Facing Cards, Kevin Gausman could make final start for Jays

With the Monday trade deadline looming, Kevin Gausman could be making his final start for the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday afternoon when he opposes the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.

The right-hander's name has been among the most frequently mentioned in trade rumors since he can become a free agent in the offseason.

"I don't want to go anywhere, but I also understand that it's a possibility," Gausman told Sportsnet. "It's kind of where we're at the way we've played up to this point. But you just never know in this game. I've been around long enough to kind of know that, and that's why I feel so lucky that I've been here long enough that this is the first year where I have to kind of deal with this.

"Whatever happens, it's kind of out of my control."

The Blue Jays have won two in a row after defeating the Cardinals 3-1 on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series. Pinch hitter Luis Urias snapped a tie with a two-run single in the eighth inning.

"No matter what happens over the next couple days, I want the guys to play like they did today and have a little bit of urgency," Blue Jays manager John Schneider said.

The Blue Jays are 4 1/2 games out of the third American League wild-card spot, but their task is made all the more difficult given that five teams stand in the way. As a result, speculation continues that Gausman (4-10, 4.51 ERA) could be traded. He is 1-5 with a 3.30 ERA in 11 career games (seven starts) against St. Louis.

The Cardinals are in a trickier position. They are three games out of a National League playoff spot after their loss and have four teams in between, so players like their outfielder Lars Nootbaar have been mentioned in rumors.

If Gausman makes his scheduled outing Saturday, the middle game of the series will feature starting pitchers from opposite ends of the spectrum.

At the other end is left-hander Quinn Mathews, who is slated to make his major league debut Saturday for the Cardinals after being promoted from Triple-A Memphis.

The 25-year old Mathews was 5-3 with a 3.13 ERA in 19 appearances (all starts) at Memphis following a slow start to the season. He was 0-2 with a 4.58 ERA in five starts in April and 1-1 with a 5.85 ERA in five starts in May.

Since the beginning of June, Mathews is 4-0 with a 1.55 ERA while holding hitters to a .131 batting average.

"He's put together some really good games down below," Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. "And we're looking forward -- and I'm personally looking forward -- to seeing it at this level."

Mathews said that he changed his routine between starts to help improve his command.

"I got tired of (stinking), to be honest with you, in terms of command," Mathews said on Friday. "You walk three, four, five guys in an outing, you're not in the zone. You can only go so many innings. You're not efficient. You can't pitch deep in the game. You can't put together quality starts."

In Friday moves by Toronto, right-hander Braydon Fisher was reinstated from the restricted list (bereavement) and left-hander Adam Macko was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo.

Outfielder Jesus Sanchez was activated from the injured list (sprained right ankle) and Yohendrick Pinango was optioned to Buffalo. Sanchez started in left field Friday and was 0-for-2 before leaving for a pinch hitter.

--Field Level Media