After four and a half seasons with the franchise, the Toronto Blue Jays bid farewell to Kevin Gausman after trading him away to the Chicago Cubs for two minor-league prospects. This was certainly not the farewell the Blue Jays had envisioned heading into 2026, as they certainly did not expect that they’d have to be a selling ballclub prior to the MLB trade deadline not even a year after nearly winning a World Series title.
For Gausman’s four and a half seasons with the Blue Jays, he’s done nothing but contribute positively to the team. The two best seasons of his career, at least from an fWAR perspective, came during his first two seasons in Toronto, and even in 2026, amid the team’s struggles, he’s remained remarkably consistent and durable.
With his departure, the Blue Jays are saying goodbye to a man who always gave it his all for the team, which nearly brought home another World Series title for the franchise. And for that, Toronto delivered a heartfelt message to honor Gausman’s time with the team.
“From the minute you became a Blue Jay, you embraced this city and this country as if it was your own. Thank you, Gausy, for all that you’ve meant to this team, to this community, to our clubhouse, and to this fanbase 💙,” the Blue Jays posted on their official account on X.
Gausman played well for the Blue Jays in their run to the World Series in 2025. He made six appearances for them in last year’s postseason (five starts), and he recorded an ERA of 2.93.
The 35-year-old pitched 861.0 innings during his time with the Blue Jays, recording an ERA of 3.62 strikeouts to go along with 920 strikeouts across 148 appearances. Toronto initially signed him to a five-year, $110 million contract in free agency, a signing that’s proven to be well worth it.
After four and a half seasons with the franchise, the Toronto Blue Jays bid farewell to Kevin Gausman after trading him away to the Chicago Cubs for two minor-league prospects. This was certainly not the farewell the Blue Jays had envisioned heading into 2026, as they certainly did not expect that they’d have to be a selling ballclub prior to the MLB trade deadline not even a year after nearly winning a World Series title.
