The Toronto Blue Jays need star pitcher Dylan Cease to be at his best if they are to make the playoffs. At the moment, Toronto is currently one game out of an American League wild card spot. This comes after the star pitcher led his team to an 8-1 victory against the Baltimore Orioles on September 13. The ace allowed just one run in five innings of work.
Cease’s impressive performance lowered his 2026 ERA to 2.38. The All-Star is having a stellar first season in Toronto after signing a massive seven-year, $210 million deal with the Blue Jays in free agency. Despite this, there are some growing concerns about the ace’s health.
Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith is reporting that Cease averaged just 94.8 MPH on his fastball during the game against Baltimore. According to Baseball Savant, the ace has averaged 96.9 MPH on his four-seamer this season and 97.1 MPH on the pitch a year ago. After his most recent outing, Cease played down concerns about the issue. “It’s not something I’m worried about,” the pitcher told reporters, as reported by Nicholson-Smith.
Despite this, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider admitted that his star could use some extra rest. “We’re going to try to use some days when we can,” stated Schneider. “And depending on how he feels, we can adjust.” Because Cease just pitched on September 13, Toronto has time to make a plan for his next start.
Toronto Blue Jays Decision Would Impact Dylan Cease’s Potential Playoff Start
Assuming Cease is on regular rest, the Toronto Blue Jays would start him next against the Texas Rangers on September 18. Nevertheless, the ace did not pitch particularly well the last time he had four days off. In fact, the star allowed four runs in five innings against the Athletics on September 7. He also threw just 55 strikes on the day, his lowest total in a start since late May.
If Schneider gives Cease an extra day off, he would likely start against Texas on Saturday, September 19. One interesting aspect of Toronto’s decision is where the ace would land if the Blue Jays made the playoffs. As Nicholson-Smith points out, giving the starter an extra day off would potentially push his playoff debut from the first game of a wild card series to the second.
The Toronto Blue Jays would likely prefer to have Cease begin their playoff run, assuming they get there. Nevertheless, having the ace heavily rested could be more beneficial to the club in the long run.
Toronto is Keeping an Eye on Cleveland in Wild Card Race
For now, the Toronto Blue Jays will turn to Jose Soriano to face the Detroit Tigers on September 14. The club has not officially named a starting pitcher for the following matchup. Veteran Max Scherzer, however, will take the mound on Wednesday, September 16 to finish off the home series against Detroit.
Along with ending the regular season on a strong note, Toronto needs the Cleveland Guardians to falter down the stretch. Cleveland is currently above the Blue Jays in the wild card chase, and they next face the A.L. Central-leading Chicago White Sox.
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