Kevin Gausman’s season ended with the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, and the final scene may have done more than close out a Wild Card loss. It also gave new life to the idea of a Toronto Blue Jays reunion.
Gausman started Game 2 of the best-of-three NL Wild Card series against the San Diego Padres and lasted 3.1 innings in a loss as Chicago was bounced from the postseason. The Cubs had brought him in at the trade deadline, sending Brett Bateman and infield prospect Ty Southisene to Toronto in hopes that the veteran right-hander’s October experience would help push them deeper into the bracket.
Instead, their run was over before October even arrived.
What stood out afterward was Gausman’s tone. The 35-year-old sounded emotional in his postgame interview and seemed to leave the door open to the possibility that his time in Chicago could already be finished.
“A lot of these guys are coming back, so I'm excited for them, excited for this group. I do think they'll be back in the postseason next year,” Gausman said.
“It’s always tough leaving a group and saying goodbye to guys. Unfortunately, I’ve had a lot of heartbreak in this game.”
His remarks came after a season in which he remained a notable name for Toronto fans to keep an eye on. Gausman is in the final year of the five-year, $110-million contract he signed with the Blue Jays before the 2022 season, and he won’t reach free agency until November.
Still, there have already been hints that a return to Toronto could be on the table.
When he was dealt, Gausman said on the 6ix Inning Stretch podcast that he fully plans on coming back to the city when he retires. He also hasn’t put his Lawrence Park home up for sale, and he even returned to Toronto a few weeks ago during a Cubs off-day to spend the day in the city with his wife, Taylor.
After Wednesday’s loss, reporters asked whether he expected to be in a Cubs uniform next season. Gausman said that decision is still ahead of him.
“I need to talk with my wife and figure that out. I’ve been doing this [for a] pretty long time [and] my kids are only getting older. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” he said.
“I had a great time here. I really loved pitching at Wrigley [Field]. It was a lot of fun; I was really looking forward to seeing a postseason game there.”
The Blue Jays’ interest, of course, is only part of the equation. Whether they choose to chase him this winter remains to be seen, but the need for pitching depth is easy to spot: three of Toronto’s eight starting pitchers currently on the roster are on expiring contracts.
Gausman’s 2025 season was uneven between Toronto and Chicago. He posted his highest strikeout percentage over the last three seasons, but his overall numbers dipped across the board.
If Toronto were to bring him back, it would likely be on a one- or two-year deal, with Gausman fitting into a back-end rotation role similar to what Max Scherzer filled for the club over the past two seasons.
The Blue Jays haven’t tipped their hand on off-season priorities beyond the pursuit of a home-run hitter. But with Gausman’s familiarity with the organization and the city, the idea of a return doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.
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