The Toronto Blue Jays got everyone’s attention with their run to the World Series last month. And even though they ultimately fell short in heartbreaking fashion in Game 7 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, a statement had been made.
Coming into this winter, it was clear the Blue Jays wanted to ride the momentum from their magical run and use it to market themselves as a desirable destination for free agents. And just a few weeks into the offseason, their plan is coming to fruition.
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Toronto landed a major target Wednesday, reportedly agreeing to a seven-year, $210 million deal with free-agent starter Dylan Cease. The deal is the largest ever given to a free agent in Blue Jays history and it’s the team’s second-largest contract ever, behind only Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s $500 million extension.
With that, Cease, who was No. 10 on Yahoo’s Top 50 free agents list, becomes the first domino to fall in this year’s starting pitching market, taking one of the winter’s most coveted names off the board.
“Toronto is one of the top four or five major markets in the major leagues,” Cease’s agent, Scott Boras, said earlier this month at the GM meetings. “I think we’ll see ownership commitment and every bit of behavior to support and advance that thought.”
What does Cease bring to the Blue Jays?
Make no mistake: Cease is a bona fide frontline starter, and his résumé backs that up. Toronto’s new right-hander has made at least 30 starters and recorded at least 200 strikeouts in each of the past five seasons. He has two top-five Cy Young finishes in that span, including second place in 2022 as a member of the Chicago White Sox.
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What might make some do a double take when looking at this deal is Cease’s 2025. This past season, Cease was 8-12 with a career-high 4.55 ERA in 32 starts for the San Diego Padres, and he finished second in the National League in walks. With that in mind, while he did have a more respectable 3.56 FIP, $210 million looks like an awfully big number. At the same time, it’s important to note that because of higher taxes in Canada, the Blue Jays likely had to pay extra for Cease’s services.
Still, there’s no doubt that when he’s right, Cease is one of the most electric starting pitchers in baseball. You could even make the case that the 29-year old right-hander is the most electric when he’s firing on all cylinders. Since 2021, no starting pitcher in baseball has more strikeouts than Cease, and the Blue Jays paid him as such.
Now paid like an ace, Cease becomes the frontman for Toronto’s starting staff. He joins a rotation that includes Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, José Berríos, Eric Lauer and postseason star Trey Yesavage. With his strong résumé and production, Cease makes a playoff-caliber rotation even stronger.
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What does this deal mean for Toronto’s offseason?
The Blue Jays finished the season as the best team in the American League and immediately embarked on their quest to not only reclaim that title but also get even better going into 2026. Going into this offseason, many in the industry believed the Blue Jays would be extremely aggressive, and so far, Toronto is showing that to be true.
The Jays had a list of things they needed to accomplish this winter, and first on that list was strengthening the rotation. The first step was Bieber picking up his $16 million player option earlier this month, and now being able to pair him with Cease is a huge victory for Toronto.
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But Cease’s deal shouldn’t preclude Toronto from making other significant acquisitions this winter. The Blue Jays, who ranked fifth in MLB in payroll in 2025, have shown they’re not afraid to spend. And because of some significant money coming off the books following the ‘26 season, the Jays have some flexibility and a healthy bit of cash to spend this winter.
Beyond starting pitching, sources tell Yahoo Sports the Blue Jays have been one of the most aggressive teams in the high-leverage reliever market and could make a move to pair the likes of Devin Williams, Edwin Díaz, Pete Fairbanks or Robert Suárez with incumbent closer Jeff Hoffman. Hoffman struggled mightily in his first season in Toronto, including surrendering the game-tying homer to Miguel Vargas in the ninth inning of Game 7, so finding some backup for him might be wise.
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Of course, the move many will be watching most closely is what the Blue Jays decide to do about free-agent infielder Bo Bichette, who will be earning a hefty payday himself. Whether that’s as a second baseman or a shortstop remains to be seen, but a reunion with Bichette seems entirely plausible. If Bichette signs elsewhere, the Blue Jays could pivot to another big free-agent bat, such as outfielder Kyle Tucker. According to sources, Toronto has kicked the tires on Tucker, but the team’s level of interest is unclear at this point.
What does this mean for the rest of the AL?
The Blue Jays have made a big splash, showing the other teams in the American League and, maybe more importantly, their rivals in the AL East that they are here to stay. With the winter meetings around the corner, Toronto has set the tone for the division and put itself out in front. We’ll see which of the teams in the AL East decide to keep up.
And don’t expect the Blue Jays to stop taking big swings. They got a real taste of success in 2025, and they clearly have their eyes set on more next season.
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