The Blue Jays signed Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million deal this winter with championship aspirations.
Three starts in, he’s already making franchise history.
Cease has set the Blue Jays record for most strikeouts through three starts with 26 punchouts. Sportsnet tracked the franchise leaders, and Cease’s early dominance jumps off the page:
- Dylan Cease (2026) – 26
- David Price (2015) – 24
- Cory Lidle (2003) – 23
- Kevin Gausman (2022) – 22
- Shane Bieber (2025) – 21
That’s quality company. Price was coming off a Cy Young season when he joined Toronto. Gausman had his best years in a Blue Jays uniform.
Here’s how Cease has carved up opposing lineups:
- 3/28 vs. ATL: 5.1 innings, 1 ER, 12 K
- 4/3 @ CWS: 4.1 innings, 2 ER, 6 K
- 4/8 vs. LAD: 5.0 innings, 1 ER, 8 K
Wednesday’s performance against the Dodgers carried extra weight. Toronto fell to LA in seven games in last year’s World Series, and the Cease signing was partly about bridging that gap.
The early returns look promising.
What’s different about Cease this season? He’s added a filthy changeup to his arsenal. The pitch is making hitters look completely overmatched, complementing his already devastating slider-fastball combination.
That new weapon showed up big against the Dodgers in the series finale Wednesday. The Blue Jays took that game largely because Cease dominated through five innings, keeping LA’s powerful lineup guessing.
It’s still early, of course. Cease will need to maintain this level over 30-plus starts if Toronto wants to get back to October. But so far, the investment is paying dividends exactly when the Blue Jays need it most.
