Equipped with a 98 mph fastball and boasting the pedigree of a top draft pick, Kevin Gausman is as talented as any pitcher who will come up to the big leagues this year. And if you want to own him for no other reason than that, I wouldn't fault you for it.
But even after his gem against the Athletics Saturday, I have my doubts about his major-league readiness.
His problem is more or less the same as Tony Cingrani's: He's lacking a third pitch. And when he's extended deep into games, it shows. That's why he dominated the Tigers for four innings in his first start this year before falling apart in the fifth. It's also why he was so much more effective as a reliever than a starter during his time in the majors last year.
And judging by how manager Buck Showalter described Saturday's start, saying Gausman "got enough breaking balls over to show a third pitch," the 23-year-old's arsenal is still a work in progress.
Maybe his stuff will be good enough to minimize his growing pains, but based on what we've seen from him so far in his career, I have my doubts.