The San Diego Padres reached the postseason again last year, but the path back to October baseball in 2026 looks challenging. Competing in the same division as the two time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers already raises the bar, and San Diego’s task became tougher with the loss of a major rotation piece. Right handed starter Dylan Cease departed in free agency, signing with the American League champion Toronto Blue Jays.
Cease leaves San Diego after spending the past two seasons with the club and seven years in the majors overall. His 2024 campaign with the Padres was one of the strongest of his career. He finished 14 and 11 while leading the National League with 33 starts. Over 189.1 innings, Cease struck out 224 batters and posted a 3.47 earned run average, production that earned him a fourth place finish in National League Cy Young Award voting.
The following season did not match those results, though Cease still provided value and durability. In 2025, he went 8 and 12 with a 4.55 ERA across 168.0 innings. His power stuff remained evident, as he recorded 215 strikeouts and maintained a solid 3.03 strikeout to walk ratio while taking the ball regularly for San Diego.
Although he is excited about joining a contender in Toronto, Cease acknowledged that leaving the Padres will not be easy. He spoke fondly of the clubhouse and the pitching staff he worked alongside. “I really liked everyone on this team,” Cease said. “I am going to miss everyone.”
Durability has long been one of Cease’s defining traits. Throughout his career, he has consistently answered the bell and rarely missed a scheduled start. That reliability was evident well before his time in San Diego.
Cease spent the first five seasons of his major league career with the Chicago White Sox, where he emerged as a rotation anchor from 2021 through 2023. He made 32 starts in both 2021 and 2022, then followed with 33 starts in 2023, reinforcing his reputation as a dependable workhorse.
His standout season came in 2022, when he went 14 and 8 with a sparkling 2.20 ERA. Over 184.0 innings, Cease struck out 227 hitters and finished second in American League Cy Young voting, cementing his status as one of the game’s premier starting pitchers.