Cease (6-4) picked up the win Wednesday in a 10-0 rout of the Giants, scattering one hit and three walks over eight scoreless innings. He struck out 11.
The right-hander took a no-hitter into the ninth inning, but Heliot Ramos broke it up with a leadoff single, ending Cease's afternoon at 118 pitches (81 strikes). It was his sixth start of the season with double-digit strikeouts, and Cease heads into the All-Star break with a 2.56 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and American League-leading 148 strikeouts in just 98.1 innings. He's on the short list to get the start for the AL in the All-Star Game.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Spins seven shutout innings
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Cease (5-4) allowed three hits and a walk while striking out nine over seven shutout innings to earn the win Friday over the Mariners.
After posting a 2.95 ERA and 36:14 K:BB over 21.1 innings in June, Cease put in a dominant effort to begin July. Just one of the hits he allowed went for extra bases. Cease is now at a 2.79 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 137:41 K:BB through 90.1 innings over 16 starts this season. The 30-year-old is projected to make his next start in a favorable road matchup versus the Giants.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Can't find plate in Saturday's loss
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Cease (4-4) took the loss Saturday, giving up four runs on four hits and five walks over 4.2 innings as the Blue Jays fell 7-4 to the Rangers. He struck out 10.
While the right-hander did rack up his fifth double-digit strikeout game of the season, Cease struggled to find the plate consistently and issued a season-high five free passes. Walks have been an issue for Cease since he returned from a hamstring strain in early June, and over four starts this month he has a 36:14 K:BB in 21.1 innings along with a 2.95 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. He'll try to tighten things up in his next outing, which is scheduled to come on the road next weekend in Seattle.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Fans eight in no-decison
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Cease did not factor into the decision Monday against the Astros, allowing two runs on three hits and four walks while striking out eight over 5.2 innings.
Cease surrendered an early RBI-single by Isaac Paredes in the first inning before settling into a groove, retiring 13 consecutive batters at one point while piling up seven strikeouts during the stretch. The right-hander ran into trouble in the sixth, issuing back-to-back walks and then allowing an RBI single to Jose Altuve that ultimately ended his night. Cease's swing-and-miss stuff remained electric, as he recorded his eighth consecutive outing with at least seven strikeouts. Since the beginning of May, the 30-year-old has posted a 2.59 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 61:14 K:BB across 41.2 innings. He is slated to face off against Texas at home next.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Blue Jays-Cubs postponed Sunday
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Cease won't start as scheduled Sunday against the Cubs after the game was postponed due to inclement weather in Chicago, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
The two teams will make up the game Aug. 6. As a result of the postponement, the Blue Jays will presumably push their full rotation back a day, putting Cease on track to start Monday's series opener versus the Astros in Toronto. Cease has been sharp over his first two starts of June, posting an 0.82 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 18:5 K:BB over 11 innings.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Blanks BoSox for fourth win
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Cease (4-3) picked up the win in Tuesday's 6-1 victory over the Red Sox, allowing four hits and four walks over five scoreless innings. He struck out seven.
The right-hander tossed 66 of 108 pitches for strikes and kept Boston off the board despite putting runners in scoring position in every inning he worked. It was Cease's first win since May 8, but he's hardly been pitching poorly -- in five trips to the mound since then he sports a 2.93 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 44:13 K:BB over 27.2 innings. Cease's 110 strikeouts on the season put him third in the majors behind Jacob Misiorowski's 131 and Cristopher Sanchez's 116, but his 13.6 K/9 is tops in MLB among qualified pitchers. Cease will look to stack another strong effort in his next outing, which is scheduled to come on the road this weekend against the Cubs.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Activated from IL, starting Tuesday
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Toronto activated Cease (hamstring) from the 15-day injured list to start Tuesday's game against the Phillies, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
After landing on the IL with a strained hamstring May 25, Cease will rejoin the Blue Jays' rotation having made one rehab start at Triple-A. Before landing on the IL, the 30-year-old recorded a 3.05 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 92:26 K:BB in 62 innings. Toronto will send down Adam Macko to Triple-A Buffalo in order to make room for Cease on the active roster.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Likely to rejoin rotation next week
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Manager John Schneider said Friday that Cease (hamstring) is "very likely" to rejoin the Blue Jays' rotation next week, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Cease threw 75 pitches across four innings in a rehab start with Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday and came out of it feeling good. He appears likely to make the start for Toronto on Tuesday at home against the Phillies. The right-hander last pitched for the Blue Jays on May 24 and owns a 3.05 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 92:26 K:BB across 62 innings this season.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Slated for 25-to-30 pitches in BP
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Cease (hamstring) is throwing a bullpen session of 25-to-30 pitches Saturday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Cease landed on the 15-day IL on Monday, so it's promising that he's already throwing a bullpen five days later. The hurler has been optimistic that he'll be able to return to the Blue Jays' rotation when first eligible, and a successful BP on Saturday would be a big step toward making that a reality. Depending on how the bullpen goes, Cease's next step could be either another BP or facing hitters, per Zwelling.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Lands on IL with strained hamstring
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The Blue Jays placed Cease on the 15-day injured list Monday with a mild left hamstring strain, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Cease had to be pulled from Sunday's outing versus the Pirates after tweaking his hamstring. The strain being deemed minor should give him a chance to return around the time he's eligible, but the Blue Jays will need someone to fill Cease's spot in the rotation for at least one turn.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Heading for MRI
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Blue Jays manager John Schneider said after Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Pirates that Cease will undergo an MRI on his left hamstring, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
Cease (3-3) was dealt the loss after striking out eight batters and yielding two earned runs on four hits and one walk over 4.2 innings before exiting due to what the Blue Jays described as hamstring discomfort. Though Schneider said that early testing on Cease's hamstring has been positive, the Blue Jays will send the right-hander in for further imaging to get a better understanding of the severity of his injury. Once the results of the MRI are available, Toronto will decide if Cease will be able to make his next start or if he requires a stint on the injured list. Cease is tentatively lined up to make his next turn through the rotation Friday in Baltimore.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Tweaks hamstring Sunday
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The Blue Jays announced that Cease was removed from his start Sunday against the Pirates in the fifth inning due to left hamstring discomfort.
