Blue Jays' Newly Signed Star Expected to Have Fantastic First Season

Will a new star for the Toronto Blue Jays have a great first year with the team?

Apr 16, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A Toronto Blue Jays hat and glove in the dugout during a game against the Atlanta Braves at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

It has been a busy winter so far for the Toronto Blue Jays, and the team will likely continue to stay active. However, they have to be pleased with who they have been able to bring in so far. 

After coming up just short in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Blue Jays have been aggressive this winter and are looking to build upon what they started in 2025. This was a team not too long ago that struggled to sign talent in free agency, but that narrative has completely changed. 

So far this winter, the team has been able to address multiple needs and has improved in certain areas quite a bit. While the team might still go after Kyle Tucker or Bo Bichette, they have made some notable splashes so far. Now, the team will be hoping that their new players perform up to expectations in 2026.

MLB.com recently wrote about some of the biggest names that have changed teams so far and projected what their 2026 campaigns would look like. For the Blue Jays, they would undoubtedly be pleased with the projections for starting pitcher Dylan Cease. 

Cease Projected To Bounce Back

Matt Marton-Imagn Images

The numbers for the talented right-hander weren’t great on the surface for Cease in 2025, but that didn’t stop him from getting a massive deal this winter. The right-hander is capable of being one of the best pitchers in baseball, and he will be heading to the top of the rotation for Toronto. 

Last season, Cease totaled an 8-12 record and 4.45 ERA. While those numbers obviously aren’t good, he did have a FIP of 3.56, meaning that his stats should have been much better. 

Even though the ERA might not have been up to his standard, the right-hander continues to be one of the best pitchers in baseball when it comes to making hitters swing and miss. Last year, he totaled 215 strikeouts in 168 innings pitched. It was the fifth straight campaign in which he was able to reach that mark. 

The Blue Jays have to be excited about what the 30-year-old is going to be able to provide going forward. Cease is capable of being a Cy Young-caliber pitcher, and that is what Toronto will be hoping for. Even though the numbers might not have been great on the surface, expect a bounce-back season in 2026. 

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