San Francisco Giants hurler Kevin Gausman is having a whale of a season in 2021.
Gausman has been the best starter for a Giants team that has the second-best record in baseball, and he’s part of the reason why the club is such a surprise contender.
Gausman currently has the eighth-shortest Cy Young odds according to most sportsbooks.
The question we’re looking to answer today is whether he’s become overrated, and the answer is no.
Here’s why.
3. It’s Hard To Be Overrated When Very Few People Are Talking About You
Gausman has gotten very little recognition throughout his career.
The righty has never been named an All-Star, never received a single Cy Young vote, and never gotten much attention from fans or media.
That’s no injustice—Gausman has been very average for most of his career.
Over eight seasons with four different teams spanning from 2013-2020, Gausman pitched to a 4.26 ERA, 4.06 FIP, and 1.33 WHIP.
Those are extremely serviceable numbers for a back-of-the-rotation starter, which is exactly what Gausman was for most of those years.
The 2021 season has been a completely different story for the 30-year-old, who is 6-0 with a 1.40 ERA over 11 starts.
He also has a 2.18 FIP and 0.81 WHIP on the year.
Gausman has been the best starter in an elite Giants rotation.
The weirdest part?
He’s still flying under the radar.
Maybe East Coast bias is a factor, but it certainly does not feel like Gausman has gotten proper attention from fans and major outlets.
We’ll see how much longer that lasts.
2. Even If Fan And Media Hype Was Through The Roof, It Would Be Warranted
It’s impossible to overstate how impressive this year has been for Gausman.
0.73 ERA
37 IP
49 K
0.76 WHIPNL Pitcher of the Month: Kevin Gausman pic.twitter.com/VBMR4DpRyO
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) June 2, 2021
The veteran has never looked this good at any point in his career.
Gausman’s best full season prior to this one came in 2016 with the Baltimore Orioles when he managed a 3.61 ERA over 30 starts.
He also looked good over the COVID-shortened 2020 season, putting up a 3.62 ERA, 3.09 FIP, and 1.11 WHIP.
Those are good numbers, but they’re a far cry from the Cy Young-caliber season that we’re witnessing this year.
With a 3.5 WAR so far, Gausman could realistically find himself getting Cy Young votes and MVP votes.
1. If You Take Out Gausman’s Worst Start Of The Year, He Has A 0.84 ERA
Gausman’s worst outing of the year came April 13 against the Cincinnati Reds.
He was tagged for five earned over six innings in that start.
Take it out and he’s got a 0.84 ERA on the year.
Of course, no matter the context, you can’t just act like the bad games never happened, but it’s still worth noting.
Aside from that outing against the Reds, Gausman hasn’t allowed more than a run in any start this season.
He is currently riding a 17-inning scoreless streak.
It looked for a while like Gausman—who will be a free agent after the year—was going to be a trade candidate at the deadline, but the first-place Giants should keep him at this point given their torrid start to the year.
Kevin Gausman, Splitters.
Having to face these both in one AB. 🤮 pic.twitter.com/jHEtXNm1Uf
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 31, 2021
The ace will likely make his next start later this week against the Chicago Cubs.
