"In Cease's debut spring game for the Blue Jays he took on the Philadelphia Phillies in Dunedin on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 28). He faced a lineup that included some of the Phillies big name hitters such as Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper. In his 1.2 innings of work, Cease gave the Blue Jays a taste of what to expect when he's on the mound for them in 2026."
"He began by walking the first batter, Justin Crawford, on six pitches. Only one of them was in the zone, while the other five pitches were nowhere close to the zone. Crawford fouled off a 90 mph slider that basically kissed the tops of his shoes for the second strike, but laid off back-to-back fastballs to get on base."
"many MLB executives chose the seven-year $210 million deal as one of the worst signings of the offseason. They cited it as an overpay for a guy who walks and hits too many batters and that he can't get his control under command for a guy who commanded so much money."
The Toronto Blue Jays signed Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million deal, the largest in franchise history, despite criticism from MLB executives who viewed it as an overpay due to his high walk rates and hit batters. The Blue Jays understood they were acquiring a strikeout-heavy pitcher to lead their rotation. In his spring debut against the Philadelphia Phillies, Cease recorded three strikeouts in 1.2 innings while showcasing the inconsistency that defined the contract debate. He walked the first batter on pitches mostly outside the zone, then struck out Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper with high fastballs, illustrating the roller coaster nature of his performance.
Read at Jays Journal
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