"Looking ahead for the Toronto Blue Jays to this upcoming offseason, they could be faced with the reality that they could lose three potential starters from their rotation to free agency. With the contracts of both Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer expiring after the 2025 season, along with the possibility of Shane Bieber opting out of his own contract, it could leave a huge void in the Blue Jays' starting five heading into 2026."
"Cease is actually coming off one of his worst seasons in the majors this past year. In 2025, the star right-hander posted just an 8-12 record with a 4.55 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, giving up 85 earned runs including 21 home runs in 168 innings pitched over 32 starts. Despite that, he managed to post his fifth consecutive season of 200+ strikeouts with 215."
"More importantly, Cease has proven to be a front-end-of-the-rotation starter for much of his seven-year MLB career split between the Chicago White Sox and Padres. The 29-year-old pitcher has compiled a 65-58 record with a solid 3.88 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, along with a whopping 1231 strikeouts in just 1015 1/3 innings pitched over 188 career starts. In doing so, Cease finished in the top five in Cy Young voting, including finishing runner-up to Justin Verlander in 2022 for the AL Cy Young Award."
The Toronto rotation could lose Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer after 2025 and potentially Shane Bieber via opt-out, creating significant starting-pitching needs for 2026. Targeting a frontline free-agent starter would address that gap. Dylan Cease fits the profile given a seven-year track record as a front-end starter and elite strikeout ability. Cease struggled in 2025 with an 8-12 record, 4.55 ERA and 1.33 WHIP but still recorded 215 strikeouts for a fifth straight 200+ strikeout season. His career totals include a 65-58 record, 3.88 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 1,231 strikeouts in 1,015 1/3 innings.
Read at Jays Journal
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