Kevin Gausman's time with the Cubs may already be over after a short, difficult run.

Chicago traded for him this summer from the Blue Jays, envisioning exactly the moment he got Wednesday night, the ball in a crucial playoff game. It fell just short of the dream scenario.

Gausman started Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series in San Diego, and the Padres eliminated the Cubs that night.

He was available this summer specifically because he was on an expiring contract, set to become a free agent regardless of where he finished the season. With Toronto's own playoff push stalling before the deadline, trading him was the tough call the front office ultimately made.

He'd struggled in Chicago and battled injury along the way, not the stretch anyone envisioned when the trade happened. Still, the Cubs trusted him with the ball in a genuinely big moment.

It didn't matter in the end. Chicago set a record for the lowest slugging percentage ever in a postseason series, making a Gausman win essentially impossible regardless of how he pitched.

Why a Blue Jays reunion is already part of the conversation

Early signs point away from an immediate return to Chicago. "Boyd might return, but Holmes, Imanaga and Gausman will test the market, opening up some slots in the rotation," ESPN's Jesse Rogers wrote after the elimination.

That's a significant chunk of pitching the Cubs could need to replace.

"The Cubs need to rebuild their pitching staff and that includes both their rotation and bullpen," Rogers wrote. "The good news is they can concentrate on that part of their team because they have enough position players to fill the void left by Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki, who are both likely to leave the team via free agency."

Rogers raised real questions about how Chicago's staff looks with Justin Steele and eventually Cade Horton returning from injury, and whether Holmes and Boyd both return or just one of them.

For Gausman himself, speculation about a return to Toronto has already started. He had genuinely good years with the Blue Jays, though the club has somewhat moved on from that need already, having acquired Jose Soriano from the Angels at this year's own deadline.

His track record and talent should still generate real interest in free agency regardless of where he ultimately lands, whether that's back in Toronto, staying in Chicago, or starting fresh somewhere entirely new.