The Opening Day storyline Blue Jays fans can’t stop talking about

Since 2020, the Toronto Blue Jays have given Opening Day starts to three pitchers: José Berrios (2022, 2024, 2025), Alex Manoah (2023), and Hyun Jin Ryu (2020-21). Conspicuously absent from that list is Kevin Gausman, who has been the team's de facto ace since joining the club in 2022.

At long last, though, Gausy has earned the honor. The 35-year-old will take the bump for the Blue Jays' first contest of the regular season against the Athletics on March 27.

There's no denying that this long-awaited decision is well deserved. In his first four seasons in Canada, the two-time All-Star has covered 125 starts while pitching to the tune of a 3.48 ERA and 3.14 FIP.

Blue Jays fans should probably soak in this start while it lasts, though. Given the retirement rumors floating around Gausman, this may be his first and only Opening Day appearance with the Blue jays.

Kevin Gausman's first Opening Day start with Blue Jays may be his last

Gausman is entering the final season on his original five-year contract with the Blue Jays, and there haven't been any extension talks quite yet according to the veteran right-hander. That doesn't mean a deal can't come together before he hits free agency in a year's time (or retires), but it does complicate matters considering that next offseason will almost certainly feature a long lockout and contentious Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations.

If he elects to continue playing, he'll be in line for another generous deal, seeing as his splitter remains one of the best pitches in baseball and he's fresh off a dominant postseason run in Toronto (2.93 ERA in 30.2 innings).

That "if" is doing some heavy lifting, seeing as he told The Athletic's Mitch Bannon that retirement is a possibility after the 2026 season at the onset of spring training. Another strong campaign may quiet those rumors, but his family isn't getting any younger (which was the primary reason he cited for mulling a career exit).

For now, Gausman is locked into the top of the Blue Jays' rotation alongside Dylan Cease, and the two should form one of the best 1-2 punches in the league for a World Series hopeful. They'll need to be at the top of their game right out of the gates since 60% of the team's projected starting five is currently on the injured list.

That's a lot of pressure for a team that played into Novemeber last year, but Toronto should be up to the task. If this really is the lone Opening Day start Blue Jays fans get to see from Gausman, then it should at least be a memorable one at the Rogers Centre.