By The Canadian Press

Dylan Cease strikes out three, gives up solo shot in Jays spring debut

Feb 28, 2026 | 3:49 PM

DUNEDIN — Dylan Cease was solid in his first spring training and the Toronto Blue Jays had mixed results in a pair of split-squad games Saturday.

Cease, who signed a seven-year, US$210 million contract with Toronto in the off-season, struck out three and gave up a solo homer over 1 2/3 innings in Toronto’s 7-5 win over visiting Philadelphia.

Cease struck out Phillies stars Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper in a clean first inning. He was relieved by Jesse Hahn after giving up a solo homer to Bryan De La Cruz with two outs in the second.

Toronto took their first lead of the game in a four-run sixth inning highlight by Josh Rivera’s two-run homer.

RJ Schreck, who scored on the Rivera homer, stole home in the seventh to cap the scoring.

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Andrés Giménez and Alejandro Kirk also drove in runs for Toronto.

Meanwhile, in Tampa, Fla., the Blue Jays lost 5-1 to the New York Yankees despite a strong start by José Berríos.

The veteran right-hander struck out two and walked two over four no-hit innings.

The Yankees scored two in the fifth and Austin Wells made it 4-0 with a two-run homer in the sixth. New York’s Kenedy Corona hit a solo shot in the seventh, and Toronto scored its only run when Carlos Mendoza scored in a fielding error in the ninth.

Toronto (2-6-1) next faces Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers on Sunday in Lakeland, Fla.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 28, 2026.

The Canadian Press