Cease struck out eight and allowed two earned runs on four hits and one walk before being lifted with two outs in the top of the fifth inning. The Blue Jays will likely send the right-hander in for a more thorough examination to determine whether he's dealing with a hamstring strain, though the club hasn't yet indicated that he'll require an MRI. For now, Cease's availability for his next turn through the rotation Friday in Baltimore is in flux.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Exits early Sunday due to injury
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Cease was removed in the fifth inning of his start Sunday against the Pirates due to an apparent injury, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com He struck out eight and allowed two earned runs on four hits and one walk across 4.2 innings.
Though the nature of Cease's injury isn't known, the right-hander was seen shaking out his legs while he was visited on the mound by manager John Schneider and the Toronto medical staff, per Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. After initially staying in the game following the visit, Cease threw just two more pitches before being lifted. His availability for his next outing, which lines up to come on the road next weekend in Baltimore, should become clearer once he's undergone further testing.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Yields two homers to Bronx Bombers
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Cease (3-2) took the loss against the Yankees on Tuesday, allowing five runs on four hits and four walk while striking out nine across five innings.
It was an up-and-down performance from Cease, who recorded six of his nine punchouts through the first three innings, striking out the side in the third. However, Cease issued three of his four walks over the next two frames and gave up all five runs on homers by Ryan McMahon and Ben Rice in the fourth and fifth, respectively. Cease had given up just one home run through his first nine starts of the season, and Tuesday was the first time he yielded two homers in a start since last Aug. 21. He'll look to bounce back in his next start, which is lined up for this weekend at home against the Pirates.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Sharp again in no-decision
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Cease did not factor into the decision Wednesday against the Rays, allowing a run on three hits and three walks over seven innings. He struck out nine.
While Toronto failed to take the lead until the 10th inning, leaving Cease with a no-decision, it was another excellent outing from the right-hander, who's now gone seven innings in each of his last three starts. Cease's ERA is down to 2.41 across nine starts (52.1 innings) with a 1.18 WHIP and 75 strikeouts, good for second most in the majors. He'll look to keep rolling his next time out, tentatively lined up for next week on the road against the Yankees.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Fans seven in victory
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Cease (2-1) earned the win over Minnesota on Saturday, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits and one walk while striking out seven batters over seven innings.
Cease had a bit of a rough beginning to his outing, serving up a leadoff homer to Byron Buxton in the bottom of the first inning and giving up two more runs (one of which was unearned) in the second. He settled down from there but still trailed 4-3 following his seventh and final frame. However, Toronto's offense came through for the right-hander, putting up eight runs in the top of the eighth to line him up for the victory. Cease struck out seven and racked up 16 whiffs, and he's second overall in the majors this season with 56 punchouts over 38.1 frames. He's been an impactful starter for fantasy managers, complementing his big strikeout total with a 3.05 ERA and 1.33 WHIP.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Falters late in loss
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Cease (1-1) took the loss against Boston on Monday, allowing four runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out five batters over 5.2 innings.
Cease got through three scoreless frames before things unraveled for him. He gave up a run in the fourth, two more in fifth and another in the sixth before being pulled. The veteran righty induced a decent 13 whiffs, but his five punchouts were his fewest in a start so far this season. Cease still ranks second in MLB with 49 punchouts and has a 2.87 ERA through 31.1 innings, so the beginning of his Toronto tenure has been successful overall. His next start is projected to be a road tilt in Minnesota.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Lacks command in no-decision
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Cease did not factor into the decision in Friday's 5-4 extra-inning loss to the White Sox, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and three walks with six strikeouts over 4.1 innings.
Cease allowed a run via his own error in the first inning and two more in the third. He threw just 51 of 93 pitches for strikes despite generating a whopping 16 whiffs, exiting after a one-out walk in the fifth. While the 30-year-old is no stranger to inconsistency, it was an obvious step back from his 12-strikeout debut with the Blue Jays on Saturday. He's slated for a tough home matchup against the Dodgers next week.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: TOR-CWS postponed Thursday
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Cease won't start Thursday against the White Sox after the game was postponed to Friday due to a forecast of inclement weather in Chicago.
The Blue Jays are likely to push Cease and the rest of their rotation back a day as a result of the postponement, so the right-hander should still be lined up to start the series opener Friday.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Fans 12 in no-decision Saturday
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Cease didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 8-7 extra-innings win over the A's, allowing one run on three hits and two walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out 12.
Signed to a seven-year, $210 million contract this winter, Cease looked to be worth every penny in his Toronto debut as he fired 61 of 90 pitches for strikes and blanked the A's for five frames before running out of gas in the sixth. It's the most strikeouts in franchise history for a pitcher making his Blue Jays debut, breaking the record of 11 set by David Price in August of 2015. Cease will have plenty of motivation to stay locked in when he takes the mound for his next start, which lines up to come on the road next week against the White Sox -- the team he made his MLB debut with in 2019.
