Dylan Cease pitches a masterpiece as Blue Jays knock off L.A. Angels

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Published May 08, 2026  •  4 minute read

Jays pitcher Dylan Cease delivers the pitch against the Los Angeles Angels last night. Photo by Getty Images

The full Dylan Cease experience was unleashed Friday as the beleaguered Blue Jays needed something, anything for that matter, to hang their hats on.

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Cease was scintillating, but one suspects much more can and will be extracted as his lengthy commitment to Toronto promises to get better.

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His eighth start of the season represented Cease’s finest, though it was produced against an inferior L.A. Angels team.

Still, Cease was overpowering at times, mainly unhitable as L.A. was completely overwhelmed.

As dominant as Cease was, the Angels remained in the game because the Jays’ bats struggled, which isn’t new.

Cease provided his team with seven shutout innings of five-hit ball.

His 10 strikeouts marked the third time Cease has reached double figures.

Jeff Hoffman started the eighth inning and promptly surrendered a leadoff double.

The runner advanced to third on a groundout before Hoffman recorded the second out on a pop out.

The inning’s final out came on a strikeout.

In the home half, it was one-time Jays starter Alek Manoah on the mound for the Angels, the former staff ace who was greeted by boos from a crowd that had absolutely no reason to greet the big righty with such disrespect.

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As they say, fans can do what they want, the same fans who cheered when Manoah threw a wild pitch with one out.

He struck out Ernie Clement on a called third strike.

Boos began to cascade when Manoah nearly hit Jesus Sanchez with a pitch before inducing Sanchez to pop out.

Fans did erupt when Louis Varland emerged from the bullpen.

L.A. recorded twice as many hits than the Jays, who managed three, but it was Toronto that emerged with a 2-0 win to snap its four-game losing streak.

It was far from a convincing win, but on this night the Jays rode the arm of Cease.

The following are three takeaways on a night fans lined up for hours on City Connect Friday as a sellout crowd of 41,923 packed the stadium, some of whom came to get their hands on the club’s latest giveaway, this one a Trey Yesavage jersey.

1. May the force be with him

Once the calendar flipped to May, Kazuma Okamoto has been posting numbers worthy of an all-star.

Perhaps one day the Japanese star will be part of baseball’s mid-summer classic, perhaps as soon as a few months if he continues to rake at his current pace.

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Baseball’s all-star game has turned into a popularity contest, at least when it comes to the starters.

May, and yes it’s only one week into the month, has seen Okamoto flourish at the plate, occasionally flashing the leather at third base and displaying a strong arm as well.

Heading into the series opener against the Angels, Okamoto had recorded at least one hit in six straight games.

In his second at-bat, he extended his streak to seven as Okamoto also drove in his ninth run in May to increase his club-leading total to 24 on the season.

Of his club-leading 10 homers, five have come in May.

May Day?

His recent hot streak will end at some point, but for now every at-bat is a must-see.

Okamoto hit cleanup Friday, which seemed only fitting given the power presence he has provided to the lineup.

Defensively, he came in on a chopper in the fifth inning, secured it and unleashed a rocket to first base to end the frame.

2. Grasping at Straw(s)

At first glance it did appear odd when glancing at the Jays’ starting lineup and seeing Myles Straw inserted in the No. 2 hole, a place in the order that has been fluid.

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As odd as it might seem, Straw’s insertion was warranted, a right-handed bat as the Jays faced a left-handed starter, a guy such as Straw who has speed and has been able to put balls in play.

He entered the night boasting the highest OPS in the Jays’ lineup.   

Among AL batters with a minimum of 50 plate appearances, Straw’s 88.7% contact rate ranked third.

The Jays returned home following a disappointing 2-5 road trip capped off by a three-game sweep at the hands of Tampa.

Straw appeared in six games.

Also keep in mind Straw has gone deep twice this season, two shy of his career high.

With so little going right with the Jays’ bats this season, Straw has flown under the radar.

Reggie Jackson’s self-anointed nickname was the Straw that stirred the drink or Mr. October during his legendary days in Pinstripes.

Straw doesn’t have Jackson’s bravado and nor does he possess Jackson’s power, but he has nonetheless shown to be serviceable.

Straw started in right field.

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He struck out swinging in the fourth inning.

3. Dotting the eyes

While many clamor for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to hit balls that leave the ballpark, he had two entering Friday, just as many lose sight of his elite eyes at the plate.

When a strike was called by home plate umpire Mike Estabrook, Vlad Jr. asked for a review.

Video replay clearly showed the pitch outside the plate as Vlad Jr. took first on a walk.

He walked a second time in a more conventional way and would score the Jay’s second run.

In another at-bat, Vlad Jr. lined out to short.

He’s no slouch, for obvious reasons, but as the Jays struggle to produce runs it’s not unfair to suggest Vlad Jr. needs to be more of a presence at the plate.

Up Next

It’s a Trey Day Saturday as Yesavage is scheduled to make his third start of the season and second at home; the talented right-hander is 1-1 with a 0.96 ERA; Angels will counter with RHP Jack Kochanowicz (2-1, 3.05 ERA).

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