The Chicago Cubs acquired veteran right-hander Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays ahead of Major League Baseball's trade deadline, which falls at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, August 3.
The Cubs sent Triple-A outfielder Brett Bateman and Class-A infielder Ty Southisene to Toronto in exchange for the two-time All-Star, according to reporting on the deal. Gausman, 35, is in the final season of the five-year, $110 million contract he signed with the Blue Jays in 2021, and Chicago had been searching for playoff-caliber starting pitching depth in the weeks leading into the deadline.
Gausman's numbers this season, a 4.38 ERA and 1.29 WHIP across 23 starts, represent his weakest full-season marks since 2019, but the Cubs are betting on his postseason track record, including a 2.93 ERA over five starts during last year's playoffs. The move gives Chicago's rotation an experienced arm as the club pushes for postseason positioning down the stretch.
The trade is one of several completed in the days before Monday's deadline, a market executives have described as unusually active given how many teams remain within range of a playoff spot. It follows Saturday night's blockbuster in which the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired reigning American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers, a deal that set the tone for an aggressive deadline period across the league.
For the Blue Jays, moving Gausman brings back young talent as Toronto weighs its direction for the remainder of the season and beyond. The return centers on lower-level prospects rather than immediate roster help, suggesting the club is prioritizing longer-term asset building over a final push this year.
Gausman is expected to join the Cubs' rotation for his next scheduled turn, with the team's coaching staff likely to detail his integration into the pitching plan in the coming days. Monday's deadline will bring further roster moves across the league before rosters lock in for the stretch run toward the postseason.
