Blue Jays officially look to the future, acquire pair of prospects for Gausman

TORONTO -- It begins. The Blue Jays agreed to terms on a trade that will send Kevin Gausman to the Cubs for prospects Ty Southisene (previously Cubs' No. 13 prospect) and Brett Bateman (No. 21).

Chicago gets: RHP Kevin Gausman
Toronto gets: INF Ty Southisene (Blue Jays' No. 17 prospect), OF Brett Bateman (No. 20)

This officially declares the Blue Jays as sellers, a label they’ve tried to shake for weeks but never been able to outrun. At 52-60, the Blue Jays could now continue to sell off pieces of a roster that entered 2026 with massive expectations coming off their World Series run against the Dodgers, but has only disappointed.

This has been hanging over Gausman, too, one of the most beloved Blue Jays players of this generation. Gausman’s openness is part of what’s appealed him to Blue Jays fans over the past five seasons, and in recent weeks, he’s been trying to soak in all in, knowing what could be coming. He exited his final start with the Blue Jays on Saturday to a standing ovation, the last of many he’s received in this city.

“This has been the best decision I ever made,” Gausman said, “to come here.”

Gausman was one of the most reliable pitchers we’ve seen in Toronto, also capable of peaks that put him into the conversation as a true ace. Now that he’s gone, the Blue Jays will be trying to capture that magic again, but he’s set such a high bar with what he accomplished over his five-year, $110 million deal.

“I think Kev will go down as one of the best free-agent signings this organization has made, especially from a pitching standpoint,” John Schneider said. “He’s remarkably consistent, a professional, a good teammate, low maintenance, everything that you want in a front-line dude. He pitched in big games, the postseason, the World Series and Opening Day. He’s exactly what you’re hoping for.”

This is a trade where fans will understandably struggle to be excited about the return, no matter what the Blue Jays were able to bring back. This is part of the game when teams with great expectations fall short, though, and the Blue Jays felt they needed to find the best possible package for Gausman.

Southisene hasn’t homered in 156 Minor League games with the Cubs since being drafted in the fourth round in 2024, but fits the Blue Jays’ style of hitting prospects with a high-end contact and on-base approach. This season between Single-A and High-A, he’s batting .311 with a .431 on-base percentage and has stolen 31 bags on 37 attempts. Still just 21, he’ll immediately become one of the Blue Jays’ most unique prospects.

Bateman, 24, brings a similar profile, rarely hitting for any sort of power, but constantly making contact. In Triple-A this season, he’s hitting .312 with a .431 on-base percentage and 20 steals. Depending on which moves are coming between now and Monday’s 6 p.m. ET Deadline, Bateman could even be a candidate to join the Blue Jays soon for his MLB debut.

So, what’s next?

The Blue Jays clearly aren’t done. They acquired Jameson Taillon earlier in the day in their first deal with the Cubs. Taillon, who had recently been designated for assignment, will slide right into a rotation spot to help keep that group afloat down the stretch.

The Blue Jays also have Shane Bieber available, and while he’s shown some encouraging flashes since returning from the IL mid-season, his last outing was messy, walking six batters in just two-thirds of an inning of work. His market is likely below Gausman’s in terms of value, which the Blue Jays will need to consider against the value of holding him, but there is a market nonetheless.

George Springer is another of the Blue Jays’ most obvious trade chips and has fueled his appeal to contenders recently with an excellent stretch of play, recapturing his 2025 form. Daulton Varsho, Luis Urías and potentially even Jeff Hoffman are also expected to be options for the Blue Jays to trade ahead of the Deadline.