Gausman’s Dominant Performance Leads Cubs to Victory

In a decisive Monday night game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Kevin Gausman showed off a strategic approach. The Chicago Cubs’ pitcher relied heavily on his four-seam fastball, which diverted from his usual preference for the splitter. This choice paid off handsomely as Gausman threw 66% of his pitches as fastballs, achieving a personal best of 24 called strikes on this pitch. His effort contributed to a stellar seven-inning shutout performance in the Cubs’ 7-0 triumph.

Notably, this marked only the fourth occasion this year the Cubs had a starter pitch seven innings without conceding a run. Gausman kept mum about how the Cubs picked up on the Diamondbacks’ strategy, which seemed centered on anticipating his splitter.

I’m not gonna give that away just because other people are watching too. But it was pretty early where we felt like we kind of figured out their game plan, Gausman shared with a grin.

He praised his catcher, Carson Kelly, for adeptly calling the game. Kelly noticed Arizona’s tendency to seek the splitter with two strikes, and Gausman capitalized by sticking with his fastball for those critical moments.

Gausman impressively landed 13 of his first 15 fastballs for strikes. Although Arizona managed to put 11 of these pitches into play, only two resulted in hits. Within the Statcast era, only one other pitcher, Drew Hutchinson, had more called strikes on a four-seam fastball in a single game.

Gausman attributes his command to the work between starts, stating,

I’m a two-pitch guy, so that secondary pitch, I’m gonna throw it a lot. Recognizing what we had tonight and their game plan and then just kind of staying on the attack.

The Cubs’ decision to trade for Gausman has proven wise. Alongside Clay Holmes, who recently allowed only one run over 12 innings, the Cubs now boast a strong pitching duo. With some instability from left-handers Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga, consistency from Gausman and Holmes will be vital going forward.

Gausman’s history of strong October performances, as seen last year with Toronto’s World Series run, reassures the Cubs of his capabilities. Reflecting on an earlier game this season when the relentless Cubs lineup tagged him for an early exit, he acknowledged their depth and persistence.

The Cubs’ offense demonstrated its breadth as well. Despite the top five hitters combining for only two hits, rookie Pedro Ramírez energized the lineup, delivering an RBI triple. Contributions included Seiya Suzuki’s RBI double and home runs from Michael Conforto and Carson Kelly, giving the Cubs a comfortable lead.

In the words of Michael Conforto, his contributions emphasize a team-first mentality:

At this point in my career, I just want to win games and I think it was a great fit. Maybe it resonated with them that being part of something special is what matters more.

As the Cubs eye the postseason, the commitment across the roster stands out. They believe in their ability to win it all, setting a promising tone for the decisive part of the season.