It has been six years since the Atlanta Braves moved on from veteran right-hander Kevin Gausman, a pitcher who once looked like a key piece of their rotation.
Acquired from the Baltimore Orioles alongside Darren O’Day at the 2018 trade deadline, Gausman thrived after arriving in Atlanta, posting a 2.87 ERA with 44 strikeouts across 59.2 innings during the second half of the season.
That success was short-lived, however. Gausman struggled in 2019, recording a 6.19 ERA over 80 innings before the Braves released him.
After being claimed by the Cincinnati Reds, his future in the majors appeared uncertain. He revived his career with the San Francisco Giants in 2020, producing strong results over two seasons and re-establishing himself as a reliable starter.
His resurgence earned him a five-year, $110 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, where he has generally been productive, compiling a 3.60 ERA and more than 900 strikeouts during his time with the club.
With Atlanta searching for pitching help ahead of the trade deadline, some have speculated that a reunion could make sense.
Still, such a move would come with significant concerns. Gausman is in the midst of his toughest season since joining Toronto, carrying a 4-8 record and a 4.33 ERA through 112.1 innings.
While his strikeout numbers and underlying metrics remain solid, he has been hurt by hard contact, increased barrel rates, and a lack of ground-ball production.
Because Gausman is in the final year of his contract, any team acquiring him would likely view him as a short-term rental.
That reality, combined with the prospect cost Toronto could demand, makes the risk-reward equation less appealing for Atlanta.
If the Braves fail to land a higher-impact starter before the deadline, Gausman could emerge as a fallback option.
However, Atlanta would need to evaluate him based on his current performance rather than memories of his previous success with the organization, making any potential reunion far from a guaranteed fit.
