Cease Signs 7-Year, $210M Deal with Blue Jays

The offseason market has been moving at a much faster pace than usual, which is interesting given the fact that the annual Winter Meetings have not taken place yet. On Tuesday, the Boston Red Sox traded for Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals. Today, the Toronto Blue Jays, looking to defend their American League pennant, have signed free-agent starting pitcher Dylan Cease.

Breaking: Dylan Cease to Blue Jays. $210M, 7 years

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 26, 2025

Ross Atkins just watched his team fall short of a World Series title by one game. If anything, they fell short by just half an inning. This deal shows that the Blue Jays are, as expected, remaining all-in on their title chase. Cease is turning 30 years old at the end of December, so a seven-year deal does seem to be longer than some had expected. A $30M annual average value is not shocking by any means, but it is the length that makes the amount seem much larger.

The starting pitcher was drafted by the Cubs in 2014, spending a few years in the minor league system before getting traded to the White Sox in a deal that sent José Quintana to the North Side. The White Sox then traded him to the Padres before the 2024 season. He spent two years in San Diego before reaching free agency.

Cease is coming off a season in which he posted a 4.55 ERA in 32 games. He logged 168 innings with a 1.33 WHIP and 215 strikeouts. Walks were a big issue for the Georgia native, as his 9.8 percent walk rate was in the 20th percentile across the sport. His best ability is striking batters out, which he does 29.8 percent of the time.

The Cubs were rumored to be a contender for Cease’s services, but the price point of $210M likely took them out of that race. Instead, they will have to look elsewhere, whether through a trade or a cheaper arm on the free-agent market.