March 6, 2025 1:35 PM : Gausman topped out at 96.2 mph with his fastball during his spring debut Wednesday against the Pirates, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. The 34-year-old right-hander walked one and struck out two over 1.2 scoreless, no-hit innings while tossing 23 of 38 pitches for strikes.
Analysis: Gausman dealt with shoulder trouble last spring that prevented him from getting fully stretched out ahead of Opening Day, and he seemed to be playing catch-up all season with both his velocity and his command on his breaking pitches. Gausman finished with a 3.83 ERA and 21.4 percent strikeout rate -- his worst numbers in those categories since 2019 -- over 181 regular-season innings while averaging just 93.9 mph with his fastball. He spent this winter putting on extra muscle, and it showed in his first Grapefruit League action as he averaged 94.9 mph with his heater. If Gausman begins this season healthy, a bounce-back campaign could well be in the cards, as he produced a 3.16 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 31.1 percent strikeout rate as recently as 2023.