Blue Jays’ Kevin Gausman Reunion Hopes Take A Hit Shortly After Cubs Exit

The Toronto Blue Jays have plenty of work to do this offseason if they hope to build a starting rotation capable of getting the team back to the World Series. After falling well short of that goal this season, the Blue Jays will need to find additional pitching depth to complement their existing arms, potentially through free agency or the trade market.

“If the season started tomorrow, the Blue Jays’ rotation would be Dylan Cease, Jose Soriano, Trey Yesavage, Cody Ponce and Spencer Miles,” Keegan Matheson wrote for MLB.com. “Not bad, but not close to being competitive.”

One familiar name might be high on the list of free agents for many Blue Jays fans. But a recent development suggests that a reunion is less likely than they might have hoped.

Toronto Blue Jays’ Former Starter Kevin Gausman Makes Personal Decision After Chicago Cubs Exit

After serving as one of the Blue Jays’ best starters for years, veteran pitcher Kevin Gausman has listed his Toronto area home for sale shortly after his playoff run with the Chicago Cubs ended.

“This week, the beloved starting pitcher listed his near-5,000-square-foot Lawrence Park residence with Harvey Kalles Real Estate for $6,885,000,” Marley Dickinson reported for blogTO. “The listing comes just months after the Blue Jays dealt the right-handed starter to the Chicago Cubs at the 2026 trade deadline for outfielder Brett Bateman and infield prospect Ty Southisene.”

Gausman’s home listing complicates speculation about a return to Toronto, where he spent several seasons before the Blue Jays traded him to Chicago. That speculation has been popular in Toronto, where the Blue Jays have a clear need for a midrotation addition and where Gausman enjoyed the best seasons of his career.

But it is rare for star players to return to teams that traded them away shortly before they reached free agency.

“We always talk about well-liked star players getting traded at the deadline, and then re-signing with their original team in the offseason, but it’s actually fairly rare,” Brett Taylor noted for Bleacher Nation.

Although Gausman has an established connection with Toronto, the fact that the team let him go while attempting to toe the line at the trade deadline rather than extend him could be a sign that the front office is ready to move on.

Chicago Cubs Pending Free Agent Kevin Gausman’s Could Shape Toronto Blue Jays Future

Gausman has spent much of his career establishing himself as a dependable major-league starter. Originally selected in the first round of the 2012 MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles, he later pitched for the Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants before joining Toronto.

The Blue Jays signed Gausman ahead of the 2022 season, and he became an important part of their rotation. Now, his departure at the trade deadline left Toronto with another hole to address as the club looks to strengthen its pitching staff.

Whether the Blue Jays are really interested in seeing Gausman return remains uncertain. But his home listing suggests he is embracing a new chapter outside of Toronto before his free agency even officially beings. In fact, he seems to be weighing retirement altogether.

Either way, for Toronto, the immediate priority is clear: improve the rotation before the 2027 season. That now seems pretty unlikely to include a new deal for the fan favorite pitcher.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com