Gausman gets emotional after potentially playing last game with Toronto Blue Jays
Kevin Gausman wants to stay with the Toronto Blue Jays, but that decision won't be up to him.
The 35-year-old pitched his last game before the MLB Trade Deadline on Saturday, recording a 5-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Gausman put in 5.2 innings of work, recording four strikeouts and allowing just one earned run.
It was a great way to potentially end his Blue Jays tenure, and the Toronto faithful gave the veteran pitcher quite an ovation as he walked off the mound back to the Blue Jays dugout.
The emotions were evident after the game, as Gausman spoke to the media about how much he loves being a Blue Jay.
"I think of myself as a Blue Jay," Gausman told reporters. "I've embraced not just the team but the country. I really love this city and everything that it stands for.
"This has been the best decision I've ever made to come here."
"I've embraced not just the team but the country. I really love this city and everything that it stands for. This has been the best decision I've ever made to come here."
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 1, 2026
Kevin Gausman speaks on what he thinks he has achieved in his time in Toronto so far. 💙 pic.twitter.com/Gln3jxrvgP
Though Gausman doesn't want to leave, a dismal Blue Jays season may force the team's hand. A postseason berth is looking unlikely at the moment, and the team may want to get some assets back for players on expiring contracts, which Gausman is.
That, combined with a thin class of starting pitchers potentially up for trade, makes it feel likely that Gausman will be pitching for a new team once Monday's deadline passes.
"The summers here are amazing, you don't want to sit at home," Gausman said. "I've been really interested in Toronto ever since I signed here. It's a very unique city, and my first couple months here I knew I was gonna love it right away.
"It's a great place to raise a family; my youngest has pretty much been raised here, so it's pretty cool."
Gausman initially joined the Blue Jays as a free agent signing back in 2022, inking a five-year, $110 million deal with Toronto. During that time, he has grown into Toronto's ace and helped the team come within one half-inning of winning the World Series last season.
It's not every day you have an American player rave about how much they love playing in Toronto, but it seems like the love that the fanbase has for Gausman is reciprocated in every sense.
If Gausman is traded, perhaps a reunion could be worked out next winter.
John E. Sokolowski/Imagn Images
