Why Blue Jays' $210 million Dylan Cease deal is good news for Yankees

Why Blue Jays' $210 million Dylan Cease deal is good news for Yankees originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New York Yankees saw their division rival, the Toronto Blue Jays, make the first big outside free agent signing of the winter when they splurged for Dylan Cease.

According to Jon Heyman of The New York Post, the Blue Jays signed Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract. It's a huge deal for Cease, as he joins a strong rotation in Toronto. While it may not seem like it, there's some good news for the Yankees with this deal.

Jesse Rogers of ESPN shared predictions from MLB executives, which linked the Blue Jays to Cease. But now, since Toronto is likely out of the starting pitcher market after the Cease deal, the Yankees have stronger odds to sign one of the other starters on the market.

Why Blue Jays' $210 million Dylan Cease decision is good news for Yankees

MLB executives predicted the Yankees as the second most likely team to land Tatsuya Imai, with the Blue Jays tied for fifth. Toronto was also strongly linked to Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez, but now will likely not be in those markets this offseason.

However, one of the more notable impacts from this is that the Yankees, listed as the favorites to land Kyle Tucker, will now potentially have one less team to contend with after the Blue Jays spent a significant amount on Cease.

Toronto could still wind up signing Tucker, but by spending so much on Cease, the Blue Jays might not have the financial flexibility to go and get Tucker, Bo Bichette, and other top free agents on the market.

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While the Blue Jays landed the first big free agent of the offseason, the Yankees might now have an easier path to their top free agent targets this offseason.

If New York is aiming for Iami, Suarez, or Valdez, then they will likely not have to contend with the Blue Jays anymore. And while Tucker or Cody Bellinger could wind up heading elsewhere this offseason, the Blue Jays $210 million contract to Cease could take them out of some free agent markets this winter.

The Blue Jays were always going to spend big this winter, but Cease, who is coming off a 4.55 ERA season in 2025, was not a Yankees target. Combined with Toronto having less money to work with, the big Cease signing isn't the worst outcome for the Yankees.

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