Cubs Land Gausman From Blue Jays at Deadline
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- The Cubs acquired right-hander Kevin Gausman from the Blue Jays on Sunday night for Triple-A outfielder Brett Bateman and Class-A infielder Ty Southisene, both recent draft picks (2023 and 2024).
- Gausman, 35, is 5-10 with a 4.38 ERA and 127 strikeouts this season and owns a 3.83 ERA across 14 career playoff appearances, including helping Toronto reach last year's World Series.
- The right-hander is in the final year of a five-year, $110 million contract and has posted 20.1 WAR over that span — the fourth-best mark among all MLB pitchers — making him a clear value over contract.
- Gausman has struggled recently, compiling a 6.47 ERA over his past eight starts, including a brutal seven-run, two-inning outing at Wrigley Field on June 19.
- The acquisition slots Gausman into a rotation alongside Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga, while recently acquired lefty David Peterson has also pitched well since arriving from the Mets.
- Chicago trails Milwaukee by 6½ games in the NL Central ahead of Monday's trade deadline, with a makeup game against Toronto at Wrigley Field on Thursday a likely early showcase for Gausman in Cubs pinstripes.
Why it matters: The Cubs surrendered only two low-level minor leaguers for a frontline starter who could help them chase a 6½-game NL Central deficit, but Gausman is a pure rental on an expiring contract and arrives in a slump (6.47 ERA over his last eight starts), so Chicago is essentially buying a high-variance October asset without long-term cost.
