Cubs’ Kevin Gausman Sends Retirement Message After Blue Jays Exit

TORONTO, ON- JULY 21 - Kevin Gausman #34 of the Toronto Blue Jays leaves the mound aft giving up 3 runs successful the 3rd inning arsenic the Toronto Blue Jays play the Tampa Bay Rays astatine Rogers Centre successful Toronto. July 21, 2026. Steve Russell/Toronto Star (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

Toronto Star via Getty Images

For much than a decade, Kevin Gausman has built a estimation arsenic 1 of baseball's astir durable and respected starting pitchers. From his early years pinch the Baltimore Orioles to his standout stretches pinch the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays, Gausman has emerged arsenic the benignant of seasoned starter who tin anchor a rotation.

That made this latest waste and acquisition deadline 1 of the astir affectional moments of his career. After spending respective seasons arsenic a cardinal portion of Toronto's pitching unit and making a tally to the World Series past year, Gausman was sent to different caller squad while questions astir his semipermanent early continued to travel him.

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Chicago Cubs Starter Kevin Gausman Sends Retirement Return Message To Toronto Blue Jays After Exit

Despite the speculation surrounding his adjacent chapter, Gausman made it clear that his relationship to Toronto is not ending.

During an quality shared by 6ix Inning Stretch podcast, the seasoned right-hander addressed his early aft leaving the Blue Jays and pushed backmost against the thought that his departure represented a last farewell.

“This isn’t goodbye,” Gausman said. “I scheme connected coming back, moreover erstwhile I’m retired, whenever that is. I’ll beryllium around, truthful don’t beryllium amazed if you spot maine astir Toronto.”

Though Gausman has bounced astir the awesome leagues, it seems for illustration he’s willing successful making a imperishable location successful Toronto. And the connection carried immoderate other weight arsenic he has openly speculated astir ending his profession aft this ongoing season.

“I deliberation it’s decidedly a possibility,” Gausman said of retiring successful the winter, according to The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon. “I person really loved my clip here. Do I cognize what’s up of me? I don’t really know. No idea. It’s thing that I person decidedly thought astir successful the offseason.”

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For now, however, Gausman remains focused connected competing.

The Chicago Cubs acquired the seasoned starter from Toronto arsenic portion of their deadline push, adding different knowledgeable limb to a rotation pinch postseason aspirations.

“Gausman, 35, who is successful the past twelvemonth of a five-year, $110 cardinal deal, is 5-10 pinch a 4.38 ERA and 127 strikeouts successful 23 starts this season,” ESPN reported. “He was acquired from Toronto connected Monday successful speech for Triple-A outfielder Brett Bateman and Class-A infielder Ty Southisene.”

The move ended an impactful Blue Jays tenure for Gausman, who helped the franchise scope the 2025 World Series while increasing his estimation arsenic 1 of baseball's astir reliable workhorses. He has made astatine slightest 31 starts and thrown astatine slightest 174⅔ innings successful each of the erstwhile 5 seasons, highlighting his singular consistency.

Gausman's contiguous attraction will beryllium helping Chicago pursuit a championship, but his connection to Toronto fans made 1 point clear: whenever his playing profession yet ends, he expects his narration pinch the metropolis and statement to continue.