The Chicago Cubs face the prospect of watching right-hander Kevin Gausman return to the Toronto Blue Jays in free agency after a brief and uneven stay in Chicago.
Gausman, 35, becomes eligible to sign elsewhere once the postseason ends. His five-year, $110 million contract with Toronto expires after the 2026 season.
The Cubs acquired him from the Blue Jays in early August in exchange for outfielder Brett Bateman and infielder Ty Southisene. At the time, the club viewed the deal as a way to add a durable veteran for a playoff push.
Gausman finished the regular season with a 9-12 record and a 4.51 ERA across 32 starts and 177 2/3 innings. He struck out 184 batters and posted a 1.27 WHIP.
His results split unevenly after the trade. In nine starts with Chicago he compiled a 4.83 ERA. He allowed at least two runs in seven of those outings.
On Aug. 13 he surrendered six runs in 4 2/3 innings against the Washington Nationals. On Aug. 29 he gave up five runs in five innings versus the Cincinnati Reds. On Sept. 9 he allowed seven runs, six earned, in four innings against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The postseason offered little relief. In Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series he permitted three runs on five hits and struck out one batter over 3 1/3 innings as the San Diego Padres eliminated the Cubs.
Chicago’s rotation needs remain substantial heading into the winter. Clay Holmes, Shota Imanaga and possibly Matthew Boyd are also expected to reach free agency, creating multiple openings.
Gausman’s track record in Toronto remains the strongest argument for a return north. Over five seasons with the Blue Jays he recorded a 3.62 ERA and 920 strikeouts in 861 innings.
Mitch Bannon of The Athletic wrote that “it’s unclear if Gausman’s playing days are over. If he returns, a reunion with Toronto seems likely.”
The Blue Jays traded him only months after he helped the club reach the World Series in 2025, where he posted a 2.93 ERA across six postseason appearances.
Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer had pursued Gausman in prior free-agent markets. The August deal finally brought him to Wrigley Field, yet the short tenure produced mixed results on the mound.
Other clubs will have interest in a pitcher who has logged at least 174 innings in each of the past five full seasons. Gausman’s splitter and fastball combination still generates swings and misses at a solid rate even as his ERA climbed this year.
Whether he chooses to continue pitching remains an open question. If he does, the combination of familiarity, family ties and recent reporting points toward Toronto as the leading destination.
The Cubs, meanwhile, must address several holes created by departing free agents if they intend to contend again in 2027.
