A Kevin Gausman trade would close the book on the Blue Jays’ most valuable free-agent signing

The Toronto Blue Jays goal of returning to the World Series after a crushing Game 7 defeat last year doesn't seem to be in the cards for them. While some of Toronto's star players have been performing incredibly well and as expected, vast amounts of underperformance have led them to just a 47-56 record through their first 103 games (as of Jul. 24).

As the trade deadline draws increasingly nearer, the Blue Jays have too seriously consider who they will have to move on from in order to improve their roster for next season. At the end of the day, they'll be looking to maximize the value they can get from their players on expiring deals.

In particular, starter Kevin Gausman represents an interesting dilemma that the Blue Jays will have to navigate very soon. Gausman's 20.1 cumulative fWAR makes him the most valuable free agent signing in franchise history and he's been one of the most consistent pitchers in MLB since signing in Toronto before the 2022 season.

Gausman's five-year, $110 million deal is the third-largest in franchise history behind Dylan Cease ($210 million) and George Springer ($150 million) and with its expiration at the end of the 2026 season, Toronto might have to decide to move on from one of its most valuable pitchers. He ranks among the top-10 pitchers in Blue Jays history in ERA (3.62), strikeouts (910), and FIP (3.24) while being the only pitcher to throw 830+ innings and record 900+ strikeouts since 2022.

Should the Blue Jays be Trading Gausman?

As unfortunate as the situation is, the answer is probably yes. They're sitting on an incredible pitcher who's been a solid producer on an otherwise unimpressive team that's been bogged down due to poor offensive performances. His contract is up at the end of the season and the team is going to try and see what type of return they could get for half a season of his services.

Gausman recently released his no-trade list that was comprised of eight teams, and it would be interesting to see what teams are looking to acquire him. He said in an interview that he'd like to pitch at least "one more time" in front of the home crowd at Rogers Centre and with the trade deadline looming less than two weeks away, the Jays don't have long to decide what to do with him.

The fact of the matter is that the Blue Jays are on the cusp of a completely lost season this year, barring an inconceivable winning streak before the deadline. While last season they completely subverted expectations by not only making the playoffs but winning the AL East and the American League pennant, this year they've been a shell of their former selves.

Gausman is most likely heading out of town, although it might not be what he was hoping for. He's one of the best pitchers this franchise has ever seen and it'll bittersweet to see him leave. Hopefully he'll have one more gem left in him before getting traded so he can get one more round applause from the Toronto faithful.

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