Dylan Cease signs with Blue Jays: $210M for 7 years, luxury reinforcement for the rotation

Dylan Cease Signs with the Blue Jays for $210 Million

Free agent starting pitcher Dylan Cease has reached a seven-year, $210 million agreement with the Toronto Blue Jays, according to sources familiar with the negotiation. The deal is pending a physical examination. With this addition, the Blue Jays strengthen an already competitive team that has proven its worth in the American League. Cease, who will turn 30 next month, has been a reliable starter in the last five seasons, ranking among the best in terms of WAR for pitchers.

In five seasons as a full-time starter with the Padres, from 2021 to 2025, Dylan Cease led Major League Baseball in strikeouts (1,106), but also in walks (361) and wild pitches (51). The right-handed pitcher has had dominant seasons alternated with less outstanding ones. In 2022 and 2024, Cease finished second and fourth in the Cy Young voting, respectively, with a record of 28-19 and an ERA of 2.84. In 2023 and 2025, he had a record of 15-21 with an ERA of 4.57. Cease utilizes a vertical movement due to his high release, a power strategy based on the combination of fastball and breaking pitch (at least 80% fastball/slider for both right-handed and left-handed hitters) and a high walk rate, sometimes combined with a high strikeout rate.

His slider, in particular, saw its performance decline last season, going from being the most valuable in the game by runs above average in 2024 to opposing hitters batting .374 against it in 2025. However, Cease is coming off of recording a career-high strikeout rate of 29.8% and an independent pitching score of 3.56, a slight improvement compared to his 2021-2024 average.

These numbers, along with his age and the deficiencies of other available starters, made him one of the most attractive pitchers in free agency. Cease rejected the Padres’ $22.025 million qualifying offer before the November 18 deadline. Because he signed with a new team, San Diego will receive a compensatory draft pick after the fourth round. Selected in the sixth round of the 2014 draft by the Chicago Cubs, Cease originally came to the Chicago White Sox in a 2017 trade involving Eloy Jimenez and Jose Quintana, then was acquired by the San Diego Padres in March 2024. In five years as a full-time starter, from 2021 to 2025, Cease led the Major Leagues in strikeouts (1,106), but also in walks (361) and wild pitches (51).