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The signing of Dylan Cease was voted the worst contract of the offseason by MLB insiders.
The headliner of the Toronto Blue Jays‘ spending spree this winter drew the ire of MLB insiders in a recent survey conducted by Jayson Stark of The Athletic. Stark polled three dozen current and former executives, managers, coaches, and scouts on the biggest happenings of the offseason. The leading vote-getter for the worst free agent signing was the seven-year, $210 million Dylan Cease contract.
As Stark notes, the massive agreement is a record for a pitcher who has paced the league in walks and wild pitches. Cease has a 10% walk rate in his seven seasons in the big leagues. Poor control has typically held him back. “If he walks less guys than the dollars that he’s paid, he’s got a chance (to be worth the money),” one voter told Stark.
The Cease deal was the runaway winner in the worst signing voting. Kyle Tucker‘s massive $240 million agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers was next on the list. The New York Mets‘ $126 million pact with Bo Bichette and the Baltimore Orioles‘ $150 million deal with Pete Alonso were tied for third.
MLB Insiders Question Dylan Cease’s Contract
The 30-year-old Cease stumbled to a 4.55 ERA in his final season before reaching free agency. He struck out hitters at a near-30% clip, but posted a walk rate close to double-digits. The underlying metrics suggest Cease may have been a bit unlucky with San Diego last year. The right-hander had an xFIP (3.56) and SIERA (3.58) that were both almost a run lower than his actual ERA.
The Chicago Cubs selected Cease in the sixth round of the 2014 draft. After a few seasons in the minors with the Cubs, he was part of a blockbuster deal with the crosstown rival Chicago White Sox. Cease, along with Eloy Jimenez, Bryant Flete, and Matt Rose, were sent to the Cubs for left-hander Jose Quintana. The deal paid immediate dividends for the White Sox. Jimenez became a middle-of-the-order staple, while Cease delivered workhorse production.
Cease peaked in 2022, delivering 32 starts of a 2.20 ERA and a 30.4% strikeout rate. It took a tremendous season from Justin Verlander to keep Cease from winning the American League Cy Young award. The White Sox ace finished second in voting for the honor.
Just before the 2024 campaign, the White Sox dealt Cease to the Padres for Drew Thorpe, Jairo Iriarte, Samuel Zavala, and Steven Wilson. He excelled in his first year with the team, cruising to a mid-3.00s ERA with more than a strikeout per inning.
Cease’s Workload Can’t Be Ignored
The production has been far from consistent, but Cease always answers the bell. He’s made at least 32 starts in five consecutive seasons. The only trip to the injured list for the veteran was a brief stint in April 2021 due to COVID-19 symptoms.
Toronto just saw a reliable right-hander walk out the door, with Chris Bassitt departing in free agency to sign with the Orioles. Adding Cease to the rotation gives the club a proven innings eater behind mainstay Kevin Gausman. Trey Yesavage, Jose Berrios, and Cody Ponce are expected to round out the pitching staff.
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