Part 2/11:
Analysts and insiders agree that starting pitching was the Blue Jays' number-one offseason priority. Their approach was to find a front-of-the-rotation ace capable of leading their staff for years to come. Dylan Cease emerged as the prime target, given his elite velocity, swing-and-miss stuff, and durability history.
Shai, a baseball analyst, notes that the move aligns perfectly with the team's valuation of high-end pitching attributes—velocity, strikeout potential, and health. The Blue Jays had been interested in Cease for some time, even attempting trades in previous years, and this commitment underscores how much they coveted him. The rapidity of the deal's completion—coming together faster than usual—indicates that everything just clicked for them this offseason.