Dylan Cease, the ace of the Toronto Blue Jays, will miss his next scheduled start against the Baltimore Orioles due to shoulder fatigue. Manager John Schneider confirmed this decision during a press conference, stating that Cease is currently managing the issue and the team is taking precautionary measures.
Cease underwent an MRI in Toronto on Saturday, and the results are still pending, which will help determine his next steps. Although he won't be participating in the upcoming game against the Orioles on Wednesday, the Blue Jays are not completely ruling out the possibility of him making a start in the final series of the season against the Cincinnati Reds.
This news comes at a critical time as Cease has been an AL Cy Young candidate but has faced challenges during September. He has struggled with his control, and his velocity has notably dipped. In his most recent outing on Friday, Cease lasted only 2.2 innings, giving up three hits and four runs (one earned) while issuing six walks and striking out three batters. His fastball averaged 93.6 m.p.h. in that game, which is significantly lower than his season average of 96.8 m.p.h.
Despite these recent struggles, Cease has maintained an impressive 2.40 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over 29 starts, leading the American League with 239 strikeouts. However, losing him marks a significant setback for the Blue Jays, whose rotation has already been diminished as they compete for the final AL wild-card berth in the postseason.
For the last month, the Blue Jays have faced difficulties due to injuries, having only three healthy starters available. Alongside Cease's absence, Shane Bieber and Trey Yesavage are also sidelined, further complicating the team's pitching situation. Fortunately, Yesavage is slated to make a start on Monday in the series opener against the Orioles, which brings some relief to the team.
As of now, the Toronto Blue Jays are focusing on their ongoing series against the Texas Rangers, where they aim to salvage at least one game in the finale, set to take place on Sunday at 2:35 p.m. ET, airing on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+. Currently, Toronto finds itself three games behind the Chicago White Sox for the final wild-card spot in the AL.
The situation surrounding Cease and the Blue Jays' rotation will be critical to monitor in the coming days as the team strives to keep their playoff hopes alive amid these challenges.
