Despite coming off a World Series appearance last season, the Toronto Blue Jays have come out aggressively this offseason. They have made moves to help fill holes and continue their contending status.
Most recently, they signed Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million deal. He will be a much-needed offensive threat in the middle of the order.
However, it is the rotation that the club has primarily focused on. Shane Bieber triggered his player option to stay in Toronto, and then they went out and signed Cody Ponce and Dylan Cease.
They were also able to get some bullpen arms in Tyler Rogers and Chase Lee.
MORE: Blue Jays fans can thank Kazuma Okamoto's daughter for free agent deal
Blue Jays' Dylan Cease predicted to accomplish a career-first in 2026
Dylan Cease is expected to headline this starting rotation. He was an ace when he was with the Chicago White Sox and the San Diego Padres, and that should not stop in 2026.
Despite being an ace, he has yet to make an All-Star Game appearance. But that could all change this upcoming season, according to Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter. He believes Cease will get the call this upcoming season.
"Despite lackluster surface-level numbers in 2025, Dylan Cease is still an ace-caliber starter. His 3.56 FIP painted a far more encouraging picture of his performance, while his 29.8 percent strikeout rate trailed only Tarik Skubal (32.2%) and Garrett Crochet (31.3%) among qualified starters."
While some of the numbers might not suggest a good 2025 season, he punched out opposing batters at a high clip. With the change of scenery, he could put it all together and have a career year.
While Cease could be in store for a monster season, so could plenty of others in the starting rotation. Ponce has the ability to turn heads alongside Bieer, who will come into the new season healthy.
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