Even though the Toronto Blue Jays traded Kevin Gausman to the Chicago Cubs, Gausman said that he liked the team’s trade deadline moves.
The Blue Jays made six trades in the 48 hours leading up to the August 3 MLB trade deadline, including sending Gausman to the Cubs for two prospects.
Although Gausman was traded to Chicago, he is still a fan of his former organization, and he said that he liked the trades that Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins made at the deadline.
Kevin Gausman Approves of Blue Jays Trades
Speaking to Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling in an interview ahead of the Blue Jays’ game against the Cubs on Thursday afternoon at Wrigley Field, Gausman said that — even though he was traded away — he approved of the moves that Atkins made at the deadline.
“I’m hoping nothing but the best for the organization. I kind of know that we (the players) put them in a tough spot, and I think they went out and got controllable players that have a chance to be really good for them, so hat’s off to them,” Gausman said.
It’s a nice, yet somewhat surprising take from Gausman, who clearly does not hold any hard feelings towards the Blue Jays for trading him away at the deadline.
Gausman, a true veteran of the game, understands that baseball is a business, so he doesn’t hold a grudge towards the Blue Jays’ front office for sending him packing in exchange for two prospects who each have six years of major-league control for Toronto.
While Gausman is obviously hoping that his new team in Chicago makes the playoffs in the National League and ideally, a lengthy World Series run, he seems to also be rooting for the Blue Jays to make a run in the American League, with the two teams potentially meeting in the World Series this fall, if things go right for both ballclubs.
Would Kevin Gausman Return to Toronto?
Gausman’s love for Toronto is real, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he returns to Toronto as a free agent this offseason once his contract ends.
The Blue Jays will still need pitching for next year and going forward, so even though they acquired Jose Soriano, who has two years of control, from the Los Angeles Angels at the trade deadline, you can never have enough pitching in this league, so a reunion with Gausman shouldn’t be completely ruled out, since both the team and player have a high level of respect for one another.
That being said, Gausman is a Cub now, so he’s going to give it all that he has to Chicago as he tries to help them go to the World Series. He was a phenomenal pitcher and clubhouse leader in Toronto for the past 4.5 seasons, which is why the Cubs wanted to pick him up at the deadline. Now, let’s see how he performs for the final stretch of the season and in the playoffs for the Cubs.
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