Cubs news: Kevin Gausman sends heartfelt message to Toronto after huge Blue Jays trade

Kevin Gausman made sure to thank Toronto properly before starting his next chapter in Chicago. The veteran right-hander shared an emotional farewell message to Blue Jays fans after Toronto traded him to the Cubs just ahead of Monday’s deadline, closing out a five-year run north of the border.

“Toronto. So many great memories with amazing people that I will cherish forever! Getting to represent an entire country was truly an honor that I never took for granted! Love you all!” Gausman wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The nod to representing “an entire country” carries real weight given Toronto’s unique standing as Canada’s only Major League Baseball team, a distinction Gausman embraced throughout his tenure.

The Blue Jays sent Gausman to Chicago in exchange for Triple-A outfielder Brett Bateman and Class-A infielder Ty Southisene, officially declaring Toronto a seller just months after the team took the Los Angeles Dodgers to extra innings in Game 7 of last year’s World Series.

The Blue Jays entered the day at 52-60, sitting last in the American League East and 4.5 games out of a wild card spot, a stunning reversal from their pennant run a year ago.

Gausman signed his five-year, $110 million contract with Toronto back in November 2021, going on to make two All-Star teams and finishing as one of the franchise’s all-time strikeout leaders with 920 punchouts across 148 starts.

His postseason run last October only added to his legacy in Toronto, going 2-3 with a 2.93 ERA across five playoff starts, including a dominant Game 2 World Series outing in which he allowed just four hits over 6.2 innings, followed by eight strikeouts across six strong innings in Game 6.

Now 35, Gausman joins a Cubs team sitting at 64-49 and holding the top NL Wild Card spot, giving Chicago a proven mid-rotation arm as it chases a deep playoff run. He slots in alongside Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga near the top of Chicago’s rotation, with his first start for the Cubs likely coming Thursday against, fittingly, his former Blue Jays team at Wrigley Field.