Chicago Cubs Acquire Veteran Righty Kevin Gausman from Toronto Blue Jays
The Chicago Cubs have made a significant move to bolster their starting rotation, acquiring veteran right-handed pitcher Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for minor-league outfielder Brett Bateman and minor-league infielder Ty Southisene, according to The Athletic. The trade is a much-needed addition to the Cubs’ rotation, which has been plagued by injuries and inconsistency this season.
Gausman, 38, is a rental in the final season of a wildly successful five-year, $110 million contract. He was the ace of Toronto’s pennant-winning team a year ago, finishing third in the AL Cy Young voting in 2023. This season, Gausman has a 4.38 ERA with 127 strikeouts in 127 ⅓ innings spanning 23 starts, making him an attractive addition to the Cubs’ rotation.
The Trade Makes Sense for the Chicago Cubs
The Cubs were in dire need of a reliable starting pitcher, and Gausman fits the bill. With a pitcher like Gausman, the Cubs can expect to see a steady stream of quality starts, which will be crucial in their pursuit of a playoff spot. The Cubs were reportedly planning to add three pitchers prior to the trade deadline, and Gausman figures to be just the first addition for the team.
The Cubs’ rotation depth chart currently looks like this:
- RHP Kevin Gausman
- LHP Shota Imanaga
- RHP Cade Horton (out for season with Tommy John surgery)
- LHP Justin Steele (rehabbing from UCL surgery)
- RHP Ben Brown (out with neck injury)
- RHP Edward Cabrera (out with hamstring injury)
- RHP Colin Rea
- LHP David Peterson
- RHP Javier Assad
- LHP Jordan Wicks
Gausman’s addition to the rotation will undoubtedly provide a boost to the team’s chances of making a deep playoff run. The Cubs were reportedly planning to add another starter and a reliever before the trade deadline, but Gausman figures to be just the first addition for the team.
The Trade Makes Sense for the Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are 7-9 since the All-Star break and have fallen to 4 ½ games behind the third AL wild-card spot with six teams ahead of them. With the team struggling to stay in contention, the Blue Jays have opted to sell off some of their rental players, including Gausman. The Blue Jays will receive two solid minor leaguers in return for Gausman, which is a good return on par with most veteran rental starters these days.
The Blue Jays will receive Ty Southisene, a 21-year-old shortstop who is hitting .306/.425/.372 between the two Single-A levels this year. Southisene is a standout defender with good contact skills and a high baseball IQ, and the Blue Jays love that profile. They will also receive Brett Bateman, a 24-year-old outfielder who owns a .312/.430/.421 slash line in Triple-A. Bateman is a plate-discipline guy with good contact skills and top-of-the-line speed, and the Blue Jays are getting in on the ground floor with him.
The Blue Jays will use the return of Southisene and Bateman to try and salvage what has been an otherwise disappointing season. With the team struggling to stay in contention, the Blue Jays will look to rebuild and restock their system with talented young players like Southisene and Bateman.
