MLB Insider Predicts Blue Jays' $210M Star to Finish 2nd in Cy Young Race

Toronto's big offseason signing could make a push for the award this year.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 2:19am

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MLB insider Jeff Passan predicts that Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease, who signed a seven-year, $210 million contract in the offseason, will finish second in the American League Cy Young voting this year. Cease, who spent the last two seasons with the San Diego Padres, has always had a lot of potential, and the Blue Jays are hoping their pitching philosophy can help him reach new heights.

Why it matters

The Blue Jays are looking to avenge their World Series loss last year, and a strong season from Cease could be a key part of that. Cease finishing second in the Cy Young voting would be a major accomplishment and would solidify the Blue Jays' rotation as one of the best in baseball.

The details

Passan believes Cease's raw stuff and the Blue Jays' ability to develop pitchers could help him take the next step in his career. Cease has finished second in the Cy Young voting before, and Passan thinks he's primed to do it again this year. The Blue Jays are going to give Cease every opportunity to succeed, with Kevin Gausman as the ace and Cease right behind him in the rotation.

  • Cease signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Blue Jays this offseason.
  • Cease finished second in the AL Cy Young voting in a previous season.

The players

Dylan Cease

A starting pitcher who signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays this offseason after spending the last two seasons with the San Diego Padres.

Jeff Passan

An MLB insider who predicts that Cease will finish second in the AL Cy Young voting this year.

Kevin Gausman

The ace of the Toronto Blue Jays' starting rotation.

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What they’re saying

“Dylan Cease finishes second in AL Cy Young voting. Fresh off a seven-year, $210 million free agent windfall, Cease joins a Blue Jays pitching machine that delights in taking raw stuff and molding it into something more. Cease always has been a stuff guy, and with a little bit of polish, his strikeout artistry has the potential to morph into something more. You don't find many 30-year-olds with ceiling left. Cease has finished second for the Cy Young once before and is primed to do it again.”

— Jeff Passan, MLB Insider (ESPN)

What’s next

The Blue Jays will be closely watching Cease's performance this season as he looks to take the next step in his career and help the team avenge their World Series loss.

The takeaway

The Blue Jays are betting big on Dylan Cease's potential, and if he can live up to the hype and finish second in the Cy Young voting, it could be a major boost for their chances of winning the World Series this year.