The impression this offseason has been that the Chicago Cubs were ready to spend beyond their comfort zone to address their need for a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher, and the Toronto Blue Jays just provided them with a harsh reality check. The Blue Jays have inked Dylan Cease to a seven-year deal worth $210 million.
Entering the offseason, there was a debate about whether any of the top three starting pitchers on the free-agent market would land a deal north of $200 million, and if so, most of the guesses were that it would be Framber Valdez. Considering Cease was coming off a down year with the San Diego Padres, it's surprising that he was not only the first starter to sign, but also exceeded the $200 million threshold.