Dylan Cease made a strong first impression in his Toronto Blue Jays spring training debut, striking out three Phillies batters over 1 2/3 innings. The right-hander allowed one run on one hit and one walk in the Blue Jays' 7-5 victory at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida. Cease's performance highlights the potential behind his recent seven-year, $210 million contract with the team.
DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Dylan Cease's spring training debut for the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday showcased the talent that nearly earned him the American League Cy Young Award in 2022, when only Justin Verlander's season edged him out. Cease, who made 32 starts that year with one of the highest strikeout rates among starters, threw 98 mph fastballs past Philadelphia Phillies hitters, including a 97.5 mph heater that got Bryce Harper swinging.
In the game at TD Ballpark, Cease permitted one run, one hit, one walk, and recorded three strikeouts over 1 2/3 innings, contributing to the Blue Jays' 7-5 win. "You always want to make a good, strong first impression," Cease said. "This isn’t as important as a regular-season game, but I definitely wanted to make a good impression."
The Blue Jays signed Cease to their largest free-agent contract at seven years and $210 million, betting on his top-end potential after seven big league seasons marked by elite highs and solid lows. Cease seeks greater consistency for elite seasons every year. His delivery feels 80% there, and he remains "really optimistic." "This is about fine-tuning and finding the feel in high intensity," Cease explained. "For instance, maybe you bounce a couple breaking pitches and go, ‘OK, I need to aim that higher,’ and you take a mental note of that. You just figure out what creates the best shapes and the best command."
Manager John Schneider emphasized delivery as key. "Delivery is a big thing for him," Schneider said. "Staying in his delivery is a big thing. The really good outings and seasons you’ve seen from him, that has been on point very consistently."
Cease's velocity leads the staff, and his slider has high potential, while he experiments with a changeup. A notable upgrade is the Blue Jays' elite defense, ranked first in fielding run value the past two seasons (1st, 1st, then 7th, 6th), compared to his prior teams (Padres, White Sox) at 18th, 20th, 23rd, and 21st. As a fly-ball pitcher, Cease benefits from strong outfield play; his 2022 White Sox ranked 28th in outfield fielding run value. Infielders Andrés Giménez and Ernie Clement bring Gold Glove potential into 2026.
"I think it will only help him," Schneider said of the defense. "There are a lot of other things that will help him, too, in terms of his sessions with [the pitching coaches] and pitch shape. I think he’s a guy who is a little bit of an outlier, where you already have elite swing-and-miss stuff. How can we capitalize and make that better? If we happen to make some good plays behind him, that’s an added bonus."
This defensive edge could incrementally boost Cease's performance over a full season.
