One day before the Major League Baseball trade deadline, the Chicago Cubs acquired right-handed pitcher Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, according to The Athletic reporters Ken Rosenthal and Mitch Bannon.
With this trade, Chicago bolsters its starting rotation with a two-time All-Star who is playing in his 14th year in the majors. This season for Toronto, Gausman has started an MLB-high 23 games, going 5-10 with a 4.38 ERA, totaling 127 strikeouts and 36 walks in 127 1/3 innings pitched.
With the Blue Jays coming into Sunday sitting in last place in the American League East with a 52-60 record, Toronto decided to give up one of their top starting pitchers, but they got a good package in return.
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For Gausman, who is in the final year of his five-year, $110 million contract, Toronto reportedly acquired infielder Ty Southisene and outfielder Brett Bateman, according to USA Today reporter Bob Nightengale.
Southisene, who is listed as a shortstop primarily, was the 13th best prospect in the Cubs' organization, and Bateman was No. 21 in Chicago's prospect rankings, according to MLB.com.
The 21-year-old Southisene has been playing for High-A South Bend in the Cubs' organization, as he played 65 games this season total in the minors, slashing .311/.431/.378 with an OPS of .809, totaling 35 RBIs and 31 stolen bases.
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As for Bateman, he has spent the entirety of the 2026 season with Triple-A Iowa, putting up a slash line of .312/.431/.422 with an .853 OPS, totaling three home runs, 33 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.
This seems like a solid return for the Blue Jays, who are most likely looking to improve for the future.
