The tradeBlue Jays get: OF Brett Bateman, INF Ty SouthiseneCubs get: RHP Kevin GausmanKevin Gausman is the same guy he used to be, and that’s worth more than thisBlue Jays: C
Cubs: A-Maybe I’m just a sucker for a battle-scarred veteran pitcher, but I dig this trade a lot for the Cubs. The underlying numbers suggest Gausman is pretty similar to the pitcher he’s been the past three seasons — 3.51 FIP this year compared to a 3.41 FIP last year, with a similar strikeout-to-walk ratio. He still has an elite fastball. And he demonstrated his mettle during Toronto’s run to the World Series last year.Gausman does not qualify as an ace, but the Cubs should feel comfortable handing him the baseball in Game 1 of a postseason series. To secure him, they gave up a couple of infielders with scant power. Feels like a nice win for the Cubs. (If Gausman ends up giving up four dingers in an NLDS game, please send all your angry emails to Jon Greenberg.) — Andy McCulloughA pair of players with little-to-no power are an underwhelming return for TorontoBlue Jays: C-
Cubs: AAs nice as it would have been to see Kevin Gausman stay in Toronto, the city where he evolved from mid-rotation arm with upside to No. 1 starter and sneaky Cy Young candidate, it seemed both he and the club were prepared to turn the page. They did all they had set out to do together except win a World Series. And, boy, they came close.
