TORONTO -- In case any questions remained, this is the real Dylan Cease.
The Padres got the Cy Young version of Cease once again in Tuesday evening’s 3-0 loss to the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, a third-straight quality start that gave the visitors a real chance the whole way through.
But the offensive troubles continued, and Cease’s gem was recorded with an ‘L’ next to his name. All the Padres could do after the fact was look forward.
“I just feel like it's part of the game,” Cease said of the offense. “It's a long season and, you know, you kind of go through your lulls, but they're capable of coming out and putting up 10. It's a long season. That's why it's a difficult game.”
It was difficult for the other side, too. This one was a Cease Classic.
The right-hander held the Blue Jays to three hits and one walk with six strikeouts over seven innings -- his longest start of the year. Cease pitched with confidence, riding the slider for nine of his 14 swings and misses and confirming that he’s got a firm grasp on the pitch once again.
More and more, Cease’s early struggles look like an odd blip. The current string of dominance is much more aligned with his identity.
“We're seeing Dylan Cease being who he is at his best,” said manager Mike Shidlt. “And that's really good. The body language is great, the attack is good, the life is good. The slider is outstanding. So he's in a really good spot for us.”
He showed it from the get-go.
After getting Bo Bichette to strike out looking in the first, Cease watched Vladimir Guerrero Jr. connect with a good fastball and send it out for a solo homer. Then, Cease regrouped and got back on the attack, striking out the next two batters to end the frame and putting up zeros all the way until the fifth.
That’s when Cease made his one real mistake -- his “biggest regret,” as he put it afterward -- a hanging slider that Anthony Santander hit for a two-run homer.
“I like where I'm at,” said Cease. “For the most part, I’m filling up the zone. I'm frustrated, you know? I mean, really, just one mistake really got me, but it's part of the game.”
One mistake was all it took.
The Padres outhit Toronto 5-3 in the series opener, but the shutout extended their slump with runners in scoring position to 0-for-25. There weren’t many chances to begin with, as the Padres were held in check by Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt, who allowed just four hits and one walk before handing it over to a strong bullpen in the seventh.
In all, San Diego managed just one extra-base hit on the night -- a one-out double by Luis Arraez in the top of the first. The next two batters struck out to end the threat, and the Padres played catch-up the rest of the way, running into bits of bad luck even when they put up good at-bats.
“When you get good pitching and you have close games, it really is a matter of: you hit some balls at people, you don't get the proverbial timely hit,” said Shildt. “But I do know, if we continue to do what we've done -- and we will -- and stack on as many quality at-bats as we can … then this too shall pass sooner than later.”
The problems are ongoing, but the sample is still small. The Padres are showing the same trust in an offensive turnaround as they did in Cease amid his own up-and-down start to the season.
“I think Dylan's in a really good spot,” said Shildt. “He's not a guy that is going to ride too high. He has high expectations -- I honestly believe that he pretty much expects to throw a no-hitter every time he goes out. And, you know, if things don't work out as well, he's more like, ‘Okay, what do I need to do differently or better?’ But knowing that, he also knows it's short term -- just like our offense. Things happen in a short term.”
But returning to form wasn’t a lucky bounce for the 29-year-old Cease. It took self-reflection and mechanical adjustments, as he worked to pitch in the zone more effectively and get his breaking balls in better shape.
Ask him about his series of quality starts, though, and he’ll tell you there’s more to improve on. It’s just who he is.