Matt Vierling vs Kevin Gausman

The Almanac's Take

Vierling enters this same-handed matchup at .222/.279/.343 with a .622 OPS across 233 plate appearances — not a number that builds a case for him here. Gausman's 9.3 K/9 and 3.62 K/BB make him a tough draw for a right-handed bat with no platoon edge, and Vierling's 18.5 K% gives the splitter-heavy mix a clear path. The 19-PA head-to-head is too thin to lean on, but the 86.5 mph average exit velocity and six strikeouts in that sample at least rhyme with the season read. The numbers point one direction.

Career head-to-head

AVG

.111

2-for-18

PA

19

HR

0

K

6

BB

1

Pitches seen

86

Avg exit velo

86.5 mph

Career meetings in the Statcast era (2015–present). Even a clear edge over a handful of plate appearances is a small sample — read it as color, not a projection.

Pitch mix to the batter

Plate-appearance log

• 2026-05-17Field Out · Slider 86.0 mph · 73.2 mph EV
• 2026-05-17Field Out · Split-Finger 83.9 mph · 76.3 mph EV
• 2025-07-26Strikeout · 4-Seam Fastball 93.9 mph
• 2025-07-26Truncated Pa · 4-Seam Fastball 94.2 mph
• 2025-07-26Field Out · 4-Seam Fastball 92.8 mph · 107.8 mph EV
• 2024-05-23Field Out
• 2024-05-23Strikeout
• 2024-05-23Field Out
• 2023-07-08Field Out · 4-Seam Fastball 92.1 mph · 97.1 mph EV
• 2023-07-08Strikeout · 4-Seam Fastball 96.4 mph
• 2023-07-08Walk · Split-Finger 85.8 mph
• 2023-04-12Strikeout · Split-Finger 86.7 mph
• 2023-04-12Fielders Choice Out · 4-Seam Fastball 96.9 mph · 74.2 mph EV
• 2023-04-12Strikeout · Split-Finger 86.4 mph
• 2023-04-12Strikeout · Split-Finger 87.2 mph
• 2023-03-20Field Out · 4-Seam Fastball 95.3 mph · 96.7 mph EV
• 2023-03-20Field Out · 4-Seam Fastball 95.8 mph · 96.6 mph EV
• 2022-09-21Single · Slider 86.0 mph · 72.6 mph EV
• 2022-09-21Single · Split-Finger 85.7 mph · 83.6 mph EV