Blue Jays Star Pitcher Reveals He May Be Considering Retirement After Season
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With Spring Training underway ahead of the 2026 Major League Baseball season, the theme of new beginnings permeates the league. But that doesn't mean there isn't talk of endings, as well.
On Thursday, Blue Jays star pitcher Kevin Gausman was candid when asked about his future in baseball beyond the 2026 season, which also happens to be the final year of his current five-year, $110 million contract. The recently-turned 35-year-old admitted to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic that he is contemplating retirement.
“I think it’s definitely a possibility,” says Gausman, regarding hanging up the cleats after this season. “I have really loved my time here. Do I know what’s ahead of me? I don’t really know. No idea. It’s something that I have definitely thought about in the offseason.”
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Could This Be Gausman's Final Season?
It stands to reason that Gausman would at least begin thinking about retirement as he reaches his mid-thirties. The Colorado native is entering his 14th major league season, boasting two All-Star appearances and two top-six Cy Young finishes. The 2026 campaign will likely see him reach both 2,000 career strikeouts and innings pitched.
Gausman noted that spending more time at home with his family was a major pull factor prompting him to at least consider walking away from baseball.
“My kids are only getting older,” Gausman told The Athletic. “The more you push that envelope, the more you’re risking. What’s the positive? What’s the negative? Do I get home and really only have a couple more years of them even wanting to be around you?”
On a personal level, it's easy to see why Gausman would consider retiring from the game. On a professional level, however, it certainly seems like the right-hander has more to give.
Gausman is coming off of a season in which he went 10-11 with a 3.59 ERA and 189 strikeouts while making 32 starts, plus six playoff appearances. In fact, he has been a picture of good health throughout his career, including a Toronto tenure that has seen him start 125 games in four seasons.
And while a player coming off of a $110 million contract is certainly financially secure, Gausman will also at least need to consider money being left on the table. As it stands now, he could be one of the biggest names among the second-tier of free agent pitchers, behind reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal.
As Gausman noted, his focus for the time being is on the 2026 season. At some point, however, he will have to circle back to considering his future, whether that may be with the Blue Jays, with another club or in retirement. If this does prove to be the end of the line, it's been a great career. And going out on top as a World Series champion wouldn't be too bad, either.
Ben Fisher is a long-time sportswriter and baseball lover, dating back to 2008, when he was a member of the media relations team for the Toronto Blue Jays. He has covered a wide range of sports for a seemingly endless array of publications, including The Canadian Press, Fansided and The Hockey Writers. When he isn't writing about sports, he can be found coaching his equally baseball-obsessed sons' Little League teams.