The Chicago Cubs are going all in on this season, and they made that abundantly clear at this year’s trade deadline, acquiring multiple pieces to give themselves the best chance to win. That included landing right-hander Kevin Gausman in a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Gausman is not having the best season of his career, but his track record speaks for itself as a two-time All-Star. Ahead of his start Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox, the 35-year-old veteran had posted a 4.53 ERA with 138 strikeouts across 139 innings of work.
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While not excellent, he still brings plenty of postseason experience, which is valuable for a young Cubs squad trying to make a deep October run.
Unfortunately, Gausman left his third start with Chicago early. He suffered a left hand cramp, according to the Cubs on X. Manager Craig Counsell will likely have further updates on Gausman’s condition after the game.
Given the cramp is not in his throwing hand, it may not require a stint on the injured list, although the discomfort was clearly significant enough to force him out of the contest.
Prior to leaving, Gausman had already thrown 86 pitches and was nearing the end of his outing regardless, which softens the concern slightly.
His performance before leaving was also not particularly encouraging, as he allowed seven hits and three earned runs while issuing two walks.
He did collect five strikeouts, but he clearly still needs time to adjust to his new surroundings in Chicago’s rotation. Still, he figures to get the nod for a postseason start when October arrives.
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