Kevin Gausman didn't turn into a front-line major league starter overnight, a reality that caused considerable consternation in those desperate for the Orioles to finally grow an ace to complete a team that has lacked only that in recent years.
Whatever the timeline proved to be, the Orioles' No. 1 pick in 2012 is — in the heat of a pennant chase where there's so little separation between the myriad American League contenders — now pitching like a No.1 starter. And it has proved to be worth the wait, though those inside and outside the Orioles organization, plus Gausman himself, all agree that his massive leap is a product of all the major league time that led to it.