With the season’s halfway point arriving Thursday night, Kevin Gausman tried to protect a taxed bullpen by going six innings—but six runs allowed and three home runs carried the Blue Jays to a 6-5 loss to the Rangers at Rogers Centre.
When the lights stayed bright at Rogers Centre on Thursday night, the Blue Jays didn’t just lose an opener in a four-game series. They ran out of time to pretend small improvements were enough.
Kevin Gausman ground through six innings after allowing six runs, helping save a taxed bullpen from additional work. It still wasn’t the kind of start that buys comfort. Toronto dropped the opener of the series with the Rangers, 6-5.
On a night when walks weren’t the main problem for Gausman—unlike his last start against the Cubs—hard contact and the long ball did the damage. Three home runs were part of the story, including early strikes that tilted the game before Toronto could fully settle in.
Joc Pederson opened the scoring in the top of the first by launching the 11th pitch of his leadoff at-bat into the second deck in right field for an early 1-0 lead. The Rangers made it worse in the top of the third when Wyatt Langford added a three-run shot. Jake Burger then left the yard later in the inning for a two-run homer.
The scale of it is difficult to ignore. Gausman has now allowed eight home runs in five June starts, after allowing six in his first 12 starts of the season.
And for all the frustration behind those numbers, the Rangers’ profile on offense makes it sting even more. They were far from a nonstop power threat entering the game—tied with the Rockies and Giants for 19th in the Majors in home runs (86). They were also sitting at 20th in team OPS (.710) after Thursday night’s game.
In his postgame comments, Gausman didn’t dress it up. “Lots of hits, 10 hits, three homers and one to start the game,” he said. “I don’t think there’s many positives you can take from giving up 10 hits and three homers. You’re just not going to have success with those types of numbers. I just need to be better.”.
The Blue Jays offense couldn’t find much against Rangers starter MacKenzie Gore beyond one big moment. Gore worked seven innings, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out five. The only sustained damage from Toronto came in the three-run fifth inning.
After that, the Rangers tightened the game. Jakob Junis threw a scoreless eighth. Jacob Latz bent but didn’t break in the ninth to record his 15th save of the season.
Gausman called getting through six innings “the only positive” from his outing. and he also pointed to how his fastball hasn’t been behaving the way he needs it to. “I need to take a look at my delivery and figure out my land leg. I feel like it’s kind of buckling right now. ” he said. “That allows me to pitch up in the zone.”.
Manager John Schneider, for his part, didn’t frame Gausman’s recent struggles as a single, simple pattern. “They were different games in terms of walks and command and not really having it from the get-go,” Schneider said. “I think mistake pitches today were the difference.”
Even so, Schneider made clear he still valued what Gausman gave Toronto in the middle innings. Despite the tough line, he praised his starter for pitching the sixth and saving the bullpen innings. It looked. at one point. like Gausman was pushing his case in the dugout to go back out after the fifth.
“You’re trying to do what’s best for everyone, especially Kev, who’s so important for us,” Schneider said. “He’s one of those guys you trust. That’s big to save three outs from the bullpen.”
The loss lands as the Blue Jays move toward a more consequential stretch. They’re preparing to close out June and enter July. There are three games remaining against the Rangers—now tied with the Blue Jays in the muddy middle of the American League—followed by a series versus the Mets. and then a three-team. 10-day road trip out west that takes them into the All-Star break.
For Schneider, the first half is already being treated as a grind that has to end soon. “It’s been a grind, it’s been a challenge,” Schneider said of the first half of the season. “I really think our best baseball is in front of us. in terms of getting healthy and guys turning the corner to perform.”.
Toronto Blue Jays Kevin Gausman Rogers Centre Texas Rangers MacKenzie Gore Jakob Junis Jacob Latz John Schneider American League June starts home runs
Six runs and three homers… that’s just brutal.
I don’t get it, they said he was trying to save the bullpen, but then he still gave up everything. Seems like “blame” is just PR.
Wait did the Blue Jays lose because of “taxed bullpen”? Like the bullpen got tired from paying taxes or something? Also three home runs early is crazy, but I feel like Toronto should’ve walked more? Idk.
Rogers Centre lights stayed bright but the team didn’t, classic. Gausman “protected” the bullpen and then immediately allowed 6… so what was the point lol. Pederson hitting in the first, then Langford and Burger going yard, that’s just like the game was decided before I even finished reading. Also 8 home runs in five June starts sounds like they need to switch pitchers or the whole coaching staff, but of course they won’t.