hawaiitribune_herald
In a move aimed at shoring up their starting rotation, the Chicago Cubs have reportedly secured the services of right-handed pitcher Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays, just ahead of Monday's trade deadline. The news was first broken by ESPN and The Athletic on Sunday night.
According to The Athletic, the Blue Jays will receive two minor league prospects—shortstop Ty Southisene and outfielder Brett Bateman—in exchange for Gausman, who is in the final season of a five-year, $110 million contract. The Cubs are currently four games clear at the top of the National League wild-card standings and have been dealing with a rash of injuries to their starting staff throughout the season.
Gausman, 35, has had a challenging campaign in 2025, posting a 5-10 record with a 4.38 ERA across 23 starts and 127 1/3 innings in his fifth year with Toronto. However, this season's numbers represent a notable dip from his recent form, as he had maintained an ERA of 3.83 or better in each of the previous six seasons.
His most impressive stretch came between 2021 and 2023, when he finished in the top 10 of Cy Young voting three consecutive times and earned two All-Star selections. During that span, he compiled a 38-25 record with a 3.10 ERA, striking out 669 batters and walking just 133 over 551 2/3 innings across 95 starts for the San Francisco Giants and the Blue Jays.
Over his 14-year major league career, Gausman holds a 117-123 record with a 3.85 ERA in 384 regular-season appearances, including 345 starts. He has also made 14 postseason appearances, with eight starts, across six different playoff runs. Last year, he was a key part of Toronto's journey to the American League pennant and a World Series appearance, where he posted a 2-3 record with a 2.93 ERA in the playoffs, including two starts in the Fall Classic.
Key Analysis
The Cubs' rotation has been severely tested this year, with several key pitchers sidelined. Cade Horton made only two starts before undergoing season-ending elbow surgery, while Justin Steele has yet to pitch this season after Tommy John surgery and a subsequent setback in his recovery. Edward Cabrera has also been hampered by hamstring and adductor strains but is expected to return later this month.
In exchange, the Cubs are parting with two promising prospects. Southisene, 21, is ranked as the Cubs' No. 13 prospect by MLB Pipeline and has impressed at High-A South Bend, hitting .326 with a .451 on-base percentage, 27 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases in 44 games. Bateman, 24, is the Cubs' 21st-ranked prospect and has spent the entire season at Triple-A Iowa, where he is batting .312 with three home runs, 18 doubles, 33 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases in 82 games.
Originally reported by hawaiitribune_herald.