Kevin Gausman is set to make his debut for the Chicago Cubs on Friday night in Kansas City, following his trade from the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. The right-handed pitcher has been linked to the Cubs since the beginning of his career, a connection acknowledged by Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, who stated the team had inquired about Gausman’s availability for years.
Gausman, 35, expressed his satisfaction with the move, noting a long-standing association with Chicago. He was added to the Cubs’ active roster before their 7-6 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, which completed a three-game sweep. Left-hander Antoine Kelly was optioned to Triple-A Iowa as part of the roster adjustments.
Gausman’s career and impact on the Cubs
Gausman joins a revamped Cubs rotation that also includes Clay Holmes. The Cubs also acquired reliever Ryan Zeferjahn and left-hander Braxton Garrett in separate deals before Monday’s trade deadline. Gausman noted that being part of a team making such acquisitions provides an “adrenaline shot” and can “breathe some life into the team.”
This season, Gausman holds a 5-10 record with a 4.38 ERA over 23 starts. He previously allowed seven runs and seven hits in two innings during a 16-2 loss to the Cubs on June 19. However, he brings a consistent track record, having pitched at least 174 2/3 innings and made at least 31 starts in each of the past five years. In his last outing with Toronto, he worked 5 2/3 innings of one-run baseball in a 5-1 win over St. Louis on Saturday.
Gausman was an integral part of Toronto’s journey to the 2025 World Series, where he posted a 2-3 record with a 2.93 ERA in six postseason starts. The Blue Jays ultimately lost the Fall Classic to the Dodgers, a team that could potentially be a playoff opponent for the Cubs this year.
Trade details and prospect movement
The trade that brought Gausman to Chicago involved the Blue Jays receiving two minor league players: infielder Ty Southisene and outfielder Brett Bateman. Gausman departs Toronto after four-plus seasons, during which he compiled a 53-51 record and contributed to the Blue Jays’ playoff appearances in 2022, 2023, and 2025. The Blue Jays currently stand at 52-60, 4.5 games behind in the American League wild card race.
Southisene, 21, was a fourth-round pick for the Cubs in the 2024 MLB Draft. He is hitting .306 this season across Single-A and High-A, with 44 games played at the latter level. He boasts a .451 on-base percentage and 20 stolen bases, with only 27 strikeouts in 66 total games. However, he has not hit a professional home run in 157 minor league games. Southisene is currently ranked as the No. 17 prospect in the Blue Jays’ system, a drop from his No. 13 ranking with the Cubs, according to MLB Pipeline.
Bateman, selected in the eighth round of the 2023 draft, is another contact-oriented player. He is hitting .312 with a .430 on-base percentage at Triple-A. He has three home runs this season and 20 stolen bases in 82 games. Bateman is ranked No. 20 in the Blue Jays’ system. The Cubs’ recent deadline additions create several pitching decisions for manager Craig Counsell. The team also has right-hander Edward Cabrera and relievers Daniel Palencia and Hoby Milner on rehab assignments with Triple-A Iowa. Colin Rea has moved to the bullpen after the Cubs decided to skip his next turn in the rotation.
Gausman has played for six teams in his career, spending the majority of his time with Baltimore and Toronto, and also playing for San Francisco, Atlanta, and Cincinnati. He signed a five-year, $110 million contract with the Blue Jays prior to the 2022 season.
Gausman is expected to make his Cubs debut on Friday night in Kansas City.
Source: sportsnet.ca
