It's hard to believe it's been six years since the Braves parted ways with RHP Kevin Gausman. He was a big acquisition for Atlanta alongside Darren O'Day at the 2018 MLB trade deadline. Gausman had struggled a little in the first half of that season with the Orioles. However, he was excellent for the Braves after the trade. The righty had a 2.87 ERA, 18 walks, and 44 strikeouts over 59.2 innings pitched.
Unfortunately, that success did not carry into 2019, as Gausman had a 6.19 ERA over 80 innings. Atlanta decided it was time to move on and released him. The Reds eventually claimed him on waivers, and he finished the season there. It felt like Gausman's career might be over, but he found a way to turn things around when he signed with the Giants ahead of the 2020 season. He had a 3.92 ERA and a 3.09 ERA over his two seasons in San Francisco.
Gausman's two great years earned him a five-year, $110 million contract with the Blue Jays. He has a 3.60 ERA over the five years he's spent in Toronto, with 221 walks and 909 strikeouts. That's pretty good, and it may have the Braves considering a reunion at the trade deadline.
However, that could be a mistake even with the need for starting pitching.
Any trade deadline reunion between the Braves and Kevin Gausman should only happen if he is valued for what he is, not what he was
Unfortunately for him and Toronto, Gausman is having the worst season of his Blue Jays tenure. He has a 4-8 record, a 4.33 ERA, 32 walks, and 116 strikeouts over 112.1 innings. While his chase, whiff, strikeout, and walk rates are very impressive, he has struggled with opponents hitting the ball hard and barreling his pitches. His ground ball rate is also very poor.
Gausman is in the final year of his contract, so he would essentially be a rental if the Braves traded for him. There's not a whole lot of reason to think they'd want to sign him in the offseason either. The amount Toronto would likely require in a trade hardly seems worth the risk.
However, if the Braves aren't able to land an impact starting pitcher at the deadline, it isn't out of the realm of possibility that they'd consider bringing him back. But, as Dr. Ian Malcom stated in Jurassic Park, "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Alex Anthopoulos should probably heed this advice when considering Gausman as a deadline option.
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