Dylan Cease to Make Blue Jays Spring Training Debut Against Phillies

DUNEDIN, FL – Toronto Blue Jays fans will get their first glimpse of prized offseason acquisition Dylan Cease on Saturday as he makes his spring training debut against the Philadelphia Phillies. The game, scheduled for 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT, will be broadcast on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.

Cease’s Acquisition and Contract

Cease signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Blue Jays in November, marking the largest free-agent commitment in franchise history. Sportsnet reports the team is banking on the right-hander to bolster their already strong pitching rotation.

Previous Performance

The 30-year-old Cease spent the 2025 season with the San Diego Padres, posting a 4.55 ERA over 32 starts and 168 innings pitched, while striking out 215 batters. Throughout his seven-year career with the Padres and Chicago White Sox, he has maintained a career ERA of 3.88.

Blue Jays Rotation

Cease joins a Blue Jays rotation that already includes established pitchers such as Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber, Cody Ponce, Jose Berrios, Max Scherzer, and Eric Lauer. Sportsnet notes the Blue Jays brought in Cease to add further depth and potential to their pitching staff.

Saturday’s Lineup

For Saturday’s game, the Blue Jays will feature several key players in their split-squad lineup. George Springer will lead off as the designated hitter, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Batting third. Ernie Clement, Daulton Varsho, and Andres Gimenez will likewise be in the starting lineup, with Alejandro Kirk catching Cease.

A separate group of Blue Jays players, including Davis Schneider, Addison Barger, and Myles Straw, will travel to Tampa to face the Latest York Yankees, where Jose Berrios is slated to start.

FanGraphs Projections

Despite an uneven 2025 season where his ERA+ dipped below league average, Sporting News reports that FanGraphs projections align with the Blue Jays’ evaluation of Cease. They project a 3.57 ERA for the upcoming season, a significant improvement over his 2025 mark of 4.55, along with 214 strikeouts and 183 innings pitched.