The Toronto Blue Jays made the first big outside signing of the 2025-2026 free agency, signing Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract.
It's a huge deal for Cease and the Blue Jays, as they jumped into the market for one of the top pitchers available on the market. While Ranger Suarez, Tatsuya Imai, and Framber Valdez wait their turn, that wait might have to be a bit longer.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com shared insight from one NL executive who subtly revealed that the Blue Jays' decision to sign Cease to the $210 million contract has ruined the free agent pitching market.
How Blue Jays' Dylan Cease $210 million deal ruined FA pitching market
"Cease got more than most expected he would," one NL executive said, "so now every agent thinks their starting pitcher is going to get something similar or close to it. The rest of the teams aren't quite ready to go there, even the ones that really need pitching."
Toronto's spending $210 million on Cease made the free agent market come to a complete stop. The top starters are looking to sign deals akin to Cease's deal, but they aren't getting any takers.
As this NL executive said, the MLB teams in need of starting pitching aren't going to spend so big on the free agent pitchers left on the market.
More: Dylan Cease contract details for $210 million Blue Jays deal revealed
While someone like Valdez might be seeking a deal similar to what Cease got, most MLB teams aren't willing to spend so much on him, or any other starter.
Other than Cease, only a few smaller free agent starters signed deals with teams this winter. Valdez, Suarez, Imai, Michael King, Zac Gallen, and Merrill Kelly aren't close to signing deals this winter.
Their slow free agent market can largely be attributed to the Blue Jays' mammoth deal with Cease. There are plenty of teams that need starting pitching, but the players and their agents, in seeing the deal Cease signed, are trying to improve their payday.
The Blue Jays have ruined the free agent starting pitching market with their $210 million Cease deal. Cease's deal has stopped the free agent market in its tracks, resulting in no free agent starters signing new deals since Cease's huge Blue Jays contract was inked.
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