Dylan Cease Assigns Blame After Blue Jays’ Loss to Red Sox
The Toronto Blue Jays are coming off a 5-0 loss to Boston that dropped them into fourth in the American League East Division. Pitcher Dylan Cease had a sloppy outing, allowing four runs on seven hits and three walks with five strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings.
Despite three scoreless frames to begin the game, he struggled to get through Boston's lineup a third time. Speaking with reporters after Monday’s loss, Cease had words for himself: "I didn’t give us a real chance today" (h/t Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith).
Although Cease shouldered the blame, it did not fall entirely on him. Toronto's offense was held scoreless as the Red Sox took the series opener.
Through six starts, the 30-year-old right-hander has a 2.87 ERA, a 1.37 WHIP and 49 strikeouts over 31 1/3 innings.
His elite strikeout ability remains his calling card. He has recorded 200-plus strikeouts in five straight seasons and ranks near the top of MLB in strikeout rate and whiff percentage. His power fastball is in the mid-to-high 90s and can touch 100 mph, while his hard, high-spin slider continues to be a dominant weapon.
Paired with Kevin Gausman , who owns a 2.57 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP and 38 strikeouts in 35 innings over six games, the Blue Jays have a formidable top of the pitching rotation.
© Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Cease has developed into one of the premier pitchers in baseball. He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the sixth round of the 2014 MLB Draft out of Milton High School in Milton, Georgia. Cease was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 2017 and made his MLB debut in 2019. He remained with the team through the 2023 season.
Before the 2024 season, he was traded to the San Diego Padres , and he signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Blue Jays as a free agent in November.
Cease’s standout seasons include the 2022 campaign in which he finished second in Cy Young Award voting and the 2024 season in which he finished fourth in Cy Young voting.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
