Cease the worries - Jays Sign Top Starting Pitcher

Wednesday, November 26 2025 @ 07:40 PM EST

Contributed by: John Northey

OK, I'll avoid more puns. 7 years $210 mil with a chunk deferred reducing the present day value to $182 mil ($26 mil per year)

So who is Dylan Cease? The top starter on the market according to most (MLBTR had him 3rd overall, #1 for pitchers; ESPN has him 6th overall, 3rd among pitchers behind Valdez & Imai as examples). He is entering his age 30 season.

32+ starts a year every year from 2021 to 2025, but 165 2/3 to 189 1/3 IP - his 3 CG over that stretch were all shutouts.
FIP over 2021-now has been between 3.10 and 3.72, very consistent, but ERA 2.20 to 4.58.
Lifetime BABIP is .297 including a 323 figure last year.
K% ranged from 27.3 to 31.9%, BB% 8.5% to 10.4%
ERA has been worse than xERA every year from 2021-2025 except in 2022 when he had that 2.20 ERA
Gives up a lot of fly balls - 39.1%-44.3% vs ground balls 33.3% to 39.8% - I suspect he'll fall in love with Varsho (and Straw) very quickly.
Fastball velocity last year was 97.1 - his highest since 2020
FG has his value as $27.2 mil last year, $38 mil in '24.
4 times has reached the post season, twice each with ChiSox and SD - 5 games, 4 starts, 11 1/3 IP 7 BB 13 SO - not enough to really judge much.

So that gives a partial picture. Bottom line the Jays got what they needed most - a solid #1 pitcher for 2026 and beyond. In 2026 the rotation will be Cease-Gausman-Bieber-Yesavage-Berrios unless a trade happens. A very good, and very expensive, rotation. There should be enough cash in the Rogers ledgers left to sign a hitter and/or a closer.

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