The Cubs are reportedly getting former All-Star pitcher Kevin Gausman. The veteran right-hander will join a team in need of pitching thanks to injury. And per the New York Times, the Blue Jays will receive two prospects in return for Gausman.

The Cubs’ Return

• SP Kevin Gausman (4.34 ERA, 127 K over 127.1 IP)

Kevin Gausman is a good case study for how some pitchers can maintain success in this day and age as a primary three-pitch starter — even though the 2026 season has been a mixed one for the righty.

Signed by the Blue Jays after the 2021 season, the return on investment was pretty good for Toronto. Gausman had a sub-4.00 ERA in four consecutive seasons (2022-25), two 200+ strikeout seasons, and made six starts (seven appearances) in the playoffs for the club. Last year, Gausman was a workhorse, as he posted a 2.93 ERA and struck out 26 over 30.2 IP during the Jays’ return to Game 7 of the World Series.

This season, Gausman has bled more hits than he had in each of his last three seasons. And that’s shown up in the numbers, in particular with his slider. As noted below, opposing hitters have hit that pitch pretty well this season.

For the veteran right-hander, it really all comes down to how well Gausman can pitch to establish the split-finger, his ace secondary offering. And to do that, Gausman works with the four-seam heavily, although that wasn’t always the case.

He experimented with a sinker to play off that signature splitter of his in 2024 and 2025. But he did not use it at all this season. Instead, he stuck with the three-pitch mix that largely got him this far: a mid-90s fastball, a slider, and the aforementioned splitter.

The latter two are his primary swing-and-miss pitches. And yes, Gausman does throw that splitter to righties, too.

Gausman will be a free agent after this season.

The Blue Jays’ Return

• OF Brett Bateman (.313/.430/.421, three HR & 23 XBH over 82 GP (AAA))
• INF Ty Southisene (.306/.425/.327, no HR & 12 XBH over 66 GP (A & A+))

The Blue Jays picked up two contact hitters, one of whom is infielder Ty Southisene.

A fourth-round pick by the Cubs in 2024, Ty is part of a baseball family that also includes Tate Southisene, a former first-round pick by Atlanta. Tate has blossomed into a special infield prospect. He has significantly more pop than his older brother, as Ty has yet to hit a home run at the professional level. But that doesn’t mean there’s no tools in the shed.

Lots of consistent contact for Southisene. His 20.9% Whiff% in High-A (min. 275 swings) was good for the top-15% among hitters at the level. Like his brother Tate, he loves to take pitches & work counts. However, a bit more of those takes (34.3%) resulted in called strikes.

Ty walked more (41) than he struck out (37) this season. Plus, he stole 37 combined bases between Low-A and High-A.

The other piece is Brett Bateman, an eighth-round pick from the University of Minnesota back in 2023. Quietly, Bateman has developed into a valuable prospect. Although, like Southisene, the home run power is light, with a 3.6% Barrel% in 2026.

Bateman is a pretty reserved hitter, and that’s been the trend over the last few years. High Take% in the Southern League last season, and by and large, doesn’t expand all that much, even on breaking balls & offspeed stuff.

Additionally, Bateman stole 20 bases.

Analysis

The Cubs didn’t have to part with any of their big prospects to get Gausman. While both Southisene and Bateman are good players, neither is a player who would rank in the top-10 of either the Blue Jays or Chicago organizations. But still, both could be valuable pieces in the future.

In particular, Bateman, who has a polished approach at the plate and has a high floor of being at least a reserve outfielder.

But getting back to the Cubs, Chicago’s needed to fill out the rotation over the past few weeks with injuries to Ben Brown, Cade Horton, and Edward Cabrera that’ve led the club to add David Peterson, and now, Gausman.

If Cabrera, who is on a rehab assignment, comes back and gets into form, a healthy Gausman should help fill out the rotation nicely.

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