Sunday Bantering: Gausman Starts Opening Day, And Other Jays Stuff

DUNEDIN, FLORIDA - MARCH 03: Kevin Gausman #34 of the Toronto Blue Jays delivers a pitch in the first inning against team Canada during a game at TD Ballpark on March 03, 2026 in Dunedin, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images

There isn’t a lot for Blue Jays’ news this morning.

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The team has announced that Kevin Gausman will be our opening day starter. So far he’s thrown 4.1 innings of ‘official spring’ ball so fair. He hasn’t allowed a run, with four hits, one walk and six strikeouts. Last year he had a 3.59 ERA in 32 starts.

Brendon Little has added a couple of pitches and dropped one from last year:

Pitch Repertoire Update! ⚾️🚨📢 Brendon Little (TOR) has added a four-seamer & slider this year in place of the cutter he threw in 2025; his full arsenal is now SI / FF / SL / KChttps://t.co/U7PVgzr9Xm

— MLBPitchClass (@MLBPitchClass) March 15, 2026

He’s looking to have a something else he can throw in the strikezone. It looks like he’ll be the number one lefty in the pen, so it’s good to see him looking to fix things up that weren’t working at the end of last season.

So far this spring, he’s thrown five innings, three hits, four walks and eight strikeouts with no runs against. we’ll see how things go.

The Jays play at 1:00 Eastern. Grant Rogers is starting. Since Berrios is suddenly out, we get a spring bullpen day. But the team is bringing a surprising number of regulars to St. Lucie County. Google maps says it is a 3 hour 15 minute days. Generally veterans don’t like to make bus rides that long.

Today’s Lineups

BLUE JAYSMETSGeorge Springer – DHFrancisco Lindor – SSDaulton Varsho – CFMarcus Semien – 2BDavis Schneider – 2BBo Bichette – 3BAddison Barger – 3BJorge Polanco – DHJesus Sanchez – RFLuis Robert – CFNathan Lukes – LFBrett Baty – 1BLeo Jimenez – SSFrancisco Alvarez – CBrandon Valenzuela – CMike Tauchman – RFCharles McAdoo – 1BTyrone Taylor – LFGrant Rogers – RHPZach Thornton – LHP

The game is on Sportsnet.

And tonight we have the USA vs Dominican Republic in the semifinal for the WBC. Paul Skenes starts for the US (that couldn’t have worked out better for them. Luis Severino starts for DR.

We’ll have a GameThread up for that.

Italy and Venezuela play tomorrow.

What should we expect the Jays rotation to look like the first time through?

Gausman, Cease, Scherzer, Ponce, Lauer? Or will Yesavage be ready? Pretty doubtful.

Then it is a game of when will Yesavage, Bieber and Berrios be ready. Maybe Mr. Grant Rogers there is closer than I think.

On the bullpen side, does Spencer Miles make the team? Angel Bastardo?

Beyond that: Hoffman, Tyler Rogers, Varland, Nance, Little, Fisher, Nance and Fluharty. That’s eight guys without Miles or Bastardo.

Opening Day is on the 27th, and there is still a few decisions to be made.

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