Key takeaways: Blue Jays 5, Cardinals 1

TORONTO -- The Trade Deadline overshadows everything these days.

The Blue Jays are doing everything they can to stay afloat in the AL Wild Card race, but the realities of Monday’s 6 p.m. ET Deadline don’t leave much room. Saturday’s 5-1 win over the Cardinals was another good day, but again, it was overshadowed by the feeling that this could be Kevin Gausman's final game in Toronto.

This is what mattered most from the win:

1. If this was it … Gausman went out strong

Gausman probably could have handled the final batter of the sixth inning, but when manager John Schneider came out to get his starter after 94 pitches, that allowed the sellout crowd at Rogers Centre to give Gausman the standing ovation he deserved.

The Cardinals managed nine hits against Gausman over his 5 2/3 innings, but he danced around the danger to hold them to just one run. This almost feels like the perfect line for Gausman to end with in Toronto -- if this is truly the end of his time with the Blue Jays.

Over 148 starts for this organization, Gausman always gave the Blue Jays a chance to win. There were days of true dominance, when Gausman fit every definition of an “ace,” but every version of him seemed to have a knack for keeping his team in the game. Saturday, he did that one more time.

2. Gausman’s legacy as a leader in Toronto

Gausman isn’t the big, loud guy in the middle of the clubhouse giving daily speeches. He’s closer to someone who teammates are likely to describe as “a pretty chill guy” off the field, but he became a leader in his own way with this club.

“Whether it was Alek Manoah, Trey Yesavage or Spencer Miles, then being around Chris Bassitt, José Berríos, Shane Bieber and Max Scherzer, they have this bond as starting pitchers,” Schneider said. “He respects the game. Quietly, he likes talking about pitching with the other guys. They’ve played off one another pretty well over the past few years. He’s been right in the middle of it.”

His relationship with the young Yesavage has been especially important, two supremely talented pitchers who live on fastballs and splitters. Gausman’s journey through MLB has been so valuable, too, as a former top prospect who’s also experienced failure along the way. That will be felt long after his time in Toronto, whenever that ends.

3. Luis Urías is becoming an interesting story

Fresh off his game-winning hit in Friday night’s opener, Urías was the Blue Jays’ leadoff man Saturday and just kept delivering. That’s been a theme lately.

Urías singled in his first at-bat and later cashed a run with a sacrifice fly to center. Already in his ninth MLB season at 29 years old, Urías has fit in perfectly since the Blue Jays acquired him from the D-backs in mid June for cash considerations.

“He’s been solid, man. He understands his role and understands what we’re asking of him. He’s a baseball player,” Schneider said. “He swings at good pitches. He’s been really good. He’s taking advantage of some opportunities. You trust his skill set, no matter what the role is.”

Naturally, this brings a “but” ahead of the Trade Deadline. Urías won’t be a headliner on the trade market by any means, but he’s still proven to be a very useful piece on a competitive team and can handle both second and third base. This recent stretch has at least put Urías on the radar, and if the Blue Jays decide to fully “sell” at this Deadline, there will be calls made about Urías.