Toronto Blue Jays: Dylan Cease Misses Out on Cy Young Award

As was expected, Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease lost out on the American League Cy Young Award on Wednesday night, finishing second behind Cam Schlittler of the New York Yankees.

Cease earned 22 second-place votes, six third-place votes and two fourth-place votes, finishing with a total of 110 points. Schlittler received all 30 first-place votes and finished with 210 points.

Parker Messick of the Cleveland Guardians (84) was third while Drew Rasmussen of the Tampa Bay Rays (72) was fourth. Sonny Gray of the Boston Red Sox (21) was fifth and Reid Detmers of the Los Angeles Angels (9) was sixth. Cade Smith (Guardians), Bryan Baker (Rays) and Michael Wacha (Royals) rounded out the 6-9 slots.

Cease also lost out to Schlittler in the Players Choice Awards for the AL's Most Outstanding Pitcher.

While the loss for Cease was disappointing, it wasn't a totally lost night for the Blue Jays, who saw Louis Varland take home the AL Reliever of the Year Award.

Cease, signed to a seven-year deal worth $210 million last offseason, made 29 starts around two short injured list stints, going 11-6 with a 2.40 ERA. The Blue Jays had the fewest runs scored and fewest home runs in baseball this season, so Cease did all he could to keep the team in the playoff race until the end of the season. They finished 79-83 and in last place in the American League East, but they were in the wild card race until the final week.

He struck out 239 batters in just 169.0 innings, marking his sixth straight season of 200 strikeouts or more. He also led the American League in hits/9, strikeouts/9, and home runs/9. He was second in the American League in strikeouts behind only Gavin Williams (Guardians), who had 248.

An eight-year veteran of the Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres and Blue Jays, Cease is 76-64 in his career with a 3.67 ERA. 

He made the All-Star Game for the first time this season, earning the start for the American League, which was managed by Jays' skipper John Schneider.

He ended the year on the IL with shoulder inflammation but is expected to be healthy for spring training. However, because of labor issues, we don't know exactly when spring training will actually start.

Robbie Ray (2021) remains the last Blue Jays pitcher to win the American League Cy Young award.