Blue Jays officially sign Gausman to 5-year contract
Posted December 1, 2021 9:28 am.
Last Updated December 1, 2021 11:56 am.
TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays have signed right-hander Kevin Gausman to a five-year, US$110-million contract as the team retools its starting rotation heading into the 2022 season.
The Blue Jays officially announced the signing Wednesday after an agreement between Gausman and Toronto was widely reported on the weekend.
All Gaus, No Brakes! @KevinGausman ???? pic.twitter.com/884qCSp16h
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) December 1, 2021
Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi reports Gausman will earn $21 million in 2022 and 2023, followed by $22 million in 2024 and $23 million in 2025-26.
Gausman will be introduced as a member of the Blue Jays at 3 p.m. via Zoom.
The 30-year-old will be counted on to provide star power to the Blue Jays’ starting five after it was reported Monday that reigning American League Cy Young winner Robbie Ray was leaving Toronto for Seattle in free agency. Ray’s deal is expected to be for $115 million over five years.
.@RobbieRay is coming to Seattle!
We’ve signed the 2021 AL Cy Young Award winner to a five-year contract. #SeaUsRise pic.twitter.com/PhxWDIDoay
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) December 1, 2021
The Blue Jays also lost starter Steven Matz this off-season. He signed a $44 million, four-year contract with St. Louis. Shortly after Matz’s agreement with the Cardinals was made official, he thanked Blue Jays players and the organization, saying he was grateful to have experienced playing in Toronto.
“Extending heartfelt thanks to the Toronto Blue Jays,” Matz wrote. “Specifically, I’d like to thank Charlie [Montoyo], Pete [Walker], and all my teammates for an awesome season in ’21. I have no doubt that I’m where I am today in part because of all the work we put in together last year, and I’ll always be grateful.”
The Blue Jays will still be well-armed in 2022, with Gausman joining a rotation that includes Hyun-jin Ryu, Jose Berrios and impressive sophomore Alek Manoah.
The 30-year-old Gausman was 14-6 with a 2.81 earned-run average and 227 strikeouts in 192 innings for San Francisco last season, numbers that earned him his first all-star nod.
Toronto continues to scour the free-agent market for potential upgrades. The club has been recently linked to position players Freddie Freeman and Chris Taylor and starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi.
