Dylan Cease had an MRI on his shoulder Saturday night in Toronto and will not make his scheduled start Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reported.
The right-hander has been dealing with the shoulder for a few weeks, according to Bannon.
Manager John Schneider has not ruled out a start against the Cincinnati Reds next weekend.
Cease is in Toronto, apart from the rest of the club, and will meet the team in Baltimore.
Hazel Mae of Sportsnet also reported the MRI, adding that Cease was sent for imaging because he had been managing shoulder fatigue.
His last outing was short. On Friday against the Texas Rangers, Cease allowed four runs, one earned, on three hits and six walks over 2 2/3 innings.
The Rangers won that game 7-1 at Globe Life Field, part of a series Texas entered with Kumar Rocker, Cal Quantrill and Jacob deGrom lined up against Toronto.
The walk total stood out for a pitcher who had been Toronto’s most reliable starter through a season in which the rotation has absorbed a string of injuries.
Cease signed with the Blue Jays as a free agent last offseason after two years in San Diego. Toronto gave him the largest free-agent contract in franchise history at the time.
He has made his mark in the first year of the deal. Cease was named an All-Star for the first time in 2026.
The 30-year-old came up with the Chicago White Sox, debuting on July 3, 2019, and pitched there through 2023. The White Sox traded him to the Padres before the 2024 season, and he threw a no-hitter against the Washington Nationals on July 25 that year.
He carries a career 3.67 ERA with 1,467 strikeouts, according to Baseball Reference.
An MRI does not confirm a diagnosis on its own, and the Blue Jays have not announced results or a timeline. Their decision on the Reds series will follow the imaging.
Toronto closes the series in Arlington on Sunday. Texas won 6-2 on Saturday and moved into sole possession of first place in the American League West at 78-77, a game ahead of Houston with seven to play.
Cease’s next scheduled turn would come next weekend against the Reds.
