Why Kevin Gausman’s love for Toronto adds to the pain of possible Blue Jays trade

It was just the latest example of Gausman and crew embracing a city where they’ve owned a home, cherished a neighbourhood and enjoyed life far beyond the stadium.

Published Jul 31, 2026  •  Last updated 1 hour ago  •  4 minute read

Kevin Gausman #34 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning at Fenway Park on July 26, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo by Winslow Townson /Getty Images

See more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source

Article content

If this indeed is Kevin Gausman’s final weekend as a Blue Jay, it won’t be an easy one for the veteran starter and all those who have come to admire his work.

Article content

Article content

It won’t be easy for Blue Jays fans, who have seen the best of the right-hander over the past five seasons, highlighted by the magical run to the World Series this past fall.

It will be difficult for Gausman’s teammates too, losing a valued clubhouse voice and one respected for his measured leadership on and off the playing field.

And it especially won’t be easy for Gausman’s family – wife Taylor and two young daughters, Sadie and Sutton – to say so long to a place that has been home to them for some of the most important years of his career.

The joy the Gausmans have felt for Toronto was captured on social media during Monday’s off-day when they were cruising on Lake Ontario on a spectacular summer afternoon.

Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman spent a day off with his family in Toronto in this Instagram picture. (Instagram/@taylorhausman) Photo by Screenshot /Instagram/@taylorgausman

It was just the latest example of Gausman and crew embracing a city where they’ve owned a home, cherished a neighbourhood and enjoyed life far beyond the stadium.

Article content

Article content

“They love it here, they really do,” Gausman said in an interview earlier this year, speaking of his family’s affinity for summers in the city. “I mean, this is all my youngest daughter knows.

“We’ve really loved it. We love the parks. We’ve loved how pretty the city is in summertime and how nice the people are. We really love our house and neighbourhood. We’ve enjoyed every minute.

“My wife and I talk about it all the time. How lucky we were that we made the right decision.”

That luck appears to be running out as the harsh reality of a failed season kicks in and with Gausman jumping to the top of the list of players likely to be traded, given his looming free agency.

While it hasn’t been confirmed that Jays general manager Ross Atkins will be a seller in advance of Monday’s MLB trade deadline, with a record of 50-59 leaving them 5.5 games out of an AL wildcard spot, it’s trending that way heavily.

Gausman knows it. His teammates know it. Fans are surely aware. And none particularly like it.

Article content

If Gausman is still around and available to make his scheduled start against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, it promises to be an emotional afternoon at the Rogers Centre in a city that has been much more than a baseball home for the 35-year-old and his family.

Why did Gausman decide on Blue Jays?

When Gausman agreed to a five-year, $110 million US deal to become the lead arm in the Jays rotation back in December 2021, it was a decision he didn’t make lightly.

In fact, for almost all of the reasons he could imagine, deciding to be a Blue Jay was the best decision of Gausman’s professional life, one highlighted by last October’s World Series near miss.

The bonus has been the love affair with the city, an affection that will make this weekend all the more difficult should Gausman be moved.

Typical of Gausman’s heartfelt honesty, he’s been clear about how badly he wants to stay here and why, while also understanding the business pulls that go with the sport.

Article content

“Baseball is hugely important to him,” Jays manager John Schneider says of Gausman. “He’s not the loudest character, but he just knows what to do every single day.

“When you look back at the last four years, he’s just been so stable and so consistent … not only in performance but in the clubhouse.”

Along the way, Gausman has embraced the challenges of that leadership and worn the emotions that go with it on his sleeve, in good times and bad.

Read More

1. 

   Long Ball: Could the Blue Jays be both a seller and a buyer?
2. 

   As trade deadline clock ticks, Blue Jays appear poised to ship out some fan favorites

3. 

   Duane Ward’s family shares moving tribute to late Blue Jays pitcher

Why would the Jays trade Gausman?

Those business realities the Colorado native speaks of are the main reason Gausman tops the list of potential exiting Blue Jays veterans.

With an expiring contract – a situation the right-hander shares with veterans George Springer, Shane Bieber and Daulton Varsho – makes him a natural once the white flag is officially raised by the front office.

Article content

That doesn’t make it easier for anyone, unfortunately.

In an interview at the end of the miserable 2024 season, in which the Jays finished in last place, Gausman shared the agony of the trade deadline from a human perspective.

“These are people you care about,” Gausman said. “You care about them as people and you care about their families and that adds a whole other element to it.

“At the trade deadline, there was so much uncertainty and that is difficult for a player and difficult for a team when everybody’s name is out there. When you wonder if you’re going to be here and what the team is going to look like after (the deadline) … it’s tough.”

Seeing the team land in that same position just two years later – and after all that magic of 2026 – only adds to the excruciating times Gausman and his teammates find themselves in today.

Article content