The 2026 MLB trade deadline is Monday, Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. ET. One of the teams that will be the most active in selling off pieces will reportedly be the Toronto Blue Jays. Fresh off an American League Pennant in 2025, they have floundered this season.
Heading into a weekend series versus the St. Louis Cardinals, the club is 50-59. They are last place in the American League East, 14 ½ games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays.
Longtime Blue Jay Kevin Gausman is in the final few months of his five-year, $110 million contract with the team. He has been nothing if not consistent, making at least 31 starts every full season of the deal.
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It is true that the 35-year-old has slipped a little bit in 2026. Over 22 starts, he has thrown 121 ⅔ innings, going 4-10 with a 4.51 ERA. He has struck out 123 and walked 35.
It is worth mentioning that despite those pedestrian numbers, his peripheral statistics indicate that he will have a better second half. Thus, his trade market has been lively.
It seems that Gausman understands that he will likely be traded by Monday. It was reported by Shi Davidi of Sportsnet in a recent article that Gausman and his family are packing up their home in anticipation of selling it.
Gausman also said that he is open to a possible extension, though it is hard to imagine something like that could be done with so little time before the deadline.
However, he will be a free agent after this season so he could theoretically be right back in Toronto even if he is traded in the next few days. The right-hander has said many times that he loves the city and the team.
Gausman is tentatively scheduled to start Saturday’s game versus the Cardinals, but it is up in the air with all the trade rumors flying around. First pitch is scheduled for 3.07 p.m. ET.
