A Kevin Gausman reunion would be one of the more intriguing names the Braves could circle at the trade deadline, but it comes with plenty of baggage.
It’s been six years since Atlanta dealt for the right-hander from Baltimore in the 2018 deadline move that also brought in Darren O’Day. Gausman was exactly what the Braves hoped for down the stretch that year, posting a 2.87 ERA with 18 walks and 44 strikeouts over 59.2 innings. For a stretch, it looked like Atlanta had landed a difference-maker.
The follow-up, though, was rough. Gausman stumbled to a 6.19 ERA over 80 innings in 2019, and the Braves moved on by releasing him.
The Reds claimed him on waivers, and he finished that season in Cincinnati. From there, he rebuilt his career with the Giants after signing before the 2020 season, turning in a 3.92 ERA and then a 3.09 ERA across his two years in San Francisco.
That rebound set him up for a major payday. Toronto gave Gausman a five-year, $110 million deal, and he has delivered a 3.60 ERA over his five seasons with the Blue Jays, along with 221 walks and 909 strikeouts. On paper, that kind of track record can make a reunion sound appealing for a Braves club that needs starting pitching.
But the current version of Gausman is not the same pitcher Atlanta remembers from that first stint. This has been the worst season of his Blue Jays run, with a 4-8 record, a 4.33 ERA, 32 walks, and 116 strikeouts over 112.1 innings.
His chase, whiff, strikeout, and walk rates remain strong, but opponents have been squaring him up more often, barreling his pitches and hitting the ball hard. His ground ball rate has also been poor.
There’s another catch: Gausman is in the final year of his contract, which would make him a rental if the Braves pulled the trigger. And if Atlanta is being honest about the offseason, there’s not much reason to expect a reunion beyond 2024. That makes the price Toronto would likely ask for look even tougher to justify.
If the Braves miss out on an impact starter elsewhere, Gausman could still end up in the conversation. But that kind of move only makes sense if Atlanta is evaluating the pitcher he is right now, not the one who flashed in a Braves uniform six years ago.
As Dr. Ian Malcom stated in Jurassic Park, "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
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