Two recently traded Toronto Blue Jays players struggling with new teams

The Toronto Blue Jays started playing their best baseball of the season right after selling at the trade deadline.

Though the Blue Jays didn't move out as many players as some expected, they did say goodbye to some key veterans, including Kevin Gausman and Daulton Varsho. Since then, they've gone 10-5 and are just half a game back of a playoff spot.

While things have been going swimmingly for the Blue Jays as of late, however, the same cannot be said about the two players mentioned above.

Daulton Varsho, who was traded to the Houston Astros, is hitting a horrendous .125 with just three RBIs through 54 plate appearances. The pending free agent has cost himself a lot of money given his struggles with the Blue Jays before the trade took place.

Gausman, meanwhile, had struggled with the Blue Jays prior to being traded with a 4.38 ERA through 23 starts. Unfortunately, things haven't gone any better for him with the Chicago Cubs.

Gausman has made three starts for his new club, the most recent of which was cut short due to a left hand cramp. He's not expected to miss additional time, but lasted just 4.1 innings before being pulled. Through three starts with the Cubs (16 innings) he owns a troubling 6.19 ERA. If things don't improve, he may find himself outside the Cubs' starting rotation to begin the playoffs.

As for the Blue Jays, they are now being given a 22 per cent chance to make the playoffs by Fangraphs. That may seem low, but is quite remarkable given that their chances had dwindled all the way down to 5.8 per cent on Aug. 3. 

Making things even more promising is that nine of the Blue Jays' final 10 series of the season will be against teams currently outside of the playoff picture.