Chicago Cubs land the arm they need in Kevin Gausman — how did the Blue Jays fare in return?

The Chicago Cubs strengthened their rotation by acquiring right-hander Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays on the trade deadline. Gausman, 35, brings valuable postseason experience, as he has a 3.83 ERA with 56 strikeouts in 56 ⅓ innings across 56 appearances in the playoffs. The Cubs added Gausman after dealing away pitchers like Cade Horton and Justin Steele, who have faced injuries throughout the season.

In return, the Blue Jays received prospects Brett Bateman and Ty Southisene. While the Cubs will slot Gausman into their rotation alongside left-handers Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and David Peterson, they still need to address their bullpen and rotation needs. The Blue Jays parted ways with Gausman, despite his impressive track record in Toronto, due to the impending free agency deadline and the need for roster adjustments.

Both Bateman, a center fielder, and Southisene, a shortstop, possess defensive skills and solid contact abilities but lack power at the plate. Given their young ages and potential, the Blue Jays hope to develop them into valuable major league contributors in the future.