Blue Jays getting top marks for their biggest offseason addition

There were some who questioned the wisdom behind the Toronto Blue Jays' decision to hand Dylan Cease a seven-year, $210 million contract over the offseason. The right-hander had struggled in two of the previous three years, authoring a 4.58 ERA in 2023 and 4.55 ERA in 2025, and a longstanding issue of walks haunted him when he didn't have his best stuff.

Valid though those concerns were, the Blue Jays were right to see through them. He's twice finished in the top-five in Cy Young voting, and he's been tremendously durable over the past half-decade. The upsides far outweighed the downsides.

Now half a season into his contract, it's clear just how impressive that upside is. Despite missing some time due to a hamstring strain, Cease has tossed 83.1 innings across 15 starts, putting him on pace to surpass the 165-inning threshold for the sixth consecutive season. The 30-year-old has also dominated while on the mound, pitching to a 3.02 ERA; for good measure, his 2.37 FIP and 36.7% strikeout rate are the best marks of his career. (*Stats before Jul. 3 start).

Naturally, the organization deserves heaps of praise for splurging on him, and FanSided's Zachary Rotman was more than happy to oblige. He handed the front office an A- grade for the signing of Cease, calling the right-hander a "bona fide ace."

Dylan Cease has given the Blue Jays everything they paid for and more in 2026

That strong grade is a continuation of the media's apology tour with Cease, as he was previously named the best free-agent signing of the offseason back in May. It's hard to argue with that assessment, seeing as he ranks in the 90th percentile or better in whiff rate, strikeout rate, and average exit velocity allowed this season.

This may genuinely be the best version of Cease baseball has ever seen, even if struggles with command have crept back into the conversation. Besides his preposterous strikeout rate, he's also holding opposing hitters to a .206 batting average, which ranks ninth among all pitchers with at least 80 innings under their belt in 2026.

Perhaps even more than his results, what truly matters most to the Blue Jays is his dependability. His stay on the injured list was for the minimum amount of days, and he ranks second on the team in innings pitched behind only Kevin Gausman. Given the onslaught of pitching injuries the roster has dealt with this season, Cease's ability to take the mound every fifth game almost without fail makes him worthy of his contract on its own.

There are sure to be concerns about how the deal will age as Cease grows deeper into his thirties, but for now, Toronto should be thankful to have such a stalwart leading the rotation this year and beyond.

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