up four earned runs and striking out seven.

It’s not as bad as it appears, though. Gausman allowed three consecutive singles in the top of the sixth, but got the next two outs. Instead of allowing their ace to get out of it, the Jays turned to Tim Mayza, who threw a wild pitch to score a run, and then a home run to Carlos Santana to give the Mariners life. Let’s not talk about the rest of the game.

The biggest challenge in the Mariners’ lineup is Cal Raleigh, a catcher who broke records, including hitting 60 home runs in 2025. Raleigh has had success against Gausman, hitting three home runs off the Jays’ starter in 13 plate appearances. Raleigh has also found success at Rogers Centre, hitting seven home runs in just 47 plate appearances at the Jays’ home park. Granted, all but one of those home runs came off pitchers no longer on the Jays’ roster.

To counter Gausman, the Mariners are throwing out Bryce Miller, who is on just three days’ rest. As you likely know, the Mariners used three of their starters in Game 5 against the Detroit Tigers, a classic game that went 15 innings before the Mariners were able to walk it off.