Dylan Cease Brings Cleveland A Different Problem

Pick: Toronto Blue Jays -133
Secondary lean: Under 7 (+104)

Dylan Cease against Joey Cantillo gives Toronto the pitching edge Wednesday at Progressive Field, but the useful question sits beneath Cease’s 2.34 ERA. Cleveland’s lineup has become increasingly dangerous through Chase DeLauter, José Ramírez and its running game. Cease brings the strikeout arsenal capable of preventing those pieces from connecting. Toronto -133 is the play.

What Happens Before Ramírez Gets Involved?

Cease enters at 9-5 with a 2.34 ERA, and Toronto pitching coach Pete Walker has been discussing the evolution behind those numbers. Walker said Tuesday that adding pitches has made Dylan Cease a “more complete pitcher,” particularly as his velocity has fluctuated recently.

That expanded arsenal meets a Cleveland lineup whose threat begins before Ramírez.

DeLauter entered the series hitting .293, while Steven Kwan remains the contact presence above Cleveland’s middle order. The Guardians have also stolen 129 bases, compared with Toronto’s 69.

Cease’s strikeouts can interrupt that sequence before Cleveland gets to use its speed. He enters with 174 strikeouts in 134⅔ innings, while opponents are hitting .207 against him.

Cantillo Has To Find Toronto’s Right Side

Cantillo presents Toronto with the opposite problem. The left-hander is 9-7 with a 3.70 ERA, and the Blue Jays can answer him with several right-handed bats.

Ernie Clement leads Toronto with a .276 average, while Kazuma Okamoto has 28 home runs and 78 RBIs. Alejandro Kirk and George Springer provide further right-handed possibilities around Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Toronto’s lineup does not need to overpower Cantillo early. His walk rate offers another route: 56 walks in 131⅓ innings against 136 strikeouts. Cease has issued 43 in roughly the same workload.

That difference becomes particularly interesting if Toronto can extend at-bats rather than chase Cantillo’s breaking stuff below the zone.

Toronto Has More Arms Than It Did Tuesday

September roster expansion returned left-hander Joe Mantiply to Toronto’s bullpen after knee surgery, while Ricky Tiedemann was also recalled. Toronto had entered the series with rotation injuries to Trey Yesavage, Jameson Taillon and Shane Bieber, making the extra pitching particularly useful behind Cease.

Cleveland used Matt Festa for the ninth Tuesday, while Gavin Williams’ seven innings kept the rest of the bullpen largely protected.

Readers can find the rest of Wednesday’s previews and supporting resources in our MLB Betting Hub, while the MLB Playoffs Betting Guide covers the postseason race surrounding a series that began with Cleveland holding the AL’s final wild-card position.

Can Cantillo Keep Dylan Cease Waiting?

The total of seven at Bookmaker Sportsbook leaves little room, but both starters can suppress traffic, and Cleveland’s bullpen enters in useful condition.

Toronto -133 is preferable. Cease’s ability to miss bats attacks Cleveland before its contact, speed and middle-order power can become one continuous problem.

Betting Lean: Toronto Blue Jays -133

Secondary Lean: Under 7 (+104)

Prediction: Blue Jays 4, Guardians 2

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