Blue Jays Notebook: Cease has preferrred debut, Berrios bounces again

DUNEDIN, Fla. – Dylan Cease has been sporting Blue Jays colors for a couple of weeks now, however Saturday marked his first official spring coaching motion and the debut went in line with plan.

The right-hander accomplished 1.2 innings whereas placing out three, permitting a Bryan De La Cruz residence run and averaging 97.4 m.p.h. together with his fastball.

“Pretty ideal,” Cease mentioned. “Definitely a lot of positives.”

At this level in spring, he’s targeted on repeating his supply so his location may be as exact as potential. He estimates that he’s already 80 per cent of the best way to the place he ought to be mechanically with some fine-tuning forward over the approaching weeks.

“But I feel really optimistic with where I’m at,” Cease mentioned.

Behind the scenes, the 30-year-old has loved his first few weeks in Blue Jays camp since he’s been capable of get to know his new teammates on the defending American League champs.

“A lot of that is trying to assimilate and just do my job, really. Not make it about myself,” Cease mentioned. “It’s been great. I feel like we’re bonding well. We like each other. It’s been a lot of fun.”

But whereas Cease was within the highlight Saturday, there are numerous intriguing tales unfolding with much less fanfare. Here’s a better have a look at a couple of of them, beginning with the staff’s rotation:

While Cease was pitching in Dunedin, Fla., Jose Berrios was going through the Yankees a brief drive away in Tampa, Fla. At a time when most beginning pitchers are content material to pitch an inning or two, Berrios accomplished 4 innings on 54 pitches with out permitting successful or a run.

Now, outcomes don’t matter this time of yr, however it’s value noting that Berrios had extra velocity Saturday than he did in his spring debut in opposition to the Mets. After averaging 91.9 m.p.h. on his four-seam fastball Monday, he was as much as 93.1 m.p.h. in opposition to a Yankees lineup that includes Aaron Judge, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and most of New York’s regulars.

This was a step in the precise path for Berrios, who’s now approach forward of most pitchers with 4 weeks to go earlier than opening day.

Speaking of Blue Jays starters, Kevin Gausman’s spring debut went in line with plan this week with three strikeouts in his first inning of labor. Including the post-season, Gausman led all MLB pitchers in innings, pitches, batters confronted and begins final yr, so there’s no must overdo it this spring. But if he provides an inning per outing over the course of 5 begins, he’ll be the place he must be when the season begins — maybe together with his first-ever Opening Day begin in opposition to the Athletics on March 27.

“He’s about as low-maintenance and low-key as you can get,” supervisor John Schneider mentioned. “He’s been our workhorse, our ace.”

Meanwhile, Shane Bieber doesn’t have fast plans to get off a mound and Trey Yesavage might be eased into spring coaching motion whereas Max Scherzer is anticipated to reach in Blue Jays camp Sunday or Monday. There are a whole lot of shifting items right here – so many who opposing groups have a look at the combo and marvel the way it’ll all match collectively – however extra choices will solely assist, particularly after a season through which the Blue Jays performed an additional month.

George Springer took a beating because the 2025 post-season unfolded, however he says he was capable of get his physique “back underneath” him over the winter, and he’s not particularly inclined to mirror again on the knee, aspect and wrist points that he handled late final yr.

“It doesn’t matter what’s wrong with you or if you feel good or not,” mentioned Springer, now 36. “There isn’t a guy on the field who feels good at that point in the year, so it doesn’t really matter.”

Springer says he’s throwing extra comfortably than he did final yr and is able to contribute within the outfield once more as wanted. And after posting profession highs in batting common (.309) and on-base proportion (.399) final yr, there’s little question that the offensive modifications he made final yr can work.

“Spring training means absolutely nothing for a guy like him,” Schneider mentioned. “So we’re just looking for him to take some aggressive swings and be on time (at the plate).”

The space the place the Blue Jays might need essentially the most organizational depth is outfield, and that’s partly due to RJ Schreck, the left-handed hitting 25-year-old who joined the Blue Jays in alternate for Justin Turner again in 2024. Multiple Blue Jays folks have gone out of their solution to reward Shreck, who hit 18 residence runs with a .249/.395/.459 batting line in 105 video games spent largely within the higher minors final yr. Schneider has been significantly impressed with the outfielder’s self-awareness and communication with the teaching employees.

If issues go properly, he might carry a Nathan Lukes-like profile to the staff – that’s, a powerful aspect platoon hitter who holds his personal in any respect three outfield positions. And talking of place participant depth, shortstop Josh Kasevich has been impressing staff determination makers, too.

When the Blue Jays took Yariel Rodriguez off the 40-man roster this winter, it was a transparent signal they weren’t thrilled together with his efficiency. They’d like to see him bounce again and contribute to the 2026 staff, as alternative will certainly emerge all through the season. As of now, although, he’s not attacking throughout the strike zone sufficient to have an excellent shot of breaking camp with the staff.

Elsewhere within the bullpen combine, Rule 5 picks Spencer Miles and Angel Bastardo will get extra possibilities to indicate the Blue Jays they’ve big-league-ready command together with large velocity.

“The stuff is there with both of those guys,” Schneider mentioned. “They’re flashing stuff (that shows) the reason we acquired them. They’ve got to stay healthy and as we get closer, they’ve got to tighten a few things up, but so far so good.”

Of course, making the staff as a Rule 5 choice is a problem for any participant, particularly one on a contending staff just like the Blue Jays. But being on the 40-man roster with large velocity is at the least a begin.

The opening day roster all the time will get additional consideration, and rightfully so. But it’s value remembering the energetic roster modifications weekly and the primary objective of the Opening Day roster is to set the Blue Jays up for achievement of their first video games of the yr
— that’s, in opposition to the Athletics. If a roster battle is shut, some consideration ought to in all probability be given to what the A’s will do. We’re a great distance from that time, however hypothetically, that may imply taking an additional lefty reliever to neutralize lefty bats like Nick Kurtz, Tyler Soderstrom, Jeff McNeil and Lawrence Butler.