A lot has gone wrong for the Toronto Blue Jays this year. From an unceasing cascade of injuries to underperforming stalwarts, there’s no shortage of factors that have contributed to the team’s less-than-ideal 16-20 start (going into Wednesday’s game, May 6).

Thankfully, tandem aces Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease shoulder none of that blame. They’ve been as steady as any 1-2 punch in the big leagues this year, as both right-handers sit on an ERA between 3.00 and 3.10. They’ve been worth a combined 2.6 fWAR already, offering a tantalizing proof of concept for what can be if the Blue Jays can somehow fight their way back into the playoff picture.

Cease, in particular, has been ridiculous. By fWAR, he’s been the sixth-most valuable pitcher in the league, and his 2.13 FIP actually suggests he’s been unlucky as far as his ERA (3.05) goes. Combined with an absurd penchant for striking out hitters — he’s rung up more than one-third of the batters he’s faced this season — it’s no wonder that a panel of MLB executives agreed that he’s been the best free-agent signing from this past offseason, or at least tied with Japanese phenom Munetaka Murakami.

Five strikeouts through three innings for Dylan Cease 🔥 pic.twitter.com/TZG0iofGyp

— MLB (@MLB) April 27, 2026

Remember when a very similar group of execs called him the worst signing just mere months ago? What a difference seven starts can make.

Dylan Cease’s doubters always had unfounded beliefs, but he’s proving them wrong on a new level with Blue Jays

The knocks on Cease’s game have been the same since his days with the Chicago White Sox. He’s never pitched particularly deep into games (he’s never averaged even six innings per starts in any season), and his command can sometimes betray him.

Through seven starts in a Blue Jays uniform, neither concern has been quashed. He’s averaging only slightly more than 16 outs per start (5.1 innings), and his 10.8% walk rate ranks in the 33rd percentile among all qualified pitchers. Those gripes are fair and valid.

Any other complaints about Cease, though, are just noise. He’s throwing harder than ever this season, which has bumped his swing-and-miss numbers from an elite level into the stratosphere. Thanks to his newfound ability to induce groundballs, he’s also responsible for some of the best contact quality metrics in the league.

You don’t need to know a lot about baseball to figure out that someone who is really good at getting strikeouts and keeping the ball out of the air is going to be successful. Cease has been one of the best pitchers in the league in both categories.

Perhaps his seven-year, $210 million contract will age poorly. He will be 36 by the time the deal ends, after all. But, at least for the sake of 2026, his presence has been one of the few saving graces on the Blue Jays’ roster. That’s a rather successful outcome for the offseason’s “worst signing.”

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