Dylan Cease will get the ball for the American League to start the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, recognizing a dominant half-season with the Toronto Blue Jays, the team announced on Sunday.
Cease joins Dave Stieb (1982, 1983) and Roy Halladay (2009) as the only Blue Jays pitchers to start an All-Star Game.
Cease lost a no-hitter in the ninth inning in his most recent start on Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants, and said afterwards he “would probably say yes” if asked to start the All-Star Game.
The Blue Jays’ star off-season signing has a 2.56 ERA in 98.1 innings while racking up an AL-best 148 strikeouts.
Cease leads AL starters in WAR, as calculated by FanGraphs, at 3.7, checking in ahead of New York Yankees righty Cam Schlittler (3.6) and Minnesota Twins ace Joe Ryan (3.1).
Philadelphia Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez is reportedly getting the ball for the National League at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+).