logo
Blue Jays’ Dylan Cease goes seven innings with improved efficiency in win over Twins
alt
Photo credit: © Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Michael Coyle
May 2, 2026, 18:30 EDTUpdated: May 2, 2026, 18:01 EDT
Comments
For the first time this season, Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease completed seven innings. 
After struggling with pitch efficiency through his first six starts of the year, Cease kept his pitch count lower through the games opening innings, needing 106 to get through his seven frames during the Blue Jays’ 11-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins Saturday afternoon. 
Cease’s afternoon got started off on the wrong foot, allowing a leadoff home run to Byron Buxton in the bottom of the first inning, his third in as many games, and Cease’s first home run given up in a Blue Jays uniform. 
The second inning was no better for Cease as the first two Twins would reach via walk and single before a soft Brooks Lee ground ball caused all kinds of problems with runners on second and third. With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drawn in, he thought about trying to cut down Kody Clemens at the plate before settling on trying to get the out at first. Guerrero’s toss to Cease was low, getting past both Cease and Lenyn Sosa, allowing both Clemens and Luke Keaschall to score, giving the Twins an early 3-2 lead. 
Cease worked through clean third and fourth innings, allowing only one base runner and recording two strikeouts over the course of those two frames. Two singles in the fifth allowed the Twins to stretch their lead to 4-2 before Cease shut down the Twins’ offence, giving the Blue Jays opportunities to mount a comeback. 
The Blue Jays’ starter required 29 pitches to work his way through the sixth and seventh innings, punching out two Twins along the way before retiring Buxton on a weak comebacker to the mound to close out his afternoon. 
Cease’s final line read: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 7 K. Similar to Trey Yesavage during his season debut on Tuesday, Cease isn’t always going to have double-digit strikeout games, but working around base runners and limiting hard contact can factor into whether or not Cease is able to work deeper into his outings.
The high strikeout ability has been flashed early on in the season, highlighted by two starts; first on March 28, then again on April 20, when Cease recorded 12 punch outs. The difference in Saturday’s outing, Cease walked only one batter, the lowest through any of his starts in 2026. 
Saturday’s win moves Cease’s record to 2-1, to go along with a 3.05 ERA and 1.33 WHIP. Cease’s innings now sit at 38 ⅓, and the right-hander has set down 56 batters via the strikeout, good for the second-highest mark in MLB. 
Cease’s 56 strikeouts place him third all-time in Blue Jays’ franchise history for strikeouts recorded in a player’s first seven starts, trailing only current Blue Jay Kevin Gausman and 2015 trade deadline acquisition David Price. 
After signing Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract on December 2, the franchise’s largest contract in free agent history, the expectations were sky high. Through his first seven starts, even with limited efficiency, Cease has rewarded the Blue Jays’ decision early on, providing excitement every time he toes the rubber. 
Editorials

Breaking News