The Toronto Blue Jays looked buried when the trade deadline hit. Instead, they’ve clawed their way back into the American League Wild Card race, and a big part of that surge has come from an unexpected place: a former Cubs prospect who is suddenly giving them real production at the top of the order.
Toronto went 17-11 in August and, despite sitting at 68-70, is only 1.5 games behind the final Wild Card spot in the American League. That turnaround has featured Brett Bateman, one of the prospects Chicago moved in the Kevin Gausman trade, stepping into a key role almost immediately after arriving in Toronto.
Bateman had spent the entire 2026 season at Triple-A Iowa before the deal. He hit .312/.430/.421 with a 126 wRC+, and the numbers matched the eye test: speed, defense, and enough offense to make a promotion feel overdue.
The Cubs simply didn’t have a spot for the 24-year-old. If he had been a right-handed bat, maybe the path would have opened up differently, but instead Chicago moved on and used the trade to bring in Tyrone Taylor.
Bateman made his Blue Jays debut on August 8, and the club has rolled with him ever since. In his first 88 plate appearances, he’s hitting .333/.384/.410 with a 127 wRC+, and he has already put up 0.9 fWAR in 19 games. More importantly for Toronto, he’s settled in as a steady presence near the top of the lineup.
For the Cubs, Bateman is another example of a farm system that has done well developing college hitters, especially outfielders. Drafted in the middle rounds of the 2023 draft, he moved through the organization and found success at every level before getting dealt.
Chicago did turn Bateman into an established starting pitcher in Gausman, which is a win in its own right. But the return has come with a catch: the Cubs still need more than the 5.14 ERA Gausman has posted in his five starts with the team.
In Other News...
Shelby Miller Suddenly Looks Like A Bigger Cubs Bullpen Concern
Shelby Millers rehab has become a little more complicated than the Cubs likely wanted at this stage. After being pulled from a minor-league outing once he hit a 15-pitch limit, he did not appear in either of the next two scheduled games, a pause that only adds to the sense that Chicago is moving carefully with a bullpen arm it has been trying to build back up.
The Cubs have already made clear they want Miller to show he can handle back-to-back days before they consider him truly ready, which makes every missed appearance worth watching. An update is expected after the roster expansion period begins, and until then his progress remains one of the quieter but more important bullpen storylines for a club trying to get its relief mix in order. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Just Turned Wrigley Nostalgia Into A Debate Fans Wont Ignore
The Cubs are leaning hard into Wrigley Field nostalgia with a new scripted romantic comedy mini-series, Nine Inning to Love, set to run in 17 short episodes on the teams TikTok page. The project centers on two Cubs fans whose relationship starts to take shape during a game at Wrigley, and the team has already rolled out a trailer filled with Cubs apparel and familiar ballpark scenes.
For a franchise that has long traded on the charm of Wrigley and the way baseball can spill into the rest of life, the concept fits the brand neatly. It also puts the Cubs in a different kind of spotlight, one that blends team marketing, social media and fan culture in a way that is likely to get plenty of attention before the full series begins unfolding online. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Give New Call-Up A Real Chance To Help Right Away
The Cubs are giving BJ Murray an immediate opportunity after promoting him from Triple-A and adding him to the active roster for the matchup with the Brewers. Murray, a switch-hitter with the ability to move around the field, is in line to make his major league debut against Milwaukee and gives Chicago another flexible option as it tries to piece together offense and depth.
Murray is expected to fill the designated hitter spot against left-hander Robert Gasser, a clear sign the Cubs want to see what he can do right away in a meaningful role. Chicago also added right-handed reliever Tyler Ferguson to the active roster, another move that bolsters the bullpen while the club continues to sort out its roster on the fly. [Read more 🡒]