Kevin Gausman Is Pitching Like a Cy Young Winner, But the Blue Jays Are Still Losing and It's Getting Worse

The Toronto Blue Jays are in trouble, and Kevin Gausman can't save them by himself. The right-hander takes the mound Sunday in Phoenix against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the finale of a three-game series, but even with his ridiculous 2.42 ERA, Toronto is falling apart. The Jays have dropped four straight games and won just one of their last seven. Meanwhile, Arizona just crushed them 6-2 on Saturday thanks to Corbin Carroll's go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning, and the D-backs are absolutely rolling: four wins in a row, 10 of their last 13, and they haven't lost a series since getting swept by the Dodgers to start the year.

Gausman's Delivery Is Perfect, But His Teammates Aren't Showing Up

Here's what makes this frustrating: Gausman has been nothing short of elite. In four starts, he's allowed three runs or fewer every single time. He struck out 21 batters over his first two outings. In his most recent start against Milwaukee on Tuesday, he gave up three runs and six hits over five innings in a no-decision during Toronto's 9-7, 10-inning win. Manager John Schneider knows exactly what the problem is. "We're not scoring, but we're definitely not scoring when he's out there," Schneider said. "I feel like he's been as steady as he has ever been here."

Gausman sits at 0-1 despite the dominant pitching. The Blue Jays have scored just one run in two of his starts. He's even got a history of success against Arizona, going 6-2 with a 3.23 ERA in 10 career appearances against the D-backs. The physical mechanics are sound too. "He's in a good place. Physically his delivery is sound. That's the only time Kevin has been in trouble, with his delivery, and that's been really good," Schneider said.

Arizona's Nelson Is Changing His Game, But Defense Keeps Letting Him Down

Toronto will face Ryne Nelson, who comes in at 1-1 with a 3.54 ERA. Nelson's been dealing with some bad luck on the defensive side. He's given up 14 runs in four starts, but only eight were earned. Atlanta lit him up for five unearned runs in a 17-2 blowout on April 2. In his last outing against Baltimore on Monday, he gave up two runs, one earned, over 5 1/3 innings, but Arizona's bullpen couldn't hold a 7-1 lead in a 9-7 loss.

Arizona manager Torey Lovullo is pushing Nelson to do more than just blow it by hitters. He's increased his slider and curveball usage this season to go with his high-90s fastball. Against the Orioles, Nelson had seven strikeouts, three on his fastball, three on the slider, and one on the curve. "He's had success pitching with velocity and only velocity, but we want to allow him to go out there and change speeds, side-to-side as well as up-and-down," Lovullo said.

Nelson is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in three career starts against the Blue Jays. First pitch Sunday is the moment Toronto's season turns around or gets worse. There's no middle ground right now.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.