Dylan Cease didn’t sound like a pitcher carrying any bitterness back into San Diego.
As the Toronto Blue Jays visit the Padres this weekend, Cease reflected on the free-agency process that sent him north on a seven-year, $210 million deal. The right-hander made it clear he wasn’t crushed by the idea of leaving.
“I feel like I kind of understood,” Cease said to reporters. “I don’t feel like I helped myself with how I pitched last year.
So no I wasn’t really bummed. That’s just part of the game, part of the business.
No hard feelings or anything.
"Like I said, I really do love San Diego a lot. This place is special. I feel very grateful I got to play here and it’s always going to be cool coming back.”
Cease spent two seasons with the Padres after a blockbuster trade just before the 2024 season, and he was the anchor of the staff during that stretch. The results, though, were uneven. He posted a 3.47 ERA in 33 starts in 2024, then followed with a 4.55 ERA over 32 starts in his second year with the club.
Now he’s thriving in Toronto. Through 17 starts, Cease has put up a 2.56 ERA and is headed to the first All-Star Game of his career.
For San Diego, the departure has been felt far beyond one roster spot. The Padres’ rotation has become a revolving door of inconsistency, and the problems have only grown as injuries piled up. What was already a concern entering the season has turned into a bigger issue, with the club slipping in the standings over the last few weeks.
With the trade deadline coming up, the Padres have decisions to make. Losing Cease was the first major blow of the offseason, and they still haven’t found a way to replace what he brought to the starting group. If they’re not careful, the 2026 season could get away from them in a hurry.
In Other News...
Blue Jays Quietly Made An Outfield Move Fans Should Watch
The Blue Jays added another outfield option to the mix by bringing in Daz Cameron on a minor-league deal, a low-risk move that gives the organization some extra depth as it tries to keep the roster flexible. Cameron, a former first-round pick, has already logged big-league time and most recently spent time in the KBO, where he showed enough at the plate to stay on the radar of clubs looking for help.
Toronto is expected to send him to Triple-A Buffalo, where he can settle in and give the front office another name to monitor over the final stretch. With injuries thinning the outfield picture, Cameron could put himself in position for a late-season look if he keeps producing, which makes this one of those quiet transactions that can matter more than it first appears. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Just Added Another AL East Problem For Blue Jays Fans
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For Blue Jays fans, the name matters because shortstop is already spoken for in Tampa Bay by Taylor Walls, which only adds to the sense that Emerson is being lined up as a future problem waiting to happen. If the Rays develop him the way they believe they can, Toronto may be looking at another homegrown bat and glove combo in the division for years to come. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Suddenly Face A Jeff Hoffman Deadline Dilemma
Jeff Hoffmans season has left Toronto with a familiar midseason question: is this the kind of arm a contender keeps, or the kind it listens on if the standings push the club in a different direction? Through 42 appearances, Hoffman has been uneven, posting a 4.35 ERA and 1.40 WHIP, numbers that keep him squarely in the conversation as the Blue Jays weigh the value of a proven reliever against whatever the market might bring back.
If Toronto does end up exploring that path, the interest figure to be there. The Phillies, Astros, White Sox, Cubs and Nationals all make some sense for different reasons, whether it is bullpen help, payroll flexibility or tax concerns, and Philadelphia carries an obvious reunion angle after Hoffmans All-Star run there in 2024. The real complication is the price tag, since Hoffman is owed $12.67 million next season, which could narrow the field quickly even before the Blue Jays decide how aggressive they want to be. [Read more 🡒]