The Toronto Blue Jays may have an unexpected opening if Kevin Gausman decides he is not done pitching after all.
Toronto made the call at the 2026 trade deadline to send the veteran right-hander to the Chicago Cubs, a move that seemed to close the book on his time with the club. But just months later, there’s a real possibility that chapter could reopen if Gausman reaches free agency and chooses to keep playing.
His future is still unresolved. Gausman’s five-year, $110 million contract is set to expire, and he has already spoken publicly about retirement. If he does continue, Toronto could be in the mix.
Mitch Bannon of The Athletic floated the idea that a reunion with the Blue Jays could be likely.
That would give Toronto a chance to add another experienced arm to its rotation mix, and it would bring back a pitcher who was a central figure in the organization for five seasons. Gausman became one of the team’s most reliable starters during his time in Toronto, and he was an important piece of last year’s World Series run.
The connection went beyond the field, too. He built strong ties with the organization and the city, became a fan favorite, and the trade away from Toronto sent ripples through Canada.
When the Blue Jays dealt him to Chicago, they received outfielder Brett Bateman and infielder Ty Southisene in return. Bateman has already shown well, though that doesn’t automatically mean he should be handed an everyday role.
At the time, the trade made sense. Toronto had fallen out of contention, and there was a real chance Gausman could have walked in free agency anyway. Still, making the trade didn’t guarantee the Blue Jays would get another shot at him later.
If they do manage to work out a deal, they could both restore that relationship and keep the prospects they picked up in the original move.
The biggest hurdle is simple: Gausman may not come back to baseball at all.
After Chicago was knocked out of the postseason, he said he had more to sort through before making a decision.
"Honestly, I don't know," Gausman told reporters when asked about returning in 2027. "I need to sit down, talk with my wife and figure that out."
He’s already logged 14 seasons and more than 2,000 innings, which puts his career in clear perspective. At this stage, stepping away to be with his family would hardly be surprising.
There’s also the performance question. Gausman posted a 4.51 ERA in 115 2/3 innings with Toronto before the trade, then finished the year with Chicago by making nine regular-season starts and recording a 4.83 ERA.
Those numbers aren’t at the level of his best seasons, but they also don’t erase the possibility that he can still help a team.
Toronto already has Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage and Jose Soriano lined up as key parts of its pitching picture for 2027. Even so, the staff comes with its share of uncertainty, and depth will matter this offseason.
Jose Berrios is working back from Tommy John surgery. Cody Ponce is recovering from a knee injury. Shane Bieber and Max Scherzer are both heading into free agency.
A short-term deal for Gausman would give the Blue Jays a proven starter without a major long-term commitment. And for Gausman, it could mean a finish to his career in a place where he already had plenty of success, and where the fans already embraced him.
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