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

The free agent starting pitcher, Dylan Cease, has reached a seven-year, $210 million agreement with the Toronto Blue Jays, according to sources close to the situation. This agreement, subject to a physical examination, reinforces an already competitive team that has proven its worth in the American League.

Dylan Cease’s Career

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.

The right-handed pitcher has alternated dominant seasons with less fortunate ones. In 2022 and 2024, Cease finished second and fourth in the Cy Young voting, respectively, with a 28-19 record and a 2.84 ERA. However, in 2023 and 2025, his performance was 15-21 with a 4.57 ERA. Cease is characterized by a vertical movement, a power approach based on his fastball and breaking pitch, and a high walk rate, although he also records a high percentage of strikeouts.

His slider, in particular, underperformed last season, going from being the most valuable in the game in 2024 to opposing hitters batting .374 against it in 2025. Despite this, Cease is coming off of a career-best 29.8% strikeout rate and a 3.56 ERA, 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’ qualified offer of $22.025 million. Due to his signing 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 was traded to the Chicago White Sox along with Eloy Jiménez in 2017. Subsequently, he was acquired by the San Diego Padres in March 2024. In five years as a full-time starter (2021-2025), Cease led the Major Leagues in strikeouts (1,106), but also in walks (361) and wild pitches (51).