Toronto Blue Jays ace Dylan Cease has had a great first season in Canada. But with September winding down, his team’s chances of playing in October are looking increasingly slim.
But that’s not enough to keep him from losing hope for a return to the postseason.
“I don’t know what other teams have, but here in Toronto, we’re a really tight-knit group. We’ve shown a lot of flashes of really good baseball and, most importantly, I think we’re very fundamentally sound. I believe that the name of the game is always consistency. Unfortunately, we haven’t been that this year, but I genuinely believe we’ve had a really solid second half. I really do.”
The comments, as told to Heavy courtesy of Casino.org, highlight how Dylan Cease is not about to throw in the towel just yet. Despite a disappointing 7-1 loss to the Texas Rangers on Friday, a team that the Jays are chasing in the standings, there’s still the expectation that the Jays can squeak into the playoffs.
That will depend on Dylan Cease, who’s not afraid to take the responsibility on his shoulders.
“In these games I guess there’s more pressure, but it’s not a living experience for me when I’m pitching. I’m just out there focused, giving it everything I have. And when things are going good for me, it’s really good.”
That attitude will be crucial as the Blue Jays’ season will come down to the next handful of games.
Dylan Cease Willing to Die on the Battlefield for His Team
If there was ever any doubt about Cease’s commitment to his team, fans have to look no further than his commitment to the club.
In particular, he made it clear that he’s willing to “die” for his teammates.
“I definitely feel the responsibility, but I wouldn’t say I feel any pressure. I just want to get the job done and I’m always going to put the effort into it to achieve this. I’m going to die on the battlefield for my team.”
Dylan Cease will need his best stuff down the final games in order to avoid the proverbial death that would come with missing the postseason in 2026.
That’s why the main thing for Cease and the Blue Jays is to focus on what they can control.
“I think we feel great. We don’t ever go into any game or any series not expecting to do well. We have been playing well in the second half of the season and I believe we’ve had a lot of improvement in our play.”
At the end of the day, that improvement is what could ultimately make the difference between going home early this fall or hanging around to play October baseball.
Blue Jays Just Need to Show Up for Each Other
All told, baseball is a team sport. And that’s why Dylan Cease feels that the secret to getting over the hump will be showing up for each other.
“I think the biggest things we need to improve on is just showing up for each other, following the process more clearly, and going out and giving everything you have and just seeing how things play, because baseball truly is a game where you don’t know how things are going to go until the last out.
The only thing on Dylan Cease’s mind is winning. It doesn’t really matter how. The only thing that counts is getting Ws.
“But at the end of the day, it’s winning. I don’t care if they make six errors and that’s why we win, or we hit six home runs, it’s all about winning and we’ll do it whatever way we can.”
With time running out for the Blue Jays, the margin for error is slim. The club is three games back of the final wild card spot with about seven games to play. There’s still hope, but it will take everything the team has left to make it.
Dylan Cease Not Losing Hope in Blue Jays Playoff Push