The Toronto Blue Jays are placing one of the most reliable starters in baseball on the injured list.
Dylan Cease is headed to the 15-day IL with a hamstring strain. Manager John Schneider announced the transaction to reporters on Monday. Cease was limited to 4 2/3 innings in Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates due to the injury.
All-Star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr., meanwhile, is considered day-to-day due to elbow soreness. Guerrero was hit by a pitch on his left elbow in the same game vs. the Pirates and left in the fifth inning.
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Per Schneider, Guerrero could be available off the bench for Monday’s game against the Miami Marlins, but the Blue Jays “didn’t want to push it” by placing him in the starting lineup.
As for Cease, Schneider is hoping that his stint on the IL will be abbreviated.
“It doesn’t look too terrible, knock on wood,” Schneider said, per Sportsnet. “Just trying to be smart and not have it get worse. Don’t know the exact timeline yet … hoping it’s a minimal stay.”
Cease joined the Blue Jays in the offseason on a seven-year, $210 million contract. He’s responded with a career-best 3.05 ERA in 62 innings as part of a 1-2 punch at the top of Toronto’s rotation alongside veteran Blue Jay Kevin Guasman.
He is not known for lengthy stints on the injured list. Cease has made at least 32 starts and thrown at least 165 innings in each of the last five seasons with the San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox. He’ll certainly hope for a quick return as he seeks to make his first MLB All-Star game at 30 years old.
The Blue Jays can’t afford to lose him for long. They’ve followed up their trip to the 2025 World Series with a disappointing 25-28 start as of Monday.
They announced last week that veteran starter José Berríos won’t return this season from a stress fracture in his elbow and instead required Tommy John surgery.
Cease has been a bright spot amid Toronto’s lackluster start. A quick return will be key to the Blue Jays’ chances of making a return to playoff contention.
