Breaking News: Kevin Gausman to Make Big League Debut For Orioles on Thursday

Mar 14, 2013; Sarasota, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kevin Gausman (75) delivers a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Douglas Jones-USA TODAY Sports

A walk-off win and a top prospect being called up in the same hour? Now the Orioles are cooking with Gaus…

FOX Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi reports that 2012 first-round draft pick Kevin Gausman will make his big-league debut for the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday against the Toronto Blue Jays. While Orioles GM Dan Duquette said as recently as last week that Gausman was not close to being called up, it appears that Baltimore’s desperate need for some pitching help has persuaded him to think otherwise.

Gausman, considered Top 40 Prospect by both Baseball America (26) and MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo (36) heading into this season, posted solid numbers at AA Bowie in his eight starts, posting a 3.11 ERA with a 49-5 K/BB ratio. In 46.1 innings, Gausman has held hitters to a slim .246 batting average and boasts a strong 1.06 WHIP.

While Gausman’s numbers do justify calling him up, another potential reason for the sudden announcement could be the recent injury to Wei-Yin Chen. Chen had gone 3-3 with a 3.04 ERA in his eight starts this season, but was placed on the disabled list on May 14, so the Orioles could simply be looking to fill the void in the starting rotation while Chen recovers from a right oblique strain. However, showing Duquette and manager Buck Showalter that he can hold his own in the big leagues could very well earn Gausman a spot on the major league roster on a permanent basis.

We’ll have a full recap of Gausman’s debut on Thursday night.