Early Control Struggles Shorten Cease’s Outing

ARLINGTON, Texas — Starter Dylan Cease allowed a career-low fastball velocity and matched a season-high six walks Friday as the Toronto Blue Jays fell 7-1 to the Texas Rangers. Cease managed only 2.2 innings, throwing 74 pitches and striking out three batters while placing just 35 per cent of his deliveries in the strike zone.

Cease opened the game with a 91.1-m.p.h. fastball, followed immediately by a 90.0-m.p.h. pitch. He walked four of the first six hitters he faced. Texas built an early lead in the second inning after an infield throw hit a runner, scoring two runs before a sacrifice fly and an RBI double from Corey Seager made it 4-0. Cease was removed in the third inning after loading the bases with two walks and a single.

“If you don’t have velocity or sharp stuff but you can throw strikes and execute, you can still get outs,” Cease said. “But the walks and not commanding the ball is not a good recipe.”

Manager Evaluates Starter’s Health and Workload

Cease’s fastball averaged 93.6 m.p.h. during the outing. Addressing whether physical issues affected his speed, Cease attributed the drop to the timing of the season.

“I think it’s just late in the year. Obviously, I’m still able to take the ball and throw and all that,” Cease said. “I don’t know if it changes that much. I’m just trying to get it in the zone and execute. Whether it’s 92 or 98, the name of the game is executing pitches. So, that’s all I’m really trying to do.”

Blue Jays manager John Schneider indicated the team does not plan to skip Cease’s next scheduled start on Wednesday against Baltimore.

“We’ll see,” Schneider said when asked about Cease’s next outing. “He’s reporting nothing. Feeling all right, feeling good. It’s where we are in the season. Everyone’s battling and grinding to make pitches, grinding to make plays.”

“So, we’ll just be in touch with him. But nothing physically alarming enough to say, ‘hey, we’re going to skip you’ or anything like that. So, just try to manage it, try to work through it in between, and get ready for his next one,” Schneider added.

Bullpen Coverage and Roster Decisions

Five Toronto relievers were required to record the final 16 outs on Friday. The team is currently navigating a stretched pitching staff, with consecutive bullpen days planned for Sunday and Monday. Starter Jose Soriano is set to take the mound Saturday, while 42-year-old Max Scherzer is being given an extra day of rest before pitching Tuesday.

“We’re asking a lot. We’re trying to monitor, when they’re in there, pitch count and number of ups and things like that,” Schneider said. “But we’re going to need Jose to be good tomorrow and reset it a little bit, that’s for sure.”

Spencer Arrighetti is slated to pitch the bulk of Sunday’s game. Trey Yesavage, who recently threw a side session after undergoing knee meniscus surgery, could be activated from the injured list to throw approximately 50 pitches Monday, or as early as Sunday if bullpen usage forces an acceleration. Meanwhile, Toronto recently designated reliever Michael Lorenzen for assignment, leaving open the possibility of calling up additional pitching depth from Buffalo.

Offensively, Toronto’s lone run arrived in the fifth inning on an RBI double by Myles Straw, following walks by Kazuma Okamoto and Josh Smith against Rangers starter Kumar Rocker. Reliever Trevor Williams then held Toronto to two hits over the final four innings to close out the victory for Texas.

Alouettes Secure Victory Despite Fourth-Quarter Rally

The Montreal Alouettes built an early cushion and managed to hold on for a 37-25 road win against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Friday’s annual Hall of Fame game. The victory keeps Montreal undefeated in East Division matchups this season, improving their divisional record to 7-0 and overall mark to 11-3.

Quarterback Davis Alexander completed 21 of 27 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns to help build a 24-3 lead by halftime. Running back Stevie Scott provided major assistance on the ground, accumulating 108 yards across 21 carries.

Late Surge Falls Short for Hamilton

Hamilton made a dramatic final push after falling behind 34-3 early in the fourth quarter following a two-yard touchdown run by Caleb Evans. Quarterback Harrison Frost directed three consecutive touchdown drives, scoring 22 unanswered points to trim Montreal’s lead to 34-25. Frost ended the night with 340 passing yards, three touchdown passes, and four interceptions on 33-of-50 passing.

A late interception by Montreal defender Gemon Green with under a minute remaining halted Hamilton’s final drive at the 20-yard line. Jose Maltos Diaz then closed out the scoring with a 33-yard field goal at 14:37.

Key Plays and Divisional Standings

Montreal established control early when Alexander connected with right guard Donny Ventrelli for a 10-yard touchdown pass. Later in the second quarter, Nate Beauchemin returned a third-down fumble 57 yards for a touchdown after Alouettes linebacker Geoffrey Cantin-Arku dislodged the ball from Jake Dolegala. Alexander also added a 12-yard touchdown pass to Tyson Philpot.

With the loss, Hamilton drops to 4-10 overall and 1-5 in division play, committing six total turnovers during the contest. The night also featured a halftime ceremony honoring the 2026 Canadian Football Hall of Fame class, including former players Brandon Banks, Sean Millington, Charleston Hughes, Calvin Tiggle, and Jim Evenson, along with builder Frank (Pop) Ivy.

Crucial Stretch Drive Ahead

Following a 49-28 victory over the Montreal Alouettes at BC Place, the B.C. Lions (7-6) have positioned themselves for a critical stretch drive as they chase second place in the CFL’s Western Division. The club’s remaining schedule features home matchups against Saskatchewan, Ottawa, and Winnipeg, alongside road contests in Toronto and Calgary.

A pivotal showdown looms on Friday, Sept. 25, when the Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-5) visit BC Place. The contest will double as the franchise’s sixth annual Orange Shirt Day Game in honor of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. A Saskatchewan win would secure the season series for the Roughriders and grant them a two-game advantage with four weeks left. Conversely, a Lions victory would draw B.C. level in the standings while clinching the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Player Milestones and On-Field Drama

Wide receiver Keon Hatcher earned CFL Player of the Week recognition after recording nine catches for 136 yards and a second-quarter touchdown against Montreal. Currently fifth in league receiving with 949 yards, Hatcher briefly left the field in the fourth quarter due to footwear failure, returning after backup quarterback Chase Brice retrieved a spare pair of cleats from the locker room.

The victory was not without friction. Lions defensive end Mathieu Betts was ejected in the fourth quarter following an ongoing exchange with Alouettes quarterback Davis Alexander. Known for playing with high emotion on the field despite a quiet demeanor off it, Betts had engaged in verbal exchanges with Alexander throughout the contest.

Hall of Fame Recognition

Off the field, former player and current broadcaster Davis Sanchez has been announced as a 2026 B.C. Football Hall of Fame inductee in the professional athlete category. Sanchez began his sports broadcasting career as a post-game contributor following his retirement from active play.