Dylan Cease dominates as Blue Jays shut out Mariners 2-0

Dylan Cease struck out nine and allowed only three hits over seven scoreless innings, giving Toronto the kind of dominant start it paid heavily to get. The Blue Jays beat Seattle 2-0 on Friday night at T-Mobile Park in the teams’ first meeting since Toronto won Game 7 of the 2025 American League Championship Series. A two-run third inning was enough because Seattle never solved Cease or the Toronto bullpen.

What We Know So Far

Cease entered the game trying to clean up a stretch of control problems. In his previous start against Texas, he gave up four runs in 4 2/3 innings and walked four. Over the 15 1/3 innings before Friday, he had issued 13 walks. Against Seattle, that changed sharply: one walk, nine strikeouts and five 1-2-3 innings.

The result lowered his ERA from 3.02 to 2.79 and improved his record to 5-4. CBS Sports noted that Cease had a 2.95 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 14 walks over 21 1/3 innings in June before opening July with this dominant effort. The Associated Press report carried by KOMO listed him as the American League strikeout leader with 141.

Seattle’s best chance came in the third. Cole Young and Victor Robles opened the inning with consecutive singles, but Colt Emerson grounded into a double play. After J.P. Crawford walked, Randy Arozarena grounded out to end the threat. Seattle finished with four hits and 12 strikeouts.

Toronto created all the offense it needed in the top half of that same inning. Sean Keys singled, Andrés Giménez doubled him home, Nathan Lukes moved Giménez to third with a sacrifice bunt, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove him in with a single to right. The two-run sequence held up the rest of the night as Jeff Hoffman threw a scoreless eighth and Louis Varland completed the shutout for his 18th save in 18 chances.

What People Are Saying

Blue Jays manager John Schneider focused on Cease’s tempo and connection with catcher Alejandro Kirk, saying the right-hander looked more settled throughout the night.

“I thought his pace was a lot better … really the whole time without shaking and being on the same page as [catcher Alejandro Kirk].”

Cease said the numbers were strong even before he felt fully comfortable with his delivery.

“I didn't feel like I really got a great rhythm until probably the fourth.”

Guerrero, meanwhile, redirected attention away from his own RBI single and toward the pitching staff. That reaction fit the shape of the game: Toronto scored only twice, but the starter and bullpen gave Seattle almost no room to answer.

How This Affects You

For Mariners fans in the U.S., the loss had an immediate standings consequence. Seattle fell to 45-44 and slipped a half-game behind Texas in the AL West after being shut out at home. The defeat also came in an emotional rematch of last year’s seven-game ALCS, when Toronto eliminated Seattle in Game 7.

The game also left Seattle without star center fielder Julio Rodríguez, who was moved to the seven-day concussion injured list after being hit in the back of the head by an errant throw the previous night. Victor Robles, who had also left that earlier game after being hit in the forearm, was available Friday and took Rodríguez’s place in center field.

For Toronto followers, Cease’s outing offers a clearer view of what the club hoped to get from its major winter signing. He agreed to a seven-year, $210 million contract, and Friday’s performance came after a rougher stretch of walks. One sharp start does not erase every control issue, but seven scoreless innings against Seattle materially changed the game and lowered his season ERA.

Coming Up

The series continues Saturday in Seattle. The confirmed pitching matchup is Blue Jays right-hander Shane Bieber, who enters at 0-0 with a 6.00 ERA, against Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert, who is 6-5 with a 3.42 ERA. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET at T-Mobile Park.

Cease also has another milestone in view: the source reports say he has a strong chance to be selected for his first All-Star Game when rosters are announced Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on FOX. Elsewhere in Toronto’s pitching picture, Max Scherzer threw three innings and 49 pitches for the Canadians and is expected to make at least two more rehab starts.

At a Glance

• Toronto beat Seattle 2-0 on Friday night.
• Cease threw seven scoreless innings with nine strikeouts.
• Giménez and Guerrero drove in Toronto’s two runs in the third.
• Hoffman and Varland completed the four-hit shutout.
• Seattle fell to 45-44 and a half-game behind Texas in the AL West.
• The teams continue the series Saturday at 4:10 p.m. ET.