Even with the Blue Jays’ focus on relief pitching acquisition at the deadline, the team can still use help in lengthening their starting pitching. This is especially true with the ongoing volatility surrounding Max Scherzer and Alek Manoah’s availability.

One pitcher who can solve that problem for Toronto is Dylan Cease of the Chicago White Sox. Here’s how Cease can contribute to the current AL East division leader.

Aside from a few down years, the 29-year-old has been a dependable starting pitcher with a career 3.88 ERA, 3.69 FIP and 19.8 fWAR since his debut in 2019 with the Chicago White Sox. Cease garnered attention from the league in 2022 with his stellar 2.20 ERA in 184 innings pitched and was later traded to the Padres before the 2024 season.

During his first year in San Diego, Cease recorded a 3.47 ERA, 2.10 FIP and 1.07 WHIP in 189 1/3 innings pitched. However, in his second year with the Padres, the starter has struggled to find last season’s form, posting a 4.79 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP through 118 1/3 innings pitched so far. He’s limited the damage against himself, supported by his 3.64 FIP, but has allowed 111 hits (8.4 H/9) this season, which is reminiscent of his down season in 2023.

According to Baseball Savant, Cease throws six pitches: slider (45.5%), four-seam fastball (41.1%), knuckle curve (7.5%), sinker (3.0%), changeup (1.6%) and sweeper (1.3%). He’s striking out opposing batters at a high rate (29.9 K%) and sits in the 94th percentile in terms of whiff%, and his slider has been his best pitch this season (+3 run value).

Currently, the Georgia native is on a one-year, $13.75 deal with the San Diego Padres, with the two sides avoiding arbitration. This is his last year in the process, as Cease can enter free agency after the 2025 season, turning him into a highly coveted rental starter for many contenders.

Even though the right-hander has found his fair share of ups and downs this season, contenders are betting on tweaking his mechanics and unlocking the potential that’s reminiscent of his 2022 campaign. Should a contender help Cease reach a new level in his pitching game, he would become one of the better trade deadline acquisitions, despite the higher cost and riskier bet that comes with rental trades.

Cease would be a game changer for the Blue Jays’ starting rotation that desperately needed more depth, given the veteran pitchers on the roster.

The right-handed starter has pitched more than 150 innings for most of his career; someone with his endurance can relieve so much pressure from both starters and relievers. Cease would also become a reliable third or fourth pitcher in the Blue Jays’ rotation, effectively adding more stability and potentially helping Eric Lauer to continue his performance after shedding the weight of carrying the back end of the rotation.