Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Dylan Cease has been named the American league starter for the All-Star Game following Cam Schlitter announcing that he won’t be pitching in the event. Cease leads the AL with 148 strikeouts this season and ranks second in all of baseball. He has also recorded much-improved 2.56 ERA from his 4.55 ERA with the San Diego Padres last season.
Cease will be facing Cristopher Sanchez who will be starting for the National League, making for an exciting pitching matchup in this year’s ASG with two dominant strikeout leaders, as Sanchez remains within close reach of Cease with 144 strikeouts this season.
This is Cease’s first All-Star nod and he will be the first Blue Jays starter to start the Midsummer Classic since Roy Halladay in 2009. Aside from Halladay, Cease will also join former 1983-84 AL ASG starter Dave Stieb and David Wells in 2000, making him part of elite company with past Blue Jays ASG starters.
Cease is worthy of the start following his dominance for Toronto this season. He was three outs away from recording his second no-hitter on July 8.
