Gausman (6-11) took the loss Thursday against the Nationals, allowing six runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out seven over 4.2 innings.
Gausman opened the afternoon with three perfect innings before Washington broke through for a run in the fourth. Things unraveled in the fifth, when the veteran right-hander was tagged for five runs, highlighted by an Abimelec Ortiz three-run homer. The performance was a stark contrast to Gausman's Cubs debut six days prior, when he worked seven innings while allowing just two runs. It's been a down year overall for Gausman, whose 4.60 ERA would be his highest since 2019 if he can't significantly improve it down the stretch. He's lined up to face the White Sox at home in his next start.