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Fresh off an unexpected World Series run, the Toronto Blue Jays‘ follow-up campaign in 2026 has been wildly disappointing. With a 46-55 record heading into play on Wednesday, the Blue Jays are sitting at the bottom of the American League East, and it looks like they are trending towards operating as sellers at the upcoming trade deadline.
Toronto is still technically in the hunt for a playoff spot, but their hopes are fading, and with so few sellers on the market, they could get some strong returns for their top players. Among the players that could be on the move is veteran starting pitcher Kevin Gausman, who would draw quite a bit of interest if he were to be up for grabs. With the deadline drawing near, Gausman was recently predicted to be dealt to one of the top teams in the National League.
Kevin Gausman Predicted to Be Traded to the Cubs
Gausman is in his fifth season with the Blue Jays, and during his time in town, he’s turned himself into one of the most reliable starters in the league. In each of his past four seasons, Gausman has made at least 31 starts, and he is on track to hit that mark again in the current campaign.
Things haven’t gone well for Toronto this season, and that’s been true for Gausman on an individual level. His 4.33 ERA is the highest it’s been since the 2019 season, and he seems to be trending in the wrong direction, as he has a 7.46 ERA over his past five outings. Considering how he is in the final year of his contract, now may be the time for the front office to flip Gausman.
While he hasn’t been great this season, Gausman is just one year removed from one of the best years of his career (10-11, 3.59 ERA, 189 K, 1.06 WHIP), and he has a track record of postseason success that would surely be of interest to playoff hopefuls. In his latest article for The Athletic, Mitch Bannon predicted that Gausman would be dealt to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for a pair of prospects, starting pitcher Brooks Caple and outfielder Brett Bateman.
“Playoff-caliber starters, especially those with proven success in October like Gausman, tend to fetch a couple of top-15 organizational prospects,” Bannon wrote. “The Cubs, a team in desperate need of rotation help, are the perfect fit. Caple is Chicago’s third-ranked rotation prospect, utilizing his five-pitch mix to post a 3.15 ERA in High A and Double A this year. Bateman, a center fielder who ranks as Chicago’s 18th prospect, is currently posting an .861 OPS at Triple A.”
Would the Blue Jays Be Interested in This Kevin Gausman Trade?
Caple and Bateman are the Cubs’ No. 12 and 18 overall prospects, respectively, which would be a decent haul for the Blue Jays, especially considering the circumstances. Gausman is a good pitcher, yes, but he’s also already 35 years old and set to hit free agency after the season. Making matters more complicated, he has an eight-team no-trade clause in his deal, which the front office will have to account for if it tries to unload him.
Toronto is clearly headed in the wrong direction, and holding onto Gausman simply wouldn’t make much sense, especially since he could end up bolting for nothing in free agency. The Blue Jays could try to get a bigger haul in exchange for him, but if this is the best offer they have on the table, they probably would be wise to pull the trigger on this deal.
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