The Giants’ best pitcher over the last two seasons is on his way out of town.
Kevin Gausman has agreed to a five-year, $110 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Gausman arrived in San Francisco ahead of the 2020 season on a one-year free agent deal as the Giants believed in a pitcher who had enough talent to be drafted fourth overall in 2012 (by Baltimore), but who had never performed like an ace at the major league level.
He was the Giants’ top starter in the shortened 2020 season, going 3-3 with a 3.62 ERA and returned for 2021 after accepting the qualifying offer of $18.9 million.
The Centennial, Colorado native rewarded the Giants’ faith again by turning in an All-Star season this year with a 2.81 earned-run average over 192 innings and allowing a 1.042 WHIP — all career bests — along with a 14-6 record in 33 starts. The beginning of Gausman’s season was particularly strong: He had a 1.73 ERA over 114 innings in the first half.
Though his success decreased some down the stretch, Gausman did enough to earn himself a significant payday from a team looking to find its way back into the playoffs.
Four prominent Giants starting pitchers entered free agency this offseason: Gausman, Anthony DeSclafani, Alex Wood and Johnny Cueto. San Francisco has brought back DeSclafani on a three-year, $36 million deal and has reportedly agreed to a return with Wood, though that deal is not official.
Logan Webb, who missed the early portion of the season, looked the part of the Giants’ ace as Gausman faded some, so it appears likely they’ll rely on him in the No. 1 spot in 2022.