Gausman: If Jays ‘don’t pitch well, we probably lose’

Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman believes Toronto doesn’t have a very good chance of winning games unless its pitching is strong.

“A much as you try to block it out, it’s really hard to. The reality is, yeah, if we don’t pitch well, we probably lose,” Gausman said postgame following a 3-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Friday, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. “We’ve got to be really good. That’s not to say we have a lack of effort, but right now, offensively, we’re struggling. Defensively, as pitchers, we need to be better. We almost have to be perfect.

“It’s tough. It adds some pressure, but we’re in the big leagues, and you have pressure every single day. Every game is pressure. It doesn’t add any more to it, but that’s just the reality of the situation we’re in.”

Gausman surrendered three earned runs on eight hits with six strikeouts and no walks over 5 1/3 innings in the defeat. However, the Blue Jays’ bats mustered just three hits.

Guardians left-hander Logan Allen came into the contest with a 5.57 ERA and 1.51 WHIP this season. He held Toronto to one earned run on three hits with three strikeouts and three walks across five innings.

Toronto’s sputtering offense entered Friday’s action sitting 26th in the majors for homers and runs. The club is also 25th in slugging percentage.