KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kevin Gausman was happy that his first start with the Chicago Cubs did not come against his former team.
The Kansas City Royals sure wish it had.
Gausman, who was acquired from the Blue Jays in a trade last weekend, could have been in line to start the Cubs' makeup game against Toronto on Thursday. Instead, the two-time All-Star made his debut for them on Friday night, and he delivered exactly what they had envisioned, throwing seven sharp innings and leading Chicago to a 6-4 victory over the Royals.
“Listen, it's been a lot," said Gausman, who allowed two runs on four hits and walked one while striking out four. “It was my youngest daughter's birthday yesterday, so you know, not just baseball. It's a lot going on. So that's why I say that it was just nice to get out there and just focus on trying to get outs.”
Gausman had actually struggled the last couple of months with the Blue Jays, going 1-5 with a 5.17 ERA in his final seven starts. But he seemed to turn it around in his last start for them, allowing one run while pitching into the sixth against St. Louis last Saturday.
There were a couple of early hiccups against Kansas City — he walked Carter Jensen to begin the game, and Isaac Collins drove him in later in the first inning. But otherwise, Gausman seemed to pick up right where he left off against the Cardinals.
Between the hit by Collins and Jensen's two-out homer in the fifth, Gausman retired 12 of the 13 batters that he faced.
“I mean, he pitched great,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “He probably wasn't quite in rhythm in the first inning, but you could see he got a little better in the second, got a little better in the third, and then it was kind of on cruise control. Just a bunch of good pitches that he was kind of feeling with each pitch.”
The only real scare that Gausman had all night was on Salvador Perez's first-inning liner off his ankle. But the 35-year-old postseason ace quickly shook it off, and it may have actually played a role in settling him down.
“I was just kind of waiting for it to like, stiffen up, and it never did,” Gausman said. “So that's kind of what you're worried about is, if you kind of lose mobility in the ankle. But you know, kind of got lucky. Hit me like, half on my shoe.”
Caleb Thielbar entered in relief of Gausman and allowed a pair of runs in the eighth before Trent Thornton escaped that jam, getting Nick Loftin to fly out with the tying run on first base. Jacob Webb breezed through the ninth for his seventh save.
The fact that Gausman went so deep in the game was big for the Cubs, given they may have to protect Clay Holmes when he makes his own debut for them on Saturday night. The right-hander, who was acquired in a trade with the Mets, will be making his first start since May 15, when he fractured his right fibula on a sharp liner by the Yankees’ Spencer Jones.
“This is a guy that you can't throw something at him that he hasn't seen,” Counsell said of Gausman, “and so guys like that are prepared for anything. And you know, that doesn't take away from the emotion of getting traded, or you know, seeing your old team come to town right away. But it teaches you how to process it and move forward.”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kevin Gausman trades balls with home plate umpire Adam Beck during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kevin Gausman walks to the dugout after throwing in the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kevin Gausman throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Anyone doubting that an NFL offensive guard is worth $100 million needs only to look at who Peter Skoronski lines up against every day in practice during training camp.
That would be All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.
“You can’t tell me the guys that have to block that guy aren't important too,” Skoronski said Friday night after a scrimmage at Nissan Stadium.
Now Skoronski has done his part to reset the pay scale for interior linemen with the Tennessee Titans announcing Friday signing him to a multi-year extension making him the NFL's highest-paid guard.
“That's always a good thing to help the market along and help other guys along too,” Skoronski said. “I think that's a positive thing. But yeah, there's a reason because we have a tough job, and I think defenses now key on that too that the interior line is where the pocket starts.”
The Titans did not publicly announce details of the extension for the 11th overall pick of the 2023 draft. A person familiar with the terms told The Associated Press the four-year deal is worth $100 million with $88 million of that guaranteed and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity.
ESPN and the NFL Network first reported the terms of the contract making Skoronski the league's highest-paid guard.
Skoronski called the extension a tremendous blessing. He thanked controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk, general manager Mike Borgonzi and new coach Robert Saleh for believing in him.
The Titans were the NFL's biggest spenders in free agency in March and continued the spending with the two stars they wanted to keep on this roster.
Simmons signed his own extension making him the league's highest-paid at his position in late June. This contract wraps up a lineman who finished fourth in the All Pro voting at left guard for the 2025 season.
Simmons said his teammate deserved this payday seeing how hard Skoronski works.
“To be able to battle against Pete these last couple years at practice have helped me,” said Simmons, who had a career-high 11 sacks last season.
The contract for Skoronski is a nice change for Tennessee, which didn't draft a player deemed not deserving of a second contract here from its draft classes of 2020, 2021 or 2022. This franchise had only one player from any of those draft classes still on the roster last season, and tight end Chig Okonkwo left in free agency.
Borgonzi said they couldn't be happier to keep Skoronski in Nashville with the goal of keeping players and people who are “cornerstones” for this team.
"Peter is certainly that for us,” Borgonzi said. “He has the work ethic to match his talent and a perpetual desire to win that we want permeating throughout our building. We’re excited to enter the season knowing he and his family will remain Titans for years to come.”
Skoronski missed three of his first four games as a rookie after being drafted out of Northwestern. He has started 47 straight games, not missing an offensive snap in either of the past two seasons.
His 48 starts are a franchise best for a player under the age of 25 since the beginning of the 1999 season. Skoronski just turned 25, and nobody on the roster has started more consecutive games than his 47 straight.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL
Fireworks light up the sky after a Tennessee Titans practice during the NFL football team's training camp Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) signs autographs for fans after practice during the NFL football team's training camp Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) signs autographs for fans after practice during the NFL football team's training camp Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, left, and quarterback Cam Ward (1) sign autographs for fans after practice during the NFL football team's training camp Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Tennessee Titans guard Peter Skoronski (77) warms up during the NFL football team's training camp Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
