Kevin Gausman Dealt to the Cubs For Two Prospects: Fantasy Baseball Impact
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Two-time All-Star Kevin Gausman has been traded from the Toronto Blue Jays to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for minor leaguers Ty Southisene and Brett Bateman.
The Chicago Cubs are acquiring right-hander Kevin Gausman in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays, a source tells to ESPN. The Cubs have sought a playoff-caliber starting pitcher all deadline, and now they've landed one. First on the news was @Ken_Rosenthal and @MitchBannon.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 3, 2026
Gausman Joins Cubs in Push for October
Kevin Gausman, the veteran righty, will join a resilient Cubs team that currently sits at 63-49 and holds down the first place Wild Card spot in the National League. The Blue Jays, who were just two outs away from a World Series Championship this past October, have taken a dive this season currently sitting in last place in the AL East. With a 52-60 record, Toronto opted to sell at the deadline and land the Cubs 13th and 21st ranked prospect in return for Gausman.
Gausman is not having the strongest season up to this point. With the Jays this season, he has put up a 5-10 record with a 4.38 ERA. He does have 127 strikeouts which is tied for 22nd in the MLB this season. The Blue Jays poor run support has not helped Gausman and the rest of the Blue Jays starting pitchers. Toronto ranks 17th in batting average, and 28th in OPS this season, which has been the catalyst for their sub-par performance throughout the year.
Guasman’s move to the Cubs should take some pressure off his starts for the remainder of the season. The veteran joins a Chicago team which currently ranks 3rd in offense in the MLB, and have been searching for a go-to playoff starter.
Gausman Fills In for Injury-Riddled Rotation
Guasman will immediately fill in at the top of the rotation for Chicago, as they continue to deal with injuries to their starting pitchers. The Cubs are currently without starting pitchers Justin Steele, Cade Horton, Edward Cabrera, and Ben Brown who are all currently sidelined with injuries. Cabrera and Brown are both targeting a late August return, but in the meantime Gausman will play a pivotal role in the Cubs rotation as the season progresses.
As the MLB season heads into its final months, Fantasy Managers should expect a boost from Gausman as he joins his new team in Chicago. Guasman, the dependable workhorse, should see an increase in run support and some newfound confidence as he rejoins a contender this year with the Cubs, and slides into an important starting role to help overcome rotational injuries.
Gausman will likely take the bump on Thursday in his Chicago Cubs debut against his former team the Toronto Blue Jays.
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Samuel Jacovitz has a diverse background in the sports media landscape having worked with Mandalay Sports Media, NBC Sports, and the NBA. A born and raised New Yorker and Syracuse University Graduate, Sam focuses on research and analysis when it comes to his fantasy sports content.
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