In his Tuesday afternoon interview, the Blue Jays’ two-time World Series champion Mark Scherzer indirectly hinted that he’s staying in Toronto to help the team make another push. And just a day later, the Jays and Mark Shapiro signed Dylan Cease to a massive seven-year, $210 million deal.

So it looks like Shapiro really meant it when he said a few days ago that he’d do whatever it takes to strengthen this roster.

With Cease on board, the Jays have officially made their first major splash of the season. He is expected to lead the rotation that already features Kevin Gausman, former AL Cy Young winner Shane Bieber, rising star Trey Yesavage, and the ever-reliable José Berríos.

That’s a solid foundation, and at the same time it also gives the team a long-term anchor in the rotation. After all, both Kevin Gausman and Shane Bieber are set to hit free agency after the 2026 season. So, securing Cease helped the Blue Jays stabilize the future in a big way.

Throughout his time with the San Diego Padres, Dylan Cease finished with a 4.55 ERA across 168 innings. He continued to pile up strikeouts, 215 in total but also issued 71 walks. 

When everything clicks for Cease, as it did in 2022 and again in 2024, he’s the kind of pitcher who can put together Cy Young–caliber seasons.

He didn’t win the award in either year, but he came close. He finished second in 2022 with a 2.20 ERA over 184 innings. And fourth in 2024 after putting up a 3.47 ERA across 189 1/3 innings.

The former Padres right-hander has made at least 32 starts in each of the past five seasons. There’s no doubt that he’ll bring a major boost to the Blue Jays’ rotation.

After coming just one win shy of a World Series title, Blue Jays’ front office understands that their championship window is wide open and they could take advantage of it. Landing Cease is only the start of the Blue Jays’ offseason plans.

The Blue Jays are not done yet

After pushing their season all the way to Game 7 of the World Series, the Blue Jays were already expected to have a big offseason.

The reported Dylan Cease deal sets the tone. However, there’s still plenty on their to-do list. Just minutes after news of the signing broke on Wednesday night, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that Toronto is also targeting “back-end bullpen help.”

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“World Series runners-up means business this winter. Have also been pursuing back-end bullpen help, more.” Heyman noted on X.

The Blue Jays will not take this offseason lightly. The Blue Jays had reportedly met with representatives for former Mets closer Edwin Díaz earlier this season. They also showed interest in Raisel Iglesias before he re-signed with the Atlanta Braves.

Beyond Díaz, the relief market is still loaded. Top available bullpen arms include Robert Suárez, Pete Fairbanks, Ryan Helsley, and veteran closer Kenley Jansen.

The Blue Jays made it clear on Wednesday how serious they’re about this offseason. Now the focus shifts to bolstering the bullpen. And Ofcourse, figuring out a way to bring Bo Bichette back.

The Blue Jays were already operating like one of baseball’s biggest spenders and that was before their World Series run. They finally seem to recognize the full potential of the Canadian market, something they’d only imagined before.

When a team is pulling in average TV audiences of nearly 11 million in a country of just over 40 million, it’s safe to say they aren’t hurting for revenue.

If anything, adding Cease might push the Blue Jays to explore the trade market even more. Players like Ketel Marte are becoming especially tempting targets. But they’re nowhere near the point of worrying about their budget. The front office isn’t checking its balance before swiping the card.