page_title: Dustin McGowan
section_title: 2005–2007
hierarchical_section_title: Dustin McGowan / Professional career / Toronto Blue Jays / 2005–2007
caption_attribution_description: Dustin McGowan
context_page_description: Dustin Michael McGowan is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies, and Miami Marlins.
context_section_description: On July 30, 2005, McGowan was called-up and made his debut that same day against the Texas Rangers. He received a no decision, having pitched 5 innings and allowing 1 run, and struck out six batters, the most by a Toronto starter in a Major League debut at the time.
  McGowan bounced between the bullpen and the starting rotation during his first 2 seasons with the Blue Jays. He struggled in his rookie season following his impressive Major League debut, posting a 6.35 ERA in 13 games including 7 starts. At the beginning of the 2006 season, he was recalled from the Syracuse SkyChiefs to take the place of the struggling reliever Jason Frasor. In his second stint with the team McGowan struggled once again and was optioned back to Triple-A Syracuse on May 11 to work as a starter.
  In 2005 Baseball America named him the #1 prospect in the Blue Jays' farm system and he was considered one of the cornerstones of the Blue Jays' future. However, his slow development, and in particular his lack of control, stirred up trade rumors during the 2006 off-season, while he had previously been off-limits to potential trades.
  McGowan would have been eligible to be claimed off waivers had he not made the 2007 Blue Jays 25-man roster out of Spring training, but the Blue Jays were granted another minor-league option year for him. This enabled the team to send McGowan back to the minors, if necessary, without exposing to waivers during the 2007 season.
  McGowan started the 2007 season impressively for the Syracuse Chiefs. Despite an 0–2 record at the end of April, he had a 1.64 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 22 innings. This led to a call-up to the Blue Jays rotation in early May after an injury to Gustavo Chacín. On June 19, 2007, he gave up six runs on eight hits over one and two-thirds innings in a 10–1 Jays defeat, and took the loss.  He would redeem himself in his next start on June 24, 2007, as he had a no-hitter in the first 8 innings against the Colorado Rockies at Rogers Centre, allowing only an 0–1 single to the first batter he faced in the ninth, designated hitter Jeff Baker, making him just the 6th pitcher in franchise history to carry a no-hitter into the 9th inning. He went on to record a shutout, the first of his career as well as his first complete game. On September 7, 2007 McGowan recorded a career high 12 strikeouts against Tampa Bay Devil Rays, while giving up just 2 runs in 8 innings of work.
  "That was fun to watch. All along, ever since they drafted this kid, they've been expecting stuff like this from him, and he's certainly capable. Today was one of the better games I've seen him throw. He had everything going." said catcher Gregg Zaun, who caught McGowan's complete game shutout.
  McGowan finished the 2007 season with a 12–10 record and a 4.08 ERA. Of his 27 games, 18 of them were quality starts, and he ranked second on the team with 169.2 innings pitched and 144 strikeouts to solidify his place as the number three starter in Toronto's rotation behind ace Roy Halladay and A. J. Burnett, where he began the 2008 campaign.
  Because of diabetes, McGowan started wearing prescription lenses to improve his vision in low-light conditions.
caption: McGowan pitching in 2007
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