Blue Jays' Cease sets franchise debut strikeout record in wild 8-7 win over Athletics

Veteran right-hander fans 12 in 5 1/3 innings, but Blue Jays rally late to win in 11 innings

Mar. 29, 2026 at 12:56am

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In his first start for the Toronto Blue Jays, veteran right-hander Dylan Cease set a franchise record with 12 strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings, but the Blue Jays needed a late comeback and an 11th-inning walkoff hit to defeat the Oakland Athletics 8-7.

Why it matters

The Blue Jays made a big offseason splash by signing Cease to a $210 million contract, and his dominant debut performance showed why they invested so heavily in the ace-caliber starter. However, the Blue Jays' bullpen struggles nearly cost them the game, underscoring the need to solidify the relief corps as they aim to return to the World Series.

The details

Cease allowed just one run on three hits in his 5 1/3 innings, but the Blue Jays' offense could only muster one run while he was on the mound. The Athletics rallied for five runs in the seventh inning to take a 6-2 lead, but the Blue Jays chipped away and tied the game in the ninth to force extra innings. In the 11th, Ernie Clement delivered the game-winning hit to score the winning run.

  • Cease set the Blue Jays' franchise record for strikeouts in a debut, surpassing the previous mark of 11 set by David Price in 2015.
  • The Blue Jays rallied for two runs in the eighth inning and one in the ninth to tie the game and force extra innings.

The players

Dylan Cease

The veteran right-hander signed a $210 million contract with the Blue Jays in the offseason and set a franchise record with 12 strikeouts in his debut.

Ernie Clement

The Blue Jays' second baseman delivered the game-winning hit in the 11th inning to give Toronto the victory.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

The Blue Jays' star slugger drove in a run with a single in the seventh inning to help the team's comeback effort.

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What they’re saying

“Twelve strikeouts in your debut is pretty special. Dylan showed why we invested in him this offseason.”

— John Schneider, Blue Jays Manager

“We never give up, no matter the score. That's the kind of fight this team has, and it's going to serve us well all season long.”

— Ernie Clement, Blue Jays Second Baseman

What’s next

The Blue Jays will look to build on this dramatic comeback win as they continue their series against the Athletics on Sunday.

The takeaway

Cease's dominant debut and the Blue Jays' resilient comeback victory demonstrated the team's championship aspirations, but also highlighted the need to shore up the bullpen if they want to make another deep postseason run.