Blue Jays ace states he wants to continue to play in Toronto beyond 2026

Opening Day is a week away, and the Toronto Blue Jays recently named Kevin Gausman to be their starter against the Athletics on March 27 when the season begins. After his incredible 2025, there may not have been anybody more deserving than Gausman, who gets his first Opening Day start as a member of the Blue Jays.

However, 2026 is an important year for Gausman. Not only is he hoping to help lead his team back to the World Series, but he's also entering the final year of his five-year, $110 million contract. And, in a recent interview, Gausman hopes he's north of the border beyond 2026.

Kevin Gausman wants to keep being a Blue Jay

Kevin Gausman appeared as a guest on Foul Territory TV on Thursday, March 18. There, host Erik Kratz asked Gausman if talks about a contract extension with the Blue Jays have began. While it's not the case currently, it didn't stop Gausman from making it clear what his desires are after the 2026 season.

"That's something we really haven't crossed yet. I would love to continue playing for the Blue Jays. I love this organization. I love this city," said Gausman. "For me, being here as long as I have, it's been cool to see the organization grow, see [manager John Schneider] grow as a manager. There are just a lot of things. My kids have grown up in Toronto."

"There are a lot of things to like when you're looking from the outside looking in at where you would want to play. I don't think there's anything bad you can say about Toronto besides the fact that it's in another country. If you can get past that, then there's a lot more to love. Me and my wife, we've really enjoyed our time here. "

Yes, Gausman didn't hide the fact that he wants to continue to wear the blue and white. However, he understands that baseball can sometimes be a cruel sport and deals don't always work out the way you want. I also understand it's a business. It's not always about what everybody wants, and sometimes kind of goes back to just what makes sense for both sides," said Gausman. We'll see what happens. Moreso, I'm just focused on this year and trying to get back to a World Series."

2025 was another strong year for Gausman on the mound. Pitching in 32 games, the right-hander finished with a 10-11 record with a 3.59 ERA and 189 strikeouts. Gausman also saw success in the postseason, where he finished with a 2.93 ERA in six games and 26 strikeouts.

Even before earning the Opening Day nod, Gausman was expected to be an important anchor for the starting rotation after the injuries to Shane Bieber, José Berrios and more recently Trey Yesavage. Regardless, nobody earned the honor to start on Opening Day more than Gausman. If he can maintain the momentum from 2025 into 2026, there shouldn't be an issue with a big extension this winter.