Blue Jays' Kevin Gausman: Looks sharp in spring debut

Gausman (shoulder) struck out seven and allowed one earned run on three hits and no walks over three-plus innings Monday in his Grapefruit League start against the Pirates.

After he experienced shoulder fatigue earlier this month and had his throwing progression slowed as a result, Gausman was finally cleared to make his spring debut in the Blue Jays' Grapefruit League finale. The right-hander seemed to quell any concerns about his readiness for the start of the regular season, as he built up to 52 pitches and induced eight swinging strikes while sporting a fastball that sat at around 95 miles per hour, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca. Unless Gausman reports renewed discomfort in his shoulder coming out of Monday's start, he should avoid a stint on the injured list and will likely take the bump for Toronto when a fifth starter is first needed April 1 in Houston. Gausman is likely to be limited to around 65-to-70 pitches in that outing, but he may still be worth including in fantasy lineups since he would tentatively line up for a two-start week, with the second turn coming April 7 on the road versus the Yankees.