LAKELAND, FLA. — Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman has spent this spring training being stretched out as he competes for a spot in the club's starting rotation. But with 10 Grapefruit League games remaining before the regular season starts, innings are becoming increasingly scarce.
And though Gausman had been steadily raising his innings count every outing this spring, reaching the four-inning mark in a minor league game last week, Gausman pitched just one inning in relief in Thursday's 6-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium.
He allowed a two-run homer to Tigers slugger Victor Martinez, an eighth-inning blast on a first-pitch split-fingered fastball from Gausman that ended a 4-4 tie and held up as the game-winner.
After the game, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said it's possible that Gausman opens the season in the bullpen.