Kevin Gausman’s arrival in Baltimore has me asking a lot of questions. I’m excited to watch him pitch against the Tigers, but I’m also not sure what the purpose of the move is in either the immediate or long term future. Gausman just returned from the minor league disabled list this past weekend to make a start against the Indianapolis Indians, throwing 77 pitches in 4.2 innings. He’s been on a strict pitch count in an effort to allow him to last throughout the season and hopefully deep into October. His numbers in Triple-A have been very respectable so far, but is this a necessary move right now? Is it a long-term move and will someone be pushed out of the rotation?
A six-man rotation is very unlikely, almost unheard of. The Orioles have an off day on Monday, but after that will play 13 straight days and 29 out of 30. There’s going to be a lot of pressure on this club over that stretch, and while the offense and bullpen have taken the brunt of the abuse over the last few weeks, the rotation remains a big question mark going forward. Is Gausman going to be relied on to save it?
It’s obvious that Chris Tillman and Ubaldo Jimenez are not exiting their starting roles. Tillman has been the team’s best pitcher so far, and Jimenez is proving that his April woes are behind him. Bud Norris is also sticking around. He’s been the team’s second-best starter through the first six-plus weeks. That leaves Wei-Yin Chen and Miguel Gonzalez as the big question marks going forward. Being left-handed helps Chen in my eyes. Both have had their struggles, but it’s Gonzalez that has a target squarely on his back. I’m not sure if Gausman is ready to take over. The spot start puts a lot of things into question.
Everyone in Birdland is dreaming of a future rotation that features Gausman and Dylan Bundy, so perhaps a preview is here. Gausman has a chance to stick and push Gonzalez into the bullpen. Bundy threw a live bullpen session on Tuesday and is getting closer and closer to competitive games as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. We’ve had a snapshot of both players in the past, but I’m still waiting for a decision to be made on when we can rely on each on a consistent basis. It may not be too far off.
I’ve also heard a lot of speculation that Gausman could shift to the bullpen, possibly to take over the ninth-inning role from Tommy Hunter. I wouldn’t count on it. While it would limit Gausman’s innings, which is an obvious desire of the club, they want him to be a starting pitcher. I think you’re much more likely to see Brian Matusz, Darren O’Day or Zach Britton get a shot in that role before Gausman.
There’s uncertainty right now in the rotation about Tillman’s health, and Norris’ standing with the league after Monday’s dustup with Torii Hunter, but as far as Gausman’s place in the rotation, he’s really the only one that can solidify it. If he’s able to pitch well and force Buck Showalter’s hand, perhaps a place on the roster will have to be made.
