The Toronto Blue Jays’ ace makes his debut on Saturday.

This past off-season, the Blue Jays jumped the market to sign right-handed pitcher Dylan Cease. There’s a lot to like about the hard-throwing starter, and with improved defence behind him, he’s a legitimate contend to win the Cy Young each year.

On Saturday, he’ll make his long awaited debut, looking to just as good or potentially better than Kevin Gausman’s six innings of one-run ball on Opening Day. Cease has always been known as a pitcher to get a bunch of strikeouts, but Gausman managed 11 in the Blue Jays’ 3-2 walk-off win over the Athletics last night.

It was the bottom third of the lineup that got it done on Friday. Of the seven hits the team had, Kazuma Okamoto, Ernie Clement, and Andrés Giménez had six, two each. With lefty Jeffrey Springs on the mound for the Athletics, the lineup has had some changes.

Just like last last season, Myles Straw draws into the lineup against a lefty, with Clement hitting seventh and Giménez hitting ninth. Okamoto has been elevated in the lineup, batting cleanup, while Davis Schneider will make his second debut in the two hole. George Springer leads off, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. bats third, Alejandro Kirk hits fifth, and Daulton Varsho hits sixth.

A win here would give the Blue Jays a 2-0 record to begin the season for the first time since 2022. Game #2 this season starts at 3:07 PM ET. Let’s set it up.

Toronto Blue Jays – Dylan Cease: 0-0 record, 0 ERA, 0 IP, 0 SO, 0 BB

Athletics – Jeffrey Springs: 0-0 record, 0 ERA, 0 IP, 0 SO, 0 BB