Gausman’s recent slump brings rotation worries
The Giants beat the Diamondbacks again and hit four more home runs.
Buster Posey cleared the right-field wall, his second homer in two nights. Fellow 34-year-old Brandon Crawford also homered to the opposite field. Alex Dickerson hit a pinch homer into McCovey Cove, and LaMonte Wade Jr.’s might’ve been the most entertaining of all — his flyball caromed off center fielder Ketel Marte’s glove and over the wall.
Even pitcher Kevin Gausman got into the act by bouncing a couple of singles into the outfield.
It was all fine and dandy for the best team in baseball Wednesday night at Oracle Park.
But the latest offensive explosion masked the fact that Gausman wasn’t sharp beyond the first inning and continues to have difficulties locating his split-fingered fastball.
“That was kind of the story of my outing,” Gausman said. “Early ... it was really good. I just lost the feel for it at times. It’s been pretty frustrating as
of late, that certain pitch in particular.”
Gausman struck out his first three batters, two on splits, but lasted five innings while giving up four hits and issuing four walks. He surrendered just two runs, one earned, but remains far removed from the first-half dominance that added up to a 1.73 ERA at the All-Star break.
Since the break, he has a 5.16 ERA in five starts — including four homers allowed and 13 walks in 222⁄3 innings. Averaging less than five innings per start, he’s not the workhorse he was in the first half.
“The first inning, he came out and was lightning,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “The ball was carrying, the split looked like it had that downward angle we’re looking for. He was able to command it more in the middle of the plate and down below. As the game went on, I don’t think he had the same level of control.”
Kapler noted Gausman has experienced other things in his life, one that’s far more important than baseball — he and his wife, Taylor, welcomed a daughter, Sutton Claire, into the world, Taylor had experienced pregnancy complications, which undoubtedly was on the pitcher’s mind leading up to last Friday’s birth.
“Some of the travel and the fact he just had a baby, we need to remember this is going to be a building process coming back from what he’s experienced with his family,” Kapler said. “There’s a lot of emotion there. We’re going to be patient with Gaus. He’s not quite at his best yet, but we believe we’ll get there. ...
“I do attribute some of him not being the dominant pitcher that we’ve seen from him over the last calendar year or more to the family stuff.”
With Anthony DeSclafani on the injured list — he’s scheduled to be activated and start Friday night — and Johnny Cueto placed on the IL on Wednesday with a flexor strain, rotation concerns are real. Gausman can boost the starting staff by returning to first-half form and relocating his splitter.
“Just keep throwing it,” he said. “It was really good pregame and really good at certain points today. I felt really good about it because I felt it was turning the corner. I threw some good ones and threw some bad ones. It’s definitely been hard to find of late.”
Gausman came off the paternity list Sunday to pitch Wednesday, and now he has a chance to return to a normal routine of preparing for his starts.
“You think about the first half, being able to have my normal bullpens and four days in between, maybe that has something to do with it,” Gausman said. “I’ve definitely done everything I can and am not missing bullpens because of any of this stuff. There’s no excuse.”
On a lighter note, both of Gausman’s hits boosted rallies. His first single, through a drawn-in infield, scored a run, and his second single preceded Wade’s homer. The two hits equaled Gausman’s career total entering this season. This year, he has eight hits.
“Anything I do at the plate is kind of a bonus,” he said. “Being able to contribute once in a while is nice. To be honest, I’m just up there trying to make contact and not look stupid.”