Kevin Gausman sets Blue Jays Opening Day record with 11 strikeouts

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gausman-kevin/xS7yw9Ic/"]Gausman[/a], 35, didn't allow a single walk and gave up one run on a home run through six innings of work. He set the record with his 10th during the top of the fifth inning when he sent down [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/muncy-max/n17Lr7qM/"]Max Muncy[/a].[/p][embed guid="d8a86ff4-6286-4a21-9d81-3cf71df2cefd" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya9zSufsVew" social-type="youtube" /][p]Gausman tossed five shutouts last season, one complete game, and he already has his first in the team's first game of the season. The Colorado native has been with the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/toronto-blue-jays/zcDLaZ3b/"]Blue Jays[/a] since 2022 and was their ace last year. [/p][p]He finished the 2025 season with a 3.59 earned run average, putting up 189 strikeouts in 193 innings of work, giving up 155 hits and 50 walks. Since the 2020 COVID season, Gausman has played five straight full seasons completely healthy, putting up at least 31 starts in each. [/p][p]The two-time All-Star is looking to lead his Blue Jays back to the World Series, where they lost in seven games to the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-dodgers/nwPDBpVc/"]Los Angeles Dodgers[/a] last season. [/p]