On Sunday, the Toronto Blue Jays announced that ace Dylan Cease got an MRI on Saturday and is dealing with a “fatigued” shoulder.
From Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae on X:
NEWS: Dylan Cease is in Toronto and got an MRI on his shoulder last night
Cease will not start Wednesday. He will meet team in Baltimore.
John Schneider not ruling out start vs Reds.
Cease said the shoulder felt “fatigued.”
Before the Blue Jays’ Monday night game against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards, Cease announced an update on his injury.
Toronto Blue Jays Ace Dylan Cease Announces Update Before Baltimore Orioles Series
MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson wrote on X:
Dylan Cease says that his shoulder MRI revealed inflammation, but that this isn’t something that should require surgery or impact his 2027 season.
For now, he says they’re still deciding if he’ll pitch again this season, but that feels (in my opinion) unlikely.
Dylan Cease described his shoulder as “heavy and achy”
This feeling began around his complete game against the Red Sox… which was back on July 25.
“Especially the last one [Sept. 18] was like, all right, I’m almost hurting the team.”
Looking at Toronto Blue Jays RHP Dylan Cease
The Blue Jays signed Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract this past offseason.
If it weren’t for Cam Schlittler of the New York Yankees, Cease would be the clear American League Cy Young favorite.
Cease, 30, has posted a career-best 5.5 fWAR and a 2.40 ERA with a 34.9% strikeout rate over 169 innings this season.
The right-hander is coming off a rough start against the Rangers, allowing four runs (one earned) on three hits and six walks while throwing 74 pitches. Blue Jays manager John Schneider removed the ace from the game after just 2 2/3 innings.
The Chicago Cubs selected Cease in the sixth round of the 2014 MLB Draft.
The Cubs traded Cease to the White Sox when he was in the minors.
The right-hander played for the White Sox from 2019-23.
Chicago traded Cease to the San Diego Padres after the 2023 season. He played for the Padres in 2024 and 2025 before joining the Blue Jays this past offseason.
Cease has a career 3.67 ERA with 1,470 strikeouts over 1,184 1/3 MLB innings.
The Blue Jays are three games behind the Chicago White Sox for the final American League Wild Card spot. Toronto has just six regular-season games remaining, and the White Sox hold the tiebreaker over the Blue Jays.
Since the Blue Jays are unlikely to make the postseason, it seems unlikely that Cease will return this season.
Toronto Blue Jays’ Dylan Cease Announces Update Before Orioles Series